Monday, March 13, 2006

Short row socks

I decided to try my hand at short-row toe-up socks. Since I have high arches, a narrow heel, and a flat front to my foot, I made a few changes to the generic pattern for toe-up socks. (The toe and heel are a Sherman sock toe and heel.) The socks are 100% acrylic Moda Dea yarn. Here (edited September 2009) are my alterations to the general directions:

(s1 = slip 1 purlwise unless otherwise noted)

co 22 (using Turkish co -- 22 sts per needle)
Then using only one needle,
turn, p22, turn
Work Sherman sock toe:
s1, k20, turn
s1, p19, turn
s1, k18, turn
...... , end with:
s1, k10, turn -- for a flattish toe (approximately half of 22, the number of sts co)
s1, p8, p enc (s1, pick up st below next st, return both sts to LH needle, p2tog), turn
Then:
s1, k8, k enc (s1 knitwise, pick up st below next st, return both sts to LH needle, k2tog tbl), turn
s1, p9, p enc, turn
s1, k10, k enc, turn
....., end with
s1, k18, k enc, s1 (22 sts on needle), do not turn

Start working in the round (using both needles).
Work k44 around (or in pattern) to 3" shy of total foot length. One circ has the 22 sole sts, the other has the 22 top/insole sts.
Work 6 more rounds.
On odd rounds on circ w sole sts, k1, m1, knit to last st, m1, k1 -- for a total increase of 6 sts to sole.
Then work short-row heel on these 28 sts:
s1, k26, turn
s1, p25, turn
...., end with
s1, k6, turn (approximately a third of 22, the number of sts co)
s1, p4, p enc, turn
Then:
s1, k4, k enc, turn
s1, p5, p enc, turn
s1. k6, k enc, turn
s1, p8, ptog next st w wraps, wrap and turn
...., end with
s1, k24, k enc, turn
s1, p25, p enc, turn
s1, k26, k enc, do not turn
(The last two enc's involve picking up sts from the insole circ.)

Work 10 rounds by knitting around. (Now: 28 sts on sole, 22 sts on top.)
Work 10 round of k2, p2 (or else, k1, p1)
Then: k2, slip 2 with yarn in front for next round (or else, k1, s 1 wyf)
Then: slip 2 with yarn in back, p2 for next round (or else, k1 wyb, p1)
Finally, BO w loose bind off such as crochet bind off.

Sunday, March 5, 2006

v-neck


Here are the directions I made up for doing a v-neck raglan sweater.

For a sweater for me, I cast on 56 sts (front:27, each side: 6, back: 17). For my DH, I cast on 64 sts (front:29, each side: 13, back: 19). I put markers where the sides meetthe front/back. The center panel on the sweater in the picture isthe Trinity stitch. (It's known by a few other names aswell.) Because it's based on an even number of stitches, I neededto k2tog at the bottom of the V. I also should have started it alittle higher on the sweater.

Ribbing R 1: Work ribbing around starting at the left-front marker. – EXCEPT when reaching the stitch before the center front:k1, (marker), p1, (marker), k1. Continue the ribbing as a reflection of the pattern just before. Place markers also where front or back and sleeves meet (4 markers). [The p1 is the center front stitch.]

Ribbing R 2: Work ribbingaround. Inc1, k1, (marker), p1, (marker),k1, inc1. Work ribbing around.

Repeat Ribbing R’s 1- 2 for a total of 4 rounds (or more, if desired). Then, knit around,except purl any purl sts next to a marker. Purl around to keepribbing from curling out. Increase on even rounds as in Ribbing R 2. (End of ribbing)

Then: Designate the front garment section asscrap, but do not take off the needle. Starting at the left-front marker:

R’s 1- 10: Work pattern around on stitches not in scrap. End with Ending-A. On odd rows (right sides) only, make raglan increases to garment back and sleeves but not to garment front (for total of 6 increases per round).

Ending-A: Knit (or purl) laststitch and then knit (or purl) one stitch from scrap. Wrap and turn.

R’s 11 - 12: Workpattern around. Make raglan increases on odd rows (right sides) oras appropriate. (There are 8 increases – 4 pairs – in each oddrow.) End with the Ending-N. (Note: The number ofstitches between the last stitch and the nearer center marker is nowa multiple of 3.)

Ending- N: Knit (or purl) last two stitches together. Knit (or purl) together two stitches from scrap. Wrap and turn.

R’s 13 - 14: Work pattern around. Make raglan increases on odd rows (right sides). End with the Ending-A.

Repeat R’s 11 - 14, until there are the same number of stitches in front as in back. Then repeat R’s 13 – 14 until there are 1 to 3 stitch(es) left in scrap. Work pattern around.