And Another Pair of Socks... Together Again

Reunited and finished, the Colinette Jitterbug socks with a twist. I used the Lace Rib pattern (see Free Patterns link) but between the lace columns, used a P1, K1b (twisted st), P1 instead.

Colinette Jitterbug was a beautiful yarn to work with, "smooshy" and soft merino. I bought this yarn in October on a vacation trip to Montreal.

One Lone Sock

Yesterday I left my sock at the knitters meeting! I may have been too distracted by the autumn beauty of the surroundings - the meetings are held at the Visitors Center of Meadowlark Gardens in Vienna, Virginia, which makes our knitting group the luckiest in the world - the "knitting corner" overlooks the gardens and woods. It was a crisp, clear fall day, and I walked around the woods and garden trails for a little while before the meeting. Then I sat down and knitted and chatted, cast off my socks, showed them off proudly, and had to leave a bit early, leaving this lonely sock abandoned in the middle of the table! Luckily a kind knitter took it into her knitting bag and e-mailed me that evening, sending me this picture to assure me it was safe. More pictures -- and the pattern -- will be posted when the two socks are reunited once again. Thanks to Carol Miranda, the Guardian of The Sock!

It's a Hat ...

... instead of socks, for a change. I've made several, this will be number five: "RIDGES" HAT:

This looks especially good in long-repeat variegated yarns like Noro Silk Garden.

Materials: Noro "Silk Garden" (about 1 1/2 skeins); size 7 16-inch circular needle and double-pointed needles. Gauge = 4 sts/in.

Sizes small (medium)

Cast on 80 (88) stitches on 16-in. circ.ndl., join. Knit 8 rounds. *Purl 4 rounds. Knit 4 rounds. Repeat from * three (four) times. Purl 4 rounds (there should be four (five) purl ridges).

Knit 1 round. Decrease round: K 6, K 2 tog around = 70 (77) sts. Knit 2 rounds. Purl 4 rounds.

Knit 1 round. Decrease round: K 5, K 2 tog around = 60 (66) sts. Knit 2 rounds. Purl 4 rounds.

Knit 1 round. Decrease round: K 4, K 2 tog around = 50 (55) sts.

Knit 1 round. Decrease round: K 3, K 2 tog around = 40 (44) sts. Knit 1 round. Continue to work decrease rounds as established every other round, changing to double-pointed needles when needed. At 10 (11) sts, pull stitches together, fasten off.
--Karen Kahane (2005)

Obsessed with Socks

Yarn: a cashmere-wool blend from The Knittery, so soft and warm. The yarn was so softly spun that I'm worried about how it will hold up to wear, so the foot was knit with needles a size smaller than usual. Small pointy needles + soft-spun yarn = splits, so I'm not sure if I'll knit with this yarn again. Lovely colors, but a bit frustrating....

The stitch pattern is "Twilled Stripe" from the Barbara Walker Treasury II (p. 147 in my old edition). It's a twisted slip stitch pattern (multiple of 7 sts, 8-row repeat) that is ideal to show off a lightly variegated yarn such as this "Passion Flower" color.

I used a size #1 (2.5 mm) 40-inch circular needle (magic loop method) for the cuff and leg, then switched to two 24-inch circular needles in size 0 (2.0 mm) for the heel flap and foot.

Not a pattern, just a blueprint:

Cast on 64, K1P1 rib for cuff, dec 1 to 63 sts, work in patt st for 5 (6) repeats.

Heel flap: dec 2 to 61 sts, arrange sts to center pattern on instep: 35 sts for instep (1 purl st, 4 full patt reps, ending with K5, 1 purl st). Work heel flap on 26 sts.

After heel flap, turn heel, pick up sts around; for instep switch to K5P2 rib, leaving P1 at each side to frame instep pattern (P1, *K5P2 4 times, end K5, P1). Work gusset decs to 60 sts: 35 sts on instep, 25 on foot; knit to desired length. For toe decs, divide evenly 30/30, dec to 10/10. Kitchener toe.

And Another Sock Pattern....

This is a basic K1P1 rib for the cuff all the way down to the heel flap and continuing on the instep - cast on 64 sts with two circular size 0 needles, using Sundara yarn in the "Sweet Brier Rose" color (unfortunately discontinued). Another pair of socks for the cedar chest!

Another Favorite Sock Pattern

Another of my favorite sock patterns, again from the talented sock designer Jeanie Townsend, whose Yahoo group is the motherlode of many of her free designs. Other designs are also available for sale on her website, Just Me Jeanie.

This is "Cascading Leaves," made from Lisa Souza sock yarn that I bought last year at Stitches East 2007 in Baltimore, and knit using size 0 needles.

My Favorite Sock Pattern

My favorite sock pattern (designed by me). It's a lacy rib that combines the beauty of lace, yet is stretchy for good fit.

The socks in the picture are made using a sock club yarn from Sundara, "Fall Foliage" which is no longer available, unfortunately; however, there are so many other beautiful color options on her website.

Try this link: Google document file

Here's my sock pattern:

LACE-RIB PATTERN SOCKS (DESIGNED BY KAREN KAHANE c. 1990)

MATERIALS: 100 grams sock yarn (fingering-weight yarn, 7.5-9 sts. per
inch); one set double-pointed needles, size 1 (or size to get gauge);
reinforcement yarn (optional).

GAUGE: 15 sts = 2 inches in pattern st. (lace-rib stitch is stretchy, so this is approximate)

LACE-RIB PATTERN STITCH: (multiple of 9) (make sure to start lace
pattern as stated)
Rnd 1: *k 2 tog, yo, k 1, yo, ssk, p 1, k 2, p 1. Repeat from * around.
Rnds 2, 3, 4: *k 5, p 1, k 2, p 1. Rep from *.

ALTERNATIVE CUFF RIB PATTERN 2 (worked over 63 sts): *K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K2, P1. Repeat from * around. (This rib is an alternative to the plain K1P1 rib; the K2 should line up with the K2 in the lace-rib pattern.)

START: Using dp ndls, loosely cast on 64 sts. (Tip: use larger ndl
for cast-on round.) Join and work around in k1p1 rib (or cast on 63 sts and work alternative cuff rib pattern 2) for 3 inches (32 rows). (NOTE: Work cuff for only 2 inches, or less, if your patience wears thin.) K 1 rnd plain, dec'g 1 st in last st = 63 sts. Start lace pattern, work around in pattern for 16 repeats (about 6 inches), or whatever your desired length is. End after Rnd 3.

HEEL FLAP: K 14, place remaining instep sts on next ndl; turn, sl 1,
p 31 (these 32 sts are the heel flap sts); slip rem sts onto next ndl.
(Heel flap sts = 32; instep patt sts = 31) Adjust instep sts,
dividing them onto 2 holding ndls. Working only on heel flap 32 sts,
attach reinforcing yarn (if used) and work Heel Stitch as follows:
Row 1 (right side): Sl 1, k 1, repeat across.
Row 2: Sl 1, p across.
Work 30 rows (15 slipped k sts on right side); end with Row 2.

TURNING HEEL: Work heel turn as follows:
Row 1 (right side): Sl 1, k 16, SSK, k 1, turn.
Row 2: Sl 1, p 5, p 2 tog, p 1, turn.
Row 3: Sl 1, k 6, SSK, k 1, turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, p 7, p 2 tog, p 1, turn.
Continue as established, decreasing until all sts are used up; end
with right-side row, do not turn, do not dec on last row (20 sts
total). Break off reinforcing yarn.

GUSSET: (Right side facing) With Needle 1, pick up 16 sts along
loops on inside edge of heel flap; pick up and twist an extra st at
juncture of flap and instep. On Needle 2, continue working pattern
(resume with Row 4) across instep (31 sts). With Needle 3, pick up
and twist an extra st, then pick up 16 sts along second edge of heel
flap. Continue on heel flap sts, ending round at center back of heel
(85 sts total). Adjust stitches on needles: Place 27 sts on Needle
1, 31 instep pattern stitches together on Needle 2, 27 stitches on
Needle 3.
Decrease rnd: Ndl 1: K to last 3 sts, k 2 tog, k 1. Ndl 2: Work
instep patt as established. Ndl 3: K 1, SSK, k to end of rnd.
Repeat decrease round EVERY OTHER ROUND 12 times until a total of 61
sts remain (31 instep patt sts on Ndl 2, and 15 sts on each of Ndls 1
and 3).
Work even in pattern on 31 sts of instep, knit remaining 30 sts
until foot measures 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches (or desired length *see fit
tip note) from heel flap. End after Rnd 3, decreasing 1 st in pattern
section = 60 sts.
Next row: K around, joining in reinforcement yarn.

TOE SHAPING: Divide sts on ndls as follows: Ndl 1 = 15 sts; Ndl 2
(top of toe) = 30 sts; Ndl 3 = 15 sts.
Decrease rnd: Ndl 1: K to last 3 sts, k 2 tog, k 1. Ndl 2: K 1,
SSK, k to last 3 sts, k 2 tog, k 1. Ndl 3: K1, SSK, k to end of rnd.
Repeat decrease rnd EVERY OTHER RND until 20 sts remain, ending at
side of toe. Break yarn, leaving about 15 inches to graft toe
together. Place toe sts on 2 ndls; graft sts together. Darn in ends.

FIT TIP: If your foot is narrow, work one or two additional decrease
rnds in gusset, adjusting total number of sts accordingly. Sock
should fit fairly snugly to show off lace pattern.
Approximate sizing: Size 6 foot = 13 lace patt reps; Size 7 = 14;
Size 8 = 15 (16?); Size 9 = 17. (For finer-weight sock yarns, may
need to add 1 patt rep to each size. Try sock on before starting toe
decs; should be even with base of big toe.)

"Horcrux" Socks for my Harry Potter fan

This pair of socks will be a "Harry Potter"-themed gift for my granddaughter Maggie, who is eagerly awaiting the release of the last book in the series, I'm sure. I know it's July, but maybe the evenings in Oregon will be cool enough for her to snuggle her feet into these socks while she reads the book. The designer, Susan Lawrence, is asking the question, "Is Harry the last horcrux?" It's a creative and fun-to-knit design that is perfect for sportweight yarn.

The pattern can be found on her blog and also in the Files section of the Yahoo group "Six Sox Knitalong," in the April 2007 file. I used the very nice sportweight merino sock yarn from Briar Rose Fibers, "Grandma's Blessing," in the navy, olive, and dark teal color.

Tech details: Size 1 (2.25 mm) needles except for the lacy zigzag part where I switched to size 0 (2 mm) needles. I do knit loosely, and the small sized needles made a nice solid fabric that should be durable.

Lilacs Socks

Another pair of socks in the finished pile, again from the lovely Sundara yarn, one of my favorite sock yarns, springy and firm twist, holds up well to wash-and-wear. This is the "Lenten Rose" color from a sock-club mailing, but the pattern, "Lilacs," is from the talented and creative sock designer Jeanie Townsend.

Lacy Red Stole

Another recently finished project, but this one took only nine months from start to finish, unlike the twenty-year Pi Shawl. This stole is a design by Melanie Gibbons, made using JaggerSpun Zephyr laceweight (50 percent merino and 50 percent silk) from Sarah's Yarns, in the Cinnabar shade. I used number 3 Brittany birch straight needles. The model is my lovely youngest daughter Megan, who was visiting on a rainy weekend at the Oregon Coast.

Lovely Shawl Model

Yes, the Pi Shawl is finally finished, after almost twenty years - and the lovely model is my youngest daughter Megan. The yarn is laceweight wool, a long-ago gift from a friend.