Hi, Knitters,
Things are getting busier around here these past few days. My college kids are coming home for their winter breaks from school so there is extra hustle and bustle going on. I am trying my best to avoid going to any sort of mall and I think I might win the battle this year. There is no snow on the ground and it has been gray, foggy and raining. It's so strange.
I have finished exactly one dozen holiday-themed rag quilt placemats as of yesterday. I'm feeling pretty good about it. I am hosting our big extended family for Christmas dinner this year so I can't wait to set these new placemats out on the tables. That will be festive and fun.
I started knitting a pair of Christmas socks a few days ago. I think it was last year when I purchased a set of two 50 gram sock skeins that were for a mismatched pair on purpose kind of thing. The set is from Desert Vista Dyeworks. This shop has so many great colorways and striping sock yarns. Be sure to check it out.
The set of skeins I purchased is called Holiday Stripes. You can see the skeins before I wound it all up by clicking right here.
So I had this idea about making some Tinsel Socks by adding holiday colored glitter thread to the Holiday Stripes yarn. I was recently sent a box filled with Kreinik glitter threads and reflective thread that can be added to knitting or other things or embroidered, etc. Click here for Kreinik threads! Thank you to Kreinik for the generous gift.
The thread I'm using is called Twist and it doesn't change the gauge at all for knitting when carried along with your yarn. I have been asked if it is scratchy and the answer is no. The thread is not scratchy at all but it does change the texture of the knit fabric slightly. It is remarkably still soft considering the addition of a metallic thread.
The socks are knitting up super mismatched, unexpectedly so! The white is different and the green is very different. The lengths of the stripes are different, too. I love it all. I am using green Kreinik Twist on one cuff and foot and then switching to the other skein with red Kreinik glitter thread on the heel and toe. Then I am reversing this for the other sock. One sock is mainly green tinsel and the other is mainly red tinsel.
It has been a super fun Christmas-y project. Tinsel Socks! And to make it even more fun I have been carrying around the Christmas sock project in a Santa project bag from LoveSockWool on Etsy. It's really cute all around.
I am using Signature Needle Arts dpns in size US 1 (6-inch needles). I am using my own free sock pattern called How I Make My Socks.
The socks are so sparkly. It is very hard to capture the amount of glimmer and sparkle on camera. My daughters both love these socks so much. TC is just waiting to wear them. Maybe you still have time to knit some Tinsel Socks for someone special? Or is it too late?
Or maybe for next year!
I hope you are surviving the holiday rush, dear Knitters. I love this time of year.
I'll be back soon with more.
xo ~ susan
