Sunday, May 20, 2012

Time Traveler Socks

MAJOR UPDATE! 
These socks are now available in FOUR sizes (8", 9", 10" and 11" foot circumference)!  Check out the Ravelry pattern page to get a PDF copy of the pattern, which includes instructions for all 4 sizes PLUS charts for the ribbing for each size, or download now by clicking here!




Here is the toe-up pattern I used for my dad's socks.  He wears a size 10.5 narrow.  The ribbing provides a nice, snug fit, and that the Fleegle heel hugs a narrow heel.  This pattern was written for magic loop, but you can use DPNs if you prefer.  Needle 1 refers to the top of the foot/front of the leg needle, needle 2 refers to the sole/back of the leg needle.


The foot length is adjustable for any size.

Materials:
KnitPicks Felici Fingering in Time Traveler, 2 balls (436 yds), or any fingering weight superwash merino/nylon sock yarn
US size 0 (2.0mm) circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge. 32" or longer for magic loop, or two circulars or DPNs if you prefer
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle



Gauge:
9 sts and 12 rows = 1" in stockinette stitch


Size:
9" foot circumference.  Foot length is adjustable.

Abbreviations:
m1R: lift strand between stitch just worked and next stitch onto left-hand needle from the back, k through the front loop.
m1L: lift strand between stitch just worked and next stitch onto left-hand needle from the front, k through the back loop.
ssk: slip the first stitch on the left-hand needle knitwise, slip the next stitch knitwise, place both stitches back onto the left-hand needle and knit together through the back loop.
k2tog: knit the next two stitches together as one.
p2togtbl: purl the next two stitches together through the back loops.
pm: place marker
sm: slip marker
k: knit
p: purl
sl: slip the next stitch from the left-hand needle to the right-hand needle.  Slip knitwise on right-side rows and purlwise on wrong-side rows.

Toe:
Cast on 20 stitches (10 sts per needle) using Judy's Magic Cast On.
First round: K across needle 1.  On needle 2: k5, pm, k5.  This marker will mark the sole needle and provide the starting place for the heel.

Next round: k1, m1R, k to 1 st before end of needle 1, m1L, k1.  Repeat for needle 2.
Next round: k all sts.

Repeat these two rounds until you have 80 sts (40 sts per needle).

Foot:
All rounds: *p1, k4, p1, k2, p1, k4; repeat from * to last st on needle 1, p1.  K across needle 2.

Continue until work measures 3.75" less than desired foot length.

Gusset:
Next round: Continue on needle 1 in established pattern.  On needle 2, m1R, pm, k to end of needle 2, pm, m1L.

Next round: Continue on needle 1 in established pattern.  K all sts on needle 2.
Next round: Continue on needle 1 in established pattern.  On needle 2, k to first marker, m1R, sm, k to last marker, sm, m1L, k to end of needle. 

Repeat these two rounds until you have increased 19 sts on each side of needle 2 (40 sts on needle 1 and 78 sts on needle 2).  Please note, the increases go outside the markers.  There should always be 40 sts between the first and last markers on needle 2.  If you have a larger foot, please increase more stitches in the gusset, then remember to decrease them all away during the heel turn.

Heel:
Next row: Continue on needle 1 in established pattern.  On needle 2, k to 2 sts past center marker, k2tog, k1, turn.  (The markers used for the gusset increases can now be removed, if you like.)


Next row: sl1, p to 2 sts past center marker, p2togtbl, p1, turn.

Next row: sl1, k to 1 st before the gap, k2tog, k1, turn.
Next row: sl1, p to 1 st before the gap, p2togtbl, p1, turn.

Repeat these two rows until 2 sts remain after the gaps on each side of needle 2.

Next row: sl1, k to 1 st before gap, k2tog, k to end of needle 2. Do not turn.
Next round: Continue across needle 1 in established pattern. On needle 2: k1, ssk, k to end of needle.
Next round: Continue across needle 1 in established pattern.  On needle 2: ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog.
Next round: Continue across needle 1 in established pattern.  On needle 2: k18, ssk, k2tog, k to end of needle.

Leg:
Continue across needle 1 in established pattern.  On needle 2: *k4, p1, k2, p1, k4, p1; rep from * once more, k4, p1, k2, p1, k4.  (This round is the start of the leg.)

Repeat this round until work measures 5" from start of leg, or 1" shorter than desired length.

Cuff:
Next round: *p1, k1; repeat from * around.

Repeat this round until cuff measures 1".

Finishing:
Bind off all sts loosely using Elizabeth Zimmerman's sewn bind-off.

Weave all ends in securely, wash and block.

Repeat for second sock, matching stripe pattern if desired.



Find it here on Ravelry!

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Hexipuffs: Skinny Bugga!

Here are the modifications for making a Beekeeper's Quilt hexipuff with Skinny Bugga!  This yarn was originally made by Sanguine Gryphon, but is now sold by its offshoot company Cephalopod Yarns.  It's a fingering weight merino/cashmere/nylon (80/10/10).

This results in a 3" diameter puff.

Cast on 11 stitches per needle (22 stitches total) on US size 3 (3.25mm) needles.  
Increase per pattern to 21 stitches per needle. 
Add one extra row of plain knitting after the 2nd increase and again after the 3rd decrease (when there are 15 stitches per needle).  
Decrease per pattern to 11 stitches per needle.
Bind off as per pattern.

Hexipuffs: Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe

Here is the recipe I used to make a hexipuff out of Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe.  This yarn is a light worsted weight, more like a DK. 


What's a hexipuff?  It's a motif used in making The Beekeeper's Quilt.  The pattern calls for a fingering weight sock yarn, but I'm using all my scraps - including worsted weight.  There are a series of posts on my blog about adjusting the pattern to make hexipuffs of the same size from all different types of yarn.  These are modifications - you'll still need to buy a copy of the official pattern to make the quilt.  


The modifications are generally to (a) the number of stitches cast on, (b) the total number of stitches the puff reaches at its widest point, and (c) whether there are extra plain knit rows added to the ones specified by the pattern.  


This results in a hexipuff that is 3" in diameter (1.5" on each side).

Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe - Modifications

Cast on 9 sts per needle on US Size 3 (3.25mm) needles.
Increase to 19 sts per needle.

Decrease and bind off as usual.
No extra knit rows.