Today I’d like to share with you a sneek peek at my latest fun project. I call it the “Foot Glove.”
I started out with the intention of using one color for every toe to illustrate the contruction, but afterwards liked the results so much I decided to continue the stripes throughout the entire sock. This is definitely a great project for using up the sock yarn stash. All you have to remember is to divide each color in half (two balls, one for each sock) then knit away.
Presently, I am working on writing up the pattern and will have it in my ETSY store soon. This was a bit of an engineering challenge, as the toes are not simply attach in a straight line, but need to be comformed to the shape of the foot, but I soon figured it out and will be giving you step by step instructions in the pattern.
Of course, once you get past the toe section, you can let your imagination run wild with all your pretty colored yarns. The techniques I used in this Toe-Up pattern included jogless stripes, my no-wrap short row heel, “no-dots” rib color change, and an invisible bind off. All these techniques will be included in the pattern.
It has been great fun knitting this up. I hope you have fun knitting up your version, too.
In my last post I shared with you that I was working on a pair of socks for a friend. This lovely lady has a problem buying socks because she has extremely large ankles in comparison to her foot size, along with the fact that one ankle is 2 inches larger than the other. What to do? Hummmmm?????
First off, I couldn’t use my customary ” left/right toe cap” in the “More Toes” tutorial (click my “Tips and Tutorials” page) because of the large amount of increases I would need to accomodate the ankle measurement, so to solve that problem I opted for my “Slipper Toe Cap” pattern instead, using the width of the three middle toes for my provisional cast on ( see “Tips and Tutorials page). When my toe cap was completed I began increasing equally on each side till the entire toe area was complete.
With the toe section finished, I began a 2 x2 rib on the upper center instep section. The increases from that point on were made every fourth round, one stitch in from the beginning and ending of each side of my Magic Loop NA (needle A, first half of round) and NB (needle B, last half of round). My ultimate goal for a total stitch count was 1 inch less than the circumference measurement of the ankle.
My next task was to form a relatively narrow heel, while retaining the large number of stitches I needed for the ankle. To do this, I planned a 3 inch deep heel. Using half of the total stitches, in my case (52), I began my heel by working 18 sets of short rows, leaving 16 stitches, ( or 2 inches) in the center at the turn. Here is the result.
You can see the wide ankle stitches are in their proper place, evenly distributed to fit this special foot.
* Just a note on the placement of the heel. Even though her foot measured 10 inches from tip of big toe to back edge of heel, I finally got the proper fit when I planned the turn of the 3 inch heel at 8 1/2 inches from the tip of the big toe, otherwise it did not fit the heel as smoothly as I wanted it to fit.
If you will take a good look at a commercial sock, you will notice that the heel turn is NOT at the back edge of the heel, but forward of it.
Now, all I have left is a few more rounds, working stockinette only on the heel portion, then I will complete the sock with the 2×2 rib around the entire sock for about 5 inches.
The right foot will begin as for the left foot, except that the increases on the instep with be less, and will be spaced every 6th round.
The 3 inch heel construction will still be needed so I will have to borrow a few stitches from the instep in order to work the 18 short row sets for the heel, but that’s OK, it will fit, and that’s what is important.
Hope this helps those of you who might have these special feet.
Knit-tweaker
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
This has been a fun project. I think it would make a great gift for the Chess player in anyone’s social circle. It definitely would be different, and portable. Just roll it up and take it along.
The picture above is my smaller version made with Palette fingering yarn from KnitPicks . It measures 12 1/4 inches square, with the playing field measuring, 10 1/8 inches square. Each interior square is 1 1/4 inch.
Here you see the opposite side.
The larger version measures 19 inches square with the playing field squares measuring 2 1/4 inch each.
This version was made with Patton’s Classic Wool.
This pattern is available at my Etsy store. The pattern includes both versions, chart and instructions.
As I was working on my new design for a felted Chess Board, I decided to experiment on some tension issues. Being that the felted project did not require a perfect tension, I decided this was the perfect time to try to examine different way to hold the yarn. Now, up front, I will tell you that I have a hard time with my left hand as I am loosing the sensitivity I once had to control the yarn. In the past I have been able to maintain even tension in my knitting simply by making one wrap around my little figure. It worked for my single knitting, stranded knitting with both hands, and double knitting. Now, however, it isn’t working as well, and I knew I would have to come up with something more reliable.
Below is a picture of what happened when I used my old system.
You can see the contrast between the tight and loose rows. This causes what I call, the “wave” affect. It is not very attractive, to say the least.
The second picture is the result of one extra wrap around the little figure of my left hand. The tension is more even, and I feel that I am heading in the right direction. Will it ever be perfect? Probably not. Ugh! But…. then, I’m not a machine.
Coming Soon!
Here is a picture of the large version of my felted/ fulled Chess Board
This board was knitted using Patton’s Classic Wool. It finishes to about 20 by 20.
The sample at the top with the two shades of blue will full /felt to about one inch squares, yielding a board that will be between 11-12 inches square.- perfect for small Chess sets.
The pattern will include a detailed chart, and instructions.
Here is a sample of the chart.
Check back if you are interested. I will be putting it on the shelf in my Etsy store soon.
While dinking around with a DK(double knitting) swatch, I finally worked out a “no twist” yarn edge closure that even I can do. Now, I will say right off that it is not a new discovery, for I am sure someone has done it. However, after reading and watching some of the offerings on this subject, I was a bit confused. So… I decided, that either my ears were plugged, or my brain wasn’t functioning on full tilt when I investigated the subject.
Now, that said, here is what I have to offer.
After you have your set up row in place. tie the CC(contrast color) on loosely.
Row 1. ONLY– Slip the first stitch of the DK pair knitwise. Bring both yarns to the front. Placing the MC (main color)yarn from the first knit stitch over the yarn(contrast color) of the purl. Lift the CC yarn, while holding the MC yarn firmly to the left. Purl the second Stitch of the DK pair with the CC. Bring both yarns to back. Continue across the row, working DK pairs till you have one DK pair left. Knit the first stitch of the pair with MC.
Drop the yarn behind your work (the green one).
Pick up purl yarn (CC)and bring it to the left, under the tip of the needle and to the front.
Purl the last st. Turn.
You can now see the captured yarn underneath the white bar.
Row 2– With yarn in back, slip the first stitch knitwise. Bring yarn to front and lay it over the needle to the right. Stick tip of right needle into purl st to left. See below.
Pick up yarn CC (contrast color)and purl the stitch. Move yarn(green) to back. Move MC(main color) to back. Now you are set up to work across DK pairs. Work all pairs to last pair. Knit first stitch of last pair, drop yarn in back as before. Pick up CC yarn, bring to left, underneath the needle, and forward. Purl the last stitch. Turn.
Row 3– Slip the first stitch knitwise, as before. Repeat the beginning and ending procedure as for Row 2 throughout your project. It works for me. Maybe it will work for you.
This make a nice slip stitch chain up the side, and secures the CC without any twisting or turning tricks.
OK, here’s the MORE part!
For the last few days I have been trying to figure out how to make a solid color band around a double knitted picture. However that required that I have the same color yarn on both sides of the bottom, top and side edges of my project. The bottom and top portions were no problem, as it only takes a separate strand of MC to be worked with the MC working yarn to produce the double sided solid frame of the same color. The problem was how to connect the picture portion using two different colors to the frame edge stitches. This method is also helpful if you don’t want all those different colors running down the trench between the two sides, causing extra unwanted bulk.
The problem was solved when I began to think, INTARSIA! I realized that I could combine any amount of colors if I began to handle them as an Intarsia pattern. The only difference is that I will be working both sides of the picture at the same time. So… here’s the fix!
Here’s another of the “more” tips-
Double Knit Tension Problems
Most of the tension problems with DK seem to center around the “purl” stitch being to loose on the backside. Practice definitely helps, but I’ve discovered that sometimes it take a bit of playing around with how your hold your yarn to tension it. For me, (since I purl with my left hand and knit with my right hand) that means double wrapping the yarn around the little finger on my left hand. This seems to keep my purl sitiches much firmer, and evens out my overall tension. You might give this a try if you find you are having the same problem.
This past year I was asked by a friend to duplicate a comercial knitted sweater. Her husband had bought it for her many years ago and it was her favorite, but as all things do eventually, it began to show its wear. So, I bravely, but reluctantly, said, “OK!” Boy, was I in for it!
First off, I had a devil of a time finding a yarn that came even close to the original. Next, I had to find a stitch that would duplicate the one used in the sweater. After searching for some time I came across a version of the “Brioche” stitch in an old Burda book that I had. Now, I had it made- or so I thought.
So…. what’s the point in this post? Just because the pattern is in a book doesn’t mean it can’t have mistakes.
This beautiful slip stitch rib pattern instructed me to, ” YO, slip purl, knit two together.” This basic sequence was to be repeated every row to form a reversible rib pattern that lies flat. Well, I did that, but the first time I tried it out on a swatch, the K 2 tog would not lay open like it looked in the picture. I knew something was wrong, so I changed it to YO, slip purl, SSK. It worked. I had it made-well sort of….
Now I don’t know about you but when I see instructions to YO (yarn over) before a knit stitch, I bring my yarn to the front then knit the stitch to the left. In this case, the instructions were to slip the purl, so I brought my yarn forward and looped it around the needle as I do if the next stitch to the left is a purl. I will have to tell you that it worked fine accept in this particular case, I had to be very careful that my YO was snug, otherwise the tension of the slip stitch was very hard to control-in other words, it was definitely NOT a relaxed knitting experience.
After finally reaching the arm hole on the back, I began to look carefully, following the yarn as I knitted, trying desperately to fine a better way of handling the stitch pattern. As I did, I realized that the term YO (yarn over) was in error( or at least my interpretation of it), so I tried just bringing my YF( yarn forward), slipping the purl, then working the SSK for one row. When I turned it around to start the next one, I noticed that the two stitches that were to be knitted together were already in their proper order and I no longer had to SSK them to get them to lay open. From that point on I was able to yf(yarn forward), slip the purl, then knit the two stitches together. The tension was also no longer a problem, and the move set me up for the next row. My nightmare was over. I could finally relax and enjoy knitting the sweater.
Why all this blather? If the pattern you are working on doesn’t look right, it doesn’t always mean that you have made a mistake. Your knitting instructions could have been written incorrectly. Terms means things. Our understanding of them is very important, and I will say that I have discovered that many have different intrepretations of similar terms. Also as a writer, it is very easy to assume your readers know what you are talking about, and many times the editors don’t catch these things as they are not actually knitting them. In this case the YO(yarn over) slip purl, should have been written YF(yarn forward) slip purl. What a difference two little letters, can make. Had I only known I would have saved many hours of pulling my hair out. Oh, well, live and learn.
Knit-tweaker
PS: I also had to figure out how to handle decreases, increases and proper case on for the pattern. What fun!!!!
While starting my new Double Knitting project, I decided to try a new cast on method. In the picture below you will see my two color cast on. Each color was put on by itself, producing an alternating colored edge. I think it looks pretty cool.
How to do it. Using the yarn and needles required for your project, calculate the yarn length for your long tail cast on by making a slip knot, then casting on 10 sts. Now tie a loop at the end of both pieces of yarn. See picture below.
Carefully undo the 10 cast on sts, leaving the original slip st on needle. Now measure the ( A) long tail side.
Then measure the ( B) working yarn side (the one attached to the ball of yarn).
Here you see that the length is about 7 1/2 inches, but I will round it up to 8 inches. Having determined how much yarn you need for 10 sts,you now can divide the number of cast on stitches required by 10 and multiply it times the length just measured, then add about 6 inches extra.
*You may notice that the measurements are about the same. But don’t be fooled. That is NOT always the case. It is important that you write down the numbers. On my current project, using size 10 1/2 needles, the B (working yarn) was about 1/3 more in length than the A (long tail).
Once you have determined the length of the long tail (A), peel off that length of yarn for one color then make a slip knot. STOP!!!! Before you go any farther, make a loose knot in A. You’ll thank me later.
Measuring again from the slip knot onward toward the ball of yarn, measure off the length of B. Break the yarn. Repeat this process with the other color, placing the slip knot infront of the first one. Now, with both slip knots on the needle, lay out your B’s (long tails, the one’s you marked- I hope) to your left, and the A’s straight ahead. Now you are ready to cast on.
In the video below, I will show you the move. Try it!
Once you are finisned casting your stitches on, just spit slice your working yarn on to the ends left and start knitting your double knit pattern.
You might also like to try this decorative cast on for a Fair Isle project.
Yes, my “Going to the Dog Socks” pattern is done and setting on the self of my Etsy store. The pattern includes, fitted right/left toe; a simple 2 by 2 rib on the instep; my short row neat and sweet heel, a double knit picture panel and the smooth finish of an invisible bind off.
Why the double knit picture panel? Double knitting is much more stretchy than Fair Isle knitting. There are no floats to deal with and you don’t have to worry about the tension getting too tight. And… besides, the best part is that there are no yarns to catch your toes on. So, just for your viewing pleasure I have started a Video Tips page that includes a short clip on my way of double knitting. There are lots of instructions on the web and YouTube. Don’t be afraid to try it.
I don’t know about you , but I hate having to purl the first row of my long tail cast on to getthat smooth looking edge on the right side of my work. The solution- cast it on with purls. This move requires a bit of practice, but it is easy to do and also can be used in setting up any rib pattern. So….without further ado, and armed with my new toy (my video camera) I thought it might be fun to upload this method for your enjoyment. Don’t laugh. Practice makes perfect. I hope you like it.
I have been working on this pattern for the last few days and hope to have it ready soon. Just thought I would let you have a peak, as it was requested some time ago. Below is my dog “Sparky.” I have immortalized him in yarn.
I purposefully worked this sample up in sport weight so you could see it better. This TOE-up pattern will include a fitted, right/left toe; short row heel (no wrap); double knit picture panel, and an invisible bind off-a professional looking finish. I will include my doxie chart, and a couple of more doggies for you to choose from.
Thanks so much for making your method of slipped short row heels available. It looks so nice and neat on the inside and outside plus NO HOLES . I have never been happy with the wrapped or yarn over short row heel on my socks. Your method is just so amazingly easy. I’ll be using this on all my heels and toes from now on. I recommend this for anyone who doesn’t like picking up stitches for a heel flap or holes in their short rows.
And I might add that I will be trying her newest tweak on the heels and toes of my next socks."
Deb
Creative Knitting - Beyond Knit and Purl 