Tabi Monogatari v8

Time for another pair of mid-calf socks for my hubby. Using my new interchangeable Chiaogoo US 0 Needles and my Schachenmayr Regia Design Line by Arne & Carlos yarn, I casted on 60 sts, based on the last pair I had made for him.  After "swatching" a bit, I found that that 60 sts (this time) was way too big.  So, I ripped out my "swatch" and casted on 50 sts.  Perfect! :)

Here's what I did:

1. I started with a Provisional cast on with a total of 50 sts.  As I envisioned, I used all four (4) of my 40” cables with an end cap on each end and a US 0 needle on the other end.  Once I was done with my cast on, I moved the end cap from one of the cables and the needle from the opposite cable and switched them out (so that one cable only had end caps on both sides and the other cable was my “working” needles).  It was a bit tricky at first (probably because I wasn't fully paying attention to which cable was which) but, it worked out to what I had hoped this set would be able to provide me - the ability to create provisional cast ons with a “capped” side and only one (1) working pair of needles (*yay* no more messing with two (2) pairs of needles on my socks until I'm done with the toes!! :))
2. K 1 straight row on each side, then connected in the round.
3. K 14 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
4. Started the toes: with 25 sts on each side, splitting it up for 8 sts for big toe, 17 sts for remaining toes.
5. Big toe:
• Row 1:
• Front: k, pick up 1 st below*, continue * ending with a k st for a total of 15 sts
• Back: k, pick up a st below 3x, k to last 3 sts, pick up a st below 3x, k, total of 11 sts
• Row 2-6 (5 rows): k
• Row 7:
• Front: k, k2tog, k to last st, total of 14 sts
• Back: k to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k, total of 14 sts
• Row 8-16 (9 rows): k
• Row 17:
• Front: k, k2tog, k to last st, total of 13 sts
• Back: k to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k, total of 13 sts
• Row 18-19 (2 rows): same as row 17 continuing to decrease 1 st on each side, for a total of 11 sts on each side
• Row 20-22: k
• Row 23:
• Front: k, k2tog tbl, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 9 sts
• Back: k, k2tog tbl, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 9 sts
• Row 24: same as row 23 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 7 sts on each side
• Row 25: k
• Row 26: same as row 24 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 5 sts on each side
• Row 27: k
• Row 28: same as row 25 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 3 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.
• The big toe came out to 5 cm (2 in).
6. The rest of the toes:
• Row 1: k, picking up 3 sts on each side, for a total of 20 sts
• Row 2:
• Front: k, k2tog tbl, k to the last 3 sts, k2tog tbl, k, for a total of 18 sts
• Back: k, k2tog tbl, k to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k, for a total of 18 sts
• Row 3:
• Front: k, k2tog, k to the end, for a total of 17 sts
• Back: k, to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k, for a total of 17 sts
• Row 4:
• Front: k to the last 3 sts, k2tog tbl, k, for a total of 16 sts
• Back: k. k2tog tbl. k to the end, for a total of 16 sts
• Row 5:
• Front: k2tog tbl, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog tbl, for a total of 14 sts
• Back: k2tog tbl. k to the last 2 sts, k2tog tbl, for a total of 14 sts
• Row 6-8: k
• Row 9:
• Front: k2tog tbl 2x, k to the end, for a total of 12 sts
• Back: k to the last 4 sts, k2tog tbl 2x, for a total of 12 sts
• Row 10:
• Front: k2tog tbl, k to the end, for a total of 11 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog tbl, for a total of 11 sts
• Row 11: same as Row 10, continuing to decrease 1 st, for l0 sts on each side
• Row 12-14: k
• Row 15: same as Row 11, continuing to decrease in 1 st, for a total of 9 sts on each side
• Row 16: k
• Row 17: same as Row 15, continuing to decrease 1 st, for a total of 8 sts on each side
• Row 18: k
• Row 19: same as Row 18, continuing to decrease 1 st, for a total of 7 sts on each side
• Row 20-21: k
• Row 22: same as Row 5, decreasing 2 sts, for a total of 5 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.
• The rest of the toe came out to 4 cm (1⅝ in).

7. Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the foot.
• Row 16: k for a total of 25 sts on each side
• Row 17: k to the end then pick up a st for 26 sts on one side & 25 sts on the other side
• Row 18: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 25 sts on each side
• Row 19-95 (77 rows): k, maintaining 25 sts on each side
• Row 96: k, pick up 1 st below, k to the last 2 sts, pick up 1 st below, k for a total 27 sts on each side
• Row 97-115 (19 rows): k, maintaining 27 sts on each side
• Including the initial 15 rows, this came out for a total of 24 cm (9 ½ in)

Top view

Bottom view

Side view

8. With the foot done, I started on the heel portion using the German short row method.  Depending on which side (left or right) I was working on will determine if I were ktbl/p and looking at the back (WS) or front (RS) side
• Row 116:
• Front: k, for a total of 29 sts (move 2 sts from the back side to the front side
• Back: k/p the first st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the front then to the back (as if to k/p, creating an extra st), then k/p to the end, creating 1 ultimate st and 24 regular sts on the RS (right side (aka the knit/purl side))
• Row 117: turn the sock around so you're looking on the back/front side, slip the first st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the back then to the front (as if to p/k, creating an extra st), then p/ktbl to the second to the last stitch, creating 2nd ultimate st and 23 regular sts on the WS (wrong side (aka the purl/knit side))
• Row 118: slip the second st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the back then to the front (as if to k/p, creating an extra st), creating the 3rd ultimate st on the RS/WS; then continue to ktbl/p to the the 2nd to the last st
• Row 119: slip the second st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the front then to the back (as if to p/k, creating an extra st), creating the 4th ultimate st on the WS/RS; then continue to ktbl/p to the the 2nd to the last st
• Row 120-131 (12 rows): continue to follow either Row 118 or 119 until you have 6 ultimate sts on each side and 13 regular sts
• This came out to 3 cm (1 ½ in).
• Row 132-133: p the first wrapped st (aka the 6th ultimate st), (if need be, pick up a st or two), p/ktbl or p2tog/k2tog tbl the picked up st(s), p/k the second wrapped stitch (aka the 5th ultimate st on the WS) then turned my work around (so that I am now on the RS/WS); slip the first st (aka the 5th ultimate st) and pull up the working yarn (to re-create the 5th ultimate st), (if you picked up a st, k2tog tbl/p2tog (k/p the wrapped and picked up st together)) and k tbl/p to the left side
• Row 134-135: ktbl/p the next wrapped stitch (aka the 6th ultimate st on the RS/WS), (if need be, pick up a st or two, ktbl/p or k2tog tbl/p2tog the picked up st(s)), ktbl/p the next wrapped st (aka the 5th wrapped st), then turned my work around so that I'm now on the WS/RS; pull up the working yarn to re-create the 5th wrapped st then if need be, p2tog/k2tog tbl (the 5th wrapped and picked up st together) and p/ktbl to the right side.
• Row 136-147 (12 rows): continue to follow Rows 132-133 or 134-135 until all the wrapped stitches were done; picked up sts as needed (anywhere between 2-3 sts) and either k2tog tbl or p2tog as needed to maintain a total of 25 sts (aka the goal is to get back to the original number of sts before starting the heel)
• This came out perfect! :) *yay* :)

Side view

Left side

Right side

Top view

9. With the heel done, I finished off the leg:
• Row 148: picked up 3 sts on each side, k in the round for a total of 30 sts for each side
• Row 149-167 (19 rows): k in the round, maintaining a total of 30 sts on each side
• Row 168: decrease 1 st on each side for a total of 29 sts on each side
• Row 169-170 (2 rows): k, maintaining a total of 29 sts on each side
• Row 171: decrease 1 st on each side for a total of 28 sts on each side
• Row 172-192 (21 rows): k, maintaining a total of 28 sts on each side
• Row 193: increase 1 st on each side for a total of 29 sts
• Row 194-197 (4 rows): k, maintaining 29 sts on each side
• Row 198: increase 1 st on each side for a total of 30 sts on each side
• Row 199-200 (2 rows): k, maintaining 30 sts on each side
• Total length of the leg was 11 cm (4 ⅜”)
  

  
10. With the leg done, it was time to actually finish off the sock with a very long cuff; Hubby said he likes how the long ribbing feels (*yay* homestretch!):
• Row 201-265 (65 rows): complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, for a total of 15 cm (6") of ribbing
• Bound off using a variation of the Estonian bind off, in which I picked up a stitch from the row below then used the Estonian bind off technique. :)
• The total length of the leg and cuff was 26 cm (10 ¼”).

Look another finished pair that comfortably fits like a glove! *Yay*! :)

Front side

Left side

Right side

Back side

Now, what should I work on next ... I've managed to create more projects than time now! :P

Knit in Public Day 2016

This year, Knit in Public Day was held the same day as the official opening of our local Friend of the Library annual book sale.  So, to commemorate both events, I went to my alma mater where the annual book sale has always been held to celebrate Knit in Public day in addition to hoping to find some great knitting books:

I've always loved this sculpture. ;)

See, I was really at the book sale too! ;)

And here's my finds for this year:

Can't have too many stitch pattern books! :P

Or books that teach you how to do something interesting for your projects, like sweaters! :D

More New Toy(s): More Needle Keepers

I finally bought more Needle Keepers in Red, Green, Silver, Wine, and Pink:

This should be enough now to keep all my needles nice and safe! ;)

Now, if only I had more new toys to show you! :P

Thank You Gift

My Mom had visited Taiwan a few years ago and had gone a bit overboard on getting me some yarn.  To top it off, while she was visiting with old friends, she told them that I was knitting now; in turn, her friend's wife said she tried knitting but it didn't capture her so, she "gifted" me with her entire stash!

So, as a thank you gift for her entire stash, I'm making her a scarf.  I hope she enjoys it this fall when she and her family is traveling in the States with my parents.  I'm using my Sierra Pacific Paragon yarn (no, it's not the yarn she gifted me; I'm still pondering what to do with all her yarn!) and Chiaogoo Twist US 13 needles for this project.   After many attempts at various widths and stitch patterns, here's what I finally figured out: I casted on 24 stitches, did a 2 row garter stitch while the majority of the scarf was done in stockinette stitch to show off the yarn (and ending with a 2 row garter stitch). This seemed to be the best width and stitch pattern for this variable width yarn.  I used the entire three (3) skeins I had and it came out to: 20 cm (8 in) wide and 156 cm (5 ft 2.5 in) long (pre-washed).  Here's how it looks:

Then, I machined washed it (so I know it'd be easy for her to take care of it).  It didn't shrink much after washing and blocking (although it did seems to grow a bit longer :P).  Here's its final dimensions: 19 cm (7.5 in) wide & 186.5 cm (7 ft 2.5 in) long.  Here's how it looks like after being washed and blocked:

Amazing ... I cranked this baby out in 3 days! :D  Chunky yarn and B-I-G needles are great!  They really do churn out projects like nothing! ;P

Ok ... Now back to the original project I was working on (more socks for Hubby).  Hopefully, a post on that will be coming out soon! :)

The Wonders of Wool

I was looking through Facebook and found this on Vogue Knitting ... I just had to share! ;)  It's too cute to not share with you: The Wonders of Wool

Enjoy! :) ♡