THE CRAZIEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT OF ALL TIME

OK, maybe it’s not the craziest birthday present ever. That would maybe be, like, an elephant riding a unicycle wearing lederhosen and trumpeting “You Are My Sunshine” while holding out a bouquet of flowers or something.

But still, pretty crazy.

Yesterday, this arrived on my doorstep. That’s right, ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY 50g balls of Palette, each a different color. My mom, who is also a knitter, is trying to inspire my fledgling designer self with every color under the sun. I think it might be working.

What do I do with it?!?!?!?!?!!!11!!? Puff all the hexipuffs? Knit toys? Massive clown barf sweater? Yarn bomb my building’s lobby?

Here are some pictures of the awesomeness:

Hexipuffs - Worsted & Bulky Weight

If you're not knitting The Beekeeper's Quilt yet, you probably will be soon.  This is a pattern that's sucking 'em in left and right, and for good reason!  It's a fun way to use up your scraps and creates the cutest little finished object with each motif.

The pattern is written for sock yarn, but what if you want to use up those worsted and bulky weight yarn scraps you've got lying around?  Face it, we've all got some Vanna's Choice we bought when we starting knitting that really shouldn't be used for anything else.The solution, of course is to PUFF ALL THE SCRAPS!  Even the worsted weight ones.

Therefore, after much trial and error, here is the recipe I have come up with.   This creates a puff that is 3" in diameter (1.5" on each side).  That's the same size I get knitting my sock yarn puffs on US size 3 (3.25mm) needles.

I recommend using the type of increases described in My Puffy Recipe (M1T and M1A) instead of the kfb used in the official pattern.  Kfb tends to result in a puff that's shorter on the bottom than it is on the top.

Aran or Lighter Bulky Weight Yarn
Cast on 14 stitches total (7 stitches per needle) on US size 8 (5.0mm) needles 
Increase per pattern until you have 26 stitches total (13 stitches per needle)
Decrease per pattern until 14 stitches total (7 stitches per needle) remain 
Use bind-off described in pattern

Worsted Weight Yarn
As described above, but cast on 16 stitches (8 stitches per needle) and increase to 32 stitches (16 stitches per needle).

More Moore!

Sacre Bleu! (Pardon my French.)

Anyway, I was suddenly hit with inspiration to make a Christopher Moore-themed set of patterns.  I don't think anyone has done that yet, and there is a lot to work with in his books.  His characters and storylines are so unique and colorful, the possibilites are almost endless!

Of course, this will require a re-reading of several of his best works.  For science.

What do you think of a Christopher Moore pattern series?  Check out the LSG post here if you'd like to weigh in on Ravelry. (Please note, LSG includes lots of swearing and irreverence, just like Mr. Moore's books.  If you dislike that sort of thing, please don't click over.)

New Pattern in the Works!

You guys!  You guys!  I am so excited.  I have just designed my first pair of lace socks.  There are charts and everything.  I'm hoping to put it through test knitting and have it available by the end of July.

And the best part?  It uses Bugga! (The name actually includes the exclamation point at the end.  I'm also really excited, but that's just a happy coincidence.)  The inspiration for these socks came not just from any Bugga!,  but from one of the limited edition nudibranch colorways that Sanguine Gryphon did just before it went extinct in December, 2011.  Specifically, the Easton studio version of Dermatobranchus Ornatus.  It's a beautiful tan/pink variegated yarn with a low amount of contrast.  It's dark now, but I'll take some pictures in the sunlight tomorrow.

Even though the Sanguine Gryphon is now DOA, don't fret! You can still buy Bugga! in a very large array of colors from the companies that came out of the Sanguine Gryphon split: The Verdant Gryphon and Cephalopod Yarns.

This color just looked at me and begged to be a nice pair of snug, cuddly lace socks.  I hope you'll have as much fun knitting them as I'm having designing them!

TTFN (ta ta for now)!

Sock Knitting: It Ain't Rocket Surgery

What's rocket surgery?  It's just a phrase my family uses to mean something brainy and complicated.  We make a lot of verbal whoopsies in my clan, including frequent blending of metaphors and reversing of words in sentences.  This came about when one of us couldn't decide if something "wasn't rocket science" or "wasn't brain surgery."  Meaning that you don't need an IQ of 160 to figure it out.

Socks are like that, although I didn't think so at first, and I know many other people feel the same way.  I thought I would share my sock knitting light-bulb moment.

I'm working on knitting my seventh pair of socks right now, and my third pair of Yarnissima socks.  Let me start out by saying that I love Yarnissima, a.k.a. Marjan Hammink.  Her designs are creative and unique, and typically well-written - especially considering the fact that English is not her first language.

In fact, the first pair of socks I ever knit was her design, KawKawEsque.  I wanted something ribbed that would provide a snug fit, but didn't want to get bored knitting vanilla socks.  Also, since I had no idea what I was doing, I was afraid of using a "recipe."  I needed someone to lay out all the steps for me, and I felt that this pattern did it nicely.

However, that pattern made knitting socks seem much more complicated than it really is.  Was all the knitting through the back loop important to the structure of the sock, or does she just like the way it looks?  Do I have to do short rows to make a heel? What is going on with this gusset thing?  Why am I constantly shifting stitches between needles?  I didn't know what was necessary to the creation of a sock and what was a creative part of an original pattern.

Then I saw people knitting socks without a pattern, like my friend Malia, and I was blown away.  I didn't understand how someone could knit a sock without constantly referring to a written set of directions.  They are so complicated!  WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU'RE GOING TO DIE AAAAAUUUUGGHHH!!!11!!!1!

It wasn't until I knit my husband a pair of socks using Sherry Menton's fantastic Elementary Watson Socks pattern that I really and truly "got it."  That pattern and its introduction to the Fleegle heel  really made a light bulb go on in my head.  In truth, a sock is just two tubes of varying width connected by a corner.  Everything else is just decoration.

Once I realized that, I was able to calm down and enjoy my sock knitting.  I can now buy a pattern like Spina di Pesce and say, "Provisional cast-on and anatomical toe?  I don't feel like it.  Substitute Judy's Magic Cast-On and standard toe increases." I can decide whether I want to cable the gusset.  I can use a  Fleegle heel instead of short rows if I feel like it.

It's a sock, not rocket surgery.  My take-away, after my extensive experience knitting 6.25 pairs of socks, is this: If you want to learn a new technique, or get fancy, do it!  Complex socks have their time and place, and they help you grow as a knitter.  But if you're not in the mood, mix and match toes and heels and gussets and foot patterns in a way that's comfortable for you.  Relax and knit something gorgeous and cozy.

Off to finish my Spina di Pesce. Happy sock knitting!

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!

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.

Hexipuffs: Bernat Baby Jacquards

Here is the recipe I used to make a hexipuff out of Bernat Baby Jacquards.  This yarn is a sport weight 100% acrylic that self-patterns.


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).

Cast on 10 sts per needle on US size 3's.
Increase as described in pattern to 20 stitches per needle.
Decrease and bind off as described in pattern.

(No extra knit rows.)

Hexipuffs: Full O' Sheep by Debbie Stoller Stitch Nation

Co 8 sts per needle on size 3's, skip first plain knit row
Extra knit rows at 12 sts (top and bottom)
Inc to 16 (one less increase)