Cold Cottage Socks

A few weeks ago we spent a wonderful weekend with my mother- and father-in-law. Since their beautiful home is about three hours north of us, I just had to pack some special knitting for the car ride there and back -- you know, Vacation Knitting.

Most of the items on my needles right now require that I: (A) look at them (e.g. cabled socks) or (B) think about them (e.g. designs I'm working on). The problem? Well, I get really car sick if I have to look down...reading maps, working little cables, etc. The other problem? Sometimes knitting stuff I have to think about makes me tired.

Enter the Cold Cottage Socks -- easy to do without looking down or missing out on the latest family news. And working without a pattern kept me interested enough that I never felt the need to break out one of the other three projects I brought along ;-)

I've been wanting to make these for Chris for quite a while. The body is Peace Fleece DK-weight, and the blue-purple yarn is from Cottage Craft (a Canadian company whose yarns I love). Both yarns feel rustic before washing, then soften up quite nicely.

Peace Fleece has a goodly amount of mohair in it, which means it's strong and durable. Great for a man's boot sock. But because my husband wears out the back of the heel on all his socks, I decided to double up on color to make them twice as strong (also, it's more visually interesting than just working the heel stitch in white).

So there you have it: A pair of socks on the needles, pretty much half done now, which will keep my honey's feet toasty next time the temperature drops. And in our beloved, little-old house--with its cold, drafty floors--that will probably happen sooner rather than later.

PS. Check out this awesome deal on Cottage Craft sweater kits!!!

Cold Cottage Socks

Hat's Off! (New pattern coming soon!)

In case you're wondering, there really is a reason I put an apostrophe before the "s"in the title: My hat is off the needles! And just in the nick of time. We're headed toward a real Winter Wonderland this year, I think...It's only Dec. 5, and we've slid down into the low 20s at night more often than I care to remember.

I cast on for this hat on Thanksgiving Day and finished it up on Black Friday (which is called Frosty Friday in this region...something I'd never heard before). It was a super-quick knit, and it was nice to do a little colorwork for a change. It's been a while!
So here I am, looking a little geeky in my new hat, but who doesn't look geeky when taking self-portraits intended to show knitwear to its best advantage ;-)

Here are the vital statistics:

• Pattern: Of my own making...
  
• Yarn: Cottage Craft 2-ply Wool in Plum (272 yd /4 oz skein); Peace Fleece Worsted Weight in Antarctica White (200 yd/4 oz skein)
• Needles: US# 6 & 7 circular needles (Addi Turbos)
• Gauge: About 5 sts/inch in st st

I think I may write this pattern up. The hat is cute, in a reminds-me-of-my-childhood sort of way. (Remember all those long, long, rainbow-colored stocking caps we wore in the 70s?) Plus, it's woolly and warm. Who could resist such a combination?

PS. For those of us who love knitting, but don't care for cold weather in which to wear our creations: Spring's only a little more than three months away!!!

Hat's Off! (New pattern coming soon!)

Mittens for Knittin' (Free Pattern!)

About a week ago, I found myself with some knitting time on a Saturday morning. As always, plenty of unfinished projects lurked about the house. But that day, they didn't tempt me much. I wanted to knit mittens.

During the previous week, Afghans for Afghans sent out an e-mail update asking for mittens, ASAP. So I gave myself permission to cast on yet another new project and went stash diving.

When I surfaced, I had in hand a skein of heathery-raspberry Peace Fleece (appropriate, no?) and another of Knit Picks Telemark (in green, which, according to A4A, is "the beloved color of Islam"). I grabbed some DPNs and tuned the radio to hear two of my favorite shows: Car Talk and Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! The sun was shining, the heater was blurbing and glugging (it's an old house), and I was happy.

Off I went, knitting without much thought to the hows and whys of mittens. They're pretty simple, after all...Nothing more than a cuff, a simple gusset, and a toe-like tip. If you've ever knit socks, you can knit up a pair of mittens, no problem!

Once they'd been blocked and had dried through (with a bit of assistance from my air purifier), I packed them up and shipped them off to San Francisco, where Afghans for Afghans was tallying up an impressive mountain of mitts. In about three weeks, they received more than 1,000 pairs!

In my enthusiastic state, however, I'd failed to take a photo of the finished mitts! So, until I make another pair, I've photographed my sketch for you (a reasonable facsimile, I think). Together with the notes I jotted down after finishing the second mitten, I managed to create a pattern I call "Knittin' Mittens!" and I'm posting it here, free, for your knitting pleasure. Happy stitching!

Knittin' Mittens

• Yarn: Two colors (approx. 150 yds main color [MC] and 20 yds contrasting color [CC]) of Peace Fleece or other worsted/heavy worsted-weight yarn (I used Peace Fleece for the MC, and double-stranded KnitPicks Telemark for the CC)
• Needles: Set of five US#6 DPNs (or circular needle, if you prefer)
• Notions: scrap yarn, tapestry needle, scissors, stitch markers
• Size: Child's Medium (but very easily customized by adding length to hand/thumb)
  
• Gauge: 4.5 sts per inch in st st

Cuff
CO 32 sts with MC and join to work in round; place marker (PM) to mark beginning of round.

Work two rnds K2P2 rib.
Join CC and work K2P2 rib for four rnds, carrying MC up side.
Break CC and continue with MC for ten more rnds.

Start Thumb
Rnd 1: K to end.
Rnd 2: K7, PM, M1R, K1, M1L, PM, K to beg of rnd.

Alternate these two rnds until you have 11 thumb sts between markers.
Knit around, placing thumb sts on scrap yarn as you go.

Next rnd: K6, work RT* on two sts immediately above thumb opening, K to end.

K three rnds.
Join CC and K six rnds, carrying MC along inside edge as you work.
Break CC and pick up MC.
K three rnds.

Decrease @ Fingertips
Rnd 1: [K6, K2tog] four times (28 sts).
Rnd 2: K to end.
Rnd 3: [K5, K2tog] four times (24 sts).
Rnd 4: K to end.
Rnd 5: [K4, K2tog] four times (20 sts).
Rnd 6: K to end.
Rnd 7: [K3, K2tog] four times (16 sts).
Rnd 8: [K2, K2tog] four times (12 sts).
Rnd 9: [K1, K2tog] four times (8 sts).

Break yarn leaving at least 8" tail. Thread yarn on tapestry needle and draw through rem 8 sts two times, pulling tightly to close hole. Insert needle into center of hole and draw yarn through to inside. Weave in yarn end on inside of glove.

Here's a little intra-pattern cuteness just for you!

Make Thumbs
Place sts from scrap yarn AND two new sts directly above thumb opening and one new st on either side (between thumb and hand) on 3 DPNs [15 sts].

Divide these sts as follows:
N1: first 5 sts from scrap yarn
N2: next 5 sts from scrap yarn
N3: last st from scrap yarn and the 4 new sts picked up where thumb meets hand.

1) K one rnd.
2) Next rnd, K to N3; on N3, K2 tog, K3, K2tog (by knitting last st on N3 with first st on N1) [13 sts].
3) K one rnd.
4) K2tog, K to N3, K2 tog, K to end [11 sts].

Work even in st st for 11 rnds or desired length.
Next rnd: [K1, K2tog] around.

Break yarn and, using tapestry needle, draw through rem sts twice. Draw hole closed tightly, then thread yarn through to inside of thumb.

Finishing
Turn mitten inside out and weave in ends.

Block by soaking in lukewarm water with a bit of cleanser. Rinse gently unless you used a rinse-free wool wash. Be careful not to agitate the mittens as you wash and rinse them or they'll felt and shrink (unless you used superwash wool).

If yarn color bleeds, soak in lukewarm water with a bit of white vinegar to help set dye. Blot dry with towel, lay flat, pat into shape as desired, and allow to dry thoroughly before wearing.

***

Just one request: If you use this pattern, please consider making a pair for the charity of your choice. And, as always, do let me know if you spot anything that needs clarification.

Enjoy!

* To work RT: Insert tip of right needle into next two sts on left needle and K2tog without letting either st drop off; insert right needle into first st on left needle and K this st again; drop both sts off needle.

Mittens for Knittin' (Free Pattern!)

More Coming Attractions: New Pattern Sneak Peeks

Coral Reef Cuff

I know. One of these days I need to actually transfer my patterns from notes to nice, clean PDF files--complete with photos and helpful how-tos. Until then, though, I think its fair to offer you a sneak peek of a few things I've been working on...

Barn-Door Socks

First, the Barn-Door Socks, knitted in Noro Kureyon Sock on US#1 needles. I love the way the subtle lace pattern looks in the rugged, slubby Noro yarn. I also love the woolly feel of the yarn when I knit with it...Is it just me, or does it leave a soft lanolin-type feel on your fingers?

The colors are simply beautiful. I've never spent a summer on the shores of Maine, but these colors evoke what I imagine it would be like: a silvery-brownish tone, like weathered-wood shingles; pale muted purple, like the twilight sky and the mist that rises over the ocean; aqua and turquoise, with flecks of white, like clear waves crashing on jagged rocks.

A surprise is in store for the heel and toe shaping--they'll be fun to make! The fit is great, the yarn isn't rough on your feet (despite the slightly scratchy feel as you knit it), and the colors and quiet stitch pattern could make for a unisex sock--depending on tastes, of course.


Next is a currently-nameless tea cozy. I knitted this swatch in Peace Fleece worsted-weight, a wool and mohair yarn with a decidedly sheepy feel. I absolutely adore this yarn and am entranced by the Peace Fleece story.

Tea cozies have enjoyed a renaissance during the past couple of years, and it's easy to see why...Sure, we enjoy our coffee--really enjoy it!--in the U.S. But most people I know also enjoy a cozy cup of tea from time to time.

In fact, during the colder months, when the air seems to crackle and snap and make the inside of your nose burn, knitters and crocheters dream of settling in on a deep, cushiony sofa with a hot cuppa and their current project (fireplace optional). For non-needleworkers, the scenario is the same, but usually includes a much-beloved book instead of a scarf-, sweater-, or sock-in-progress.

Either way, once you settle in on the sofa, the last thing you want to do is get up for more hot tea every half hour. Thus, the tea cozy. This pattern will be an easy, quick knit, with an eclectic twist, making it a great idea for Christmas and other holiday gifts.

Freesia Socks

Finally, more information about this sweet pair of socks knitted in Shalimar Sock Yarn. Shalimar is hand-dyed by Kristi, who owns Eleganza Yarns in Frederick. This pattern's name, "Freesia," was inspired by the azure blues and creamy yellows in the ultra-soft merino yarn.

In my sophomore year we moved to Marin County, and I had to change to a new high school (Tamalpais H.S., in Mill Valley, CA). Tam has a gorgeous campus, built on a hill, with lots of grass and trees. One building encompassed a courtyard, with four tree-planters surrounded by a sort of colonade.

Beneath the trees, the planters were filled with Freesias. When the sun shone down mid-day, the entire courtyard would be thick as honey with their scent. Though I didn't know what the flowers' name at the time, I fell in love with their dizzying perfume. I can almost smell them when I look at this yarn…

The heel and toe in this pattern are a bit unusual, as I've been feeling a little bored with the ubiquitous short-row heel and wedge toe. The details will make for a feminine sock that looks pretty from every angle.

I know you'll just put them in shoes and probably hide them under a pair of blue jeans, but that's OK. Think of these socks like delicate Parisian underwear--even though no one else sees them, you'll know they're there!

More Coming Attractions: New Pattern Sneak Peeks

Frozen Peace Fleece, Anyone? (No? How about some Lorna's Laces...)

OK, please be honest. Am I the only knitter (AKA: stasher) who takes preventative anti-moth measures?

What you're looking at are three skeins of Peace Fleece, which I bought at Eco-Green, a local shop that specializes in organic, green, fair-trade products.

Why are they in the freezer, you ask? Well...because I'm sick. I literally dream about finding moths in my home (more of a nightmare, really). So whenever I buy yarn from a store that's an "unknown quantity" I pop it in the freezer for a couple of days to kill any fabric bugs/eggs that might be hiding in the depths of my new wool-babies.

The red yarn and pretty needles are going to be the Knitting Needle Bag from Bag Style. You can also download the pattern free at Knitting Daily.

Here's how the freezer trick works: You put the yarn in the freezer for 24 - 48 hours, which either kills the little buggers or puts them into dormancy. They think it's the deep freeze of winter. Then, when you take the yarn out of the freezer, they suddenly think it's spring! You give them 24 hours in the warmth of your kitchen, and then--this is the evil part--pop the yarn back into the freezer for a day or two. This kills the little guys who made it through the first freeze.

Three skeins of DK-weight Peace Fleece I bought at Eco-Green earlier this year...They're going to make some hefty boot socks to keep Chris' little piggies warm!

But I want to get back to my question: Do you ever take preventative anti-moth measures? Or do you know anyone who does? I need to know. Maybe, if I'm not alone, I won't feel so OCD! Do you think it's weird?

An orphan skein of Claudia's HP, rescued from Stitch DC last spring. Too pretty to pass up, don't you agree?

SWAP, ANYONE?

Last fall I bought five skeins of Lorna's Laces in Gold Hill, which I thought would make a really pretty leaf-patterned autumny wrap. But they've sat in my stash for the past year, and I've finally come to terms with the fact that I'm probably not going to use them.

Help us fulfill our destiny!

I know, I know, I could make socks with them. But I wasn't particularly happy with the pooling in my Waving Lace socks (made with LL in Watercolors). I like how the yarn feels, and I like the solid colors, but the multicolored LL yarns aren't my top choice.

So... If anyone would like to buy them, or swap for them, please drop me a line at knitsix@gmail.com

Happy knitting!

Frozen Peace Fleece, Anyone? (No? How about some Lorna's Laces...)