Hi, Knitters,
The classes and registration information is up for the Madison Knitters' Guild Knit In! I am teaching on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 21 and 22, 2015 at the Alliant Energy Center (or the Coliseum for the old-school Madisonians) in Madison. There are so many great teachers and a fantastic marketplace. The prices are very reasonable for the classes, many places I teach charge double or even triple the class fees being charged at the Knit In. Some of the teachers include Patty Lyons, Joanna Johnson, Sheryl Thies and Annie Modesitt. There are many others instructors with interesting and fun class offerings.
I hope to see you there! Click here for more information about this great Madison Knitting event!
I'm off to New York City in a few days to teach at Vogue Knitting Live. I can't wait. In addition to teaching on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I am speaking on a panel discussion at noon on Sunday. The panel is being led by Trisha Malcolm the editor of Vogue Knitting. And on Saturday night I am doing a book signing at the Knitty City booth #710 in the marketplace at 5pm!
A couple of my classes have been sold out but this keeps coming and going so I think numbers are still shuffling about. If a class is sold out be sure to request the class you are interested in. Sometimes I can change the numbers to allow more in the class if they aren't already too high. It's worth contacting the people at Vogue to check.
It's going to be a jam-packed weekend of fun. Click here to find out more about VKLive in NYC!
I am also teaching at Vogue Knitting Live in Pasadena, California in April!
Now for the socks in the photo above. I finished these last week and I love them. The yarn is from ColoringBookYarns on Etsy and the colorway is BMO. The heels are knit in Opal Solids in Black. These were really fun to knit. The yarn is wonderful.
Pattern: How I Make My Socks
Needles: US size 1 dpns
Sock blockers: From theloopyewe.com
To make the heel flap a different color I leave the Main Color attached and start knitting the heel flap with the Contrast Color. I work the heel flap and turn with the Contrast Color and cut the yarn. Then I go back to where I left off with the Main Color and continue on picking up the gusset stitches. It works well to not break up the striping pattern on the rest of the sock and if you are concerned about not having enough yarn it gives a little more leeway.
As for an in-progress knitting update, I finished the first sock in the most fantastic rainbow gradient I've ever seen. The yarn is called Rainbow Gradient and it comes in the Gradients Matching Socks Sets by KnitCircus. It is truly beautiful and I love that the two yarn cakes are exactly the same so my socks will match perfectly without having to do any extra work.
US size 1 dpns
Pattern: How I Make My Socks
I knit an 8-inch cuff in hopes that I would reach all of the colors and it worked. I could have gone with a 9-inch cuff. I wear a 7.5 US women's shoe size.
I started a pair of Broken Seed Stitch Socks yesterday. The pattern is free on Ravelry.
I am knitting them out of some really old Koigu that I purchased at Purl Soho maybe 8 years ago when I was in NYC on an early book tour. I lost the label so that's all I know about it. The contrast is a tan color in the Opal Solid Series. The combination is a good one.
I don't like pooling at all so the contrast color and stitch pattern is a good mask for variegated yarns that pool. You can see that the rusty color is pooling but it actually looks kind of cool using this pattern. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
Click here to see this skein on Knit Circus Yarns on Etsy!
I'm not sure when the new pattern is going to be released but I am hoping in the next couple months. I'll post about it when it is available.
Have a great Sunday! It's all about the Packers around here today (not for me so much but for other members of the family).
xo ~ susan
Cowboys fan here! Should be a great game for knitting! May the best team win.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be at Vogue on Saturday...I went several years ago..but was really only crocheting at that point and did not have that great a time...this time going with a friend and I do knit now..so hoping for a better time...love, love the socks!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog when it is full of sock knitting info... HOwever I am wondering when you will ever come out with this gorgeous red sock pattern you did maybe in July or something and said you would share. I have been twiddling my thumb and watching your blog for that darn sock to come out? Are you going to share or is it going to be in your next book?
ReplyDeleteSue
Hi, Sue,
ReplyDeleteI just found that one sock the other day. I should finish up the second one and write that up.
Thanks for the reminder. I'm not sure when I'll get to it but hopefully soon.
susan
Speaking of Sue's comment, what about the mittens for the munchkins or the man of the house? I know you love it when we get on your toes?!
ReplyDeleteDeb
Hi Deb,
ReplyDeleteThat's on my list, too. Right after Thanksgiving I had a new and very involved new project come my way so a lot of plans had to be moved to the back burner!
I want to get the extended mittens sizes done soon though! It is definitely on my radar.
Thanks for asking and please remind me again!
susan
Susan, I always want to drop everything and cast on for a new pair of socks when you post such delicious colors. Thanks for the instructions on contrasting color heels. I will copy and paste for my next pair and have the yarn already in mind.
ReplyDeleteYay Jeanne! I have fallen in love with a contrasting heel now.... be warned.
ReplyDeletesusan
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI love seeing all of your colorful everythings! You have me hooked on the Forgotten Dishcloth because I saw your beautiful, colorful pile a few months ago. I'm looking forward to taking my second class with you at The Knit-In in February. Keep inspiring us!
Hi, Susan -- thanks *so* much for the instructions on the contrasting heel without breaking the main color to do it. Since my sock knitting is mostly for me and my dad -- two dudes with big feet -- I'm *always* playing yarn chicken, and I always wish the legs could be taller. Using a contrasting color for heels (and toes and cuffs) is what I'm going to start doing to give me more buffer. I've rolled around ideas in my head about how to do the heel, but it always involved breaking the MC yarn, which I didn't want to do. Or, if I didn't break the MC yarn, I'd be picking up the MC in weird places for the foot. It never occurred to me to simply pick up the MC where I left it off, essentially backing up and re-starting where it left off.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!
Thanks a bunch for sharing this, and for all that you do in the knitting community.
-Knitting Daddy Greg
those gradient yarns are amazing and so are your socks! I'll have to finally give socks a try.
ReplyDeletethose gradient yarns are amazing and so are your socks! I'll have to finally give socks a try.
ReplyDeleteHi Sue,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad that I found your blog. I recently completed my first pair of socks. It was very rewarding. My question for you-- for a women's size 11, should the cast on differ from your directions for your son's size 11 foot? I know that it's slightly different. Your blog is such a motivation. I will be sharing your blog and wisdom on my blog.
Ge Ge, thanks for the nice note. I would cast on both of those the same using the long tail cast on. The number are different but the same cast on method should be fine.
ReplyDeleteSusan