Sock Round up for 2023

Why am I telling you about socks I finished the second half of 2023? Because I really fell behind on my blogging/photography when I was in California. 

I usually use socks as my purse and babysitting project, something that is small, easy, and won't get messed up if I pick it up and put it down at random times. 

The first to talk about it my 'Summer Socks' which is a colorway from White Birch Fiber Arts that is named Study in Peach Mint. These were fun and bright to knit during the summer. I added the heel color which has a bit of sparkle to them! 

The second two talk about it is a pair of DK weight socks with Fangirl Fibers! The yarn was gifted to me by my friend Brittaney who is great friends with the dyer. She wanted me to try out her yarn and see how great it was, and it totally is! The base was wonderful and knitting these during the fall was the perfect colorway. 

The third pair is a self striping yarn from Nomadic Yarns called Squad Gourds, like squad goals! I loved the colorway but the name just sealed it for me. Just like my peach/mint socks I added a contrast color heel flat because I like my stripes to stay in order going down the sock. If you use the original yarn as the heel then the stripes get messed up. 

Last but not least I have my Halloween socks! This is a colorway from a Halloween countdown I purchased a few years ago, I loved working with the yarn and thought the colors were great for Halloween time. Unfortunately the dyer isn't in business anymore. I used my Hemmenway pattern to knit these ones and also added a contrast heel. 

All socks were knit using a US 1.5 on a 9 inch circular. I never use anything else! Do you also use socks as a take-along project or a palette cleanser between different knits? 

Yarn Stash Tips

Hey Knitters! I know some of you are super fabulous and only buy yarn for 1 or 2 projects at a time and don't have a large stash, love ya'll but this blog post isn't for you! This is a post of the knitters who need help/want help with organizing their yarn stash so they can utilizing it easily! 

Here are 5 tips for your yarn stash! 

1. Sort your stash by Weight: Now I have my stash set up in shelving in my studio but you can do this with baskets, tubs, or bags too! Sorting by weight means that it's easier to see what yarn you have that will work for a certain design or project. No more digging around to find the right weight if they are all together. 

2. Sort by Color: It is so much easier to pair colors or see what you have an abundance of if you curate your stash holders by color. I find that I can pull different yarns together for projects when the colors are near each other. 

3. Keep a List: Make your life easier (and don't try to remember) what yarn you have in your stash by having a running list of your yarns, that list weight and color family. Keep it in a place you can take with you so when you're at a festival or a yarn shop you have a record with you. This makes it easier to buy for certain patterns you're interested in and pair new yarns with what you already have. Keep this list in a notebook, note apps on your phone or on Ravelry! 

4. Bag/Tie Yarn Together: What? When you purchase yarns you plan to knit in the same project, bag them together with the pattern so you don't forget what you had planned to knit. It will make it so much easier and relaxing to start a project when everything is already pulled together for you. 

5. Have a bug deterrent: Use some form of bug deterrent in your stash. Bags of lavender, cedar pieces, or moth traps. Keep all that lovely yarn safe and take preventative measures to keep everything just the way you want. 

I hope this post helps you love your stash even more! 

Game Plan for a Yarn Show

I visit lots of shops and yarn shows each year. Most of my experience is as a shopper and now I'm learning as a vendor. So here is a short guide to visiting a yarn show so you can have a great time! 

1. I like to do a bit of research beforehand. I want to know which vendors are going to be present at the show and what they sell. Along with researching beforehand I print out a map of the venue/vendor booths and mark which ones I really wanted to see and a small note on why. 

2. Wear good walking shoes! Most yarn shows are at convention centers or fairgrounds and the ground is unstable or concrete. Save your feet and knees and wear good shoes. 

3. Food at shows can be pricey and not all that great. Save your money for more yarn and bring your own lunch, snacks, and water, your wallet will thank you. 

4. Going into so many different booths can be so overwhelming, I like to print the first page of my pattern that tells me yardage and weight and have that with me. I know what I wanted to make and can look for yarn specifically for that pattern and know I have enough yardage to make it instead of guessing. 

5. If you're on a budget, bring cash! 

6. If you are a new, old, or aspiring yarny business, bring business cards! Shows are a great way to get your name out there and get information for collaborations. (Almost all the businesses in my quarterly knitting subscription I met and mingled with at FlockFiber in 2022.) 

Hope these tips help you have a great yarn show experience! 

Long Nights Shawl

If you've been around for awhile you know I grew up in California and moved to Washington's Olympic Peninsula in spring of 2021. I absolutely love where I live in WA but some of the winter nights are so long. 

My newest shawl pattern is inspired by those long winters nights! Long Nights is a top down triangle shawl using DK weight yarn for a heavier and very squishy shawl that is perfect to knit on long dark nights and wear on those nights too! 

Long Nights has a simple pattern that incorporates both garter and stockinette so it really shows off hand dyed yarn in those two different stitches. I used DK+ from Puzzle Tree Yarns which is a 100% Superwash Merino wool base. I love how squishy and warm the original sample is. 

I suggested in the pattern some alternatives that can be used. You could use a a mohair or suri alpaca blend held with a fingering weight yarn to make DK or a Sport weight yarn held with a lace weight. This would be a fun way to marl a project or knit Long Nights with a few different colors if you feel like you don't have enough yardage in your stash. 

Long Nights was going to originally be called 'Because I Can' because there is a two stitch spine instead of a more traditional single stitch. Long Nights came as I was knitting the sample and how calming it was to knit in the transition between fall and winter. 

Hygge, what the heck is it?

Ever read the world hygge and thought 'huh?' you and me are in the same boat. I don't really enjoy not knowing something so I went and did a little research. First of all, it's actually pronounced Hoo-ga which is 100% not how I was saying it and it is a Danish philosophy of 'finding joy in the simple pleasures of our daily lives, creating a warm atmosphere, for calmness, relaxation and cosiness.' This seems right in-line with my new years goals! 

I think any kind of concept where you focus on finding joy for calmness, relaxation, and coziness is a concept I can get on board with. As knitters, we have the unique ability to be making art and coziness with our hands, we literally make hygge! I also think having an area where you can focus solely on your stitches and what you are creating brings your practice of the concept to a whole new level. 

When I think calmness, a warm atmosphere and relaxation I think easy knitting projects and heavier yarns. Here are a few of my patterns that I think would be perfect hygge knitting for this winter. Scales uses DK weight yarn and faux cabling pattern and Intersection highlights the crossing between utility and beauty.

I hope my post inspires you to transform your creative space into your own calming corner, where you can have your cosy project at hand, to escape, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day, and stitch yourself calm.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the concept of Hygge, and if it’s something you already embrace?