New pattern alert: Christmas Cracker Socks

Hello... it's been a while, but after much work behind the scenes, I have a new pattern out today! It's sparkly, and colourful, and festive, and I hope it brings you as much joy as it has bought me.

It’s early December, let’s head to the loft and dig out the Christmas decorations. The boxes aren’t just full of shiny sparkly things, they are full of memories! School-project decorations made from egg boxes, souvenir decorations from holiday markets around the world, glass decorations handed down from Grandparents, paper streamers from the 1970s, and quite a collection of brightly coloured shiny decorations from the 80s. Every decoration has a story to tell (even the plastic ones you bought as a box-set from Woolworths in the 1980s!). It’s the 1980s decorations that have inspired this sock pattern. I found a photo of a foil Christmas decoration on Pinterest, and the colours spoke to (shouted at) me: all the bright colours, plenty of sparkle, these socks keep your attention the whole way through! I worked with Quack yarn to create a colour palette that matched that original decoration, and I love what Fiona came up with.

The socks are knitted from the cuff down, and feature a slipped-stitch stripe pattern that is easy to memorise. The pattern includes instructions for both afterthought and short-row heels, so you can choose whichever version works best for you. The pattern uses the Barn toe, which is my favourite as it doesn’t involve any grafting – if you use the short-row heel, you can skip grafting completely.

This pattern is perfect for a mini-skein set - I knitted mine in a set of minis specially designed by Quack Yarn, a yarn advent, or for using up scraps of yarn. If you’d prefer to use a single colour for the main colour, I’ve included the yardages for that option too. Of course you can switch the colours up to something more muted than my samples – they’d look great knitted in a gradient set.

You can knit this pattern for the whole family – the pattern is written for 9 sizes, with circumferences from 7.5 cm (3 in) to 27.5 cm (11 in). The smallest size makes a great Christmas decoration, and the biggest one would make a very respectable stocking!

Sounds like something you might like to knit? You can find the pattern on Ravelry and Payhip, and if you use the code CRACKERS you can have 15% off until the end of 2023.

Lots of Spots Cardigan - available in Knit Now issue 148

Hello! Knitwear season has well and truly arrived, and, if you have someone small to knit for, I have a new pattern just for you! 

My Lots of Spots Cardigan is available in the latest issue of Knit Now Magazine (issue 148). The cardigan features bright spots in a rainbow of shades and is the perfect knit for brightening up a dull winter’s day.

The pattern is written in 5 sizes [0-3 (3-6, 6-12, 12-18, 18-24) months] with finished chest circumferences of 46 (48, 51.5, 53.5, 55) cm. Why not make a small one for this winter and a larger one for next year?

The cardigan is knitted from the bottom up in pieces, and the spots are incorporated using the intarsia technique. Finally, stitches are picked up for the neckband and front bands after the cardigan has been seamed.

This pattern is great for using up scraps – you’ll need two balls of the main colour, but you can go and have a look through your leftovers and use whatever takes your fancy for the spots!

I used wooden buttons for the sample (I love wooden buttons, I have a pile on standby because they go with everything), but you could choose colourful buttons to highlight one colour of spot, or you could even make each button a different colour.

Want to knit your own Lots of Spots Cardigan for a loved one? You can find the pattern in issue 148 of Knit Now Magazine. Full details of where to buy the magazine (including digital editions) can be found here.

Why not add the pattern to your Ravelry favourites or queue? You can find the pattern information page here.*

*Ravelry link. May affect people with photosensitivity. Proceed with caution.

All images copyright Practical Publishing. Used with permission.

Hazel in Caramel socks - smooth knitting with a little bit extra

The final pattern in my DK Selection-Box of Socks ebook is here!

The Hazel in Caramel Socks are smooth with a little bit of crunch! Something a bit more interesting than plain chocolate, but still nice and straightforward. These socks take step away from simple knits and purls… what happens if we add some yarnovers? No, I’m not adding lace to these socks, the fourth instalment of the DK Selection-Box of Socks eBook, instead I’m using yarnovers to create some extra texture and a little bit of interest while you’re knitting. The other great thing about adding a simple texture is that it makes it much easier to count how many rounds you’ve worked!

The socks are knitted from the top down, with a heel-flap and gusset construction. They have an all-over textured pattern on the leg, with the textured pattern continuing into the heel flap and the top of the foot. The sole of the sock is knitted in plain stocking stitch. Never knitted socks before? No worries - this pattern contains enough details that even an adventurous beginner will be able to successfully knit a pair of socks.

Got big feet to knit for? Or maybe tiny ones? The Hazel in Caramel Socks are written in sizes to fit the whole family [ten sizes, in circumferences from 8.5 cm (3.5 in) to 28 cm (11.25 in)]. If you have an especially knitworthy family to knit for, you could make a full set of matching socks!

The sample socks are knitted in a wool blend DK with 25% nylon, which makes the yarn stronger and increases its lifespan. If you’re knitting for someone extra-special, why not see if your favourite indie dyer has a wool/nylon DK weight yarn that you could try as a treat to yourself? New to choosing DK weight sock yarns? Check out this blog post.

Ready to get a copy? You can pick yours up on Ravelry and PayHip. Check out this page for links.

Already know you love DK weight socks? Why not get the whole DK Selection-Box of Socks ebook? You can find that here.