I like to go outside too!

Yes, I do a lot of sewing and knitting and all kind of activities that could be classed as indoor activities, but I do like to go outside too.  I also like to do things for charity whenever possible so I have combined these two activities by doing a 13.1 mile walk around Cheltenham for charity.

This is my sponsor page:
http://www.justgiving.com/Annie-Gillon

and this is the link to the charity website:
http://www.ccprojects.org.uk/

My daughter and her friend will be joining me and I intend to post lots of photos when it is done.  If anyone could help with a few £s then that would be fabulous.

Thank you in advance

Annie

2 at a time lounge socks

I haven't been here for a while, but I have now left my (very) full time job and so I now have plenty more time to make wonderful things.  Something I've been wanting to have a go at for ages is 2 at a time socks. I've always thought it looked very complicated though so was a bit scared to start off with.  Thankfully I found this amazing video which helped me no end.  A pattern can be bought to go along with the video from verypink.com too, I highly recommend using both the video and the pattern together.  I used two 4.5mm 80cm circular needles and 100g of Patons Wool Blend Aran yarn.

So the first step, and what I thought was the hardest step, was casting on.  If you get this right then you will be sorted for the rest of the socks I think.  It took me 4 attempts to get it right, but then there was actually that EUREKA! moment.  I was overwhelmed by pride!  :) 

So I happily knitted away at the cuff.  As you can see, these are rather chunky socks not really suitable for wearing with shoes, this is why I have called them lounge socks, good for lounging around in your PJs on a Sunday (or whatever day for that matter).  The next thing I had to do was knit the heel flap, which is done in the same way you would normally knit a heel flap.  Then I got scared as the next step was to turn the heel.  Duh, duh, DUHHHHH!

However, if you follow the pattern and the video carefully and calmly, and don't do anything until you are 100% sure of what you are meant to be doing, then this step is also quite simple.  It can feel a bit tight because there are so many stitches on the needles, but at this point you will start to decrease the number of stitches anyway, so again things start to feel easier.  When I turned the heel I just sat there and stared at them for a while as I was in awe of myself and kept thinking I had made the most amazing things.

So you just decrease as you would with a normal 1 at a time sock and then knit straight for as long as you need the foot to be.  These socks were for my daughter so they were quite diddy.  You may have noticed that I haven't used any stitch markers on these socks at all, that's because they're not needed.  You then decrease at the toe, like a normal 1 at a time sock and then you use Kitchener stitch to cast off.

This is the finished article!  Fabulous, fabulous socks.

To be honest 99% of this project I have found to be far, far simpler than knitting one sock at a time.  I just need to master the cast on and I will be very happy.  There is no second sock syndrome and you can be 100% sure that both socks are the same.  I will definitely be doing this again with the lighter weight yarn and 2.5mm needles.  However I am now doing something very simple as a break and making some lovely face cloths to go in my shop on Folksy.  See you all soon!

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Folksy shop

Over the past few weeks I have been setting up my Folksy shop and here it is!

AnnieGTextiles

It's just a few bits and bobs, nothing too grand.  Keep checking back though, see what's up there!  :)