Sock Design Challenge: Work begins

Thank you all so much for your votes and participation over the last month. It's been really great to get so much feedback and I'm very much hoping that I can take all that valuable feedback and use it to create a sock pattern that you will really like and that you will want to knit.

I've cleared the needles, browsed my stitch dictionaries and chosen the yarn. So, this afternoon I sit down with a pencil and chart paper to get cracking.

Mmmmmmm....cables....my favourite :)

Back soon
xx

A Purl Alpaca Day

I just thought I would share with you a few photos taken on my recent visit to the wonderful Purl Alpaca ladies at Burwash Manor. I treated myself to a workshop day there and had such a fabulous time I have been on a little alapca-induced high for the rest of the week.

 

I loved that there was the opportunity to try on such a range of garments, designed by the very talented Kari-Helen and of course, there was the full range of alpaca yarn to browse too. We each chose a different kit and it was great to see what the others chose to work on.

We were a small group of six knitters, plus of course Kari-Helen and Tracey and it was lovely to just sit and knit amongst like-minded souls. Tracey is very knowledgable about her animals and clearly very passionate about her work. We learnt all about the processing of the fleece as well as about the animals themselves and we got the opportunity to get up close to them too. It turns out that alpaca love apples so we all enjoyed ourselves immensely, spending a little time with the 'ladies' of the herd. They are such gentle and captivating creatures, I think we were all a little in love with them by the end of the visit.

 

 

The workshop offered a rare chance to take time out from my normally busy day, to sit and knit and make a start on what I'm sure is going to become my favourite winter garment - the Isis Tailcoat. We chatted so much that before I knew where I was I was joining my second ball of yarn and since coming home, I have had to force myself to put down that delicious alpaca and work on other more time-pressing projects.

Fab yarn, great company and delicious food (Kari-Helen is an amazing cook as well as a talented designer) made for a wonderfully relaxing day.

If ever you get a chance to attend one of their workshop days I can highly recommend it.

 

 

Sock design challenge: Week 4

So, it looks as though you would like a little bit more adventure in the heel department. The 'something different' option won by quite a margin.

We are looking at a unisex sock with a simple, easy to memorise cable repeat and something a little out of the ordinary for the heel. It's a good job I have been doing my homework and have a few tricks up my sleeve.

I have left the most difficult question until last.

Most of my designs I like to offer in both toe-up and cuff down formats but due to the time constraints of this project only one option will be on offer.

So, over to you...

1. Toe-up

2. Cuff down.

Leave a comment below or head on over to the Ravelry group to cast your vote.

Sock design challenge: Week 3

Ooops...

A technical hitch meant that this didn't go out on Monday as expected.

We are on to Week 3 and having determined that you fancy working on a simple cable repeat we are now thinking about heel options.

Would you prefer:

1. Standard heel flap and gusset

2. Short row heel

3. Something different that you might not have tried before

Leave a comment here on over on the ravelry group to have your say.

x

Sock design challenge: Week 2

Just an idea - not giving anything away here :)

The winner of last weeks vote was Cables by quite a margin so I'm guessing that you are up for a bit of workout with these socks.

The next question then is to try and determine how adventurous you are feeling:

Do you prefer your cables:
1. Simple, with a nice, easy to memorise pattern repeat

2. Complex - hit me with the charts - I want a challenge

3. A mixture - a more complex panel with simpler background.

You have until September 15th to decide.

Please either vote here by leaving a comment or over on the Ravelry thread here.

Thank you
x

New month, new projects

There is something very special about this time of year. With just a nip of coolness in the morning air and mists on the fields there is a sense of seasons turning and autumn just around the corner. Time to get the chimney swept and winter logs ordered. Time for the kids to go back to school and fresh starts everywhere.

Since the start of this year I have been trying, in an effort to curb my constant cast-on enthusiasm, to limit the number of monthly projects I have. Making a concerted effort to finish that month's projects before starting the next. And should I find myself with bare needles (horror!) I can work on my Sock blankie or Mitered Crosses Blanket.

There is something very satisfying about lining up all my intended projects for the month. Although it seems that in September I will be mostly knitting Green Things. Not all of them will come to fruition but there is a great sense of anticipation as Sep 1st comes around and I can Cast On.

Clockwise from top we have:
West Yorkshire Spinners 4ply sock yarn - not quite sure yet but probably socks for DH
Rico Design Essentials soft aran - a baby blanket in my Where I Live series
Debbie Bliss Rialto DK - a Lush cardigan for my niece
Juno Fibre Arts Buffy Toughie sock yarn - a new cabled sock design.

If anyone wants me, I'll be in my favourite chair...

Sock Design Challenge: Week 1

Welcome to Week 1 of my Sock Design Challenge.

Once a week for four weeks I'll be posting a question about an element of sock design for you to vote on.

At the end of the month I will use your answers to come up with a unique sock design - hopefully one which will be ideal for gift giving - enabling us to have a knit-a-long and produce a fabulous sock gift for someone in the run up to Christmas.

Once we get going we can use the hashtag: #sockdc2014 to keep track of our sockie goings-on on various social media platforms and I dare say there may be the odd prize or two for those who fancy joining in.

You can either vote in my Ravelry group: HERE

Or you can leave a comment below giving your answer as either 1 or 2.

So, for Week 1 a nice easy question...

Would you prefer the main design element of the sock to feature


1. Lace

2. Cables


I'll post the next question on September 7th, so you have a week to ponder.

xx