Staggered Moss Stitch Sock

Having made some vanilla socks and also Hermione's Everyday Sock I have decided to have a go at making my very own sock design. I'm fairly sure that this design has been made before as it is simply based on the Moss Stitch but as I couldn't find any readily available patterns to work from I have made my own. I will be publishing a pattern for the socks so watch this space!

Materials

Knitting Needles

I have used my brand new tiny needles which are the Addi 20cm 2.5mm circular needles and they are a delight to knit with. I found that with my larger needles I have to use the Magic Loop method which can sometimes interrupt the flow of knitting as I have to adjust my needle position each time. When doing Magic Loop with socks you'll find that you are generally working with 30-50 stitches (depending on leg/foot size) on each needle and you'll soon be adjusting that needle just as you are getting into a rhythm. However, with these tiny needles there's no need to make those adjustments and those stitches sit perfectly when working in the round.

The only issue I had when working on the socks was that when it came to picking up stitches for the gusset and working the final decreases for the toe was that they were a tad too small for the job. I was able to do both of these sections without having to switch to DPNs momentarily with a bit of dexterity but for those who maybe suffer from joint pain/problems or who are naturally not that dexterous I would recommend a couple of DPNs so assist you in those areas.

Yarn

I popped into my hidden yarn stash and dug out this wonderful skein by Debbie Bliss. The dye lot I used was in the Rialto Luxury Sock 4 ply yarn and it is so soft to wear. I was expecting this yarn to be too delicate to make socks with however it is stronger that it looks as it has a good weave with the individual strands. I have worn these socks a couple of times now and they are a delight to have in the Spring as they let my feet breath when it gets warm.

With this particular yarn type you can put it in the washing machine as it has 25% nylon mix so it will withstand the stress, however I hand-wash all my socks as a precaution anyway. I use a local supermarket detergent for all my hand-washes but I can highly recommend using this Lambland Woolwash for any delicate pieces you may have.

Crochet Easter Chicken

Courtesy of Top Crochet Patterns

With Easter soon on the horizon I have started to think about gifts for the family. I came across this lovely pattern on Pinterest from Top Crochet Patterns. As I usually knit I also fancied a bit of a change and dug out my crochet hooks and my small balls of yarn and got to work.

From start to finish I spread this out over 2 days but I would estimate that an afternoon of solid work would allow you to complete it. If you are a faster crocheter I would estimate approximately 3-4 hours rather than my 6-7 hours.

Yarn and Notions

As I classed this project as a yarn buster the most you'll need of any color (mostly the body and nest) is 25 grams, the rest I would estimate at under 15 grams for completion.

I'm not able to tell you the exact yarns I used as they were all from the spare yarn stash but they were all Double Knit weight in the following colors:

• Raspberry Pink
• Kiwi Green
• Banana Yellow
• Blood Orange

I also used my 5 mm ergonomic crochet hook originally purchased from Knit Picks, a darning needle, stitch marker, and scissors. You will also need something to make the eyes with; the pattern calls for 9 mm safety eyes but I only had 5 mms in stock but you could also used yarn or embroidery thread if you wanted to.

Thoughts On Making The Chicken

I really enjoyed making this chicken as it quickly comes together and there are not too many pieces that need assembling together. I have had some previous experience with making soft toys and have found them tricky to work with but this was a much nicer project to complete. 

In this construction I decided to make all of the components and then pin them all together before making any permanent fixtures. I prefer doing it this way as you can get an idea of the character you want your chicken to be displaying, it's wonderful the range of "expressions" you can come up with just by placing a beak or comb higher or lower on the face. In the end I went with the recommended placements provided in the pattern and sewed the pieces together with matching thread. I was contemplating using my hot glue gun but as the toy is going to a toddler sewing is the better option as it may end up going in the washing machine in the future.