The Footszy Cinderella Test (aka Tabi Monogatari v40)

Now that I got my Footsyzz, it was time to test our my Cinderella Sock pattern; using my Carlton Yarns Sock Weight yarn in their Birthday colourway and my 4" & 3" Chiaogoo Interchangeable US 0 needles, I casted on 44 sts and did the following:

1. I started with a Provisional cast on with a total of 44 sts.
2. K 1 straight row on each side, then connected in the round.
3. K 15 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
    It works!
   

   
4. Started the toes: with 22 sts on each side, splitting it up for 8 sts for big toe, 14 sts for remaining toes.
5. Big toe:

• Row 1:
• Front: k, m1, k to the to the last st, m1, k for a total of  10 sts
• Back: k, m1, k to the to the last st, m1, k for a total of 10 sts
• Row 2-15 (14 rows): k
• Row 16:
• Front: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 8 sts
• Back: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 8 sts
• Row 17-18 (2 rows): k
• Row 19: same as row 16 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of the 6 sts on each side
• Row 20-21 (2 rows): k
• Row 22: same as row 21 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 4 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

The big toe came out to 4.5 cm (1 3/4").

6. The rest of the toes:

• Row 1:
• Front: k to the end, pick up 4 sts, for a total of 18 sts
• Back: pick up 4 sts, k to the end for a total of 18 sts
• Row 2: k
• Row 3:
• Front: ssk, k to the end for a total of 17 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 17 sts
• Row 4:
• Front: ssk, k to the end for a total of 16 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 16 sts
• Row 5-6 (2 rows): k
• Row 7:
• Front: ssk, k to the end, for a total of 15 sts
• Back: k to the the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 15 sts
• Row 8: k
• Row 9-18: same as row 7 & 8, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 14, 13, 12, 11 & 10 sts on each side
  
• Row 19: same as row 9, for a total of 9 sts on each side
• Row 20: same as row 19, for a total of 8 sts on each side
• Row 21: k
• Row 22: ssk, k2, k2tog, k2 for a total of 6 sts on each side
• Row 23: ssk, k2tog, k2 for a total of 4 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

The rest of the toe came out to 5 cm (2 in).

It fits like a glove:

Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the foot.

7. Row 19: pick up a st from the “front” side and put it on the “back” side; pick up a st from the “back” side, bringing it behind the st picked up from the “front” and put it on the “front” side. K these 2 sts together. Then k in the round. There should be 22 sts on each side.
8. Row 20: Pick up 1 st from below on the 1st and 2nd to the last st on each side to add 2 sts for a total of 24 sts on each side
   
9. Row 21-24 (4 rows): k, maintaining 24 sts
10. Row 25: Pick up 1 st from below on the 1st and 2nd to the last st on each side to add 2 sts for a total of 26 sts on each side
    
11. Row 26-28 (3 rows):  k, maintaining 26 sts
12. Row 29: Pick up 1 st from below and the 2nd to the last st on each side for a total of 28 sts (on each side)
    
13. Row 30-61 (35 rows): k

Including the initial 18 rows, this came out for a total of 13 cm (5 1/4").
Yes! Perfect! The calculations are right (although I must say, I was very skeptical about it as it didn't look like it was going to work!)!

With the foot done, I started on the heel portion using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method.  Since the method is copyrighted, here's the changes I did to make it work for me:

   17. Row 62: 

• Right side: K the "top" portion, start the heel on the "bottom" portion.
• Left side: start the heel as you're already on the "bottom" portion.

   18. Row 63-90: Follow the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method until you have 9 twin stitch 

         (ts) knits & purls sts on each side and10 regular sts
   19. Row 91: as you "boomerang" back to the regular sts, k2tog, k6, ktog then continue using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method for a total of 26 sts

   This came out to 3.5 cm (1 3/8”).  

   20. Row 92-113: Continue using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method to turn the heel 

         until you have a total of 26 sts again. 

This came out perfect! 🙂  *yay* 🙂

Turning the heel is always magical and never gets old:

With the heel done, I finished off the leg and cuff:
   21. Row 114-133 (20 rows): k in the round for a total of 27 sts for each side.
   22. Row 134-153 (20 rows): decreasing 2 sts, complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, for a total of 25 sts for each side.
   23. 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 9 cm (3 1/2").

Look another finished pair! 🎉 *Yay*! 🙂🙌

It fits perfectly. 🙂 

Play Food

I know this is quite early but I'm between projects for the time being and (if you can't tell), I'm a planner.  Time to make something for my little one to learn how to use her chopsticks (an essential in our family).  Upon searching Ravelry, I found Mooncakes and Sushi by Amada Berry; they were so cute but, I wondered if it would be too big for her first things to pick up (she's still 1.5 after all).  Then, I found these super cute raspberries. 😍  They were perfect!  3D but still very small and relatively light.  So, I made two (2) of them before Hubs stopped me from making a basketful and said, what about a green bean? 🤔  Off to the Web where I tried searching for a green bean pattern but couldn't find one😭; in the end, I just made it up👍: Cast on four (4) stitches, knit in the round until it was 3" long, K2tog, Bind Off.  Then Hubs said: what about a cucumber slice - something bigger but flat?🤔  So, off to the Web again to find a cucumber slice pattern.  Since I couldn't find one, I thought: Hey, I managed to figure out how to make a small green bean, why not a cucumber slice?😉👍  Alas, I was not smart enough to figure out how to make a flat cucumber slice as my cucumber looked more like a wavy potato chip than a flat slice.😭🤦   But, I did find this pattern: dumplings and I used it as a basis for my cucumber slice! 🎉🙌👍  By now, I had four (4) little things for her to learn how to pick up, I needed just one more thing 🤔 (we need an odd number of things!) ... so, I made up an orange slice!😉👍

Now, we have enough small things to learn how to "eat" with utensils!

 

 

I hope she likes them and starts learning to use her chopsticks soon! 😉🙏🤞

The Hub-Goblin (aka Tabi Monogatari v39)

I finally got Hubby's Footszy and it was time to test it out to make sure it "worked". Using my Hedgehog Fibres Sock Goblin sock yarn and my 4" & 3" Chiaogoo interchangeables US 0 needles, here's what I did: Follow the instructions used for v23.

1. I started with a Provisional cast on with a total of 50 sts.
2. K 1 straight row on each side, then connected in the round.
3. K 15 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 to the 2nd to the last st, pick up 1 st below, for a total of 9 sts
• Back: k, pick up a st below, k to the end for a total of 9 sts
• Row 2: 
• Front: k, pick up a st, k to the end, for a total of 10 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, pick up a st below, k for a total of 10 sts
• Row 3: k
• Row 4-5 (2 rows): Follow Row 2 until there are 12 sts
• Row 6-11 (6 rows): k
• Row 12:
• Front: k to last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 11 sts
• Back: SSK, k to the end for a total of 11 sts
• Row 13:
• Front: SSK, k to the end for a total of 10 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 10 sts
• Row 14:
• Front: k to last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 9 sts
• Back: SSK, k to the end for a total of 9 sts
• Row 15: k
• Row 16:
• Front: SSK, k to the end for a total of 8 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 8 sts
• Row 17: k
• Row 18:
• Front: k to last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 7 sts
• Back: SSK, k to the end for a total of 7 sts
• Row 19:
• Front: SSK, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 5 sts
• Back: SSK, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 5 sts
• Row 20: same as row 19 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 3 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

    The big toe came out to 5.5 cm (2 in).

6. The rest of the toes:

• Row 1: k, picking up 4 sts on each side, for a total of 21 sts
• Row 2: k
• Row 3:
• Front: SSK, k to the end for a total of 20 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 20 sts
• Row 4: k
• Row 5:
• Front: SSK, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 18 sts
• Back: SSK, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 18 sts
• Row 6: 
• Front: SSK, k to the end for a total of 17 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 17 sts
• Row 7:
• Front: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 16 sts
• Back: SSK, k to the end for a total of 16 sts
• Row 8: 
• Front: SSK, k to the end for a total of 15 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 15 sts
• Row 9: 
• Front: SSK, k to the end, for a total of 14 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 14 sts
• Row 10: 
• Front: SSK, k to the end for a total of 13 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 13 sts
• Row 11: k
• Row 12-17: same as Row 10 for 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 & 7 sts
• Row 18:
• Front: SSK, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 5 sts
• Back: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 5 sts
• Row 19: k
• Row 20: same as Row 18 for 3 sts
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

    The rest of the toe came out to 4.8 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: pick up a st from the “front” side and put it on the “back” side; pick up a st from the “back” side, bringing it behind the st picked up from the “front” and put it on the “front” side. K these 2 sts together. Then k in the round. There should be 25 start on each side.
• Row 17-86 (49 rows): k, maintaining 25 sts on each side
• Row 87-95 (9 rows): pick up a sts below on each side, maintaining 26 sts on each side
• Row 96: pick up the first st, 9th st, 18th at & last st on each side for a total of 30 sts
  
• Row 97-101 (5 rows): k, maintaining 30 sts on each side
• Including the initial 15 rows, this came out for a total of 17 cm (6 3/4 in)

8. With the foot done, I started on the heel portion using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method. 

• Row 102-113 (12 rows): Follow the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method until you have 10 twin stitches (sts) knits and purls sts on each side and 10 regular sts
• This came out to 4.5 cm (1 3/4 in).
• Row 114: as you "boomerang" back to the regular sts, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k2, ktog then continue using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method for a total of 27 sts
  
• Row 115-129 (15 rows): Continue using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method to turn the heel until you have a total of 27 sts again. 
• Row 130: 
• Left side: Since the left side ends on a purl side, k to bring you back to the correct side.
• Right side: k
• This came out perfect! :) *yay* :)

9. With the heel done, I finished off the leg:

• Row 131: k in the round for a total of 29 sts for top side & 28 sts for the back side (slip 1 st from the front to the back)
  
• Row 132-135 (4 rows): k in the round, maintaining a total of 28 &29 sts on each side
• Row 136: decrease 1 st on the top side for a total of 28 sts on each side
• Row 137-140 (4 rows): k, maintaining a total of 28 sts on each side
• Row 141: decrease 1 st on each side for a total of 27 sts on each side 
• Row 142-200 (39 rows): k, maintaining a total of 27 sts on each side
• Total length of the leg was 11.5 cm (4.5 in)

10. With the leg done, it was time to cuff; Hubby said he wanted shorter ribbing this 

      time (*yay* homestretch!):

• Row 201: add 1 st to each side for a total of 28 sts and continue 1x1 ribbing
• Row 202-240 (39 rows): complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing (28 sts on each side) for a total of 11.5 cm (4.5 in) 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 22 cm (9 in).

Sock Selfie

Yay! Another finished pair! 🎉

Giri no Haha no Tabi (on repeat) (義理 の 母 の 足袋 repeat) (aka Tabi Monogatari v34-38)

Now that my mother-in-law had some time with her new socks, she loves it!  And, she told me that she was using it all day, every day.  So, to supplement her sock collection, using the following sock yarns: Knitting Fever Painted Desert Egyptian Prince, Blue Moon Yarn Squishy Sock Beach Glass, Lanna Gatto Socks, Noro Taiyo, and Wisdom Yarns Pix in Tiger Lily and my interchangeable Chiaogoo US 0 needles, here's what I did to make her 5 more pairs:

1. I started with a Provisional cast-on with a total of 40 sts.
2. K 1 straight row on each side, then connected in the round.
3. Started the foot portion: K 15 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
4. Then I started the toes: with 20 sts on each side, splitting it up for 10 sts for a swirl toe (17 rows).
5. Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the toes:

• Row 17: k to the end then pick up a st for 2 sts on each side for a total of 21 sts on each side 
• Row 18: k
  
• Row 19: k, increasing 1 stitch on each side for a total of 22 sts on each side
• Row 20-22 (3 rows): k 
• Row 23: k, increasing 2 stitches on each side for a total of 24 sts on each side
• Row 24-28 (5 rows): k 
• Row 29: k, increasing 2 stitches on each side for a total of 26 sts on each side
• Row 30-34 (5 rows): k 
• Row 35: k, increasing 2 stitches on each side for a total of 28 sts on each side
  
• Row 36-60 (25 rows): k
• Row 61: k, increasing 2 stitches on each side for a total of 30 sts on each side then start on the heel
  
• Including the initial 15 rows, this came out for a total of 19 cm (7 1/2 in)

6. Rows 62-127 (66 rows): With the foot done, I started on the heel portion using the Fishlips Kiss heel with 10 TWS & 10 regular stitches and a 1 repeat mini heel flap.

7. With the heel done, I finished off the leg:

• Row 128: k, maintaining a total of 30 sts on each side
• Row 129: k2tog & SSK on each side for a total of 28 sts on each side
• Row 130-137 (8 rows): k, maintaining a total of 28 sts on each side
• Total length of the leg was 1.9 cm (5/8 in)

8. With the leg done, it was time to actually finish off the sock with a very short cuff (*yay* homestretch!):

• Row 138-157 (20 rows): complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, maintaining 28 sts, for a total of 6 cm (2 7/16 in) 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 9.5 cm (3 1/2 in)

Look! Finished five (5) pairs so she's good for a whole week now! *Yay*! 🙂

For the Lana Gatto Socks, I had to do a shorter cuff (by 2 rows) as I was running out of yarn so, the total length of the cuff was 5.5cm (2 1/4 in) and the leg and cuff was really a 9 cm (3 1/2 in).  

(In reality, although the Lana Gatto socks are shorter by two (2) rows, you can't really tell if you look at the pictures and pictures of her other socks. 😉 😁 🙌 🎉)

For all the other socks, they followed the pattern as shown above:
Here's the Wisdom Yarn Pix socks:

Here's the Noro Taiyo Sock where the cuffs were 25 rows instead of the standard 20 rows (it was the last of the yarn):

Here's the Knitting Fever Painted Desert:

Here's the Blue Moon Yarn Squishy Sock:

I hope she enjoys them all! 😁 🙌 🎉

Knit in Public Day 2021

Today is Knit in Public Day 2021 and there's a debate on whether or not we're still in a pandemic.  Since the pandemic started last year, there has been some major pandemic fatigue going on in my country.  Fortunately, in my county (and state), we have been very lucky to have enough vaccines readily available to the general public and at least half of all eligible folks have been vaccinated to date (if not a little more but we're not at herd immunity yet).  And with summer well on its way, everyone wants to get out (and travel) so, things (and people!) are slowly going back to its pre-pandemic ways.  Whatever the case may really be (I still believe we are still in a pandemic and it ain't over yet), since I've been thriving during the pandemic (being at home all the time), this is (still) where I have been knitting and where I am knitting today on Knit in Public Day:

Looking out my lanai (that's pretty public by the way because you can see me from the street!), enjoying our beautiful weather and (still) reveling being at home all the time!🎉😍 🙌

Yes, I'm still living it up being at home all the time 🙌😁 and am now dreading the day I need to physically go back to work and be out and about again. 

Here's to more beautiful knitting days!😍🎉

Evaluation of Di's Surprise (aka Tabi Monogatari v33)

As posted earlier, I had made a surprise pair of socks for a friend of mine who had helped me with foot measurements so I could make a surprise pair of socks for my SIL.  This particular friend of mine is a very old friend who's known me for eons so, when I asked her to report back on her socks, I knew that I would get not only a very frank report (which is exactly what I was seeking since only Hubby is the only person who will really critique my sock - yes, I want to know the good, the bad and the ugly of what I made for you; otherwise, how will I get better??) but also a detailed report and here's what it was:

On the weekend of 06/05/21, I've now played pickleball in the sock and initially, I wasn't too sure how it would hold up. I felt like the socks were so smooth that I would slip out of my shoe. So first, I just tied my shoes tighter.

After playing in the socks for a bit, my feet swelled so I didn't have that feeling anymore, so that was good!

So I played about 2 hours in the socks and at the end I have to say that my feet did feel a bit sweaty. This could also be due to my shoes that aren't very breathable.

When I took off my shoe, I noticed that one sock stayed on, but one sock slipped off my heel. (The sock was already off my heel before I took the shoe off... so it wasn't like because of the motion of taking off the shoe did the sock slip off). So possibly one sock is just slightly larger than the other?

Anyway, I just washed the sock as recommended (in cold water and tumble dry low).

So I plan to use these socks on a second round of pickleball to see if there's any difference.

Either way, when I was playing pickleball in the socks, they were very natural, nothing odd, very comfortable, couldn't really feel them at all. :)

Thanks again for making them for me!! I'm adding them to my sock circulation for sure!!

With that feedback in mind, I also wrote back to her about it to further brainstorm about what was happening to her socks (or if her foot measurement was not right - she's no home ec student!) so, there maybe more socks to come for my lil' Ms. Di (& hopefully a cardboard cut out in my near future for a better, more precise foot measurement!), especially now that I may have turned her into a hand sock convert!🤞😉 😁 😍🎊🎉🙌