Grace Ennis Graphic Knitting Patterns Pipe Dream Socks, #7262 from 1953

This is just the leg portion of Sock #1 of Grace Ennis' Pipe Dreams but wanted to show some progress.

 This is knit using Knit Picks Palette yarn in Camel Heather as the Main Color, Black, Oyster Heather, Bison and Serrano.  The smoke is knit in Trendsetter Yarns 100% Angora yarn.  SO soft and fuzzy!

See!!

That fuzzy little stuff is EVERYWHERE!!  This is the front of my shirt.  Looks like I've been holding a CAT!  WOW!

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.

Flippant Socks! It's That Time of Year Again!

I actually finished these in April of 2011 but never posted about them and they did turn out really cute.  These are called Flip Flop Socks.  WHAT?  You don't wear socks with Flip Flops...Yes, you can!  These are designed to keep that annoying toe thong from rubbing and they do a really good job of keeping the ball of your foot cleaner.  Here is Texas we wear (read I) flip flops all year long and these little guys are just great any time.  This is a FREE Ravelry download if anyone is interested in making a pair.  I used Premier Yarns Serenity Garden in Gems for these on size 2 needles.  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flippant 

Grace Ennis Graphic Knitting Patterns Interlocking Diamonds Socks, #7268 from 1954

I've been working SO hard on my HexiPuff quilt and popping those little puffs out 1 about every 35 minutes or so but I really needed to get back to my socks.  I looked at my stash of sock yarn to see what colors/color combos I could come up with (I CANNOT buy any more yarn!) and decided I would Cast On the Interlocking Diamonds socks.

I have all the colors listed in the pattern albeit my yellow is Semolina and not bright yellow but I like the colors together and that's all that matters.  I cast on while watching The Lost Room in my little craft area last night and got just past the ribbing before calling it a night.  More to come, these really do knit up quickly, it's the second sock that takes so long!  I suffer from Second Sock Syndrome for sure!! 

Leg complete as well as instep.  Now to stitch up the back leg seam, work the reinforced heel, gusset and foot so I can then stitch up the foot and the instep.  The toe will be worked in the round.

It is even Bee-utiful on the back because no stitches were carried but done using bobbins of color.

Since the design on this particular sock travels down the instep, you have to knit the instep and heel/sole areas separately then join the two using the mattress stitch. 

FAIL! Chico doesn't like Doggie Socks SOCKS!!!

Chico my 20 month old male Pit Bull has started licking/chewing his toes.  He splits his nails and is just constantly chewing.  There doesn't seem to be any boo boos, no rash or swelling so before we do get any of those nasty, hard to cure things I decided he needed socks.  Doggie Socks, doggie no lick socks.  I measured around his leg and cast on 36 stitches in Worsted Weight I Love This Yarn, powder blue for my prototype.  I used US Size 2 DPNs, joined in the round and started my K1P1 ribbing.  I knit the ribbing for 10 rows for the Cuff.  I changed to US Size 4 DPNs and knit 30 rounds for the leg of the sock before starting my toe decrease.  Since Chico refused to allow me to try the sock on while still attached to the needles and skein of yarn I just sort of guessed.  FAIL #1!  The sock is too short for long legged Chico!

I would double the number of leg rows if not 1 1/2 times that!

  60 to 90 Rows easy!

See, how stinking cute, Right?  =(

For the toe above, which is a little Y almost, I SSK the First (2) stitches on every needle and K2TOG the last (2) stitches on every needle for 1 row then knit around for the next row.  I repeat these 2 rows until there were only 18 stitches left on the needles.  Then I decreased every row until there were only 6 live stitches left.  I then used the Kitchener Stitch to graft the toe.

Here is the one Picture I could get while holding his leg, then he took off.

Totally dejected and unloved!!  How SAD can a guy look?

Don't look at my scratched up wood floors, terrible I know!!  He went and lay next to Chris' chair for protection and refused to walk on his sock or come any where near me!!!  BRAT!  I will NOT be spending any more time knitting Chico socks that's for sure!!!

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!!

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.