Monday, October 7, 2013

Weensy Ornament

Eegads it's been a time since I last updated! So here! Have a gift! This is a wee stocking that I just wanted to see come to life. I'm working on piling up the gifts before it's "crunch time"! This was so simple that I thought to share it with the world:

So wee!
I used Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn in "white" and "red", negligible amounts of each really.
I had size 1 (2.25mm) circular needle with which to use magic loop! (so if you are using dpns, keep that in mind as you read directions)
It might have helped to have two stitch markers (for working short row heels) but I was "winging it" and didn't have them...
Finished size: about 2 inches across the leg and about 3.5" from toe to cuff.

Things I assume you already know how to do: Judy's magic cast on (Google it!) knit stockinette and garter in the round, work a basic short row (wrap and turn) and how to work a wrap with it's stitch, work a kfb increase, and bind off.

Let's begin!
Using Judy's magic cast on and the color you want for the toe, put 6 sts on your needles, ready to work in the round. Immediately increase all sts using kfb, now there's 12.
Knit one round.
Work *k1, kfb. Repeat from * to the end of the round. 18 sts
Knit one round.
Work *k2, kfb. Repeat from * to the end of the round. 24 sts
Knit one round
Work *k3, kfb. Repeat from * to the end of the round. 30 sts
Knit one round.
Switch to your stripe color and work two rounds of the new color. Now alternate colors, two rounds of each until you have 5 stripes after the toe. You should be ready for a stripe in the toe-color now. And it's time for the heel...
Knit 22, wrap and turn, purl 15, wrap and turn.
Knit 14, wrap and turn, purl 13, wrap and turn.
Knit 12, wrap and turn, purl 11, wrap and turn.
Knit 10, wrap and turn, purl 9, wrap and turn.
Knit 8, wrap and turn, purl 7, wrap and turn.
Knit 6, wrap and turn, purl 5, wrap and turn. Now we work the other half...
From now on, when you come across a stitch that was wrapped, work it with it's wrap(s).
Knit 6, on next stitch add a second wrap, turn (all wrapping will be on a pre-wrapped st now)
Purl 7, wrap and turn.
Knit 8, wrap and turn, purl 9, wrap and turn.
Knit 10, wrap and turn, purl 11, wrap and turn.
Knit 12, wrap and turn, purl 13, wrap and turn.
Knit 14, wrap and turn, purl 15, wrap and turn.
Now knit to the end of the round, and work one more full round of this color. Heel is done!
Return to the stripe routine you had before until you have 7 stripes AFTER the heel.
Starting with a knit round (you should now be using the toe color again), work garter stitch until you have 4 purl ridges. Knit half the sts plus 2, then begin binding off all the sts until you only have 4 left on the needles (total). This will be your hanging-tab. Start knitting this tab in garter stitch back and forth until you have a little more than an inch (whatever you think you will need for hanging the stocking or attaching it to something else). Now you can either bind off the 4 sts and sew it to the inside of the sock, or bind it off together with sts you pick up from a purl ridge... which ever makes you happy.

If you wanted to get crazy, you could probably make one using the same directions, with DK yarn and appropriately-sized needles and get something that might hold a gift card? I haven't tried it yet, but let me know if you do!

Enjoy!