Knitting: USM Bond Knitting Machine Knee Socks

Several years ago a dear friend gave me some wonderful wool sock yarn. I decided to try to make knee socks. I decided to make them on the Bond Ultimate Sweater Machine.  There were several steps to make them.

First I measured my legs below the knee at the top of the calf,  then every inch or so down to the ankle, making a chart of measurements. 

Next I wound the yarn skeins into center-pull balls.

You are going to add on a cuff, heel, and foot with double-pointed needles.

Now to the Bond.  Cast on with waste yarn for 8-10 rows then one row of ravel cord.  At that point add the sock yarn and start the row counter back at zero.  Knit however many rows to give you the measurements on the chart, one after the other, decreasing on each side of the sock every inch or so to shape the sock properly.

When you get to the ankle, knit 8 more rows of waste yarn, then remove from the Bond machine.  Using the Kitchener Stitch, turn the flat knitting into a tube-like sock.  When that is done, pick up the stitches at the cuff end of the tube and knit the cuff in K1P1 or K2P2 ribbing for 1 1/2 inches and bind off in a stretchy bind-off.

Now pick up the stitches on the other end of the tube and knit your preferred heel, foot, and toe then bind off.

This worked very well for me, but the cuff was a little loose so I added some elastic to keep the socks up. I HATE socks that bag at the ankles....

Christmas Knitting Journal--Day Five

Last night I awoke shortly before midnight after a nightmare and was still awake when the power went off just after 1 AM.  (That was NOT the nightmare...!)  Since I would then not be able to sleep I got up, found my headlamp and went to the pantry to take down a battery-powered lantern from the top of the freezer and thus being prepared, went to the Upper Regions where all my knitting doodads are located. I picked up the second convertible mitten and started on the thumb.  When that was completed I began the fingerless glove insert.

Around 4 AM the power came back on.  Time to hit the hay!

When I leaped out of the bed (well, "leaped" is a bit of a stretch...!) to answer the telephone, I discovered that Grammie-services might be needed in the afternoon.  Yay!  One of my best times.  I love spending time with the children.  They are such a delight. I wish more of them were close so we could develop a stronger relationship.  Well, from my end, I feel very close and adore them all.  From their end, they have very little opportunity to know me and their grandfather except through conversations.

Anyway, back to the subject!  I spent some time working in the kitchen then more time organizing my knitting needles, especially the short glove double-pointed needles, which I put into labeled snack bags.  The ones I needed for the remaining knitting projects I placed in my take-along tool bag.  That was very satisfying.

It turned out that the Grammie-service was not needed this afternoon, and a major snowstorm put the evening potentiality out of the question...so, home for knitting.

The first project was to throw the stegosaurus into the washing machine to felt.  After twenty minutes the major part of it was beautifully felted.  Unfortunately a lot of the stuffing moved into part of the tail, giving the tail are rather pregnant appearance as well as not felting properly.

After pulling out much of that "tail stuffing" I put the stego back into the washing machine for another ten minutes of felting.  This time:  same thing!  So, I pulled out some of the unsightly bulging, trying to shove some of it back into the body which is now rather depleted so the stego looks like it is going through a bad spell food-wise.  I decided that this guy is going to have to be it as I don't have materials to make another one and I don't have the time.  Perhaps this creature will be loved, even if it is at the end of a starvation cycle.

Next I put some Red Velvet Cookies in the refrigerator to chill for two hours and picked up the last convertible mitten and went to work.  At shortly before 11 PM I finished weaving in the last end.  These mittens are adequate but I am still not satisfied.  I may try to perfect the pattern with my knitting, but some other year.  I do have one orphaned convertible mitten....the prototype, which I may finish sometime, but now...on to the gloves-with-mouse-faces-on-the-fingertips...but that is a project for a new day.