Just knits and purls (plus giveaway)
You know that thing we tell new knitters when we're trying to be reassuring? That thing about how knitting is just knits and purls (and that really those are just the two sides of the same stitch)? And that's true. Of course it is. But there's also that thing that happens when there aren't any skittish looking new knitters around to scare. That thing where you say you just spent 45 minutes trying to figure out which of six subtly different decreases you like best. Or you tried three different cast ons to see which was prettiest with your ribbing. [...]
Phaeodaria (plus giveaway)
You know how sometimes I come along and say 'so I know this looks tricky, but you'll have it down in no time?' Well that's not these socks. Phaeodaria actually are just a tiny bit tricky, but wow are they worth it! The leg? It's one big chart with a lovely, intricate, twirly, swirly extravaganza of tiny twisted cables. I won’t lie to you, you will totally need to pay a bit of attention for that part (really though, I have faith in you, you can totally do it). But I’m not completely heartless. By the time you get to [...]
New Directions in Sock Knitting (plus giveaway)
If you've been here for a while, you know I have opinions about socks. Socks are supposed to start at the top, go for a while, make a turn, go for a while more, then make a toe. It's the natural order of things. And while I understand that some folks may make their socks other ways (which is cool, you make your socks however you want, my sock opinions only deal with my socks, not yours), I never quite got why. So I was more than a little surprised when the lovely Ann Budd asked me to contribute a [...]
Graupel (plus giveaway)
You know how the right yarn and the right stitches can come together to make something that's niftier than it has any right to be? That's totally what happens with Graupel, and I'm so excited to have them back out! The leg has a little sample of everything (a bit of cabling, a bit of lace, and a bit of ribbing), all in a four row repeat. Yet somehow, it manages to feel calm, not busy. Then when you get down to the foot, stitches come swooping in from the side to wrap your foot in soothing stockinette. Now of [...]
Fall with SweetGeorgia (review and giveaway)
I have a long history of loving SweetGeorgia's yarns. I used them way back in my very first book and have been happily playing with them ever since (oh and there just might be a pattern in one of their yarns in the new book due out next month). I love it when yarn companies collaborate with designers, so when I heard they were releasing a collection this fall, I was totally excited! The collection is called Fall with SweetGeorgia (that 'volume 1' part there makes me hope there are more things planned), and it's delightful. It's a lovely mix [...]
Calcareous (plus giveaway)
We're totally on a roll. I told you I had a lovely stack of early patterns to bring back, and today's is Calcareous! These sort of hit that sweet spot between cabling and ribbing. The cables keep the ribbing from getting boring (because I can't be the only one who would go mad with boredom before I reached the end of a pair of plain ribbed socks). And the ribbing keeps the cables behaving nicely and makes sure the socks fit beautifully. And there's something rather tidy going on with the gusset there too. See how the decreases are snugged [...]
Anemochory (plus giveaway)
I am so glad you all are indulging me and letting me bring my early patterns back out. Anemochory are just too lovely to keep tucked away any longer! You know how, when you're new at something, you don't have the good sense to know what's going to be hard, so you just sort of dive in to all sorts of things? That was totally what happened with these. Knitting them wasn't hard, but writing them down proved challenging for 2010 me. Luckily, I've had some practice at this sock writing thing between now and then, and 2015 me had [...]
Scatterling (plus giveaway)
Sometimes, you just want a big cable. A big, bold cable that knows who's in charge and isn't afraid to boss you around a little bit. Scatterling fits the bill, and I'm delighted to have them back out. These are one of the very few projects I've ever knit twice. I made the first pair for my grandfather way back in 2009. Then I made a second pair for the initial pattern release in 2010. There's just something about the big cables that sweet talked me into being willing to do them again. (Someone else was kind enough to make [...]
Sooner than you’d think (plus giveaway)
I think yesterday may have been the last really hot day of summer. Which is actually rather excellent timing, as I am well and truly sick of hot weather. Now, that doesn't quite mean I'm ready for woolly sweaters (actually no, that's a lie, I'm totally ready for snow and wool and thick socks and blankets, but I know everyone will throw things if I say it too loudly). But it does mean it may just possibly be time to start thinking about winter knitting. I'm actually something of a rarity among knitters. I don't do Christmas knitting. None at [...]
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