January 2019 – Knitwerks

Mommy Needs A Time Out

January 27, 2019 by T, posted in knitting, personal

2019 was supposed to be the year of me. After getting my master’s degree, CPA, fostering and adopting three kids, one special needs and two with medical challenges, I was ready to focus on me. I have gained 60 lbs in two years and have had some weird ailments pop up. Hives that don’t sway. Jaw infections. Cold after cold after cold. It turns out I have masses on my ovaries and am going in this week for some major surgery. I’ll be out of work for 3-8 weeks and already stocked up on my stash. I’m thinking a sock yarn blanket!

This sucks.

I hope the doctor is better at sewing than I am!

Knit Socks- a basic pattern/recipe

January 20, 2019 by T, posted in knitting, pattern

I’m back into knitting socks big time and giving them as presents. I can whip up a pair in a few days (or a trip from Florida to New York.) I don’t make them fancy and I’m back to the point where I don’t need instructions.

A simple pair of toe up socks is more like a recipe than a pattern. It’s easily modified to go bigger, smaller or adjust to yarn weight.

For my latest socks, I’m using sock weight yarn on size two circular needles.

Using magic loop, cast on twenty stitches (10 each needle). Knit first row. Next row knit 1 make 1 knit to last two stitches on first needle make 1 knit 1. Repeat on second needle. So you’ve added four stitches. Knit the next row. Repeat this until you have 22-26 stitches on each needle or 48-52 stitches total. Continue knit to the ankle bone or about 7 inches for a woman’s size 8.5 foot.

Start heel

Slip 1 knit

Slip 1 purl

Continue for half the number of stitches on food. (22-26 rows)

Start short rows

Row1: Knit half the rows stitches (11/13) knit 2 together, k1, turn

Row2: slip one, purl 2, purl 2 together, k1, turn

When you’ve knit all the stitches, pick up the heel rows (slipped stitches) usually 11-13 stitches on each side of the heel.

Ankle:

Row1: knit

Row 2: knit 1, knit 2 together, knit to end of other side of heel, slip 2, knit together, knit rest or row

Repeat these two until you are back to 48-52 stitches (fewer of you have skinny ankles)

From here you can add ribbing, create a short ankle socks or add more design.

I’m trying to write this on my phone, so I’ll update it later.

It’s worked for the last six pairs of socks and I’ve added a different design feature into each, including ribbing and seed stitch.

Maxi- cozi Blanket

January 12, 2019 by T, posted in knitting

I started a simple but beautiful blanket pattern a few months ago for my soon to be five year old. I used Woolf of the Andes superwash wool from Knitpicks. Then I finished it! Finally! I trimmed the loose pieces and sewed in bits. I had to wash it because when we returned from our road trip it was covered in cat hair and had dried cat vomit.

I put it in the washer machine carefully. I set it to gentle and came back a few hours later. I was hanging it over the banister and I saw a huge hole right smack in the middle. I walked away and cried and cried. When I told the husband I had destroyed $180 of yarn and months of my time, he asked if I knit it too loosely. 😡

When I woke the next day, I posted it in a Facebook group and they suggested I knit bottom up and graft it in. It worked.

I will never wash it again!!!!

Socks over Winter Break

January 6, 2019 by T, posted in knitting

We drove to NY and back. Most of the time, I was the passenger, knitting and handing back snacks. I blew up our data plan basically posting pictures of the progress of two pairs of socks I made. They aren’t fancy and I didn’t follow a pattern.