Chickenlips Knitting

Knitting friends, I give you an original design, the "Traffic-Stoppin' Boot Sock". It was a challenge to photograph! I think the stitch pattern is visible enough in the photo though. I'm no ace pattern writer, so here goes nothing!

Materials:

-Approx. 400 yards fingering weight yarn in a solid color - I used Regia 4 ply in bright screaming orange, which looks more like traffic cone orange in natural light

-Double point needles, US size 1.5

Size:

Fits up to 9" foot circumference

Gauge:

Approx. 9 stitches per inch in Swiss Dot stitch

Swiss Dot stitch:

Rounds 1 & 3: Knit.

Round 2: *K5, P1* around.

Round 4: K2, *P1, K5* to last 4 sts, P1, K3.

Repeat Rounds 1-4 for pattern.

Begin:

Cast on 72 stitches and divide evenly on 3 needles. Join in round and work K2, P2 ribbing for 1" (about 11 rounds). Begin Swiss Dot Pattern and work until leg is 6" from cast on, or to desired length. Divide for heel: Knit 18 stitches from first needle; move rest of sts to second needle. Turn and work heel flap over 36 stitches as follows:

Row 1: Slip 1, purl to end of row.

Row 2: Slip 1, knit 1 across.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until heel is approx. 2.5" long, ending with right side facing. Turn heel:

Row 1: Knit 20, ssk, knit 1.

Row 2: Slip 1, purl 4, purl 2 tog, purl 1.

Row 3: Slip 1, knit 5, ssk, knit 1.

Continue until all heel stitches are worked; 20 stitches remain.

Gussets: Knit 10 heel stitches, with free needle knit the other 10 heel stitches and pick up 17 stitches along heel flap. Using another free needle, work across 36 instep stitches in established stitch pattern. With 3rd needle, pick up 17 stitches along heel flap and knit the first 10 heel stitches.

Gusset decreases:

Round 1- knit to the last 3 stitches on first needle, K2 tog, K1. Needle 2-work across instep stitches in pattern. Needle 3-knit 1, ssk, knit to end.

Round 2: Knit all stitches on first needle. Needle 2-work across instep stitches in pattern. Needle 3-knit to end.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 72 stitches remain. Continuing to knit all stitches on Needles 1 and 3 and working Swiss Dot stitch pattern on instep stitches, work to 2" less than desired foot length.

Toe decreases:

Round 1: Knit to last 3 sts on first needle, K2 tog, K1. Needle 2-K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 3-K1, ssk, knit to end.

Round 2: Knit all sts.

Work rounds 1 and 2 until 32 sts remain. Knit stitches from Needle 1 onto needle 3 so there are 16 stitches on top needle and 16 stitches on bottom needle. Graft toe sts closed with Kitchener stitch.

***

In other news: I have been on a sock yarn buying rampage of late! I fell prey to The Loopy Ewe this week and got these sweet sweet yarns.

My first Shibui, in Blossom. Photo doesn't even begin to tell the story of how pretty the pink is.

Trekking XXL in the perfect color, the one I have been searching low and high for, to make Mr. Stitchjones some socks.

While visiting Kathy's Knit Korner in downtown Hillsboro, I lost the fight with myself to stop the madness, and bought a ball of Austermann Step.

The development of those children's sock kits, the ones I can't stop talking about, continues. Here are 2 more colorways ready to go:

Liger

Happily Ever After

Just 2 more to go, and we'll be all set--except for the patterns, of course, and the knitting of samples (at least they're kids socks and will go quick,) and then the package insert design and printing...that's going to be far and away the biggest challenge. Hopefully I can get some professional help (no, not that kind, although it's not a bad idea) next month.

To prove it isn't all yarn, yarn, yarn around here, here's a picture of Jimmy the wiener dog. His eyes compel you to "obey the dachshund".

(edited to correct Swiss Dot stitch pattern instructions. My apologies for the error.)

# posted by Sharon @ 6:59 PM