Sheep and duck

This is not a pattern as such, more a description of what I’ve done.
Important. The socks need to be flexible over the ankle. Hence do not have any pattern on the last 5-8 row prior to starting the heel, and also knit at least 5 rows on the foot before starting the next pattern.


I’ve casted on 56 on needle 2. If you want more stitches, the duck row needs 8 stitches and the sheep 14. However you may add one or two stitches extra between the ducks and sheep to get more stitches.
I’ve ribbed for 10-13 rows and then started the pattern. You might want to have the rib shorter. When the leg is long enough, divide for heel by using 27 stitches for the heel and 29 for the top.
Heel; on the right side, slip1, 1knit, slip 1, 1knit, until end of row. Each wrong side, do not purl first (slip it), purl the remaining 26 stitches.
I did knit in total 26 rows but you may knit as many as you like. Turn heel by knitting short rows. On first row knit 15, two together, wrap and turn. Purl 5, purl 2 together, wrap and turn. Continue till all stitches have been knitted. Pick up one stitch per slipped stitch. I did pick up in total 26.
Decrease for gusset each side on every second row until in total 56 stitches remains.
Decrease for toe when the sock is long enough. On the one pair I did decrease 4 on every second row, on the other on every row; until in total 16 stitches remain. Sew together.
Here is the chart - If you want "thicker" sheep add one or two rows on the rows where you are knitting 10 stitches of the sheeps body and 4 background. Note to make it easier I've made the sheep red :-)
On the foot I only knitted sheeps at the top. At the bottom I did try to make a fence. Please note that you will need to use three strands at some row and only 2 on others, and have to have that in mind when making the "fences".

Latest projects

I'm playing for the time being; with yarn that is.

I've started on the mice yesterday with Wollmeise Maus Jung and wonderful Blue Susanne.


I've posted Cupid several times now, so I limit this post to one picture showing both socks finished (yesterday).

Cupid

Important. When looking at the chart you will see that the yarn not in use will have to travel rather a lot of stitches. You will need to be able to do that to knit this pattern. Also, this travelling will make the socks less elastic. You have to take that into consideration when choosing the number of stitches to cast on.

I did cast on 84 and the socks fit me. However I do have a slim foot. I would have considered adding 6 more stitches – to 90 or substituted needle 2 with needle 2.25.

So to the pattern.

Needle 2 and Wollmeise yarn or other similar yarn.

Cast on 84. Rib for 2 rows in 4 k and 2 p. On the next and following 5 rows (6 in total) all knit stitches with pink and all purl stitches with background color. On the next and the following 3 rows substitute pink with green. Thereafter 6 rows with pink and background. 1 row with 4 k and 2 p in background color . Rib finished.

Knit one row (st st) with background and start chart. NOTE center chart around middle stitch. On the remaining stitches make a hart pattern. Also note that if you want to limit the long loops at the back It might be a good idea to start the second row of harts on the last row of the previous harts. (Please disregard two green colors - I did not see that I've used two different in the cart. I've only used one color in the socks).

Continue with the leg until the Cupid pattern has been completed. NOTE when finished with the Cupid himself continue making “cloud” stitches under his knee and foot as indicated in the pattern. You will need to continue knitting on the leg until you have finished the last row of harts on the back. Then knit one row with only the background. Cut yarn.

Then make heel. I’ve used 41 stitches for the heel. The background outside the hart is knitted with one strand of the background color and one strand of the pink. Do not knit /purl first stitch at any row. When you have 18 loops and the hart is completed, turn the heel. On my first row I knitted until 16 stitches remained, knitted 2 together and wraped and turned. Knitted back until 16 remained, purl 2 together , wrap and turn. Continue until there are no more stitches. Pick up at each side.

I did continue on the foot with 80 stitches. Find the centre stitch on the front. Place 2 markers after the 39^th stitches from each side of the centre stitch – i.e. 79 stitches. The hart pattern uses 8 stitches – i.e. calls for 80 stitches. The last stitch will be the last stitch from the gusset decrease. The remaining stitches shall be decreased as gusset under the foot. Start the round with the gusset AND the background color. On first row knit 1bacground 1pattern strand on gusset until the last gusset stitch that shall be in main color. Then start the hart pattern but NOTE start on the second stitch of first row. Continue around and on the last hart you will stop on the second last stitch of the pattern.

Next row decrease the second and the second last stitch on the gusset by knitting it together with the respective first and last stitch (i.e. k2/ssk). Continuing decreasing on every second row until 3 or 2 gusset stitch remains. If 3 – knit those together to one background color. If 2 knit those two together with background color. – i.e. 80 stitches remains.

Continue knitting the foot as long as you need bearing in mind that you shall have one red hart row prior to the toe. The red harts call for 6 stitches per hart – and if you have 80 stitches you need to decrease 2 (under the foot) to being able to knit this pattern.

Decrease for toe as you like.

If you want blue eyes find your needle and blue thread and start sewing:-)

Quiet - yes it is Summer :-)

And no time for blogging. I've been on vacation, shopping and have of course knitted (a little).
Vacation - two weeks of high temperature and sun in Norway :-)

Some of the socks finished during our vacation;




Shopping - what a nice store - the famous WM store of course:


Inside;

Who ate the fishes?

New socks - knitted as part of the 52 plunge..


I ‘ve knitted the socks for myself. The pattern below assumes that you can knit socks as I have not explained anything basic. However you may use the chart on any basic sock patterns. I knitted the socks in Wollmeise 80/20 and 100 % sock yarn and used needle 2.

Cast on using Judy’s magic cast on. I did start with 14 loops on each needle and increased 4 stitches on every second needle until I did have in total 80 stitches. Distributed stitches with 41 on top needle and 39 on sole needle.
Toe border made with black and red. Note that chart below is 41 but the pattern calls for 20 stitches for one repeat – i.e. the last column is start of next pattern.

Thereafter I started fish pattern as follows:
On the sole I knitted pattern as follows
However note that after every row of fish and cats there are one row with only one strand – the blue.
After finishing the first row of fish, I started increase for gusset as follows. On the second row of fishrow two increase one stitch on each side of the middle stitch. Continue increasing on every second row. I made the following pattern with the increase - note however that I have a row of two blue stitches at each end of the increase before starting the sole pattern. I.e. I do have 19 sole pattern stitches at each end of the increase and I start the increase with two blue stitches on each side before making the colored stripes.
When completing the increase I stopped with one blue row prior to starting turning the heel. It is important to have one blue row to get a nice “edge” between the sole and the heel.
Set aside the 41 stitches on top and the 19 on each side of the increase. Make short rows by knitting one less each time with the remaining stitches until you have 11 stitches left. I turned without casting off – i.e. all stitches remains . Cut the yarn and start at one side. On each side of the 11 middle stitches pick up additional stitches to make the total stitches 39. The first row knit all stitches. Purl back until you have one stitch left. Knit that together with the first of the 19 stitches set aside on the separate needle.
Next row. Do not knit the first stitch, thereafter knit every second stitch and every second loose with yarn in back, continue until 2 stitches left. Knit one. The last one shall be knitted together with the first of the other 19 stitches set aside.
I st stitch loose off, purl back until 1 stitch left. Knit next together with the next of the 18 stitches set aside.
Continue these to rows until all 19 stitches are knitted together with the heel stitches. You will now have in total 80 stitches on the needle.

Continue with fish pattern. Row starts on the middle stitch back. On this row you will start with 3 fishes and 5 cats.
Next 3 fishes and 5 bones.
Next 1 fish and 7 cats.
Next All bones.
Last only cats.
I finished up with a hart border as follows:

Ribbed 3 knit 1 purl for 12 rounds, then 1 knit 1 purl for one row.
Next row – only knit the knit stitches and the last row only knit the purl stitches. Cast off. I used the method I’ve been told is called Italian cast off.

Send me an e-mail and I'll send the pattern as pdf (use the comment box).

Appels and a sneek peek into my drawer

An apple a day etc - Wearing these socks will keep any doctor away :-). Wollmeise - of course. If you want to know how they are knitted please visit my projectpage at Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/projects/MariannAn/red-delicious
Vibbedille asked for a peek into my drawer. Here it is;

I'll continue with my Norwegian socks from Socken aus aller Welt;

Not all apples are red delicious

This is a snapshot into my bag of sweets - the 100% WM shelf. A little dark and you cannot see the colors, but at least you can see what it looks like. In front is my knitting machine covered by one of my handmade quilts - a grandmother flowergarden quilt entirely made by using Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

I did participate in the Kiila knitalong. They turn out ok, but for beeing a Yarnissima pattern - it was to much a piece of cake knitting.
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Well after having knitted several "one-color" socks, I longed for som stranded work. In Knotiona summer issue ( http://www.knotions.com/issues/summer_2009/in_this_issue.aspx) Sara Peterson has published a pattern for apple socks. As I want to knit my socks with needle 0 (2mm) I couldn't use her pattern, but I did "borrow" her chart for apples.

Yesterday I started a new pair of socks. In Wollmeise of course.
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I really love stranded work. It is fast. It is fun. It turns out great. One sock made - one to go. I'll written down what I've done on my project page at Ravelry.


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I did not only buy yarn at the market

Another sock picture. I did finish the Sunshine today; Really nice socks. Also one finished and a half to go on Kiila
Then to the market. I did buy a really nice basket at the market. It is large, very well crafted and the only regret I do have is; Why did I only buy one basket from this very skilled basket maker?

Here is tha maker with some of his other nice work.

At market - again - and more sock(s)

I do really think that Germany has the "best markets ever" - in particular the outdoor market in various "alt stadt". A few pictures from Sindelfinger last weekend.

Eye candies - not to eat (made by wool);Soft stones - completely made by wool;

I do think that the WM already has been well documented by pictures at Ravelry , so I limit my pictures to one of some of the lovely yarn;

And finally - I did buy a skein of Sonne 80/20 and had to use that skein to make Cookie A's Sunshine

Do I really need more socks?

Not really - but they are fun to knit.
Below is my new Wollmeise Miss May socks. The pattern is a free pattern - Pomatomus by Cookie A. More details on my Ravelry page - http://www.ravelry.com/projects/MariannAn/pomatomus.

I really love the color :-)

Below is a picture of the softest socks I've ever knitted. However the question is - can I use them as anything but bedsocks? (Crystal palace yarn - mini mochi)