The pic below is from setting up for the weaving party. Everyone made such gorgeous pieces! Even the self-proclaimed non-crafty ladies!  I was so proud! (And yes, I did proclaim at the beginning that it was :so easy:.  BUT IT IS!)

And yup, Kumquatmay Studio is officially open for business!  (link also in the nav above!) (Did I bury the lede? I'm good at that.)  Go on over to Etsy and like my stuff and spread the word.  I've only put up a few listings so far, including custom pieces, since I need to photograph the rest of them.  But there's more where them came from.

Anyway, want to see what I've made recently? I've got some knitting on the needles that I really need to finish up, but have been doing some bigger weaving projects.  If you follow me on instagram, you've seen these all before.  And I finally figured out how best to photograph them, so you can see in reverse order, the improvement in the quality of pictures. 

Oh, and did I bury the lede there?  I'm taking commissions! If you are interested in a hanging, shoot me a note and let's chat.

A commissioned weave of about 20" across.  The mister took one look and said "I LOVE the Elsa braid in the fringe!"

a commission that just went to its new home.  They'd requested a palette similar to the following weave.

this one really needs its own blog post.  For the school auction, as a classroom project, I went into the classroom and each 2nd grader dyed his or her own mini skein of yarn with food coloring and kool-aid dyes, and then I wove all their yarns into a large (30" across! prob 45" long with the fringe?) tapestry. 

8" round weave, done with the leftovers from the big one for the school auction.  This one I gave to the teacher for the classroom to have.

all roving little weave, maybe 10x8?

this one I made a while ago.  But he sure is cute, no? We are being mean queens here.

And so, I present the granny square blanket.  I'm not normally a big crocheter, but after a holiday season where I crocheted three mermaid blankets and one shark blanket for various children (it's way faster than knitting, and I needed to knock those babies out), I was left with a bunch of leftover yarn.  Combine that with the need for distraction, and the fact that the crochet hook was downstairs and my knitting needles were upstairs . . . Voila! A granny square starburst blanket was born.

The white, aqua, and grass green were left over from the littlest little's mermaid blanket, the dark blue and mint green were left over from my niece's mermaid blanket, and the grey was left over from the biggest little's shark blanket. 

Of course, because I didn't have enough of several colors, it also required me heading back to the store no less than three times.  Planning ahead! One day I will do so.

I'd originally thought the blanket would be all the blue squares, but after finishing 24 squares, I realized that not only was I was out of the aqua, so were the stores.  Luckily, I had the grass green, and so switched to that for another 24 squares. 

The pattern is a pretty straightforward starburst granny square.

I used a magic loop beginning, chained 3 into that for the first double crochet, then double crocheted 11 into the chain (for a total of 12 dcs), slip stitch to attach and finished off, pulling the magic loop tight. 

Second round was the mint green.

In one of the spaces between the double crochets of the white round, I chained 3 for the first dc, then another dc into the same space, then 2 dc into each space around (a total of 24 dcs), slip stitch to attach, and cut yarn.  

Third round, dark blue.  

Chain 3 for the first dc into one of the spaces between the 2dc clusters of the round before, then 2 more dc into the same space, then 3 dc into each space between the clusters of the previous round. Slip stitch to attach, cut yarn.

Fourth round, either aqua or grass green.  Now you make the rounds into squares:,

• ch 3 into a space between the clusters, then 2 dc into the same space
• 3 dc into the next space to make a regular cluster 
• 2 dc, chain 2, 2 dc into the next (3rd) space to make a corner 
• 3 dc into the next (4th) space; 3 dc into the next (5th space) 
• Another corner into the next space (6th) 
• Regular clusters into each of the next 2 spaces (7th and 8th spaces) 
• Another corner (9th space) 
• 2 more regular clusters (10th and 11th spaces) 
• Last corner (12th), slip stitch to your beginning and fasten off

The last round of clusters is grey, and it helps square off your somewhat wombly square by using half double crochet clusters on the sides, and double crochet for the corners. 

• ch 2, 2hdc  into first space; 3 hdc into each of the next 2 spaces (this is one flat side)
• 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc into the corner space
• 3 hdc into each of the next 3 spaces
• another dc corner
• another hdc side
• another dc corner
• last hdc side
• last dc corner
• slip stitch and then...

At this point, I could have done another round around of dc clusters, but I worried that would be too much grey, so I ch 1. I decided to single crochet around each square (using 3 sc into each corner space to turn the corners), slip stitched to join and fastened off. 

I wove in the ends as I went, because I hate nothing more that 1) weaving in ends in crochet and 2) doing it all at the end.  By weaving them in as I made the squares, I was able to secure them a bit by also working the next round over the ends as well as weaving them into the work.  I've had a granny square blanket come apart because ends worked themselves out and never again. 

For ease of use and maximum mindless distraction, I did all the centers first, then all the first rounds, etc.  Except for when I ran out of aqua--I finished all the aqua ones with the grey, and took stock of where I was.

Layout is always tricky and where I am no good.  So I asked the internet whether they preferred rows/columns of the two color or alternating.  Unfortunately the internet was split, so I made my husband decide.  He went with columns.  Thus, columns.

I joined the squares together by flat slip stitching through the back loop of the edging.  I held the squares to be joined together, wrong sides together, and then put the hook through the back half of each of their edge loops.  I'm not explaining it well, naturally. Luckily Craft Passion has a great tutorial.  

If I hadn't done the sc around the edge, I probably would have used dc clusters to join the squares, as that's my preferred look.  But I was running short on grey, and was not about to rip out that last line of sc around the squares at this point. 

Finally, I did a border around the whole thing of hdc, then a round of sc.  

And done!

Back to yelling as loud as I can, as often as I can, at my elected reps.

I say again, because when I was in high school, I did some weaving, both on a tabletop cricket style loom (my color choices were... lacking on that one), and also a straightforward tapestry loom.  I still have the tapestry hanging in my office, and it's one of my favorite things I've made.

Here's the thing:  weaving is not hard--over, under, over, under.  Making a loom from cardboard is not hard.  They are literally crafts for preschoolers.  But you can make some gorgeous stuff on them just with a few key choices on your part.

There are several gorgeous small maker tapestry loom artisans out there making some amazing tools that are totally worthwhile if weaving is going to be a major hobby for you (heeey there Hokett looms! I got three of you for Christmas and am LOVING THEM), but if you just want to try it on for size, and don't want to financially commit much scratch to the project, just scrounge around for some cardboard.  I'm sure you've got an amazon box floating around somewhere. The weaving I made it on waaaay back in the early 90s? Done on cardboard.  

Now, ovbs, that's not the same loom I made back in 93.  I keep stuff, but I'm not a hoarder.  This one is a new one I made to do a few wall hangings on.  It's a top flap of a box something or other came in, and perfect for a loom because it's relatively sturdy with no creases or bends, and not enormous.  This is a lap loom, so think about what will make an appropriate size for you.

I took a ruler and pencil, and marked a straight line across each short end, about an inch in from the edge.  Then I measured every 1/2" along that line, and drew a line for my notches.  Using scissors, I cut in along those notch lines from the edge to the marked line, and no further.  Do this on the top and bottom, and voila.  A loom has appeared!

As a reminder: warp threads are the threads that go up and down vertically on your loom.  You weave over and under, back and forth, with weft threads.  Warp threads are best to be relatively smooth and strong, as they are more under tension than weft.  You can use pretty much anything for weft.

For a tapestry or wall hanging loom, when I don't want the warp threads to show, I just use crochet cotton, the kind that comes in a ball with a cardboard core.  It's thin, so the weft threads can pack around it; it's strong, so I don't need to worry about breakage; it's smooth, so I don't need to worry about weft catching on it or it abrading away with all the over-under-ing going on; and it's cheap.  You can, of course, get actual rug warp thread, which is advisable if you're going to go hardcore on this, but I have yet to have a problem with crochet cotton.

I've also done several weavings where the warp was designed to show, and in this case, I used sisal twine.  Though a bit rough and not super flexible, it looks great and rustic, which is what I was going for.  Kind of a pain in the ass to warp the loom the first time, but I got used to it.

To warp your loom, first secure the end of the warp thread to the back of the loom--see above.  Sometimes I use tape, sometimes I tie a double knot around the notch.  Tape's easier, but can work itself loose.

Once the end is secure, run the thread down through the notch to the front of the loom, and down to the corresponding notch on the lower edge of your cardboard.  Run the thread through the notch, and back around the next notch in line, making a little loop behind the notch, as you can see above.  Make sure you pull your warp snug, you want a bit of tension in the warp but not so much you bend the cardboard.   Run the thread up to the next open notch on the top edge, go around the back of the notch, and run the thread through down the front again.  Keep doing this for every notch, so the warp threads are all on the front of your loom, as seen here:

When you've filled your last notch, cut the warp thread from the spool, leaving a good 6" or so, and secure the end to the back--again, either with a knot or a piece of tape.  Voila, you've warped your loom!

Now, check out that image above again.  There's a narrow rectangle of cardboard down at the bottom.  That's from a cereal box, and I wove it over and under the warp threads to keep an even space at the bottom.  Later, when you're done with your weave, you'll need to finish it by tying off the warp threads and either making fringe or weaving the warp ends in the back of the piece.  You can skip this spacer if you're planning on using a dowel or stick at both the top and bottom of your weave.

Now you're ready to weave! Thread a tapestry needle, or other needle with a large eye, with your chosen weft yarn, and start going over and under your warp threads.  Leave a bit of a tail in the back of the piece to weave in later to secure the weft threads.  

Oh, and if you've done any weaving before I'm sure you've encountered the dreaded pulling in of the sides.  It happens to all of us the first few times and the key to avoiding it is to NOT PULL TIGHT.  In fact, bubble the weft thread at an angle as you go over and under, and don't yank on the weft.  Gently push the threads down with your fingers, a wide toothed hair comb, or even a fork (this is called beating down the weft).  The actual act of going over and under threads takes up some of the length of the yarn, and by bubbling or angling the weft up before you beat it against the previous rows, you're allowing the weft to take up that length, and settle nicely.

I highly recommend using a relatively plain worsted weight or thinner yarn for the first few rows of weft, and weaving a plain weave, or tabby weave, for several rows.  The plain weave is literally: over one thread, under the next.  On the next row, go under the threads you went over last time, and over the threads you went under before.  This will help give a nice selvedge edge to your hanging.

When you come to the end of your weft thread, pull it through to the back, leaving a few inches as a tail.  Then thread another piece--same color, different color, whatever you want!--and keep going.  Change colors, skip warp thread (over 2, under 2; over 2, under 1, etc.) to get the pattern you want.  Add fringe with rya knots, texture with soumak weave, weave straight lines, angles.  There are infinite possiblities! And try lots of things for your weft! I love working with roving and wool top (unspun fiber), jute twine, and metallic fibers, and I've seen amazing weaves made with birch bark and ribbons as well.  Mess around, see what you can come up with!

I am not the fringiest of ladies, but sometimes, it's called for.

When you've reached the top of your cardboard loom, you're ready to finish your weave! You need to pop the weave off your loom, leaving the warp loops as is.  Since I tend to hang my weaves from a stick or a copper pipe, I use the warp loops at the top of the loom, and just slide a dowel or a stick into them.  The bottom loops I cut and tie together in pairs using a square knot.  If I've done fringe at the bottom, you can leave the warp ends as is.  If I've skipped fringe, I use a tapestry needled and weave the warp ends back up into the weaving on the back side. I also weave in the loose ends of the weft from color changes and yarn ends to secure them a bit, and trim close to the work.  Because the wall hangings don't actually take on a lot of stress or weight, the ends are not likely to work themselves loose.  

 The Weaving Loom has some fantastic weaving tutorials for things like rya knots and soumak weaves (wrapping around the warp threads for texture).  I highly recommend checking them out, as well as a number of other weaving tutorials on you tube. There's a wealth of information out there.

It's weird because after years of training myself not to work with yarn under tension, and to never tie knots, I'm now into two fiber crafts where it's ok to keep yarn under tension and ok to tie knots. 

Part of it comes down to the fact that I'm lazy, and have been using my phone as my main device more and more. Turns out, when I'm not actually sitting at my computer every day from nine to five, I don't actually procrastinate by posting nearly as much. 

Also, in those seven months, the country has turned into a shitshow of a post-apocalyptic novel, one that I would critique as "far-fetched and way too unrealistic. Tone it down," only it's REALITY.  And lest I pass from a series of rage strokes brought on by the events of the world around me or start throwing shit at the tv, I need to practice a little more self-centeredness and focus on what I can control.  Some of what I can control is political activism and sending money to good causes!  And some of what I can control is my own actions, writing, making stuff, etc.  #resist

Now I just need to think of things to write about.  I have some ideas, I've been working on a number of projects, including weavings, as those who follow me on instagram may already know. 

Look for more here shortly, hopefully.  And in the meantime, I will continue my crafting procrastination by busting out as many www.pussyhatproject.com p*ssy hats as I possibly can before the Women's March in DC on the 21st.  I'm on hat #10 right now.  Who all is going? 

And yet.

In 1997 or 1998 after college (shut up I'm old), I got an aloe plant. Probably from some random garden center or Home Despot or someplace. And by some miracle, I have kept this sucker, alive, and for a time, thriving. By sheer luck. And neglect. 

At it peak, the aloe was massive, too heavy to lift by myself, and poking the faces of the cats and kids on the daily. The cats loved it. Kids, not so much.

And it was getting so big it was starting to topple over. It shared the massive pot with a jade plant that was rapidly taking over. Just look how droopy that poor thing is. The aloe had started send out little babies to make their way in the world. The time had come.

I yanked the big sucker out of its pot. I pulled the babies too, leaving the jade to take over the giant pot and be the rambling crazy sprawl it so wants to be. I have no qualms about chopping back a jade plant if it starts sprawling the wrong way. Those things are impossible to kill and will propagate at the drop of a hat, or leaf, as it were.

In the past, I'd had success with the aloe just yanking off the saddest of leaves and repotting the rest.  But this time, it was just too far gone for a mild renovation. It had lived a nice long life and I didn't think it was going to settle nicely into a new pot, so out in the tub trug it went. 

And its baby took its rightful place as the new aloe for me to neglect and possibly kill. Last year I threw a few pots on the potters wheel with the idea toward putting some succlents in them.  I even thought ahead (a rarity) and added drainage holes while trimming them before firing them.  However, I killed the succulents within two weeks, so the pot had just been laying empty, waiting for it's one true love: baby aloe. Top with some pebbles so the toddler doesn't decide to go digging in the dirt, et voilà. 

Bastards.​

But in the meantime, speaking of summer, it's gorgeous here today, and I am already thinking of the pool. The problem with going to the pool is that's getting ready for the pool is effing torture.

Unless.

Unless you have a ready packed swim bag with all your crap in it, ready to go at a moment's notice.

Here's the thing: I am fundamentally lazy. So I'd much rather put 30 minutes of effort into something once a season to prevent the inevitable "goddamnit, where are the towels?!?!" that would happen EVERY DAY otherwise. 

This way, I never search for sunscreen--it's in the bag. Goggles--in the bag. Towels--in the bag. Snacks--in the bag. My rash guard and suit--in the bag.

What exactly do I pack? Well I'll tell you. And show you! Because who does not love a good "What's in your bag" piece?

The bag:

Lands End's XL tote, with the embroidery so everyone knows exactly which bag is what. We have some L.L. Bean totes, which i like for the stiffness of the canvas, but I need the pockets and the attached key fob. (This was purchased before LE stuck their foot in it by retracting the Gloria Steinem interview after right wing nutjobs bitched about feminism. As such, I wrote them and told them that until they got a goddamned spine they'd lost all my business. Which was considerable. And now I'm without a go-to tote and swimwear place. Assholes. Also why I'm not linking to them.)

Towels:

The biggest little has a specific pool-branded towel he likes, but the rest are Turkish foutas, or peshtemal. I am OBSESSED. They absorb a ton, dry out quickly, are cute, and I got them off of eBay (from this shop--the thick ones are the best) for way cheaper than the fancy places sell them. 

Wet bags:

Two of them. Because inevitably one will not get put back. And tell me why I never knew these were a thing until I had kids? Cause they are AWESOME. The Skip Hop one has a mesh outside pocket which is where I stash my swimsuit and rash guard.

Packing cube:

That's the black mesh bag. Holds the boys' swimsuits and rash guards.  Please to note the little one's oldey-timey one-piece striped job. Last season The Gap had a similar suit that I am kicking myself for not buying in all the sizes, so I hunted one down from Etsy this year (do you die? I die. That is some cute ass shit right there). I need to find him a toddler-sized straw boater, a handle bar mustache, and teach him some barber shop harmonies before fourth of July.

Packing cubes are the shit by the way. I got a bunch in multiple colors from ebags a few years ago. So now when we travel, the boys and I have our stuff color coded. Biggest little is red, littlest little is orange, I am green. It makes packing all those tiny little socks so much easier. JBB is on his own, cause he's a grown ass man and can pack his own stuff.  

Diaper clutch:

That's the crazy patterned zip bag (it's a Ju-Ju-Be wristlet; I have a couple because they are the perfect size and I cannot resist an obnoxious pattern), which is also waterproof so can function as a wet bag just in case. This one holds a tiny wet brush, a spare barrette for me, soap, and all the other little toiletries that we'll seem to collect randomly over the season.

Toy bag:

That's the blue mesh duffle, which is new this season. I straight up copied another parent at the pool who had all their water toys and dive sticks in a big mesh nylon bag. Genius. It fits in the main bag to go to the pool and can just hang out separately on the way back. 

Goggles: 

Two pairs for the littles and a prescription pair for JBB (in that fancy stripey case) get tucked into one of the side pockets. I am neither blind nor a delicate dainty flower about opening my eyes underwater so I skip 'em.

Sunscreen: 

Side pocket, alongside extra swim dipes. I have sunscreen in every car as well. Because, preparation! I should buy stock in Banana Boat, Coola, and Supergoop, because despite trying seriously every brand under the sun, those are the only ones that are easy to put on (no ghostly cast or impossible to rub in craziness), smell nice, last a while, and actually work. 

Sunglasses:

Kid ones go into that little drawstring bag. Mine are either on my head or in the car (I have no joke 6 pairs stashed in there. Again, preparation).  I've had good success with picking up kids sunglasses cheap at The Gap.  I have zero faith in either kid's ability to not break things or lose things, so I get multiple pairs when they have their massive sales.

Etc.:

Uno--a pool STAPLE--goes into a little pocket. Not shown but thrown on top will be a skip hop diaper clutch (also have spares on both cars, because, preparation) with wipes. I generally just throw my wallet and phone on top; my wallet is one of the cute ones from Mochithings hat will hold my phone as well. As I'm sure you can tell, I am a big proponent of the "little bags inside the big bag" method of organization and that site is the best source for all kinds of pouches and wee things. Keys get clipped to tote's attached fob. I usually throw a magazine or book along the side edge, and a water bottle and Cheez-its for the hangries. 

It is amazing how much crap I can pack in this bag. All that stuff, turns into this...

Oh, and this is just for me and the kiddos. Any other grown ups are on their own with their stuff because THEY ARE GROWN UPS and can handle their own shit. Except for the goggles. I got tired of the misplacing of the goggles. 

I like things to have their places and to live there and have those places be labeled.  Because I am crazy, I know this.  I also have a tendency towards chaos so this is my way of reining that in somewhat. 

But now that we've made a considerable dent in the boxes, now comes the organization of stuff.  My favorite-slash-the-bain-of-my-existence.  Right now the kids are pretty well sorted and have been since day one.  There are a few more boxes of toys to put away and bins to acquire to put them into.  Books have been shelved, save a few in the living room still looking for a place to live.  My closet is put away, but not put together if you know what I mean.  I have to reorganize that.

The cookbooks are put away, which makes my life much happier.

Oh but my office.  My office.  It's a mess. 

This one is really driving me batty because in one of those boxes is my label maker. AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE. The stress. The STRESS!  On one of my many many trips to the container store I very nearly picked up a new one.  But I can't do that. I have a perfectly good one buried somewhere in that mess, goddamnit.

So meanwhile, look at the pretty wallpapers! Let's pretend this is all we see and there are no boxes anywhere.  These were taken while the papers were going up. 

Oh and let's not forget the basement stairs.  I love them so much.

chalk it up to spring fever after winter hibernation, but I'll be more active here shortly. Once we move (we are moving, did you know that? 8 houses down the street, but still, stressful), and I emerge from the bubble of anxiety and chaos and boxes.

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]]>Back in the saddletipsknittingjboMon, 25 Jan 2016 14:39:58 +0000http://www.kumquatmay.net/blog/2016/1/25/one-project-wraps54b943e8e4b0b6572f7e3ac5:54b96ad7e4b0d16cf9ff3e95:56a633bfa128e688e75f3408

and another begins.

  I've just finished up my Uniform sweater, and it's blocked, drying, and just needs the buttons (which, shockingly, I have!). More to come on that once I've got the buttons on it.

And so I'm on to the next project, Clouds in my Coffee by Elizabeth Smith, aka The Brown Stitch. 

I am doing this one in Shepard's Wool, from Stonehedge Fiber Mill in Michigan. This wool is amazingly soft and wooly, very light despite being worsted spun. And the milk chocolate (no really, that's the name of the color) color is perfect. (Though I normally take my coffee much lighter than this.)

  I've done my usual pattern prep, where I write out the pattern for the size I'm doing in my own shorthand on a piece of my circa notebook paper to carry along with me. This way I can use tick marks, additional notations, tweaks I'm planning on making, etc. It's like a paper version of the notes section of ravelry. Plus this way I've read through the pattern already, knitted it a bit in my head, made any adjustments I think might be necessary for the way I like things to fit, and theoretically should have no surprises coming my way.

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]]>tipsknittingjboMon, 25 Jan 2016 14:39:58 +0000http://www.kumquatmay.net/blog/2016/1/25/one-project-wraps-154b943e8e4b0b6572f7e3ac5:54b96ad7e4b0d16cf9ff3e95:56a633c9a128e688e75f343d

and another begins.

  I've just finished up my Uniform sweater, and it's blocked, drying, and just needs the buttons (which, shockingly, I have!). More to come on that once I've got the buttons on it.

And so I'm on to the next project, Clouds in my Coffee by Elizabeth Smith, aka The Brown Stitch. 

I am doing this one in Shepard's Wool, from Stonehedge Fiber Mill in Michigan. This wool is amazingly soft and wooly, very light despite being worsted spun. And the milk chocolate (no really, that's the name of the color) color is perfect. (Though I normally take my coffee much lighter than this.)

  I've done my usual pattern prep, where I write out the pattern for the size I'm doing in my own shorthand on a piece of my circa notebook paper to carry along with me. This way I can use tick marks, additional notations, tweaks I'm planning on making, etc. It's like a paper version of the notes section of ravelry. Plus this way I've read through the pattern already, knitted it a bit in my head, made any adjustments I think might be necessary for the way I like things to fit, and theoretically should have no surprises coming my way.

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]]>knittingjboWed, 20 Jan 2016 00:45:00 +0000http://www.kumquatmay.net/blog/2016/1/19/escape-from-sleeve-island54b943e8e4b0b6572f7e3ac5:54b96ad7e4b0d16cf9ff3e95:569ed7f05a566845d5ff4fa4

at last, I am off sleeve island. That cuff took forever, compared to the rest of the sleeve, which I busted out last night. I wound up doing both sleeves using magic loop, where you knit a small circumfrence using a very long circular needle and pulling out the excess cable. It's handy, but I find it slows me down considerably compared to double points. But I was too lazy to get up and go upstairs to find my double points so magic loop it was.

And now onto the yoke, c which because it's a seamless raglan sweater will go quickly as I'm decreasing 8 stitches ever right side row, plus v neck decreases. Thank GOD. 

I really don't like garter stitch in the round. Interestingly, i hate it more than regular old stockinette done flat (which is also knit one row, purl one row).  

But clearly I don't hate it more than I hate seams. 

Second sleeve of Uniform under way. . . . soon, the yoke and collar. Soon. 

These are the little one's socks, but the basics are the same for nearly all the socks I make.  Since the littlest little has giant chubby toddler feet and yelled "NO LIKE IT! TOO TIGHT! NOT COZY!" on my first attempt of a sock, I bumped up the stitch count and did the cuff in 2x2 ribbing and carried it down the foot at well.  

I prefer fingering weight yarn for socks that are meant to be worn with actual shoes, as anything thicker is too chunky.  That said, I've made socks in bulky weight yarn that works out fine. 

For these toddler size socks, I cast on 44 st,, divided them over three needles and worked 2x2 rib for a few inches (in this case 5 stripes worth).  Adult sizes I usually cast on about 64 stitches, depending on the foot.  I work my socks on size 0s or 1s, because I am a loose knitter and you want a firm sock fabric. Loose fabric shoes wear and holes and feels icky on the feet.  Go for tight, and go down a needle size or three if you need to.

For adult socks, I'd generally do an inch or so of ribbing and then switch to stockinette or another stitch pattern. I kept the toddler ones in ribbing in case I was off on the sizing and needed the ribbing to suck in any excess. 

Once the cuff is as long as you'd like it, take half the stitches (22) onto one needle, arranging the rib columns the way I liked them and worked the heel flap back and forth over those.

Now, over the years I've become picky about heel flaps.  You work the heel flap back and forth across one needle, no longer in the round. The heel flap gets a good amount of wear, so I want them reinforced with a slip stitch pattern, but I hate the ridges that come with the standard K1, sl1 on the right side rows (plain ole purl the wrong sides) heel stitch pattern.  And so I nearly always do eye of partridge instead, which is k1, sl1 on one right side row, then sl1, k1 on the next right side row. I find it makes for a slightly flatter fabric with all the cush as the regular heel stitch, and it also breaks up any pattern in self-striping/self-patterning yarn very attractively.

I also always keep 3 stitches in garter at the edges, as it helps me keep track of how many rows I've done so I can match the second sock, and it makes an attractive detail line on the finished sock.  And of course, I slip the first stitch of every row as if to purl with the yarn in front so I have a neat, tight chained edge to pick up stitches after I turn my heel.

I work the heel flap until it's a little more than square--for grown ups about 2 1/4 ish inches, for the toddler sock about 1 1/4 inch--stopping after a right side row.  Then I turn the heel.  There are about a billion different ways to shape the heels, but my favorite is a round heel. 

Pop a stitch marker in the middle of the stitches, marking the center of the heel flap. Purl across the heel flap stitches, until 2 stitches past the center, p2tog, p1, turn the work in the middle of the row. Slip the first stitch, knit until you are 2 stitches past the marker, SSK, k 1 and turn.  Repeat the purl row, slipping the first stitch and purling to 1 stitch before the gap, p2tog across the gap, p1 and turn; knit across to 1 st before the gap, SSK across the gap, k1, turn.  Keep doing this til all your heel flap stitches have been used up and worked.  Voila, a heel!

Then I use a new needle to pick up one stitch per ridge along the side of the heel flap (see where that chained edge comes in handy?), plus 1 more stitch at the corner of the heel flap and instep stitches.  Knit across the instep stitches in whatever stitch pattern you're doing--I like to knit all the instep stitches onto one needle.  Then take another needle and pick up the same number of stitches along the other side of the heel flap, including that one extra in the corner.  Use this same needle and knit across half the heel stitches.  This is the new beginning of your round. Slip the other half of the heel stitches onto that needle holding the first side of the picked up heel flap stitches.  

You should have three needles: Needle 1 holding half of the heel stitches plus your picked up gusset stitches, Needle 2 holding your instep stitches, and needle 3 holding the other side picked up gusset stitches and the other half of the heel stitches. 

Then you start your gusset.  Work one round even. On the second round, work the gusset stitches on needle 1 until you have 3 left: k2tog, k1.  Work your instep stitches on needle 2.  Then at needle 3, K1, SSK and work the rest of the gusset stitches.  Work this decrease round every other round until you've decreased away the extra stitches you picked up from the heel flap and are back down to your original cast on number.  

When I do socks for myself, I usually work the decrease round every round for a few times, then switch to every other round, just because of the shape of my foot.  See what works for you.

Work the foot until it's about 2 1/2 inches shy of the total length of the foot (in the toddler's case: 1" shy).  Then start the toe decreases to shape the toes.  If you're doing adult socks, you'll wind up with about 20 stitches total for the toe.  For the toddler ones, I decreased until there were 12 total stitches. Here's how to do 'em.  Needle 1: k to the last 3 st, k2tog, k1.  Needle 2: k1, ssk, k to the last three stitches, k2tog, k1.  Needle 3: k1, ssk, k to the end.  Repeat this decrease round every other round until you've decreased about half of the stitches you need to get rid of away.  Then I like to switch to decreasing every round because I hate a too pointy toe.

Finally, you've gotten down to 5 stitches on each bottom-of-the-foot needle (1 and 3), and 10 on the instep needle.  Work across those last 5 stitches on needle 1 using needle 3, so you now have 2 needles, each with 10 stitches on them and the working yarn is at one end.  Now, break the yarn leaving a longish tail and kitchner stitch those toes together. It's not hard, it's just fiddly.  Follow one of the zillion tutorials online and you will be fine.  Don't over think your way into a problem.  When you're done, admire your new sock and go make another one now before you forget.

Whenever I've taught folks how to knit socks, I've always told them not to think too hard about how to turn the heel or what you're doing until you've done it.  This of course is the reverse of my normal knitting advice, but for socks, if you've never knit them, you'll read through the directions in the pattern and be like, THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS THIS MAKES NO SENSE.  Just trust in the pattern and you shall see!

The specifics of the toddler socks, written in my lazy girl shorthand:

co 44, 2x2 rib for 5 stripes.

heel flap 22 stitches, eye of partridge, 3 st in garter at each edge. Work for 18 ridges.  Turn heel, (2 past center), pick up 20 st.  Shift gusset decreases in to keep 2 st in purl at gusset edges to continue the 2x2 rib over instep.  Dec e/o round til 44 st, work 45 rows from flap. Toe dec, e/o round until 16 st on instep, then every round til 8 on instep.  Slip edge stitches over their neighbor (eliminates dog ears--I'm fussy), kitchner and weave in ends.

As you can see, I hung it in a poorly lit place in my house so the photos aren't great, but whatever, the thing got done! Each ornament is double sided, except for the one blue name ornament, which was thicker felt. All the rest of them have the same thing, with slightly different embroidery on the reverse sides (save the owl and penguin, which have faces/bellies/wings only on one side).  Not only does it look nicer, but they're a bit more sturdy as well. Plus, I'm a stickler for nice looking embroidery backs and this way everything's hidden.   I'm pretty pleased with how it's come out! I have my favorites, and there are a few that I think I'll replace in the future as well. 

I am finally out from under the hangover of the holidays.  Not a literal hangover (much), but entering back into the real world a bit more.

For whatever reason the holidays came on fast and strong this year for me and totally wound up swamping me.  I did, however, finish up the advent calendar! Did I ever share pictures of the finished product?  I have them, but they are dim and somewhat shitty looking. 

Eh, when has that ever stopped me before? I promise I get that up shortly once I find them. (or retake them in better light...)

Meanwhile, since winter has finally decided to show up in my parts of the world, I am knitting the shit out of things.  I am 3/4 of the way through Uniform, still, and have taken a pause on that for the moment to knock out a few additional little things. I made thrummed slippers for JBB (that need slipper soles on them so he doesn't slip and crack his head open), spun about 16 oz of fiber into yarn, and a bunch of other random stuff.

In a somewhat vain attempt use up my stash of sock yarn, I'm knitting the littlest little some socks.  I know many folks love the toe-up method of sock knitting, or two-at-a-time-on-circulars, but I am not a fan.  I learned old-school, top-down, heel flap, double pointed needles from the ancient internet and from the amazing and glorious book  Folk Socks, by Nancy Bush (recently updated!), and that's the way I like 'em.

It helps that a traditional heel-flap construction heel truly fits my foot better than every single short row style heel does.  They're always too shallow or weirdly scoopy on my feet.  I haven't yet tried Cat Bordhi's Sweet Tomato heel, which looks promising to me, but I've been burned before, yo. 

The one issue with top-down socks that I'd not yet solved was the lack of a decent looking super stretchy cast-on.  Normally I'm a fan of a tubular cast on for ribbing (the Ysolda tutorial is my favorite, because no need for scrap yarn!), because it's so pretty.  But while it's stretchy, it's not nearly stretchy enough for sock ribbing.  And there's nothing worse than a tight cuff, ow. Long tail cast on done on needles bigger than the working needle can sometimes work, but looks sloppy and still might not be stretchy enough.

I've recently converted to Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off for some sweaters, and I have no idea why it never occurred to me to search for the corresponding stretchy cast on  . . . until this week.  

Because of course there's a Stretchy cast on.  And it's essentially just slip knots, in a row, on the needle.  And don't get me wrong, I had my doubts until I tried it. Holy shit is this cast on perfect for socks! It hinges at the ribbing columns, it essentially disappears into the knitting after the first row, and while it's a bit fiddly and slow to work, I'm also just impatient and will suck it up.

More on socks, and my recipe for them, to come.