New design: Susurration socks

Today I am delighted to announce the release of my new pattern: Susurration socks.

This pattern came about as a collaboration between me and my friend Fay (Bea and Rose), an indie dyer local to me who creates beautiful colourways: think deep saturated colours with plenty of speckles. A few months ago Fay suggested we work on a collaboration together, and this is what we came up with: the Susurration socks. Fay has dyed up amazing rich autumnal shades that echo the colours of wheat fields, a theme that is reflected in the lacy wheat stitch pattern that makes up the central panel of the socks. I came across the slipped-stitch textured stitch pattern in a stitch dictionary under the name grass stitch, which tied in so beautifully with the theme I couldn't not include it!

Why Susurration? Susurration means 'whispering or rustling', which makes me think of the sound of wheat ears rustling in the wind.

The Susurration socks are knitted using my favourite toe-up construction with a gusset and heel flap shaped with short rows. The socks have a pattern on the instep and around the leg, while the sole is knitted in stocking stitch. The gusset length is affected by your row/round gauge, so a table of gauge-dependent lengths is included to help you achieve the perfect fit.

I've written the pattern in three sizes (finished sock circumferences, 16 (20, 23.5) cm [6.5 (8, 9.25) in]), to ensure you can make perfectly fitting socks. When choosing which size to knit, choose the size that is approximately 2.5 cm [1 in] smaller than your foot circumference – socks are stretchy and negative ease helps the socks to fit properly. The pattern is needle-neutral and can be knitted on any of DPNs, short circulars or long circulars using the magic loop technique.

The socks are shown in a sample of Fay's 4 ply sock base (4 ply; 425 m [463 yds] per 100g skein; 75% merino wool, 25% nylon). The yarn is a merino/nylon blend that is perfect for socks with the softness of the merino yarn being strengthened and stabilised by the addition of nylon. The sample socks shown are the medium size for a UK size 6 foot (foot length 24 cm/9.5 in) and used 330 m [357 yds] of the suggested yarn.

If you buy the pattern direct from my Ravelry store, you will get a 15% discount code for Fay's shop.* Fay has dyed up several colourways especially for this pattern: Braciaca (top left), By the Fireside (top right), Cornucopia (bottom left) and Gather (bottom right).**

As ever, if you'd like to share your progress, create a project page on Ravelry, or post a photo to Instagram and tag me (@vikkibirddesigns). In addition, Fay will be running a knitalong for these socks in her Ravelry group until the 1st November 2017. Head over to the thread to join in the fun and be in with a chance of winning a skein of her hand dyed yarn and a project bag.

*Your discount code will be included on the final page of the pattern. Just open the pattern pdf when it arrives to find your code. Codes will be valid until 11.59pm BST, Tuesday 17th October 2017. Fay ships internationally and has a beautiful selection of yarn. Some colours have been specially dyed for the socks but the discount can be used on any product (excluding yarn clubs).

**Colourway photos are copyright Bea and Rose.

A little yarny adventure: Bea and Rose in Newcastle

This weekend my friend Fay from Bea and Rose was holding a trunk show at The Knit Studio in Newcastle. It's been ages since I've been to Newcastle (even though it's only about a half-hour drive from us), so I decided to take the opportunity for a little day trip.

The plan to go to Newcastle was rather last minute, so by the time we got into the city it was almost lunchtime, but as I knew my daughter would only want to spend so long looking at yarn, we headed straight from the car park to The Knit Studio. I can now get to the shop easily, but the first few times it took a little hunting. The shop is housed in Blackfriers, a restored 13th Century friary in Newcastle city centre, and the easiest way to get there is to walk to The Gates entertainment complex and turn down the path directly to the left of the main entrance, then take the smaller path to the right. The shop is on the right hand side of the square of grass, and if the shop is open, there'll be knitted bunting saying 'OPEN' hanging outside.

The Knit Studio is a lovely welcoming little yarn shop. It has sofas and large tables for their knitting group and workshops. The selection of yarn is interesting, and covers a wide range of weights and materials. They also stock a large selection of knitting accessories. This time I was there to see Fay and her yarn, and was not disappointed. All of Fay's yarn was laid out beautifully on the large table in the centre of the room, and all of it was beautifully saturated. Fay also had some amazing project bags in fabrics woven in the UK and designed by Fay.

Fay at The Knit Studio

While there was no obligation to buy anything, I did come away with two purchases: a 100g skein of 4 ply merino/nylon in the colourway Juliette, which features purple splashes on a minty aqua background, and a sock blank in the colourway Whovian, inspired by Doctor Who and Van Gogh's Starry Night. Both yarns are rich and intense and I cannot wait to get them on the needles.

Top: Juliette; bottom: Whovian - Images copyright Bea and Rose

Once we'd finished in The Knit Studio (I knew time was up when my daughter tried leaving!), we headed to Waterstones' Cafe for lunch. I love the Newcastle branch of Waterstones (for those not in the UK, Waterstones is a branch of book shops), which is housed in the Art Nouveau Emerson Chambers building, built in 1903; while each floor is quite small there are four of them, with an ornamental spiral staircase running up the centre of the building. The bookshop has a very cosy feel, and all the staff are friendly and helpful. Our toasted tea cakes with jam were very welcome!

After lunch we spent a little while in the children's department, me looking at the new releases and my daughter playing with the children's play table. I came across a brand new children's book called Izzy Gizmo, about a little girl who wants to be an inventor, and is everything I want in a children's book - a feisty girl who doesn't give up easily, and doesn't need rescuing, beautiful illustrations, and excellent writing (and yes, I have already requested it from a friend for my daughter for Christmas). Before we headed back to the slightly cold and damp autumnal day, I picked up a copy of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, which has been recommended by several people recently, so I'm excited to start reading that soon.

All in all we had a lovely day out: yarn, food and books is always an excellent combination!

Yarning Along: Decision deferred

Last week I shared a ball of yarn that was destined to become a pair of socks, and this week that's rather more obvious. As is the fact that I have knitted almost two socks, but finished neither.

Cables everywhere!

I did the swatching for this design earlier in the summer, possibly as far back as July, and was happy with the foot and leg patterns, but hadn't swatched as far as the leg-to-cuff transition, and when I got to that stage on sock one I decided that I would think about that section for a day or two before committing it to yarn. Rather than waste time, I decided it would be prudent to make a start on the second sock. And somehow I've found myself at the end of the sock without having gone back to make a the design decision, oops. I do have a good idea of what I'll be doing to finish the socks, but need to work out exactly how that will work when knitted. Fingers crossed I should have a finished pair of socks before too long.*

My husband was away last week, so I made the most of the opportunity to re-watch some films I haven't seen in ages. We have a huge collection of DVDs, but since the arrival of Netflix, we don't venture to the DVD shelves too often. I had been wanting to re-watch Closer for a long time, so hunted out the DVD, and while I was there stumbled across Atonement, which I watched when it came out at the cinema and bought the DVD as soon as it came out, but when I found it on the shelf it was still in the packaging. I'm really glad I made the (admittedly, quite minimal) effort of finding the DVDs as I really enjoyed them both.

And yes, I am still reading The Miniaturist...

Linking up with Rachel for Yarning Along.

*The socks are a collaboration with indie dyer Bea and Rose.

Yarning Along: Low sun and long shadows

I did consider not sharing a book this week. I am still reading The Miniaturist, but very, very slowly. A more accurate 'what I'm doing' post would feature a photo of my diary as this week is a bit of a whirlwind: yesterday was the final day of the summer holidays so leisurely mornings are a thing of the past; all the after school activities have started up again, as well as a couple of new ones. On the plus side today I have time to do some pattern writing (for the first time in what feels like ages), and this morning I got to visit my friend's newborn daughter and deliver the corner to corner blanket I shared a couple of weeks ago.

I have several projects on the go at the minute, not least my Pavement Sweater, which needs about 4 inches more stocking stitch on the body before I start the short rows and the hem. I'm certain that if I worked solidly on it I could have it done in time for Yarndale in a couple of weeks, but I know that I have a lot of other things that need to take priority. I spent yesterday evening working on it while I watched Bake Off, and felt like I made fairly significant progress on it, so there is some hope, but maybe not quite enough...

The project that is currently at the top of the list is a new design I am working on with Fay of Bea and Rose yarns. I'm casting the project on this evening, and can't tell you much more than that I will be making socks, but I can share the yarn. Isn't it pretty? I sat outside earlier to wind the skein into a ball, and was struck by how long the shadows were - autumn really is just around the corner.

I hope that you're having a good week whatever you're up to.

Linking up with Rachel for Yarning Along.

The Single-Minded Sock Knitter

This week hasn't totally gone to plan so far. After the glorious sunshine and warmth of the weekend, the past two days have been cold! I had planned to do a photoshoot for my Barley Twist cardigan yesterday, but the day started foggy, so I made other plans for the day, and once the sun did come out I couldn't quite summon up the energy to drive across town to the place I was planning to take the photos. It will happen this week, just not when planned...

I had hoped that the clock change at the weekend would have solved the sleep issue we're currently having (namely a certain two year old having an internal body clock whose alarm rings at 6.20), and yesterday it worked: we got up at 7.20 (hooray!), and it felt totally ok to go to bed a little after 10, which was perfect. And then this morning my daughter wandered through at 6.20 and suggested that it might be time to get up. I have no idea how she's managed to change her body clock at the same time as the actual clocks; I shall continue to be bleary eyed for the foreseeable future. I did cut out some new curtains for her room at the weekend. Hopefully when I have stitched and hung them I will get a little more sleep. I can hope.

Things have been going well on the knitting front though. Yesterday morning I cast on the second of my pink socks. And yesterday evening I completed the heel. Suddenly they have clicked and I am loving working on them! I fully anticipate that I will finish the second sock this evening. I will have a finished pair of socks very soon. The pattern for these still isn't complete though - it turns out the charts are more involved than I was hoping, but I will get them done by the end of the week (if you fancy test knitting them, head over to my Ravelry group and let me know in the testing thread).

Last night I went to my regular Monday night knitting night and, as ever, had a lovely evening. I also got my hands on some amazing yarn, courtesy of my friend Fay, who is an amazing knitter and indie dyer (you can find her Etsy shop here). Some of her yarn popped up on my Instagram and Facebook feeds last week and I couldn't resist! The yarn is inspired by kingfishers, and is utterly beautiful. It's a merino nylon blend, but is far too wonderful to become socks; this yarn deserves to be some sort of shawl. Watch this space.

How's your week been so far? Any tips on sleepless toddlers?

Linking up with Louisa for Keep Calm Craft On.

I feel a new shawl coming on...

A couple of weeks ago my friend Fay showed me beautiful shawl she had knitted, a Dotted Rays by Stephen West. It was beautiful, and a really nice shape, so I immediately decided that I needed to make one for myself. Fay has just started dyeing her own yarns under the name Bea and Rose (you can find her on Etsy, Facebook and Instagram) and she has some lovely colourways. A couple of weeks ago she had a little sale, so I picked up a really pretty skein in shades of purple and grey with the intention of making the Dotted Rays.

Obviously I had plenty of things already on the needles, so was never going to cast on immediately. Last week I looked on Ravelry at the projects associated with the pattern and saw this one*; it is perfect. I added it to my favourites for future reference, thinking that it was a project for one day, as I don't have anything in my stash that would work.

But then on Saturday I had a thought. I do have something in my stash that would work; it would in fact be perfect: at Yarndale a couple of years ago I picked up a 5 x 50g purple gradient set from WooSheeps that I've never found a use for. This is that yarn's moment. Suddenly the Dotted Rays shawl has been accelerated up my to do list and the yarn is wound and ready to go. I cannot wait to have it finished. It's making me so happy that I've decided that it's going to be one of my #BestYearEverKAL projects (no, I haven't decided which one I'm swapping out, but as the Antler jumper is currently on the naughty step, it might be that one).

*Ravelry link; you must be signed in to Ravelry for this link to work. Joining Ravelry is free and an excellent resource for all things yarn-related.