Dads like long socks

I don't. Like long socks that is! Well, not to knit anyway, they go on forever.

 I like To knit ankle socks. But last time I was visiting my dad was wearing his a Hand knitted socks, admittedly he wears them as bed socks, not every day socks but he was wearing them. This made me very happy and I know he likes long socks so I decided I would make him some long socks. A little bit of what he likes is definitely called for especially now he is Mum's career and life has taken such an unexpected turn, so long socks are the least I can do and living 200 miles away there is little else I can do, is there :( ? I will have to post an image once I am home so for now here are the instructions for the socks,in case you want to knit some for your dad too! Toe up, Judy’s magic cast on from 16 stitches increased 4 every other round up to 64. Knit 3x1rib on the instep stitches. Short row heel turn. Calf increases: 3x1rib to 6.5” increased one purl stitch at centre back. Added 1 purl stitch in rib on either side of centre after 5 more rows. Work as set until leg measures 10.5” from base of floor as worn, increase a second purl stitch at centre back, work 5 rows as set, increase another 1 purl stitch in rib at either side of those already increased, the back section now knits as p2 k3 p2 k3 p3 k3 p2 k3 p2 . Continue as set until you loose the will to live, sorry Dad I know you like long socks but … Increase 2 further p stitches on final row before changing to 2x2rib and then knit in rib until you want to scream. Cast off using a stretchy sewn cast off. Repeat for second sock and never knit rib socks again except I know he’ll love them so I will be making more the longer the better as far as he’s concerned!

Filling In some More Missing Bits

Another jumper that I completed for Christmas was DD1's reindeer jumper.

 DD strikes a comedy catalogue pose on Christmas Day morning (still in her pj's lol). She's happy with this one and so am I. The original inspiration came from a Martin Storey pattern in a Rowan book where it was knit flat and seamed. Sadly those seams dissected the reindeer so I decided to put the whole lot into a knit in the round project and to knit the reindeer around the yoke. This one was knit in King Cole Baby Alpaca which we sell at Ringarosie and it is gorgeous soft yarn. I really enjoyed knitting with it and have enough left over for a little something for myself, I just haven't decided what yet.

I have recently cast on for another adapted pattern again from a couple of Rowan originals. I'm taking the shaping from one patterns and the stitch pattern/design from another and again putting it onto circular needles and knitting it in the round. This will be a new challenge as I am knitting a cardi this time so I will have to take the scissors to it and steek the front opening. The original has set in sleeves so I have to decide whether to go with this option or to work a drop shoulder and pick up and knit the sleeves down instead of just putting them from flat into a knit in the round version. I don't need to decide yet though as I am still working the wait shaping. This one is in Rowan Harris Scottish Tweed lovely yarn to work with in a soft heathered blue, loving it!

Another more recently finsihed project is the linen stitch scarf I have knit using a lovely gify or Noro Sock Yarn from A Ravelry friend. This fabric looks woven and we have it on display in the shop at the moment where it has prompted much discussion.

 The original idea came from a Ravelry pattern called "Mini Mania Scarf" which uses lots of mini skeins of sock yarn, as the Noro has long colour runs it worked well for this pattern and I will use the pattern again - 450 stitches on a 4.5mm needle makes a looooooong scarf - I might not do so many stitches another time lol those rows went on forever!

Sorry for the poor photos which were taken on my phone and emailed to my laptop - I'll get the hang of this technology stuff sooner or later - we have a new ipad in the shop - well it's Barbara's really but I am pretending it's mine too hahaha - and it is fabulously wonderful - I am saving up! Great for looking up yarn and finding substitutions so if you are coming to the shop looking for yarn bring your pattern with you and we can help find the perfect yarn to use :) I'd love to see or hear if anyone has good stitch pattern they've used for scarves, linen stitch is a new favourite! Off to work on that cardigan now. Happy knitting!

Annette's was closest

but no one got it exactly right, which is reassuring really, the error is obviously not as horrible as I thought it was and random strangers passing by will not see my socks and run screaming from the room "That woman has a mistake in her cable!"

I did one too few rows between the arrowed cables so they are a little too close together. *sigh!* I spotted it almost straight away too but I just couldn't be bothered to run the cable stitches down and pick them back up the right way round. Plus if I had, the outer travelling stitch would have been out of true and not following the rest of the pattern. Which all goes to show that I shouldn't sweat the small stuff!

Talking of small stuff, baby still isn't here as she refuses to come out until she is good and ready, and that is not yet! Still time to finish the pink mitts and booties to match the hat :o) Just need to finish my swap mitts first :o)

I want to cast on a shawl/stole/wrap thingy but this is NOvember so no new cast ons! Blah!

Meanwhile Mr Postie has delivered the fine, fine, oh so very fine Jamieson cone of yarn. OMG it is fine, I'll take a piccie tomorrow to share this fineness so you can wonder along with me, at the amazingness of ever entertaining the thought of knitting with such delicate nothingness. What was i thinking? :o)

Hemlock is otn

Hemlock002
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Couldn't wait, had to do it. Got to row 26 then had to go to bed. It's a real shame when life interrupts knitting, but work will resume asap. It's lovely, it grows quickly, and the yarn is absolutely scrumptious to knit with. See the ss sections? Aren't they delicious? Quite a good colour representation on my monitor too, ah! What more could a girl ask for, knitting, purple, sensuousness. *sigh* And, yes, lots of people are doing it whih adds to the fun :o)

Hemlock Yarn

This is my yummy Posh Yarn Emily.

I seem to have a purple thing going on :o) *blushes*

Left to right Damson, 3 x Magnus, Peal *Happy Sigh!

The sheep were my present to me when we went to Alnwick Castle during the holidays - I nicked the idea of them guarding the stash for photographs from Annette :o)

The Hemlock takes two 300yd skeins of brooklyntweeds chosen yarn, Cascade Ecological Wool which is a Heavy Worsted - now I may very well be wrong here but I am thinking that it's a thick Aran/Chunky weight so I will need more yardage for the same size throw. I am planning on knitting the 3 Magnus and seeing how big it is. That is a fairly firm decision at present but give me time and I will change my mind *rolls eyes* I am also drawn to starting with the Damson changing to the Magnus and finishing with the Peal. But I might have to move house to be able to block her if I use all 5 and I'd like to try the pattern alteration to Old Shale by adding the purl rows as well as the version as charted. Ho hum.

Strangely the other project (the one we can't mention) is also having a lot of Old Shale at the moment (round and round and round she goes) so maybe this is my mindless knitting phase.

Today I had an hour and a half of pure, uninterrupted knitting bliss :o) Sadly I then spent all afternoon feeling that I haven't actually done any work today as there have been no housewifery/motherly goings on prior to the big kids coming in from school. Maybe this just goes to show that I am never pleased, or more positively (and therefore, I like to think, more likely) I just haven't had enough therapy yet. Bring it on.

And finally, winding the Emily into balls today, led to winding the Middle Earth Yarns DK BFL. DD2 insisted we do 'more spinney things, Mummy' - she likes turning the handle and has not heard of the ills of child labour. I faltered and nearly switched to a project cast on in the Foamy Seas instead - it is so very very squishy and soft and boy, you have to be soft to outsquish Emily

But I resisted, I have plans for Foamy Seas and they require some thought and some charting so I want the head space that will require to be fully available and not doing a time share with the trivia currently therein. So wait, squishy skeins, your time will come.

The miracle that is blocking!

A teasing title really... sorry! I haven't actually done the blocking yet.

DD's trainset is all over the living room floor (known as the 'front' room in our house, but I am posh on here) and I feel too mean about putting it away to lay out my soggy yarn mass. DH took a long time to build it (the train set, that is)and it is very complicated with several levels and bridges, stations, tunnels etc.

So, plan B, I have a 'back' room too. HAHAHA. But... the back room is smaller so all the big kids' stuff (it's their room really) needs to be cleared to the sides and the floor hoovered, etc. before my precious goes onto it. Add to that the fact that I have reorganised all my craft stuff and cannot find the plastic bags I use to lay blocking out on. I have stalled.

But whilst we wait here is a photo of the preblocked but mainly finished shawl.

It took two balls of Posh Yarn Lucia with just the little bit in the bottom right of the photo left over. I did 13 repeats of the pattern after the set up rows and i LOVE it. The only place there has been any pooling of the colours is on the edging which looks great too. The yarn is soft and gorgeous to knit with, possibly my best ever knit as far as the 'process' goes, enjoyed watching it grow every stitch of the way.

So I can procrastinate no longer, I must away, to block. More later :o)

sock stash

sockstash
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

In the absence of lace piccies here's a flash of the sock yarn stash. £ skeinns of Posh Yarn for a shawl, maybe Shoalwater? 5 months of Sock Club yarn (might actually make some socks from this one day *rolls eyes*), some Cherry Tree Hill (bottom right) bought on Angel Yarn Forum 2 balls of Opal for a little person's jumper and some Ladybird Opal for socks for me - maybe, I did want another ball of this to knit another little jumper but they discontinued it :o(. The royal blue is thermal sock yarn bought on eBay to knit some socks for my Grandma, as they were going to be a Christmas present for the one before last I think they may end up as something else.

Sock yarn jumper

diddy1
Originally uploaded by Jam_mam.

Another jumper for littlest one, in Opal Rainforest Flamingo (4 ply sock yarn) pattern is from the Patons 'A Proncess Tale' book. Unblocked because she had to put it on NOW which was very gratifying :o)

On a sadder note, the bag o' bones cat is no more, he has gone to a windowsill somehwere far away, yep, he kicked the bucket , etc. Fill in Monty Python lines are you see fit a la dead parrot sketch. I feel relieved i don't have to decide whether he has to go now or not. He had one bad wobbly day, laid down on his cushion at the end of that day, went to sleep and never woke up. poor puss, a fighter. The vet said it was a minor miracle he made it for s long as he did becuase when they did his blood test he was 'bad' and that was a month or more ago. Never complained and was purring on DD's lap up until that evening despite feeling so unwell. We had a little funeral in a copice near our house, on the sunny side of the valley. RIP old puss cat, I still look for you when I put the food down.