rain rain go away

[bunrab]

So, it will take us till Wednesday to complete all the paperwork for backing out of the house contract due to the inspection results. Then we can start looking again.

I am knitting slipper socks - a really easy pattern, using bulky yarn, 1 skein of yarn makes a pair. And that's a 100-gram skein (about 90 yards); if you were to get something like Wool-Ease, which is 108 yards, you could make really high leg parts, or deep cuffs, on them.

The upper east coast gets the dregs of a lot of tropical storms and hurricanes, raining hard enough that it's not fun to ride. Since we don't HAVE to be anywhere, we don't have to go out in the rain.

S wants to buy a new car nonetheless. I say let's find a house first, then see how much money we have...

I really should be cleaning rabbit and chinchilla cages. Back to knitting!!

Comments

[momily.livejournal.com]

Slipper sock pattern? Easy? Share?

[bunrab.livejournal.com]

Here it is. It's from Artful Yarns "Circus" yarn label, and it's called One Skein Circus Foot Warmer Socks. However, any bulky yarn that has at least 90 yards to the 100-gram ball, and gets 2-2.5 sts per inch, will work; Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, for example would be just fine. I'm gonna give you the pattern they have, but add some of [my comments]. You need a set of 5 dp needles, #11. They say the result "fits most women." If you are actually using the Circus yarn, which is a lumpy yarn, you turn the finished slipper inside out, so that the purl side is the outside.

Their pattern:
Cast on 24 st., divide onto 4 needles and knit around for 2.5". [1(see below for comments)] Dec rnd: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 - 22 st left. When piece measures 5" from the beg repeat dec rnd - 20 st. [2]With 5 sts on each needle, keeping the beginning of round between first and last needles, knit until piece measures 6.5". Shape heel (work back and forth in rows) - Row 1: k4, wrap next st (bring yarn to front and slip next st to RH needle, put yarn in back and slip last st back onto LH needle). [Turn!! (3)] Row 2: p8, wrap next st. Row 3: K7, wrap next st. Row 4: P6, wrap next st. Row 5: k 5, wrap next st. Row 6: P4, wrap next st. Row 7: k4, wrap next st. Row 8: P4, wrap next st. Repeat rows 5, 4, 3, and 2. [4] Work even [rounds of 20 sts] for 6". Shape toe: (K3, K2) tog 4 times - 16 sts. Knit 1 round. Next rounds: (K2, k2tog) 4 times - 12 sts. Knit one round. Next rnd: (k1, k2tog) 4 times - 8 sts. Knit 1 round. Break off yarn and pull through remaining sts. [I threaded a big-eye yarn needle and slipped the yarn through that way, before pulling it off each needle, then pulled it tight so there wouldn't be a little hole at the toe.

The notes - and there's more after the numbered comments:
1. Slip a stitch marker onto the last needle, between the last 2 stitches, and slip it along each round so that it stays there, telling you you're on the last needle for that round. If you don't have official little markers, a circle of some contrasting yarn will do, or a small key-chain ring, or even a small rubber band.]
2. Shift some stitches around so there are 5 on each needle. They imply it; here's when to do it.
3. Turn!! after each of these numbered rows - you are working back and forth, like knitting on regular straight needles.
4. At which point, you will be in the middle of your last needle - knit those 4 sts to get back to the beginning of a round, then you're going to start working in rounds again.

More comments:
Unless you do a very tight cast-on, their 24" makes a very loose, floppy cuff. If you do a loose cast-on, you can do 20 stitches all the way down, ignoring those decs. For guys, make it 21 or 22 sts cast one, and decr. once at about the 10th row. Also for guys (I'm on my second pair of these using my modifications) only make the cuff 4-5" instead of 6.5" and then make the foot part after the heel turn 6.5" to 7" instead of 6" (The 6" will only fit a guy with up to about size 8 shoes, and most guys are larger.)

If you make it out of Circus, the instructions are: hand wash in cool water with mild soap. Roll in towel to remove excess moisture, lay flat to dry. If you make it in any other yarn with over 80% wool, same applies. I am currently using a ball of Wendy Pampas Mega Chunky, which is 70% acrylic and 30% wool, so it can be machine washed, as could Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. I am going to try a "feather" yarn next, that has the same gauge, to make fluffy slippers, and that of course will be hand wash only.

Also, if someone is going to walk around in these, get the spray they sell for kids to spray on the bottom of socks so they don't slide, or use dabs of "puff paint" which is sort of rubbery, in little dots on the sole of the slipper, or even dabs of the liquid latex they sell at Home Depot to dip tool handles in. Otherwise, the slippers are good for TV or just wearing in bed, but not good for walking to the bathroom in the middle of the night.