Keeping Our Toes Cozy

As I put my knitting needles down after finishing my third pair of slipper/socks this season I felt extremely grateful for being able to knit things for my family to keep them warm this winter. It's a little thing but it blesses them in a tangible way and in turn blesses me. It fills me with joy to feel like I am able to clothe and care for my loved ones.

I've been making these slipper-socks for myself for years using a simple sock pattern formula. It can be adapted to use any size needles or yarn and sized up or down to fit tiny baby feet or big man feet. It's a very versatile pattern. It does require a bit of swatching though to ensure that you get a good fit with the yarn, needles, and sock size. I'm hesitant to share this pattern formula though as it might be a bit confusing. If you find yourself lost drop me a line and I'd be happy to help!

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Slipper-Socks Knitting Pattern Formula
Note: This method of socks requires knitting in the round with multiple needles. There is NO seaming (which is why it's my favorite go-to pattern).

-GETTING STARTED: To begin, I cast on the amount of stitches required to make an ankle cuff. This is where swatching is important. This number will change depending on the sock-size, yarn, and needles.

For the big socks above I used a chunky handspun yarn and big needles, so I only needed to cast on 36. I've made proper socks using this pattern for a small women's sock and cast on 56. So it just depends. Swatch! Swatch! Swatch! Once the ankle cuff is fitted the rest of the sock generally fits like magic.

-THE CUFF: Knit in 2x2 or 1x1 ribbing until the desired length of the cuff is reached. I like a medium-length cuff.

-THE HEEL: To work the heel I always do a short-row heel as it's easy to memorize and there is no seaming. I simply work the heel on HALF the number of total stitches.

-THE FOOT: After the heel is turned continue knitting the heel (now the bottom of the sock) in stockinette stitching and the top of sock in ribbing until the required length of the foot (minus the toes! We're getting to that!)

-THE TOE:
Note: Requires a set of 4 needles. The stitches are divided with half of them on needle #2 and one quarter each on needles #1 and #3. The division between needles #1 and #3 is centered at the back of the heel or under the foot, decreasing at the end of needle #1, the beginning and end of needle #2, and beginning of needle #3. (phew. Are you with me? Once the stitches are divided properly it's much easier than it sounds!)

Round 1: Knit to 3 sts from the end of needle #1, K2tog, K1. K1, SSK at the beginning of needle #2, knit to 3 sts away from end of needle #2, K2tog, K1. K1, SSK at the beginning of needle #3, knit to end of round.
Round 2: Knit plain.

Repeat these two rounds until you have reduced the number of stitches on each needle by half. Continue to work decrease round only until 6-8 stitches remain. Graft the toe together using a kitchener stitch or draw the stitches together.

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OKAY. So not as much a proper pattern than it is a formula. The trick here is that this formula is very versatile and not to fuss too much over the technicality of it. ;)

xo

Pomegranate: Finished Tulip Blanket

Nesting for me usually comes in the form of crafting. I need to create and make comfortable, beautiful, and practical things for baby, for me, and for the family. It's what I do. It makes me feel... ready. Prepared.

This blanket has been a long time coming. It started with some lofty merino and silk fiber that I spun into a useable yarn. It went onto the knitting needles and weeks later it took it's final shape: a wonderfully warm and drapey blanket knit in a simple tulip lace. Incredibly soft and snuggly it is currently folded up and waiting to be wrapped around fresh newborn baby skin.

I've made a matching hat with some leftover yarn and am currently working on some tiny baby booties as well.

I see the blanket sitting and waiting, much like my heart, and I can't wait to see our precious little one snuggled up tight in it.

We'll see you soon, my little Love! We can't wait to meet you, hold you, kiss you, and whisper beautiful things to you.
You are loved.


Follow along with the journey:

The beginning - Spinning Wool for the Baby
Spinning it up - Pomegranate Progress
The finished yarn - Pomegranate: All Spun Up

Pomegranate Progress

I've been making some slow and steady progress on spinning up this merino and silk for the baby. I'm really liking the way it's turning out!

Have you been working on any special projects lately? I've usually always got a few projects going.

Spinning wool: For the baby

I splashed out on some extra fancy wool to spin for the new baby! I have big plans for a baby blanket (and possibly a matching hat and sweater). After days of searching I finally settled on this luscious silk and merino blend by Ashford in the Pomegranate color way. This luxuriously soft blend boasts deep pinks, mauves, burgundy and an array of orange hues. Perfect for our baby girl but mature enough for me to love.

It's downright delicious. Stay tuned for when I spin it up into a soft, lofty yarn! And then knit it.

I better get started.

Creative Fibre Exhibition 2012

This weekend the Craft & Quilt Fair 2012 was held and I was honored to have my shawl displayed in the Creative Fiber Exhibition portion of the fair.

Audrey became obsessed with a chair and insisted on sitting on it and then getting off and then trying to climb back up. There were tears. After we distracted her from the chair she busied herself with running around the exhibition and trying to touch everything. Excellent.

I'd never been to the Craft & Quilt Fair before so I didn't know what to expect, but it was HUGE! There were loads of vendors selling the latest in crafting and quilting, and it was crowded! It was all very exciting. In the exhibition there were some really incredible pieces. There are some very talented ladies and gents out there.

I'm already dreaming up what project I might enter next year! My next goal is to win a prize. Dream big, I say!

xo
Talia Christine

Exhibition bound

Awhile back I shared with you guys my hope to have a piece entered into an exhibition this year...

Well I've just got back an exciting email that says my handspun shawl has been selected! I'm so excited! It will be on view at the Claudelands Events Centre at the Craft and Quilt Fair from September 6-9th.

I've titled my piece 'Nueva' which means 'new' in Spanish. The deep greens represent new beginnings and springtime in the New Zealand countryside. The shawl was hand spun and hand knit by me (during baby nap times and my evening tv shows).

Kinda pumped right now. And now I'm looking for my next project.

xoxo
Talia Christine

Dreaming Big

Yesterday I've sent off my entry form to enter my hand-spun hand-knit shawl into an upcoming exhibition. I'm extremely nervous as I've never entered anything into an exhibition before, let alone attend one, so I have no idea what I'm up against! It's a small dream of mine to have one of my knits on display so I've decided to go for it!

I've hand spun this wool and am currently in the process of knitting it up! I'm calling it "Nueva", which means "new" in Spanish. A friend of mine hand dyed this wool for me as a parting gift before I moved to New Zealand around two years ago. The deep greens represent new beginnings and the New Zealand countryside. I'm quite excited with how it's turning out!

Cross your fingers for me! I'll let you all know if it makes it to the exhibition.

xo
Check out more of my handspun projects HERE.

Quiet Days

Things have been really quiet around here as we wait for our Little Bean's appearance. Since we have pretty much finished organizing all the baby things time seems to suddenly be at a stand still. Before we had everything ready for the baby, time was flying by! Maybe it was because I wanted time to slow down so I could hurry and get the baby clothes ready and things like that, maybe it's because I'm near the end of the pregnancy.

We have 9 days until the due date so I'm trying not to get too antsy!

To keep myself preoccupied I've been knitting some more little baby things. I've knit 3 pairs of baby socks in a couple different sizes. They are SO tiny and cute!





Yesterday I had some strong contractions for about an hour but they eventually stopped. It was so exciting then so disappointing! We will keep you guys posted on any news of the baby, so stay tuned here and follow me on Twitter for quicker updates. Until then, I am trying to content myself with my last days of pregnancy. Me and Phil have a date planned and I am really looking forward to that :)

I have the best husband ever.

xoxo
Talia Christine

First Blanket

I finally finished spinning and knitting the blanket for Baby vdW! I love how it turned out and it's incredibly soft. I've put the blanket in the bassinet and I can't stop taking little peeks at it and imagining our little one snoozing in it.

Today marks 4 more weeks until the due date! One more week and I'll be considered full term. We are getting so close!








With the leftover yarn I made a little matching hat (Phil's idea) so when the Little is all swaddled up he or she has a little hat to match! CUTE! I think I'm going to work on some little booties tonight.

Total yardage spun: 646 yards 3-ply
Weight: fingering/worsted
Blend: merino/tencel

xoxo
Talia Christine

My Latest Spin

I've begun work on baby Dylan's second present. I'm hand spinning some special wool to knit up into the softest blanket imaginable (or close anyway).

Before:




After:



I'm about halfway done spinning the 8.5 ounces of Merino/Tencel blend.
This stuff is a dream to spin.
It spins up like butter.
It has gorgeous hints of baby blues, grays, and silver throughout the wool and spun up yarn. I'm excited to knit a swatch to see how it looks!

Now to on decide (again, because I keep changing my mind) which baby blanket pattern I will knit.

For those of you interested, I purchased the roving from Spincerely. I'm a repeat customer. She has excellent customer service and has always answered my hair-brained questions that I throw at her. What's most though is that her dyed rovings are ridiculously incredible. I dye my own wool typically, but when I splash out and buy something fancy I head her way.

xoxo
Talia Christine

A Busy Bee and Rotten Apples

This Saturday was rainy. Really really rainy. So we did what any sane people would do. We went out into the rain to pick mostly rotten apples from an orchard that is going to be torn down soon.

We put on our raincoats and gumboots and made our way into the orchard to find half decent apples to salvage. Literally, they were only half decent as they were mostly half frost bitten and rotting. The parts that were good though, are really reeaaaally good. Since they have been on the tree this whole time, they are wonderfully incredibly sweet.



We brought back pounds and pounds of apples. We have been chopping, and peeling, and cutting away, and salvaging apples since then.




Ta-Da! Clean apples!

We have preserved apples, stewed them, made apple sauce out of them, and plan to make apple jam. It's amazing! We have gained and made so much out of something that was left to rot and be thrown away! Oh and it was all free. That's incredible too.




Aside from dealing with literal small mountains of apples... we have been up to a number of other things! Me and the Mister made homemade whole wheat pasta for a lasagna. Oh man. Talk about yum.




Oh. And I'm knitting work socks for my Mr. van der Wel. I only have one done right now. I'll hopefully begin the second one today.




This busy bee seriously needs a nap.

xoxo
Talia Christine