Surprisingly Stretchy Socks for Wool-Aid

Socks really are a great canvas for trying things out. A new stitch. A different heel method. A new cast off.

I recently finished the green ones I've been working on. Unlike most wool raveled from a sweater, this wool was spun. It was rather tightly spun but still soft to the hand. Perfect for socks.

The sock body was 40 stitches around and I worked a type of broken rib (or is it a waffle stitch? I don't know) once I had finished the short-row toe.

I did two rounds of 2x2 ribbing and then purled a round.

It is bumpy and cushy and will provide a lot of insulation. But the inside should still feel smooth on the foot as you can see--

It acts just like a 2x2 rib on the inside.

Like some other recent socks, I added a gusset (8 stitches each side), did a short-row heel on the original number of sole stitches (20) and then knit a flap after the heel, decreasing the gusset stitches.

I worked the gusset stitches in purl just for fun.

The leg was worked in the broken rib all the way around until near the top when I changed to a plain 2x2 rib. I ended with a new (for me) bind off--Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off.

I've heard about it for a long time (that link will take you to a tutorial from 2009) but had resisted using it. For one thing, I have a bind off that I like to use that functions very well. But it works best on a 1x1 rib and I didn't want to end this sock with 1x1 rib on top of the 2x2. The second reason I've resisted is the name, quite frankly. It's so clumsy and...I don't know...stupid? (Is that too harsh?) Even the usual abbreviation, JSSBO, bugs me because an abbreviation shouldn't be so long you can't remember all the letters. Blech!

But anyway, it was time to try it. I followed the tutorial linked above and the bind off worked very well. Unlike any other bind offs I know, you can see that it "corrugates" with the ribbing.

It will do that with any type of ribbing (3x3, 2x3, whatever) because you treat the knits and purls differently as you bind off. I will definitely us it again when needed, but maybe I'll call it "the Bind Off That Shall Not Be Named." Hmm...that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue either.

The socks finished at 8" which should be good for the age group Wool-Aid aims for.

Project Stats
Started: 31 Jan '15
Finished: 18 Feb '15
Pattern: made up as I went along (more details on the Ravelry page)
Materials: 136 grams from a Pendleton sweater (used doubled)

Chevron Bib Recipe (and Tips)

I knit this chevron bib during the recent Ravellenics Games. I didn't have time then to write up a pattern (or in this case, more of a recipe), but have taken the time to do so now.

I still enjoy seeing chevrons, zig zags and jagged stripes on all articles of clothing and it occurred to me that babies should not be left out.

On top of that, the shape lent itself very well to the function of the bib. The concave part of the chevron nicely fits around the neck and the angle means there is no additional shaping needed for the straps to conveniently meet at the back.

Recently I knit up a new version, which turned out very nicely:

Although I picked these colours just
because I liked them, some friends and I
had some fun thinking of who would like
the combination: Griffyndor fans, of course.
And my alma mater, Calvin College.
But don't you dare say USC!!

For both bibs, I used cotton I had raveled from second hand sweaters, but of course you can use any cotton you like. I think the popular dishcloth cotton would work particularly well. 50 grams total should complete your project. (Obviously your stripe pattern and colour placement will determine how much of each colour you will need.)

I worked with 4mm needles (US 6), but use what you need to get a firm fabric.

Pattern Recipe Cast on 61 sts. S1, knit remaining stitches S1, Kfb, K26, K2tog, (place marker if desired,) K1, SSK, K26, Kfb, K1 Repeat last two rows, changing colours as desired for stripes. (See notes below.) When piece is 7” point to point, begin straps: Knit 11, cast off to last 11 sts, K11. (See tutorial below.) Work garter stitch strap on one side until it is 4” long. (Continue to slip the first stitch to maintain the selvage edge.) Cast off. Rejoin yarn and make second strap to match. When you have 2 or 3 rows to go, make a buttonhole on a row that starts on the neck edge by S1, K1, YO, K2tog, K7. Work 2 or 3 more rows as needed. Cast off.

Notes:
Slip stitches: All slip stitches are done purlwise. This is the default unless a pattern states otherwise.

When changing colours, I find the colour transition looks better if you knit to the last stitch of the row with the old colour and then knit the last stitch with the new colour. (Details: With one stitch left on the row, move the working strand to the front (between the needles). Carry the new colour to the back of the work and knit the last stitch. You are now ready to knit the next row in the new colour. (Slip first stitch, etc.))

As you work wider stripes, be sure to carry the colour you are not using up the back of the work so there will not be long loops. I found it easiest to twist the working yarn around the non-working yarn between the first and second stitches at the beginning of the row. (And in this case you are only wrapping the non-working yarn on every other row.)

I like to make my straps two-at-a-time by using both ends of the ball, but you can do them one at a time too, if you prefer.

If you don’t want to use a button, then skip the buttonhole and crochet a chain from the last stitch left at the end of the cast off row to make ties. In this case, make sure to start the cast off row on the outside edge (not the neck edge) of the strap.

Tip for avoiding that dreadful gap between the strap and neckline.
I don't know about you, but when I cast off stitches in the middle of a row for a neckline, I always end up with an ugly gap where I start the cast off. Sometimes I can sew it shut while working in the ends, but it never looks good. While working on these bibs, I discovered ("unvented" more likely) a way to solve the problem. It only takes one extra step and then you're done!

Follow the directions under each picture:

Here I have knit the 11 stitches for the right strap and
am ready to start casting off the middle stitches.

Insert the left needle between the last two stitches on the
right needle. You are going to "knit" a stitch between
those two stitches, by wrapping the yarn around the
left needle (as shown above)...

...and then pulling the yarn between the stitches with your
left needle to form a new stitch on your left needle.

Pull on this new stitch until it is large enough to put over
the tip of the right needle. Remove the left needle and pull
on the yarn so the stitch is snug (but not tight).

Here you have the new stitch (pink arrow) next to the last
stitch of the strap (orange arrow). You are now ready to
start casting off.

Knit the next stitch on the left needle like normal. This will
be the first stitch to be cast off. (The pink and orange arrows
are repeated to give context.)

Now pass the stitch marked by the pink arrow over the
stitch you just knit. This will anchor the cast off stitches to
the strap. Now continue to cast off normally--knit 1, pass
last stitch over, etc.

After you have cast off the rest of the stitches, you can
see that they are nicely anchored to the strap stitches.
The small gap between the last stitch of the strap and the
rest will disappear once you begin knitting the strap.

Hope that helps!

Please post comments or send pictures if you make any bibs using this recipe. Enjoy!

Lace Hem Band Competed

Stage one is complete:

The lace hem band is finished. I gave the piece a "half block" (I wet it but didn't bother to pin it out.) I just wanted a rough idea of what it would look like and of the size. It measures a little long but it's in the ballpark. I expect to lose length when I properly pin it and stretch it widthwise.

I like the leaf pattern and leafy ruffle. It might sound funny to say that when I've seen the coat and already know I like it. But it's easy to see the whole in a picture in a magazine without seeing all the individual parts. Like, for instance, I don't actually like the extra half leaf at the beginning of the border (bottom-most right leaf in picture above). I can tell already that that part is not going to hang right no matter how well I block the ruffle. But it's at the very beginning, so there's not much I can do about it.

Here's a closer up:

The part on the top of the photo will have to get some carefully detailed blocking. I won't be able to lay it flat so I think I'll have to do it bit by bit on the ironing board. We'll see how that goes...but that's months off! I don't have to worry about it right now.

I had some trouble casting off the lace loosely enough until I remembered reading about some kind of yarn over bind off. I didn't bother going to look for it online, but just experimented on my own. This is what I came up with:

You can also do a yarn over on every other stitch only, and the tension will be between a regular bind off and doing the yarn over on every stitch. I think doing it every stitch would be too loose for most applications. You may recall that I started this lace strip with a provisional cast on so I could go back and bind off the stitches later. There would be no way to cast on stitches as evenly and be able to adjust the tension without taking out a lot of knitting. (If the cast off isn't right you can easily take it out and adjust it--I've did it several times in this case.)

Up next? I have to pick up stitches along the straight edge and start knitting up the skirt. But I'm waiting for the right size needles to arrive. (Remember I ordered 40 cm length instead of 40 inches?) I ordered new ones a few days ago, so they should here soon!

Cast Off One

Had to share that I finished and cast off the first sock of my pair! It was a mile of 2x2 rib, but I powered through. Putting in the little twist pattern did help get through it. You can see the spiral when it's not all stretched out, but once I put them on, it more or less disappears. I'd show you a picture, but I am going to wait until I have the pair done.

(Ok, ok, I'll give you a peak)

Now as to the cast off [aka bind off, for some of you]: I have always done it in the regular way (knit 2, * pass first stitch over second, knit 1, repeat from *). In ribbing, I will sometimes get fancy and cast off in the ribbing pattern. This will give it slightly more stretch than knitting every stitch. Other than that, I'm a straight forward caster offer.

But recently I have been reading about sock techniques, just to learn, you know, and expand my horizons. I read about EZ's method in The Opinionated Knitter which is more sewing than knitting. And then read some threads on Ravelry that said they had an even better and easier method than EZ's. Wow, I could barely believe it, but I could try.

I tried the so-called superior method which involved * knitting two stitches together, only dropping the first stitch, repeat from *. I took a lot of pictures so I could share this method. I knit through the back loop first. It looked nice, but wasn't very stretchy. Then I tried knitting through the front loop in case I misunderstood the directions. It also looked nice and also didn't stretch much. The whole point was to get a stretchy cast off so that it gives enough to get over my heel, but still will hold my socks up. The so-called superior method was not working for me.I then said to myself: trust EZ.

I then said to myself: trust EZ. So I used EZ's sewing cast off. And guess what? It was stretchy, yet bounced back enough to hold up my sock. I love EZ.

So I took a couple pictures to share this method with you, just in case you are the type of person that understands even the simplest of instructions better with a visual demonstration. (And I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. In fact, I married someone like that.)

First. Cut your yarn about four times longer than the row or round you have to bind off. Thread onto a tapestry needle.

Step 1. Push needle through first two stitches from right to left
and pull yarn through.

Step 2. Push needle through just the first stitch from left to right
and pull yarn through. Drop this stitch off the left needle. And repeat steps 1 and 2 until you've worked through all the stitches. Keep everything relaxed and certainly don't pull the yarn too tight. (You'll lose all that stretch.)

When you're working in the round if you really want to add the finishing touch, then on the very first stitch that you would drop off, slip it onto the end of the needle to the right instead. This will make it the last stitch you sew through (as well as the first) so that you perfectly complete your round. That's it. Easy peasy, eh?

That's all I have on socks. Well, I did cast on the second one yesterday and have all the toe increases done. Now I just have to decided where I want the white stripes on this one. (You didn't think I'd make them identically matched, did you?)

As for other things, last night I finally got around to blocking my Birthday Cowl:
I've been using it again the last couple days (BIG temperature drop) and the curling edges were driving me crazy. And whenever I was the least bit warmed up, it was itchy (a little). So I soaked it in some water with hair conditioner, and pinned it down. I'm hoping it will be dry by tomorrow because I'll have to leave the house again, and they're telling me it will be cold.

Don't the colours just look great when it's laid out flat like that, and how you can really see the path of the bias rib? The colour's called Snow Bird. I just love that for some reason I can't figure out. Snow Bird.

Kind of wishing I was a snow bird right now...come, spring, come!
-christina