Pretty pink socks

Yay, I finished my socks a couple of months ago.

I love this yarn, it's so soft. I'm knitting another pair now as a Christmas present. Hopefully it won't take me so long to knit these ones!

One down, one to go

It's been a pretty quiet knitting month as I've been very busy planning for my move and starting a new job. I have, however managed to finish one of my lacy bedsocks:


I love this sock, it's so comfortable and warm and yet the holes along the top prevent your feet from getting over-warm. When I've finished both I can see they'll be perfect for wandering around the flat on a Sunday morning and keeping my toes toasty in the winter. When I've added the ribbon along the top I think that they'll also be smart enough to wear outside as well.

I did get a little confused when starting on the foot as the main pattern needs to be split so that you start a few stitches in. This isn't explained in the pattern, but is easy enough to work out just by thinking through how many stitches you will end up with for different sections of the pattern. I made the foot a little shorter than it says so that it fit my foot snugly and actually managed to complete the sock with just one ball of yarn. I may even end up with a spare ball left over, which would be nice.

Lacy Bedsocks

These socks from Jennie Atkinson's Beads, Buttons and Lace are my current knitting project. I had to rip them out some 3 repeats into the pattern after making a pretty huge mistake, but I am now making tolerable progress.
I am using the same Rowan cashcotton as in the pattern which is generally a joy to knit with, only occasionally squeaking when I pull too tightly between needles. The yarn gives a lovely soft finish and I have spent quite a while just stroking the socks, they feel so good.

The pattern is pretty easy once you get used to what you are doing, I made a small mistake in missing a yarn over at the end of one row, but as this fell between needles, I was able to recover and it's now barely noticeable.

It takes a few repeats for the pattern to establish itself, but I think it's really pretty. Jut hope it doesn't go too rib-like as the long less-holey pass-over lines do tend to stand out a bit. Overall, though I would say it's very comfortable, relaxing knitting on the pattern section, I'll let you know how I get on with the heels later. After all, these are the first socks I have ever knitted.

Cable and Rib Beanie

I have decided to change the name of this one from beret to beanie as the cables made it a lot smaller than predicted. I do love it, though.


It was a very quick knit and pretty easy overall, I have posted the pattern below in case you'd like to try it for yourself.



1 50g ball Rowan felted tweed (Cocoa), or any other DK weight yarn.

US size 5 DPNs (or could use circular needle, then switch to DPNs for decreases), set of 5 (use all). Please note that it is only just big enough for me and I have a very small head. For a regular size you would want a larger needle size and to add 16 extra stitches evenly, one extra purl between each rib and cable.

cable needle


CO 96 stitches, 24 stitches per needle

Ribbing:
Work 1" in K1, P1 ribbing for band at bottom

Increase Row:

*K1, P1, m1P, P2, m1P, K2, M1, K2, M1, P2, M1P, P2, M1* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether (144 stitches, 36 per needle)

This row is the hardest of the pattern, to simplify you may want to just K2, M1 all around.

Pattern:

Rows1-4: *K1, P5, K6, P5, K1* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether
Row5 : *K1, P5, C6B, P5, K1* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether

Continue in pattern until hat measures 3" or so from cast on edge. For a larger size knit at least 4".

Starting decreases:

keeping pattern correct (choose K6 or C6B as appropriate)

next two rows: *K1, P5, (K6 or C6B), P5, K1* repeat

next row (decrease): *K2tog, P4, (K6 or C6B), P4, SKP* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether (128 stitches, 32 per needle)

next two rows: *K1, P4, (K6 or C6B), P4, K1* repeat

next row (decrease): *K2tog, P3, (K6 or C6B), P3, SKP* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether (112 stitches, 28 per needle)

next two rows: *K1, P3, (K6 or C6B), P3, SKP* repeat

next row (decrease): *K1, P3, (SKP, K2, K2tog or, sorry if this is cable row, cable C4B including decreases), P3, K1* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether (96 stitches, 24 per needle)

next two rows: *K1, P3, (K4 or C4B), P3, K1* repeat

next row (decrease): *K2tog, P2, (K4 or C4B), P2, SKP* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether (80 stitches, 20 per needle)

next two rows: *K1, P2, (K4 or C4B), P2, K1* repeat

next row (decrease): *K2tog, P1, (K4 or C4B), P1, SKP* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether (64 stitches, 16 per needle)

next two rows: *K1, P1, (K4 or C4B), P1, K1* repeat

next row (decrease): *K1, P1, (SKP, K2tog or cable C2B including decreases), P1, K1* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether (48 stitches, 12 per needle)

next two rows: *K1, P1, (K2 or C2B), P1, K1* repeat

next row (decrease): *K2tog, K2, SKP* repeat twice per needle, 8 times altogether (32 stitches, 8 per needle)

End of pattern, work finishing decrease rows all in knit stitch


next row: knit

next row: *K2tog, K2* repeat twice per needle (24 stitches, 6 per needle)

next row: knit

next row: K2tog (12 stitches, 3 per needle)

transfer stitches onto 3 needles, 4 per needle

next row: K2tog (6 stitches)

next row: K2tog (3 stitches)


Finish off with an i-cord tied in a knot, or cast off for a flat finish. Alternatively, add a pompom.

Socks and hats

I received the beautiful book Beads, Buttons and Lace by Jennie Atkinson for Christmas and had been poring over the lovely designs for about a month until the wool arrived to make the Lacy Bed Socks last week.


I decided to stick exactly to the pattern and so bought 3 balls of Rowan's RYC Cashcotton in Rose which must be some of the softest yarn I have ever touched - it's so nice and will make lovely socks. As you can see, the colour is a little lighter and less orange-y than in the picture, but it is a very nice shade of pink and will match my new skirt very well. I'm trying to decide what colour I should get for the ribbon, whether to go for a similar pink shade, a much darker pink or go for a complete contrast with something like brown. At the moment I'm leaning towards brown as I think that will make the socks more wearable with non-pink clothes. Pink and brown make for quite a smart pair.

Speaking of pink and brown, I noticed this colour goes very nicely with the Cocoa felted tweed of my new hat which is now nearing completion

This one is turning out far less beret-like than I had originally envisaged even on my tiny head, but I really like the cable and rib pattern which is just what I had in my head. I even saw someone wearing a similar design the other day and can't wait for it to be finished and on my head instead of the needles. As the pattern is of my own devising, I'll probably post it up here when I'm done and have checked that it does give a good outcome.

Started a new hat

I am very excited about my latest project as for the first time I have written my own pattern and so it'll be all my own. Here's my progress so far

It's not enough to see what it'll be like yet, but I'm hoping for a beret-like style with cables and ribs, I just hope that what I have in my head can translate properly into knitting. I'm basing it a little on the pattern on Lydia McNeil's blog, for a tweedy tam, but changing the top part into eight cabled sections with gradual decreases.

I'm finding that 4 double points are a little more unwieldy than 3, but I think I'll find it easier once I'm a little further into the pattern. Anyway, must go, about to start increasing.

Finished my Gauntlets!

and here's a rather myspace-y photo of me modelling my new gloves. It was a pretty long weekend's knitting (I'm a slow knitter) but I'm so pleased with the results and have been wearing them almost all the time since then.

The pattern was pretty straightforward, although I was amused when the pattern for the right gauntlet gave me a left one - maybe the writer knits inside out. I love the braids, watching how straightforward stocking stitch turns into these interwoven cables.

I'm now planning a matching cable hat, just watch this space.