Following the Pattern- Bird Socks

 

Back to those socks for the moment.

Regia supply free patterns. If you can knit and purl you're away.....

My knitting is loose so I cast on 52 stitches instead of 60 for a pair of adult medium sized socks.

The cuff is 4cm of rib, one plain,one purl- on repeat.

The problem here at first is keeping those stitches on the 4 double pointed needles.Slip slide they go...oops...f**k

The Addi brand on the left 15cm/2.5cm worked better for me as they are less smooth than the Milward brand on the right...hence stitches seemed to cling on a bit better and my fingers are a bit arthritic so I need "sticky" needles.

Once you are on garter stitch it's all plain sailing until the heel flap.

People all sigh and say, "OMG turning those heels. I did that in school...what a nightmare..."

I never got beyond scarves at school so I went for the turn without bias and honestly it was fun, maybe not for kids....

Then you just follow the pattern, increasing/decreasing as instructed. 

When it came to the casting off I was phased by something called the Kitchener stitch and avoided it for at least five pairs of socks.

But eventually a chat with a lady in a craft shop in Waterville and I gave it a go and it definitely gives a more elegant toe than my cast off ones.

There are umpteen videos on you tube to help out at any stage in the making.

The wool I use is West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 ply that comes in a rainbow range of colours with evocative names such as Kingfisher, Pheasant, Owl... I think of my friends now in terms of their bird socks...