Friday, February 27, 2009

Flag socks

I love patriotic colors and designs and finally started my flag socks. Simple 2x2 rib, nothing fancy.

Flatfeet socks

I've been enjoying the Flatfeet yarn "flats" or whatever they are called! They are machine knit "blanks" then died two at a time. You can two similar/sort of identical flats sewn together and that is enough to make a pair of socks. You just unravel as you knit. It's a bit disconcerting at first because it's so wavy, but it all works out in the end.

I am doing simple pattern stitches for both the pink and green. Both are from the flat of the month club at Heartstone-the pink for Valentine's day and the green for St Pat's. I have been working on the pink for a couple of weeks, but I put aside the pink so I can finish the green ones for St Pat's! I find it incredibly easy to do them both at once.

The pink pattern stitch is one I have no idea where it came from. I do know I sort of worked it out on graph paper. I'm not claiming it as my own, but I don't know what it's called or who originated it. Every two rows are knit all the way around, the other two rows alternate K2, P2 to make the basket weave pattern.

The green pattern stitch is the same mock/baby/one stitch cable pattern from the fingerless gloves pattern a few posts back.

Both socks are done on 1's, CO 68 st. The pink pattern seems a bit tighter than the green cable rib-just for future reference, I might CO 72 if using the cable pattern.

The "lowly" dishcloth?

Heck no! If you can't knit something useful, then why bother? LOL

I've made dozens of these in my life, and I never seem to have any! They always end up going to my mom or friends or church, so now I have a new batch to share.

I used Peaches and Cream from a cone. So far I have made about 10 from one cone and it really doesn't look any smaller than it did when I started. ;)

Scarves

Well I say "scarves," but it should really read "scarf" because only one is finished. I have been eyeing the blue/gold yarn at Hearthstone for months, finally decided the other day to buy it and the pink. I CO 26 st on size 10 needles and did a simple 2x2 rib, slipping first stitch on each row, and knitting the last stitch to get a nice clean edge. The yarn is Magallanes 100% wool, hand dyed by Araucania yarns from Chile. I was thinking of doing the pink scarf in maybe a mock cable pattern instead, but I think the yarn is interesting enough w/o any fancy stitch work.

Mock cable mitts

Looks like I haven't updated in quite some time, so thought I'd better upload some pics. I still have about 10 pairs of socks OTN, as well as a couple of scarves and hats. They'll get finished someday!

The red fingerless mitts are made from a pattern from Hearthstone Knits, and the green ones are from the same pattern, but using different yarn and tweaking the pattern a bit. The red yarn is Laines du Nord Cashsilk, 50% merino extrafine, 25% silk, 25% cashmere, and it is so nice and soft. I'd love to have a sweater from it, but that would be too costly.

The green yarn is a bit lighter in weight called Berroco Inca Gold, 80% Merino wool, and 20% silk. I completely used up the red yarn except for about a foot! I needed two skeins for the green, and have some left over-*maybe* enough for a hat. Next pair might be navy or periwinkle. I have the yarn, just need the time!