With my newest design project going along fairly well, this week I've taken a break and started some simple socks with some Heirloom Jigsaw yarn gifted to me by @pohmieathome ^_^
Happy Christmas everyone!
Hope everyone had some lovely celebrations. It was great to see the new Christmas Tree TARDIS projects
springing up over December.
I only managed one gift-knit this year - some Randiriel socks for my Mum. They fit! Hooray!
Pattern: Randiriel socks by Alexandra Wiedmayer (travelling cables variation)
Sock knitting is becoming more enjoyable over time - and I love the look and process of knitting patterns with travelling cables.
For this pattern, the heel and toe are not provided. I am still a little unfamiliar with heels so used the heel from the Rick socks.
Hope everyone had some lovely celebrations. It was great to see the new Christmas Tree TARDIS projects
springing up over December.I only managed one gift-knit this year - some Randiriel socks for my Mum. They fit! Hooray!
Pattern: Randiriel socks by Alexandra Wiedmayer (travelling cables variation)
For this pattern, the heel and toe are not provided. I am still a little unfamiliar with heels so used the heel from the Rick socks.
For Christmas celebrations we also baked some almond fingers (below), baklava, and cherry slice for family gatherings, and some Pumpkin, sage and ricotta lasagna for Christmas dinner with my family.
Kristi from the book Sock Innovation by Cookie A.
While I don't buy many non-digital patterns, I bought Cookie A's book after seeing some of westozcaat's (Ravelry login required) socks and wanting to try something a bit more complex. The book has 15 patterns, and I jumped to one of the last patterns because they looked most exciting.
These are definitely the best fitting socks I've made yet, and the most entertaining, but you wouldn't want to take these on if trying to use a cable needle, however, as they would take forever. I made them a little smaller by reducing the vertical lines on each side as recommended in the pattern.
The yarn is The Uncommon Thread Tough Sock in the Nimbostratus colourway, and I picked it up at Loop in London when I was there last year. With luck, I'll have enough left over for some fingerless gloves.
While I don't buy many non-digital patterns, I bought Cookie A's book after seeing some of westozcaat's (Ravelry login required) socks and wanting to try something a bit more complex. The book has 15 patterns, and I jumped to one of the last patterns because they looked most exciting.
These are definitely the best fitting socks I've made yet, and the most entertaining, but you wouldn't want to take these on if trying to use a cable needle, however, as they would take forever. I made them a little smaller by reducing the vertical lines on each side as recommended in the pattern.
The yarn is The Uncommon Thread Tough Sock in the Nimbostratus colourway, and I picked it up at Loop in London when I was there last year. With luck, I'll have enough left over for some fingerless gloves.
I love my new Carousel socks :) finally a sock pattern than I enjoyed knitting. They look very crazy, but are comfy and very happy looking. They're made from with Schoeller+Stahl Fortissima Socka Mexiko Color and the ball is so large I might be able to make another pair :)
Carousel (Rav) by Louise Robert
Carousel (Rav) by Louise Robert
Hi all, Kate and I decided we liked the look of this pattern a while back and are doing a little knit-along . If you're knitting them or think you might like to, let us know, we'd love more company!
Currently we're chatting on twitter, and I'll start using the tag #carouselkal in case you wish to join 
I thought I'd post up my wips today :)
Harumi shawl (rav link) by Emily Ross is up the back, and just needs to be properly photographed.
Amelia by Laura Chau is down the front right. It is taking a while to knit up but I've almost finished the body, then just need to do the sleeves.
Clearly I'm still obsessed with teal. I'm not super happy with the variegation in our handdyed teal yarn when knit up, but I'll still enjoy the colours while wearing the gloves and cowl that are in progress :)
My February-March wips
Harumi shawl (rav link) by Emily Ross is up the back, and just needs to be properly photographed.
Amelia by Laura Chau is down the front right. It is taking a while to knit up but I've almost finished the body, then just need to do the sleeves.
Clearly I'm still obsessed with teal. I'm not super happy with the variegation in our handdyed teal yarn when knit up, but I'll still enjoy the colours while wearing the gloves and cowl that are in progress :)
Knitted quite a few Christmas gifts this year again, although some of them were knitted earlier in the year. Thanks to all those designers who shared these wonderful free patterns
~For a friend~
Pattern: Cupcake Mittlets (Rav) by Shantha Ramachandran
Yarn: hand dyed organic merino in 'damson' from EdenCottageYarns
~For a friend~
Pattern: Cupcake Mittlets (Rav) by Shantha Ramachandran
Yarn: hand dyed organic merino in 'damson' from EdenCottageYarns
~For Dad~
Pattern: An American in China (Rav) by Gryphon Perkins
Yarn: hand dyed organic merino in 'broken stones' from EdenCottageYarns
Made some changes to the linen stitch panel as I was getting some RSI issues. Think I made this one too long in the foot and not long enough in the leg (ran out of yarn). Hope dad likes them, think they may have to be for only wearing in the house.
~For Mum~
Pattern: Cerus Scarf (Rav) by Hilary Smith Callis
Yarn: My bamboo handspun - bamboo from silversunalpacas
Yarn: My bamboo handspun - bamboo from silversunalpacas
Have been meaning to show these for a little while now, but I was too busy wearing them :)
This is my second pair of knitted socks, and are less of a success than the ones I knitted for mum, as I didn't put in the care or concentration (many holes in my short rows), but I'm liking having a pair of my own.
This is my second pair of knitted socks, and are less of a success than the ones I knitted for mum, as I didn't put in the care or concentration (many holes in my short rows), but I'm liking having a pair of my own.These were knit because I wanted to try toe-up, and also 2 socks on 2 circular needles. I found this technique completely intuitive, but if I made another pair I would stick to one colour - as managing the 4 strands of wool was a complete pain
Pattern: Toe-up Fixation Footies by Sarah H Arnold ( blog pattern | rav pattern )
I wouldn't recommend this pattern for a beginner sock knitter - as the pattern is not designed to walk you through every step, but as a quick guide it worked fine. I like the look of the short socks shown on the pattern pics but even at the length I stopped at I'm finding these too short. If I ever knit more socks I'll make them nice and long (and use thicker yarn)
My first ever pair of knitted socks :) Never thought I'd knit socks as they seemed... hmm... boring - but it was great to do and I hope my mum likes them :)
I can't say I found sock knitting thrilling, but learning how to turn the heel was useful and while they didn't come out perfect they at least seemed comfy. I loved the lace part of these and am inspired to doing some more lace projects in future.
They are knitted from Suzi Anvin's free Blackrose pattern (Rav link). I had trouble with the instructions for turning the heel but this might be due to my own lack of knowledge on what I was aiming for.
Speaking of Christmas gifts - I love Kim's gifted Cactus Garden ^_^ so much safer than a real one!
I can't say I found sock knitting thrilling, but learning how to turn the heel was useful and while they didn't come out perfect they at least seemed comfy. I loved the lace part of these and am inspired to doing some more lace projects in future.
They are knitted from Suzi Anvin's free Blackrose pattern (Rav link). I had trouble with the instructions for turning the heel but this might be due to my own lack of knowledge on what I was aiming for.
Speaking of Christmas gifts - I love Kim's gifted Cactus Garden ^_^ so much safer than a real one!
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