Grace Ennis Hawaiian Girl #7256 from 1953

This is the pattern that most people go GAGA over.  What could be more 1950's than a Hula Girl?  Kitchy, Tiki, etc.  These are great!!!  And very scary!  There are so many color changes in small areas, but this is the pair you want in your collection!  I obtained this pattern early on in my collecting but just couldn't bring myself to try it.  A Ravelry group member of For The Love of Grace Ennis was willing to try it and her's looked SO good that I got the same yarn and tried it too!  THANKS ItsGretchen for your inspiration!

The yarn of choice here is Hikoo by Skacel CoBaSi (COtton, BAmboo, SIlk).  It is a little stretchy.  Has some nice texture to it and is SO soft!  Iris Blue, Chocolate Milk, Forest, Ripe Raspberry and Black.

See my wonderful Yarn Bell in the background?  You know, the one that isn't holding my yarn, duh! This is my dog Chico and was created by Pots With Personality .  I sent a picture of Chico and she did the rest!  I LOVE him!!

AND, these are backwards.  Geez, you had one job!!  See the little black tip of land in front of the Hawaiian Girl?  That's the tip of Diamond Head on the other sock and the two should line up.....

SNEAK PEEK:

I've been working on WhoDunnit #7270, from 1954 and Western #7261, from 1953.  More progress pics. blah, blah...

Again, Grace Ennis suggested Angora Yarn for the smoke.  Didn't do it!  This yarn is an acrylic yarn, Sateen by Cascade Yarns.

Knit Picks again.  Bison, Almond, and Celestial.

Grace Ennis Jet Airplane Socks #7231

About a month ago now, I finally completed the Jet Airplane Socks.  I didn't get many pics of this pair in progress but I used my usual Knit Picks yarn in White, Black, Royal Blue, Serrano and Semolina.  I used a size 1 needle and my purl rows are usually knitted more loosely than my knit rows but on this pair I used a size 1 circular needle and found that not to be an issue.  Can't explain why that is though.

Grace Ennis suggests Angora yarn be used for the contrail or smoke but I didn't have any and used plain white wool.  It works and is MUCH less expensive.

Since all of Grace Ennis' Graphic Knitting Patterns socks are knit flat on two needles (or 1 circular as I did here) this is what the "leg" looks like before stitching up the back using the mattress stitch and starting on the heel flap.  

I didn't knit the instep according to the pattern.  If the design runs down into the instep, Grace wrote that you were to knit the instep flat as well and then stitch it to a gusset that was created without working in the round.  I did it this way on 1 pair and didn't like that I could see the stitching on the foot.  So, from then on, if a pattern extended into the instep I have been doing it in the round.  This means TONS of little ends to weave in later and you also have to be very careful that there is no pulling or puckering.  I may give the written pattern another go, who knows.

SNEAK PEEK:  I have also been working on #7217 Triangle Overlay Socks and will post progress pics as they are available.

Knit Picks, Corn Flower Blue, Cornmeal, Oyster Heather and Pumpkin.

Fish in the Sea Coffee Cup Cozy!!

This Cozy is knit flat on 2 Single Point Needles and stitched up the back to form a tube.

Cast On 48 Stitches in White.
 K1P1 Ribbing for 3(4) rows. 
On the chart above I knit/purl 4 rows of white before starting the waves and in the knitted example I didn't do that.  I knit 1 and purled 1 before starting the waves so that I would have more "ocean".  Knit the chart in blue (water) and orange (Fishies). 
The first knit row after the last row fo Fish, Knit 2TOG at the red squares on each end.  This will decrease your stitches to 46. 
Purl a row.  Now knit and at the red squares, Knit 2TOG to decrease your stitches to 44. 
Purl a row.  Knit row and knit 2TOG at the red squares to decrease your stitches to 42.
At this point I bound off to finish the cozy without further ribbing but you could add  3(4) rows of K1P1 ribbing to match the top.  Use the mattress stitch to sew up the sides and weave in your ends.  YAY!!  Re-usable Drink Cozy! 

For this project I used scraps of Red Heart Super Saver Solids in White, Delft Blue (0885) and Gold (0321) but you could use any color combo you like.  Make the fish bright tropical colors even!!  That would be FUN!

I will sew black seed beads to the fish for eyes.  I didn't attempt last night and forgot to pack them this morning but your run of the mill, everyday round glass seed beads would work really well.  Very small buttons would also work for eyes.  White/clear/pearlized buttons would make really cute "bubbles" coming up from the fish mouth too!!

I used Size 6(4.25) Single Point Needles and a Darning needle.