Sunday 2nd Aug 2020

Hello friends, how the heck is it August already? This year is running away and for obvious reasons, it has been such a sucker. It has been hard on everyone and I really hope you are all keeping safe and healthy. 

I have an apology straight away as I promised to show my Stillness shawl this week but it is still not blocked so I have no pictures to share. I have however spent the morning taking photos of the socks I have so far completed for Operation Christmas Stocking. For those who haven't heard of it, we are now in the third, (I think), year of providing hand knit socks for the homeless in the Edinburgh area at Christmastime. They also get a free foot treatment from a podiatrist and our hope is that they realise that someone truly cares for them. I am slowly but surely filling a box with the socks.

I am using a hybrid pattern of Fiona Tulloch's Milkshake toe-up sock and the ever-popular Vanilla Latte. This is such an easy and intuitive sock to knit and they just fly off the needles. It also works with all yarns whether they be solid, variegated, or self-striping.

I have slightly modified the vanilla latte pattern to centre the strips of purls and love that the pattern is unisex. Both patterns can be found on Ravelry and are free.

 The Knitting Toolbox

Since we are talking socks this week I have chosen my two favourite sock knitting tools from the toolbox. First up is something which was a true gamechanger for me, the sock ruler.

This simple gadget, which I found on Etsy has made knitting the right size socks so easy. As I knit toe-up I just pop the ruler into the toe and can see at a glance how much further I have to knit to get to the heel. For you top-down knitters you simply pop it in the heel and measure towards the toe. 

The second item is my sock blockers

These are Knit-Pro blockers which I think I got from Wool Warehouse a few years ago. I have the large for man-size socks and the small for ladies. I use them mostly for taking photos as the make the socks look so good. There are many types out there from plastic to metal and hand-cut wooden ones.

On the Needles

I was catching up with the Grocery Girls podcast on YouTube and Tracie showed her Sweet and Tartan socks which is a pattern she released around the start of the lockdown and I fell instantly in love so bought it there and then. I could picture using the leftovers of my Stillness Shawl to knit a pair. I cast on right away but haven't got too far.

This is a great pattern for using up leftovers, and I am knitting these as a treat for me. 

Hopefully, I have not bored you to bits, that's all for this week. Stay safe and look after yourselves

Mary

Find me on Ravelry as mazbil and Instagram as The_Sunday_Sock

Podcasts I am watching, The Grocery Girls, and listening to, Curious Handmade.

Sunday 10th March

Hello friends, welcome to The Sunday Sock. I do hope you have all had a good week. I am very pleased to say I am now pain-free in the back department and hope that I never have to go through an episode like that again. I was, however, horrified to find out that for the last week or so I have been wandering around with a black eyebrow! This stunner of a bruise was caused by my food processor launching itself at me from the top of the fridge freezer. It has lived up there happily for many years and I can only presume that one of the cats had been up there too and had moved it slightly which resulted in it falling off when I opened the freezer door. Anyhoo, I have a beautiful bruise.

As I had said last week I was out and about for brunch with Sheena at Archerfield Walled Garden on Wednesday. We had a lovely time enhanced by the company of my hubby. Brunch was delicious, Bill had the full breakfast,

Sheena had poached eggs on toast with avocado,

and I had the eggs florentine.

All three of us declared the food delicious and I would highly recommend a visit if you are in the area. The Walled Garden is a fantastic place to visit, it has the cafe, a shop selling local foods and beautiful gift items, a micro-brewery which offers tours and a bar. Outside there are various trails, including a fairy trail for the little ones and an adventure playground. One thing I love is that dogs are welcome and they even have a doggy deli where you can buy treats for your pooch to enjoy.

Moving on, it is less than two weeks until EYF 19. I am getting very excited about the whole thing. I missed last year's event as we were on holiday on the beautiful Island of Mull, so this year I will have to make up for it. Of course, I am doubly excited as my friend Yvonne is coming from The Netherlands to enjoy the event with me. I don't have much spending pennies but I hope to use the event to see yarns I might want to buy in the future and I hope to meet up with some knitting friends. There is an informal meet-up being organised for coffee and chat on Saturday afternoon and I hope to be able to share with you the details of time and place next week.

Now at last on to some knitting.

FO's

I have two pairs of finished socks to show you.

First up is a pair I started way back in May last year and finished in February this year. I have no idea why I put them in time out but at last, here they are.

Project name Kintore, an Aberdeenshire Burgh, which happens to be where one of my Sisters-In-Law lives.

Pattern - Vanilla Latte Socks, a free and popular pattern with over 12K projects on Ravelry.

Yarn - Drops Fabel in 916 Grand Canyon

Needle - 2.5mm

I knitted these toe-up as is my usual way using the magic loop technique.

Next, are a pair of socks I knitted for my friend to give to his daughter as a birthday gift.

Project name, Ballater, another Aberdeenshire town.

Pattern - Foot, Rye Light, Leg, Molecular Orbitals Socks, both free patterns on Ravelry.
Yarn - RipplesCrafts Reliable Sock in Crushed Blackberries
Needle - 2,5mm
These were also knitted toe-up using magic loop.

Finally a FO from last year which I hadn't photographed for some reason.

This is a wonderful squishy shawl which I knitted last spring and wore for the first time when out on Wednesday.
Pattern - Op Art, again a free pattern on Ravelry
Yarn - Ripples Crafts Merino Sport, (sadly discontinued), in Syringa, A Cerise Which Demands Attention and Maiden Loch although the pattern is written for DK weight.
Needle - 4mm

WIP's

As always I have a few things on the needles.

First, are my A2Z KAL socks,

These are the Aramis socks, again a free pattern and are knitting up beautifully. I am sad that no-one has decided yet to join me in the KAL but hey, it is ongoing and you can join in any time.

Next, are the Minecraft socks, you guessed it, a free pattern, (boy I love the freebies).

Now for a couple of bigger projects. First is the Downtown Chicago Cowl. This is a paid for pattern but not expensive at around £4.30. I have gotten great value from this pattern as this is the fifth or sixth time I have knitted this beautiful cowl.

Finally this week I have been naughty and bought and immediately cast on the gorgeous Sorrento shawl. This beautiful sampler type shawl pattern is less than £3 to buy and is knitting up so quickly.

Top section 1, left section 2, right section 3

The bottom colours are a bit washed out the top picture is showing a better colour.

So that's what has been in my paws this week. I have been loving every minute of the knitting, in no small part as I have been watching some wonderful podcasts as I knitted.

First up is Little Big Knits with the lovely Selma broadcasting from Ottowa, Canada. This lovely lady is responsible for my knitting the Sorrento shawl as she featured it in one of her earliest shows when she test knitted it for the designer and I fell in love with it there and then.

 Next, I caught up with Kate at Hawthorn Cottage Craft. Kate is in Northern Ireland and has such an easy welcoming way that you feel you are right there with her.

Last but by no means least, I spent a couple of hours with The Grocery Girls. These bubbly sisters from Edmonton, Canada are always a great laugh and their colourful podcast is always great for living vicariously.

If you have a few spare minutes check them out.

Incoming

I have a few new things to share with you this week.

On Monday my postie brought me my March Beatrix Potter mystery box from Rosie's Moments.

Once again I was blown away with the contents.

The theme this month is Jemima Puddleduck and the contents are just sublime. 

Tuesday saw an Amazon purchase arrive.

I am forever mislaying my stitch markers so bought this box of 150 locking markers. They are great and are smooth and snag free and just around £4 for the box.

Finally, I bought some yarn. Sheena had mentioned last month that she wanted to destash some yarn and I asked her to bring it along on Wednesday to let me see what she had. I ended up buying it all.

All these yarns with the exception of the middle one in the bottom right corner are now in my stash, that one was already there. The bottom right picture is my colour palette for my Sorrento shawl with the two destashed yarns and yarn from La Bien Aimee.

Gosh, I have rambled on this week, I hope you made it to the end.

Until next week, happy crafting

Mary