Wednesday 26 November 2014

Giving Thanks



Lexi and I celebrated two years together yesterday.  We took this photo to capture this momentous occasion.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, one of my favourite holidays.  I love spending time with my family and eating- just two of my most favourite things to do.

20% off with the coupon code THANKS in the Ellie and Ada Etsy Shop until December 1, 2014




Tuesday 11 November 2014

A bit of Bach



The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.  It's a great sentiment to live by.  It's funny to pair these words with a picture of my Gran's music box that plays Irish Eyes Are Smiling.  Keep Smiling x

Monday 10 November 2014

Sulley Socks

Mondays are my days off.  I spent most of today knitting.  I started a pair of socks yesterday.  I am using Wendy Roam 4 ply (2002 Derwent- colour)  I got it at This is Knit.  It is such a lovely colour.





I tend to knit socks using the magic loop method on 100 cm circular needles.  These directions are best suited for this method but easily converted to using dpns.


I cast on 60 stitches with 4 ply/sock yarn on 2.5 mm needles.  Arrange 30 stitches on each half on a magic loop.  

I knitted 2 x 2 rib (k2, p2) for one inch. 

Knit 2 rounds.  

Next round,  k1, p1 for one round, then knit 2 rounds.  Repeat the last three rounds to form the pattern.  

Knit in this pattern for 7 inches.  

For the heel flap, work on half of the stitches only. (work on one side of stitches - that's 30 stitches) back and forth in a slip stitch pattern.

Row 1 (RS): *Slip 1, Knit 1
Row 2 (WS): Slip 1, Purl to end of the row

You will be working back and forth on these 30 stitches and repeating row 1 and 2 a further 14 times.
(You will have worked 30 rows in all).

To Shape the Heel:

Row 1: Slip the first stitch, p16 sts, p2tog p1, turn
Row 2: Slip first st, k5, ssk, k1, turn
Row 3: Slip first st, p6, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 4: Slip first st, k7, ssk, k1, turn

Continue in the same way by taking in one more stitch every row until all the stitches from the heel flap are included, you will have 18 stitches on this needle.

Gusset Shaping:

Knit across the heel, pick up 16 stitches from the side of the heel flap.  Pick up the slipped chain like stitches and pick up an extra stitch if you have to for the gap between the heel flap and the top of foot.

Knit across the top of the foot in pattern (30 stitches)

Pick up the same amount of stitches on the other side of the heel flap (make sure there is no gap again)

Round 1: Knit across gusset until there is 3 stitches left, k2tog, k1 and before the top (the pattern part) section, knit across front in pattern, k1, ssk, knit across rest of gusset/round

Round 2: Knit across gusset, knit across top section in pattern, knit till the end of the round.

Repeat these two rounds until you have 30 stitches left on the bottom section and the 30 stitches left for the top patterned section.

Foot:

Knit sole (bottom) stitches and knit in pattern the top section (pattern section) until the foot measures 2 inches less than your desired length of the heel.

Toe Shaping:

Round 1: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts on back, k2tog, k1. Repeat on back of foot.
Round 2: Knit around.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have 12 stitches on each half/24 stitches in total

Then graft the two sides together using the the kitchener stitch.

Repeat for other sock.


Monday 3 November 2014

Hello November!

It's hard to believe it is November!  It was a warm October but today is chilly and I have a fire on and decided to spin some wool before dinner.  I haven't been spinning as much but I would like to go through my spinning stash before getting any more.  It's a cozy evening here.

I finally started that scarf for a friend that I have been meaning to knit.  I hope to make a huge dent into it tonight.  I am also knitting hats.  I want to knit hats with knitted linings.  I even saw hats in Lidl's that have fleece lining.  I knitted my sister a hat a couple of years ago and my mother sewed a fleece lining in it.  I might look into making some of those. Also mittens with lining....  Operation Warm!


Lexi loves wooly blankets.


New socks that I knitted.  Love the colours.