Rockin' the macro setting

Having finally discovered the macro setting, I have a lot of tiny things to show you! (And a pattern at the end!)


I made this Little Coriolis sock like a month ago but never took a picture. It's really cute, and I can't wait to try the pattern on a human-sized sock.


I will be hanging this Mini Weasley Sweater from Charmed Knits on my tree. The M is for "Macro Setting." Not really, Dave and I both have last names starting with M so I can either keep it for us or give it to my parents.

I would like to take a moment to say that while I think this sweater is seriously adorable, this is probably the stupidest pattern I've ever knit. I probably brought a little of the grief upon myself by doing it in sock yarn and 1s instead of DK weight yarn and 5s, but still. This tiny sweater ornament is constructed in exactly the same way as the real Weasley sweater: knit a back, knit a front with neck shaping, pick up stitches for a flat sleeve on either side, sew side seams, pick up and knit collar stitches, embroider the M. It was a lot of work for something I won't even see the inside of again. I did tiny mattress stitch! I kind of like the result, but if I decide to make any more they will be seamless raglans. I spent an hour doing one sleeve and sleeve/side seam. Life's too short.

Anyway!


This trio of tiny socks is the start of my Christmas ornaments for the year. The goal is to fill up my entire tree with tiny socks, and then give them away. Regular readers may note that generally I have been giving them away *before* putting them on the tree. But I think these three will stick around until Christmas.

I've been promising to post the pattern for a while, so here goes.

Cast on 16 stitches, leaving a generous tail (6" at least). Divide stitches onto two circular needles and join for knitting in the round. Knit three rows in 1x1 ribbing. Switch to st st and knit about 12 rows.

I like to have my heel centered over the back "seam" (it makes the CO tail in just the right place for hanging), so knit the next four stitches and transfer these four, plus the four just before them, onto one needle. Leave the other 8 on a separate needle. The two striped socks have slip stitch heels, but I've decided I don't like that as much, so knit 8 rows in st st, ending with a RS row. Are you ready for the fastest heel turn ever?

P4, p2tog, p1, turn
sl1, k1, ssk, k1, turn
sl1, p2, p2tog, turn
sl1, k2, ssk

Pick up five stitches along each side of the heel flap and rearrange your needles so that the round starts at the bottom of the heel. On the next round, k5, k2tog, k8, ssk, k5. Knit one round plain. Then k4, k2tog, k8, ssk, k4. Knit another plain round. Then k3, k2tog, k8, ssk, k3. You'll have 16 stitches again.

Knit the foot plain for several rounds. I like having about 15 total rounds from gusset pickup to toe decreases. For the toe, *k2, k2tog, ssk, k2* twice. Knit a round plain. *k1, k2tog, ssk, k1* twice. Now rearrange the needles so that the top of the foot has four stitches on one needle and the sole stitches are all on the other, and knit two stitches so your yarn is in prime kitchenering position. Graft the stitches together, hide the yarn end inside the sock, and cut it so it doesn't try to pop out.

Now comes the part where you convert your tiny sock into a tiny sock ornament. Cut a length of yarn just over twice as long as your cast on tail. Using your darning needle, thread it into a stitch near the co tail. When you have the yarn about halfway through (so two equal pieces of yarn, about equal to the co tail, are also hanging off the back of the sock), braid the three strands together. When you are nearly to the end of your braid knot it, and use one of the loose pieces to sew the end of the braid into the inside of the sock, two or three rows down. Ta-da!