Grace Ennis Graphic Knitting Patterns Diving Girl Socks #7260 from 1953

So, I had to put the Red Devil #7257 Socks down, I just couldn't face Sock #2 with all those bobbins and color changes!  I needed something simple and fast!!  I chose the Diving Girl Sock to knit and used Knit Picks Palette Yarns in Caribbean for the body of the sock, Blush for the Diving Girl, Rouge for her Swimsuit and White for her Bathing Cap. (I'm just guessing this is a bathing cap, maybe she is a Platinum Blonde and the Rouge is her bathing cap, or a bow!!  LOL)  This yarn is fingering weight and 100% Peruvian Wool.  I used Size 1 Boye metal Single Point needles for the leg portion.

This is the leg portion almost complete.  I had just started the Bathing Cap section in White here.

With the actual antique pattern beneath the work, the upper leg portion is compete.  Now to take 18 stitches off each end.  Placing these stitches on one needle folds the piece into the Sock form.  The only thing, your working yarn is now trapped in the center!  What to do, what to do...

You cut a long length of yarn and start stitching up the back using the mattress stitch.  Little plug here:  See the cute little Dragon ends on my needles?  These are the Needle Holders that I am making and trying to sell here and on Ebay.  The Dragons are from my Magical Kingdom set which also has the White Knight, Wizard, Unicorn, Princess, and Frog Prince Needle Holders.  I wanted to show them in use because I really do use these holders on every project.

Further up the seam, see you can't see one!  Good old Mattress Stitch!

Now, the back of the sock is all seamed up and I am ready to begin the heel! Dragons still hard at work keeping the instep stitches safe. Onto the heel, 2 inches of Row 1: Sl 1, K1; Row 2: Purl back to form the reinforced type heel. Be back at the end of my heel flap. June 15, 2011 @ 12:11pm CST

Here is the completed reinforced heel flap.  The pattern or texture on the flap is created by Sl1, K1 for the first row and Purl back for the second row.  You repeat these 2 rows for 2 inches or with my tension/gauge, 25 rows. I did go ahead and shape the heel (the little cup where the heel rests) and pick up the stitches along the side of the flap which is the beginning of the gusset. Now we work one Row decrease (you knit 2TOG on the last 2 of Needle 1 and SSK on the first 2 of Needle 3. A little confusing I'll admit. Row 2 is knit around. You repeat these 2 rows until you have 18 stitches on Needles 1 and 3 and 36 stitches on Needle 2. Then you knit around until the foot is 2" shorter than you want your sock and start the Toe decreases. This is done by doing a decrease at the end of Needle 1, beginning and end of Needle 2 and beginning of Needle 3.

So after you finish the heel flap, turn the heel, pick up the gusset stitches and knit down the foot you have to decrease for the toe. For all of Grace's socks you decrease 1 row, knit 4, decrease 1, knit 3, decrease 1, knit 3, decrease 1, knit 2, decrease 1, knit 2, decrease 1, knit 1, decrease 1 then decrease every row until there are only 16 stitches left. You will have 4 on needle 1, 8 on needle 2 and 4 on needle 3. Now to graft the toe together. Start with your 2 needles parallel and 8 stitches per needle. The working yarn in in the back.

Take your darning needle and insert it into the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit. Slip stitch off knitting needle. Now go into the second stitch on the front needle as if to purl. Leave this stitch on. Put the needle into the first stitch on the back knitting needle as if to purl and slip this stitch off. Go into the second stitch on the back needle as if to knit and leave on. Front needle, second stitch as if to knit, slip off. Next stitch, as if to purl, leave on. Back needle as if to purl, slip off. Next stitch as if to knit leave one. Repeat this process until there are no more stitches on your needles! You have just grafted a toe! YAY! Weave in your ends and put those babies on your feet!!!

Here with the darning needle going in as to KNIT.

Slipping a stitch off.

Completed toe after grafting.

YAY!!

Fairy Teddy DPNs Holders FOR SALE!!

Purple Skirt

Yellow Skirt

Green Skirt

Pink/Magenta Skirt

How CUTE are these little Fairy Teddies? They want to help keep you from dropping a stitch!!   Soft rubbery bodies, elastic cording to keep them securely on your needles.  Can be used as needle storage or on a WIP (work in progrss) and taken with you anywhere you go.  They will protect your needle points and well as your knitting bag and other items in your bag.  They fit 7" to 9" needles (longer lengths not recommended) and fit either DPNs, Single Point or Crochet Hooks.  I have 4 of each color set available.  Thanks for looking!  Hopefully these little Fairies made you smile!


You can also grab a set of these guys in my ebay store: 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350470767070

Summer Fun Monkey DPNs Holders FOR SALE!!!

Shown holding 4 Size 1 7" long metal sock needles.

Close-up of Red/Mauve Monkey Couple

Close-Up of Turquoise Monkey Couple.

Summer Fun Monkey Couples to save your knitting are HERE!!  I have 3 pair of Red/Mauve Monkeys and 3 pair of Turquoise Monkeys.  Each set comes with a Male Monkey end and a Female Monkey end, hence Monkey Couple...  They will hold DPNs, Single Point and/or crochet hooks as storage or while a work in progress is on the needles (to keep from dropping stitches!).  These guys fit 7" to 9" needles with elastic cording to keep the monkeys secure.  Light weight and compact when not in use and easy to store.  Several of these stitch holders will fit nicely in a Sandwich size Ziplock bag!  Asking $5.50/set plus $1.50 for USPS First Class Shipping within the Continental US only.

Aloha everyone!!

Neon Monkey DPNs Holders FOR SALE!!

These Neon Monkeys are here to HELP keep your DPNs in one place!!! Same as with the Adorable Alligators, these guys fit 7 to 9" DPNs, Single Point and crochet hooks.  Their soft rubbery bodies are perfect to protect your needle points as well as your totebag and anything else in your bag. 

There is 1 set of Bright Green Monkeys, 1 set of Bright Orange Monkeys, 1 set of Magenta Monkeys, 1 set of Bright Blue Monkeys, 1 set of Lilac Monkeys and 1 set of Banana Yellow Monkeys!  Monkeys are $5.50 and there is a $1.50 charge to mail via USPS First Class Mail within the Continental US only.  Thanks for swinging by!!  =)

Adorable Alligator DPN Holders for SALE!!!

Take a look at these adorable, brightly colored Alligator DPN Holders or Stitch Holders. The elastic cord between the two friendly Alligators will stretch to accommodate 7" DPNs, single point needles and/or crochet hooks. They can be used to hold yarn on the needles while the project is not being worked on or a storage device for a set of needles. These happy little guys just love to travel and will help keep your work from unraveling while in your totebag! Their soft rubbery bodies will protect the points on your needles as well as keep them from going through the sides of your craft bag. They will not get snagged on other things in your bag. Easy and compact to store without needles and very light weight. Shown, PURPLE is empty, BLUE is holding a Size D crochet hook and 5 Size 3 DPNs, GREEN is holding 4 Size 1 metal DPNs and RED is holding a pair of Size 1 Single Point (10") metal needles (which have them stretched all the way out)

There is one set of BLUE Alligators, one set of RED Alligators, one set of PURPLE Alligators and one set of GREEN Alligators. Please remember to specify your COLOR choice upon purchase.

Sent via USPS First Class mail within the continental US only. Thanks for looking and even if you do not take one of these guys home, I hope they at least made you giggle!! =)

Grace Ennis Graphic Knitting Patterns Miniature Socks #2401 from 1954

This pattern sheet has 5 patterns for Miniature Socks and this is #3 for me to knit.  A tiny little Argyle in bright girly colors.  Here I am showing you the bobbins needed to keep the yarn straight!  Gah!

Since the argyle design continues down the instep of the sock you do not join this in the round until after.  So, here is the leg and the instep/foot knit in design.

Stitch up the back, stitch the sole and instep together, continue to the toe and voila!  A perfect Miniature Grace Ennis Sock!

I have no idea just what to do with these so maybe they will serve as needle holders/keepers?  I'm also toying with the idea of a mobile of just mini socks?  Too weird?

24 Stitches across, 1/2" K2 P2 Ribbing then start the design.

Beer Mug sans Angora foam shown in flat and round. Still have a few more foot rounds before starting the toe decreases. I used I Love This Yarn! Sport in White, Bright Blue and Lipstick for this sock.

Cuff, leg, heel, foot and toe done just need to graft the toe and the seam up the back of the Corn Cob Pipe with real Angora yarn as smoke.

These were called Car Charms and were knit to hang/dangle from a car's rearview mirror. How fun, huh? The pattern sheet came with 5 itty bitty sock patterns, Corn Cob Pipe with Angora Smoke, Initials, Argyle, Cocktail or Wine Glass and Beer Mug with Angora Foam. I've managed to compete the Corn Cob Pipe and actually did use Angora for the Smoke and the Beer Mug is underway as we speak but I didn't waste the expensive Angora on the foam, I used regular sport weight yarn. I also have the #2402 which is a 4-Leaf Clover, Horseshoe, Dice and Lucky Number. Grace called these miniature socks Lucky Car Charms. First to complete the 5 on No. 1!!! I used a Debbie Bliss light brown yarn for the main sock body with I Love This Yarn! Sport in dark brown for the pipe. I have a small ball of real, French Angora yarn and I used a small piece for the smoke.

Blog Under Construction

Sorry about the mess! I can't seem to find Blogwear I love for very long and now my PSE has decided to crap out on me! Can't do anything from here and I left my laptop at home! Humph!

Grace Ennis Red Devil #7257 Socks

UPDATE June 9, 2011: I know I said I was not ready to tackle these difficult socks but after saying that, they were all I could think about!! LOL. Since this sock is knit flat to the heel you have to stitch the back together to form a sock. I do this using the mattress stitch. I quickly ran a seam up the back for photos so there is a little puckering going on that won't be there when the sock is compelte.

After adding all the necessary bobbins to the sock, see, I wasn't kidding about this having the potential of turning into a giant knot!!

Moving on with the flames, not too bad yet.

Pattern complete! The back needle is the back of the sock where the heel flap will begin. The bottom needle is the end of the pattern down the instep. I will begin the heel flap next, hence the stoppers, and then move onto the gusset. After, these two sections will be stitched together using the mattress stitch, which if done correctly is invisable. You then work the remainder of the foot and start decreasing for the toe and you're done!!

I started the Grace Ennis, Graphic Knitting Patterns Red Devil Sock #7257 from 1953 the other day using Knit Picks Palette yarns in Silver, Semolina, Serrano and Black but had to stop at the beginning of the flames. More to gather my thoughts and steel my nerves because geez at the bobbins on this one!! There are 7 yellow flames and 6 red flames! Yes, I could float/carry the red flames but didn't want the extra thickness and chance of wonky tension! I can ruin a sock in a heartbeat by pulling a row of floats too tightly! I can also completely tie myself into a giant knot with too many bobbins so I will continue to work on my Cozy Toes charity socks which don't take any time at all to complete and when I'm feeling up to this challenge I will resume!! Thanks for looking!! Let me know what you think! =)