Christmas Lace Sack Sock

Christmas Lace Sack Sock
© Cathy Waldie, April 11, 2008

The small size used 5.05 oz/143 g of cotton in 265 yards/ 242.0m in length.
17 stitches and 25 rows = 4 inches in lace pattern in the round
(US) 7 (4.5mm) 16" circular needle
(US) 6 (4.0mm) double point needlesStitch Marker
Size large: 30" in length
Small (shown) 20" in length

K= Knit
P=Purl
Sts=sts
K2Tog=Knit two together
Sl 1 = Slip one stitch
PSSO=Pass Slipped Stitch Over
YO=Yarn Over
Kfb=Knit into the front and the back of the same stitch
C/O=Cast On
B/O=Bind Off
* *=repeat directions between *’s

Rolled Edge Bottom:
Using the circular needle, Cast on 90 stitches. Join stitches but do not twist, place stitch marker at beginning of round and Knit 10 rounds.Bottom Eyelet Round:
*YO, Sl 1, K2Tog, PSSO* and repeat around. (60 sts)

Sack body:
Knit one round.
Begin Pattern:
Round 1: *K3, K2 tog, YO * repeat around
Round 2: Knit around
Round 3: *K3, YO, Sl 1, K1, PSSO* repeat around
Round 4: Knit around
Repeat rounds (1-4) until the sack sock reaches 17 " for the small size and 27" for the large size, measured from the eyelet round.

Knit one more round.

Top Eyelet Rounds:
Row 1: *YO, K2Tog* around
Row 2: *K1, Kfb* around (90 sts)

Top Rolled Edge:
Knit 5 round and Bind off in knit.

Using 2 of the double point needles, make two 3 stitch I-chords; one 43" in length, a second one 36" of length.

Thread the 36" length through the bottom eyelet row and tie in front so that there is a small opening at the bottom of the sack.

Using the longer I-chord, thread it through the top eyelet rows with the ends hanging out at the front (to be tied later). Pull up 2 small loops in the back of the sack sock. You're going to tie these loops into a single hanging loop opening at the bottom.

Tie one loop over the other. Fill and reuse those grocery store bags!

Don't forget to round out your kitchen set with a Christmas Lace Dishcloth and and a Christmas Lace Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel.

Christmas Lace Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel

Christmas Lace Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel© Cathy Waldie, April 20, 2008

100% worsted weight cotton
(US) 7 (4.5mm) Needles

Button to fit buttonhole

Towel uses 3.15 oz/89g of cotton, 165.5 yards/151.3m in length.

Gauge: 17 stitches and 25 rows = 4 inches in lace pattern
K= Knit
P=Purl
Sts=sts
K2Tog=Knit two together
Sl 1 = Slip one stitch

M1=Make one
PSSO=Pass Slipped Stitch Over
YO=Yarn Over
Kfb=Knit into the front and the back of the same stitch
C/O=Cast On
B/O=Bind Off
* *=repeat directions between *’s

C/O 58 stitches

1-6) Knit across for bottom border (slipping the first stitch of each row)

7) K3, *K4, YO, Sl 1, K1, PSSO, * 8 times, K4, end K3

8 and even rows) K3, P52, K3

9) K3, *K4, K2tog, YO, * 8 times, K4, end K3

11-78) repeat rows (7 – 10) for 17 more pattern repeats for a total of 18 pattern repeats.

79) K29, M1, K29 (59 sts)

80-82) Knit across

Begin decreases for the Towel Top.
83) Sl 1, K7, *(Sl 1, k2tog, PSSO), K7* 4 times, end, (Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO) K8. (49 sts.)

84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94) Knit (slipping the first stitch)

85) Sl 1, K6, *(Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K5* 4 times, last 10 sts: Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K7 (39 sts.)

87) Sl 1, K5, *(Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K3* 4 times, last 9 sts: (SL1 K2tog, PSSO), K6. (29 sts.)

89) Sl 1, K4, *(Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K1* 4 times, last 8 sts: (Sl 1, K2 tog, PSSO), K5. (19 sts)

91) Sl 1, K2, (K2tog) 3 times, K1, (K2tog) 3 times, K3 (13 sts.)

93) (K2tog) 3 times, K1, (K2tog) 3 times. (7 sts.)

Tab Section of Towel Top
95) Knit, slipping the first stitch

96) Sl 1, K1, P3, K2.

97-111) repeat rows (95 and 96) of the tab section.

112) Knit, slipping the first stitch

113) Sl 1, K1, P3, K2

114-127) repeat rows (112 and 113) of the tab section

128) Sl 1, K1, Bind off center 3 sts, K to end (4 sts) (creates buttonhole)

129) Sl 1, Kfb next st, Kfb next st, K1 (6 sts)

130) K2 tog, K2tog, K2tog

131) Knit 1, K2tog, pass first stitch over. Pull tail through last stitch. Weave in ends, wet/spray/steam block. Sew button into center stitches on tab decrease row #95.

More stripes, more sack socks, less stash...

Over the weekend, with the help of some veryyyyyyyyyyyyy nearly 6 year old hands, I pulled 28+ pounds of yarn from the stash to send onto my new knitting friends back home. Since I seem to be in the land of cotton lately, not to mention I really should be finishing up Dad's vest, I thought they'd have the current time to devote to the baby acrylic, blends and wool skeins that seem to be sitting in the 'I wonder if she'll ever get around to me' pile. I'd much rather they get used up faster than I seem to be able to get to them. So...after an 'expertly packed by almost 6 year old hands' set of boxes, they've been FedEx'd off to the ladies back home along with 3 baby sweater sets.

Next, I finished up the 'chocolate chip sack sock' made in the same Simply Striped Sack sock pattern as the pink and blue sets. (patterns over <------ there). Ahhhhhhh the collection is growing!

Here's another look at making the double loop into a single loop to hang it with...

Some more random pictures from the sack sock...

And I'm nearly finished with the towel to go with it. I think this yarn was really made for 60 stitches in the round on (US)7 (4.5mm) needles. Maybe even down to 56-58 stitches. The color stripe pattern is nearly perfect for it. Although, it seems fairly even going vertical on the towel. I prefer the sack sock for it.

I got a shot of all the pink striped pieces together, but it's not the 'money shot' I thought it would be. But...they're all 'lined' up. (ha ha)

And last but not least..I finished the rest of the orange Christmas Lace set! And the patterns are ready to go up! I'll post those in a moment one at a time. Keep in mind, that the Christmas Lace Dishcloth pattern is already over (<-----) there in the list of Wishing I was Knitting at the Lake Patterns. And even tho' it's got that 'Christmas' label in the title, as you saw with the brown one I did for my daughter last December, you can do this in ANY color you fancy. It's a great lace pattern and I'd love to find just the right color for my Mom's kitchen..or her sisters..or..or...hmmmmmmmmm I need to find some more large skeins of cotton here!

Yet, I still haven't located the silly spot I laid my glasses down in.....mmmm.....hope I can find them faster than my car keys that were packed into my daughter's dorm boxes in 2003 that we just found a few months ago...

I'm pretty sure I have S*O*S...

I know, I still have the armbands and neck band to finish for my Dad's vest....but it's wool..and it was like 90*F here today, and going to be 95*F tomorrow and 98*F on Sunday. And I posted the sack sock pattern this week..and still have to post the orange one yet...and I have more ideas...and...I misplaced my glasses 2 weekends ago...and since several groups have been discussing having SOS lately...I must confess...I have it too! Shinny Object Syndrome! Oh, come on, you already knew that huh?

So, of course last night I knit up 2 Bloomington Hooiser Dishcloths, because next week is GRADUATION WEEK! And the son's friends..well..they just NEED one each. Well..they might not know it yet..but I said so...I'm the Mom and I can say so!

Then, this morning while I was working on this next sack sock...I noticed how the colors pooled at the 90 stitches area of the bottom edge, but after the decreasing eyelet section...it went right into stripes! How cool is that? I'm just the same Simply Striped Sack Sock pattern right over there <----- as I did with the pink and blue ones, but this striping pattern was a surprise to me! So, then I thought I better start looking for my glasses again.

But I came across a box of 6 baby blankets that SHOULD have been mailed out to NMCRS oh wayyyyyyy back in oh, say....2005, early 2006....and when I went to get them all labeled and boxed up I thought I should add them to my Raverly projects. After all...these were knitted for charity and should have their showing off time with the long gone Red Heart TLC Lustre yarn that I really, really miss! In order from the left side, we have for your viewing pleasure:

Rainbow Feather and Fan Baby Blanket in Pink TLC Lustre, NMCRS Basketweave Blanket, ver. 2 in Natural TLC Lustre, Diamonds from Fiber Trends leaflet by Beverly Galeskas (oh such talent from the one and only felted oven mitts designer!) in Med Blue TLC Lustre, Ruffled Ridges from the same Fiber Trends leaflet in Yellow TLC Lustre, Puffy basketweave Blanket in Mint TLC Lustre, and last but not least, the Ladder stitch from Ann Norling (another of my favorite pattern designers!) using Red Heart Baby Sport in pink and double stranded.

While I was adding them to the Ravelry 'files' I was knitting away on the sack sock. This colorway is called Chocolate OMB....but I think it reminds me of the colors when making chocolate chip cookies. It's a great pattern all that knitting in the round while you're reading and waiting for pictures to upload...and it now looks like this:

I'd say it's about 40% finished up the tube....I'm still surprised with the striping..it's nearly perfect! Which makes me want to keep on working on this, and then noticed that it was too late to take the baby blanket to be shipped.

And the vest still hasn't been touched..nor have my glasses been found yet. SOS? yaaaaaaaa...I think so...but..it's all knitting..right?

Simply Striped Dishcloth

Simply Striped Dishcloth
© Cathy Waldie, April 22, 2008

100% worsted weight cotton (Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Stripes)
(US) 7 (4.5mm) Needles
Size small (large), 8” square (8.75” square)

The large sized sample used: 1.15 oz/ 32g of cotton for 54.2 yards/49.5m in length.
The small sized sample used: .9 oz/25g of cotton for 42.3 yards/38.7m in length.
Gauge: 15sts/24 rows=4”/10cm

C/O= Cast On
K=Knit
P=Purl
Sl=Slip
Sts= stitches
B/O=Bind Off

C/O 32 (38) stitches

1-6: Knit across for bottom border (slipping the first stitch of each row)

7: Knit across

8: K3, P26 (32), K3

9-44: (9-50) repeat rows [7-8] 18 (21) more times for a total of 19 (22) pattern repeats for body of dishcloth

45-51: (51-57) Knit across for top border

52: (58) B/O in P

Add it to a Simply Striped Sack Sock, a Simply Striped Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel and a Tribble and you have a great set for your next gift, or better yet, your own Kitchen!

Simply Striped Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel

Simply Striped Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel
© Cathy Waldie, April 20, 2008

100% worsted weight cotton (Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Stripes)
(US) 7 (4.5mm) Needles
Button to fit buttonhole

Gauge: 16 sts/24 r = 4"/10 cm

Sample used 2.95 oz/83 g of cotton for 221.4 yards/202.4m in length

C/O= Cast On
K=Knit
P=Purl
K2tog=Knit two together
Sl=Slip
PSSO=Pass Slipped Stitch Over
Sts= stitches

C/O 59 stitches
1-6) Knit across for bottom border (slipping the first stitch of each row)

7) Knit across

8) K5, P49, K5

9-78) repeat rows 7&8 for 35 more pattern repeats for a total of 36 pattern repeats.

79-82) Knit across

Begin decreases for the Towel Top.
83) Sl 1, K7, *(Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K7* 4 times, end, (Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO) K8. (49 sts.)

84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94) Knit (slipping the first stitch)

85) Sl 1, K6, *(Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K5* 4 times, last 10 sts: Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K7 (39 sts.)

87) Sl 1, K5, *(Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K3* 4 times, last 9 sts: (SL1 K2tog, PSSO), K6. (29 sts.)

89) Sl 1, K4, *(Sl 1, K2tog, PSSO), K1* 4 times, last 8 sts: (Sl 1, K2 tog, PSSO), K5. (19 sts)

91) Sl 1, K2, (K2tog) 3 times, K1, (K2tog) 3 times, K3 (13 sts.)

93) (K2tog) 3 times, K1, (K2tog) 3 times. (7 sts.)

Tab Section of Towel Top
95) Knit, slipping the first stitch

96) Sl 1, K1, P3, K2.

97-111) repeat rows 95 and 96 of the tab section.

112) Knit, slipping the first stitch

113) Sl 1, K1, P3, K2

114-127) repeat rows 112 and 113 of the tab section

128) Sl 1, K1, Bind off center 3 sts, K to end (4 sts) (creates buttonhole)

129) Sl 1, Kfb next st, Kfb next st, K1 (6 sts)

130) K2 tog, K2tog, K2tog

131) Knit 1, K2tog, pass first stitch over. Pull tail through last stitch. Weave in ends, wet/spray/steam block. Sew button into center stitches on tab decrease row #93.

Add the Simply Striped Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel to a Simply Striped Sack Sock and a Simply Striped Dishcloth and don't forger to throw in a Tribble to complete your set!

More stripy things!

If you're going to knit up a sack sock with that Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Stripes, don't you want to add a towel and dishcloth, not to mention a tribble? I did! Now, check out what I discovered along the knitty way....

=+

One skein of the Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Stripes will give you one large Simply Striped Sack Sock plus one Simply Striped Kitchen Hanging Hand Towel, and one Small sized Simply Striped Dishcloth with just a very wee bit left over. Roughly 4 yards. Not too much breathing room is there?

=

If you use one skein of Lily Sugar 'n Cream cotton you can get one Large Sized Simply Striped Dishcloth and one Tribble with ~16 yards left over.

Now, if you put these both side by side, if you didn't know which size was knitted out of which 'brand', would you be able to tell the difference?

Patterns coming up shortly as I post them separately...but for the rest of today....I'll be working on another sack sock...out of Bernat's Handicrafter Naturals in Chocolate omb. Hey..I have 4 kids you know..they all have separate places to live..gotta treat them all the same here!

Happy Green Day! Simply Striped Sack Sock

What do you do with all of your plastic shopping bags? I reuse them all the time. But keeping them 'corralled' can be a bit of a challenge unless you have a container of sorts. Back in the summer of 1996, my Auntie "M" was sewing up Sack Socks for everyone in the family. They were the best idea I thought at the time.She made large ones and smaller ones to use in the car or campers while out on the road. Here are the two she made me and I've used them non-stop ever since. They live up on the pegs in my kitchen with my aprons.

Today, there are cities who are banning the use of plastic bags. While I think for the environment it's got it's merits, I really like reusing them over and over again. Face it, for now, we are a society of easy. I do have a whole collection of fabric shopping bags, that I used to use all the time when I was grocery shopping for 6. Today, they mostly carry my knitting projects or literally hang out in the hallway closet. I've slacked back to the 'easy' way.

Knowing that Earth Day was coming up, I got to thinking that it was time to come up with a new project and this seemed to just fit the bill. How about knitted sack socks to house all those wayward plastic bags! Well, thanks to Ravelry for getting lots of my yarn all organized, my daughter for additional ideas, and to the cotton companies for producing those huge skeins of cotton, I was ready to dive right in.

May I present to you.....Simply Striped Sack Socks

©Cathy Waldie, April 11, 2008
16 stitches and 20 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch in the round

Large (pink) size used 6.2 oz/173 g of cotton, 289.9 yds/265.1 m. Small (blue) size used 4.8 oz/139 g of cotton, 233.6 yds/213.6m in length.
(US) 7 (4.5mm) 16" circular needle
(US) 6 (4.0mm) double point needles
Stitch Marker

Size large (pink version) 30" in length
Small (blue version) 20" in length

K=Knit
P=Purl
YO=Yarn Over
tog=Together
Sl=Slip
PSSO=Pass Slipped Stitch Over
KFB=Knit into the front and back of the same stitch


Knit Rolled Edge Bottom:
Using the circular needle, Cast on 90 stitches. Join stitches but do not twist, place stitch marker at beginning of round and Knit 10 rounds.

Bottom Eyelet Round:
*Yo, sl 1, K2 tog, PSSO* and repeat around. (60 sts)
Sack body:
Continue to knit each round until the sack sock reaches 17 " for the small size and 27" for the large size from the eyelet round.

Top Eyelet Rounds:Row 1: *YO, K2 tog* around
Row 2: *K1, KFB* around (90 sts)

Top Rolled Edge:
Knit 5 round and Bind off in knit.
Using two of the double point needles, make two 3 stitch I-cords, one 43" in length, a second one in 36" of length.

Thread the 36" length through the bottom eyelet row and tie in front so that there is a small opening at the bottom of the sack
.
Using the longer I-chord, thread it through the top eyelet rows with the ends hanging out at the front (to be tied later). Pull up 2 small loops in the back of the sack sock.You're going to tie these loops into a single hanging loop.

Tie one loop over the other.

Thread one loop through the other and pull 'snugly' up to take the slack out of the other one.
Wa-laaa...you can now tie the front ends into a bow to hang your Sack Sock!
To fill your sack sock, untie the top I-chord a bit, gather up your plastic bags and stuff them down into your sack sock.

Re-tie the top I-chord until you need to refill your Sack Sock after your next shopping trip and you're ready to pull out one plastic bag at a time from the bottom opening
.
Too cute, or what?

Coming up soon? Directions for a Feather and Fan bottom (seen on the blue version) and more patterns like the Orange one...which is done in Christmas Lace. Look also for hanging kitchen towels and dishcloths to match!

But for today...Happy Earth Day and my you help the planet out one "Reduce, Recycle, Reuse" idea at a time!