February 3, 2011 · 1:46 pm

Quilt Progress

School’s back – both Miss A and Miss P seem happy with their new teachers and classes.

The image above (I don’t want to reveal the whole thing just yet…) is a quilt I’m working on. The fabric is from Materalise – I just bought fat quarter packs.

Can I just say starching the fabric makes everything much easier – the cutting, the sewing and the quilting.

I’ve been doing a bit of blog house keeping, updated the blogroll and changed a few settings (in particular I changed to my local time so it won’t look like I’m posting in the middle of the night!).

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February 2, 2011 · 6:19 am

February Socks

February is a short month. I’ve decided to knit a sock with chunky yarn and a short leg!

The yarn I’m using is Yoshie (it was left over from my hot water bottle cover). The  image above is the tension square. My gauge was 4 stitches/inch.

I’ve calculated that I need to cast on 32 stitches – it worked out at 34, but it is always better to have a number divisible by 4.

To calculate the number of stitches I measured the circumference of my leg (just above my ankle), subtracted half an inch (because I want my socks to fit snugly) and multiplied by the gauge.

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February 1, 2011 · 5:12 am

Diamond Seed Sock Pattern

I’ve written the pattern for my Diamond Seed socks. You can find on the Sock Patterns tab at the top of the page or here.

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January 31, 2011 · 3:00 am

January Sock is Finished


I finished my January sock. Having a schedule worked well for me. It kept me focussed and I didn’t feel overwhelmed by the amount still to be done because I just had to finish the work set for today rather than the entire sock.

This sock has a 2×2 rib cuff, diamond seed pattern leg (which I continued on top of the foot) and a heel stitch heel flap. I plan to write a general guide in the next day or two.

Now to start planning the February sock.

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January 27, 2011 · 1:07 am

Australia Day

As it was Australia Day yesterday, I made a pavlova. No image we ate it before I could take a photo. I used the recipe out of the How to Eat cook book by Nigella Lawson.

It’s a really easy thing to make – crunchy on the outside but full of sticky sweet goodness on the inside. Perfect summer dessert.

I’ve managed to keep to my schedule – today I finished the heel flap, turned the heel and picked up the stitches.

Not bad considering how hot it is and that we’re completely house bound, which means that Miss A and Miss P need distracting.

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January 24, 2011 · 7:07 pm

Time for a Plan

If I am to get my second sock finished by Monday (the 31st), then I need a plan of action.

Tuesday (25th): Work on sock leg.

Wednesday (26th): Finish sock leg.

Thursday (27th): Heel flap, turn heel, pick up heel stitches.

Friday (28th): Gusset

Saturday (29th): Foot

Sunday (30th): Toe

As you can see, I’ve left a spare day at the end because something is bound to come up or to take longer than I anticipate.

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· 12:21 am

A New Quilt

I’ve cut the fabric for a new quilt.

School holidays continue – another week and a half – and we’re all suffering a bit from a lack of routine. I think it’s important that Miss A and P get bored and need to use their imaginations, but it is a bit wearying.

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January 19, 2011 · 1:54 am

I finished my Sock

I finished my sock! Now I just have to finish the next one …

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January 17, 2011 · 1:30 am

Working away at my sock

I haven’t finished my sock. To stick to my deadline I needed to finish it yesterday, but I am about half way through the foot.

I found a great you tube clip about how to pick up stitches –

I think socks are a great thing on which  to practise new techniques – they’re quick to finish, don’t require a lot of yarn and even if it’s a complete disaster you haven’t invested too much time or money in the process.

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January 13, 2011 · 3:41 am

Heel Flap

I’ve knitted the leg and I’m onto the heel flap. I’m using heel stitch:

R1: *sl1 purl wise wyib k1 * rep from * to the end
R2: sl1 purl wise wyif purl to the end

I’ve read that this makes a much sturdier heel – not sure why, but I’m prepared to give it a go.

If I’m to finish a pair of socks by the end of the month, I need to get one finished this weekend – the pressure is on!

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