Helix Socks Again and More

More Helix socks knitted, from the Pattern in Knitters Calendar for 2007, I just love playing with the colours and it's amazing how little yarn is used for the stripes when the ribbing heel and toe are in solid colours. The mauve/lilac/pink pair are for me and the enormous striped pair are for someone with very swollen feet.


I have also tried a simple helix stripe summer top in oddments of green yarn, one plain green, one green and white slightly slubby, and one plain green very slubby. I knitted this in the round until the underarms and then divided the stitches in half, cast on 6 stitches at each end back and front to make a cap sleeve effect and knitted from side to side, as I was using circular needles I knitted from each end as appropriate to try and duplicate the stripes. I made some mistakes but carried on because I wanted to see the finished effect and also how the cap sleeve effect would work. I picked up stitches around the sleeve and hem after the top was finished to stop the edges rolling in.

Vintage Knitting

A jumper for me, knitted in some fairly vintage jaeger matchmaker 4ply using a vintage P&B pattern, pleased with the result which fits well, this uses inset increases from the waist up to create two decorative darts on both front and back, and then some short rows to create extra fullness on the front only. I think I prefer knitting with finer yarns, although the matchmaker was very springy and any dropped stitch immediately dropped down.

Large Size Socks

Knitted some super size socks which needed a very stretchy cast on as the recipient has very painful feet due to health problems. I had lots of very useful advice from the USA group Knitu and after experimenting with some of the suggestions, used the double knitting cast on which is virtually invisible when completed. I used the version from Sivia Harding which uses waste yarn and also used a larger needle size for the cast on which makes for a very soft stretchy edge. I judged that they were a great success as I was asked if I could knit another half dozen pairs, as the recipient is my son I guess I will have to keep knitting. The picture makes the edge look slightly flared but this disappears when they are on the foot.

Helix Socks

Helix Socks, pattern taken from the Knitters Calendar for 26th April, and great for using up odds and ends of yarn. I used three yarns, two plain and one variated.

Inkle Loom Wine Carrier

I could not decide what to do with the heavy cotton braid I made on the inkle loom, then I thought - something useful a wine carrier! The fabric is denim and there is a little velcro fastening between the bottles to keep them separate, which also means it can be used as a bag if there is no wine to carry, so not very often then.

Kent Guild of Spinners Dyers and Weavers

Our Guild now has it's own website www.kgsdw.bt.ik.com at the Kent County Show in July we won the Silver Cup, which has given us all a great sense of achievement.

Little Oliver

Another teddy - Oliver - from Sandra Polleys book, very good patterns with clear instructions. I made Oliver in some Rowan cotton with waistcoat in Jaeger Aqua.
I think he is rather cute.