Knitting the Fleegle Heel

 Currently we are working on socks knit in worsted weight yarn. My knitting partner in this project is knitting her socks in a very soft acrylic to use as bed socks.  I am using  Briggs and Little Tuffy yarn, a Canadian wool with a little nylon in them. I will just wear them in my shoes since my shoes are somewhat stretched out.

We started out following the recipe in Custom Socks by Kate Atherley. The instructions were a little rugged to follow/plan out. I found a pattern by Purl Together podcast on YouTube and finished the first Tuffy sock with Purl Together’s heel. I liked it.

Since finishing that first sock I found a recipe for the Fleegle Heel. I was ready for the second sock heel so I gave it a try. I just finished that heel and started up the leg.

This is such a simple heel and seems to fit really well though I won’t know for certain until they are finished and on the feet.  After another pair or two I will have this heel memorized. There are two row repeats—k2, m1, knit almost to the end then m1, k2. The other row is just knitting. These stitches are for the gusset increases then  the heel turn is back and forth. There is a little more to it than what I have written but it really is simple.

There are 8 more rounds to knit on the leg to match the first sock then (I think) 10 rounds of K1, P1 ribbing and Jeny’s Super Stretchy  Bind Off. I could probably finish this sock before bed BUT it has been a day and I may hit the hay earlier than usual so the old body can recover.  (I arrived at the dentist for a cleaning and had to cancel the appointment due to intestinal issues that made me uncertain…this took it out of me for sure.) 

Pressed Flowers Shawl:FINISHED!

 Since late March I have had my nose to the grindstone knitting this shawl. I just finished it fifteen minutes ago. It will be great in highly air-conditioned rooms over the next few months.

You can see more about this shawl on Ravelry in thecountrywife pages. Or if I can get to my computer I will try to link it.

Weaving in a Rigid Heddle Loom

 In my life I have owned two floor looms-a 36” Harrisville  Designs loom given to me by my dear Aunt Freda and a Leclerc 8-harness floor loom which I was thinking was a 24” but looking online I don’t find them in 24”. I have given away both looms- one because I did not believe it would arrive safely in South Carolina and the other because I was not using it and it was too big for the space.

Still, I had a lot of cotton yarn to use up and my hands were beginning to object to knitting with that yarn. I began researching rigid heddle looms which are way smaller and much simpler to use. One day last summer one became available on Facebook so Dear One and I made the two hour trip to look at it and purchased it on the spot. It came with several nice accompaniments. It was VERY expensive for a used loom but…we bought it. It was a 16” Ashford. I love the Ashford spinning wheel we have so thought that was a good brand.

A few months ago a 32” Ashford became available for way less money. It also was two hours away. This time I went by myself and found that it was in great shape-only used once by the wife according to her husband who was selling it. It also had the old-style stand which had shelves on each

side—ideal for holding the shuttle between picks—in this case a boat shuttle which I love. 

In the past few weeks I have used the 16” and made 17 cloths (dish-, wash-, dust-) and am so pleased with them. Using up the yarn in such a fun way is very satisfying.

Today I am using the 32” loom for the first time. I warped it on Tuesday and wove and hem stitched the first cloth. I just now finished the second cloth and began the third and am forcing myself to move on to other things on To Do list for today.

You can see the fun hem stitches on cloth two. It is just about time to sew the hem stitches cloth three but I really won’t be able to tear myself away if I get started on them.  The day has been productive-starting with an early morning swim where I met a nice lady named Charlotte -so I don’t want to stop the forward momentum. There are nearly a dozen other items on that list…!