Socks and Cards Week

I decided next week that I needed to shut the lid on the computer and finish off the last of my sock orders. I've made 3 pairs of heel flap socks, one ankle version for me and two long knee length socks for Sim:

Now the knee socks are long - here's their amended pattern:

CO 80 FB for 2:2 industrial rib, starting with 11.11 to end, both beds.

Cuff:
T3, N/N, 100R, transfer front sts to back bed, both sts onto empty needle making 80 sts in all -
T4.5, GX/N, 2R, fold in half from centre sts - RC000

Legs:
T4.5 (throughout the rest of the sock), CX/CX, 150R, then dec 2nd sts from end in rows:
150, 160, 170, 190, 210, 230, 250, 270, 290, 310 to 60 sts. Rotate quarter turn before 350RC.

Heel flap: 30/30 split. RC 000
row 1: GX/BX right arrow, ev other pusher in working position, plus END PUSHERS always UP.
row 2: GX/N,
then: put end pushers up
Repeat these three actions to RC 48.

Turn Heel: GX/BX, use pushers to work 17sts, work 2 tog, 1, (19 total), next row work 6 (then 7, 8 etc to end) 2 tog, 1 till 18 sts remain. (I also put the needle/pusher closest to the lock DOWN - mimicking slip one). rotate quarter turn so middle heel is on the right.

Gusset: RC000
Pick up 24 each side, 96 sts in all, CX/CX, decrease on upper side every 4th rowcount and every 1oth rowcount on sole/heelturn side 15 sts from end on all beds. continue to 60sts

Foot: continue to RC 150

Toe: dec 2nd st from end on all beds (4sts in total) on RC 150, 158, 164, 170, 174, 178, 182, then every 2 rowcounts till 8 sts remain.

Graft toe and sew back cuff.

My Ankle socks are the same as the previous ones.

Next on the things to do this week are cards (As this is my knitting blog I've moved the cards over to my new card blog. I'm tidy minded!)

853 Bergere de France Green Jumper

Call me crazy, but I do love Bergere de France free patterns. OK OK they are in French, BUT they are also in Knitting. This link is for the Femme in us all, there is also Homme, Enfant, and kids. Some have a lovely little knitting machine symbol, which I have even more love for, but not this one.

Here is a photo of my latest love:

The principles are there.. cast on xx sts, do some sort of rib; knit xxx rows to the armhole, cast off xx sts, for xx rows, then usually a few more xx sts for a few more xx rows, then straight for xx cm to the shoulders, where we ignore the instructions and do a short row shaping for xx sts over xx rows anyway. On the front, fiddle with the neck shaping as well. Sleeves are always the same too. All this and an excellent schematic diagram.

Now there's me. I look at the schematic, whereby I decide where I need to increase the length to fit my big self - which really means it doesn't matter what language it's written in, out comes the pencil and alterations begin, saves heaps of time translating!

I'm hand knitting this one on 4.5mm needles using Cleakheaton Country 12ply, in a green which is pretty close to the green on the Harmony Knitpicks, which I stuck next to the top of the photo (not quite as yellow as it's showing on my monitor). After this lovely beginning (edging) it is plain st st to just below the shoulders and finishes with a 19cm open rib and matching cowl neck. I decided to knit both front and back edges while the translation was still fresh in my mind. I've had a couple of opportunities to sit, wait and knit this week - my first ever visit to MKers of NSW guild on Thursday, Saturday's SnB and waiting to pick up Peter from Burwood, I'm already up to the armholes on one piece and nearly there on the other. Today I'll do both sleeves patterned edges and leave them on knitpicks cables (aren't they they best things ever invented?).

The only tricky bit of translation I found was on the centre on the square (hopefully) it is:

knit 5 tog without taking them off the left needle (I used a crochet hook),

RN: one long stitch which is through those
LN: 5 sts,

next yo, knit 2 tog and take off left needle:

RN: one long st; one yo; one st
LN: 3 sts

next yo, knit 3 tog take remaining 3 off left needle:

RN: one long st; one yo; one st; one yo; one st
LN: no sts left from this set.

The rest of the instructions for the edging is easy enough to follow, even if it isn't exactly what the French is, it is how I wanted the fabric to look.

The top "mesh" pattern uses dropped stitches to achieve a nice open look.
I'm reasonably sure that the translation was to drop the stitch when casting off, however, I dropped them every couple of rounds as I wanted to put a bit of shaping into the front panel, so I did a 3 pattern sets of 2/1 next to the shoulder 3 rounds short of when I was supposed to stop, stopping short by one set each round to the end, to make it more comfortable to wear. Yes that meant a bit of a bigger space, but it will be covered by the cowl.

Now I've finished my Shalom vest, I will be taking this anywhere I'm sitting and chatting and/or waiting for kids etc. Eventually, I'll finish it.

Monkey Spreadsheet for 80 sts Cast on

Monkey pattern in Knitty.com has a 64 sts cast on. Unfortunately, that's never going to fit me, so here is my 80 sts version (please click on the picture to see it clearly):