Christmas Makes, A Retrospective

Despite having had highly creative intentions for January 2012, it seems all I have actually accomplished so far is getting the car serviced (and other boring, but very grown up household stuff) and repeatedly writing list after list of Things To Do, Things To Make, Things To Find, Trips To Plan, and the lists go on...  I do love me a good list writing session.

But these days list writing is the only action my hands have seen since the last minute speed-knitting and power-cookathon that was Christmas Eve.  But I'm ok with that.  I've been savouring these last days of the Christmas Holidays, doing some light home reorganisation, falling even deeper in love with my sweet little boy (as if I didn't love him enough already!) and bonding with our new little Whippet pup, Mr. WhippoorWill.  Trying, and succeeding for now, to take the pressure off and really slow things down and keep myself firmly rooted in the now.  You know, Mindfulness and such.  Noticing, appreciating and absorbing, not only in relation to my son - who even at the age of 3 is growing up way too fast - but everything else from enjoying these calm and cosy white skied days, to remembering to acknowledge myself and being grateful for (and doing my best to maintain) my own health and youth, and spending as much time as I can with my family and friends whom I love so very much.  Especially two of my favourite girls who will soon be a lot less available to me as this month will see my incredibly talented sister move to Venice for 6 months to teach Art at our Grandmother's school, La Scuola Internazionale Di Grafica, and my best friend start a very fabulous but very full-time job.

So anyway, coming back from the tangent... I had just wanted to gather and share some of the things I made as Christmas presents, which for obvious reasons I couldn't document before they were given.  Some of these things came out so well that I'd definitely like to do a couple of remakes for myself and share some patterns with y'all.  Marie, are you ready to give DPN's a go?  Surprisingly easy and very profesh-looking!

This Elfin pompom hat and snood set was probably my favourite present I made.  The hat is based on a hat of my Mum's that she's been asking me to copy for ages - she got one too in red - and the snood is largely inspired by the flawlessly simple design made so famous by Karen, only with a series of yo, k2tog buttonholes through which I inserted a crochet chain drawstring with pompoms hanging off the ends.  Not for shy or retiring types, this set is pretty whimsical, possibly even comical, but unbelievably cosy knit up in Rowan's Big Wool.  The only reason I was even able to hand this over to my sister was thanks to the burnt orange colour choice - very her, not so me.

Another success using Rowan's Big Wool: a sort of decorative cabled neckwarmer held in place by a kilt pin, made for my Paternal Grandmother.

This Christmas Hamper was made for my last contribution to the Oxfam Fashion Blog, using a thrifted suitcase, but this never actually made it under the tree...

Supersoft cabled wristwarmers as seen above on my gorgeous little cousin.  My stepmum and brother also got wristwarmers similar to these.

The grown ups got little bottles of my homemade Limoncello which went down very well.  

These chunky red socks I made for my best friend, which although you can't see completely in the picture, have an intarsia heart on the heel, inspired by this free pattern.

My littlest sister got a skirt very similar to this one made using a paisley rayon and 2 layers of cherry coloured netting and there were a few hot water bottles given based on this tutorial, also put together for Oxfam.

So that's pretty much it (a few gifts still have to be made... The Colette Negroni for my stepdad and a silk dressing gown to be made from a 70s pattern for my Dad) - this retrospective has mainly just been for my own reflection and documentation but also to officially move on from 2011, saying a big Thank You not only to my family for the BEST Christmas and New Year EVER, but to everyone who has taken the time to read, comment, and generally support and encourage me on this blog.  I certainly wasn't prepared for the amazing journey it would take me on, and the wealth of inspirational bloggers I have discovered as a result.  I could gush some more about the creative/parenting blogging community, but I think anyone who writes a blog will know what I want to say, so instead: onwards and upwards to 2012!

SSS'11: Days 10, 11 & 13

A quick run down of the weekend in Self-Stitched outfits...

day 10

Day 10: Short Sorbetto Top & Fuchsia Silk Tulip Skirt (made from a self drafted pattern in 2004ish).

day 11

Day 11 (my sister's birthday): Pleated Maxi Skirt on me (left), Cotton Shirting Sundress on my sis (made from a self drafted pattern in 2007ish).

day 13

Day 13: Cotton Shirting Layered Big Pleats Skirt (made from a self drafted pattern in 2004ish).

What happened to Day 12...?  Well... After a weekend of fabulous birthday parties and a family sleepover at my Mum's, Monday 12th was pretty much spent in PJs.  

I'll take this moment to add that, while I am doing my best to be me-made every day, my lack of homemade comfort clothes is making it hard to dress for daily life with a toddler.  But maybe that's made up for by the fact that every evening, just like any other evening, we all cosy up on the sofa in our Monster Granny Square Blanket and, more often than not, handknit socks.

this evening...

...my feet have never been cosier

this evening...

I am indulging in a little fairisle...

...and getting excited about True Blood Season 4!

Chunky Cabled ~left/right~ Socks - knitting pattern

Second pair of socks officially finished and improvised pattern documented.  Now I'll admit that I can often get ahead of myself and dive in at the deep end when it comes to doing something my way before truly understanding it by having done it the professionals' way enough times... Like the time I decided to get stuck right into my first quilt after barely even flicking through a quilting book, or like the time I first tried ribbing (on Day 1 of teaching myself to knit), without actually having read the part saying that you need to move the yarn to the front of your work before purling...  So naturally, after having followed a pattern for my first pair of socks, I had to wing it for my second pair.  And this time I'm very happy with the result.  So here it is:

Chunky Cabled ~left/right~ Socks Pattern


NB: This pattern is slightly different for the left and right feet so they are a mirror of each other when worn.  Please start with the left foot and make sure to follow the right foot instructions for the second sock!

Size:  Adult - one size fits most - pattern indicates where length of foot can be lengthened or shortened.


Materials:

• set of 4 5.5mm DPNs (Double Pointed Needles)
• Cable needle (or your 5th DPN)
• 4x 50g RYC Cashsoft Chunky (sadly has now been discontinued but a good substitute would be Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky)
• Yarn needle to sew in tails

Abbreviations:
k - knit
p - purl
st(s) - stitch(es)
rnd - round
rep - repeat
N - needle
sl - slip (purlwise)
cont - continue
psso - pass slipped stitch over knitted stitch
k2tog - knit 2 together
p2tog - purl 2 together
C6F - cable 6 forward: slip 3 stitches purlwise onto cable needle at front of work, knit next 3 stitches from left hand needle, knit 3 stitches from cable needle.
C6B - cable 6 back: slip 3 stitches purlwise onto cable needle at back of work, knit next 3 stitches from left hand needle, knit 3 stitches from cable needle.

Cast on 40 sts.
Arrange on your 3 needles as follows - N1 & N2: 13 sts, N3: 14 sts.
Join to work in the round being careful not to twist your stitches.

rnds 1 - 10: k2, p2 ribbing [right foot: p2, k2 ribbing].
rnds 11 - 14 (laying foundation for cable & rib pattern): (k6, p2, k2, p2) twice, k2, p2, k6, p2, k2, p2 [right foot: p2, (k6, p2, k2, p2) 3 times, k2].
rnd 15: (C6F, p2, k2, p2) twice, k2, p2, C6F, p2, k2, p2 [right foot: p2, (C6B, p2, k2, p2) 3 times, k2.
Continue this pattern, cabling every 6th round, for 25 rounds in total (you will now have 35 rounds altogether, including the 10 rounds of rib).

Heel Flap
Knit across N1 (in pattern), plus 7 sts from N2, so you have 20 sts. Turn.
next row: sl 1, purl to end of the end of the row.
next row: *sl 1, k1 rep from * to end of the row.
Rep these last 2 rows for 20 rows total.  Now you will begin turning the heel.
row 1 (with purl side facing you): p13, p2tog, p1, turn.
row 2: sl 1, k7, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, turn.
row 3: sl 1, p8, p2tog, p1, turn.
row 4: sl 1, k9, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, turn.
row 5: sl 1, p10, p2tog, p1, turn.
row 6: sl 1, k11, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, turn.
You will now have 14 sts on your needle.
Going back to work in the round, you now need to pick up the 10 slipped sts on either edge of the heel.
With right side facing you, pick up and knit the 10 slipped sts along heel edge.  Now with your free needle, you will knit the 20 sts that make up the front of the sock that have been waiting while you knit the heel.  You need to resume the cable & rib pattern, eliminating the last set [right foot: first set] of purls along this row by knitting them. This row will go like this:
k2, p2, k2, p2, k6, p2, k4 [right foot: k4, p2, k6, p2, k2, p2, k2].
Then (again with frees needle) pick up and knit the other set of 10 slipped sts along heel edge, and a further 7 sts from the next needle.  This brings you back to the beginning of your rounds.

You should now have - N1: 17 sts, N2: 20 sts, N3: 17 sts.  Your cable & rib pattern will be continuing down N2 only.

Gusset
You will now be decreasing every other round on needles 1 & 3 only to bring you back to your original 40 sts as follows:
rnd 1: N1 - knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.  N2 - cont in pattern.  N3 - k1, sl 1, k1, psso, k to end of N.
rnd 2: N1 - knit.  N2 - cont in pattern.  N3 - knit.
Rep last 2 rnds until 10 sts remain on needles 1 & 3 (40 sts total).

Continue knitting around as normal for a further 25 rounds.  At this point you can make the sock bigger or smaller depending on the finished size desired by knitting more or fewer rounds.  The toe decreases measure just over 2 inches, so be sure to stop knitting when the sock is 2 inches shorter than your foot.

Toe Shaping ~ Left Foot
rnd 1: N1 - k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.  N2 - k1, sl 1, k1, psso, p1, k2, p2, C6F (last cable), p2, k1, k2tog, k1. N3 - k1, sl 1, k1, psso, k to end of needle.
rnd 2: N1 - knit.  N2 - k2, p1, k2, p2, k6, p2, k3.  N3 - knit.
rnd 3: N1 - as rnd 1.  N2 - k1, sl 1, k1, psso, k2, p2, k6, p2, k2tog, k1.  N3 - as rnd 1.
rnd 4: N1 - knit.  N2 - k4, p2, k6, p2, k2.  N3 - knit.
rnd 5: N1 - as rnd 1.  N2 - k1 sl 1, k1, psso, k1, p2, k6, p1, k2tog, k1.  N3 - as rnd 1.
rnd 6: N1 - knit.  N2 - k3, p2, k6, p1, k2.  N3 - knit.
rnd 7: N1 - as rnd 1.  N2 - k1, sl 1, k1, psso, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.  N3 - as rnd 1.
rnd 8: knit.
rnd 9: N1 - as rnd 1.  N2 - as rnd 7.  N3 - as rnd 1.
rnd 10: knit.
Now you will have 20 sts in total as follows, 5 sts each on needles 1 & 3 and 10 sts on needle 2.  Now knit the 5 sts from N1 onto N3 and close toe seam with the Kitchener Stitch.

Toe Shaping ~ Right Foot
Following the same instructions for needles 1 & 3 as for the left foot, the following instructions are for needle 2 only.
rnd 1: k1, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, p2, C6B (last cable), p2, k2, p1, k2tog, k1.
rnd 2: k3, p2, k6, p2, k2, p1, k2.
rnd 3: k1, sl 1, k1, psso, p2, k6, p2, k2, k2tog, k1.
rnd 4: k2, p2, k6, p2, k4.
rnd 5: k1, sl 1, k1, psso, p1, k6, p2, k1, k2tog, k1.
rnd 6: k2, p1, k6, p2, k3.
rnd 7: k1, sl 1, k1, psso, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
rnd 8: knit.
rnd 9: as rnd 7.
rnd 10: knit.
Knit the 5 sts from N1 onto N3 and close toe seam with the Kitchener Stitch.

Sew in tails with your yarn needle and all done!

Socks, Sandwiches & Scandinavia

1st pair of socks! great starting point pattern here

Being a shoe designer, I naturally have a keen interest in socks.  And tights.  And stockings.  I am Tabio's Number 1 Fan.  But I have always been slightly put off by the idea of hand knitted socks.  And I've never understood why so many millions of knitters become so obsessed with knitting socks.  Why socks more than anything else?  Why not mittens?  Or hot-water-bottle covers?  Willy-warmers even?  It's always seemed like it would be so tedious to knit two identical things on such tiny needles, and in that "self-striping" yarn, which, if I'm honest, to me looks naff and messy.  However.  Regardless of this snobbery I seem to have against knitted socks, I've kind of always wanted to give it a go...

As soon as I cast on for my first pair, it all began to make sense.  Socks... of course... Small and satisfying to make... Can be worn all year round... Can be elaborated with infinite combinations of cables and fairisle designs...Very high on the list of most thoughtful gifts... And actually I'm finding it to be a very humbling experience as I think about all the women who would knit socks for their family year in year out, keeping them warm throughout harsh winters.

For now, I'm sticking to chunky socks.  And I'm getting quite a clear 70s Scandinavian vibe too.  Crisp Norwegian summers in floaty, floral dresses, chunky off-white socks and wooden clog-esque sandals (like these Swedish Hasbeens I'm coveting right now); pulling on a pair of oversized nautical cabled socks as it starts getting chilly on the Fjord; cosy log cabin evenings warming fairisled feet by the fire.

detail of my 2nd pair of socks, this time an improvised cabled design. 

getting inspired by this wonderful book.

inspiration for 3rd pair of socks

This is just the beginning.  I feel like I'm onto a new obsession-within-an-obsession here.  More socks to make, more patterns to come.  But one thing is for sure: no self-striping sock yarn in colours like "olive" or "mustard" for me!

A quick word about Sandwiches
I don't bake bread as often as I would like, but today I had a major craving.  Without realising the connection with my Scandinavian Socks, I made a loaf of Rye Bread from this recipe from The Guardian online (the only changes I made were halving the quantities to make a smaller loaf, and using wholemeal as opposed to white flour).  Now I'm wishing I had some salt beef... But left-over roast chicken, mayonnaise and sliced tomatoes will do nicely.

sneaky little fingers

this evening...

...I have sock fever

...while I listen to this classic Country playlist