Sunday 9th August 2020

 Hello friends, another week has gone by. Don't you think this year is going faster than those before? I am finding that one day just rolls into the next and I forget where I am in the week. We have had a very strange week here in East Lothian, on Tuesday and Wednesday it was so dark and dreich with incessant rain that it felt like winter and then yesterday the sun was so bright and warm again, our weather has gone mad. Perfect knitting weather though staying in the house and keeping dry and cosy. As usual, I have way too much on the needles I really must try to get my head around monogamous knitting but sometimes I just want to knit something different, I don't know how other folks do it.

Finally Finished

Two weeks ago I promised you pictures of my Stillness Shawl by Helen Stewart, here it is in all its glory

This 5-week mystery knit along was simply a joy to knit. I used my Christmas present from DH which was a 3 skein yarn club package from Ripples Crafts in her reliable sock base. The colours were Green Grass on the Turn, Steel Grey Skies and The Gathering Storm and were dyed by Helen from the inspirational photo at the bottom of the picture.

The shawl is a half-pi shape and grew beautifully over the five weeks.

Week 1

Texture and stripes of colour

Week 2

Some simple lace and more stripes

Week 3

A section of star stitch and rows are getting longer

Week 4

Colour and eyelets and long rows

And we finished up with the simple lace and bind off you see in the finished shawl. The final sections were long rows with over 500 sts on the needles but somehow were so relaxing that it did not seem a chore at all. It was a joyous knit and I am looking forward to wearing it.

I would highly recommend this pattern for any knitter who has a little lace knowledge as there is nothing at all difficult and as with all Helen's patterns it comes with the percentage checklist which really spurs you on to do a little more. 

I think I will leave it there for this week but keep a lookout as there may just be a sneaky post midweek as I have more to share.

Stay safe and healthy

Mary

Sunday 5th July

Hello friends, I do hope you are all well. It has been a somewhat exciting week here as we got a new cooker on Thursday which meant an end to soup and sandwich dinners which we had been eating for a fortnight since our old cooker packed in. What a treat it was to have fish, tatties and sweetcorn for our first meal.
Last week I spoke a bit about how my needle usage has changed over the years. Today I want to address my knitting preferences. My gran, who taught me to knit, would be horrified that I love to knit lacy shawls with beads or without. That would be considered frivolous and a waste of time and effort in her eyes. Not practical and useful. I don't think she would mind the socks but would be shocked at the colours and especially at the price of yarn. In all, I think that today's reasons for my knitting would be beyond her comprehension. I knit to relax, and for the pure joy of it, it is my hobby and my passion. The fact that I can take some sticks and string and create something wonderful soothes my mind and swells my heart.

Last week I shared a lot of my outgoing projects. This week I have some incoming beauty to share. For the month of June, RipplesCrafts was the chosen dyer for the Flower Power Fund initiative for Marie Curie Cancer Care. She chose as her flower of inspiration the Northern Marsh Orchid

I just knew I had to have a skein to knit a shawl and I knew I wanted to knit the Hundred Acre Wood shawl in two colours so I chose the also stunning Gorse colour in her Burras base. When the package arrived I was more than delighted with my choice.

Now for my knitting round-up.
I have really just been concentrating on two projects this past week. First is the Stillness Shawl MKAL, clue 2 came out on Thursday and I am taking it nice and easy trying to stretch out the knitting for the whole week. I am knitting around 8 rows a day and then switching to the Habitation Throw.

I have just about 30 more increase rows to do on this and then it's time to start the decreases.
Like I mentioned last week I am really loving the patterns of Helen Stewart, Curious Handmade, and all three I have mentioned today are by her. I have also checked out her podcast and spent most of yesterday evening happily knitting along to her talking about all sorts. It really is worth checking it out, you can find it here, Curious Handmade.

I think that's enough for this week, stay safe and healthy.

Mary

Sunday 7th April

Hello friends, welcome to The Sunday Sock. I do hope you have all had a great week. My week did not go according to plan. Yesterday I had been hoping to go to The St Abbs Wool Festival in Eyemouth but a conspiracy of bad weather, really bad headache and really, really poorly bank account made it an impossibility. Not to worry, I think I have just enough yarn to keep me going for a while.

As it is the first Sunday of the month I have an Around the World update for you.
In March I knitted 1316 rows and have moved along the A2 a little.

 I am now just a few rows short of 10,000 since I started this mammoth journey.

FO's

I have one FO this week. The Minecraft Socks are finished and have been gifted to their recipient.

I have it on good authority that they were well received.

Close up of the pattern.

This free pattern was knitted with RipplesCrafts BFL sock in the Smokey colour, toe-up on a 2.5mm circular needle using magic-loop and a Fleegle Heel.

This finished project, of course, takes us further on our journey round Scottish Burghs. This time to the Aberdeenshire fishing port of  Fraserburgh. This finish also takes me to 9 projects completed so far this year. it also adds £4.64, 1p per yard, to my yarn savings. 

I did have one other finish this week but being the numpty that I am I parcelled it up and posted it off completely forgetting to take a FO picture. I will ask the recipient to do a picture once it has been opened.

Wip's

I have two main wip's this week. One I can share and one I can't. The one I can share is my Good Vibes shawl.

I have finished the main section and am now into the stripes. This is a lovely pattern and not at all boring to work on.

Forward Planning

I have a wee list of things I have to do for gifts and such and now that I am nearly finished the WIP that I can't share yet I went stash diving for my next project. 

This gorgeous skein has been in my stash for many years and was part of The Orkney Collection of skeins dyed by Ripples Crafts. Helen did this collection after she and her hubby visited Orkney for the first time and she was inspired by the colours she saw there.  This particular colour is called St Magnus Cathedral Floor Tiles and is destined to become a Downtown Chicago cowl This will also be gift knitting but I will be able to share progress photos as the giftee, my aunt has no online presence. 

Incomings

Just one wee thing came into my possession this week.

Another gorgeous project bag from Sew Ray Me. As you will know I have quite a number of one skein project bags from Rachael but I needed something bigger for my shawl knitting so I ordered this beauty. It is plenty big enough for a three skein project and is deliciously well made. 

I think that is all for this week. Have a great week everyone

Happy crafting

Mary 

Happy Easter

News

Hello everyone and a very Happy Easter. I do hope you have all had a great week.
I have sent many happy hours this week watching a new to me podcast about knitting which I can highly recommend. I stumbled across it whilst perusing people's hauls and blogs from this year's Edinburgh Yarn Festival. Sadly I did not make it along this year as we were on holiday on the beautiful island of Mull so I have been living vicariously through other folk. The podcast is
Hawthorn Cottage Craft by the lovely Kate who can also be found on Ravelry as A Runner Bean. She is so easy to listen to and has such great enthusiasm for all things knitting, well worth checking out if you have some time to spare.

The Sunday Sock now has it's very own Ravelry group so come along and join me for a cuppa and a blether about what's on your needles and hooks or just whatever you wish to talk about.

In the Small Basket

I still have my Milkshake socks, my Burntisland Socks and my Nougat Cowl, links in last weeks post.
A little progress has been accomplished and hopefully soon I will have a FO to show you. 

In the Big Basket

I have my Firenze sweater. This is shown as a man's sweater but I have knitted previously one for hubby, one for me and one for my Mum and we all love it. This time I am using Caron Cakes in the Funfetti colour and I have the body and 1 sleeve completed. I just have the second sleeve and yoke to do.

Hot Off the Needles

In the early hours of this morning I cast off my Op Art Shawl . This is a free pattern on Ravelry and was a very easy pattern to follow. It has some short rows and a little charted lace work but if you can knit, purl, yo, k2tog and ssk you can make this. I knitted it in Ripples Crafts Merino Sport weight yarn which is the softest and squishiest yarn to work with. The shawl is designed to be knit in 2 colours but I used 3 as my yardage was short.

The colours I used were, Syringa, A Cerise Which Demands Attention and Maiden Loch. All very much my colours.

Unblocked as yet but I love it.

Stash Enhancement

Through the door this week came this most gorgeous ball of yarn. 

It is West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply sock yarn which I bought from Wool Warehouse costing £7.29. The yarn is 75%Wool 25%Nylon (containing 35% Blue Faced Leicester) has 437 yards and is in the colour 806 English Rose. It feels gorgeous in the ball and I am sure will make for some beautiful socks.

This Week's Sock

The pattern I have chosen to start today is Blueberry Waffle Socks , a free pattern by Sandy Turner available from Ravelry. The pattern is written for DK yarn but it can be easily adapted to knit with any weight and I shall be using Drops Fabel sock yarn in 655 the Wooden Rose colour and 2.5mm needles.

The pattern is for top down socks but I will be adapting it to my preferred way of knitting socks from the toe- up.

Perth Festival of Yarn

As I said earlier I missed EYF for the first time ever this year so I very tactfully asked my darling hubby if he may be willing to have a day out in Perth in September and he most wonderfully said yes. So it's all systems saving for a great day out.
Perth Festival of Yarn is to be held on Sat 8th and Sun 9th September at the Dewars Center, Glover Street, Perth. More details and an exciting list of vendors can be found here.

Other Stuff

I went out to a new place this week. Hubby dropped me and came back for me but I went into the building my self and met my friends. This was a major step along my personal road and I feel so chuffed that I managed it.

Have a great week

Happy  crafting

Mary

Mostly About Socks

Hello. sorry I am a couple of days late, I had issues with loading the photos. Anyway I am here now and better late than never.
This week I have been knitting mostly socks along with a few other bits and pieces. I learned to knit socks about 6 years ago and I always have at least one pair on the go. I first learned to knit them cuff down but quickly realised that I did not like picking up the stitches down the side of the heel flap and switched to toe-up. I find this method suits me perfectly and there has been no stopping me since. Firstly here are the socks I have on the needles.

This yarn is Regia Pairfect which is specially designed to be knit top down to create a perfect pair of matching socks. This is my fourth attempt with this yarn and I have given up trying and just gone with my go to Vanilla sock pattern which is Milkshake by my lovely friend Fiona Tulloch. This is a great free pattern which assuming you have some knitting skills allows you to make perfect toe-up socks with no stress at all.

Next up is another pattern from Fiona.

This is Burntisland, a paid for pattern, which costs £3.60. It is the third pattern in her Regatta series and is a joy to knit. Once again it is a toe-up pattern with no heel stitches to pick up.

I am knitting this in KnitPicks Stroll Tonal yarn in the Queen Anne colour (discontinued) which I was given many years ago in a swap package. This is a beautifully soft yarn to knit with and it is showing the pattern well.

Now on to some finished socks.

Once again I used the Milkshake pattern for the foot but instead of a stocking stitch leg I went straight on to the cuff and did 80 rounds of 2x2 rib for cosy ankles. This time I used RipplesCrafts reliable sock yarn in Hubble Bubble RS350. This is my go to hand dyed sock yarn as it knits up great and wears like iron. I was very lucky to visit the dye shed last year and picked up this yarn whilst there.

Now on to something different. I also completed some Bon Bons Mitts to go with the hat and socks previously done for a friend's daughters's birthday.

I also cast on the neck warmer to go with the set. This is knitted in Drops Fabel 604 Ocean View Long Print which I bought from Wool Warehouse.

Finally I dug out my sock yarn Blanket which I started in Sept 2015 and added a few squares.

This is a long term project with a long way to go as I need to knit loads of socks to get the leftovers.

The stash was slightly enhanced this week with 8 more balls of the Drops Fabel as there is a sale on until March 31st and the balls are reduced by 30%.

This is my go to mass produced sock yarn as it is very well priced and will generally be here just a couple of days after ordering. I like how it knits up and there is a great range of colours.

See you next Sunday

Happy crafting

Mary

Monday Musings

Today is known as Blue Monday, according to theorists for many it is the most depressing day of the year.  I take issue with this theory as I for one would not choose a Monday. Monday is the start of a new week it should be a day that brings hope that the week ahead will be all it can be. Now Tuesday is an altogether different beast. What is the point of  Tuesday? It is neither the start, middle or end of anything. It is too far from the weekend to be like Thursday with it's tickle of frisson that the weekend is just around the corner. Nope, Tuesday is a non day, good for nothing and this year it will be Blue Tuesday for me.

The last few days here have been particularly blue of their own accord. Since Friday evening I have been floored by some nasty bug, so much so that my best friends have been, in no particular order, sock knitting, Lemsip and Audiobooks. I lost nearly all of Saturday racking up just 38 steps in 24 hours on my Fitbit, I was out of it. Every time I turned over in bed it felt like I had been hit by a monster truck. Luckily by Sunday I was able to sit up and I got stuck into one of my favourite sock patterns.

Knitting 

This is my progress on the socks. Not too bad for feeling so poorly. The pattern is Socks on a Plane a freebie on Ravelry. Not being a fan of cables this pattern is a surprise favourite of mine. It knits up so quickly using a 6 row repeat and simple short row heel.

The yarn I am using is Reliable Sock from RipplesCrafts. It is my go to sock yarn, hand dyed in gorgeous colours in Assynt which is in the North West of Scotland. 

Books

When I feel awful the last thing I want is anything too heavy or grizzly so at times like this I turn to lighter reads. This was one of those times so I chose A Holiday Yarn from my Audible wishlist. This is the 4th book in the Seaside Knitters series and Sally Goldenbaum's words are once again beautifully read by Julie Mcay. 

The story does have a murder or two in it but the setting of Sea Harbour and the knitters themselves with he wonderful food they share is like a balm to the soul. When listening I feel swept up in a warm and safe haven and I am looking forward to many more mysteries with the four knitting friends.

Catching Up. Islands 8 - 13

Happy New Year everyone.
Gosh I have really got behind in sharing my finished projects with you so I will keep this post as brief and factual as possible.
First up is Island 8 - Barra

These socks for hubs are knitted in Ripples Crafts 100% BFL yarn in the club colour Post Office Run April 2014. The pattern is Hermione's Everyday Socks which is a very popular free pattern on Ravelry. Bill has declared that these are the most comfy socks he has ever had and wants all his future socks in this pattern.
Which brings me nicely on to Island 9 - Berneray

These are his 2nd pair this time knitted in Ripples Crafts reliable sock in an Assynt Storms colour.

Moving on Island 10 - Auskerry

This is a fabulous warm winter jumper knitted in one piece from the bottom up. The yarn is Drops Karisma which I purchased from http://www.woolwarehouse.co.uk/. This yarn was a dream to knit with and I have ended up with such a cosy jumper to wear whilst out walking the dogs.

Island 11- Boreray, St Kilda

I knitted this shawl in just 5 days. The pattern is LaLa's Simple Shawl which is designed as a top down knit. I decided to do it bottom up and cast on 305 sts and worked backwards. This is knitted in DK acrylic yarn which I bought from The Wool Shop in Woodburn Dalkeith.
I gave a similar shawl to my M-I-L a few years ago and she loved it so that is where this one also went.

Islands 12 & 13 - Barra Head & Bigga
These are socks for me.
Barra Head are some plain Vanilla socks in Opal yarn, Thelma colour

And finally Bigga are in my favourite pattern Dragonfly Socks knitted in Yarn Pirate merino/alpaca yarn which is just soooooo soft and comfy on my feet.

I do hope you enjoy the trip round these Islands and I will try not to be so tardy in posting in future..

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Inchkeith - Island 4

As you will have noticed I normally knit shawls or socks. One reason is that I love lace and beads and who doesn't need socks. Another reason is I detest sewing up. It is one thing I have never mastered. I try, oh boy do I try, but it would seem the sewing needle is just not my forte.
However once in a while something comes along that screams KNIT ME! and when that happens needs must. This is what happened when I spotted the Galanthus free pattern on Ravelry. I fell in love and just had to knit it. I adapted it slightly as I had sport weight yarn and I knit the body to the armholes in the round. I knitted the whole tunic in just over a month but as is true to my form it has taken 2 months for me to get it sewn up. I have finally completed it this evening and I am going to so enjoy wearing it.

It is knitted in Ripples Crafts Sport Weight Yarn in the colour Crushed Blackberries which Helen very kindly dyed especially for me last year.

Island link - Inchkeith
This island I see every day from my kitchen window. I am so blessed to have such a beautiful view.

Fidra - Island 2

These socks are simple Vanilla socks with a 1x1 rib cuff. They were my first ever attempt at knitting 2 at a time, I can totally see how that appeals but for me I think I much prefer just sticking to doing 1 at a time. They were knitted in Ripplescrafts reliable sock base in the Christmas 2012 colour. Well fitting and comfy everyday socks.

Island link Fidra

I am also getting on with my many MKAL's I currently have 4 on the needles. One of them has 1500 beads in the pattern. I bought some gorgeous Matsuno beads in size 8 to use for this shawl and to my horror discovered that the do not fit on my tiny crochet hook. I resorted to using Super Floss but am finding it way too fiddly for my liking. A little research done and I have ordered a 0.5mm hook to try and my wonderful DH who must listen to my incessant havering about knitting tools has ordered me a Fleegle beader. What a man!! Hopefully both these tools will arrive soon and I can crack on with the mammoth task. Meanwhile I will continue on with some other projects.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Eyebroughy - Island 1

These socks were knitted for my darling DH. The yarn is from Ripplescrafts Orkney collection in the colour Burray Sunset. I used the Fish Lips Kiss Heel but other wise just made it up as I went along. These were knitted toe up on a 2.5mm circular needle using magic loop. Hubby loves them and I am so pleased to have a man who will wear coloured socks.

Island link Eyebroughy

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

+ 3

As I admitted I had 3 more skeins of yarn in the post. They are all here. Such gorgeousness. Now I have to decide what to knit with them. I think I have one of them sussed but not so sure on the others. Any suggestions are more than welcome.

Let me introduce you to my new stash.

1. This skein is called Mt Tinknomore. It was the skein designed for the first group I was placed in in this year's Camp Loopy adventure. It is from The Loopy Ewe Seasonings collection.

It is actually one full skein and a little skein of contrasting solid. Beautiful colours and soooo soft. This may become socks but not sure. 

2. This is Lorna's Laces Solemate in the Rocky Mountain Primrose colour. 

This was my prize for completing Camp Loopy. Yes I did it, I completed the 3 month challenge. Again I am not sure what this will become.

3. Finally this glorious skein is the Ripples Crafts Assynt Storms club October instalment. 

I am totally smitten by this yarn and I am pretty sure it will become a 28's Cousin 53 It is just too lovely to be hidden away as socks. I have knitted this scarf/shawl before and it was the pattern which immediately sprung to mind upon opening the package.

Well there you go I have now crept up to 582 skeins. I am knitting away madly trying to reduce the stash. Today I am knitting Hexi's to use up the remains of the skein from the socks I completed earlier this week.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Something Good

Sometimes in life something happens that is so good that you are still grinning about it days later. That happened to me on Saturday. For a few months now I have been looking forward to the inaugural Edinburgh Yarn Festival. I was so excited to hear that 3 local ladies had taken the plunge and were going to organise this. As always this excitement was tempered with apprehension about whether I would be able to cope in a strange place filled with strangers.
I decided early on that nothing would get in the way of me going along and enjoying myself, agoraphobia be damned, and when my wonderful hubby said he would come with me to help me cope I was delighted. Also my lovely Mum decided it would be worth a trip up from the SouthWest tip of Scotland to see what all the fuss was about. I was so pleased also when my good friend Gill said she was off work that day and would meet us too.

Saturday March 16th dawned with typical Edinburgh weather. Grey, cold and lashing with rain. Oh no!! Would people turn up? I really felt for the organisers and hoped the weather would not put people off. After meeting with mum the three of us made the trip into the city and were astounded to find a parking space very close to the venue. We unloaded DH's walker and made our way along Dalmeny Street. Upon turning into the hall the sight that greeted us made my jaw drop in wonder. The place was packed. A huge grin spread over my face and has remained there ever since. I had taken along my camera to take some pictures but it was impossible. The only photo I got all day was one of the cow which had been sheepified for the day.

Drill Hall shcow!!

We made our way slowly through the throng and by some sort of miracle managed to find Gill who had come from the other side of the city.

We managed to find a seat and order some coffee's and bagels to have a bite to eat all the while admiring the myriad of hand knits and crocheted on view. We then decided to tackle the crowds and have a look around. It was slow going and I know we did not see everything by a long stretch but what we did see was a whet to the appetite of this avid knitter. 

I did not escape without a purchase though. I treated myself to some lovely RippplesCrafts yarn and a beautiful hand made wooden yarn pal which my DH is very impressed with. He also bought a single stitch marker for himself of a purple skeleton head which he promptly attached to a chain and is now wearing proudly round his neck while telling anyone who will listen where he got it.

My haul

After a while it all started getting a bit much for us all and we made the decision to head home. Had I had more pennies with me I am sure my bag would have been bulging with lots more wonderful goodies.

I can only hope and pray that this event becomes regular on the yarnie social calender and that I can get myself well enough to attend each and every one.

I must add to this a huge thank you to everyone who took the risk to hold the event, the volunteers and the stallholders who came. I can only hope that everyone enjoyed themselves as much as I did and like me are still grinning at the memory 4 days later.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Talamh

Those of you with keen eyesight may just have seen my ticker of skeins jump alarmingly by 7 this morning. There is a very good reason for this, I decided as a treat to myself to join in an impromptu KAL of Talamh, a delightful cardigan pattern available to purchase from Ravelry.
What is special about this for me is that the yarn has been dyed especially for this project in my chosen colour and is just delightful.

The colour is Crushed Blackberries and is from my favourite dyer, the wonderful Helen at Ripplescrafts.

My plan is that this yarn will not linger in my stash, but that I will knit at least 1 skein a week to finish the cardigan and I will wear it to the inaugural Edinburgh Yarn Festival on March 16th. 

Wish me luck and I will keep you all informed of my progress.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary

Advent Adventure - Day 2

And so the madness continues. As I knitted the second clue of the mystery scarf my imagination went into overdrive. I have my work Christmas dinner on the 20th of this month and a lovely wrap would be just the thing to keep me cosy and stylish. Now this one won't be ready by then but, wait a minute, wasn't there one last year and the year before? Why yes there was! And I have the perfect yarn. Some rummaging in stash later and out comes some Assynt by Moonlight yarn by Ripplescrafts in the adorable Carnations colour. Half an hour later and the skeins are wound and off I go with the 2010 pattern http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/advent-calendar-scarf
Here is my progress as of 6pm.

Now this does not mean that I have given up on the other one, not at all. Day 2 was fairly easy going and here is the proof

So now you must be wondering about the socks, well they are coming along too.
Here are Circle Socks http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/circle-socks which were finished this morning and just need washed and blocked.

I must admit to slightly modifying the pattern by extending the circles down the instep and using my preferred heel and toe.

All in all I would say quite a productive day so far and the night is young so goodness knows how much more will be done before bed.

Stay safe and happy crafting

Mary