I did complete these lovely socks out of my Novita Nalle yarn that I have lots of at the moment, they were just a random pattern that I came up with and are another Christmas present completed. I love the berry colour and the white makes it stand out even more.
I knew that the Novita yarn is a bit thicker than a 4ply yarn but it still has the same mixture of wool and nylon. I ended up casting on 72 stitches and knitting a 2 x 2 rib using the twisted knit stitch method for the cuff. I then just continued the 2 x 2 rib after changing colour and then when I got the heel flap, I moved half of the stitches onto one needle and then I did a slip stitch, k1 on the right side and a purl row on the return row.
I do not do a heel turn (if that's what you call it), I really don't think its necessary to do that. I knit all of my socks like this and they fit very well.
I then picked up and knit 14 stitches either side of the heel flap and then knit 1 round.
Then I just decreased every row at the edge of either side of the heel flap till I got back to my 72 stitches. Then just knitted the top of the foot in the rib and the underneath of the foot in stocking stitch.
After the socks were long enough for the foot, (I did them to fit a UK Size 4-5) and then changed colour again and worked decreases for the toe and then Kitchener stitched then together.
I would say I knitted a majority of this pair whilst on the bus going to and from work and then a few hours in the evening whilst watching podcasts.
This next photo had me in a bit of a dilemma the whole time I was knitting this hat. I had the bright idea of putting 2 strands of 4ply sock yarn together and winding them up into a ball and I got quite a big ball. I then had a go at making another one of those Mini Hat's (have a look at my project page on Ravelry for that) but then it was hurting my thumb and arms with the tension. So I decided to have a go at knitting a hat for charity and not worry about how the colours come out because lets face it, if I was homeless GOD FORBID, then I would not worry about colours of a hat, I would just be grateful to have a warm head.
The hat has come out a bit ODD. It was knitted completely randomly and I was debating about breaking the mustard yarn, winding it off the big ball and then rejoining the ball when I got to the mixed colours. However, I just thought I will carry on and see how it goes.
I love the thickness of the hat and my own little design of the crown but I am just not sure whether anyone would want it. Plus I have enough to make another hat.
I have not sewn in the ends yet and I am going to think about it for a while. I may decide to just unpick it and knit a scrappy blanket....oh I just don't know.
My next project that I am going to be starting straight after writing this blogpost is a Christmas Tree Skirt for my ex-daughter in law and my Grand children. I asked her if she wanted one and she said yes but in Red so Frank bought this Cygnet Yarn in a gorgeous red colour and I have got 10 balls of 100 gs. It works out to about 2000 grams in total and it should be about 60 inches in diameter.
I am starting this project early because crochet tends to make my right shoulder, top of my arm and my right thumb ache a lot so I can only do crochet a bit at a time.
I hopefully, will have it done by December for Emma to put under the tree.
I know my Grand kids will like it.
And finally, I have purchased a book on Amazon which has been in my mind for a few weeks.
It is not a great photo to show and I'm sorry if it is a bit blurry but I just had to take a quick photo of it.
In the beginning of the book it is a story about a various assortment of gorgeous cute bugs and about a caterpillar that bursts out into a beautiful butterfly.
After the story there are crochet patterns to make each bug and so my idea is to read the story to the Grandkids and bring out each little bug to encourage learning and to have fun.
It is such a bright colourful book, the written words of the story are only a few on each page with big bright pictures.
It is going to be a joy to make. I have already got a lot of the Drops Saffran Cotton yarn and just need to get a couple of blues and reds and I will be ready.
It is fair to say that I have my mojo back with all of these plans and the trouble is that I get myself worked up and stressed because I just want to get on and do them and not have to go out to work or do chores etc. It is so silly because I know for a fact that if I sit for hours and hours on end knitting or crochet, I will be in a lot of pain.
I spend most of my working 8 hours in front of a computer typing letters and by 4pm my thumb has had enough of moving over a keyboard. So I have just got to be patient and thankful while I can still do my crafts.
It is a lovely weekend here in Dagenham, I hope to spend most of tomorrow Sunday, just pottering around.
Thanks for reading and be back soon.
