Missing in action

I had to go back to work. Sniff.

So this had left me with a little less time to commit to my favourite hobby and even less time to post about it. I have only returned to work 2 days a week and this all started in October but I feel guilty dumping Rowan of at Grandma's and it makes for a very long day for us. It takes 1.5 hours to get to work via Grandma's. Ugg.

I will be chucking my job in in April when I qualify for long service leave. I was close to resigning in October when my Maternity leave finished, but it seems stupid to throw away LSL money (about $10K) when I was so close. Anyway, I work isnt what it used to be for me...kind of a drag even though the break from Rowan is appreciated.

I havent stopped knitting entirely. I have knitted another pair of socks for my husband (I will be cross if he doesnt wear them) and started another pair for a friend which I am half way through. Next project is a bag of somesort.

Hope you are all well.

Dead and in heaven

Oooo.. Look at my sockwar socks (forgive my hairy legs):

Gorgeous socks knitted by Karen at www.frogknits.com in beautiful artyarns.com yarn. They are soft and my feet are toasty warm. Thanks Karen, I am absolutely overjoyed!

And, if the socks weren't enough, look at my bonus gift:

The leftover yarn and some body lotions/sprays. There is a black sheep which I think is supposed to "baaa" but is rather silent right now. Could I be anymore spoilt? What a great day. I will be participating in future knitting exchanges - they make such lovely friendship rings. Feeling a little guilty I didnt send more treats to my sockwar target. The socks were for a 9yo girl so I sent some caramello Koalas and some aussie coins - a few special edition 20c, 50c & $1 coins. Just for something different.

Sockwars - nearly dead!

I have made my sockwar socks and they will be in the mail tomorrow. I've set my own personal record for sock knitting - 5 days. The wool only arrived on Friday and they were ready and packed my lunch time today.

Sadly I am unlikely to have survived this round. My assassin posted her socks last week so they are due to arrive any day now. I am not too upset as it frees me up to knit my satchel after I finish the socks for my husband Matt. The socks I knitted for my US target Kathi are in Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply Classic in "Raspberry". I was going to knit them in Bolero, but they are for Kathi's 9yo daughter and I thought pink was more her thing. The photo shows them much redder than they acutally are. Such simple socks to knit up!

In other news I finished the socks I was knitting a few weeks ago for my friend about to undergo her first IVF cycle. I didn't finish them both in time for her embryo transfer - so she could only wear the one. The amazing thing is she is now pregnant (lucky bitch) and of course is solely from the strength of the sock. I finished the other before starting the sockwar socks and will be borrowing them back in the new year when I head back to IVF for Rowan's sibling.

The bubble pattern is from Vogue Knitting Stitchonary Vol 1 and is an 16 row repeat:

Row 1-3: *K3, Sl3* repeat from *to*

Row 4-6: Knit all stiches

Row 7: *K4, C1, K5*repeat from *to*. C1 = Using left needle, pick up strands from the three slipped stiches in rows 1-3 and place on end of needle, Knit the next stitch behind the sl stiches (by digging under slipped stitch strands) and pull yarn out under the sl stitch strands. The effect is to pucker on the right side and create this diamond pattern on the wrong side. You'll see!

Row 8: Knit

Row 9-11: *Sl3, K3* repeat from *to*

Row 12-14: Knit

Row 15: *K1, C1, K5* repeat from *to*.

Row 16: Knit

Sockwars - the first blow!

Sockwars was meant to start on the 8th of this month. I had been waiting for my dossier to turn up so I knew what yarn/needles/size I had to knit. However, as of yesterday - nada - so I sent a reminder email to yarnmonkey. Sadly she has had technical difficulties meaning not all dossiers were sent out and the first wave of attacks are already underway. Not that it really matters, but now I know who I have to kill and what i am going to kill them with! I am ordering some 8ply (DK) "Mystique" wool/mohair/alpaca wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills in Bolero which is fitting for a bloody fight. At the same time I am going to order myself som 12ply Rustic so I can knit this satchel. I am thinking Red Tweed in the rustic group.

Still going on the socks. I have done one, just started the other so the sockwar socks will be waiting until next week.

Socks on the head

I'm knitting another pair of socks. Its because I can't think of what else yet. I would like to knit a bag or a light weight cotton cardi but am sturggling to find a good, cheap cotton yarn in rich colours. I was all geared up to buy some cotton from Knitpicks in the US only to find they don't do interntaional shipping. I am not wild about the cotton colours at Bendigo Woollen Mills and can't affort Jo Sharp or Rowan right now. So if anyone can recommend a good 4 ply cotton brand with a wide range of colours in Australia I would love to hear from you!

These socks are going to be a gift for a friend thats about to do her first cycle of IVF. They are "transfer" socks in blue and pink colourways from Live 2 Knit. I know what she is going through as my son Rowan is the product of 3.5 years of IVF treatments and I concieved him wearing pink and blue Bonds socks. So I believe success is all about what socks are worn on embryo transfer day. Looking funky aren't they!

Falling leaves socks Part II

I have finally finished MY socks. They are lovely and warm and I really love the colour. Annoyingly they are a little two thick to wear with my brogues, but who wants to cover up socks that look this good up? I have worn them out and about and have recieved a few compliments from freinds than knew I was knitting them. Now to start the next pair - thinking an easy pattern for a change.

And here is the pattern. Its been bastardised from Live 2 Knit peacock socks and a old Sirdar pattern. The lace pattern has been modified from a Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Vol 1 for falling leaves.


Falling Leaves Socks
You need:
Set of four 2.75mm double pointed needles
2 Skeins of Live 2 Knit Elisabeth in Maple

Cast on 64 stiches evenly over three needles. The Autumn Leaves pattern repeat is over 8 stiches:

kkomokkk
kkkkkkkk
kokmkokk
kkkkkkkk
okkmkkok
kkkkkkkk
okkkkkom
kkkkkkkk
kokkkokm
kkkkkkkk
kkokokkm
kkkkkkkk

k-knit stich
o - yo
m - slip 2 knitwise, k1, pssso

Knit in pattern for 18cm - or less depending on the desired length or if your foot length is longer than a size 8 (AU). I wouldn't go much longer unless you are using Opal sock wool or something as you see:

there wasnt much left of this yarn leftover.

Heel
Heel is in "Dimples" pattern from the Vogue Knitting Stichionary Vol 1, p41
Knit across N1, turn.
Purl N1 and enough stiches from N3 to collect 32 stiches in total for heel.
First row - *K1, S1; rep from *to end
Second row - Slip the slipped stiches, purl the purl stiches
Third row - Knit
Fourth row - purl

Repeat pattern 8 times- 32 rows for heel.
Next row - Knit
R1: P16, P2tog, P1, turn
R2: K3, SSK, K1 turn
R3: Purl with 1st of turn, P2tog, P1
R4: Knit to within 1st of turn, SSK, K1
Repeat R3 & 4 until you have worked all stiches.

Gusset and foot
Pick up 17 stiches along right side of heel flap. Knit in Autumn leaves pattern accross top of foot. Pick up another 17 stiches along left side of heel flap and knit half the stiches at the base of the heel. This becomes N3, top of foot, N2 and remainder N1.

Decrease Rounds

R1 - Knit stiches on N1 until last two stiches, K2tog. Knit in pattern across N2. N3 - SSk, knit to end.

R2 - knit all stiches.

Continue decreasing until 16 stiches remain on N1 & N3. 64 stitches in total Continue in pattern until foot measures desired length - ~15cm for a size 8 AU foot. NB Toe shaping is about 4cm

Toe shaping

1st round: N1 – Knit to last 3 stiches, K2tog, K1. N2 – K1, S1, K1, psso, knit to last 3 stiches, K2tog, K1. N3 - K1, S1, K1, psso, knit to end.

2nd round – Knit all stichesRepeat 1st and 2nd rounds until 16 stiches remain.

Graft stiches together.

Falling leaves socks Part I

Ugh, Rowan is sick. He has a cold - with cough, bit of a gummy eye and a runny nose. Matt is nagging me to take him to the doctors but I know its just a cold and he will fight it off. Matt gew up going to the Doctors every time he had a sniffle. I can count on one hand the number of times I went to the docs as a kid. I don't believe a doctor will be able to help him right now but if its gets alot worse, I will take him down. Poor little guy - when he coughs in his sleep he wakes up and cries. Poor Mummy has to settle him back down again!

Well on the knit front, here is the sock I have started knitting from Live 2 Knit's Elisabeth yarn in Maple:

Its a "falling leaves" pattern repeat modified from a lace pattern in Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volume 1.

And I love the heel:

I think you will all agree this will be a pretty pair of socks. My first knitted pair just for me!