Showing posts with label socks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label socks. Show all posts

Saturday 6 July 2013

Summery Sock KAL 2013

Many thanks to all the lovely knitters on Instagram and Ravelry who took part in the first Summery Sock KAL (Knit-Along) this year. With the success of the event, I'm planning on organising it for the 1st June 2014 also.

So with the beautiful array of socks knitted by participants of the event, I thought that I would bombard you all with a feast for the eyes in this KAL write-up.

This years pattern was the fabulous Hermione's Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder.

After a false start (!) I decided to make it easier on myself and omit the contrasting toe, heel & cuff. I also decided to do them one-at-a-time/top-down.


At the end of the month I'd allocated to the KAL, I'd only managed to finish one of the socks, but have cast on my second so that I have a WIP rather than a potential second sock syndrome issue.


I was also delighted that two of the KAL participants used yarn dyed by my own fair hands in my own little workshop at home.

Here are @amberweinberg's beautiful socks from my first batch 'Epiphany' self-striping sock yarn.


And here are @scarffaces' finished socks from my 'Afternoon Tea' sock yarn.


So the following pic is a lovely montage of some of the early days of the KAL, showing the exciting start of things to come.


And now on to some more progress pics of peoples' beautiful knitting.


As you may or may not know, purple is one of my favourite colours, and I particularly enjoyed looking at the high percentage of people who chose this wonderful colour to make their socks with.


And here are some TA-DAH moments from some of the KAL participants who achieved an FO!


I was so excited to be given the opportunity to offer prizes to KAL participants. Ramona Burke (IG name @ramonarose) got in touch to say that I could award two lucky KAL-ers with one of her gorgeous and practical Sock Sack patterns.


I decided I would give one of the prizes to my 'favourite' pair of socks, and one to a random participant. On the 30th June, I made my selections.

The favourite prize went to @rijelviolent who knit her socks with 'Across The Universe' by Lynai Yarns, which is just a beautiful array of some of my favourite shades.


However, this honest young lady got in touch to say that she was very grateful for the prize, but that because she already owned the Sock Sack pattern, that she would rather offer her prize to someone else.

So, I chose another favourite ... by @stripeymonkey.


The film geek in me loves these socks because they are totally in theme for the Harry Potter inspired Hermione pattern because they are in Gryffindor colours. And the eccentric side in me loves the fact that there is an odd green contrast toe that the creator of the socks calls her 'lucky green toe', which I think is fabulous!

And then on to the winner chosen using a random number generator was @milliemull, but very deservedly so with her stunning earthy green socks.


If you would like to go onto Instagram and look at more photos of the event, please do a search under hashtag #summerysockkal13.

So let's add to that ever-growing pile of hand-knitted socks ... See you all again next year :)

Friday 29 June 2012

My First Knitted Two-At-A-Time Socks FO

I'd had my sights on knitting a pair of socks for a number of years, but kept chickening out. When I set my mind on something, it's pretty much etched in stone, but that doesn't detract from the procrastinator in me.
About a month ago, all the scrummy home-made sock photos posted by Instagram 'friends' had finally convinced me that now really was the time to begin, so I purchased my 2.5mm / 100cm Addi Lace circular needle, downloaded the toe-up two-at-a-time pattern of choice from Ravelry, made a trip to a well stocked store for my Regia sock yarn, and then got down to learning new skills ...

I never cease to marvel at the genius of the human race in devising these methods and Judy's Magic Cast-On is no exception. I love it, and would be happy to begin a gazillion socks if it means doing this method over and over again.



Happily increasing away to form the toes ...



Needing a little energy boost to help me along the endless rounds of straight knitting, hehe ...


Increases galore to form the gusset ...


And onto more ingenious knitting design in the form of the Fleegle Heel ...


After more straight knitting and a 1x1 rib cuff, finally the eagerly awaited Invisible Ribbed Bind Off (which took a massive amount of concentration and had to be done in two sittings!) ...


Such an amazing feeling when you have your completed project in front of you, but not forgetting the all-important blocking ... after giving the socks a delicious smelling soak in Woolite of course.

Then onto my cute sheep-themed sock blockers to dry ...


And finally, the TAH-DAH moment ...


As you can see, I have one pair of very happy feet (if they could talk, they'd be saying SQUEEEEEEEE!)

I can't take all the credit for these gorgeous socks. I couldn't have made them without the help and support gained from the pattern I found on Ravelry titled 'Beginner Toe-Up Socks for Magic Loopby Liat Gat.
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I have taken part in Tami's Amis FO Friday for this blog post.