Socks

 Fresh off the needles.  It is a four hour drive to visit the grands, I knit while hubby drives, it usually takes 2 trips up and back to knit a pair of toe up socks. These are shorties I like to wear them with tie on sneakers.  The upper part of the heel  of the shoe frequently rubs on my heel so to add a little more cushion to the heel of the sock I continue the slip stitch heel as I start knitting in the round again for the leg of the sock about a half an inch. I continue the slip stitch heel with eight short rows so the back of the leg is a little bit taller, the sock stays up better instead of crawling down into my shoe. Then 8-10 rows of 2 x 2 ribbing and they are finished.  Thinking about the yarn for the next trip.  —Ann—

Much improved

 

Finished finally!! It was as if the wee faeries in Ireland jinxed this yarn for as many times as I ripped and restarted.  It took all of 12 minutes to rip back to within 3 inches of the neck because there was too much fullness across the chest, I’m hardly a full figure gal. Instead of raglan increases every other row I did the increases every third row, much better.  Then I reknit the sleeves a second time still really long and wide, re think the number of rows between decreases. I gave it a good soak to block it thinking it would shrink about 2 inches in length because the swatch did. No such luck the water must not have been warm enough.   So I ripped 6 inches off the hem and reknit again much improved!! The sleeves are still a bit too long but I’m going to leave them be because next time I wash it the water might be a little bit hotter. It’s going to be chilly here the next couple days so I can wear it. Spring keeps getting bullied back by winter here. Hope you are staying warm. —Ann—

Happy Feet

 

I have knit so many pairs of socks they are fool proof. I can’t remember the last time I ripped a pair of socks…….happy feet.  Sweaters on the other hand I knit and rip and knit again. Hopefully I got it right the second time. I knit the swatch on 3 sizes of needles to get the right gauge but also to feel the difference in the fabric I just created, smaller needles make a firm dense fabric, larger needles a softer drapier fabric. Then I look for a pattern to match the fabric that I like best and not finding one I’m making adjustments. My first attempt fit like a potato sack so start over a size smaller and be consistent with the tension of the yarn.  I started with a 15 stitch gauge (15 stitches over 4 inches of knitting) then I got loosey goosey and was knitting a 12 stitch gauge under the arms. It makes a difference if you are pushing the stitch off the needle or gently pulling it off the left hand needle. Now I have a consistent 14 gauge on # 9 needles.  I also did a lot of math,  # of stitches of circumference of body of sweater (under arms) divide by stitch gauge x 4 inches =  inches of circumference of sweater. The pattern added 10 stitches under each arm to join the front to the back, 20 stitches was like adding 5 to 8 inches to the circumference I cut that down to 4 stitches under each arm. Fingers crossed I’m getting it right. It’s cold here below zero it’s a good day to curl up and knit.  —Ann—

Socks

 

I have been knitting socks on the numerous road trips to see the little girls, after all they are only 3 for a year. Socks for them knit from a cotton bamboo yarn, footies for me from Wool Addicts footprints yarn wool, cotton and nylon, and birthday socks for son.

Knitting on the road….

—Ann—

A little knitting

Just a little knitting and coffee in my new favorite mug from darling daughter.  My little granddaughters were intrigued by the socks I was knitting for me……so the next time we went to see them I was knitting socks for their little feet. I used a cotton and bamboo yarn called Bamboo pop sock. It’s very soft and stretchy and machine wash and dry.

As usual I couldn’t get them to stand or sit together for a picture. They are very independent little girls.

—Ann—

On the needles

It’s summertime and the projects are slow as are some days. And then again June is almost gone along with one third of the summer.  New knitting on the needles the three balls of yarn are all from the same dye lot they have surprisingly long color sections. I started on the ball that looks the most green with my swatch. Just a few more rows and I will put the sleeves on waste yarn but I always use really narrow satin ribbon because it doesn’t have long fibers that get mixed up with my knitting.  The yarn is zauberball cotton. It will be a nice summer sweater. Ann

More knitting

 

Road trip socks are finished Opal yarn from the VanGogh color collection and just a simple knit purl stitch pattern but then isn’t that what all stitch pattern are unless you are doing a lacy or cable pattern. What yarn to use for the next socks and road trip??

Slow progress on a sweater. I’ve only started it three times it’s a cotton bamboo and silk yarn called CoBaSi by Hikoo, a very forgiving yarn in that it didn’t hold the crimp after ripping and rewinding it looked like I had just wound it from the skein. More snow yesterday—Ann—

Sweater finish

 

I finished this sweater for hubby, he has worn it every day this week so far. Wool is so cozy warm. The yarn is Misty Wool by Elsebeth Lavold 75% wool and 25% hemp. I have knit this particular yarn before so I knew it would shrink some and it did from 33 inches from shoulder to hem to perfect. I was checking the dryer every 5 minutes so I wouldn’t shrink it too much. It’s done and hubby is wearing it. Dry flat the next time it is washed. Happy wife.  Ann