Sock update

I last shared my sock making here with you back in March and since then we have moved to a new country, found work, a house and started to settle into a new community. We cannot believe it is less than 4 months since we started our new life in Canada.

During that time my needles have been busy knitting socks. Maybe because they are a small portable project, maybe because my brain can’t focus on anything more complex, maybe because I actually think we will need these socks once the colder weather arrives.

The first pair I am going to share with you were actually knitted just before we left the UK. My last few knitting lessons with Jen at the Wool Stop, Thornbury, learning how to knit toe up, two at a time socks using a magic loop. I used HiyaHiya sharp 100cm (2.5mm) needles for these socks.

The yarn is Arne & Carlos Regia colourway 3655 and I love how the pattern worked up on these socks.

To start these socks Jen showed me the Turkish cast on method which is the most amazing way to cast on toe up socks! Have a look, it really is magic. I also learnt a new heel, the Fish Lips Kiss Heel (the pattern is very reasonably priced on Ravelry). I will be interested to see how this heel wears compared to the Winwick Mum heel I normally do. The other difference with these socks was the bind off, I used Jeny’s surprisingly stretchy bind off. I don’t like the frilly look that this bind off gave my socks but it is very comfortable.

In order to see if I could remember how to knit socks this way, I knitted another pair when we arrived in Canada. These were a gift for my Dad and were made with 6ply sock yarn and 3mm  100cm needles.

The yarn is Rellana fancy sock 6ply colourway 7045. These socks weren’t supposed to match but they almost do.

As they were a gift I wanted to block them but didn’t have my blockers so I made one from a coat hanger, so easy.

I also used one of the labels available on the Winwick Mum Sockalong Facebook group page.

My next socks were for my boys. They are very specific about what they want! For these I used the handy chart on the Winwick Mum Sockalong Facebook page (it’s in the files section) as I hadn’t knitted little socks before. I used the regular Winwick Mum 4ply sock pattern.

The yarn for this pair is Drops Fabel 522 with an unknown scrap cuff, heel and toe.

These were made from Lion Brand Sock-Ease in Teal Blue (4ply). I used my 23cm 2.5mm HiyaHiya short circular needles for both of these pairs. Little socks are quick to knit!

Next up is another pair of boot socks using the Winwick Mum boot sock pattern for my husband.

Made with 3mm 25cm KnitPro needles and Rellana Fancy Sock 6ply colourway 7040.

Nearly there… this time a pair of socks for me. Yay! These socks are just right for wearing with trainers.

The pattern is Rose City Rollers on Ravelry and the yarn is Sirdar Heart & Sole colourway 0165.

And last but not least, I have these on the needles at the moment. Another pair for my husband!

The yarn is Regia 4ply colourway 4491

Did I mention, I like knitting socks?

x

 

Advertisement

Crochet rug

For one reason or the other I haven’t made much this Summer and my crochet seems to have been put on the back burner. My wish list of projects, on the other hand, just keeps growing.

With moving home, I have spent a lot of time thinking about interiors and what I want our house to look like. Some things we are not changing, the magnolia walls, for example. They are newly painted so there doesn’t seem much point. Instead, I have been thinking about adding colour in in different ways.

Take our bedroom. We bought the Malm Ikea furniture from the previous owners, it’s pretty inoffensive and the walls are magnolia. Together this provides a backdrop for crochet blankets and complimentary accessories.

My husband doesn’t say much when it comes to our house but he has always said he would prefer no flowers in the bedroom. Fair enough. So I have bought white bedding and white curtains and some fab orange lamps from Habitat. I love the retro look of them and they go well with all of my blankets. Anyway, this is all leading to my crochet rug! Actually it is more mat size but it fits just between the bed and the wardrobe. Here it is..

 

I made it with Tek-Tek fabric yarn (bought on Ebay UK for £8.40 per large roll) and a 9mm crochet hook. This rug took less than two rolls. The rug measures  70cm across and is densely crocheted. A larger hook and a more doily like pattern and the yarn would go much further. I made this rug in an evening so it is super quick too.

I followed a basic circle pattern until I had reached the size I wanted (10 rounds) and then I crocheted a round of double crochets.

My last two rounds were made as follows;

Penultimate round: Chain 6, miss next two stitches, slip stitch in next stitch, repeat to end, slip stitch to first ch6

Last round: Slip stitch to centre of first ch6 from last round, chain 6, join to the centre of the next ch6 space with a slip stitch, repeat to end, join with a slipstitch and fasten off. Your rug is finished!

The rug may turn up at the edges a bit but I found sitting on it whilst I was making it helped and at the end, I went round and manipulated the edges to lay flat. The yarn is really easy to work with but here are a few tips you might find useful:

1. The yarn is recycled and it does state on the packaging that the colours can vary and it is not one continuous strand. I only found one short section which was a different colour to the rest and I cut that section out.
2. I found the knots where the strands had been joined to be thinner than the rest of the yarn so I cut the knots out and just joined as if I was joining a new colour.
3. One section of yarn was really thin compared to the rest, it was noticeable when I was crocheting, so I just cut it out. I don’t think I cut more than about 80cm out in total including knots and the discoloured section.
4. The yarn is heavy so after a few rounds I lay it on the floor and crocheted from above. After a while I was able to sit on it as I crocheted. Take regular breaks as this can be sore on the back and hands.
5. Ends are really easy to ‘sew’ in on the back. The stretchy nature of the fabric means that you can just tuck them in by hand.

Please ask if you have any questions about my rug. I’d love to hear about any similar projects you have made or other uses for fabric yarn.

On a completely different note, I had a return nomination from Zeens and Roger for a Liebster Award. I don’t really have anyone else to nominate but here are my responses to the questions. I love reading the answers from other bloggers to questions like these as it feels like you are getting to know the person behind the craft.  Anyway, here goes..

1. What did you have for tea last night? Sweet and sour chicken and rice, wish I could say I made it all from scratch but I can’t!
2. What are you having for tea tonight? Prawn curry, friends are coming over and cooking for us. My kind of cooking.
3. What are you doing at the weekend? Walks and pubs.
4. As a child, what did you want to be when you were a grown up? A teacher and that’s exactly what I became.
5. What was your first job? Working in a garage when I was 16 for £1 an hour!
6. Name a book you read again and again. Jane Eyre, about twice a year.
7. What do you collect? Ladybird books, enamel badges, pressed glass.
8. Mastermind subject? The Tudors.

School starts back next week which means we will all be getting back into a routine of some sort. Hopefully when things settle down I will have more craft time. Here’s hoping.

x

Upcycled crochet

This week, two bloggers that I follow have posted items made from vintage fabrics. This adorable cushion by Bernadette and these amazing, crocheted rugs made by Moji-Moji Design. Both posts inspired me to share my upcycled crochet rugs that I made a little while back.

The first was made from curtain material using a simple doily pattern and a 20mm hook!! I can’t find the pattern anywhere, sorry. I tore the curtain into long strips (using the same method as Moji-Moji). They were quite wide (with hindsight I would tear narrower ones and use a smaller hook, as the 20mm hook was heavy going!). The centre of this rug is actually deep purple with a denim border but for some reason I could not get the colours to show up.

The second rug was made from my youngest boys’ t-shirts. I used a rotary cutter and cut loop from the armpit down and then linked the loops together to make a long string. I used a 9mm hook for this one. I am in two minds about this rug, the t-shirts varied in quality and some areas are very thick and others thin, so I am actually considering remaking it in a round. I love that I can look at the rug, though, and see favourite t-shirts. Good memories.

This post got me thinking about hook size. I generally use a 3.5mm or 4mm hook and DK yarn, so using large hooks and fabric was an experience.

We move tomorrow so it may be a while before my next post. Amsterdam was amazing, by the way. I won’t bore you with pictures… well maybe just one. (Edit: Teenage son has requested a picture of Amsterdam and not him! )

 

x