Hold My Sock

Yarn Harlot started it, knitters everywhere continue it. Having someone significant hold your sock for a picture is something that seems odd, but when you're a knitter, including your projects in such a way raises the importance of both the sock and the subject of the picture. At least, that's what I think.

Last weekend, Naomi and I drove down to West Virginia (talk about a long road trip) for Lora Leigh's Reader Appreciation Weekend, known as RAW. There, I got to hang with many people I see online all the time and with authors of such wonderful talent and imagination. I brought along stuff to finally begin the second sock to match this:

Spring Forward at Knitty. I finished the first one over a month ago. Second Sock Syndrome hits me hard. I'm working on that, though.

Anyway, I cast on the second sock while I was at RAW's Friday night slumber party. Everyone (okay, most) wore pyjamas and we ate pizza and danced to the tunes of a very enthusiastic DJ. The next day, there was a private booksigning just for RAW attendees and a Masquerade Ball that evening. I got pictures of said sock along with people I know and love. Most took it in stride when I said "hold my sock," but the funniest was Lora Leigh, who looked at me suspiciously and asked "Is it contagious?", which is the exact thing she said when I told her earlier in the evening that I was pregnant. LOL

Naomi (left) and Kimberly, who was being cheeky and used her cleavage as a shelf.


Danita, who had the coolest "mask" at the ball.


Diane, who is one of the finest examples of all that is good about human beings.


Jill, who somehow withstands the blazing oven-like heat of Arizona every summer.


Author Lora Leigh, who came up with the idea of RAW originally and who also writes excellent books.


Mel, who liked the sock so much she didn't even look away from it while holding it.


Me and Nalini Singh, one of my favorite authors and an utter sweetheart.


Me and JR Ward, an incredibly lovely and gracious woman who writes books I kind of have a thing for.


It was a great weekend. A lot of driving to get there and back, but totally worth it. I likely won't be going next year because, assuming all goes well, I will have a four month old baby in addition to Peanut and traveling that much for so little time there seems pretty crazy.

Basic Baby Socks

I've become a fan of making my own sock patterns. As an experienced knitter, it's fun and relatively easy. To the beginner, though, having a pattern is important. Even better is a basic pattern, which is often a blank canvas on which a knitter imposes his or her own creativity. Baby socks are good for that. They can also be an instant-gratification project, a way to use up leftover yarn, or a way to take a new yarn for a test drive.

It is because of the latter that these socks came about. I had seen On Your Toes Bamboo (Ravelry link) at my LYS months ago, but whenever I stopped in after that they were sold out. I don't like special ordering yarn (for some reason I feel like premeditated spending is worse than impulse buys--I have no idea why), so I just kept an eye out. Last week while I get getting some Cascade 220 for a sweater, I noticed that they had it in. It's a pretty salmon pink, plenty girly without being run-of-the-mill pastel.



The gauge on the ball band calls for US 3 (3.25mm) needles, so that's what I used. I like the fabric it produced despite the fact that many Ravelers used US 1 or 2 needles. Also, it went faster. At this gauge, they should fit babies up to about 12 months old or so. Changing yarn may change either stitch or row gauge and will therefore affect the size of the finished sock.

So here's the pattern. As always, get creative. Longer cuffs, ribbing down the foot, it's all good. :) Unlike my Little Feet pattern, this has been written for the begging sock knitter with detailed instructions for the turned heel, gusset, and wedge toe. Grafting/Kitchener instructions for the toe can be found in a multitude of places, so you're on your own there. Happy knitting!

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Yarn: On Your Toes Bamboo, 75% Bamboo 25% Nylon
Needles: US size 3
Gauge: 7.5 sts/in

CO 32

Knit 10 rows of 2x2 ribbing

After completing the tenth round, knit 16 stitches onto one needle for the heel flap. Work 12 rows in total (including the first knit row) for the heel flap, ending with a purl row.

Turn Heel:
Row 1: sl 1, k 9, ssk, k 1, turn
Row 2: sl 1, p5, p2tog, p 1, turn
Row 3: sl 1, k 6, ssk, k 1, turn
Row 4: sl 1, p 7, p2tog, p 1, turn
Row 5: sl 1, k 8, ssk, turn
Row 6: sl 1, p 9, p2tog, turn. 10 sts remain

Gusset:
Knit 5 of the heel stitches onto one needle and the second five onto another needle, now Needle 1. With Needle 1, pick up 8 stitches along the side of the heel flap. Knit across the top of the sock to the other side of the flap (needles 2 and 3). Pick up 8 stitches with a new needle (needle 4) and knit the five remaining heel stitches. Needles 1 and 4 each have 14 stitches. Needles 2 and 3 each have 8. The center of the heel is the new beginning of the round.

Row 1: Knit even.
Row 2: Knit to the last three stitches of needle 1, k2tog, k1. Knit even across needles 2 and 3. When you get to needle 4, k1, ssk, knit to end.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until all needles have 8 stitches.

Foot:
Work 12 rows even

Toe:
Row 1: Knit to last 3 sts of needle 1, k2tog. K1, ssk at the beginning of needle 2. Knit to last 3 sts of needle 3, k2tog. K1, ssk at the beginning of needle 4. Knit to end of round.
Row 2: knit even

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until each needle has 4 stitches. Graft two sets of 8 and weave in ends.

Knitting, knitting, knitting...

I have been pretty productive over the last month or so. Among other things, I've been turning out dishcloths and lace bookmarks like nuts. Thanks, Liz, for all those wonderful sock yarn scraps for the bookmarks.

I knit a pair of socks in one week by working them at the same time on two sets of DPNs. It was great. Now I just hope they fit the intended recipient, but that's the risk you take when you make socks for feet you don't have access to.

I started a pair of baby socks for my favorite author's best friend's baby girl. A little weird, I know, but I wanted to test drive this new sock yarn (Ravelry link) I got and get a really accurate gauge and baby socks seemed like a good idea. Plus I have baby fever and I'm hoping to ingratiate myself with this particular author to that perhaps she will send me books early or something. Pathetic, yes. But I've made peace with that. :)

I've been plowing through my kitchen cotton. In fact, even my husband noticed that my giant yarn box (what he calls my stash) was getting lighter. Maybe if I fill it up again with lighter fibers like wool, he won't notice that it took a lot more yarn to do it. LOL

I've put my raglan (Ravelry link) on hold until the drive to West Virginia. I need to swatch it a lot better; there won't be much ease in this thing, so I want to really avoid making it too small. I need to figure out what cable I want to put down the sleeves and swatch that as well. Also, I think I will knit it in the round and steek it for a zipper.

The idea of steeking is daunting, scary, and thrilling. It's a big risk, cutting your knitted fabric. One of the things I like about knitting is that it's very forgiving: if you don't like it or have made a mistake, you can rip it out. We've all done it. I've frogged an entire sweater before. Steeking, on the other hand, is an irreversible committment.

But hey--what is knitting if not an opportunity to constantly challenge myself? I keep telling beginning knitters that knitting is not hard, it's just a bunch of small building blocks. Steeking will be yet another block added to Courtney's House of Knitting Skills. The time has come to leave my comfort zone. I did it with socks. I can do it with steeking.

Aaah, September

I'm a fan of September. I loved school and by the time September rolled around, I was so ready to go back. Now, I have something else to look forward to.




This year's Reader Appreciation Weekend is at the Pullman Plaza in Huntington, West Virginia. Naomi and I are driving down and rooming together. Sadly, Maggie will not be there, but I get to see a bunch of other friends, including Lami and Kat. I can't wait.

I have been knitting for this event for months. Mostly washcloths, but a few really nice things, too. JR is getting something decadent that didn't even cost that much. I'm knitting a pair of socks for someone who singlehandedly saved my holiday. My favorite sheep-chasing Kiwi author is getting something with a sheep on it.

The other authors I've read are getting pretty lace bookmarks, assuming I can get them done. I may have to knit them on the way and block them when we get there. We'll see.

Hostage Situations

Knitting is only my second love. My first is romance novels. It's unfortunate that I have chosen two hobbies so misunderstood by society, but the reward I get from both outweighs the occaisional negative feedback.

Next week, there's a book releasing that I've been chomping at the bit for. Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series is one of the best new paranormal series out there right now. She's taken basic shapeshifter lore and the possibility of psychic ability and combined them in an alternate near-future reality. The fifth book, Hostage to Pleasure, will be landing in stores in seven days.



In this book we will get to know Dorian better, a leopard changeling who was born a latent--he's a leopard in every way except he doesn't have the ability to shift. Everyone I've talked to who has already read this book has loved it--not that I'd expect anything less than that from one of my favorite new writers.

Nalini Singh is not only a great author, but an utter sweetheart. I get to meet her in a few weeks. She's getting a sheep-related knitted gift to honor her Kiwi-ness. LOL She's running a contest on her blog that sounds fun because it gives us readers an excuse to ruminate on all the delicious men we encounter in the land of romance fiction. The question involves hostages, both having one and being one.

Which fictional hero would I like to hold hostage? It's a tie between Baran Arvid from Angela Knight's Jane's Warlord and Judd Lauren from Nalini's books. Baran Arvid is a genetically engineered warrior from about three hundred years in the future. He has super strength, a tattoo on his face, and uses a restraint cable quite creatively. Judd Lauren was featured in Caressed by Ice, the third Psy-Changeling book I was lucky enough to win an ARC of a couple months before it's official release.

Who would I want to hold me hostage? Also a tie. I don't think Zsadist could hold anyone against their will given his past, but I'd love for him to make that particular bit of personal growth with me. I'd also want Roarke from JD Robb's In Death series. Rich Irish bad boy with a well-hidden soft side? Sign me up. Roarke may be my favorite fictional hero of all time.

Nalini's last question is which fictional world would I want to be held hostage in. Assuming I'd get a change to explore it, I'd have to say the world she created with the Psy, Changelings, and humans living semiharmoniously together. Aside from the fascinating people, there's a lot of fun technology to explore. I'd want to be a changeling, though. Or a Psy after they break Silence. Unless I'd be a Psy who got a changeling male's assistance in breaking out of that pesky emotionless automaton thing....but I digress.

If you like paranormal romance and haven't gotten to this series yet, you should get out from under that rock and start Slave to Sensation. Nalini's style and imagination is fresh and brilliant and you will enjoy it.

We now go back to our irregularly scheduled knitting blog. :)

Little Feet Baby Socks

My first original sock pattern! As socks are not exactly rocket science, it may not be a very impressive feat, but something so simple and lovely has got to be magical, so I am very proud of myself. So, without further ado, here's how you can make your own Little Feet:

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Little Feet Baby Socks


I love the k2p1 ribbing. It gives a close fit without distorting the smoothness of the fabric like k2p2 can do. This pattern is written for someone who is familiar with the basic construction of a top-down sock and knows how to turn a heel, decrease a gusset, and decrease a wedge toe.

Size:
0-3 months (by working more instep rows, you can knit these socks to fit up to 6 months or so)

Materials:
Fingering weight sock yarn (leftovers from adult socks knit from 100g of yarn will be plenty)
US Size 1 (2.25 mm) DPNs, set of 5
Tapestry needle

Gauge:
9 sts per inch in stockinette stitch
**This is a little flexible. For baby socks, err on the side of caution and keep in mind that a little bigger is always better than too small.**

Pattern:

CO 36 sts, 9 on each needle

Work k2, p1 ribbing for 10 rows (or however long you want the cuff to be)

Heel Flap
After the end of the tenth/last round, k18 and turn to purl back for a plain stockinette flap. Work fourteen rows in total, ending with a purl row.

Turn Heel
Row 1: k11, ssk, k1, turn
Row 2: sl1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 3: sl1, knit to 1 st before gap, ssk over gap, k1, turn
Row 4: sl1, purl to 1 st before gap, p2tog over gap, p1, turn
Continue in this fashion until all heel stitches have been worked. 12 sts remain.

Gusset
Knit across all heel sts, then pick up 9 sts along heel flap for gusset. Work ribbing across instep. Pick up 9 sts along flap and knit 6 sts from the heel to place the center of the heel between needles. Knit the first round even, then alternate decrease and even rows until all needles have 9 sts.

Instep and Toe
Work 12 rounds even, then alternate decrease and even rows for toe until 16 sts remain. Graft two sets of 8 and weave in ends.

Baby Socks!

I will be posting the pattern for these later because it's an original by me and I want to publish it and put it on Ravelry, but I just had to share:



I also finished the pink pair for my new niece:


I love baby socks. They are fast, easy, and totally fun to give away.