#showoffyourwoollysocks2020 Days 8-14

Have you heard of #showoffyourwoollysocks2020? Over on Instagram, I’m showing off my woolly socks every day in November, and I’d love you to join in too! Simply take a photo of the handknitted socks you're wearing every day in November and tell me all about them! Use the hashtag #showoffyourwoollysocks2020 and tag me (@vikkibirddesigns) so I can see them. I cannot wait to have a little tour through your sock drawer!

This year, I'm hosting a knitalong, so that over the course of November, we can all knit a new pair of socks together and wear them on November 30th! The KAL is taking place on Instagram using the hashtag #SOYWSKAL2020, and works in progress will also be allowed if that increases your chances of having a finished pair of socks by November 30th.

Not on Instagram? I’m sharing a summary of my woolly socks once a week on my blog (vikkibirddesigns.com), and I'll have two threads open in my Ravelry group (Ravelry link - may cause issues for users with photosensitivity; proceed with caution): one for the KAL and one for you to show off your socks of the day.

Week 2: Days 8-14

Day 8: My socks for Day 8 are a relatively new addition to my sock drawer as I knitted them for #marathonsockkal2020 They’re knitted in Knit Picks Felici in the colourway Playhouse. I love Felici yarn, and before it was available in the UK, it was something of a mythical sock yarn - soft, stripey, affordable. It definitely lives up to the hype, and I now have quite a collection of Felici sock yarn, and socks made from it!

 

 

Day 9: This pair of socks is made from more Knit Picks Felici, this time in the colourway Captain Nero. I’ve shared these quite a few times and they always get a good reception. These socks were a little Heath Robinson: I was adding a heel while out and about, and failed to take scissors or a sewing needle out with me. I somehow got by doing Kitchener stitch with my needles, and using a fork to saw through the yarn end. What’s your most creative knitting improvisation?

Day 10: The socks for day 10 of #showoffyourwoollysocks2020 are gorgeously festive, and yes, I do wear them all year 😊 They’re knitted toe up with a heel flap and gusset, with a contrast heel. The yarn was West Yorkshire Spinners first Christmas special yarn and I love it. I wasn’t sure about it in the ball, but they are some of my favourite socks! I accidentally knitted the second sock on a different size needle to the first, and only noticed somewhere near the heel, so had to start again. It happens - fortunately you can always unravel and start again. Would you have unwound and reknitted, or just shrugged and had a second sock that wasn’t quite the same? I’m more likely to leave a mistake in now than 5 years ago - mistakes add character!

Day 11: Day 11’s socks were bright socks for a gloomy morning. These socks are knitted in an Easter sock set from Cuddlebums Yarn. I love how the yarn knitted as micro-stripes. This pair is another with a Fish Lips Kiss heel, which is a great choice if you’re a bit short on yarn - I knitted these toe-up two at a time to maximise yarn usage - there’s nothing worse than running out of yarn halfway through the second toe! I keep going back to Cuddlebums Yarn - I love her rainbows and general bright colour sense. Do you have a dyer you keep going back to?

Day 12: My socks for Day 12 of #showoffyourwoollysocks2020 is one of my designs! These are the Effie socks, inspired by midnight feasts in vintage boarding school books – I wore them all day with the frills peeping over the tops of my boots. You can find the pattern for these (and many other socks!) on PayHip, Ravelry and LoveCrafts. 

Day 13: Friday was stripes and spots day at school, so for day 13 of #showoffyourwoollysocks2020, I opted for some stripey socks. These socks were knitted in the spring, in some yarn that I was saving for the season - the colourway is called 'Daoffodils', and I think the colours are perfect.⁠ The yarn is by Strawberry Fields Yarns, and the contrast is some ancient yarn from Artesano.

Day 14: These socks are my advent socks from a few years ago. Every day in the run up to Christmas, I opened a little package of yarn and added another stripe to my socks. I will confess that I was very selective about which yarns I added, because I don’t personally like crazy clashing socks. I’m glad I was selective because I love these and wear them a lot. I chose West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply in Milk Bottle for the main colour, which is a great neutral.

#soywskal2020: Knit yourself some socks this November!

Did you know that as part of #showoffyourwoollysocks2020 I’m also hosting the #soywskal2020?

Over the course of November, I would love everyone to knit a new pair of socks for themselves and wear them on November 30th! This is a gift-knitting free zone! The KAL is taking place on Instagram using the hashtag #soywskal2020, and works in progress are allowed if that increases your chances of having a finished pair of socks by November 30th – this is your chance to finish that pair of socks that started earlier in the year, then put to one side and forgot about!

Want to see my socks for the KAL? Here you go!

 

I bought this sock yarn earlier in the year. It’s dyed by Stripey Cat Yarns, who sells a fabulous array of hand-dyed self-striping yarns. This yarn is inspired by the cover of the UK edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and the colours are beautifully autumnal. The yarn is 100% Blue Faced Leicester, a base that is new to me, and feels amazing. Blue Faced Leicester is a long-staple yarn, which resists wear well and is perfect for socks, even without nylon. The high twist increases the wear-resistance, so these socks should wear really well! 

I was hoping to have completed the heel by now, and while I haven’t knitted the heel yet, I’m not far off, so I think I should be able to finish the first sock by the middle of the month, which will put me on course for having a whole pair of socks by the end of November. I’m planning a Fish Lips Kiss Heel, which is worked without a gusset, so maintains the stripe sequence perfectly.

Project bag made by me; Self-isolation knitting club patch by ErisApple

What are you knitting for #soywskal2020? Are you finishing a WIP, or did you cast on something new? I would love to see your sock progress!

#showoffyourwoollysocks2020 Days 1-7

Have you heard of #showoffyourwoollysocks2020? Over on Instagram, I’m showing off my woolly socks every day in November, and I’d love you to join in too! Simply take a photo of the handknitted socks you're wearing every day in November and tell me all about them! Use the hashtag #showoffyourwoollysocks2020 and tag me (@vikkibirddesigns) so I can see them. I cannot wait to have a little tour through your sock drawer!

This year, I'm hosting a knitalong, so that over the course of November, we can all knit a new pair of socks together and wear them on November 30th! The KAL is taking place on Instagram using the hashtag #SOYWSKAL2020, and works in progress will also be allowed if that increases your chances of having a finished pair of socks by November 30th.

Not on Instagram? I’m sharing a summary of my woolly socks once a week on my blog (vikkibirddesigns.com), and I'll have two threads open in my Ravelry group (Ravelry link - may cause issues for users with photosensitivity; proceed with caution): one for the KAL and one for you to show off your socks of the day.

Week 1: Days 1-7

Day 1: The first pair of socks for #showoffyourwoollysocks are knitted in Knit Picks Felici in the colourway Countess, which I hoarded for ages as purple is my favourite colour. They’re a straightforward top-down vanilla sock with a heel flap and gusset, which is my favourite type of top-down construction.

Day 2: These are a fine example of Christmas socks for everyday wear! The yarn is by Unbelievawool and was from a Christmas yarn club box. The colours are pretty muted (but may well have been brighter when I knitted them), but have a festive air. I cast these on on an October 1st for a #festivesockalong, but got distracted and finished them in the January! This happens a lot! The socks have a Fish Lips Kiss, which is a nice neat short row heel. It’s a good heel to choose if you’re tight on yarn, but isn’t so good if you have very high insteps. The yarn isn’t self-striping, it has micro stripes caused by the repeat length of the variegated yarn - a short row type heel helps preserve that.

 

Day 3: Day 3’s socks are accidentally inspired by Liquorice Allsorts! I knitted them as a sock tube and planned to add pink heels, toes and cuffs, but then happened to be eating the sweets while working on the tube and realised that Liquorice Allsorts colours would be much more fun! The main yarn is by Paintbox Yarns (gifted - if you want some, it’s Paintbox Yarns Socks*); the heels, toes and cuffs are miscellaneous scraps.

 

Day 4: My socks for Day 4 are lovely cheerful ones that make me think of cake. I knitted them using Kate Atherley’s free Basic Ribbed Socks pattern during #lotsofsockskal a couple of years ago. They’re knitted in King Cole Zig Zag, which is one of my favourite basic sock yarns - it’s cheap and cheerful and wears really well. It also feels nice and plump. The yarn was gifted to me by my friend Rachel for a knitting secret Santa (clearly not a very secret one!). So many connections in one little pair of socks.

 

Day 5: The fifth pair of socks for the month is my Siren Song Socks. These are one of my designs, and that little slipped stitch cable shows up so well against any yarn background. The yarn is by Phileas Yarns, and I bought it Joeli’s yarn retreat in Manchester a few years ago, where I met lots of fabulous knitting friends. If you want to knit your own pair, you can find the pattern in my Ravelry and PayHip stores.

 

Day 6: My socks for Day 6 are possibly one of my favourite pairs: they are knitted in Opal with glitter. I love how sparkly they are! I bought the yarn at the British Wool Show and knitted it while on my way to EYF in 2018. I knitted further than I planned, and had to do afterthought heels as it was that or pull the knitting back!

 

Day 7: These beauties were a prototype for my Siren Song Socks - they’re knitted in yarn from Unbelievawool and it contains cashmere, so is super cosy. The yarn was very much a ‘golden skein’ - one I kept hold of for ages before knitting it up because I was afraid I wouldn’t do it justice. I love these socks, so I think I did!

*Affiliate link.

Elmo Christmas Jumer: available now!

Is there anything more festive than Elmo in a Santa hat? If that’s your sort of thing, then keep reading!

I have a new design out in the latest issue of Knit Now Magazine, and, as you may have guessed from my opening lines, it’s a festive jumper featuring Elmo in a Santa hat!

Elmo Christmas Jumper - image copyright Practical Publishing

 

The jumper is knitted in pieces from the bottom up, then seamed. The pattern has an all-over stranded design, with Elmo knitted in using the intarsia technique. This is a design to take slowly, enjoying every stitch, and you’ll be so proud when it’s complete, and everyone else will be so impressed when you tell them you knitted it yourself!

The jumper is knitted in Stylecraft Special DK,* and the pattern is written for nine sizes (XS to 5X, finished chest sizes 76.5-160 cm). They yarn is really affordable, and even the largest size will only set you back less than £30. If you prefer something a little woollier, West Yorkshire Spinners ColourLab DK* is an excellent 100% wool alternative.

Elmo Christmas Jumper - image copyright Practical Publishing

Want to knit the jumper for yourself? The pattern is included as a pattern card with issue 121 of Knit Now Magazine, which is available now. Please note that the pattern card is only included with UK editions of the magazine, not those purchased overseas, or the digital edition. The good news, however, is that Craft Stash will ship the UK print edition internationally (subject to availability), so you can get your hands on a copy, wherever you are in the world.

Do you want to add Elmo to your Ravelry queue or Favourites? The pattern page can be found here.** It really helps me if you share your love for the pattern.

Have you made the Elmo Sweater? Don’t forget to share your pictures with me! I love seeing your finished knits.

*Affiliate link.

**Ravelry link. May cause issues for people with photosensitivity; proceed with caution.

Steam blocking your knitting

Do you want your knitting to look its best? Do you ever find that when your knitting comes off the needles, it curls at the edges and doesn’t lie as flat as you’d like?

The answer is blocking!

Blocking is an important part of knitting: it smooths the knitting out, making it lie flatter and fixing its shape, while also smoothing out any wobbly stitches. Blocking is useful for items that need to be seamed – you can block all the pieces so they lie flat, then sew them all together once they are less prone to curl. If you’re picking up stitches, it’s much easier to do so from fabrics that have been blocked. Wet blocking works well for animal fibres, but doesn’t work so well for acrylics, which is where steam blocking comes in.

Steam blocking uses steam to penetrate the fibres in the acrylic. Acrylic fibres are made of plastic, which melts at high temperature; when you steam block an item, you’re not melting the fibres, just heating them up enough to set them in their final position. Steam blocking is permanent and gives an excellent finish to items knitted using acrylic yarns.

Steam blocking isn’t just for acrylics. You can also use it for other fibres: you might find it useful if you’re knitting a sweater and want to check how much longer to make a piece before you cast off. Rather than give the garment a full wet block, lie the knitting out and steam it so it can reveal its finished dimensions!

So, how do you steam block your knitting?

What you’ll need

•  Ironing board (or a smooth, hard, heatproof, surface you’re happy to iron on)
• Steam iron
• Water
• Towel (large enough for your project to lie on once the towel is folded in half)
• Stainless steel sewing pins, ideally with brightly-coloured glass heads

Preparation

1. Put up your ironing board or get your surface ready for ironing.
2. Fold your towel into at least 2 layers and place it on the ironing board.
3. Lie your knitting out on the towel, and pin it in place. Ensure the knitting is completely smooth, and any ruffles, etc., are pinned as you wish them to lie after steaming.
4. Fill the steam reservoir of the iron with water. Switch the iron on to a high temperature with steam functionality and allow the iron to heat up.
5. Switch the iron to the steam setting.

Steaming the knitting

1. Hover the steam iron over the knitting so the steam fully penetrates the knitting. DO NOT LET THE IRON MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FABRIC! If the iron contacts the acrylic, the acrylic will melt.
2. Use your hand to smooth out the knitting while the knitting is warm and damp. DO NOT PUT YOUR HAND IN THE STEAM! Steam is hot and will scald you.
3. Work on one area of the knitting at a time. Once the whole piece has been steamed and smoothed, leave the knitting to cool and dry.
4. Once the knitting is completely cool, remove the pins from the knitting and admire your finished work.

That’s all there is to it! If you found this tutorial useful, why not recommend it to friends? You can share it using the buttons below.

Pattern shown is Halloween in the Windows by Vikki Bird Designs. Available on Ravelry,* PayHip and LoveCrafts. 

*Ravelry link: may affect people with photosensitvity; proceed with caution.

#showoffyourwoollysocks2020

My celebration of woolly socks, #showoffyourwoollysocks, is back for 2020!

Do you have socks that you knitted and showed off once online, but since then they've been hidden in your shoes? Well, #showoffyourwoollysocks2020 is a chance to show them off! Every day in November, I'll be sharing a photo of the socks I'm wearing on my Instagram (@vikkibirddesigns), and telling you the story behind them, and I would love you to join in too. Simply take a photo of the handknitted socks you're wearing every day in November and tell me all about them! Use the hashtag #showoffyourwoollysocks2020 and tag me so I can see them. I cannot wait to have a little tour through your sock drawer!

This year, I'm going to host a knitalong, so that over the course of November, we can all knit a new pair of socks together and wear them on November 30th! The KAL will take place on Instagram using the hashtag #SOYWSKAL2020, and works in progress will also be allowed if that increases your chances of having a finished pair of socks by November 30th.

Not on Instagram? I'll be sharing a summary of my woolly socks once a week on my blog (vikkibirddesigns.com), and I'll have two threads open in my Ravelry group (Ravelry link - may cause issues for users with photosensitivity; proceed with caution): one for the KAL and one for you to show off your socks of the day.

I can't wait to start showing off my socks, and hope you are just as excited!

Do you want to knit a pair of socks from one of my patterns for the KAL? From now until November 7th, all the sock patterns in my Ravelry store will have 20% off with the code SHOWOFF You can find all my sock patterns here: https://www.ravelry.com/bundles/sock-patterns-179 (Ravelry link - may cause issues for users with photosensitivity; proceed with caution).

Sugar Cube Knits: perfect for crunching through leaves!

What’s your favourite part of autumn? Crunching through leaves? Collecting conkers with your kids? Curling up warm at home under a cat and some knitting?

One of my favourite parts of autumn is being able to unearth all my knitwear from its summer-banishment under the stairs! There’s something delightful about the first wear of mitts on a slightly chilly autumn day, and I’m sure you’ll agree.

It’s also lovely to make something new to herald a new season, and I’m here today to share some new knits that are perfect for autumn with you: the Sugar Cube Knits.

The Sugar Cube Knits are inspired by one of the activities I’ve missed most this year: knitting in coffee shops with friends. The set of mitts, cowl and hat features a simple textured stitch pattern, made up of knits and purls, that looks like stacked sugar cubes.

The set uses a beautiful tonal brown DK yarn, dyed specially by Blue Fern Yarns, to evoke the warm tones of brown sugar. I used a merino/bamboo blend that really helps the stitches to pop.

This Sugar Cube Knits set was produced in collaboration with Blue Fern Yarns, and Shannon is offering 10% off the yarn used in the patterns when you buy the patterns. You can buy one, two or three skeins, in either Platinum DK (merino nylon) or Boo DK (merino bamboo) using the discount, and Shannon will dye the yarn especially for you. A perfect yarn treat to celebrate the season! To get the discount code, you need to purchase the pattern from either of my Ravelry or PayHip stores. Once you’ve purchased, you’ll find an extra pdf, which contains the discount code.

Want to buy the patterns now? You can get 20% off with the code LEAVES.*

Sugar Cube Knits on Ravelry**

•  Sugar Cube Hat

•  Sugar Cube Mitts

• Sugar Cube Cowl

• Want them all? Buy the full set for a bargain price!

Don’t forget to add the patterns to your Favourites and Queue – it really helps other people see my patterns.

Ravelry not for you? You an also use the discount code for the Sugar Cube Knits on PayHip

•   Sugar Cube Hat

•  Sugar Cube Mitts

•   Sugar Cube Cowl

•   Want them all? Buy the full set for a bargain price!

*Code expires 11.59pm BST, Thursday 22nd October 2020. Code applicable on both Ravelry and PayHip.

**Ravelry links may cause issues to people with photosensitivity, proceed with caution.