Some more socks!

Just popping by to say hi! It has been a while since I last posted. Today I am going to share with you my latest work in progress, "Lazy Sunday" socks.

The pattern is from Simply Knitting Magazine, issue 157.

The socks feature a stripy zig-zag pattern which is achieved using a crossed stitch.   The stitch pattern is quite easy to do, once you know how,  but I have to admit I was totally flummoxed by the lack of explanation!

Luckily my trusty "Knitter's Handbook" came to the rescue. It looks a bit dated now but it really is an excellent resource for any knitter!

The stitch pattern basically involves working into the front or back of the second stitch on the needle, drawing the loop to the front of the needle, then working the first stitch as normal and slipping both stitches of the needle. Easy when you know how!

I can't find this pattern on Ravelry but if you wanted to knit something similar I found this pattern on Ravelry. Business Casual socks is a free download. I have't knitted these socks but they look very similiar to me.

I'm knitting my socks in the recommended yarn, which is West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply. The colour I picked is called Blue Lagoon. I've not used this yarn before, but I think I will buying some more as it knits up well and it comes in a lovely range of self patterning and plain colours!

The original socks are knitted in Passionfruit Cooler which is another gorgeous shade.

Hopefully I will be able to crack on with these soon and have some finished socks to share with you.

Also I'm on Ravelry, feel free to add me if you like.

Happy knitting

Catherine

x

Vanilla Latte Socks

Today I want to share with you my latest socks! I started these back in January and I probably finished them in February but I have only just got round to blocking them and photographing.

The pattern is Vanilla Latte Socks by Virginia Rose-Jeanes which is a free pattern that can be downloaded from Ravelry.  I recommend this pattern as it is a great beginner sock, or a sock to knit when you don't want anything too complicated! It is simple to knit and has just enough detail to keep you interested.

I made the medium size which involved casting on 64 stitches, and the socks were knitted on 2.5 mm needles.  The socks have come out slightly too loose so I think next time I will make the small, casting on 56 stitches.

The pattern is very well written and gives you lots of options. I chose to knit a knit 2, purl 2 ribbing as I think it the best ribbing for socks cuffs, and the stitch pattern for the leg is really easy too, as you alternate plain knit rows with a knit 6, purl 2 rib.

The pattern even offers three heel flap variations and two different toes.

I knitted the standard round wedge toe and then grafted the stitches together with Kitchener Stitch to close the toe

I knit a slip-stitch rib heel.

I've got some other knitting projects on the go which I hope to share soon.  I have not had any time for sewing but I am hoping that I find some time soon.

Catherine x

The Faerly shawl

Today I have a finished bit of knitting to share with you - the Faerly Shawl.

I purchased this pattern at the Knitting and Stitching show back in October last year.  It's designed by a company called Tallyarns who I'd not heard of before.

 It's a simple shawl so suitable for a beginner to make as the lace pattern is very straight forward.

The pattern calls for only a 100g of 4ply yarn and is knitted up on 6mm needles so grows really quickly. The shawl is knitted from the top down and the starting point is the mid point at the back of the neck. As you knit, the shawl grows in width.

The yarn I used for this project was Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift, which is a lovely 100 percent pure Shetland wool, that comes in a huge range of colours. The shade I used was 1390, Highland Mist.

I knit the shawl as per the pattern, but mine seems to have come out smaller than the intended size. The finished size stated is 140-160 cm across the top and 60-75 cm down the centre back depending on the yarn used.  Mine seems to measure approximately 110 cm by 55 cm so I am not sure what happened there as I am sure I followed the pattern correctly.

I suppose it depends on the yarn that you use and your tension. If I make this pattern again, I will just do an extra repeat if it doesn't look like it is wide enough yet.

I must have knit mine at a much tighter tension,hence why it is smaller than the finished measurements.

You can buy the pattern from Tallyarns here and I also noticed that they have a lovely kit in a 4ply Noro silk yarn. I think this pattern does suit a variegated yarn so I might be trying something similar with this pattern next....

I have not blocked the shawl yet but think it could benefit from this.

This was the first shawl I've made and think that I will be making more. I liked this pattern as it is very simple, so not too much concentrating required and it can be knit up relatively quickly!

Do you have any other simple shawl patterns that you can recommend?

Catherine x

Cosy Cable socks

Hey everyone, popping back after a long absence!  Hopefully I will find more time to post in the New Year!

Unfortunately I have not had much time for sewing, but I have been knitting.

I finally finished the socks that I posted about here. I started these back in April and I've only just finished the second one!

The socks are knitted using  a simple cable pattern that came free with Simply Knitting. The socks are designed by Jane Burns, and are knitted on four needles.

The cuff features a twisted rib and then the main sock is knitted with a cable at the front and the back. The heel is reinforced with slip stitch.

Unfortunately the pattern had some errors so thank god for Ravelry. Luckily another knitter had made these, and had made notes on how to work these correctly as the pattern had me scratching my head.

I did not use the yarn specified in the pattern, Instead I used a funky variegated 4ply from my stash..

The pattern also specified 3mm needles, however if I was to knit these again I think I would size down to 2.5mm as socks should be knit a bit firmer in my opinion. The needles I used were 15 cm Knitpro Zing double-pointed needles which come in a range of funky colours.

All in all I'm pretty pleased with these socks. It's a pity it took me so long to knit the second one. I'm seriously considering investigating how to knit two at a time socks on circular needles to see if this will help with second sock syndrome!

If you knit socks I'd love to know if you are a two at a time knitter or how you combat second sock syndrome!

Catherine x

A finished pair of socks...at last

I've finally got round to finishing a pair of socks that I started a long time ago! I had one knitted and one on the needles this time last year, so it's been pretty slow progress.

The sock pattern is from an excellent book called Favorite Socks. There are twenty five patterns in this book and these are the first pair that I have got round to making

The socks I chose to knit are called Retro Rib Socks by Evelyn A. Clark.  They are a relatively simple knit and purl pattern made a bit more special by the twisted rib created by knitting through the back of the loops on the knit stitches.

The socks are knitted on four or five needles in the round. The books gives instructions for five needles but I prefer four.

I used 2.5 mm needles and the yarn used was Regia Stretch 4ply (now discontinued) which is a mix of pure new wool, nylon and polyester. The instructions are clear and easy to follow and I think a beginner sock knitter could tackle these socks if they wanted to try something a bit more interesting than a plain stocking stitch sock!

It has taken me about 2 years to finish these socks and I'm quite pleased with the end result!

However I have discovered it is very hard to get a decent photograph of your own feet. Any tips for photographing socks welcome!

On other news, I've now lost a total of six and a half pounds, so feeling pleased with myself.

Have you got any knitting UFOs?

Catherine x