Lights Out

Sunday was a comically trying day.  My handbag strap broke in a shop when I thought was over the worse of it.  The night ended with the shock of the town's lights going out.  Note to oneself, buy more candles.  The top photo was from Sunday and when the lights went out.  I knitted for a bit by candlelight then headed to bed, laughing at the events of the day.

The Autumnal coloured socks are another pair of Vestigials by Hedgehog Fibres.  It is a colourway from one of the LHogan Sock Clubs that I dyed.  It is a 2 ply high twist merino and nylon yarn.  The other sock yarn I dyed as well and is going to be another pair of Vestigials.  I dyed this yarn when I first started dyeing yarn.  There is a time, a place and a pattern for every yarn.  You might be waiting years or minutes but it's great when it all clicks and comes together.

The sweater or sea of stockinette stitch is a top down raglan that I started years ago.  I needed another needle that I finally got.  It is two lace weight yarns that are knitted together.  I dyed both lace yarns.  Not that into lace shawls, so I might be knitting up my lace yarns as sweaters and cardigans.  I love the marled look at the moment. Marled definition

Vestigial Finished

This is my second pair of Vestigials.  Nice and easy pattern.  I love the stitch pattern Mistake Rib, it's my go to scarf pattern, delighted to see it knitted in the round.  I dyed the sock yarn.  It is a LHogan 4 ply wool with nylon and the colourway is Shady Shaman.  I was watching a lot of The Mighty Boosh at the time that I dyed the yarn.  Naboo was the inspiration for the colourway and name Shady Shaman.

The pattern is by Beata Jezek of Hedgehogfibres.  You can find the free pattern on Ravelry or on her website here.  And since, I am a fan of starting projects, I already cast on and started two more pairs.

Happy Knitting!

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.

Knitting and Stuffed Animals

This is one of the skeins that I dyed first with avocado skins then overdyed with some acid dyes.

Yesterday evening, I decided I could take some photos for the blog of what I dyed with the avocado skins and over dyed with some acid dye.  It was too late in the day for photos.  The light was terrible and I photographed them anyway.  These photos aren't great and I apologise.

I finished the tan and handspun sweater.  Now I need to weave in the ends. I would like to make some mittens with the leftover yarn.  I had a great weekend.  I decided to try to rest up a bit in getting ready for the busy times ahead of me.  I can't wait to get back working with my sewing machine!  I miss my weekend sewing.

 Lexi is still behaving with the stuffed animals.  Maybe because she is a mature lady of 2, she is not shredding them and is just playing with them.  It is great because Lexi gets so excited anytime she sees a stuffed animal.

This is Lexi playing with Molly's toys when she was a pup.  This is almost two years ago.

Lexi, in our kitchen, a month or so after we got her.  This photo was taken December 2012.  These photos crack me up.

Knitting Sweaters for the Sun

The weather here in Ireland has been lovely.  One must always make time and appreciate the good weather whilst we have it.  (It can rain a lot here in Ireland, in case you never heard.)  Also one should make hay while the sun shines, so I killed two birds with one stone and sat outside in the sun and drew in my notebook.

Last summer was lovely and not typical Irish weather.  It was funny because I was too warm for most of my sweaters.  When the evenings got cooler, I was too warm for my mostly worsted/Aran weight wardrobe of sweaters/jumpers.  I am now trying to knit more 4 ply/sock yarn weight sweaters and cardigans to wear when the evenings get cooler. 

As per usual, I have many sweaters on the go.

This is my mon-petit-gilet-raye.  I already have another one on the go and have a few other colour combinations planned for the next one(s).  I want to make the neckline a bit smaller.  I didn't bother with the waist shaping because I don't like fitted things around my waist. 

 I'm putting more prints in my Ellie and Ada Etsy shop.  I am also working on new prints. This is Majorie Blue.  It is available in the shop!