Elderly cat breathing difficulties when purring

[Snowy]

... and bought two balls of self striping sock wool today

 

Advice needed!

I need a basic, toe up, pattern - any pointers?

Is it easier to knit toe up or top down?

Is it easier on circular needles or 4/5 double pointy ones?

Any other good advice?

 

I've seen some patterns on Ravelry, but it's hard to pick one - they all look equally complicated!

Edited April 23, 2009 by Guest

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

Awww man! HOW do people knit socky goodness? V impressed.

 

Whip up has a week of socks this week, fortuitously. There may be some top sock tippage there?

 

http://whipup.net/

[Snowy]

"Top sock tippage"! I love it! Just don't try to say it too quickly! Thanks for that

[craftyhunnypie]

I had a go & gave up. I can't do socks! Best stick to my crochet.

 

Emma.x

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Here's the link to the free pattern I use. You just select the size etc and it gives you the pattern to print off (used it several times) the best sock needles are made by an American company called Brittany (they are tiny wooden needles but soooo easy to use).

 

pattern:

 

http://violetgreen.co.uk/sock_pattern_calculator.php

 

needles:

 

http://www.angelyarns.com/knitting/brittany-dpn.php

 

Just don't look at Angel Yarns sock wool it's to die for

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

Post sock pics Mrs Webmuppet! There's nowhere near enough hot sock action on here to admire. I LOVE homemade socks! I totally bow down at the sock-clad feet of those knitty gurus who can make them.

[Mrs Webmuppet]

I don't actually have any of the socks I've knitted as they have all been given as gifts........I will see if I can locate the ones I knitted LMW, it will mean venturing into her bedroom. I have one sock that is currently work in progress, I'll see if I can get Mr W to take a pic, I'm no good at techy stuff.

[theherd123]

Ubereglu knitted my little Isabelle a pair of socks so im sure she could offer some guidance!

[Fizzle Knit]

Regia do a pattern for socks in the form of a little leaflet that you can sometimes pick up for free in wool shops - 4 ply and 6 ply. Maybe it's on their website? I'll look out for it on my travels for you too.

I've knitted one pair which was with chunky yarn and was then felted, so more like slipper socks - they were toe-down and I amazed myself by actually completing them - with a little perserverance. I've never used circular needles, but got on with the DPN's fine.

Let us know how you get on!

[..lay a little egg for me]

I use this method all the time using a singular circular needle. I love it because the socks look more like bought ones than most home-knit socks, you can try it on as you go for an exact fit and there is no need to graft the toes. Hope it makes sense!

 

Knitting Basic Toe-Up Socks Using the “Magic Loop” Circular Method

 

Magic-loop knitting: to see a video of how to do magic loop knitting see this YouTube lesson: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BtBSmxGomPk

If you don’t want to use magic loop knitting, the pattern can easily be adapted for 4 dpns.

 

Materials:

100 Grams of 4 ply yarn or double knitting for thick socks.

One circular knitting needle in size needed to work with your weight of yarn for a gauge of approximately 7 or 8 stitches per inch. With this method, you can try the socks on as you go to make sure you get them the correct size.

 

Abbreviations:

M1L: Make 1 left – Insert left needle, from FRONT to BACK, under the horizontal strand between last stitch worked and next stitch on the left needle, forming a loop on the needle. Knit through the BACK of this loop. (I like to use my right needle to lift the strand onto the left needle.)

M1R: Make 1 Right – Insert left needle, from back to front, under the horizontal strand between last stitch worked and next stitch on left needle, forming a loop on needle. Knit through the front of this loop. TIP: It is often difficult to get your needle into the loop, so I like to lift the stitch up with my right needle to loosen it and then hold the slack against the left needle with my finger while I insert the right needle.

SSK: Slip, Slip, Knit – Slip 2 stitches, one at a time from the left needle onto the right, as if to knit. Slide left needle through the front loops of these slipped stitches, from left to right, and knit them together from this position.

KB: Knit through the back loop of the stitch.

YF: Yarn forward – move the yarn between the needles to the front.

YB: Yarn back – move the yarn between the needles to the back.

 

 

Instructions:

Using the figure 8 cast on method, loosely cast on 12 stitches for the first sock (this means 12 stitches on the top needle and 12 on the bottom needle).

Here's how to do the figure 8 cast on: The yarn is wound around two needle tips in a figure 8 fashion. The yarn end should start under the lower needle. Wind the yarn around the needles until you have 10–14 ‘stitches’ on each needle (depending on the size sock you are knitting... around 12 looks best for an average woman’s foot)

 

Once the yarn is wound around the needles, pull the bottom needle through the stitches so you can use it to start knitting through the back loop of all the stitches on the top needle.

 

Now, switch the bottom needle to the top and knit (not through the back loop) each stitch on this needle. It is a good idea to hold the yarn tail between the fingers of your left hand to keep it out of the way and to make sure the last stitch remains tight.

 

You can now knit in a circle, increasing at the end of each needle as in the instructions below.

 

When the circle is a little bigger, tighten the first row stitches by starting on the opposite side of the tail (which is on the left when looking down at the toe from the top of the sock) yanking on the stitches one at a time to move the slack from one stitch to the next until you reach the tail.

 

Toe and Toe Increases:

Round 2: *K1, M1L, Knit to 1 stitch before end of needle, M1R, K1,* change needles and repeat between asterisks to complete the round.

Round 3: Knit entire row.

Repeat Rounds 2 and 3 until you have a total of 56 stitches (for small to medium woman’s size) or 60 or 64 stitches (for medium to large woman’s size) for each sock - or until you try on the toe and it fits your foot or the circumference measurement is correct for the foot for which the sock is being made.

 

Foot:

Knit all rounds until socks measure 3” less than length of foot. Or if you want a pattern, such as a rib for the top of the foot part, knit one needle in pattern and the other plain (this will become the sole of the foot).

Increase Round: K1, M1L, Knit to 1 stitch before end of first needle (or the sole side), M1R, K1. Change needles and knit all stitches on second needle. Increases are made on first/sole needle ONLY - which will become the heel side of the sock.

Continue knitting for 1 more inch, or until socks measure 2” less than length of foot.

Repeat the increase round. You will have 4 more stitches on the first or heel needle than on the second or instep needle.

 

Shaping the Heel:

Heel is worked on one needle, turning at the end of each row just as if you were working on 2 straight needles. Instep stitches remain on the other side of the cable until heel is complete. Important: After each wrapped stitch, pull the needles apart gently to keep the yarn loose around the slipped stitches, then work the first stitch of the next row carefully to prevent tightening what you have loosened. This will help prevent holes along the edge of the heel.

All slipped stitches should be slipped PURLWISE.

Row 1. Knit until you have 4 stitches remaining on the first (heel) needle. Slip the next 2 stitches purlwise, yf, turn.

Row 2. Slip 1, yf, purl until you have 4 stitches remaining on the needle, slip 2, yb, turn.

Row 3. Slip 1, yb until you have 5 stitches remaining on the first (heel) needle. Slip the next 2 stitches purlwise, yf, turn.

Row 4. Slip 1, yf, purl until you have 5 stitches remaining on the needle, slip 2, yb, turn.

Row 5. Slip 1, yb until you have 6 stitches remaining on the first (heel) needle. Slip the next 2 stitches purlwise, yf, turn.

Row 6. Slip 1, yf, purl until you have 6 stitches remaining on the needle, slip 2, yb, turn.

Slip 1, yf, purl 1 stitch less than you knitted on the previous rose, slip 2, yb, turn.

Repeat this process, increasing the number of stitches left on the needles, until you have approximately 12 or 13 stitches purled between the slipped stitches (or the same number of stitches as you cast on for the toe). Now the wrapping procedure is worked in the other direction.

Next Row: Slip 1, yb, knit until you have 1 LESS stitch left on the needle than on the previous row, slip 2, yf, turn.

Continue until you once again have 4 stitches left on the needle after a purl row, slip 2, yb, turn.

Work now continues in the round.

Round 1. Slip 1, yb, knit across to the last heel stitch, pick up the last wrap with the point of the left needle. Knit this wrap and the last stitch together. Do not turn. Knit (or follow pattern) across the top of foot stitches.

Round 2. At the beginning of the heel needle, slip the first stitch knitwise, pick up the wrap which is around the next stitch and place it on the tip of the right needle. Slide the tip of the left needle into the front loops of the wrap and the slipped stitch and knit them together from this position.

Knit across remaining heel stitches, change needles and knit across the instep stitches.

Decrease round on heel needle: K1, ssk, knit until you have 3 stitches remaining on the needle, knit 2 together, k1, change needles and knit/pattern all instep stitches.

Knit one round even.

Repeat the decrease round: you should now have the same number of stitches on the heel needle as you have on the instep needle.

Knit another round even before beginning leg.

 

Leg:

The leg of your sock can be knitted in plain stockinette stitch, in any type of ribbing, or in any other pattern you choose to use. It can also be knit to any length you like.

 

Cuff:

If you didn’t use ribbing on the leg, you may want to knit 1 or more inches of ribbing for the cuff of the sock. You could also knit a picot edge or just continue with stockinette if you like a rolled top. Anything goes! AND no grafting of toes necessary!

You may want to use a stretchier than usual cast off for the top if you ended with a ribbing. You can either cast off using a larger needle and/or try this cast-off method:

K2, return stitch from right needle back onto left needle, knit this and the next stitch together, repeat process until you have cast off all but one stitch, transfer this stitch back to the left needle and knit. Cut yarn.

Sew in loose yarn end in toe and cuff.

Repeat for second sock!

[Mrs Webmuppet]

As promised a pic of LMW socks ( complete with LMW feet ) -

 

 

No idea why the picture has come out so small !

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

The coolest!!!

[Snowy]

Love LMWs socks!

 

Well I found some DPNS in our local wool shop, but the smallest size they had was 3mm and I needed 2.5mm I was about to throw a hissy fit when I realised that the shop lady was also doing socks! She had a pattern that used 3mm needles, but the pattern was only available free with a ball of sock wool. So I've ended up with a third ball of wool! This time I chose a mottly brown - not very interesting, but first pair of socks is now going to be OHs (he doesn't know yet!)

 

Going OK so far - it's a bit fiddly using the 4 needles but I'm getting the hang of it!

 

Also found this tutorial on Youtube - by a lovely Lancashire lass!

It's in 4 parts and takes you from the beginning through to turning the heel. Should make the pattern a bit easier to follow!

[Janty]

I've just bought a pattern and some sock wool. Can't start them yet though as I also bought a 10p pattern for some funky gloves and cheap wool to make them. I got so excited that I made the right hand last night when we got home from Norwich.

 

[Willow]

I bought one of those sock knitting packs from John Lewis and took them on hols to my sisters parents in-law last year. My Sisters MIL who is an amazing knitter said she'd never seen such a complicated pattern and got me started on a jumper instead

 

She knitted a wonderful aran sweater for my husband for Christmas

 

Guess I might get to the socks one day ... in a decade or two...

[Snowy]

Sock one finished! Not too difficult (instructions difficult to understand but made easier by watching the Youtube tutorials at the same time so I knew what it was meant to look like!

OH knows me so well - he said "very nice. But will I ever get another one to go with it?"

[Mrs Webmuppet]

Congratulations - looks fab . The other sock should be easier now you know how the pattern goes.

[A chickychickychick-ENN!!]

Coo!!!

[Willow]

Looks great

[craftyhunnypie]

I'll put my order in for some rainbow socks then!

 

Looking good Snowy!

 

Emma.x

[The Dogmother]

Lovely, let me know when you get the hang of it Snowy!

[Cooks]

that's brilliant!

[Tulip]

Cast on the second and start straight away, Snowy... gotta keep the momentum going! That first one looks fabbo, nice one

 

I also succumbed a couple of weeks ago to the lure of socks and finished my first pair on the flight out here using bamboo DPNs. I've tried magic loop briefly but the only circs both Hobbycraft and JL had were 18cm long - too short which means the cable is stretching the stitches. Will have to hit ebay for some longer ones when I get home.

 

I used a pattern for some fair isle socks which appeared in Lets Knit a couple of months ago and just ignored all the colour-changing bits. Will post pics when I get home as can't remember my Ravelry password Would be good to befriend any omletteers on Rav - I'm 1nikkinoodles. This is like my two current obsessions colliding - knitting and chickens, fantastic!

 

PS for all you knitters - Hobbycraft currently have Sirdar Just Soya at half price - 1.49 for 50g (105 metres). Utter bargain.

 

xx

[Plum]

That's something I could never do. It fits and looks well done

[Snowy]

Second pair finished - for me this time.

They are not odd - they match perfectly if I stand with one foot in front of the other.