. . . Knitting In Progress. . .
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Knitting In Progress: Eli's Christmas Stocking (A Knit-Along with Meg Swansen)
The Concept: “Please knit a Christmas stocking for Eli,” read the note from Santa. A doubly pleasurable assignment for an ssk (single sock knitter): knit for someone you love, and knit only a single stocking. Posts will be added on Mondays and Fridays, until the stocking is complete. (photo of Eli at left, courtesy of Al Menninga, Knitting Retreat 2.75) Assembling the Tools: I stood before the wall of Shetland Jumper Weight shades and plucked a darker-than-scarlet red (#9097), a rich Christmas Green (#34) and a less-contrasty-than-white Honey Beige (FC43). Then to the book shelf to pull about 6 color-pattern books. I actually used only Here Be Wyverns and Charted Peasant Designs From Saxon Transylvania. I charted out each motif on my Stitch Painter program, designing a few of them myself, then arranged them in the order I wanted. Rough Plan: Cast On using Long Tail method - with the outline-stitch on the outside so I can add a deep hem later. Knit the first motif in red on a green background as a sort of cuff; the rest of the stocking will have a red background. Knit in an AfterThought Heel -- which gives me the idea to include one or more AfterThought Pockets in the plain rounds. I like the idea of the stocking being festooned with presents - inside and out. Since all the motifs are different repeats, I debated adding and subtracting stitches in the plain rounds between each horizontal pattern to obtain even multiples (which you may decide to do). But I chose a center-back “seam” stitch and will center each motif, resulting in a mirror-image of the leftover stitches each side of the seam stitch. The only time I adjusted the number of stitches was right off the bat for the uneven15-stitch multiple motif; all the others are even-numbered repeats.
Meg will instruct as she knits along and post photos each Monday and Friday until the stocking is complete; page will remain active until January 15th. It is best to read Meg's posts before working on a chart section. Note: The Big Tree has double decrease shaping; and Meg has eliminated the vine motif on the chart as the stocking has reached an appropriate length. October 24, 2007: Knitting The Cuff
Instructions for the cuff: (You have our permission to print and enlarge the chart-found above in intro section, if you wish to knit along.) Cast On in dark green 137 stitches. Work small Honey-Beige pattern (4-stitch repeat = 34 repeats + 1 "seam" stitch kept in green). In plain green round, increase one stitch in preparation for the 15-stitch cuff repeat (138 stitches = 9 repeats + 2 + 1 'seam' stitch. Those 2 leftover stitches will be mirror-imaged each side of the single seam stitch. On the chart, cuff dark squares represent honey beige and blank squares represent red.
October 29, 2007: Tree Motif
November 2 , 2007: Lettering the Stocking
November 5, 2007: Hearts
November 9, 2007: Swag
November 12, 2007: Flower Motif And Big Trees
Big Trees : a 24-stitch repeat with room for 5 centered trees and 17 stitches leftover = 8 stitches each side of the ‘seam’ stitch. Near the base of the tree, please note the double-decrease as I want to begin a gentle narrowing toward the toe. The little triangle = slip 2 tog k’wise, k1, p2sso. 3 stitches are turned into one. You have room for 6 of these, so 12 stitches will be subtracted for a total of 125 sts. (Use the big tree shaping chart with color coding for double decreasing; red boxes indicate the double decrease, blue are non-existant stitches, the yellow squares in stars can be made (optional) after the fact with duplicate stitch or Swiss embroider -check your technique books- to make the stars shine; yellow as many of the star squares as you wish using stash yarn; you'll see one and two on Meg's chart, but she hasn't knit it into the stocking yet) Big Tree Shaping Chart ***Knitters Note: My stocking is looking pretty long AND I am beginning to run out of Red. Since I told you to get only 3 skeins, I will eliminate the vine motif at the very bottom and make the little 3-round band of Honey Beige the final pattern before I begin the Descent to the Toe in Friday's post.
November 16, 2007: Shaping The Toe
TOE SHAPING: On 125 stitches (remember the 6 double-decreases between Big Trees), after 2 rounds of plain red, work another decrease round as follows: AFTER seam stitch **(k2 Red, k1 Green) 2x. (K2 Red, k2tog Green) once. Repeat from **, ending (k2 Red, k1 Green) 2x. Seam stitch is now green and you have a total of 114 stitches. Work a second round of k2 Red, k1 Green. Now switch the Red to Green and the Green to Honey Beige and mark 6 stitches diametrically opposed (see close-up photo) -- between the centers-front and -back. Also note the 2 stitches before and after each set of 6 will be the first decreases for the toe shaping. SO: Knit the seam stitch + 23 more stitches. k2tog, k6 (1G, 1HB, 2G, 1HB, 1G), ssk, k47, k2tog, k6 (1G, 1HB, 2G, 1HB, 1G), ssk, k24 - and you are back at the beginning. Work the 4 decreases EVERY round - maintaining vertical stripes. When you have 13 stitches between the decreases, switch to solid Green and shape the 6-stitch-panel as follows: k1G, (slip 1 HB, k3tog, psso);turns 4 sts into 1 which forms a pleasing horse-shoe of HB above the two verticals; see photo), k1G. Repeat on other side? Yes, I copped out and went to solid green to make the toe-weaving easier. As I went to weave the toe stitches, I thought of heavy presents sinking to the bottom of the stocking, and used doubled wool to weave with. Keep the weaving loose and snug up each stitch at the end.
November 16, 2007: After Thought Heel (really, another TOE)
Between the flowers and the 3-round HB pattern above it, snip half the seam stitch. Ravel in either direction to expose a total of 55 stitches. Because there are only 2 plain rounds between motifs, you will have some carried strands along the top (or bottom) of your opening. Pick up the 55 easy stitches across the bottom (or top). Now study your knitting and pick up the same number across the other side -- doing the best you can to avoid the carried strands, and get into a solid stitch. See the large gaps at each corner? Twist two of those sloppy strands at each corner (one at a time) and put them on the needle as additional stitches; 2 at each corner for a total of 114 stitches (same as the TOE). Mark off 6 stitches at each side (3 each side of each ‘corner’) - plus the 2 decrease-stitches on either side = 47 stitches in between.
November 26, 2007: Hem
With a smaller sized needle and into the purl bumps behind the Long-Tail Cast On, knit up 137 stitches in green. Depending upon how much wool you have left, knit hem as deep as you would like it - perhaps knitting in the date as well. Do not cast off, but skim down raw stitches to the back of the fabric (photo). It makes a very tidy job if you knit the last round or two of them hem in the color to which it will be sewn.
November 26, 2007: EZ's Afterthought Pocket(s)
Decide where you would like an exterior pocket to hold very small presents. Snip half a stitch in the middle of the proposed pocket - and, like the After Thought Heel, ravel stitches in both directions until the opening is as wide as you would like. Pick up and cast off the lower stitches (possibly knit a row first). Pick up the upper stitches and begin to work back and forth for the pocket lining. Keep the first and last 4 stitches in garter-stitch to prevent curled edges; purl back on the center section. At wanted pocket depth, skim raw stitches down to inside of fabric as you did for the hem -- or Cast Off the stitches first for greater security (you never know what heavy items Santa will slip into this pocket). Tack down the sides. I would have made the hem deeper and added a second pocket - but, quite literally, I ran out of wool.
November 29, 2007: Finale (I-Cord Hanger Upper, Darning and Stuffing)
To make the I-Cord Hanger-Upper: At the center-back, knit up three stitches from the fabric of stocking, work x” of I-Cord, loop it over AND buttonhole-stitch it down (through the stocking) for about an inch or so. You can see how much leftover wool I had. Darn in all ends and stuff the stocking and pocket(s) full of presents. Thank you for joining me on this adventure. Any requests for a topic? Please Email Michelle and check back for more knitting in the new year (plus pictures of Eli receiving his stocking on Christmas morning.) We'll keep the stocking knit along active until January 15th.
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