Showing posts with label Lots of Socks KAL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lots of Socks KAL. Show all posts

Friday, 20 March 2020

#LotsOfSocksKAL 2020 total!


Enormous thanks to everyone who has taken part in this year’s The #LotsOfSocksKAL, whether you have knitted socks, bought patterns or made a donation. This year’s total is $13, 970.77, which is phenomenal! The donations went to Down Syndrome International, and will help people with Down syndrome.


On March 21st every year (that’s tomorrow this year), people are encouraged to wear two different brightly coloured socks to highlight the uniqueness of individuals with Down syndrome and to show their support for the Down syndrome community. Why March 21st? People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21, so the date 3/21 was selected. Lisa started the Lots of Socks KAL to create LOTS of socks, and at the same time generate support and awareness for a great cause!

On March 21, 2020 (World Down Syndrome Day), be sure to wear your socks and spread the word! You can post your socks on Instagram using the following three hashtags #lotsofsocksKAL, #lotsofsocks, and #WorldDownSyndromeDay AND tag @paperdaisycreations. You might also want to tag the designer and include hashtags #WDSD20 and #WorldDownSyndromeDay.

Haven’t added your socks to the KAL thread?
Lisa has done an amazing job of sourcing prizes for the KAL - you can find a full list of prizes in the first post of this thread,* so if you have socks you haven’t added to the FO thread, now is the time to do so.

Thanks again for taking part.

*Ravelry link; you need to be a member of Ravelry to open this link. Membership is free.

Wednesday, 12 February 2020

ONE DAY ONLY Bobby socks: 50% off and all proceeds go to Down Syndrome International

A bit earlier than scheduled, I've just released my #LotsOfSocksKAL pattern: the Bobby socks. From now until 11:59pm EST, Thursday 13th February 2020, this pattern is available with 50% off using the code LOTSOFSOCKS All proceeds during the sale period will go to Down Syndrome International (if you want to make a bigger donation, just omit the code and all the proceeds wil go to Down Syndrome International). If you haven't heard about the Lots Of Socks KAL, you can read all about it here.



As a child, I used to love reading vintage boarding-school stories, and always imagined that the girls in them would wear cute little ruffled socks while eating their midnight feasts and drinking ginger beer. The Bobby socks are the first in a series of sock patterns: the Midnight feasts collection, which pays homage to these books with a series of cute ankle socks, all featuring a frill around the cuff: show them off by wearing them with circle skirts and Mary-Jane shoes, or let the cuff peep out of the top of a pair of ankle boots for a really cute look. All the socks in the collection are knitted from the top down using a standard heel flap and gusset construction. The ruffled frill and first half of the turned-back cuff are knitted first, then inverted using a short row before knitting the rest of the sock. The foot length of the socks is adjustable to fit.


The Bobby socks are perfect for summer and early autumn: the lace allows your feet to air so they're nice and cool, but as autumn approaches the socks can be worn with shoes, letting the lace frill detail peep out over the top of your shoes.

Instructions are given for both two-colour and single-colour versions. The lace stitch pattern is given as both a chart and written instructions. Tutorials are included for the inversion round and blocking the ruffle.


The pattern is written to be needle-neutral and can be knitted using either the magic-loop technique, short circulars or DPNs, depending on your individual preference. The pattern also features helpful hints for beginners.

Click here to buy the pattern now! Use the code LOTSOFSOCKS to get 50% off until 11.59pm EST, Thursday 13th February 2020, and remember, all proceeds from sales from now until the end of Thursday 13th February (EST time) go to Down Syndrome International.

Reading this and it's not February 13th any more? You can get 20% off with the code FRILLS until 11.59pm GMT, Thursday 20th February 2020, and I'll dontate £1 to Down Syndrome International for each copy sold until the end of February 2020.

If you buy any of my other sock patterns in February 2020, I'll donate £1 per sale to Down Syndrome International. You can find all my sock patterns here.


********

Sizes
S (M, L)

Finished sock circumferences: 16 (20, 24) cm \[6.5 (8, 9.5) in]; for the best fit, choose a size that is approximately 2.5 cm [1 in] smaller than your foot circumference.

Leg length to heel: 9 (10, 11) cm [3.5 (4, 4.25) in].

Foot length is adjustable.

Tension
30 sts and 44 rnds = 10 cm [4 in] in both stocking stitch and lace patt worked in the rnd on 2.5 mm (US 1.5) needle(s) after wet blocking, or size needed to obtain correct tension.

Yarn
4ply-weight sock yarn in the following colours and amounts (yardages are approximate as the amount of yarn used will depend on the length of the foot, which is adjustable):

Single-colour version
•    260 (325, 390) m [285 (355, 425) yds]

Two-colour version
•    MC: 235 (295, 355) m [260 (320, 385) yds]
•    CC: 25 (30, 40) m [30 (35, 40) yds]

I would recommend using a dedicated sock yarn that is tightly plied wool and has some nylon content for durability.

Needles
•    2.5 mm (US 1.5) DPNs, 15 cm [6 in], set of 5, or
•    2.5 mm (US 1.5) circular needle, at least 80 cm [32 in] in length to work magic loop, or
•    2.5 mm (US 1.5) circular needle, 22.5 cm [9 in] in length

Notions
•    Stitch markers x 5

Pattern notes
The instructions are for the smallest size, with larger sizes in parentheses: S (M, L).

If you are using a multi-coloured or self-striping yarn:
•    You can make two matching socks by starting both at the same point in the colour repeat of the yarn.
•    To avoid the colour jog that may occur at the transition between the leg and the foot, work the heel flap and heel turn from the opposite end of the ball of yarn.

The sample details are as follows:

1. Multi-coloured, single-yarn pair: Stylecraft Head Over Heels (4-ply, 400 m per 100 g ball, 75% superwash wool, 25% nylon) in 3102 Olympus. Knitted in size M.

2. Blue pair with white ruffle: West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply (4-ply, 400 m per 100 g ball, 75% wool, 25% nylon) in 325 Cornflower (MC) and Drops Fabel (4-ply, 205 m per 50 g ball, 75% wool, 25% polyamide) in 100 Off-white (CC). Knitted in size L.

The version in Knit Now contains the pattern, but not the tutorials.

The Midnight Feast Collection will be released over the course of 2020. The Bobby socks pattern is the first pattern in the collection.

This pattern was first published in Knit Now issue 90.

Pattern edited by Jo Torr.

Tuesday, 4 February 2020

The #LotsOfSocksKAL is live!

The #LotsOfSocksKAL is live!

I wrote about the KAL on the blog last week, but just in case you missed it, here are all the details...

Last year I was involved in the #LotsOfSocksKAL, and between us we raised a phenomenal $21,164.88 for Down Syndrome International! I'm very excited to announce that I am a participating designer this year as well! The Lots of Socks knitalong (KAL)* is being organised by Lisa Ross of Paper Daisy Creations, and will run from February 5th*** until March 21st 2020. 


Have you heard of the #lotsofsocks initiative? On March 21st every year, people are encouraged to wear two different brightly coloured socks to highlight the uniqueness of individuals with Down syndrome and to show their support for the Down syndrome community. Why March 21st? People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21, so the date 3/21 was selected. Lisa started the Lots of Socks KAL to create LOTS of socks, and at the same time generate support and awareness for a great cause! 

There's a sale!  
On each day from February 5th*** to 19th 2020, a different designer has been selected to offer a pattern on sale for 50% off. Some of these are new designs and some will be existing designs… each day will be a surprise! ALL proceeds from the highlighted design on the designer's given day will go to supporting Down Syndrome International. To be notified of the sale patterns, either sign up to Paper Daisy Creations' newsletter via her website or follow @paperdaisycreations on Instagram. The designers participating are: Lisa Ross, Mary Hull, Megan Williams, Shannon Squire, Tracie Millar, Sarah Jordan, Vikki Bird, Anna Friberg, Mara Catherine Bryner, Tiina Kuu, Dawn Henderson, Jessie Ksanznak, Marce Smith, Kay Litton, and Cori Eichelberger.  

In addition to my sale day, I'll be donating £1 (GBP) from every sale of one of my sock patterns in February 2020 to Down Syndrome International! All my self-published sock patterns can be found here.**

What does the KAL involve? 
Starting on February 5th,*** cast-on ANY sock design from ANY of the participating designers (no works in progress, sorry!). For each single sock that gets knitted (this might be the perfect opportunity to finish up some lonely socks - I know I have some from last year's KAL!), you will get an entry for prizes. If you use yarn from one of the sponsors (a list of sponsors can be found in the first post of this thread*), you will get an extra entry. When you finish your sock, post a photo of it in the FO thread, remembering to include the pattern name, designer, and yarn used. If you used sponsor yarn, include a photo of the ball band or tag to get a bonus entry.  

Lisa will keep a running list of sock entries in the prize thread. After the KAL has ended, prizes will be drawn based on the entries listed (if you've finished some socks but they haven't been included on the list of entries, send a message to Lisa before the end of the KAL).  

On March 21, 2020 (World Down Syndrome Day), be sure to wear your socks and spread the word! You can post your socks on Instagram using the following three hashtags #lotsofsocksKAL, #lotsofsocks, and #WorldDownSyndromeDay AND tag @paperdaisycreations. You might also want to tag the designer and include hashtags #WDSD20 and #WorldDownSyndromeDay.  

When you're knitting your socks for the KAL, feel free to make the socks your own: you're allowed to modify patterns from toe-up to cuff-down and vice versa, switch out heels and toes to your favourites, or to make modifications for fit. However, you must use the minimum stitch count listed in the pattern and at least 25g of sock yarn for a single sock.  

What could I win?  
Lisa has done an amazing job of sourcing prizes for the KAL - you can find a full list of prizes in the first post of this thread.* 

Where should I head for more details and to join in? 
The KAL is being hosted in Lisa's Ravelry group,* so go there to join the chat and to show off your projects. I cannot wait to see what everyone knits! 

If you want to make sure you don't miss out when my pattern is on sale, sign up to my newsletter.  

Of course, it's always possible that you might already own all the sock patterns you want. If you'd like to donate directly to Down Syndrome International, you can do so via their website.

*Ravelry link; you need to be a member of Ravelry to open this link. Membership is free.

**Note that this offer only applies to single sock patterns, not to ebooks. 

***Yes, the KAL has started a few hours early, but you are free to cast on as soon as you read this.

Saturday, 1 February 2020

Coming soon: #LotsOfSocksKAL 2020!

Last year I was involved in the #LotsOfSocksKAL, and between us we raised a phenomenal $21,164.88 for Down Syndrome International! I'm very excited to announce that I am a participating designer this year as well! The Lots of Socks knitalong (KAL)* is being organised by Lisa Ross of Paper Daisy Creations, and will run from February 5th until March 21st 2020. 


Have you heard of the #lotsofsocks initiative? On March 21st every year, people are encouraged to wear two different brightly coloured socks to highlight the uniqueness of individuals with Down syndrome and to show their support for the Down syndrome community. Why March 21st? People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21, so the date 3/21 was selected. Lisa started the Lots of Socks KAL to create LOTS of socks, and at the same time generate support and awareness for a great cause! 

There's a sale!  
On each day from February 5th to 19th 2020, a different designer has been selected to offer a pattern on sale for 50% off. Some of these are new designs and some will be existing designs… each day will be a surprise! ALL proceeds from the highlighted design on the designer's given day will go to supporting Down Syndrome International. To be notified of the sale patterns, either sign up to Paper Daisy Creations' newsletter via her website or follow @paperdaisycreations on Instagram. The designers participating are: Lisa Ross, Mary Hull, Megan Williams, Shannon Squire, Tracie Millar, Sarah Jordan, Vikki Bird, Anna Friberg, Mara Catherine Bryner, Tiina Kuu, Dawn Henderson, Jessie Ksanznak, Marce Smith, Kay Litton, and Cori Eichelberger.  

If you're feeling a little impatient, and want to purchase a sock pattern *right now*, I'll be donating £1 (GBP) from every sale of one of my sock patterns in February 2020 to Down Syndrome International! All my self-published sock patterns can be found here.**

What does the KAL involve? 
Starting on February 5th, cast-on ANY sock design from ANY of the participating designers (no works in progress, sorry!). For each single sock that gets knitted (this might be the perfect opportunity to finish up some lonely socks - I know I have some from last year's KAL!), you will get an entry for prizes. If you use yarn from one of the sponsors (a list of sponsors can be found in the first post of this thread*), you will get an extra entry. When you finish your sock, post a photo of it in the FO thread, remembering to include the pattern name, designer, and yarn used. If you used sponsor yarn, include a photo of the ball band or tag to get a bonus entry.  

Lisa will keep a running list of sock entries in the prize thread. After the KAL has ended, prizes will be drawn based on the entries listed (if you've finished some socks but they haven't been included on the list of entries, send a message to Lisa before the end of the KAL).  

On March 21, 2020 (World Down Syndrome Day), be sure to wear your socks and spread the word! You can post your socks on Instagram using the following three hashtags #lotsofsocksKAL, #lotsofsocks, and #WorldDownSyndromeDay AND tag @paperdaisycreations. You might also want to tag the designer and include hashtags #WDSD20 and #WorldDownSyndromeDay.  

When you're knitting your socks for the KAL, feel free to make the socks your own: you're allowed to modify patterns from toe-up to cuff-down and vice versa, switch out heels and toes to your favourites, or to make modifications for fit. However, you must use the minimum stitch count listed in the pattern and at least 25g of sock yarn for a single sock.  

What could I win?  
Lisa has done an amazing job of sourcing prizes for the KAL - you can find a full list of prizes in the first post of this thread.* 

Where should I head for more details and to join in? 
The KAL is being hosted in Lisa's Ravelry group,* so go there to join the chat and to show off your projects. I cannot wait to see what everyone knits! 

If you want to make sure you don't miss out when my pattern is on sale, sign up to my newsletter.  

Of course, it's always possible that you might already own all the sock patterns you want. If you'd like to donate directly to Down Syndrome International, you can do so via their website.

*Ravelry link; you need to be a member of Ravelry to open this link. Membership is free.

**Note that this offer only applies to single sock patterns, not to ebooks.

Tuesday, 19 March 2019

Lots of Socks KAL update!

Thank you to everyone who bought patterns last month on my Lots of Socks sale day. All proceeds from sales of my sock patterns on that day were donated to Down Syndrome International, and we raised a phenomenal £710! Between all the designers, we were able to donate $18,175.67 directly to Down Syndrome International, which is just staggering.


The Lots of Socks KAL runs in the Paper Daisy Creations Ravelry group until March 21st, which is this Thursday, so don't forget to finish off your socks and post a photo of them to the finished objects thread.* I've finshed one pair of socks and three lone ones, so shall be posting them to the thread once I've published this post!


Don't forget to wear your mismatched socks on March 21st (World Down Syndrome Day) to help raise awareness about Down Syndrome. Follow this link for more information.

*Ravelry link. You'll need to be logged in to follow this link. Membership is free.

Thursday, 21 February 2019

Fashionably late (Yarn Along February 2019)

Last weekend I went to visit my sister, and for a 60 hour weekend away, with a baby, I packed one sock project, a jumper project, a spare 150 g of yarn for the jumper and an extra 100 g of sock yarn *just in case*. I’m pretty sure that makes me an optimist, even if only about the amount I can knit while (1) driving, (2) feeding a baby, (3) sleeping, and (4) entertaining three babies and a preschooler. Perhaps predictably, I didn’t get that much knitting done. I did however, spend a lovely couple of evenings sat feeding my baby in a hotel room and getting into a good book, which was such a treat - I feel like it’s been ages since I last sat down with the specific intention of reading for an evening. With all that in mind, here’s this month’s Yarn Along post, better late than never!

So, what's on my needles? This month I've been joining in with the Lots of Socks KAL in aid of Down Syndrome International (full details can be found here,* but the prize list is amazing and you only have to knit one sock to enter) so have two pairs of socks on the needles. The first pair are three-quarters done and are fabulously pink! The yarn is King Cole Zig Zag, in the colourway Pinks. The colour is not one I would typically go for, but is so marvellously cheery that it's perfect for February.  I'm using a pattern from Kate Atherley's Custom Socks - Basic Ribbed Socks - and am planning on knitting several pairs of socks to this pattern over the next few months for a project I'll talk about once I have the first few pairs off the needles.


The second pair of socks is a bit slower as the pattern (Galiano Socks by Tracie Millar) is a tiny bit more complicated (though not that complicated in the scheme of things - there is some texture and a cable or lace round for two rounds out of eight). I'm knitting the socks in a sparkly brown sock yarn from a Knit Crate from November. Again, not my usual colour, but the shades and tones are so rich that I'm enjoying every stitch.



The jumper I mentioned is for the This One's for Me KAL* that I'm running in my Ravelry group, and is a Bright Above Me jumper in Drops Karisma. It's my first top-down colourwork-yoked jumper and I will confess to finding the pattern a challenge: the floats are looooooong, and that combined with the increases is hard work. I think that’s why I gave up at the weekend and opted for reading over knitting, but once the colourwork is done the rest of the jumper is rounds and rounds of stocking stitch, which I can do while feeding, so I’m quietly optimistic I might get this done in time to wear to the Edinburgh Yarn Festival.**



The book that grabbed my attention at the weekend was Some Kind of Wonderful by Giovanna Fletcher. Liz has been with Ian for 10 years, and is expecting him to propose while they're on holiday in Dubai. Instead he tells her the relationship is over, and she embarks on a quest to find out who she is now she is no longer 'Liz and Ian'. Yes, it's an easy read, but that seems to be what I need at the minute!

Are you favouring knitting or reading at the minute? Any recommendations for reading for tired eyes?

Linking up with Ginny for Yarn Along.

*Ravelry link. You need to be a member of Ravelry for this link to work. Membership is free.


**I’ll be there on the Saturday. I don’t have an advance ticket, so you might see me in the queue! If I’m not wearing a jumper with stars round the yoke, assume I didn’t finish it, and that sleep won over knitting...

Monday, 11 February 2019

For one day only: all sock patterns have 50% off!

I hope you're all enjoying the Lots of Socks KAL! Today is my promotion day, and I'm offering 50% off all my self-published sock patterns on Ravelry, just add the patterns you'd like to the basket and use the code LOTSOFSOCKS. The code is valid from 12 midnight until 11.59pm on Monday 11th February 2019 Eastern Time (GMT -5, i.e. 5am Monday 11th February to 4.59am Tuesday 12th February UK time). As the KAL is in aid of Down Syndrome International, all profits* from any sock pattern sold during the sale period will be donated to Down Syndrome International.  


Amy socks

Haven't heard about the Lots of Socks KAL? Then read on... 

I'm very excited to announce that I am a participating designer in the Lots of Socks knitalong (KAL)** being organised by Lisa Ross of Paper Daisy Creations, and running from February 1st until March 21st 2019.  

Have you heard of the #lotsofsocks initiative? On March 21st every year, people are encouraged to wear two different brightly coloured socks to highlight the uniqueness of individuals with Down syndrome and to show their support for the Down syndrome community. Why March 21st? People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21, so the date 3/21 was selected. Lisa designed the Lots of Socks KAL to create LOTS of socks, and at the same time generate support and awareness for a great cause!  

Lynda socks

What does the KAL involve?  
Starting on February 1st, cast-on ANY sock design from ANY of the participating designers (no works in progress, sorry! The list of desiogners can be found here.). For each single sock that gets knitted (this might be the perfect opportunity to finish up some lonely socks...), you will get an entry for prizes. If you use yarn from one of the sponsors (a list of sponsors can be found here**), you will get an extra entry. When you finish your sock, post a photo of it in the FO thread, remembering to include the pattern name, designer, and yarn used. If you used sponsor yarn, include a photo of the ball band or tag to get a bonus entry.  

Lisa will keep a running list of sock entries in the prize thread. After the KAL has ended (on March 21st), prizes will be drawn based on the entries listed (if you've finished some socks but they haven't been included on the list of entries, send a message to Lisa before the end of the KAL).  

On March 21, 2019 (World Down Syndrome Day), be sure to wear your socks and spread the word! You can post your socks on Instagram using the following three hashtags #lotsofsocksKAL, #lotsofsocks, and #WorldDownSyndromeDay AND tag @paperdaisycreations. You might also want to tag the designer and include hashtags #WDSD19 and #LeaveNoOneBehind.  

When you're knitting your socks for the KAL, feel free to make the socks your own: you're allowed to modify patterns from toe-up to cuff-down and vice versa, switch out heels and toes to your favourites, or to make modifications for fit. However, you must use the minimum stitch count listed in the pattern and at least 25g of sock yarn for a single sock.  

Sara Elin socks

What could I win? 
Lisa has done an amazing job of sourcing prizes for the KAL, and you could win all sorts of amazing yarn-related goodies and patterns, including a £100 gift card to Countess Ablaze, project bags and special skeins galore! The full list of prizes can be found here.**  

Siren song socks

Where should I head for more details and to join in?  
The KAL is being hosted in Lisa's Ravelry group,** so go there to join the chat and to show off your projects. Of course, it's always possible that you might already own all the sock patterns you want. If you'd like to donate directly to Down Syndrome International, you can do so via their website.  

Susurration socks
Click here to see all the designs on offer today!
Remember to use the code LOTSOFSOCKS

*Sale price minus fees and taxes.  

**Ravelry link; you need to be a member of Ravelry to open this link. Membership is free.