Well, I said that it wouldn't happen again, and it happened again. In fact, it was even worse this time. Last time it was just a month between posts. This time, it's been over two and a half. Sigh. But it is, after all, Christmas, and the guilt of not posting for so long finally overpowered my crippling laziness; so here I am again.
A few words about Christmas -- Christmas music, to be exact. I am not admittedly as enchanted by the Christmas season as some ... well, most people. It's not that I don't like Christmas: I do. Christmas brings beautiful things out of the human race: generosity, empathy, fellowship, all of those things. And without Christmas, I probably wouldn't have the White Album, which my brother gave me, to listen to while I write this post. No, I can safely say that I like Christmas. Yet I do seem to react to the Christmas somewhat allergically. This is likely why my beloved darling often refers to me as the Grinch (or it's my hatred of Who-pudding and Who-roast-beast).
One of my sticking points has always been Christmas music. I can't stand it. No, that's not quite true. I don't hate Christmas music in principle, but ... well, it's awful. Not all of it, but about 99.93% of Christmas music is really quite awful (it's true -- it's been scientifically proven). Just absolutely insipid, uncreative, bland, pedestrian schlock, with no real musical value whatsoever. Maybe I'm being a little harsh, but after a few hours of mall shopping, it starts to get to you. I never understood how people put up with it, bought into it, allowed it to continue. Sure, mall radio is usually pretty unimpressive, but this? This is terrible! A Cajun "Silver Bells"? A sterilized nonjazz jazz rehash of Bruce Springsteen's rehash of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"? An electro-bluegrass falsetto "Winter Wonderland"? REALLY? I just didn't understand. Not until a couple days ago. Christmas, to be exact.
I was sitting in my living room, the living room I'd celebrated Christmas in for fifteen years, and listening to Nat King Cole's album "The Christmas Song," watching my family open presents, and a realization swept over me. Christmas for me was a parade of traditions. A thousand little things that made me comfortable. The tree. The lights and garland on the upstairs landing. The cloth angel on the top of the Christmas tree. The cat battling with the wrapping paper. My father, barely awake. And Nat King Cole. It just wouldn't be Christmas without that Nat King Cole album, starting with the strings at the beginning of the first song. You may not have heard the album -- you may not even have heard of Nat King Cole. It doesn't matter. That's what I realized: at Christmas, you want to feel comfortable, at home. What better way than listening to a Christmas album by your favorite singer? Who cares if it's Kevin Federline botching "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"? The Nat King Cole album isn't that great. It's not his best work. But I listen to it because it warms my heart in a way that no other Nat King Cole can. And that's what people listen to at Christmas: the music that makes them comfortable, that makes them feel like home, that warms their hearts. And if it's different for everyone, so be it. I can put up with a few hours of Christmas mall radio for that. I can put up with a lifetime of mall radio for that. Mostly, I'm just embarrassed it took me this long to figure it out.
Anyway, in knitting knews, not surprisingly many things have transpired since my last post. The Jules Winnfield Appreciation Hat, or J-wah, was completed in October. I also began and completed another pair of the Cotton Fleece Unmentionables for my lovely lady's birthday (though I'm embarrassed to say I didn't finish them until several weeks after the birthday); this pair was black, and featured a strip of color work running up the sides of both legs. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures at the moment, but hopefully will soon. Also begun and completed are a pair of gloves knit out of Misti Baby alpaca. Pictures of these will also hopefully be soon forthcoming. Currently, I'm working on my third pair of socks. They're from the Oktoberfest sock kit, beautifully assembled by the lovely Tsarina of Tsocks. Hmm... it's seeming more and more like I'm going to have to supplement this post with a post including pictures of all these things. After all, me telling you about all these projects is hardly as interesting as showing them to you, is it? Well, let's hope it doesn't take me two months to get those pictures up.
I suppose that's all I have to report at the moment. Pictures will hopefully follow soon. Until then, knit long at knit happy.
-DT
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
A Long-Expected Party
Well, well, well, I have been away a while, haven't I? Sorry about that. I'm afraid I'm sometimes very bad about keeping up journals and such. Nevertheless, here I am, at long last. And I have things to tell!
As you would have expected (it being over a month since my last post), the pair of socks I was working on are finished, and I have to say, they turned out very well. My open-work technique still needs a little work, but the pagoda motif comes through quite well, I think. Also, the bamboo ridging down the back of the sock came out quite nicely, and the tabi-style separation between the big toe and the remainder of the foot worked like a charm. Here are a few pictures of the finished socks, modeled by their lovely recipient.
I have to say, the more I knit with the Trekking Pro Natura, the happier I was with it. The way the coloration and the striping comes out as you knit is just gorgeous. If anyone out there is considering trying it, I'd personally give it a big thumb's up.
So, after I finished my first project with open-work, it seemed a natural choice that my next project be my first project with ... (complete unnecessary drumroll, if you please) ... color-work. Yes, I decided to try the waters of color-work; and rather than sticking my toe in the water like a sensible person, I've really more sort of run off of a cliff into a lake which might potentially be filled with razor-sharp rocks that will tear me limb from limb. Metaphorically speaking, of course. I hope.
The notion to make this splash into color-work originally started as an intention to knit a pair of gloves; something tasteful, hopefully, with some sort of color-work design. However, I felt reluctant to start this, since I'd already knit a pair of gloves -- two pairs, in fact. In spite of my misgivings, I picked out a pair of colors from KnitPicks' Palette (which by the way, also gets a thumb's up: very nice yarn at a very, very good price) and waited for them to arrive, ignoring the fact that I really didn't know what I was going to do with them. By the time they did arrive, I was firmly set that I would not knit another pair of gloves. Unfortunately, I had two colors of Palette, and nothing to knit. After some rumination, I settled on a hat: I had never knit one before, it offers a fair amount of freedom, plenty of flat space for design, and would actually be improved by the extra-thick fabric from Fair-Isle, or so I hope.
Here's the work so far. The color-work text is taken from Pulp Fiction. I toyed around with the quote for quite some time. I considered Shakespeare, Stoppard, even Homer, but eventually settled on Tarantino, with a beautiful blend of strikingly poetic eloquence and pleasing recognizability. Of course it's tougher to recognize when partially knit into a hat by someone amateur at color-work, but Tarantino can hardly be blamed for that.
Two more rows of quote, and then I'll finish the hat by ... doing something I haven't quite worked out yet. But I'm sure it will work fine. Yeah.
One thing about color-work which I suppose I should have foreseen, but never quite appreciated until now, is the incredible proliferation of yarn ends. This project has led me to the conclusion that if I die because of knitting (and I realize, disturbingly, that I can think of worse reasons to cross over) it will most likely involve me being tangled in a teeming mass of yarn ends like a midnight swimmer in the first 10 minutes of a giant squid movie. I used to worry about impaling myself on a size 0 while knitting socks on a public bus, but no longer; it's the yarn ends that're gonna get me.
So that should pretty much bring you all up to speed. I apologize again for my long absence. I hope that it won't be happening again -- I find I take a great deal of pleasure in setting these randomly assorted thoughts on and about knitting down for everyone or no-one to read. Anyway, I'll hopefully be seeing you all again soon, if only to update on the Jules Winnfield Appreciation Hat, or J-Wah as it may become known. I may make some mention also of my other project, which, unfortunately, I can't describe, due the fact that some of my readers might be receiving said project as a gift in the near future. Still I might drop hints; you never know. Anyway, until we meet again, my friends. Knit long and knit happy.
-DT
As you would have expected (it being over a month since my last post), the pair of socks I was working on are finished, and I have to say, they turned out very well. My open-work technique still needs a little work, but the pagoda motif comes through quite well, I think. Also, the bamboo ridging down the back of the sock came out quite nicely, and the tabi-style separation between the big toe and the remainder of the foot worked like a charm. Here are a few pictures of the finished socks, modeled by their lovely recipient.
I have to say, the more I knit with the Trekking Pro Natura, the happier I was with it. The way the coloration and the striping comes out as you knit is just gorgeous. If anyone out there is considering trying it, I'd personally give it a big thumb's up.
So, after I finished my first project with open-work, it seemed a natural choice that my next project be my first project with ... (complete unnecessary drumroll, if you please) ... color-work. Yes, I decided to try the waters of color-work; and rather than sticking my toe in the water like a sensible person, I've really more sort of run off of a cliff into a lake which might potentially be filled with razor-sharp rocks that will tear me limb from limb. Metaphorically speaking, of course. I hope.
The notion to make this splash into color-work originally started as an intention to knit a pair of gloves; something tasteful, hopefully, with some sort of color-work design. However, I felt reluctant to start this, since I'd already knit a pair of gloves -- two pairs, in fact. In spite of my misgivings, I picked out a pair of colors from KnitPicks' Palette (which by the way, also gets a thumb's up: very nice yarn at a very, very good price) and waited for them to arrive, ignoring the fact that I really didn't know what I was going to do with them. By the time they did arrive, I was firmly set that I would not knit another pair of gloves. Unfortunately, I had two colors of Palette, and nothing to knit. After some rumination, I settled on a hat: I had never knit one before, it offers a fair amount of freedom, plenty of flat space for design, and would actually be improved by the extra-thick fabric from Fair-Isle, or so I hope.
Here's the work so far. The color-work text is taken from Pulp Fiction. I toyed around with the quote for quite some time. I considered Shakespeare, Stoppard, even Homer, but eventually settled on Tarantino, with a beautiful blend of strikingly poetic eloquence and pleasing recognizability. Of course it's tougher to recognize when partially knit into a hat by someone amateur at color-work, but Tarantino can hardly be blamed for that.
Two more rows of quote, and then I'll finish the hat by ... doing something I haven't quite worked out yet. But I'm sure it will work fine. Yeah.
One thing about color-work which I suppose I should have foreseen, but never quite appreciated until now, is the incredible proliferation of yarn ends. This project has led me to the conclusion that if I die because of knitting (and I realize, disturbingly, that I can think of worse reasons to cross over) it will most likely involve me being tangled in a teeming mass of yarn ends like a midnight swimmer in the first 10 minutes of a giant squid movie. I used to worry about impaling myself on a size 0 while knitting socks on a public bus, but no longer; it's the yarn ends that're gonna get me.
So that should pretty much bring you all up to speed. I apologize again for my long absence. I hope that it won't be happening again -- I find I take a great deal of pleasure in setting these randomly assorted thoughts on and about knitting down for everyone or no-one to read. Anyway, I'll hopefully be seeing you all again soon, if only to update on the Jules Winnfield Appreciation Hat, or J-Wah as it may become known. I may make some mention also of my other project, which, unfortunately, I can't describe, due the fact that some of my readers might be receiving said project as a gift in the near future. Still I might drop hints; you never know. Anyway, until we meet again, my friends. Knit long and knit happy.
-DT
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Toe Socks II: Electric Boogaloo
Well, I mentioned in my last post that I was working on a pair of socks, and I promised I would post on them soon, so I really should post, shouldn't I? Let me start with a couple pictures. (I apologize for the low quality of the pictures; they were taken with a cameraphone.)
As you can see, this sock (the first of the pair) is unfortunately not finished. Still, they say that getting there is half the fun; and in knitting, I like to think the proportion is conserably higher.
The socks are loosely -- and I mean loosely -- based on a style of Japanese socks known as tabi. The most notable feature of tabi, which sadly is impossible to get from the pictures above, is a separation between the big toe and remaining four toes, to allow the wearer to wear thong sandals, such as zori or geta. It was this feature that originally sparked the desire to put together these socks. (Yes, I know, another pair of toe socks. I assure you, I don't intend to be a one-trick-sockpony; it just worked out that way.)
Of course, these socks cannot be considered true tabi, for several reasons. First, tabi are traditionally made by sewing together pieces of fabric. I was unable to do this, for what hopefully are obvious reasons. Also, tabi, because they are usually fabric and not stretchable knitting, traditionally feature a slit down the back of the sock, which is closed with buttons or fasteners, creating a seam down the back of the socks. These knit socks do not feature a slit.
What they do feature is two panels on either side of the sock leg, each with the same open-work pattern. A better view of the pattern is in the second photo. The open-work is intended to convey (somewhat crudely) a pagoda, with its stacked buildings and sloped roofs. While the open-work is far from perfect, I admit I am actually fairly happy with how it turned out. Also, while I didn't want to have the traditional tabi slit in the back of these socks, especially because they are knit and don't require one, I didn't want to ignore the feature entirely. So, running down the back of the sock is a strip of ridged stockinette, knit using the pattern for "Jacob's Ladder" from the first Barbara Walker treasury. I used Jacob's Ladder because the strip with this pattern to me resembled bamboo, which I was pleased to find was doubly appropriate: both because of the Japanese theme of the socks, and because the yarn used in the socks is Trekking Pro Natura, a wool-bamboo blend. This strip down the back of the sock was intended as a gracious (albeit highly abstracted) homage to the original construction of tabi, hoping to evoke the seam created by the two fastened sides of the traditional sock.
As we have already observed, the socks are not yet finished. I will post more and hopefully higher quality pictures when the pair is complete. Until then, mes amis, au revoir. Knit long and knit happy.
-DT
As you can see, this sock (the first of the pair) is unfortunately not finished. Still, they say that getting there is half the fun; and in knitting, I like to think the proportion is conserably higher.
The socks are loosely -- and I mean loosely -- based on a style of Japanese socks known as tabi. The most notable feature of tabi, which sadly is impossible to get from the pictures above, is a separation between the big toe and remaining four toes, to allow the wearer to wear thong sandals, such as zori or geta. It was this feature that originally sparked the desire to put together these socks. (Yes, I know, another pair of toe socks. I assure you, I don't intend to be a one-trick-sockpony; it just worked out that way.)
Of course, these socks cannot be considered true tabi, for several reasons. First, tabi are traditionally made by sewing together pieces of fabric. I was unable to do this, for what hopefully are obvious reasons. Also, tabi, because they are usually fabric and not stretchable knitting, traditionally feature a slit down the back of the sock, which is closed with buttons or fasteners, creating a seam down the back of the socks. These knit socks do not feature a slit.
What they do feature is two panels on either side of the sock leg, each with the same open-work pattern. A better view of the pattern is in the second photo. The open-work is intended to convey (somewhat crudely) a pagoda, with its stacked buildings and sloped roofs. While the open-work is far from perfect, I admit I am actually fairly happy with how it turned out. Also, while I didn't want to have the traditional tabi slit in the back of these socks, especially because they are knit and don't require one, I didn't want to ignore the feature entirely. So, running down the back of the sock is a strip of ridged stockinette, knit using the pattern for "Jacob's Ladder" from the first Barbara Walker treasury. I used Jacob's Ladder because the strip with this pattern to me resembled bamboo, which I was pleased to find was doubly appropriate: both because of the Japanese theme of the socks, and because the yarn used in the socks is Trekking Pro Natura, a wool-bamboo blend. This strip down the back of the sock was intended as a gracious (albeit highly abstracted) homage to the original construction of tabi, hoping to evoke the seam created by the two fastened sides of the traditional sock.
As we have already observed, the socks are not yet finished. I will post more and hopefully higher quality pictures when the pair is complete. Until then, mes amis, au revoir. Knit long and knit happy.
-DT
Monday, August 20, 2007
I post at last!
Greetings, residents of the knitoblogosphere. I come with news!
Well, that's a little misleading. It sounds like I've come to you all with something extremely exciting to tell you. I can't say that it's so remarkably exciting. Also, it is not, I am afraid, all that new. I have simply been slow to post it. Nevertheless, I am a knitter, and this is a knitting blog, and what kind of knitting blogger would I be if I didn't post about a completed project, hm?
The project is this:
It is a pair of knit summer pants. The yarn is Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (80% cotton, 20% Merino). The color is "Putty." I knit the pants at the request of my girlfriend, who likes loose, comfortable 3/4-length pants to wear around the house. Most of the pants are simply stockinette -- and a lot of it. There was a lot of fabric in these pants, and it was made almost entirely with stockinette. In fact, I considered rewriting the pattern for the pant legs like so:
Pant Leg: Crochet CO 132 stitches. Knit 9742.
Yes, that would actually work.
Still, the pants weren't entirely stockinette. There was one very notable exception, shown here:
At the end of each pant leg is a ruffle, and at the end of each ruffle is a lace edging. This was my first openwork. Yes, my first. I know it's not much to look at, but I have to admit, I felt a strange childlike sense of pride for this simple little edging, kind of like catching a baseball for the first time.
For those who are curious, I got the pattern from Knitty, the 2007 summer issue. The pattern is called "Unmentionables". At the request of the recipient, I lengthened both legs by about 4.5 inches. Other than that, the pattern is exactly as in Knitty.
Apologies for delaying in the post. I'm now working on a pair of openwork socks; I'll post on those soon.
Ciao, as they say,
-DT
Well, that's a little misleading. It sounds like I've come to you all with something extremely exciting to tell you. I can't say that it's so remarkably exciting. Also, it is not, I am afraid, all that new. I have simply been slow to post it. Nevertheless, I am a knitter, and this is a knitting blog, and what kind of knitting blogger would I be if I didn't post about a completed project, hm?
The project is this:
It is a pair of knit summer pants. The yarn is Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece (80% cotton, 20% Merino). The color is "Putty." I knit the pants at the request of my girlfriend, who likes loose, comfortable 3/4-length pants to wear around the house. Most of the pants are simply stockinette -- and a lot of it. There was a lot of fabric in these pants, and it was made almost entirely with stockinette. In fact, I considered rewriting the pattern for the pant legs like so:
Pant Leg: Crochet CO 132 stitches. Knit 9742.
Yes, that would actually work.
Still, the pants weren't entirely stockinette. There was one very notable exception, shown here:
At the end of each pant leg is a ruffle, and at the end of each ruffle is a lace edging. This was my first openwork. Yes, my first. I know it's not much to look at, but I have to admit, I felt a strange childlike sense of pride for this simple little edging, kind of like catching a baseball for the first time.
For those who are curious, I got the pattern from Knitty, the 2007 summer issue. The pattern is called "Unmentionables". At the request of the recipient, I lengthened both legs by about 4.5 inches. Other than that, the pattern is exactly as in Knitty.
Apologies for delaying in the post. I'm now working on a pair of openwork socks; I'll post on those soon.
Ciao, as they say,
-DT
Saturday, August 11, 2007
The Toe Sock Pattern
Here is the toe sock pattern. I heartily apologize for taking so long to get it on here.
Downtown's Toe Socks
Size: These socks were knit for women's size 8 1/2 feet. However, the sock stretches a fair amount, so to adjust to other foot sizes, simply knit more or fewer rows in the foot.
Finished measurements: Foot circumference of 9". Leg length of 6.5".
Materials:
- 2 skeins, Claudia Hand Painted in "Carousel" (socks use almost all yarn, a third skein may be required for larger sizes)
- Waste yarn of similar weight
- set of 5 US size 1 double pointed (or what size gives proper gauge) needles
- tapestry needle
Gauge:
22 st. x 33 r = 3" in stockinette
Pattern:
Leg and Heel Flap:
CO 68 st. Work 2-Knit, 2-Purl rib in the round until work measures 3 in. (For me, this was 34 rows.) Then work in stockinette until stockinette work also measures 3 in. For the heel flap, knit first 34 stiches onto a single straight needle. Place remaining 34 stiches on a spare needle, waste yarn or stich holder, whatever floats your boat. Turn work, slip 1 stitch purlwise, and purl 33. Turn work and begin row 1.
Row 1: Slip 1 pw, k33.
Row 2: Slip 1 pw, p33.
After working these two rows, repeat rows 1 & 2 another 15 times. At this point you should have a lovely little heel flap extending from your sock tube, 34 rows long and 34 stiches wide. If you think you're ready for it, it's time to turn the heel.
Turning the Heel:
Row 1: Slip 1 pw, k18, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 2: Slip 1 pw, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Slip 1 pw, k6, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 4: Slip 1 pw, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 5: Slip 1 pw, k8, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 6: Slip 1 pw, p9, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 7: Slip 1 pw, k10, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 8: Slip 1 pw, p11, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 9: Slip 1 pw, k12, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 10: Slip 1 pw, p13, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 11: Slip 1 pw, k14, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 12: Slip 1 pw, p15, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 13: Slip 1 pw, k16, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 14: Slip 1 pw, p17, p2tog, p1, turn.
At this point, assuming I'm not a complete failure at writing patterns, all the stiches should now be on one needle. If that is the case, congratulations, you have turned the heel! I know, you've probably turned dozens of heels, but I can't help finding that exciting. Anyway, onward and outward; to the gusset!
Gusset and Foot:
Knit 10 stitches, and place first stich marker. Through the gusset and the foot, this will mark the beginning of the round. Using either the circular needle or your first double pointed needle (depending on whether you are knitting the gusset and foot on a circular needle or on DPN's). Knit the 10 remaining stitches. You should now be at the corner of the heel flap. If you look at the left side of the heel flap, there should be 17 loops formed by the slipped stiches from knitting the flap. Continue to knit around the heel flap by knitting into these loops. After knitting into 15 loops, place 2nd stitch marker, and then knit into remaining 2 loops. Then knit the 34 other stiches from the sock tube, knit into 2 loops on the other side of the heel flap, and place the third stitch marker. Knit into the remaining 15 loops on this side of the heel flap, and knit 10 stiches to the first stitch marker. There should now be 88 stiches. Begin row 1.
Row 1: Knit to two stiches before second marker. k2tog. Knit to third marker. ssk. Knit to end of round.
Row 2. Knit all stiches.
After knitting these two rows, repeat rows 1 & 2 ten more times. There should now be 66 stitches. For the remainder of the foot, remove the second and third stitch markers and work in stockinette until work measures 3.875" from last decrease row. Take out the first stitch marker, knit 16 stiches, and replace stich marker. You should now be the side of the foot. This is now the beginning of the round. And we have come to the moment you've all (probably) been waiting for: the toes. Naturally, how you work the toes will depend on which foot you are working on (because unlike normal socks, toe socks only fit one foot each). Both sets of instructions are included here.
Right Foot Toes:
Row 1: k6, m1, k2, m1, k51 (or, if you prefer, knit to 7 stitches before end of round), m1, k2, m1, k5. (70 st.)
Row 2: k7, m1, k2, m1, k53 (or knit to 8 stiches before end of round), m1, k2, m1, k6. (74 st.)
Pinky toe: Place all but the first 9 stitches and last 8 stitches on a spare needle or waste yarn. To make the pinky toe, rather than knitting around the full round, knit the first 9 stitches, and then knit directly into the last 8 stitches, and go to the end of the round. You should now have a joined loop of 17 stitches. This will be the pinky toe. Knit these 17 stitches in stockinette for 8 more rows. Then decrease using these decrease rows:
Decrease row 1: k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk. (11 st.)
Decrease row 2: k1, k2tog, ssk, k2tog, ssk, k2tog. (6 st.)
To finish the pinky toe, break the yarn with 6 inches to spare. Place the yarn tail on a tapestry needle, and pull it through the 6 remaining stitches. Drop these stitches off the needles, and pull the yarn tail tight to close the top of the toe. The pinky toe is finished. To continue working on the rest of the toes, place the held stitches back on the working needle(s) and begin knitting with a new strand at the stitch which you would have knit into had you continued around the sock at the base of the pinky toe. This is now the beginning of the round. There should be 57 stitches on the needles.
Rows 3 & 4: Knit all stitches.
Row 5: k6, m1, k2, m1, k41 (or to 8 stitches before end of round), m1, k2, m1, k6. (61 st.)
Row 6: k8, m1, k45 (or to 8 stitches before end of round), m1, k8. (63 st.)
Ring toe: Work precisely as you worked the pinky toe, except knit one extra row before you decrease. After you have finished the toe, put the held stitches back on the working needle(s), and begin knitting again with the stitch which you would have knit had you continued around the sock at the base fo the toe. (46 st.)
Row 7: k11, m1, k2, m1, k20, m1, k2, m1, k11. (50 st.)
Row 8: k6, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k22, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k6. (58 st.)
First half of Row 9: k8, m1, k8, and begin big toe.
Big toe. k26, then place all stitches except for the previous 26 stitches onto waste yarn or spare needle. Then, rather than continuing around the sock, knit directly into the first stitch not on the waste yarn, forming a loop of 26 stitches. After joining, knit these 26 stitches for 12 more rows. Then decrease with the following decrease rows:
Big decrease row 1: k2tog, k2, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k2. (19 st.)
Big decrease row 2: k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, ssk, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk. (12 st.)
Big decrease row 3: k2tog, ssk, k2tog, ssk, k2tog, ssk. (6 st.)
Pull these six stitches together as with the other toes. Once the big toe is pulled shut, restart knitting at the stitch which would have been knit next had you continued around the foot at the base of the big toe, to finish row 9.
Second half of row 9: k8, m1, k8.
Middle toe: Work as you worked the pinky toe, except use the first 8 stitches and last 9 stitches, rather than the first 9 and last 8. Also, work 10 rows after the initial joining round, instead of just 8. The remaining 17 stitches form the index toe. Knit those stitches for 11 rows, and decrease and finish as in the pinky toe. And with the end of that index toe, you, my friend, are done! Well done to you.
Well, technically you have to weave in the ends, but you should now have a complete left sock.
Right Foot Toes:
Row 1. k26, m1, k2, m1, k11, m1, k2, m1, k25. (70 st.)
Row 2. k27, m1, k2, m1, k13, m1, k2, m1, k26. (74 st.)
First half of Row 3. k29, and begin pinky toe.
Pinky Toe: k17, and place all stitches except for the previous 17 onto waste yarn or a spare needle. Then, rather than continuing around the foot, knit directly into the first stitch still on the working needle(s). After joining, knit the working 17 stitches for 8 more rows, then decrease as usual. Once the pinky toe is completed, begin knitting again where the knitting would have continued at the base of the pinky, to finish row 3. (57 st.)
Second half of row 3: knit to end of round.
Row 4: Knit all stitches.
Row 5: k20, m1, k2, m1, k12, m1, k2, m1, k21. (61 st.)
Row 6: k22, m1, k16, m1, k23. (63 st.)
First half of Row 7: k10, m1, k2, m1, k11, and begin ring toe.
Ring toe. Work just as in pinky toe, except knit one extra row before decreasing. Then restart knitting rest of foot, just as before.
Second half of Row 7: k11, m1, k2, m1, k10. (50 st.)
Row 8: k11, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k12, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k11. (58 st.)
Big toe: Put all stitches except for first 13 and last 13 stitches on waste yarn or spare needle(s). k13, and knit directly into the last 13 stitches, and knit to beginning of round. After joining round, knit these 26 stitches for 12 rows, then decrease as with the left big toe. Then begin Row 9 where the knitting would have continued to at the base of the big toe. (32 st.)
Row 9: k8, m1, k16, m1, k8. (34 st.)
Index Toe: Place all but the first 9 and last 8 stitches on waste yarn or a spare needle. k9, then knit directly into the last 8 stitches. Knit to end of round. Knit for 10 rows, then decrease and pull closed in the usual way. The remaining 17 stitches form the bottom of the middle toe. Knit those 17 stitches for 11 rounds, and again decrease and close in the usual way.
Now weave in the ends, and Lord almighty, you've got yourself a pair a socks! Hooray!
Downtown's Toe Socks
Size: These socks were knit for women's size 8 1/2 feet. However, the sock stretches a fair amount, so to adjust to other foot sizes, simply knit more or fewer rows in the foot.
Finished measurements: Foot circumference of 9". Leg length of 6.5".
Materials:
- 2 skeins, Claudia Hand Painted in "Carousel" (socks use almost all yarn, a third skein may be required for larger sizes)
- Waste yarn of similar weight
- set of 5 US size 1 double pointed (or what size gives proper gauge) needles
- tapestry needle
Gauge:
22 st. x 33 r = 3" in stockinette
Pattern:
Leg and Heel Flap:
CO 68 st. Work 2-Knit, 2-Purl rib in the round until work measures 3 in. (For me, this was 34 rows.) Then work in stockinette until stockinette work also measures 3 in. For the heel flap, knit first 34 stiches onto a single straight needle. Place remaining 34 stiches on a spare needle, waste yarn or stich holder, whatever floats your boat. Turn work, slip 1 stitch purlwise, and purl 33. Turn work and begin row 1.
Row 1: Slip 1 pw, k33.
Row 2: Slip 1 pw, p33.
After working these two rows, repeat rows 1 & 2 another 15 times. At this point you should have a lovely little heel flap extending from your sock tube, 34 rows long and 34 stiches wide. If you think you're ready for it, it's time to turn the heel.
Turning the Heel:
Row 1: Slip 1 pw, k18, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 2: Slip 1 pw, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Slip 1 pw, k6, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 4: Slip 1 pw, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 5: Slip 1 pw, k8, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 6: Slip 1 pw, p9, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 7: Slip 1 pw, k10, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 8: Slip 1 pw, p11, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 9: Slip 1 pw, k12, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 10: Slip 1 pw, p13, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 11: Slip 1 pw, k14, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 12: Slip 1 pw, p15, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 13: Slip 1 pw, k16, k2tog, k1, turn.
Row 14: Slip 1 pw, p17, p2tog, p1, turn.
At this point, assuming I'm not a complete failure at writing patterns, all the stiches should now be on one needle. If that is the case, congratulations, you have turned the heel! I know, you've probably turned dozens of heels, but I can't help finding that exciting. Anyway, onward and outward; to the gusset!
Gusset and Foot:
Knit 10 stitches, and place first stich marker. Through the gusset and the foot, this will mark the beginning of the round. Using either the circular needle or your first double pointed needle (depending on whether you are knitting the gusset and foot on a circular needle or on DPN's). Knit the 10 remaining stitches. You should now be at the corner of the heel flap. If you look at the left side of the heel flap, there should be 17 loops formed by the slipped stiches from knitting the flap. Continue to knit around the heel flap by knitting into these loops. After knitting into 15 loops, place 2nd stitch marker, and then knit into remaining 2 loops. Then knit the 34 other stiches from the sock tube, knit into 2 loops on the other side of the heel flap, and place the third stitch marker. Knit into the remaining 15 loops on this side of the heel flap, and knit 10 stiches to the first stitch marker. There should now be 88 stiches. Begin row 1.
Row 1: Knit to two stiches before second marker. k2tog. Knit to third marker. ssk. Knit to end of round.
Row 2. Knit all stiches.
After knitting these two rows, repeat rows 1 & 2 ten more times. There should now be 66 stitches. For the remainder of the foot, remove the second and third stitch markers and work in stockinette until work measures 3.875" from last decrease row. Take out the first stitch marker, knit 16 stiches, and replace stich marker. You should now be the side of the foot. This is now the beginning of the round. And we have come to the moment you've all (probably) been waiting for: the toes. Naturally, how you work the toes will depend on which foot you are working on (because unlike normal socks, toe socks only fit one foot each). Both sets of instructions are included here.
Right Foot Toes:
Row 1: k6, m1, k2, m1, k51 (or, if you prefer, knit to 7 stitches before end of round), m1, k2, m1, k5. (70 st.)
Row 2: k7, m1, k2, m1, k53 (or knit to 8 stiches before end of round), m1, k2, m1, k6. (74 st.)
Pinky toe: Place all but the first 9 stitches and last 8 stitches on a spare needle or waste yarn. To make the pinky toe, rather than knitting around the full round, knit the first 9 stitches, and then knit directly into the last 8 stitches, and go to the end of the round. You should now have a joined loop of 17 stitches. This will be the pinky toe. Knit these 17 stitches in stockinette for 8 more rows. Then decrease using these decrease rows:
Decrease row 1: k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk. (11 st.)
Decrease row 2: k1, k2tog, ssk, k2tog, ssk, k2tog. (6 st.)
To finish the pinky toe, break the yarn with 6 inches to spare. Place the yarn tail on a tapestry needle, and pull it through the 6 remaining stitches. Drop these stitches off the needles, and pull the yarn tail tight to close the top of the toe. The pinky toe is finished. To continue working on the rest of the toes, place the held stitches back on the working needle(s) and begin knitting with a new strand at the stitch which you would have knit into had you continued around the sock at the base of the pinky toe. This is now the beginning of the round. There should be 57 stitches on the needles.
Rows 3 & 4: Knit all stitches.
Row 5: k6, m1, k2, m1, k41 (or to 8 stitches before end of round), m1, k2, m1, k6. (61 st.)
Row 6: k8, m1, k45 (or to 8 stitches before end of round), m1, k8. (63 st.)
Ring toe: Work precisely as you worked the pinky toe, except knit one extra row before you decrease. After you have finished the toe, put the held stitches back on the working needle(s), and begin knitting again with the stitch which you would have knit had you continued around the sock at the base fo the toe. (46 st.)
Row 7: k11, m1, k2, m1, k20, m1, k2, m1, k11. (50 st.)
Row 8: k6, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k22, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k6. (58 st.)
First half of Row 9: k8, m1, k8, and begin big toe.
Big toe. k26, then place all stitches except for the previous 26 stitches onto waste yarn or spare needle. Then, rather than continuing around the sock, knit directly into the first stitch not on the waste yarn, forming a loop of 26 stitches. After joining, knit these 26 stitches for 12 more rows. Then decrease with the following decrease rows:
Big decrease row 1: k2tog, k2, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k2. (19 st.)
Big decrease row 2: k1, k2tog, k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, ssk, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1, ssk. (12 st.)
Big decrease row 3: k2tog, ssk, k2tog, ssk, k2tog, ssk. (6 st.)
Pull these six stitches together as with the other toes. Once the big toe is pulled shut, restart knitting at the stitch which would have been knit next had you continued around the foot at the base of the big toe, to finish row 9.
Second half of row 9: k8, m1, k8.
Middle toe: Work as you worked the pinky toe, except use the first 8 stitches and last 9 stitches, rather than the first 9 and last 8. Also, work 10 rows after the initial joining round, instead of just 8. The remaining 17 stitches form the index toe. Knit those stitches for 11 rows, and decrease and finish as in the pinky toe. And with the end of that index toe, you, my friend, are done! Well done to you.
Well, technically you have to weave in the ends, but you should now have a complete left sock.
Right Foot Toes:
Row 1. k26, m1, k2, m1, k11, m1, k2, m1, k25. (70 st.)
Row 2. k27, m1, k2, m1, k13, m1, k2, m1, k26. (74 st.)
First half of Row 3. k29, and begin pinky toe.
Pinky Toe: k17, and place all stitches except for the previous 17 onto waste yarn or a spare needle. Then, rather than continuing around the foot, knit directly into the first stitch still on the working needle(s). After joining, knit the working 17 stitches for 8 more rows, then decrease as usual. Once the pinky toe is completed, begin knitting again where the knitting would have continued at the base of the pinky, to finish row 3. (57 st.)
Second half of row 3: knit to end of round.
Row 4: Knit all stitches.
Row 5: k20, m1, k2, m1, k12, m1, k2, m1, k21. (61 st.)
Row 6: k22, m1, k16, m1, k23. (63 st.)
First half of Row 7: k10, m1, k2, m1, k11, and begin ring toe.
Ring toe. Work just as in pinky toe, except knit one extra row before decreasing. Then restart knitting rest of foot, just as before.
Second half of Row 7: k11, m1, k2, m1, k10. (50 st.)
Row 8: k11, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k12, m1, k2, m1, k4, m1, k2, m1, k11. (58 st.)
Big toe: Put all stitches except for first 13 and last 13 stitches on waste yarn or spare needle(s). k13, and knit directly into the last 13 stitches, and knit to beginning of round. After joining round, knit these 26 stitches for 12 rows, then decrease as with the left big toe. Then begin Row 9 where the knitting would have continued to at the base of the big toe. (32 st.)
Row 9: k8, m1, k16, m1, k8. (34 st.)
Index Toe: Place all but the first 9 and last 8 stitches on waste yarn or a spare needle. k9, then knit directly into the last 8 stitches. Knit to end of round. Knit for 10 rows, then decrease and pull closed in the usual way. The remaining 17 stitches form the bottom of the middle toe. Knit those 17 stitches for 11 rounds, and again decrease and close in the usual way.
Now weave in the ends, and Lord almighty, you've got yourself a pair a socks! Hooray!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
In the Beginning
Well, here we are. I, the blogger; you, the reader; and this, the blog. In case we haven't met, I'm Downtown. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Since this is my first blog post, and easily one of my first blog experiences altogether, let me briefly introduce myself. This is me (picture courtesy of the blog of the legendary genius herself, the Yarn Harlot). I'm the goofy looking fellow in the center.
I began knitting a little more than a year ago. My girlfriend is a Knitter with a capital K, and was pretty much always working on one project or another. And though there were -- and still are -- a number of ... let's call them societal influences suggesting that knitting might not be the most advisable of callings for a straight male, I can't deny that the whole process held a strange fascination for me. I was staggered by the incredible variety of patterns and structures that could arise from the simple flicks of the fingers that I saw. I found myself peeking, and eventually outright looking over my girlfriend's shoulder as she worked, watching the way the yarn and the needles moved, all the time unable to keep myself from wondering: could I do it?
Eventually, the curiosity became too much. One night I asked my girlfriend for a pair of needles, and a ball of yarn. That night she taught me the knit stitch, and the purl stitch, and away I went. For several weeks I swatched and swatched and swatched. I was intoxicated by the power I wielded with my size 8's and my worsted. I could make garterstitch, and stockinette, and reverse stockinette, and ribbing, and eventually, with the careful help of my knitting tutor, I was able to swatch even more exciting little pieces of personal wonder. I think it's safe to say that by the time my girlfriend showed me how to cable, and I knit my first little 4 inch by 4 inch swatch of braided cables, I was hopelessly and irrevocably ensnared by knitting, never to return to the ranks of the unenlightened again.
Of course, since then, I have managed to move past gleeful swatches. For example, those brightly colored toe-socks I am holding so proudly and goofily above are products of mine. In fact, it is those toe-socks which have led to the genesis of this particular project. Since that picture above made its merry way into the wooly world wide web, several members of the knitoblogosphere have asked that the pattern for the toe-socks be posted. However, seeing as how I had no blog, I didn't really have any place to put the pattern. So, I had only a couple choices. There was the plan which involved attempting to write the pattern in sky letters using a plane, but the flying lessons would have taken a while, and my handwriting is bad enough on paper. No, the only reasonable choice was to create a blog. And so, as I said at the beginning of this post, here we are.
Ironically, the pattern for the toe-socks is, regrettably, not quite finished. I have an unfortunate habit of not writing things down (something that this blog will hopefully be able to counteract) and thus have had to retrace my knitting steps in order to come up with something resembling a pattern. It will be finished soon, however, and will be posted here within the next couple days.
And so I draw to the close of the first post. I can't say for certain how this blog is going to end up, but I admit, I do feel a certain gleeful thrill of creation, not so different from that of my first little stockinette swatch. I obviously can't know what precisely led you to this particular corner of the knitoblogosphere, but since you are here, I hope you like it. I know it's not much to look at quite yet, but there'll be more before long, so feel free to stop by any time.
I suppose that pretty much covers it. Until we meet again, my friends.
-DT
Since this is my first blog post, and easily one of my first blog experiences altogether, let me briefly introduce myself. This is me (picture courtesy of the blog of the legendary genius herself, the Yarn Harlot). I'm the goofy looking fellow in the center.
I began knitting a little more than a year ago. My girlfriend is a Knitter with a capital K, and was pretty much always working on one project or another. And though there were -- and still are -- a number of ... let's call them societal influences suggesting that knitting might not be the most advisable of callings for a straight male, I can't deny that the whole process held a strange fascination for me. I was staggered by the incredible variety of patterns and structures that could arise from the simple flicks of the fingers that I saw. I found myself peeking, and eventually outright looking over my girlfriend's shoulder as she worked, watching the way the yarn and the needles moved, all the time unable to keep myself from wondering: could I do it?
Eventually, the curiosity became too much. One night I asked my girlfriend for a pair of needles, and a ball of yarn. That night she taught me the knit stitch, and the purl stitch, and away I went. For several weeks I swatched and swatched and swatched. I was intoxicated by the power I wielded with my size 8's and my worsted. I could make garterstitch, and stockinette, and reverse stockinette, and ribbing, and eventually, with the careful help of my knitting tutor, I was able to swatch even more exciting little pieces of personal wonder. I think it's safe to say that by the time my girlfriend showed me how to cable, and I knit my first little 4 inch by 4 inch swatch of braided cables, I was hopelessly and irrevocably ensnared by knitting, never to return to the ranks of the unenlightened again.
Of course, since then, I have managed to move past gleeful swatches. For example, those brightly colored toe-socks I am holding so proudly and goofily above are products of mine. In fact, it is those toe-socks which have led to the genesis of this particular project. Since that picture above made its merry way into the wooly world wide web, several members of the knitoblogosphere have asked that the pattern for the toe-socks be posted. However, seeing as how I had no blog, I didn't really have any place to put the pattern. So, I had only a couple choices. There was the plan which involved attempting to write the pattern in sky letters using a plane, but the flying lessons would have taken a while, and my handwriting is bad enough on paper. No, the only reasonable choice was to create a blog. And so, as I said at the beginning of this post, here we are.
Ironically, the pattern for the toe-socks is, regrettably, not quite finished. I have an unfortunate habit of not writing things down (something that this blog will hopefully be able to counteract) and thus have had to retrace my knitting steps in order to come up with something resembling a pattern. It will be finished soon, however, and will be posted here within the next couple days.
And so I draw to the close of the first post. I can't say for certain how this blog is going to end up, but I admit, I do feel a certain gleeful thrill of creation, not so different from that of my first little stockinette swatch. I obviously can't know what precisely led you to this particular corner of the knitoblogosphere, but since you are here, I hope you like it. I know it's not much to look at quite yet, but there'll be more before long, so feel free to stop by any time.
I suppose that pretty much covers it. Until we meet again, my friends.
-DT
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