Blossom Street (Books 1-10). Debbie Macomber

hand. “How are you this beautiful afternoon?”

      I smile back. Fine, I tell him. Better than fine. Happy and very much in love with him and with life in the shop on Blossom Street.

      Peter’s Socks by Nancy Bush

      Materials—Bearfoot from Mountain Colors (60% superwash wool, 25% mohair and 15% nylon) 350 yds, (320 metres) in 100 g 1 skein “Moose Creek”. Set of 5 #1 (2.5 mm) double point needles or size to give gauge.

      Gauge—5 sts and 20 rnds = 2” over stocking stitch before blocking.

      Finished measurements after blocking—length of leg from cast-on edge to top of heel flap 8.5” (21.5 cm); length of foot from back of heel to tip of toe 10.5” (28.5 cm).

       Leg

      Cast on 65 sts. Divide sts onto four needles. Join, being careful not to twist. Begin patt–p1,* k3, p2, rep from * ending k3, p1. Work this ribbing as est for 7 more rnds. Work 1 rnd p. Rep these 9 rnds 2 more times. Cont in ribbing as est until leg measures 8.5” long. End ready to begin next rnd.

       Heel Flap

      K16, turn. Sl 1, p31. These 32 sts form the heel flap. The remaining 33 sts will be held for instep. Next row: *Sl 1, k1, rep from * to end, turn. Sl 1, p all across row. Rep these 2 rows until you have worked 32 rows total and have 16 chain sts down edge of flap. End having completed a WS row.

       Turn Heel

      Slip 1, k17, ssk, k1, turn. Sl 1, p5, p2 tog, p1, turn. *Sl 1, k to within 1 st from gap, ssk, k1, turn. Sl 1, p to within 1 st from gap, p2 tog, p1, turn. Rep from * until 1 st remains outside gap at each end. Sl 1, k16, ssk, turn. Sl 1, p16, p2 tog, turn (18 sts remain).

       Gussets

      K across the 18 heel sts. On the same needle, pick up and knit 16 sts down right side of heel flap. With a new needle, patt as est across instep. Pick up and knit 16 sts down left side of heel flap and knit 9 sts from heel. You will have 25 sts on first needle, 33 sts on instep, divided onto two needles, and 25 sts on last needle = 83 sts total.

      Begin shaping the gussets. Rnds begin centre of heel. K to 3 away from end of first needle, k2 tog, k1. Work across instep in patt as est. At beg of last needle, k1, ssk, k to end. Work one rnd even, keeping instep sts in patt. Cont in this manner, decreasing at the end of needle #1 and the beginning of needle #4 every other rnd and keeping patt as est on instep needle until back sts are decreased to 16 sts on each needle and you have 65 sts total.

      Cont without decreasing until foot measures 3” less than desired finished length.

       Toe

      Work 3 rnds in St st.

      Begin shaping toe:

      Rnd 1—*K6, k2 tog, rep from * to 3 away from end of rnd, k 3 tog.

      K 5 rnds even.

      Rnd 7—*K5, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 5 rnds even.

      Rnd 13—*K4, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 4 rnds even.

      Rnd 18—*K3, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 3 rnds even.

      Rnd 22—*K2, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 2 rnds even.

      Rnd 25—*K1, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 1 rnds even.

      Rnd 27—*k2 tog, rep from * to end.

      You will have 8 sts remaining.

      Break yarn, and with a tapestry needle, draw yarn through the remaining sts and pull up snugly to close end of toe. Weave in ends and block socks on sock blockers or under a damp towel.

       Abbreviations

      Cont—continue

      Cm—centimetre

      Est—established

      G—grams

      K—knit

      K2 tog—knit two together

      Mm—millimetre

      P—purl

      P2 tog—purl 2 together

      Patt—pattern

      Sl 1—slip one (as to purl)

      Ssk—slip, slip, knit: slip one stitch as to knit, slip the next stitch as to knit, knit these two slipped stitches together.

      St(s)—stitch(es)

      St st—stocking stitch

      Rnd(s)—round(s)

      WS—wrong side

      Yds—yards

      Peter’s Socks by Nancy Bush Translated for two circular needles by Cat Bordhi

      Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot (60% superwash wool, 25% mohair, 15% nylon, 100 g/ 350 yds), 1 skein in colourway “Moose Creek.”

      Needles: two size 1 (2.5 mm) circular needles 16”–24” length, or size to give gauge.

      Gauge: 15 sts and 20 rnds = 2” (5 cm) over stocking stitch before blocking.

      Finished measurements after blocking: length of leg from cast-on edge to top of heel flap 8.5” (21.5 cm); length of foot from back of heel to tip of toe 10.5” (28.5 cm).

      Knitting in the round on two circular needles: The stitches are divided between two circular needles. Each needle knits only its own stitches. The only interaction between the two needles is to pass the yarn to the next needle when finished knitting its own stitches. So while the first needle works its own stitches, the second circular needle rests, its stitches lined up on its cable and its ends hanging down out of the way, doing nothing at all. When the first needle is finished knitting all its stitches, the yarn is in position for the second needle to receive it and knit its own stitches, while the first needle rests. And so on.

       Leg

      Cast on 65 sts to the first circular needle. Slide 32 of the 65 sts onto the second circular needle, so that the working yarn comes from the end of this needle, while the first needle (with the remaining 33 sts) ends with the yarn tail. Move the 32 sts on the second needle to the middle of its cable, with the tips hanging down out of the way. Push the 33 sts on the first needle to its tip with the tail end of the yarn nearest the tip. Hold the other tip in your right hand, and prepare to knit with the yarn coming from the second needle. Being careful not to twist the cast-on sts, join by beginning ribbing pattern: *p2, k3, rep from * to end. Work ribbing for 7 more rnds. Purl 1 rnd. Rep these 9 rnds twice more. Continue ribbing until leg measures 8.5” long, ending with a completed first needle.

       Heel Flap

      You will work back and forth in rows on the second needle alone to make the square heel flap and turn the heel. The 33 sts on the first needle will become the instep and gussets, and you will resume working with them later. Begin heel flap: *Sl 1, k1, rep from * to end, turn. Sl 1, p to end. Rep these 2 rows until you have worked 32 rows total and have 16 chain sts along each edge of flap. End with a completed purl row.

       Heel Turn

      Continuing to work back and forth on second needle, sl 1, k17, ssk, k1, turn. Sl 1, p5, p2 tog, p1, turn. *Sl 1, k to within 1 st from gap, ssk, k1, turn. Sl 1, p to within 1 st from gap, p2 tog, p1, turn. Rep from * until 1 st remains outside gap at each end. Sl 1, k16, ssk, turn. Sl 1, p16, p2 tog, turn (18 sts remain).

       Gussets

      Resume working with two circular needles in the round. Still using second needle, k across the 18 heel sts. Pick up and k 16 in the 16 chains along side of heel flap. Let second needle hang, and with first needle, work ribbing as established across its 33 instep sts (the needle should begin and end with k3). Let first needle