For the past month or so, I've been attempting to knit a sock for Toby. Poor soul, he has no hand knit socks that fit, not one and winter looms here in the south. Pops (younger sister) has inherited his outgrown socks, and has new ones of her own, Bear (his dad) has 3 or 4 pairs, and his mum ... well shameless selfish me, I have many hand knit socks - so many I'm not telling how many. Winter approaches, the sock yarn drawer is full ... and I wanted to knit my Toby cub a pair of socks, but the mojo seemed gone. Ok I'll admit I don't really like this yarn anymore, I can't remember why I bought it, and it seemed a good idea to use it up. This colour-way of Regia is a very suitable match for a small male bear cub ... but it just didn't work the first time around. Well that was last month, this last week, it all came together into a sock that works, a sock I like, a sock that ... well a sock that is flying off the needles. I found a pattern that looked promising, Slip Stitch Striped Socks, by Melissa Friedlund, and started again. I didn't follow Melissa's pattern, my yarn is not quite the same ... and I like a toe up gusset sock, but I based this sock on her idea of slipped stitches. Right now, I've done one sock and am nearly at the gusset increases of the second - and best of all, they fit!
There is one 'error' in my work, an escaped stitch. I noticed this on the sole of the toe as I finished the gusset increases, which are a long way and many many rounds from the toe. Never mind its all gone now, all woven in now, no tell tale sign remains. I'm very good at hiding little mistakes like that, any one would think I had had practice with things like that.
I worked the slip stitched patterning on the instep and then right around the leg. These are slipped every 4th stitch, and every 2nd round. That works work nicely into the slip stitch heel and the 1x1 rib at the top. I like the effect achieved by using slip stitches and am already tumbling around ideas for other socks using this kind of pattern.
Next month my dad turns 70-something, we debate over 75 or 76 - he insists it the younger of the two and that we can not count. I insist he is listed as being born in 1933 on my birth certificate, he says nonsense 1934. Either way it is an age worth celebrating. I'm making him a hat. Oh I know he will toss in on the floor of the old truck, and the 1971 'crusier, I know it will get sat on, and dropped on the oily work bench and floor of the workshop, I know he will loose it or machine wash it, or use it to as a heat pad as he fusses with a hot radiator, but he is my dad and I want to knit him a hat. I hand spun this yarn, from a fiber bought at knit-night. Another knitters stash-busting sale before moving away. 17.6 micron merino, so soft, and hand dyed from grey green to orange. The swatch is 40 stitches in the round, so might turn into a mitt for Toby ... and I might manage to get a hat and a pair of mitts from the 258m I've spun. I'll find a vintage truck or tractor book to go with the hat as well, he won't abuse that quite the same. And yes it might be considered knit abuse - but its also knit wear ... designed to be used, and I'm happy with that.
And here is my bag tree, 15 assorted bags hung up for want of a better place to put them. 15 bags take up a wee bit of room about the house, and they are so pretty I wanted to look at them, so my skein rack is now a bag tree.
I made six black and white bags.
Two different cat fabric bags and a pebble bag ..
and six little piglet fabric bags.
There are as many bags still to make, another 10 or so cut out ready to sew, and at least another 20 or more to cut.
Which might be what I do tomorrow, as its is Otago Anniversary Day, so a public holiday .. no work. There probably is spinning. Note to self, find out where spinning is and if its here tidy up.
take care,
na Stella
5 comments:
Your project bags are lovely! So much prettier than plastic grocery bags! vbg Is there a pattern that you use or do you just wing it?
Thanks Kate, I made up the pattern, so it is of my own making. I use a neat industry twisty-turny trick to line them in cotton lawn or quilters calico and I'm no exactly sure how I could describe that trick online ... I will be selling these soon, at a festival near home .. and perhaps longer term on line. Thanks for such a nice comment.
stella
These bags are gorgeous, I would certainly buy one, being a non-sewer myself. I've been loving the VP sock club bag, it travels everyday to work in my handbag - they are a great idea and would certainly be a step-up from all my ziplock bags!
I love those bags! Especially the pebble one -- very cool. And I totally agree that knitting is meant to be worn, even abused; much better than sitting unused on a shelf somewhere (as I keep telling my mother). He'll love it :)
Love your bags Stella! The fabrics you use are so lovely and I like the inner lining.
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