Time to knit another lace shawl

I've looked till I've burned shawls into my eyes and have decided to make

Zetor Scarf Pattern

in my October 08 prize from Daphne's the Knittery.

I have pictures, but it is cold and raining and will have to wait to show it all blocked and lovely, however, here are some unblocked photos.

Baby Blankets on the Passap

My goal is to put the 29 x 100g balls of 5ply acrylic I "found" in my garage clean up through my machine.

Passap Pattern Book - First Experiences:

4 have gone into : #7031, two colour BX/BX pattern, done exactly as written, except I needed to do 700+ rows to get it square, and not doing the fringe.

This is the first time I've used 177 sts each bed, with pushers. Now is the time I'm sorry I put the crook needles at the end, LOL. I will replace the flawed needle on the left side front bed as it keep dropping stitches, before I do another one.

This one is the two colour one, and except that apparently I can't count to 6... it went very well. My only other problem is the hesitation I sometimes do at the beginning of the row after I pick up the colour - this changes the positions of the first couple of pushers, of course and when I get over my doubts - the first couple are out of order. If only I could learn to have the hesitations at the END of the row! Also needs weights on the left side, I think it's the old style colour changer pulling the last stitch on each bed off their needles.

I gave one to April, my niece Mel's new bub on Mother's day lunch on Sunday.

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):

My Heel Flap Anke socks

This is one for the big foots amongst us.

The problem with heel flaps socks and me is getting the flap long enough to go over my heel which results in a lot of picked up stitches to get rid of before the instep.

While doing Sim's Heel Flap socks I found for some reason, dec every 2 row count (every round) didn't sit right. I experimented with keeping the every 4th row count (2 rounds) on the upper, and reducing the extras for her on the sole side. This looked much better and when she tried on the sock, I decided that the decreases could have been done evenly along the sole side.

Now for me. On went my best fitting heel flap socks, which I have worn a hole in and badly need replacing. Now for the pinch and pull and counted back that I could have finished 10 stitches back and calculated that if I reduced 2 sts on the upper ev 4th row (2 rounds) and 2 on the 8th row (4th round) I would have a lovely convergence in just the right place. P.E.R.F.E.C.T. My new best fitting cotton ankle socks.

To make mine:

Recommend you look at Stephanie's heel flap tutorial, as these are based on her technique.

CO 72 using industrial 2:2 rib, I join my ribs on the front bed and transfer them both to the empty needle on the back bed to obtain 72 live stitches.
T3; R16; 2:2 rib; N/N. Do transfer for circular, no reset, T4.5, CX/CX cont to RC 24. RC000.

Heel over 36 sts:
Row 1: T4.5 , GX/BX, right arrow, ev alt pusher in WP; 1st and 36th are always in WP.
Row 2: GX/N
Return pusher 1 and 36 to WP
Repeat these 3 actions to RC56. Remember to TAKE OFF ARROW.
Turn heel numbers: 26, 2tog, 1. Next row: 12, 2tog, 1.. etc.

Take off machine, as it's done in cotton blend, there are too many stitches to stretch across, unfortunately. Using 2.25mm pick up 30 sts along heel flaps and knit 3 rounds. You can put them back onto the machine at this point but even so, it's still a very very tight fit. I never solved the problem of the stitches loosening too much in the centre of the heel, as seen in the photo, not a too bad when the enlarged stitches are shared amongst it's neighbours. When I do them again, I'll knit the next decrease round by hand and the next making the row counter 10, then put back onto the machine to see if that solves that problem.

Gusset Decreases: dec on upper every 4th row (RC 8), moving the 18 sts one needle to the left. Starting on RC8, dec 2 sts on the sole side, again moving 18 sts on needle to the right = 4 sts decreased in total on every 8th RC. (seq: -4 RC8; -2 RC12; -4 RC16; -2 RC 20 and so on) until 72sts remain.

Rotate and continue to RC 170.

Toe: dec 4 sts on rows 170, 178, 184, 190, 196, 200, 204, 208, 212, 216 then ev 2 rc to 8 sts.

Sew cuff, kitchener toe.

Passap 75s Socks

Edit 6Apr09: I've put Passap 75s pattern on Ravelry. download here.

I'm experimenting with tuck lace socks for the top of Sim's socks. I thought she'd like a little bit of girly on her black socks. Similar to the ones by Knittaxa's Mein Muster, I based mine on Passap Pattern 75 from the first little purple book and is achieved by alternating CX and DX with 1 pusher in RP at regular intervals depending on stitch count. 4R CX/CX, Black; 4R DX/DX, Grey, ev 5th pusher in RP.

eg on my 60 st - every 5th stitch is tucked, on the 64st, every 4th.

One pair is all black, exactly the same pattern as the two colour ones, except I couldn't work out how to do her preferred heel flap. She loved the short row heel anyway!

Others in the little purple Passap book Vertical stripe:Pattern 91 Checks: Pattern 111 Using scraps in nice patterned stripes: Pattern 36 Spots: Pattern 47 2col honeycomb: pattern 73.

The pattern to make these:
Front bed needles start on left on 30. needle seq: 1.11.11. to end .1 ending on needle 30 on right. on the back, 11.11.11 to last three 111; I didn't count how many there were in total, for 2:2 industrial rib, gave me 60 st.
Handle down, rack one needle to left.
Cuff:
Colour 1:
Blue strippers, N/N, T2, 1R,
CX/CX T3.5, 2R, rack one needle to right
N/N, T3.5, 1R. reset RC 000
N/N, T3.5, 20R.
Transfer sts to the back bed, I put the two front bed stitches together and transferred them into the single vacant needle.
Leg:
Black strippers, handle up, GX/N, T4.5 (for the rest of sock), 2R, transfer 15 sts each side to front bed.
(If doing other colours- Colour 2:)
pusher set up: starting on front bed, left side, 4WP (up), 1RP (down) right around both beds, in continuous sequence, ending with very last one on left hand side of back bed DOWN.
DX/DX, 4R, Col 2
CX/CX, 4R, Col 1
continue this 8R sequence to row 143 (col 1), lock on left.
Heel, Col 1:
BX/GX, work short rows to 10 sts (put some weight on heel) and back (lock on left). work one row on the back bed (keeping to pattern).
Foot:
Pusher set up: back bed remain unchanged; Front bed, last needle (on right) is DOWN, the rest are up and will be making stripes on the sole of the sock,
Col 2: DX/ DX, 4R
Col 1: CX/CX, 4R
Continue this 8R sequence to row 142 (black)
Toe:
Col 1:, CX/CX
Pick up 3rd st from each end, put it on top on 2nd and at the same time, pick up 1st and 2nd together and put where 3rd and 2nd were, on all ends. 4 sts in total, each decrease.
on rows 142, 150, 156, 162, 166, 170, 174, 178 then ev 2 RC (single row) until 4 sts are left.

Here it is stretched out, which they will do in places, when worn.

Suggest Pusher Set up for these size socks or whichever combination you like, BUT the LAST PUSHER ON EACH BED MUST BE DOWN.
48 sts - every 4th
52 sts - every 5th x 2 and 6st x 1 in the centre
56 sts - every 7th
60 sts - every 5th
64 sts - every 4th
68 sts - every 4th x 8 and 5th x 2
72 sts - every 4th or 6th
78 sts - every 4th x 9 and 3rd x 1; or 4th x 8 and 7st x 1 in the centre.