I’m Knitting As Fast As I Can

It’s Friday and I still haven’t found time to cobble together a blog post for this week.  But since 3 other bloggers have essentially done all the work for me, I’ll just piggyback on their posts.

Saturday, Margene, Eliza, Cheryl and I sewed up some adorable project bags.  I stumbled on the pattern several weeks ago and got it into my head that I simply had to make one.  I was able to complete three, notwithstanding the fact that I have: (1) a barely functioning sewing machine and (2) the sewing skills of a toddler.

The task was considerably easier on Saturday since I was able to use Cheryl’s fully functioning sewing machine and Margene’s razor sharp rotary cutter.  Cheryl blogged about our lovely day here.

Sunday was Margene’s 60th birthday.  For several months I’ve been planning, designing, and knitting a secret shawl to celebrate her day.  Back in December, I showed her a shawl prototype I had knit and she loved it.  Trouble was, I had lost both the handwritten charts and my notes.  But after she’d hounded me several times, I decided to recreate the pattern and knit a shawl from it for her birthday.  Kim kindly supplied me with the perfect (and I mean perfect) yarn.

Here’s the result:

I think Margene liked it.  She has some action photos of the shawl on her blog.

The pattern is currently available from Kim as a kit.  I’m  re-re-working it for sock weight yarn and it should be available as a stand-alone pattern in a few weeks.  Should be good for all those lovely skeins of sock yarn that are too precious to use for socks.  At least that’s the plan.

These baby socks have a ribbed heel that keeps them on baby’s feet. The instructions are based on multiples of 8 so they are easy to remember. This is a revised version of a pattern I posted several years ago.

Yarn: 1 skein [50g; 175 yds] Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino [100% merino wool]
Needles: Set of double-pointed needles (dpns), US #2/2.75mm, or any size that will give you the correct gauge
Gauge: Approx. 7 sts = 1″ in stockinette stitch.
Size: Worked at the suggested gauge, the foot of the finished sock measures approx. 3.5 inches.

Instructions
Cuff: Loosely CO 32 sts. Divide sts onto 3 dpns. Join into the round without twisting the sts.
Rnds 1-32: K1, *p2, k2; repeat from * to end of rnd, ending with k1.
Note: If you do not want a turn-down cuff, work ribbing for 16 rnds instead of 32 rnds.

Heel Flap:
Place next 16 sts on waste yarn or 2 dpns. These are the instep sts; they begin and end with a knit stitch. Turn sock so wrong side is facing.
Row 1: Sl1, [k2, p2] 3 times, k2, p1, turn.
Row 2: Sl1, [p2, k2] 3 times, p2, k1, turn.
Work Rows 1-2, eight times (16 heel flap rows).

Turn Heel:
Row 1: Sl1, p8, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 2: Sl1, k3, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 3: Sl1, p4, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 4: Sl1, k5, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 5: Sl1, p6, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 6: Sl1, k7, ssk, k1, do not turn. (10 heel sts)

Foot:
Divide sts as follows:
Ndl #1: 5 heel sts
Ndl #2: 16 instep sts
Ndl #3: 5 heel sts

Beg. with Ndl #1, pick up and knit 8 sts along the side of the heel flap plus 1 st to close the gusset; work instep sts in est. rib pattern; with a spare dpn, pick up and knit 1 st to close the gusset and 8 sts along the second side of the heel flap; knit the 5 heel sts from Ndl #3.

Rnd 1:
Ndl #1: Knit until 3 sts remain, k2tog, k1.
Ndl #2: Work sts in est. rib pattern.
Ndl #3: K1, ssk, k the remaining sts.
Rnd 2:
Ndl #1: Knit all sts.
Ndl #2: Work sts in est. rib pattern.
Ndl #3: Knit all sts.

Repeat Rnds 1 & 2 until 32 sts remain.
Repeat Rnd 2 only, 8 times.

Toe:
Rnds 1-3: Knit all sts.
Rnd 4: *K2, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd (8 sts decreased).
Rnds 5-7: Knit all sts.
Rnd 8: *K1, k2tog; repeat from * to end of rnd.
Rnds 9 & 10: Knit all sts.
Rnd 11: *K2tog; repeat from * end of rnd.

8 sts remain. Break yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail. Thread the yarn tail onto a tapestry ndl and run the ndl through the 8 remaining sts. Pull tight to close the toe. Weave in yarn ends.

©2009 Susan Pierce Lawrence
http://knittingasfastasican.com
This pattern is for your personal, non-commercial use only. You may not reproduce the pattern or any part of it for free distribution, sale, or any other purpose without my prior consent. Items made from these instructions may not be sold under any circumstances.

A lovely skein of Koigu Painter’s Palette inspired me to make some changes to my Pieces of Eight baby sock pattern.

Basically, I added a turn-down cuff and made some minor adjustments to the foot. Look for the new and improved version tomorrow.

Amy seems to have taken an unusual interest in this project.