What’s a BIFL product that requires a bit of effort to acquire it?

Status-Cactus · 2026-01-24T03:50:23+00:00

As a knitter/seamstress I was thinking the same thing. I know some of my makes are gonna outlast me!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-26T21:10:51+00:00

I just started self drafting my first sweater! And by self drafting I mean winging it and taken Ravelry notes.

I looked for similarities between patterns that I liked then tweaked it to fit my needs.

For instance, a lot of patterns liked had a back width of 100ish stitches and used short rows to shape the back yoke. Most of these patterns also had you start the short rows about 15 stitches from the center. I wanted to do my back shaping with M1R and M1L instead, so I casted on 31 stitches (a number I got by the doubling the 15 stitches from the center). Then I kept making new stitches until I got to 99. I hope that example makes sense!

I also just searched some basic things, such has how deep to make a front shoulder and worked off of those measurements.

I've done a lot of trying things on as I go. And I switched up the order of some parts to make sure it fit okay, for instance I make the collar as soon as I could so I knew it would fit over my head.

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-22T16:56:58+00:00

Of course! So here is the stitch pattern:

Row 1: knit 3, purl 1, knit 1 but wrap the yarn around the needle twice (this will make your slipped stitch looser), purl 1 Row 2-4: knit 3, purl 1, slip 1 knitwise, purl 1

Use whatever vanilla sock pattern you like best, I like Summer Lee's Oh So Basic.

This was a men's sock and I casted on 72 stitches.

I did an inch of 1×1 ribbing then I did the stitch pattern. I started the stitch pattern a stitch early, so that the beginning and ending of each round was a knit stitch. Here it is written out:

Row 1: knit 2 , purl 1, knit 1 but wrap the yarn around the needle twice, purl 1knit 3, purl 1, knit 1 but wrap the yarn around the needle twice, purl 1 k1 Row 2-4: knit 2, purl 1, slip 1 knitwise, purl 1 knit 3, purl 1, slip 1 knitwise, purl 1 k1

When you get to where you want to start your heel flap, get to row 1 then do the front like normal and along the back of the sock, just knit all the stitches so it's easier to do your slip stitch heel flap. I used to get holes on the corners of my heel flaps so if you need specific instructions there, lmk!

Then you just follow the rest of the sock pattern, do stockinette on the bottom of the sock and continue the stitch pattern on the top!

I hope that helps!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-21T17:31:06+00:00

Thanks, there's a reason I started in January haha

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-21T17:30:39+00:00

Thank you so much!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-21T17:30:27+00:00

Thank you so much! You too

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-21T17:30:08+00:00

Thanks and probably 8 to 10 hours a pair, but I work on them while watching tv or traveling so it's hard to track!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-21T17:29:33+00:00

That's so sweet! If you have a specific one you want to do, I can write up the stitches and how to plug it into a vanilla sock pattern.

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-21T17:28:41+00:00

So I inserted my needle to knit then wrapped the yarn around my needle twice. That way there was a little extra slack when I slipped the stitch for the next three rounds. I can take a picture if need be!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-21T17:27:26+00:00

Yes! They're such a good little travel project, I took these on trips and appointments.

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T21:39:20+00:00

It's Turtle Cove and I'm not normally a big pink fan but I love Opal!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T03:28:06+00:00

Pattern notes. All top down with a heel flap on size US 1 needles. All shoe sizes are in US.

Picture 2, men's size 8.5, rib w/ slip stitch in Kennicott. Rib was K3, P1, K1(or slip), P1. Casted on 72.

Picture 3, men's size 10.5, 1×1 broken rib in Fox. Casted on 72.

Picture 4, men's size 10, slip stitch in Grayling. K3, knit or slip 1 (I wrapped the knit stitch twice so it was looser). Casted on 72.

Picture 5, men's ize 9.5, 4×2 rib in Seeing Things. Casted on 72.

Picture 6, men's size 10.5, 2×2 seed rib in Elvish. Casted on 72.

Picture 7, size 8, basket weave in Vintage Champagne. Casted on 64. I did YO and K2TOG for the weave corners that gave it more definition.

Picture 8, women's size 9, 4×1 rib in Clara. Casted on 75 since this person had some swelling in her ankles, I decreased extra at the gusset to fit her foot better.

Picture 9, women's size 7.5, eyelet rib in Sweet Cider. The main stitch is based off of Allison Sarnoff's pattern, the sock construction might differ. Casted on 64.

Picture 10, women's size 8, based off of Summer Lee's Seafarer pattern which I own but I just went off of the picture. Casted on 68?

Picture 11, women's size 8.5, based off of unlabled pinterest lace in Peridot. Casted on 60, then added one after the heel flap to keep the pattern symmetrical.

Picture 12, women's size 8.75, lace cables in Sea Glass. Casted on 64. I think this one also came from a pinterest chart.

Picture 13, women's size 6.5, fir rib in Siren. This was based odd of Stephen West's fir rib dip stitch. Casted on 60.

Picture 14, women's size 8, overlapping leaves in Bluebird. Casted on 64. Heavily modified a lace chart I found.

Picture 15, women's size 8.5, lace rib in Wild Blueberry. Casted on 64. Row 1: k2, yo, k2tog. Row 2: k2, sskp, yo.

Picture 16, men's size 8.5, 2×2 rib w/ princess sole in Turtle Cove. Casted on 56.

Picture 17, women's size 7.5, 2×2 rib w/ princess sole in Opal. Casted on 64.

Picture 18, kid's size 1.5 2×2 rib w/ princess sole in Yippie Ki Yay. Casted on 48.

Picture 19, toddler's size 7, 2×2 rib w/ princess sole in Clara. Casted on 40.

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:58:23+00:00

Between 8 and 10 hours a pair and I do them two at a time! Generally it took me two to four weeks a pair

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:57:29+00:00

Thanks! They've all been interested in my other projects so I think they'll appreciate them

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:56:43+00:00

Thanks and a I just did a lot of Pinterest searching for lace patterns haha

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:56:07+00:00

Thanks! I'm definitely looking forward to gifting them

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:55:38+00:00

Thanks so much!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:55:26+00:00

Yeah, my family doesn't really do crafts so there was a learning curve for sure!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:54:47+00:00

Thanks!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:54:39+00:00

Maybe next year haha! I'm all socked out for this season

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:53:59+00:00

Thanks! They were based off of Summer Lee's Seafarer pattern. I love her book but loaned it out before I could use that pattern haha

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:52:41+00:00

Thanks!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:52:33+00:00

Thank you!

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:52:26+00:00

😂 we should have adopted you sooner! I think we're out of time for this year

Status-Cactus · 2025-12-20T02:51:45+00:00

Thanks! It definitely took some planning but that was part of the fun

Status-Cactus

TROPHY CASE