House Elf Socks are HERE!

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Available on:

Ravelry

PayHip

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 Ho, ho, ho... too early? Is there such a thing as too early when it comes to gift knitting? I've got a new pattern for you today that is perfect for gift knitting - the House Elf Socks. They are FESTIVE, and photographing them at the weekend really upped my festive cheer! Keep reading to find out all about them.

I adore Christmas socks. They make me so cheerful, and yes, I have been known to wear them for a pick-me-up at any time of year...

If Christmas socks are your thing too, the House Elf Socks might be just what you're looking for. Knitted from the top down, with simple colourwork and a fun striped pattern, these socks make a great Christmas gift, or a perfect December treat just for you. I'll be wearing mine while I'm wrapping presents on Christmas Eve.

December is often a bit overwhelming, and my gift knitting list is always, erm, optimistic, but the House Elf Socks will give you a fighting chance because they're knitted in aran weight yarn! Yes, these are a quick knit! I have UK size 9-10 feet, and my socks only needed 48 sts, and were only a couple of evenings worth of knitting time. Don't have aran weight sock yarn to hand? You can hold 4ply (standard) sock yarn double, which makes these socks a great stash buster too.

Ready to pick up your copy? Use the code HOUSE ELF for 15% off. Ends 11.59pm GMT, Monday 22nd November 2021.

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Available on:

Ravelry

PayHip

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A treat for your feet! Jolly Holly Socks - available now!

Are you looking forward to a cosy Christmas? Maybe one wrapped up warm by the fireside? Do you fancy a new pair of socks to keep your toes extra warm while the snow falls outside? The Jolly Holly Socks are just what you need

I LOVE Christmas socks and wear them as soon as I see the first Christmas decorations in the shops. These festive Jolly Holly Socks are made using aran weight sock yarn, making them perfect for pottering around the house as you’re wrapping your Christmas presents. Are you a gift-knitter? The Jolly Holly Socks would also make a great gift – if you don’t have any aran weight yarn to hand you can use sock-weight yarn held double – as they’re nice and quick, and come in load of sizes!

The Jolly Holly Socks are knitted from the cuff down with a heel flap and gusset construction. The contrast cuff is knitted, then a short colourwork section is worked to transition into the striped leg. The rest of the sock is knitted in a simple stripe-pattern, until just before the toe, when a second colourwork section is added; the sock is finished with a contrast heel and toe. The toe is Kitchener-free, finished by gathering the final few stitches. The foot length of the socks is adjustable to fit.

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.

Want to get your hands on the pattern? It’s available now on Ravelry* and PayHip, and if you use the code HOLLY you can have 20% off (ends 11.59pm GMT, Monday 14th December 2020).

The pattern will also be available on LoveCrafts very soon.

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Here’s everything you need to know…

Sizes

A (B, C, D, E, F, G)

Finished sock circumferences: 11 (13.5, 16.5, 19, 22, 24.5, 27.5) cm [4.25 (5.5, 6.5, 7.75, 8.75, 9.75, 11) 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: 7.5 (10, 12.5, 15, 18, 20.5, 23) cm [3 (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) in].

Foot length is adjustable.

 

Tension

22 sts and 32 rnds = 10 cm [4 in] in stocking stitch and worked in the rnd on 4 mm (US 6) needle(s) after wet blocking, or size needed to obtain correct tension.

 

Yarn

Aran-weight yarn in the following colours and amounts:

·        55 (85, 120, 165, 215, 265, 335) m [65 (95, 135, 185, 240, 290, 370) yds] C1 (red)

·        5 (10, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30) m [10 (15, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35) yds] C2 (green)

·        15 (25, 35, 45, 60, 70, 90) m [20 (30, 40, 50, 70, 80, 100) yds] C3 (cream)

Amounts are approximate as the amount of yarn used will depend on the length of the foot, which is adjustable.

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

You can also knit these socks in 4-ply sock yarn held double. If you do this, you will need double the yardages listed.

 

Needles

·        3.5 mm (US 4) and 4 mm (US 6) DPNs, 15 cm [6 in], set of 5, or

·        3.5 mm (US 4) and 4 mm (US 6) circular needle, at least 80 cm [32 in] in length to work magic loop, or

·        3.5 mm (US 4) and 4 mm (US 6) 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: A (B, C, D, E, F, G).

The sample details are as follows: Novita 7 Veljestä (7 Brothers) (aran, 200 m per 100 g ball, 75% wool, 25% nylon) in 549 Christmas (C1), 366 Nettle (C2) and 010 Off-White (C3). Knitted in size E, to fit a UK women’s size 10 [foot length 27.5 cm (10.75 in)].

Pattern edited by Jo Torr.

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Want to get your hands on the pattern? It’s available now on Ravelry* and PayHip, and if you use the code HOLLY you can have 20% off (ends 11.59pm GMT, Monday 14th December 2020).

*Ravelry link. May causes issues for people with photosensitivity, proceed with caution.

 

FO Friday: Twinkle, twinkle little star

Last December (or maybe the one before!), in the midst of my frenzied gift knitting, I decided that I wanted to make something for me. Earlier this year, my husband picked up a new sideboard with glass-fronted cabinets in the top half for our living room, and as soon as I saw them I knew that during the Christmas period they would look lovely with a simple garland of stars hung across the fronts.

I considered knitting the stars, but I’m not a big fan of knitting small fiddly things, especially when you have to make several of them; as far as I’m concerned, projects like these are what crochet is made for. After browsing many, many patterns (both for stars and snowflakes) on Ravelry, I stumbled across One Dog Woof’s crocheted star ornament pattern via Instagram, where someone had crocheted individual stars to put on Christmas cards (a lovely idea, and one I would consider copying if I ever have time!).

The pattern is nice and straightforward, and I worked up the first star pretty quickly (definitely under half an hour). I even managed to work a magic loop for the first time (I have tried before, but it has always eluded me). Within a couple of hours I had quite a pile of stars. I’m not going to claim they are all perfect, they are absolutely not - I kept misreading the pattern, or not quite putting the hook in the right place, but once they’re all displayed en masse, you really can’t tell. After about seven, I had memorised the pattern, and I’m sure that a proficient crocheter could memorise the pattern much faster! I ended up with 13 stars, which I threaded onto thin silver ribbon, looping the ribbon back on itself at the joins between the stars so they didn’t slip.

What yarn did I use? Paintbox Yarns Metallic DK in the colourway Martini.* Paintbox Yarns launched this yarn at the end of the summer/early autumn, and it immediately made me think of Christmas decorations, even though it’s marketed as a summer yarn. The yarn has a chainette construction, which is lovely and smooth, and half the yarn is metallic and the other half plain (white in the Martini colourway). The yarn has a shimmer to it rather than a full-on sparkle, but I really liked that. I held the yarn double for my stars, and while it crocheted smoothly, I did have to use quite a lot of moisturiser on my hands otherwise the dry bits of my skin would catch on the plies within the chains. Overall I was pleased with the yarn, and holding it double gave a subtly marled effect that is festive without being too blingy.

I finished my garland of stars in plenty of time for Christmas, but what with one thing and another I never quite got round to hanging them properly, so instead they were laid across the front of the sideboard for the whole of Christmas. I’ve put them away now, along with the hooks I bought to hang them (then mislaid repeatedly...), so hopefully the stars will occupy their proper position next year!

Pattern: One Dog Woof’s crocheted star ornament pattern

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Metallic DK*
Ravelry project page**

*Supplied for review purposes. Affiliate link.

**Ravelry link. May cause issues for people with photosensitivity.

Operation FO

In the past week, I have finished two long-standing WIPs (works in progress). One is a secret, but I can share the other: socks for the Marie Curie sock quest. The socks will be going to a patient at a Marie Curie centre over the Christmas period.* I chose to knit UK size 12 socks as the organiser, Sarah, said that they don't usually get many socks in the bigger sizes. There were times when these socks felt never-ending, but over the past week, I've made a proper effort to get them off the needles, and the feeling of finishing something is lovely!

I considered immediately casting on a new pair of socks - I have some Christmas sock yarn I am itching to cast on - but rather than immediately rushing to my stash to locate the yarn, I have made the decision to work on some WIPs instead.** 

 

My current WIP list is as follows:

• Bunny blanket for my niece: I'm about halfway 
• Mini festive jumper decorations: Just initials and sewing up to go 
• Vinterskov sweater: I've done two thirds of the body

While it would be unrealistic to say I am going to finish these before casting on anything new, I think I can make a decent dent in the WIP pile before the end of the month if I focus on these projects rather than starting lots of new ones. I'll report back at the end of the month and let you know how I'm getting on. Wouldn't it be lovely if I had the decorations and the blanket done and I was on the yoke of the sweater (after all, aren't sleeves just larger versions of socks?)?

Do you have a pile of WIPs that could do with some work, or are you a one-project-at-a-time person?

 

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My Festive Cheer KAL is running in my Ravelry group*** and on Instagram until the end of November, If you have festive knitting that you're working on, whether it's decorations or gifts, it would be lovely if you could join in the fun. Full details can be found here.

* Details of Marie Curie sock quest 2018 can be found here.

** Obviously my sock needles won't be empty for too long. Socks are such a lovely portable project, and are great for knitting while watching TV or while reading.

 

*** You need to be signed in to Ravelry for this link to work. Membership is free.

New designs: Mr. Happy and Little Miss Sunshine Christmas stockings

Do you remember that heatwave we had in the summer? Well, when all the sensible people had put down their knitting and were heading to the beach, I was hiding indoors (it was unbearably hot for most of the third trimester of my pregnancy) and knitting these beauties: Mr. Happy and Little Miss Sunshine stockings.

Image copyright Practical Publishing

The Mr. Men and Little Miss characters have long been favourites of mine, so I was delighted when I was asked to design these stockings – their bright colours and bold lines translate perfectly to intarsia. To make them extra special, I included a couple of three-dimensional finishing touches: Little Miss Sunshine's pigtails are made from plaits, and Mr. Happy's hat is finished with a mini pom pom (top tip here: make a bigger pom pom and trim it down; this approach is much less fiddly than making a tiny pom pom!). If you love both characters, or can't decide which one to knit, why not knit Mr. Happy on one face of the stocking and Little Miss Sunshine on the other?

The stockings are knitted flat from the top down and combine stranded and intarsia colourwork: the snowflake panels are knitted using stranded colourwork and the characters knitted using the intarsia technique. The heel is knitted using short rows. Once the knitting is complete, the name is added using duplicate stitch and the stocking is seamed.

The patterns for the stockings are included with print copies of the current issue of Knit Now magazine (Issue 94),* and the patterns include full alphabets for you to personalise your stockings. I would love to see your finished stockings, so why not post them on Instagram and tag me (@vikkibirddesigns), or add a Ravelry project page and link it to the pattern page?**

The stockings are knitted in Hayfield Bonus DK,** a cheap and cheerful 100% acrylic yarn that comes in a myriad of colours.

*Note that for licensing reasons, the patterns are not included with international or digital copies of the magazine. This issue goes off sale tomorrow (Wednesday 31st October 2018), but you can order a copy via MoreMags.

**Mr. Happy stocking Ravelry page; Little Miss Sunshine stocking Ravelry page

***Affiliate link.

Festive Cheer KAL 2018

In the knitting world we are well into the festive knitting season, whether it's knitting Christmas decorations or gifts. To celebrate that, I'm hosting a festive knitalong (KAL) in my Ravelry group* and on Instagram.

The KAL will be called the Festive Cheer KAL, and all you need to do to join in is to either knit (or crochet) a festive item, or an item that you'll be giving as a gift over the festive season, and post your progress in either the thread in my Ravelry group* or on Instagram using the hashtag #festivecheerKAL2018 (if you want to double your chances of winning, you can post in both).

The KAL will run between October 1st and November 30th 2018, but will be a very relaxed affair, so works in progress (WIPs) are included, and you don't have to finish anything, just post your progress.

I'll be drawing two winners, one from Instagram and one from my Ravelry group. The prize winners will be selected using a random number generator from all posts posted between October 1st and November 30th 2018.

Happy knitting!

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The rules

1. Knit or crochet a festive item, or an item to be given as a gift over the festive season

2. Post a progress shot on Instagram using the hashtag #festivecheerkal2018

Or

3. Post about your progress in the thread in my Ravelry group

4. Only entries posted between October 1st and November 30th 2018 will be included

5. WIPs are allowed and you don't have to finish what you're working on 

6. Two prize winners will be drawn using a random number generator: one from Instagram and one from Ravelry. You may enter on both platforms, but will only be able to win one prize

7. If entering via Instagram, to win a prize, you must be following me on Instagram

8. If entering via the Ravelry thread, to win a prize, you must be a member of the Ravelry group

*Ravelry link. You must be signed in to Ravelry for the link to work

FO Friday: The December round-up

December got rather busy and I missed out of writing several FO Fridays, so here is a round-up of all the things I finished in late-November and December!

Merry Christmas hooped embroidery
First up we have a Merry Christmas hooped embroidery. I bought the kit for this at the end of 2016, thinking it would be a nice quick project. One Sunday afternoon I sat down to work on it and very quickly realised that it might not be quick as quick as I had hoped!

Firstly, I had to sort the thread colours myself, and the lack of light in November made it quite difficult to distinguish five shades of green. I suspect that I didn't quite get it right as I ended up with one spare shade...

The next problem was following the chart: the chart had both symbols and colours, which should have been fine, but the regions of green were very scattered and I found it really hard to keep track of what went where. I had done about half the kit when I realised that the first half didn't line up with the second, at which point I took a photo of the chart and printed it out in greyscale as large as I could. I then coloured each square as I checked that it was correct. A little bit time consuming, but it did mean I only had to unpick a few stitches rather than the whole lot.

And when I finally got onto the outlining I discovered that the photo on the front and the chart didn't actually match! And I ran out of black thread... So I improvised a merge of the two and I think it turned out pretty cute! The final hoop was sent to my advent calendar secret Santa swapee. I am hoping to do some more cross stitch this year, but I'm going to be a bit more careful on choosing the kit!

 

 

 

 

Alice's Christmas stocking
A few years ago I made a stocking for a friend's daughter, and last year she had a second daughter and requested a matching stocking. It took me a little hunting to find my original notes, but once I had this was a lovely project. I knitted it in Drops Alaska, which is fabulously woolly, and the yarn comes in perfectly festive shades of red and green. There will eventually be a pattern for this, but I want to make a few modifications so keep your eyes peeled.

Nordic gnome
This was one of my favourite projects of last year, and definitely not one I was planning to make. During the Giftalong, these little gnomes kept popping up in the finished object thread and I fell totally in love with them. The pattern is Never Not Gnoming by Sarah Schira, and it's a super-quick knit - I finished this one in a couple of evenings using the leftovers from the stocking.

 

Advent calendar socks
Last year I took part in a secret Santa advent calendar swap, and over the course of December I knitted this pair of scrappy socks. I am not necessarily a fan of scrappy socks, so I decided to stripe the calendar yarn with a neutral (West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 ply in Milk Bottle), but this did mean that I had quite a lot of knitting to do each day, and got several days behind, hence there being only one pair of socks, featuring rather fewer than 24 colours! I did enjoy making these though, so might make another pair in the future.

Merry Christmas!

The presents have been purchased and wrapped, the food shopping is done, mince pies are in the oven and I think I'm just about sorted for Christmas (we'll ignore the fact I still don't have a second Christmas sock...). So Happy Christmas!

Thank you to all of you for dropping in and reading my blog this year; for every comment and email; for every pattern purchased and project completed; to everyone who has entered a competition or posted in my Ravelry group. I am really looking forward to 2018 and everything it has is store, and I hope you are too.

Hope you manage to find a little time to rest, relax and, of course, knit over the festive period. This evening I will be casting on a new pair of socks for my Christmas Eve cast on, in Mind the Gap by Trailing Clouds. I've had this in my stash for ages and I think its time has finally come.

Merry Christmas and all the best for the new year!

Yarning Along: The things we do for love

Here we are, five days from Christmas, and you find me, somewhat predictably, busy. Most of the Christmas preparations are done: the tree is up, the presents have been purchased, the cards have been written, and everything that needs to be in the post has been posted; I probably ought to do a food shop and wrap the remaining presents, but otherwise I'm sorted. Which should allow plenty of time for relaxed knitting and reading, right?! Well, not quite. The schools here don't break up until Friday, so I'm still on full work mode, and am trying to finish writing some patterns this week so I have a decent chance of getting some sample knitting done over the holidays, as well as contemplating the year that's just been and anticipating the year to come: what's gone well, what hasn't, and where I want to be in a year's time. It can't just be me that gets terribly introspective at this time of year? Anyhow, I have resolved to make the most of it, and have bought a new notebook so that I can make a plan for 2018!

This week's key crafting projects are very much labours of love: my husband's phone lives in a phone sock that I knitted for him ages ago. He has a new phone, and it requires a new phone sock. Easy. Just an evening or two's knitting, but it's the sort of obligation knitting that just isn't all that fun, so it feels slow even though it's not. I will definitely get it finished today, which is a good thing, then I can get on with something I want to knit! The second labour of love project is an odd one. My daughter has requested a cuddly toy bunny for Christmas. I have managed to purchase one that matches her requirements, but she has also requested that the bunny comes with some carrots, so I'm going to crochet a couple over the next few days, assuming I can find my crochet hooks, which have gone AWOL. Children sometimes ask for the strangest things; I might crochet a little basket to go with the carrots in the hope that we can keep the carrots belonging to the bunny separate from the other play food.

The rest of my knitting at the minute is rather sock heavy. I spent an evening this week working on my advent socks, and will confess that I have shuffled the colours a little so that the socks will be to my taste (and so they don't contain any single-plied yarn - single-ply just doesn't work in socks). I am almost at the end of sock one (I just need to look up how to do the toe decreases - I do top-down socks so infrequently that I can never remember when I should switch from decreasing every other round to decreasing every round) and the second one only requires the foot knitting, which I should be able to do in an evening. I am undecided on whether I will turn the other yarn from my Advent calendar into another pair of scrappy socks, or whether I will add it to my sock yarn blanket. Part of me wants to start a crocheted granny stripe blanket using sock yarn as I have seen so many other people making them recently. The other project that has seen some love this week is my Christmas socks. I have completed sock one! We'll ignore the fact that I've not yet cast on sock two...

I'm really looking forward to finding a bit more time to read over the Christmas holidays: I have acres of stocking stitch planned, so I can read at the same time. So far in December I have mostly been reading The Christmasaurus, which I finished last night and loved. This evening I will start reading The Girl Who Saved Christmas by Matt Haig, which was recommended to me by my sister, and next week I might finally get round to finishing Into the Water, which seems to have been on hiatus since the start of the month! I looked on my Kindle last week and realised I had downloaded a few books in the past couple of months that I've not looked at yet, so hopefully they might get some attention soon.

As ever, linking up with Rachel for Yarning Along. What have you been reading this week?