The yarn for Miss P’s blanket hasn’t arrived yet and I finished my socks, so I needed a new project. I remembered I bought the yarn last year for these little toys. The pattern is from Esther Joy Knits – called Fowl Friends.
The first one was definitely a learning opportunity and there are some things I will change next time.
Use a different cast on (I used a long tail cast on, but I think a cable one would be better).
I would knit the overall straps after I had stuff the doll and stitched the arms and legs.
I am knitting the duck now, each one takes about 6 hours from start to finish.
I have taken to buying yarn whenever we go on holiday.
I bought this one from Text and Co – a yarn and book store, what a perfect combination!
It’s Cowgirlblues Merino Twist (in the shorebreak colourway). I bought two skeins because each one is only 300m (instead of the normal 400 for socks), but I suspect I only needed one.
I finished my October socks yesterday (31st of October), just in the nick of time. The yarn is a malabrigo, but I cant remember the colour-way.
I used my standard sock recipe (top down and a heel flap and gusset). The pattern on the leg and foot I found in a Japanese stitch dictionary (See this post).
A lot of people in my knitting group have taken up crochet, so I decided I should too. I have a book, Erica Knight’s one, and I am attempting the easiest pattern.
I do like how easy it is to undo crochet and have another go. This yarn is cotton and it’s a bit splitty, which is not good for a beginner. It’s all double crochet, but at least I get to be proficient at this stitch.
I have started work on my very originally named ‘October Socks’.
The yarn is a malabrigo, but I can’t remember the name and I have lost the label (maybe Diana or Arco Iris).
Japanese Knitting Stitches Book
For the leg and foot I am using a stitch pattern from Japanese Knitting Stitches – it has a 9 stitch repeat. It is hard to see in my images but there is a knot stitch and then a 1 stitch cable (alternating between right and left).
To fit the stitch pattern, I cast on 63 and did a rib that would flow into the pattern (K2, P3, K2, P2).
I learnt how to do the cable without a cable needle, by firstly using a cable needle and observing what was happening. This is an easy to memorise pattern and the sock is flowing easily.
I needed to knit something that didn’t require as much concentration as my roadside beanie, so I started knitting my corona sock – just working on the cuff at the moment.
Finished The Miniaturist and have started the latest season (season 4?) of The Last Kingdom – possibly too violent for me (someone got an arrow in the eye – ergh)
As predicted I finished the socks last night (and Normal People). I need to block them, but it’s a rainy day here so I am going to wait for better drying weather.