Basic freaking socks

So... it's been awhile. Yeah. Since my last post, I've fallen in love, made a bunch of plans, gotten my heart broken, and started school. I've also learned some new knitting techniques. Having made socks and mittens, I feel as if I can conquer the world. I want to share that feeling with YOU. You need to know how to cast on, how to knit, and how to purl. The rest is a bit challenging, but it is by no means insurmountable.

I started my first pair of socks with a skein of super-fine yarn and the pattern that came with it. I felt that I needed some extra instructions, because I didn't understand the process of turning the heel or of picking up stitches along the heel flap. I found an excellent tutorial, Silver's Sock Class. Step 6 shows how to turn the heel, step 7 shows how to pick up stitches and knit the gussets, and step 10 shows Kitchener stitch in a much better manner than I could explain! This tutorial is awesome. Thanks to Silver, I [heart] sock-knitting.

---

Ashleigh's Basic Freaking Socks

I hate complications. They always seem to find me, though. That’s why I’m really happy with this sock pattern that I developed. I took the best parts of two different patterns and smooshed them together to form what I believe (for now) to be the perfect basic sock, even if its origins are a bit complicated. If you are new to sock knitting, these babies will make you happy.

What you need
1 set of 4 dpns in US size 6
worsted weight yarn (I used Stitch Nation Bamboo Ewe in Snapdragon; one 177-yard skein makes a pair of socks with enough left over for, say, a coffee cup cozy.)
darning needle

Gauge
Looks like 11 sts x 15 rnds = 2" square. This pattern as I wrote and knit it fits a ladies' size 8 or 8-1/2.

Cuff
Cast on 40 sts and divide as follows: 14 sts each on needles 1 and 3, and 12 sts on needle 2. Join and be careful not to twist your cast-on round. Work in K2P2 ribbing for 7-10 rounds, depending on your preference, then knit 21 rounds of stockinette (or however many rounds will make the cuff the length that you want). End by knitting across the first 11 stitches on needle 1.

Heel flap
Redistribute stitches as follows: slip 11 stitches from needle 3 to needle 1, and rearrange remaining 18 stitches on needles 2 and 3. On needle one, you will have 22 stitches; on needle 2, you will have 9 stitches; on needle 3, you will have 9 stitches as well. You may let needles 2 and 3 hang down, or you may place the stitches on waste yarn, according to your preference. You will be working back-and-forth with the 22 stitches on needle 1 to make the heel flap.

Row 1: P2tog, P2 to end, ending with P2tog. (16 sts)
Row 2: Sl1, K1 to end
Row 3: Sl1, P to end

Work rows 2 and 3 for 10 times total. Repeat row 2 one time more.

Turn heel
Row 1: P8, P2tog, P1, leaving remaining 5 sts unworked. Turn.
Row 2: K3, K2tog, K1, leaving remaining 4 sts unworked. Turn.
Row 3: P4, P2tog, P1, leaving remaining 3 sts unworked. Turn.
Row 4: K5, K2tog, K1, leaving remaining 2 sts unworked. Turn.
Row 5: P6, P2tog, P1, leaving remaining st unworked. Turn.
Row 6: K7, K2tog, K1, turn.
Row 7: P10
Row 8: K10

(Pause and admire your lovely heel!)

Gussets
With right side facing you, and using spare needle, pick up and knit 11 sts along side of heel flap. Slip these stitches onto needle 1. With spare needle, knit across the 18 sts on needles 2 and 3. With spare needle, pick up and knit 11 sts along the other side of heel flap; with the same needle, knit 5 sts from needle 1. Needle 1 now has 16 sts, needle 2 has 18 sts, and needle 3 has 16 sts, for a total of 50 sts.

Knit one round, and make sure your stitches aren’t too loose.

Round 1: On needle 1: K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. On needle 2: K across. On needle 3: K1, SSK, K to end of needle. (48 sts)
Round 2: Knit.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 for 5 times total (40 sts remain).

Instep
Knit stockinette stitch for 35 rounds, or until foot measures 2” less than the total length needed.

Toe
Redistribute stitches as follows: 10 sts on needle 1, 20 sts on needle 2, and 10 sts on needle 3.

Round 1: On needle 1: K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. On needle 2: K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. On needle 3: K1, SSK, K to end of needle.
Round 2: Knit.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 for 7 times total (12 sts remain). Knit across needle 1, arrange 6 sts onto each of 2 needles, and graft closed with Kitchener stitch.

Repeat for second sock!

---



Yes, your socks will look a bit funky when you're done. I understand why people use sock blockers for aesthetic purposes. However, the fit is unbeatable!



I really love how these socks turned out. They are chunky and breathable (thank you, wool and bamboo), and I think they will be nice to wear in transitional weather. I'm sending these beauties to my sister in Georgia.

As you gain confidence in your sock-knitting abilities, you can throw in stripes and lace borders and all sorts of embellishments. Enjoy!

Felted knitting needle case: the beginning

I had a revelation about wool yarn, and it has to do with cheese. Stay with me here. Wool is an animal fiber, but harvesting wool doesn't directly require the slaughter of sheep. Cheese is an animal product, but it doesn't directly require the slaughter of cows (or of goats, or of sheep, etc.). Therefore, if I find it ethically acceptable to eat cheese, I must find it ethically acceptable to wear wool.

(You can argue with me that I'm supporting the meat industry through my consumption of cheese, and that's fine. I accept your argument as valid. I simply prefer to accept the logic that by dropping out of the animal-product industry altogether, I give the industry no incentive to change its ways, and therefore I sabotage the overall goal of making life better for animals. For the record, I still refuse to wear silk or leather. I know my boundaries.)

I realized that by not using wool, I was severely limiting myself in the world of knitting. No authentic South American or Irish styles? No felting? Nonsense! So I picked up some wool -- Patons Classic Wool -- at the craft store, and I got started. Here's the beginning of my first felted project, a needle case. I've cast on 85 stitches, using US size 9 needles, and I'm working in stockinette stitch. The project should take about 3 balls of wool. The color is "Regency", a gorgeous blend of pink, red, orange, and brown.



I love how the wool feels in my hands, and I adore how it looks in this gauge. Also, wooden needles are heavenly for my prematurely arthritic hands. If you make the switch from steel to wood, you'll never look back. The needles' surfaces get even smoother with use. It's a beautiful thing.



Even my cat is getting excited about the project. Or she just wants to play.



So that's the beginning of my new project. I'll post an update when I get to the actual felting.

Happy knitting!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

You might also call these "blondies", particularly if you use white chocolate chips. This was one of the first desserts I ever made on my own; I've been making them regularly for over fifteen years! All of my attempts to veganize them have failed to live up to the original, but if you try them first with Earth Balance and Ener-G in place of butter and eggs, you won't miss the original. :)



1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1-3/4 cups flour
1 cup (6 oz.) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of an 8"x8", a 9"x9", a 7"x10", or a 9"x13" pan* with shortening and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for about two minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in salt and baking powder. Stir in flour, then stir in chocolate chips. Batter will be very thick!

Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes. Let the pan cool on a wire rack for about 10 or 15 minutes before you cut the bars.



*The size of the pan determines the thickness and quantity of the bars. I generally use a 7"x10" pan, but really any pan works just fine.

Cheesy Peasy Rice

I found some Minute rice in the pantry, and I had to experiment with it. As I was cooking, I thought of all my friends who have kids. I'm thinking this dish might be fun for the young ones, because it's so colorful, and the flavors are familiar. Enjoy!



2 cups water
2 cups Minute white rice
2 cups frozen peas
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
6-8 slices American cheese*
salt and pepper to taste
dash each of nutmeg, mustard powder, and paprika

In a large saucepan, bring water and peas to a boil. Stir in rice, then cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes, then give the dish a stir and replace the cover.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour until smooth. (This is called a roux.) Slowly stir in milk. Keep stirring for about 5-10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.** Break up the cheese slices and add to the sauce. Add seasonings. Stir until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth.

Now pour the saucy cheesy goodness all over the rice and peas. Stir gently until combined, then serve it up to the kiddies. (Or, if you're like me, inhale the stuff out of a bowl while you sit on the couch and watch House.)

Serves 6 as a side, or 4 as a main dish. Leftovers are best reheated on the stove, as microwaving may cause the butter and milk in the sauce to separate.

*I use Kraft Deli Deluxe, because it's cheese, not "cheese food product". I can't vouch for the quality of any other slices. You may also use 4 ounces of your favorite shredded cheese, but I've noticed that the slices produce a smoother sauce. It's your call.

**Before you add the cheese, just take a whiff of the butter-flour-milk mixture. This is what love smells like. It makes my French heart go pitter-pat.

Biscuits!

I don't know where I got this recipe, or how much I have tweaked it, but these are still the best biscuits I've ever made. I copied the text here from my old MySpace blog. Fun times.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
6 tbsp butter
3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Cut in butter until coarse crumbs form. Gradually mix in buttermilk with a fork to make a soft dough, kneading as little as possible. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a piece of parchment paper or a floured surface and cut into 2-inch rounds. Bake on a cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 9-12 biscuits. (I cheat and bake my biscuits on a piece of parchment paper. Can you tell I love parchment paper?)

***

All you carb-counters can kiss my bread-fed butt, because biscuits are good for your soul, and these biscuits in particular are it. Slather 'em with butter, melt some cheese on 'em, or eat 'em by themselves . . . yum. For all the non-American food I enjoy, there is nothing like a good old-fashioned Southern biscuit.