More Socks!

Knitting tools with yarn

 Yup, socks are king at my house--that is, worsted socks.  For some reason, socks grow quickly in worsted weight.  And that's part of the appeal.

Sock detail in worsted weight

I'm using Briggs and Little 'cuz everything I saw on Ravelry recommended it as very durable and washing-machine friendly.  Living in a small town, my options are limited regarding yarn availability.  However, Briggs and Little is readily available--and there's lots in my stash!

Heel detail in contrasting colour

The pattern initially was to be Heavy Socks (link to free pattern on Ravelry), but the numbers looked too big.  The 54 stitches looked more like a man's size.  So I checked out Paton's Basic Sock (worsted weight version) 'cuz I had used it before.  The 48 stitches still looked big, so  I adjusted the numbers again and reduced my cast-on to 44 stitches (I like using long-tail cast-on for socks 'cuz it makes a nice even edge at the cuff).

I always cast on on DPNs and then move my work to 2 circulars after working a few rows. My preference is working in the round on circulars ('cuz for me it reduces ladders).  Rather than using a pattern, I prefer plain ribbing 'cuz it usually provides a decent fit.  Besides, ribbing can fix a multitude of sock sins.  Hoping the two-tone blue and cream looks fun and interesting.

Chugging Along . . . .

Finished socks

So the socks are finished.  Yay for me!  Still pondering which version I prefer (the highly modified or the less modified) . . . . 

Left versus right:  who wins?

Seriously, which toes do you prefer?  The left (not modified much) or the right (highly modified)?  Both have their merits. I suppose with wear and time, I will find one more comfy than the other.

Finished "lady" slippers

Meanwhile I started these "man slippers" that turned out to be just the right "lady slippers".  Hee hee! I've made these slippers before for my husband--just less than a year ago in fact (wrote about it here in this post and here ).  Just as before I combined three yarns: Phentex Slipper & Craft yarn (for strength), Bernat Roving (for softness) and Briggs & Little Heritage (for durability).

Sloppy assembly but very squishy

Admittedly my seaming and overall assembly is a little sloppy, but these slippers are the most comfortable.  Ever!  I swear!  They feel so awesome 'cuz they're so squishy.  Love 'em!

Modifications: Using 9 mm straights, I cast on 20 stitches as written; however, I changed the pattern.
Row 1: Knit all stitches
Row 2: Purl 5, Knit 10, Purl 5 
This change creates a garter stitch sole which creates the "squish factor".  

What's on your needles?
 

FYI

Old Slippers-one pair inside another

These were my husband's old slippers.  Not bad looking--until you turn them over.

Lotta holes!

Yup, those slippers were in a bad way.

Cushiony man slippers

Now look at these new ones, all clean and pouffy--very comfortable and warm.  And no holes.

Clean. soft and new

Nice, huh?  'Nuff said. ;)

And Then There Was . . .

A slipper!  Not an ordinary slipper, but one made with love and care.  For someone special. ;)

First slipper--all finished!

My hubby tried on the first one and it fit--quite well, I might add.  So I proceeded with the second one and actually finished all the knitting.  I just need to seam it and weave in the ends.

Almost two slippers--almost . . . 

Sadly I have been unable to muster up the energy or the time to finish the last bits.  I'm swamped with school work--right up to the end.  I'm looking at April 22 with great joy--it's my official "end date".  Then I'll be free to  knit to my heart's content. Three more weeks . . . 

Keeping Busy . . .

When Mother Nature dances with Ol' Man Winter, you gotta keep busy, right?  So I've been a good little crafter: my mitts are done!  Aren't they cozy?

Finished Faux-Thrum Mittens

I started another project too: Simple Man Slippers for my man.  He's got big feet and his old ones are rather holey.  I had been meaning to make the fella new ones, but I kept putting it off while I played with other distractions.

With snow days and bad weather, I finally cast-on.  Here's my latest WIP:

In progress slipper with 3 yarns worked together

It's a fairly straight forward pattern from Melissa Mall (link to pattern on her blog).  The original called for 2 strands of bulky Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick.  I thought the Bernat Roving might work, but I didn't have enough of it.  So I used Phentex Craft & Slipper Yarn along with Briggs & Little Heritage as my third yarn.  The latter two should be strong and durable enough to keep the Bernat Roving from falling apart (it does tend to pill a bit).

And I tweaked the pattern a little too.  Instead of a plain stockinette middle, I decided to use garter.  I figured it would be more squishy.  And who doesn't enjoy a nice squishy and cozy slipper?

Stay warm.

Back to Knitting?

Pile o' Grannies

I have a lovely pile  o' squares waiting to be attached . . .  Alas, they must wait.  The problem is not enough time:  I need to put aside time to pin the grannies into place and then uninterrupted time to seam.  

Grannies

And even though I've got short snippets of time to make more grannies, my motivation is slowly slipping away . . . Seriously, I need a new project--something small and preferably something knit.  I'll admit it.  I miss knitting.

Briggs & Little, Bernat Super Saver and Bernat Roving

So I rummaged through my stash and found some plain, neutral yarns (don't the colours feel like a winter's day?).  For the longest time I have been itching to replace my Faux-Thrum Mittens from Dec 2010/Jan 2011--which honestly seems like eons ago!  One of the mittens was the first prototype, so it never quite looked right with it's wonky thumb.  The second mitt looks and fits better, but I wish I had made the thumb longer.  Besides, they have gone through the dryer so many times and look a little worn (the Bernat Roving has pilled a little).  On top of anything else, I was never terribly pleased with my colour selections.

Screen Capture of Other Mittens from Ravelry

By the way, when I was checking out my notes, I was quite surprised that other knitters had made my mittens too!  Wow!  That's really gratifying. :)

Wanna make some mittens too?  Check out the free mitten pattern here (or you could click the link called "Free Mitten Pattern" at the top of the website).  Hope you'll join me.   ;)

Crafty Stuff

The knitting is moving along slowly (now that I have some time on my hands).  My son's octopus now has four tentacles.  Only four more to go.  And I started a new project.  And yes, it is another toy!  Why do you ask?

I've decided to revisit Debbie Bliss' Teddy Bears.  Years ago I made some cute teddies for my boys (reminisced about them here).  And while the bears were cute, I found the patterns rather tedious--especially for  a "beginner" knitter (at that point I had been away from knitting for a while so I felt like a beginner).

Now that I'm more experienced, I'm tackling the patterns with better skills and hopefully more knitting knowledge.  In particular I'm checking out the Artist Bear.  He's a cute fella with smock and beret.  My artist will be more feminine with a raspberry beret and fuschia bow 'round her smock.

Bliss`Artist Bear

For now, she's only got legs (I might be dating myself, but isn't that a ZZ Top song?).  I'm currently working on the soles of her feet.  I'm using some Briggs and Little Heritage in heather brown.  

Legs in Progress

I just love the colour: there are specs of red and green, almost as if the dyer used red and green to create the brown and the colour mixture didn't quite mix well or get absorbed evenly.  Very cool effect!

Briggs and Little Heritage in
Heather Brown

Hope you're enjoying your weekend.  I'm looking forward to the upcoming holidays.  Hope you are too. :)

Faux-Thrum Mittens Revisited

Beginnings of Mitten

And revised.  Its been almost a year since I last looked at my Faux-Thrum mitten pattern.  And with the weather getting colder, I'd been itching to make a pair for my son.  With only one size in the original pattern, I've had to re-work the sizing.  More important, I'm re-checking my instructions.  After all, if I can't figure out my own directions, I can't expect some one else to understand, right?

Weaving in Ends on First Mitt

So as of yesterday afternoon, my mitten pattern has been revised and corrected (sadly I found a couple of typos, but at least I re-checked the numbers).  Hopefully there are no more errors.


Happy knitting :)

Sofa Cushions

The thing about a nice comfy sofa is that it gets used. A lot.  Even if its a well-built sofa (custom-made by my second cousin in his furniture shop back in TO), with frequent use the fabric eventually begins to wear.  A sofa cover can hide the wear-and-tear, but then it too becomes worn (personally I'd like to blame the kids for all the wear-and-tear).

Then the light bulb goes on.  The one in my head (hey, it happens every now and then).  While looking through my pattern booklets, I came across this design for a chair cushion.


Chair Cushion That Inspired My Light Bulb Moment

 Now the pattern is for a 16x16" chair cushion, but it could work for a sofa.  My sofa cushions are 21x21" and thicker, but if I adjust the number of stitches it can work.  I'll just make the band that connects top to bottom thicker and leave the back open (maybe use a couple of simple ties so that the cover stays on the cushion).

Then I started hooking.  I'm using some lovely Briggs and Little Heritage in blue heather (which had been gifted to me  at Christmas and I had hoped would become a lovely cardigan, but alas this woolly goodness was meant for greater things).

The Start of a Sofa Cushion Cover

If knitters and crocheters can "yarn bomb" trees, lamp posts, statues and bridges, then surely I can make a sofa cushion cover. 

Here's hoping ;)

Woolly Goodness

Not much to share this week.  Back to the usual grind (i.e. day job for me and school for the kids).  So I'm back to my once-a-week posting.  Still toiling away on my afghan for Bernat's CAL.  Sadly I did not finish in time for year's end, so this project gets carried over into 2011.  **sigh** Afghans are more time consuming than I thought--at least the full-sized ones. 

In other news, I'm contemplating my next project and I think it needs to be something small and portable.  A pair of socks perhaps?  Maybe some worsted socks?  Oh, yes please!  That would be very nice.  :)

And while we're on the topic of worsted, did I share with you some of the woolly goodness bestowed upon me over the holidays?

That's Briggs and Little Tuffy and Heritage (and the Tuffy has already been made into a pair of Faux-Thrum Mittens).  I think there's another skein wanting to be mittens (but only one pair--for my youngest who appreciates all things woolen; unfortunately, dear hubby and my eldest have declared woolen things to be too itchy).

I also received another batch of skeins--a whole sweater's worth!  These I am reserving for a sweater--perhaps for me or maybe for my wee one who appreciates wool (incidentally he's the same child who enjoys knitting). 

Have you ever used Briggs and Little?  I've heard good things about them online at Ravelry, namely that the yarn is quite durable.  Apparently the company has been around for over 150 years.  As an added bonus, the company uses Canadian produced wool and environmentally safe dyes.

For me personally, I like that the product is available locally (and real wool is hard to come by in my little neck of the woods).  Be warned, though: there's "stuff" in the yarn.  It doesn't bother me.  There's something very satisfying about pulling out bits of straw and debris from one's yarn--a bit of the pastoral life, perhaps?  Have I mentioned how much I long for life on a farm? 

I can dream. :)