On the Needles

So on the needles I currently have started knitting Lion Brands Comfy Kimono
for my baby girl. I am knitting it in the same color as the picture too, it's such a gorgeous color. It is made using Lion Brands Micro Spun and size 8 needles. I am really liking this yarn, it's very soft kinda silky feeling and very easy to knit with. I always knew I was a tight knitter but I have found that to be greatly true with this pattern. The patterns gauge is 18 stitches across making 4 inches, well MY gauge is 22 stitches for 4 inches. I knew I knit tight so I made the next biggest size but the back is still an inch smaller than the size I was shooting for called for. That worried me at first but I measured one of her 6 month old tops just for comparison and it was 9 inches wide, the same as the kimono back, so I am thinking I should be fine, probably fit around 3 months or so. Anyway I digress a bit but I wasn't going to go up to size 9 needles with this yarn to get the correct gauge because then the stitches would have been very loose and I wouldn't have liked that either. Who knows it may fit her right away which is fine too as long as it fits her at some point I consider it a success!

I am also on the quest to find size 7 16" circular needles. Not an unusual size, I didn't anticipate any trouble finding them but it turns out they apparently don't exist in my area. I really don't want to go to my LYS to buy them because I know I will be paying more for them. I save my LYS to splurge on fabulous yarn, not needles. Anyway tomorrow I am checking one more place that is near my parents house, I am praying they have them because I have a coupon. If I don't find them there then it will be time to do some online shopping.

Didn't know it until after I bought the yarn and went to start one of the 4 hat patterns I have printed out and onmy list to do that every single one of them uses size 7 needles!! I couldn't believe they all used size 7, they were worsted weight yarn so I assumed size 8 but I was wrong. I wouldn't have imagined every one of them using size 7. Now I do have size 7 DPN's but I like circular needles soooo much better so I don't even want to knit the hat using only the DPN's eventhough I already have them. Call me crazy but instead I am on mission impossible because I'm stubborn! Well enough ranting I just needed to say a few words about that, apparently my town prefers 36 inch circular's because I could find those in every size but there are only about 3 or 4 different sizes of 16 inch. Who'da thought?

Picture of Baby Socks

As promised here is a photo of the finished pair of socks made using the pattern I posted.

Baby Sock Pattern (for larger/wider feet)

I developed this pattern to make socks for my 16 month old son. His feet are very thick and wide, he wears a 4 or 5 wide so this pattern would probably be good for sizes 4 and up. It is very easy to change parts of this pattern such as making a longer cuff or longer/shorter sock just by adding rows, etc. Also you can play with stripes, cables, ribbing, and all other variations with simple modifications to this basic pattern. I don't have pictures up of the completed pair because my son is wearing them to bed and I didn't snap a picture but I will post one tomorrow. They look the same as the one pictured in my last post, just larger.

Sock Pattern:

any worsted weight yarn will be fine with this pattern - it will use about 80 yards
size 6 double pointed needles

Gauge:
gauge is not critical.... if you tend to knit looser then use smaller needles, if you knit tighter then use smaller needles

Note:

slip all stitches as if to purl unless otherwise noted, except the SKP
SKP = slip 1 as if to knit, knit one then pass the slipped stitch over (also known as PSSO)

Cuff:

CO 32 stitches loosely, use a larger needle if needed
Divide onto 3 needles ( will be 10,12,10)
Join and work in the round careful not to twist stitches
Work K2, P2 ribbing (or K1, P1 ribbing) for 16 rows (more for a longer cuff)
Knit 3 more rows (knit every row)

Divide for Heel:

Transfer stitches so that there are 16 stitches on the first needle and 8 stitches on needles 2 & 3
ONLY work across the first needle:
Row 1 : Slip 1, knit to end
Row 2 : Slip 1, purl to end
Repeat these two rows until you have 13 rows total ending on a knit row

Turn Heel:

Row 1 : Slip 1, purl 11, P2tog (purl 2 together), TURN
Row 2 : Slip 1, knit 8, K2tog (knit 2 together), TURN
Row 3 : Slip 1, purl until 1 stitch before last turn (there will be a gap where the turn was) P2tog, TURN
Row 4 : Slip 1, knit until 1 stitch before last turn, K2tog, TURN
Repeat rows 3 & 4 until all the stitches on the ends are used (until there are no more gaps) , you will end on a right side row
There will be 8 stitches left

Gusset:

Working on the same needle (needle 1) pick up and knit 8 stitches along the side of the heel, i sometimes need to pick up 9 to close all the gaps. On the next round you would just knit 2 together so you end up with the correct number of stitches.
With your spare needle knit the stitches across the next 2 needles (needle 2)
Using a new needle (needle 3) pick up and knit 8 stitches across the other side of the heel and continue to knit 5 stitches from needle 1. This will put you to the center of the heel.
There will now be 13 stitches on needles 1 & 3 and 16 stitches on needle 2.
Needle 2 will contain the instep stitches.
Begin decreasing as follows:
Row 1 : Knit
Row 2 : Needle 1 - knit to within 3 stitches of the end, K2tog, K1. Needle 2 - knit across. Needle 3 - K1, SKP, knit to end
Repeat rows 1 & 2 until there are 8 stitches left on both needles 1 & 3. Needle 2 will stay at 16 stitches since there were no decreases.
You will now be back to 32 stitches.
Knit in the round again for 20 rounds (this is where you can add or delete rows to accommodate the length of your childs foot)

Toe Shaping:

Row 1 : Needle 1 - knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1. Needle 2 - K1, SKP, knit to last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1. Needle 3 - K1, SKP, knit to end
Row 2 : Knit
Repeat rows 1 & 2 until there are 24 stitches left. 6 on needles 1 & 3 and 12 on needle 2.

Toe Grafting (Kitchener Stitch):

Flip you sock inside out (leaving the needles as they are) so you are now looking at the right side of the sock. Before the flip the sock was inside out.
Continuing with needle 3, knit across needle 1. Now there will only be 2 needles each with 12 stitches. Cut the yarn leaving about 15 inches. Thread yarn in to a blunt (tapestry) needle. Hold the 2 needles parallel so that you have a front and back needle. Keep the yarn beneath you as you work.
Step 1: Go into the 1st stitch on the front needle as if to knit, pull the stitch off the needle
Step 2: Go into the 2nd stitch on the front needle as if to purl, leave this stitch on the needle
Step 3: Go into the 1st stitch on the back needle as if to purl, pull the stitch off the needle
Step 4: Go into the 2nd stitch on the back needle as if to knit, leave this stitch on the needle

Continue completing steps 1-4 until all of your stitches are woven. Anchor on the inside and weave in all ends. Make a second sock making sure it is the same size as the first.

If you need help with any of these steps there are great videos demonstrating them. The website is knittinghelp.com
You would go to "view videos" then click on "advanced techniques". Any further questions feel free to get in touch with me.