stripes

Sometimes I daydream about what I want to make for a long time.
Even if it isn’t a difficult project if I really want it the daydream may last for years. This was the case with these simple black and white knee socks.
I guess I’m still playing dress up and these perform well with fairy tales in mind.

The pattern is top down with short row heels and toes. Right and left heels worked on different needles so the join runs along the inside of the leg.
Yarn: Lang Jawoll in black and ecru.


I’m very satisfied with my socks and ready to cast my next spell.

night owl

night owl, originally uploaded by katcoyle.

w i r e d

feets

happy socks, originally uploaded by katcoyle.

I love the toes!

happy stripe knee socks

happy stripe socks, originally uploaded by katcoyle.

Finished this afternoon. It is way too hot for socks, so these will be put away for awhile.
The main yarn is Lana Grossa Meilenweit Multiringel Color #5110
(1 ball) and the contrast yarn is Cascade Fixation Color #7192 for the heels and toes. There was just a yard or so of the main color left.
I might be more excited about my socks if I could wear them.
Next up, swatching for a wool sweater...

hall of fame

"This uncommon bundle has always been my comfort, my happy burden. Yet I have found it unwise to attach myself to the souvenirs within. For as soon as I focus on a certain object I misplace it or it just disappears."

From Indian Rubies in WoolGathering by Patti Smith, Hanuman Books 1992.

One of my heroes entered the rock n roll hall of fame this week.

The Johnny Cap

Felix wears a snarl and papa’s hat.



I don’t have to worry about the boyfriend curse in regards to knitting him a sweater, as my guy doesn’t wear sweaters; but he does wear hats. Everyday. A couple days ago he asked me to knit him a new hat in a dark, plain color. I was so pleased that he wanted another hat even though he wears the ones I’ve knit all the time. For some reason I’m never sure if he really likes them. My insecurity knows no bounds.
This was knit in one night with wool my father brought back from the Falkland Island’s over four years ago. You never know when stash yarn will be put to use.

Johnny Cap
by Kat Coyle

This is the basic beanie pattern I use to which I embellish with stripes or simple color work when I’m in the mood.

Finished Size 21 1/4” around.

Yarn Worsted weight wool

Needles Size 7 (4.5 mm) 16” circular and set of 4 dpns.

Gauge 18 sts and 27 rnds = 4” in St st.

Pattern Cast on 80 sts. Work 2 x 2 rib for 2”. Work in St st increasing 16 sts on the next round: *K5, M1 *, repeat between * and *; end 96 sts.
Work 4 inches of St st. Decrease next round: * K10, K2tog * repeat between * and *. Knit next round. Decrease every other round until after the K5 K2tog round then decrease every round. Switch to dpn when sts get too tight.
When you have 8 sts cut the yarn and weave through the rem sts. Weave in loose ends.

progress

Much progress has been made on the leg since yesterday; it is almost time for the heel.

happy stripes

Self-striping sock yarn is yesterday’s news. I am late, very late indeed to the party but I can still be happy about arriving at all. The simple pleasure of watching the stripes appear with no effort on my part is making me happy and working its magic charm.
Felix has his lucky charms cereal and I my Meilenweit.

Spring Green Socks

Sock wearing season is just about over here in L.A.
but I'm hooked on knitting them.
Currently, my favorite thing is plain old stockinet.



Working in the round and around and around is very relaxing, perfect knitting for those in-between times. Those moments while waiting for a file to download, or while watching television or when I just don’t want to think but feel restless.
These useful tubes of knitted goodness are the remedy, 15" of mindless knitting for the leg, some thinking and paying attention at the heel, then 7" of foot tubing and again a little thinking for the toe.



A quick graft and a couple of ends to weave in and you're done. I have three more pairs in the works using different yarns.
The yarn used for these spring green socks is Katia Mississippi #762 as the main color and Cascade Fixation #2706 for the heels and toes.

Vine Leaf Sweater

I knit this sweater in January of last year after a road trip to New Mexico. On the drive home we stopped at a truck stop for gas and refreshments and as it turned out yarn. Amongst the wall of potato chips were hanks of handspun wool. At two dollars a hank I scooped up thirty of them. I gave my mom a few and kept the natural unbleached color for myself. I used the vine leaf lace pattern found in one of the Barbara Walker dictionaries as the main stitch and on the hems a shell stitch that scallops nicely. The front is asymmetrical and closed with four buttons and instead of buttonholes the lace serves this purposes.



This sweater gets a lot of wear. I even sleep in it. I like it so much I'm thinking of reknitting it in a manufactured wool and writing up the pattern but am not sure what wool to use. Any recommendations? I thought about Manos but the gauge is a bit bigger. Still, I think it would work nicely.

Update: Here is more information on the yarn I used. It is a loosely spun single ply and the gauge is 16 sts and 25 rows = 4" in Vine Leaf Stitch with a US 8 (5 mm) needle.

Popeye

It felt like spring today. This morning there was a bit of rain, and then blue skies with white clouds. Felix ran around. I chased him.
He is a night owl and stays up to watch Popeye cartoons. A few weeks ago he started calling me Olive Oil. It must be the hair do.

aqua striped la la scarf

aqua striped la la scarf
Originally uploaded by katcoyle.

black striped la la scarf

black striped la la scarf
Originally uploaded by katcoyle.

When I get a minute between work projects I like to make scarves and shawls. Recently, I've been making variations of the La La Scarf (pattern in Greetings from the Knit Cafe). These two are striped in carnival colors. Most people prefer to wear bland muted colors, or solid basic colors but that makes for dull knitting.

hearts and stars forever

if you say so...

You Are Teal Green

You are a one of a kind, original person. There's no one even close to being like you. Expressive and creative, you have a knack for making the impossible possible. While you are a bit offbeat, you don't scare people away with your quirks. Your warm personality nicely counteracts and strange habits you may have.

What Color Green Are You?

apron skirt

apron skirt
Originally uploaded by katcoyle.

A few years ago I made a long denim coat. I rarely wore it because it felt so heavy on my shoulders. Last year, I cut off the bottom half and refashioned the top part into a short jacket. This is the bottom half I rediscovered last night while organizing my yarns. I picked up some stitches around the waist and turned it into an apron skirt.

Indigo Ripples Skirt

A preview of the skirt I designed for the Interweave Knits spring issue.

greenish knee socks

greenish knee socks
Originally uploaded by katcoyle.

Greenish Knee Socks for the Nervous Knitter
(That would be me, nervous not about the knitting but about life outside of knitting)

Pattern notes:
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock, Camouflage color (215 yds, 2 oz); 1 skein for each sock (with not a lot left over).
Needles: 4 dpn size 2 (for cuff and leg), 5 dpn size 1 (for heel and foot)
Gauge: 7 1/2 sts and 11 rows = 1” with size 2 needle.

To fit a foot that wears a size 8 1/2 shoe. Alter the length from heel to toe for a different size foot. Though if you’re going to make it longer you will need more yarn.

Basic Pattern:
Cast on with size 2 needle 64 sts. Work 2” of 2x2 rib (about 22 rows).
Work St st until pieces measures 14 1/2” from cast on edge (about 138 rows in St st).
Change to size 1 needle to work heel and foot. Work short row heel on 32 sts on needles 1 and 2 for left sock and needles 3 and 4 for right sock.
Work 7” of St st from the heel (about 85 rows). Then, work the short row toe on 32 sts with same needles as heel sts.
Graft (32) toe sts to top of (32) foot sts.

Weave in ends, put on socks and party.

Pretty socks, done

finished socks
Originally uploaded by katcoyle.

These fancy socks sat on my desk for the last nine or so months, patiently waiting for me to complete the second sock. Finally, I got around to it. It took a while getting back in the swing of a pattern that has been put down for so long; and the yarn had issues. Some critters had chewed bits from the working skein so I had to do quite a bit of splicing. But in the end, all is well. What a relief and the good news, they fit really well, much better than I suspected. The pattern is Petticoat Socks in the book Weekend Knitting. My feet thank me!

buzz

bzzz