Friday 24 July 2009


We've all been ill, a household of ill people is never pleasant and my poor garden has been neglected, but due to the rubbish rainy weather it has survived (and so have we).

My first ever carrots tasted the best, we've also had loads of peas, spring onions and lettuces. I'm currently thinking about recipes for my beetroots which I'll be pulling up this weekend.
To cheer us all up I've been making puddings, classic British puds like trifle, lemon meringue and treacle tart, there is something very comforting about pudding and these classics are the best, though I have been adding my own little twists, I may share :-)

In the past couple of days I've also been working on some silly knitting projects, knitting when ill just doesn't work for me, I end up ripping back more than I've actually knitted, so silly things are the best for an addled brain. I've just got to finish some seaming and I'll have finished my first new project... road-kill dog!

Wednesday 1 July 2009

All Grown Up Socks


The weather has been so nice that I haven't been near the computer, but my son has still been wearing his socks! he informed me that he wanted 'socks like daddys' and I thought that I would share the pattern as it is super easy and worked well. If you would like a PDF copy of the pattern then click here :)

These socks are very stretchy and can easily be lengthened or shortened so will fit a child aged 3 to about 7. They are great for using up oddments of sock yarn and knit up so quick that second sock syndrome is never an issue.

Materials:
The pair use a total of 150 – 200 yards of 4ply sock yarn, about 40g. The socks in the picture are made with Paton Diploma Gold 4ply in iced green (CC) and Sportico in slate gray (MC).
One pair of 2.5mm DPN’s.

Size:
Heel to toe is 6.5” (16cm) unstretched, but can be easily changed.

Tension:
32 stitches and 42 rounds to 4”

Abbreviations:
MC, main colour; CC, contrast colour; K, knit; P, purl; k2tog, knit 2 stitches together; SSK, slip slip knit; P2tog, purl 2 stitches together; Sl1, slip 1 stitch (purlwise unless otherwise stated);


Pattern:
Cuff
Cast on 48 stitches, distribute over needles and join in round.
Leg of sock is worked in P1, K3 ribbing as follows:
10 rounds MC
6 rounds CC
6 rounds MC
4 rounds CC6 rounds MC
2 rounds CC
8 rounds MC.
If you want to make the leg longer, then can carry on in MC until desired length.

Heel Flap
P1 stitch onto previous needle.
Row 1: Sl1, k22, turn, (put remaining 25 stitches onto spare 2 needles or stitch holder).
Row 2: Sl1, P22
Repeat these 2 rows eight more times.

Turn Heel
Row 1: Sl1, K14, SSK, K1, turn
Row 2: Sl1, P7, P2tog, P1, turn
Row 3: Sl1, K8, SSK, K1, turn
Row 4: Sl1, P9, P2tog, P1, turn
Row 5: Sl1, k10, SSK, K1, turn
Row 6: Sl1, P11, P2tog, P1, turn
Row 7: Sl1, k12, SSK, turn
Row 8: P13, P2tog, P1 (15 stitches).

Instep
K15 stitches of heel, pick up and knit 13 stitches down edge of heel, work 25 stitches of pattern, pick up and knit 13 stitches up other side of heel (66 stitches).
Knit 7 place marker (new start of round). Rearrange stitches so that there are 21 stitches on 1st needle, 25 pattern stitches on 2nd needle and 20 stitches on 3rd needle.

K 6 rounds, continue rib pattern on needle 2.
Next round: Needle 1 K to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1; Needle 2 work rib pattern; Needle 3 K1, SSK, K to end

Next round: Needles 1 & 3 K, needle 2 rib pattern.

Repeat these previous 2 rounds 5 more times.
Continue with out decreasing until the foot measures 3½cm less than the total length of the child’s foot.

Shape Toe
Change to CC and end of rib pattern on needle 2.
Round 1: K on all needles.
Round 2: Needle 1 K to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K; Needle 2 K1, SSK, K to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1; Needle 3 K1, SSK, K to end.

Repeat these 2 rounds five times, the repeat round 2 four more times (14 stitches).
Rearrange stitches and kitchener stitch end of toe.
If you have any questions please ask :-)

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