Knee Socks

I realized that I also had some knee socks that needed new photos.





These are the Dale of Norway Lillehammer socks knit in Nature Spun sport weight. I am still kicking myself for not knitting the cool Norwegian deities on the feet. I've worn them exactly once - for cross-country skiing back when we lived in Colorado.





These asymmetrical knee socks were knit with some naturally colored wool handspun yarn I bought on Ebay. I had just heard Elizabeth Zimmermann had died so I used charts I found in one of her books.

DH has worn these for cross-country skiing although I'm not sure they are the right size. I guess I have to make some more!

I hope to get a chance this week to photograph all my hand knit sweaters. The previous photos weren't that great and I hope to improve on them and get some more shots of special details.

On the other hand, perhaps I shouldn't bother as evidenced by these less-than-wonderful photographs of you-know-who.

Here's where I knit outside. I don't do it often because we have too little shade but today it wasn't too hot. I'm finishing up the second Navajo-inspired glove while drinking some herb tea. DH made these Adirondack chairs although he keeps giving them away. As you can see I don't let DH remove weeds because I love eating dandelion leaves in my salads. Plus there is the rabbit who especially enjoys the flowers.

Here is my latest glove-in-progress. (Yes, I'm aware that I can't seem to stop knitting gloves.) I used the design on a friend's Navajo rug for the chart inspiration and 6 colors of Palette. I think I'm going to add fringe on one side of the gauntlet cuff and possibly a duplicate stitch design on the back of the hand to add to the western theme.

BTW, if you look hard you can see Peaches the rabbit snoozing in her pet bed under the green table.

Petit Chou (Free Baby Knitting Pattern)

Here is my Petit Chou (little cream puff, pronounced "shoe").

*******************Corrections have been added to the T pattern*******************


I designed it as a newborn set. The baby will wear it when he or she first meets everyone, and the pieces will become family heirlooms. The project is quick, and simple, with the T being knit mostly in the round. There is minimum seaming. The decorative stitch, inspired by Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns is remarkably simple, and understated. The project is perfect for busy future Moms, Grandmas or friends to knit for a baby shower.
I hope you have as much fun and pleasure knitting it as I did.
As always, I do my best to avoid errors in the pattern, but feel free to leave comments if clarifications are needed.

Materials: Bouton D'Or, Mango, 2 balls Plume, 1 ball Peach (120 yrds each)
16" circular US 2, dpts US 2
Holder
2 yards ribbon
Gauge: 7 stitches/inch




PETIT CHOU SLIPPERS

Make 2.

With Plume cast on 7.
R1: With Plume,Knit
R2: With Plume, K1, purl till last stitch, K1
~~~~~~~~~R3: With Plume, K1f&b, knit to the last 2 stitches, K1f&b, K1
R4: With Plume, K1, purl, end K1
R5: With Peach, *sl1 wyib, sl1 wyif*. Repeat from * to *. End sl1 wyib
R6: With Peach, p1, *sl1 wyib, sl1 wyif*. Repeat from * to *
R7: With Plume, K1f&b, K1f&b, knit till last 3 stitches, K1f&b, k1f&b, K1
R8: Same as R4
R9: With Peach, *sl1 wyif, sl1 wyib*. Repeat from * to *, end sl1 wyif.
~~~~~~~~~R10: With Peach, carrying the yarn around the edge of your work, p1, *sl1 wyif, sl1 wyib*. Repeat from * to *.
R11: With Plume, K1f&b, K1f&b, knit to last 3 stitches, K1f&b, K1f&b, K1.
R12: Same as R4
R13: Same as R5
R14: Same as R6
R15: With Plume, knit
R16: Same as R4
R17: Same as R9
R18: Same as R10

You have now completed all increases and can continue knitting in pattern as follows:
Repeat rows 3 through 10 1 more time BUT DO NOT increase on R3 and R7, just knit.
~~~~~~~~~R3: With Plume, Knit
R4: With Plume, K1, purl, end K1
R5: With Peach, *sl1 wyib, sl1 wyif*. Repeat from * to *. End sl1 wyib
R6: With Peach, p1, *sl1 wyib, sl1 wyif*. Repeat from * to *
R7: With Plume, Knit
R8: Same as R4
R9: With Peach, *sl1 wyif, sl1 wyib*. Repeat from * to *, end sl1 wyif.
~~~~~~~~~R10: With Peach, carrying the yarn around the edge of your work, p1, *sl1 wyif, sl1 wyib*. Repeat from * to *.



You will now split the slipper into 2 parts while keeping the pattern.
R1: With Plume, Knit
R2: K1, P4, BO7, P4, K1
Continue working each side separately repeating rows 3 through 10 from above without increasing. Repeat the pattern a total of 3 more times on each side.

Once the two sides of the slipper are done, reattach plume to the right edge of you work.
K5, CO 7, K5.

You are back on R4 of the pattern. Conitnue in pattern but change R7 as follows: K1, K2tog, K2tog, knit to last 5 stitches, K2tog, K2tog, K1. Go through R10.
Next row: With Plume, K1, K2tog, K2tog, knit to last 5 stitches, K2tog, K2tog, K1.
Next row: With Plume, K1, purl, end K1.
Repeat last 2 rows with Plume one more time. BO.

Make the soles of the slippers as follows:

Peach is used for the entire sole.

Cast on 7 sts.
Knit 1 row.
Purl 1 row.
Next row: K1f&b, knit to last 2 stitches, K1f&b, K1.
Next row: Purl
Next row: K1f&b, K1f&b, knit to last 3 stitches, K1f&b, K1f&b, K1
Next row: Purl
Next row: K1f&b, K1f&b, knit to last 3 stitches, K1f&b, K1f&b, K1.
Next row: purl

Continue knitting the sole in st st, until it is 1/4" shorter than the top of the slipper.
Then continue as follows:
Next row: K1, K2tog, K2tog, knit to last 5 stitches, K2tog, K2tog, K1
Next row: Purl
Repeat last 2 rows one more time.
Knit 1 row.
Purl 1 row.
BO

On the top piece of the slipper, with Peach, pick up and knit 17 stitches, join round, and knit 2 rows in garter stitch, BO loosely.
Seam pieces together, weave in ends. If desired, weave a section of ribbon under the center stitch at the base of the picked up edge, and tie a bow.


PETIT CHOU T

With Peach cast on 100 stitches. Join round. Knit 4 rounds in garter stitch.
Switch to Plume, and in st st until piece measures a total of 4".
With Peach knit 2 rounds garter.
With Plume knit 2 rounds st st.
Eyelet round: *K8, K2tog, YO* Repeat from * to * using Plume.
Knit 2 rounds in st st with Plume.
With Peach Knit 2 rounds garter.
Knit 1 round with Plume.
Add one stitch in next round with Plume.
Transfer the 50 back stitches to a large holder.
Work front of the shirt in pattern, using R3 through R10 of the slipper pattern (without increases). You will be on R5 of the pattern.
~~~~~~~~~R3: With Plume knit
R4: With Plume, K1, purl, end K1
R5: With Peach, *sl1 wyib, sl1 wyif*. Repeat from * to *. End sl1 wyib
R6: With Peach, p1, *sl1 wyib, sl1 wyif*. Repeat from * to *
R7: With Plume,knit
R8: Same as R4
R9: With Peach, *sl1 wyif, sl1 wyib*. Repeat from * to *, end sl1 wyif.
~~~~~~~~~R10: With Peach, carrying the yarn around the edge of your work, p1, *sl1 wyif, sl1 wyib*. Repeat from * to *.

Knit a total of 4 pattern repeats.
Repeat R3.
Bo for neck as follows: K1, P20, BO 8, P20, K2tog.
Continue in pattern on each side of neck (you will be on 9), binding off 4 stitches at the beginning of row 4, and again on row 8. You will be working on 13 stitches.
Conitnue in pattern for 1" from last BO.
Make shoulder band using peach as follows:
Knit 2 rows garter.
Buttonhole row: K3, BO 2, K2, BO 2, K2
Next row: K3, CO 2, K3, CO 2, K3
Knit 2 rows garter.
BO loosely.

For the other side of the neck, the BOs will happen on the knit side on rows 3 and
7. You will need to cut an reattach the Peach yarn to work the pattern. Otherwise, proceed as above.

Pick up and Knit 48 stitches along the neck opening of the front piece with Peach, and Knit an additional 3 rows in garter stitch. BO loosely.

Put the back stitches back on the needles, and knitting with plume, knit in st st until back piece measures 3 1/2" from last Peach garter row. Bind off for neck as follows: K16, BO 18, K15.
Knit each side of the neck separately.
Purl one row.
Next row: BO 3, knit to end.
Purl 1 row.
Continue in st st until you are ready to knit the garter edge, which are positioned as for the front.
With Peach, knit 6 rows garter. BO.

For the other side of the neck, the BOs will be at the beginning of your knit rows.

Pick up and knit 40 stitches along the neck opening of the back side, with Peach, and knit an additional 3 rows in garter stitcth.

Sleeves.

Pin the shoulder pieces in place, matching them as closely as possible, with the buttonholes on top.
Starting at the center of the armpit, pick up and knit stitches along the entire armhole, making sure to go through both layers on the shoulders.
With Plume, pick up and knit 37 stitches, join round, and knit 3 rounds in st st.
Decrease round: K2tog, knit to the last 2 stitches, K2tog.
Knit in st st until sleeve is 3/4", switch to Peach, and Knit 4 rows in garter. BO loosely.
Repeat process on other side.

Weave in all ends, and weave a ribbon through the eyelet holes.


Pattern is for private use only, and may not be reproduced, or used for commercial purposes.

"Petit Chou" the Baby Outfit is Finished

Here is the new baby set "Petit Chou" (meaning cream puff, and pronouced shoe), finished, pressed, ready to be gift wrapped and sent all the way to Jerusalem, to meet my new little cousin.

The whole project takes a couple of days to knit, and is a wonderful baby shower gift. I will post the pattern as a free pattern tomorrow.

I spent the weekend giving up on things.

1. I gave up on the Fendi knock-off gloves I was knitting (on the left). Other than the cuff they just bored me silly and I couldn't figure out how to add more colorwork to keep my interest. I guess I need more color as well. So I've given up. I may use the chart again for another project.

2. The wonderful Selbustrikk cover mittens. The problem is that I can't find a single man who will wear these. They are going to be larger than the hands of the one guy I hoped they'd fit and I can't find another guy who would wear these mittens. I'll continue to see if I can find someone else to give them to.

3. My new Pony Pearls 5.75" metal reinforced dpns in sizes 2.25 and 2.75 mm. I bought these because the Inox/Prym glove needles I usually buy don't come in every size. Unfortunately these particular plastic-coated dpns have the worst tips ever - they are rough and coarse and constantly catch on or split the yarn. I will stick to using 7" dpns in that size no matter how clumsy they are for glove fingers. (I break bamboo and wood dpns in that size.) I may try to sand the tips to make them work better.