Swedish Dubbelmossa, Watermelon Socks & Prom?

Hi, Knitters,

Spring is one of my favorite seasons for so many reasons. The school year is ending which makes the kids happy. The trees are bursting with leaves and blossoms and the grass is getting greener than green. The warming temperatures and end of the school year events add to the spring excitement. It is inspiring and energizing to say the least. I'm diving into the season full-force which includes embarking on a serious deep cleaning and de-cluttering of neglected drawers, closets and corners of my house. 

Earlier in the season I went through my closet and dresser drawers and I got rid of so much stuff. I reorganized and folded and hung everything in order. I have kept it up really well, too. I always have good intentions to be organized but when things get hectic it is the first thing to go by the wayside for me. So last week I devoted hours and hours to cleaning out my tiny home studio. I pulled out every cubby, drawer, bin, basket, and bookshelf. And I completely reorganized my needles. Needle organization is an ongoing battle for everyone I am sure. 

When I am traveling and teaching and I have new design deadlines things can get a little disorganized and cluttered. I try not to worry about it when it is happening because I think it's part of the creative process for me. I immerse myself in the project at hand and in doing so I become a bit oblivious to daily organizing duties. I always have faith that I will get back to it when time allows, and I always do eventually.

Anyway, my little knitting studio feels wonderful and fresh and clean now. Mainly, it makes me feel lighter and happier and it makes working a lot more enjoyable like a heavy weight has been lifted off my needles. I have found so many fun knitted things from the past as I've sorted.

Click here and here to go down memory lane with me. I'm amazed at how well these things have held up.

Now onto some knitting. When I was at Yarnover in Minneapolis a couple of weeks ago the keynote speaker was Meg Swansen. I have seen Meg speak one other time and it is very possible that she is my favorite. I love that she is so articulate and funny and smart. I love that she always has interesting and new to me knitting information. I love that her mother is Elizabeth Zimmermann. I love the way she talks about her family and her home, a renovated one-room schoolhouse, located in small town Wisconsin. She is charming, endearing, fun and simply interesting. If you get the chance to hear Meg speak or take a class or attend Knitting Camp over the summer I highly recommend it. In fact, it should almost be a requirement.

Click here for Meg's website and online store, Schoolhouse Press! Sign up for the newsletter, too.

Anyway, when Meg was speaking Anne Berk, a fellow instructor (check out her new book, Annetarsia, it's pretty brilliant!), shared some of her finished Meg Swansen designs. The one that really caught my eye was her Swedish Dubbelmossa. Anne and I walked back to our rooms together later that night and I got to check out her fantastic hat much more closely. I was fascinated and wanted to cast one on for myself immediately!

Click here to see the Swedish Dubbelmossa on Ravelry!

Click here to check out Jamieson's Spindrift (I used Crimson, Oatmeal and Lagoon) on Schoolhouse Press!

Click here to see the book, Handknitting with Meg Swansen, for the pattern!

I used a US size 2/3mm 16-inch circular and dpns to knit the hat. You start with a provisional cast on, I used the crochet version. Click here for my video tutorial on the provisional cast on!

I worked on the blue lining and the colorwork simultaneously which was fun. If I had a few minutes for mindless knitting I worked on the blue end and if I had time to sit and concentrate I worked on the stranded knitting which requires reading the charts. I just kept alternating like this until it was finished. The first photo is an in-progress shot of working from both ends. I used two circular needles, one for each end of the hat.

Dubbel means double and mossa means cap so Dubbelmossa is a doubled-hat. It is worked from the provisional cast-on out on both ends in a tube. The lining end, the blue side in this case, is much shorter in length to accommodate for the turned up brim or cuff. The cuffed part of the hat is actually four layers so it is a very warm hat. 

The lining end is punched in and tucked inside of the colorwork end. The shot of blue is like a hidden surprise inside. I love that.

The decreases at the top are worked every round which makes for a pointy top. If you wanted a smoother or rounder top you could work a knit round in between the decrease rounds. I like the stripy point, it's cute.

The hat has quite a snug fit. When I was knitting I worried that it would be too big in circumference but when it is layered and the brim is folded up it takes up the extra fabric. 

Thank you to the beautiful Miss Molly for modeling for me. She is marrying my son this coming July so the excitement is building. We are so lucky to have Molly in our family.

I recommend the Dubbelmossa pattern. It is not difficult, very straightforward, really you are just reading simple charts. It is a great way to practice stranded colorwork. 

While at Yarnover I finished the Come What May (the colorway name) socks I started a long time ago. The yarn is from Knit Circus and it is the Matching Gradient Stripes Socks Set. The photo was taken in the very early morning in my hotel room. 

Click here for Knit Circus Yarns.

Since I finished the socks while at Yarnover and Knit Circus was at the market I couldn't resist picking up the Watermelon Gradient Matching Socks Set. Here is my progress on the first sock. It's a beauty and very seasonal.

And for another annual spring event....

Prom!

I had to share the lovely TC in her prom dress. I adore the two-piece dress she wore to her first prom last weekend. The full skirt even has generous pockets. The dress fit like a glove and when she had her heels on the length was perfect.

She had a wonderful time and it was a great success.

A quick update on a couple of things. I am going to be teaching at Fibre Space in Alexandria, Virginia, from May 19-21, 2016. There are few spaces left in a couple of classes (Egg to Owl and the Build a Toy have spots remaining), the rest are sold out, thank you for that. If you are in the area I'd love to see you!  Click here to see my class offerings!

The last thing is that my Creativebug class filming had to be postponed due to some scheduling conflicts at the company. So I was not in San Francisco last week shooting workshops, instead I was home cleaning, such a glamorous life I lead. I will keep you posted when I get that back on the books, I don't think I can squeeze it in until next fall so it will be not be for quite awhile.

I will be getting the new Sheep pattern up and available in my Ravelry pattern shop by the end of this week. I shared the new Sheep on my last podcast episode. Hopefully I will get a new podcast up this week with a super fun giveaway for you. Stay tuned.

Have a great start to your week, Knitters. I missed you last week. I'll be back soon with more....
xo ~ susan

Two More for the Drawer!

Thanks to TC for modeling!

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you are all doing well. I first want to quickly thank Greg of the Knitting Daddy blog (click here) for the book review. Greg has a great and informative blog and podcast so be sure to check it out!

I have just finished up a couple of pairs of socks that have been in the works for a long time. I have shared photos of the finished socks on Instagram but I want to be sure to share the details here on the blog as well.

The first finished pair has been in the works for a couple of years. I finished the first sock quickly and I started the second sock right away but I became distracted and let it sit. Recently Paula of the Knitting Pipeline talked about knitting socks in the same yarn and it reminded me that I needed to finish my socks, too. I'm so glad they are done.  I love them and I love the yarn!

Here is the information:

Yarn: Gale's Art Wonder Sock in the Graffiti & Asphalt colorway (Almost every stitch is a different color ~ I highly recommend this yarn!)

Needles: US size 1.5/2.5mm Signature Needle Arts double-pointed needles, 6 inch length

Pattern: Monkey Socks by Cookie A, a free pattern from Knitty.com

For my sock I did 10 rounds of the twisted rib. 6 repeats of the chart for the leg. I used the heel and toe instructions from my free pattern, How I Make My Socks. For the foot, I did 6 repeats of the chart on the instep and stockinette on the bottom of the foot. I knit three extra rounds after the last chart repeat and before starting the toe decreases. My shoe size is a women's US 7.5.  

The next longstanding pair I finished is the Regia Arne & Carlos Patchwork Socks! These were so much fun to knit and now they are going to be fun to wear. I combined the leftovers from four different colorways of the Arne & Carlos patterned sock yarn. I have knit full pairs of socks with each of these colors. For the sock I switched the yarn every 10 rounds or so. I worked these socks from the toe-up this time using a variety of techniques. 

~ I used Judy's Magic Cast-On to start the toe.

~ I used a short-row heel variation on page 34 from the book, Sock Architecture by Lara Neel. This short row heel uses increases and decreases only instead of wraps and turns. I like the way it turned out.

~ I used a Russian Bind-off at the top of the cuff for a stretchy bind-off technique.  

Yarn: Regia Arne & Carlos, all 4 colorways are from the first line (I think there are three lines now): 

Star Night #3653 (mainly purple)

Twilight #3654 (mainly orange)

Fall Night #3655 (mainly brown with orange, blue and red)

Summer Night #3657 (mainly blue with coral)

For the toe, heel and cuff I stuck with one color instead of switching it out. Every time I switched yarns in the other sections of the sock I cut the yarn (leaving an end long enough to weave in later) and added in the new color. I like to tie a half-knot around the working strand, sliding the knot up tight to the needle, and then I start knitting with the new color. The tiny knot helps to secure the yarn better in my opinion. I never changed the colors on the front of the leg or foot, or the bottom of the foot. I did all of the color switches on the sides of the socks. Some people don't like to use knots at all but for this project I think it is effective. 

I stopped periodically, every few inches, while working to weave in the ends. This way I kept up as I was going and it wasn't all left for the end. This makes the weaving in part not so bad at all. 

Needles used for Patchwork Socks: US size 1/2.25mm Signature Needle Arts double-pointed needles, 6-inch length

Sock Blockers: From The Loopy Ewe

I hope you are having a great start to your week! I'll be back soon with more.

xo ~ susan

Berry Colorful Yarnings Giveaway & More

Hi, Knitters,

I have selected a winner for the skein of the Julianna's Fibre Repeating Gradient sock yarn and the winner is..... Celticcaston on Ravelry! Congratulations Kelly, my New Brunswick buddy. I have contacted Kelly and Julianna. Thanks to everyone for entering.

Today I have another fun sock yarn giveaway for you. The owner of Berry Colorful Yarnings, Michelle Berry (how cute is that?), has sent me some of her beautiful self-striping yarn to try and I love it. The colors are so saturated and unusual and well-done. 

Starting on the left in the photo above, the colors are Hulk, Bright Beginnings and Berry Punch. The yarn is 25% Nylon and 75% Superwash Merino, 463 yards/100 grams, fingering weight. 

Click here to see the Berry Colorful Yarnings Etsy Shop!

Thanks to Michelle's generosity I get to give away a skein of choice from the shop to one lucky winner! Please leave one comment on this blog post to enter to win. Please only click on Publish one time when you leave your comment, there is a delay before your comment will appear on the blog. Please include your email or Ravelry username so you can be contacted if you win.

Good luck!

I have a teaching event coming up right here in Madison on October 10th, 2015. KnitCircus is hosting a retreat at their new dye studio and retail shop. It is so close to my house and that makes me very excited. Amy Detjen, Jaala Spiro and I will be teaching all weekend. I am teaching my Sock Yarn Bunny Workshop and my new Shawl Shapes Design Workshop. I can't wait.

Read all about it and sign up by click right here: KnitCircus Fall Retreat 2015! 

I hope to see you there. It is coming up quick. 

On another Madison note I finished the first of the Madison Memories socks by Quaere Fibres. This is a custom colorway Janel dyed for the Itty-Bitty Knits Retreat group this past June. I am anxious to get the second sock finished so I can wear them this fall. I don't think she is making the Madison Memories colorway for her shop but she has lots of other fun yarns to choose from.

Click here for Quaere Fibres on Etsy!

Pattern: How I Make My Socks ~ free pattern

Needles: Signature Needle Arts dpns, 6-inch length, US size 1/2.25mm

Sock Blocker: theloopyewe.com

I am also working on another sock knit out of my handspun yarn. I spun 370 yards from 4 oz. of BFL roving in the Mulled Cider colorway from Friends in Fiber. I decided to add a red heel and toe on the Mulled Cider socks in some Opal Solid Series that I have on hand. I am using Knit Picks dpns in size 2.5mm because the handspun varies in thickness and tends to be a little heavier in spots. The sock fabric is turning out great. I cast on 60 stitches instead of my usual 64 stitches.

I have a new goal to always have a handspun sock on the needles starting this fall. I favor my handpun socks and I'd love to have more of them in my sock drawer to choose from. I need to get going on spinning up yarn for my next pair soon.

The cardinal yarn bowl is one of my favorite knitting accessories. It is made by the ceramic artist aaharrison and I feel like it is one of the most special pieces I own.

Click here to visit the aaharrison website!

Click here to visit the aaharrison shop on Etsy!

For the gifting season ahead you might want to keep this one in mind for any beloved knitter on your list. There are other styles and birds to choose from and you really can't go wrong it is all so lovely.

I have finished the funnel neck and yoke and have just separated for the sleeves on the Antrorse sweater by Shannon Cook. It is a simple, fun and fast knit. I love the funnel neck. The yarn is Quince & Co. Osprey in the Peacoat color. 

You can see the chevron pattern is starting to appear on the front of the sweater. The body should go really fast as it is just a straight down knit with only the simple chevron panel to be concerned about. Plus the yarn is heavier and I am using US size 10 needles which always makes for a fast knit.

Well, there you have a small snippet of what's going on at my house right now. August goes by quicker every year. I always feel like I'm hanging on to these last summer days by a thread. What's going on at your house this August? I'd love to hear.

I hope you are all well. Please remember to leave a comment to win a beautiful skein of striping sock yarn of choice from BCYarnings. 

xo ~ susan

Sock Report

Hi, Knitters,

I have a quick sock update for you today. I have finished the first sock blank sock. Sock blanks are machine knit pieces of fabric that are then dyed. You unravel the knit fabric and knit straight from the blank so the yarn is tightly kinked up. I worried that I would not enjoy knitting with the kinky yarn pulled straight from the sock blank but I actually don't mind it at all. In fact I really enjoy it.

I haven't washed the first sock yet so the fabric is still a bit rippled from the kinky yarn. When I finish the second sock I will wash both of them and show you how they turned out. The sock blank I am using is from Gale's Art. Gale does this unique and colorful stamping on the sock blanks which is her  original idea I think. I've never seen this done before. I don't know how she thought this one up, it is so creative and fun. The spots where Gale stamps the sock blank makes the yarn beautifully speckled and it knits up like a dream. I really love the effect. 

My socks are going to be mismatched, which I love. You can get double-stranded sock blanks for two at a time socks or you could knit one sock at a time and wind the other strand. You would then get matching socks. 

Click here for Gale's Art!  It looks like she is taking orders for her Special Secret Sock Blanks and they are taking about 10 days to ship. 

Click here for information on the Special Secret Sock Blank in the photo above! Gale has other sock blank choices and colorways and she'll even make custom sock blanks with messages. 

Click here to see the other sock blank I have that is next up. I keep thinking I want to knit a simple shawl from this one..... I think I will do that.

I am using Signature Needle Arts dpns, US size 1, 6-inches in length.

I finished the Regia Colourmania socks. I love this yarn so much. I have a couple more balls of Colourmania yarn and will be knitting more of these. I think the fabric looks fantastic, like watercolors all blended together. The yarn number for my socks is #4067.

I purchased this yarn at Simply Sock Yarn Co.

The sock blockers are from The Loopy Ewe. These wooden sheep sock blockers are my all-time favorites, hands-down. It's the shape and the wood that I love so much.

Last but not least, I finished the Over the Rainbow Gradient Matching Socks Set by KnitCircus Yarns. I love these so much. For this pair you get two matching cakes of yarn so your socks match exactly.

The yarn is: Over the Rainbow from Knitcircus in the Pirouette base: 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 15% Nylon, and 10% Tencel, 385 yards, 100 grams.

Click here for KnitCircus Yarns on Etsy.

Click here for the Over the Rainbow Custom Gradient.

The sock blockers are from The Loopy Ewe. They are red plastic.

For all of the socks I am using my free pattern, How I Make My Socks.

I knit the cuffs extra long, 8-inches, because I wanted to get to all of the colors. I should have made the cuffs 9-inches because I barely broke into the green section at the end and I had quite a bit leftover. The top sock in the photo doesn't show the green due to the lighting but the lower sock shows that a bit of the green is there on the toe. Regardless I love these socks. I wasn't quite sure about the Tencel content of the yarn but it was lovely to knit. The yarn and fabric are silky soft and I know it will be a sturdy sock.

Anyway, two more for the drawer! That's a win.

How's your sock knitting coming along? I'd love to hear what you are working on.

Have a good end to your week.

xo ~ susan

All in a Week

Hi Knitters,

First and quickly, there are a few spots open in the retreat I'm teaching at next month. It is going to be fantastic and I'm super excited about it. Maybe you could join us?

Here is the information: 

• April 11-12th, 2015 Stitch 'n Bitch Retreat for the DC area, in Solomons, MD on the Chesapeake Bay

If you are interested in finding out more please email Marie at: nofrogging@gmail.com

On to today's topic at hand. As we all know a lot can happen in one week. Here is a snippet of what has been going on around here over the past few days. 

I washed yet another stack of handknit socks, folded them and neatly tucked them into my sock drawer ready to wear again. These socks I washed on gentle with warm water in the machine. I dried them in the dryer on low until almost dry or slightly damp. I pulled them out and laid them flat to shape to complete the drying process. 

From top to bottom: Cakewalk yarns (discontinued), Kristin Nicholas Design Line Regia, Trekking XXL (discontinued), Opal Vincent Van Gogh (discontinued). 

As you can tell by all of the discontinued markings in the list sock yarn comes and goes so if you see any you like you should snatch it up before it's gone! 

I finished knitting the latest version in the Yowza Weigh It Shawl series. I'm pretty excited about this one. Yowza Weigh It 3 will be available very soon and I'll most likely run a discount code at the time of release. I bound off Yowza 3 and ended with 4 grams of yarn leftover from an 8 oz. skein of yarn. That's a pretty good use of ALL of the yarn.

Yowza is a giant 8 oz., 560 yard skein of 100% super wash wool, hand-dyed by Miss Babs. The skein in the photo is in the Berlin colorway.

Click here for Miss Babs!

This one is the same theory, you cast on and never count the stitches or rows again. You simply keep track by weighing your yarn in two key places. Garter stitch away and end up with a new shawl shape to love!

Click here for Yowza Weigh It Shawl 1, and Yowza Weigh It Shawl 2!

We are feeling a lot of excitement around here about the slight warming up after experiencing the coldest February on record since 1936. We didn't get much snow this year, only 30 inches for the entire season, but it has been a long stretch of bitter cold temperatures. As soon as it gets over 30 degrees in Wisconsin people are wearing shorts and everyone is outside. It's pretty fun to see.

So we hiked through slushy snow-covered trails on the first warm (over 30 degrees) day and we had a ball. Today it is supposed to get in the 50s and the snow has already taken a major beating. You can bet the sidewalks and trails will be full of happy Madisonians today including me.

The always adorable Miss Molly (my future daughter-in-law) finished her first sweater! It is the Louise cardigan by Carrie Bostick Hoge. Molly used the colors called for in the pattern but opted for Peacock as the blue color in the Quince & Co. Osprey yarn. I love the buttons Molly picked out, too. She purchased the buttons at the Wisconsin Craft Market and while she was there she picked up Cascade 220 for her next sweater.

I highly suggest Louise as a first cardigan. The pattern is clear and simple and well-written. 

And here she is! The cardigan fits Miss Molly perfectly and she is so proud. I have to tell a quick, funny story. Molly was at a meeting and her dad happened to be attending the same meeting. She was wearing her new handknit cardigan for the first time and her dad announced it to the people at the meeting. Everyone clapped for Molly! I love that so much. It's not everyone who gets a round of applause for finishing their first cardigan. 

Here's to Miss Molly! Good job. She has already cast on her next sweater, the Hiro pullover.

photo by carrie bostick hoge

Click here for the pattern information or to purchase the Louise Cardigan! 

Click here for Carrie Bostick Hoge's website!

And one last fun thing that happened last week was that I went out for lunch on the square which means downtown on the Capitol Square where the state capitol building sits. My sister picked me up, with her newly purchased 1950s accordion in the back seat (yes, it's true), and we met our sister-in-law at Graze. The food was delicious. Graze is a farm-to-table restaurant with delicious and innovative twists on food. For example, my sister's burger, upper left, is a beet and walnut burger with a homemade bun sprinkled with sunflower seeds. She loved it.

Click here to find out more about Graze!

Anyway, I loved my lunch and I've been to Graze for dinner before and loved that, too. If you are in Madison or visiting you should give it a go.

Thanks for joining me today. I am working hard on pattern writing for two shawls and editing my latest book manuscript for the second time. I have a couple of additional samples I need to knit up for the book project, too. It's always something. 

Have a great rest of your week.

xo ~ susan

p.s. Next time I am sharing a smattering of the finished shawls from our recent shawl knitalong. I am organizing that now. Can't wait.

The Loopy Ewe Fall Fling 2014

Hi, Knitters,

It's time to get back at this blog writing thing with gusto. I want to start by mentioning two longtime friends of mine. I have kept in touch with both of these women for years and have worked with both off and on for years in the knitting industry.  And both of my friends have started new businesses which I think will be enormous hits.

First is Merri Fromm who is a talented knitter, writer, designer, tech editor and graphic design artist. Merri has left her office job recently and is starting a new design brand and website called Tangletown Knits. This is a new venture but she already has a few adorable designs up and available for purchase. Merri is a good one to follow and I can't wait to see what she continues to come up with over the months to come.

Click here for the Tangletown Knits website!

Secondly, my buddy Tanis Gray, who you might know as a Vogue Knitting magazine editor, Knitting Daily TV show contributor, fantastic knitting teacher, talented knitwear designer (she has so many books and magazine covers and designs), sewer, and all-around good person, has just opened one of the sweetest Etsy shops around selling her sewn project bags. I will be ordering again and again from her shop because these are my most favorite type of project bags. They are soft, roomy and they have the fabric drawstrings for closure which is such a great added feature. You will want to check out Tanis' Etsy shop and stock up for yourself and for your knitting friends! The bags are the perfect gift price point. 

I better get my order in before you all jump over there and sell her out. Everything Tanis does is top-notch perfection and I can say that with complete confidence. The other thing is that for someone who worked at Martha Stewart and Vogue Knitting and is currently working for several yarn companies in various roles, Tanis is the most honest, down-to-earth soul around. She has had and continues to have great successes and she is humble, generous and kind and really fun and funny. You would all just love her in person. She is one of the hardest working talents in our industry.

Click here for TanisKnits Project Bags on Etsy!

Click here for TanisKnits website! She has a fantastic blog, too.

Now on to today's topic at hand....

I have been traveling to teach over the past couple of weeks and I'd like to share a bit about these events with you.  

First in terms of events, about two weeks ago I went to Fort Collins, Colorado to teach at The Loopy Ewe's Fall Fling. The event is now alternating between a Fall Fling and a Spring Fling which I think is a genius idea. Sheri Berger, the owner and host of the event, is one of the most organized people around. She has every detail planned out and the event runs like clockwork. 

Click here for The Loopy Ewe website. (Get on their newsletter list to keep up with the ever-changing and exciting yarn updates! I look forward to this email every time.)

The 150 or so attendees get to take classes. The teachers (see the photo above) were from left to right, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (she also spoke twice while in Colorado, once at the event and once before the event for the community of non-attendees), Ann Budd, me, and Marly Bird. It was a great group, with lots of fun and laughs included. 

I taught four workshops, two sessions of Little Dragon, and two sessions of Fair Isle Fingerless Mitts. Both topics went well. I especially enjoyed seeing how many students continued on with their Little Dragon knitting after the class. Many finished or almost finished the dragon project while at the retreat. That was fun to see.

I showed my classes that the Little Dragon can cover his eyes by tucking his nose under his arms so a lot of the photos have the dragons being bashful. It's very sweet.

Click here to learn more about the Little Dragon pattern!

Here are a few of the finished Little Dragons:

The following photos are of Marion Hooks Little Dragon. She messaged me to share her completed Little Dragon a couple of days ago. I thought her dragon has so much expression and personality that you might enjoy seeing it as much as I did.

Click here for MarionHooks (rav id) Little Dragon project page! Thanks for sharing with me!

photo by MarionHooks

photo by MarionHooks

Photo by MarionHooks

Sheri schedules trips to her shop, The Loopy Ewe, for all of the retreat attendees. The Loopy Ewe is fabulous. There are rows and rows of expertly cultivated yarns. Many staple yarns, including their own brand of sock yarn, and also many indie dyers that you don't often see in person. It is a treat to be at this calm, large and well-organized yarn shop. I just love it there. Plus, there is now an enormous well-stocked fabric section at the back.

The photo above is of the talented spinner/knitter/weaver/chain mail artist Lynn Zimmerman, the shop manager (I think this is right). She's standing in the first aisle of yarn at The Loopy Ewe and she's wearing a newly finished top that looks so good on her. I can't remember the name of the pattern..... okay, here I found it:

Sugar Maple!

Stephanie brought the house down on the first night with her informative speech and super funny Q & A session! What a treat. She is such a talented and impressive speaker. I soaked in every minute.

This table of goodness is from my first Fair Isle Mitt workshop! Aren't they great?

This table is from my second session of the Fair Isle Mitts workshop! Later that night at the closing ceremony I saw a few finished mitts and the class was earlier that day. Pretty impressive!

Every year there is a group photo. What a talented and fun group of knitters. Do you see me there? I'm in the front row, sort of in the center off the to right a bit. Stephanie is two down to the right from me. 

I didn't get a huge amount of knitting done at the retreat but here is a little of what I accomplished. I started the sock on the left, String Theory sock yarn that I purchased at The Loopy Ewe the first day of the retreat. It is a dream to work with and I did a (slip1, knit1) repeat for 1 round every time the color changed. I have now finished this sock and started the second one. The sock on the right is the second sock in The Lemonade Shop yarn called Rainbow Stripes (I think she is taking custom orders now as the yarn is sold out, but check out the stitch markers!). I have now finished both Rainbow Stripes socks and have a new pair for the sock drawer.

Thank you to Sheri for organizing such a successful and well-run event! And thanks for having me back! I will come and teach for you anytime.

Okay, next I'll be back with a look at the Knitting Pipeline Maine Retreat, which was a completely different experience. These two retreats, both wonderful, could not be any more different. That's what makes my job so much fun, every day is so different.

xo ~ susan
p.s. More sweater talk coming up, too!

Sock Report including a Formula for Men's Socks

Hi, Knitters,

I hope you all had a good weekend. We sure did.

I am focusing on a Sock Report on this first Monday of June. The photo above is a newer photo of my sock drawers. There is a small basket of socks waiting to be washed that aren't included in this gathering of socks. These drawers are double-stacked both underneath and going back. There is a third drawer on the top that I am starting to fill. That makes me happy.

What is it about socks, mainly simple stockinette stitch socks, that continues to pull me in with such love and diligence? Well, I'll give answering this question a shot.

10 things I love about sock knitting:

1. the actual knitting of the socks (for me nothing is more pleasurable, fast and simple to knit)

2. the joy of wearing the finished socks (socks are my most worn knit item by far)

3. the yarn ~ endlessly new and fascinating and fun

4. the portability of the project (the easiest knitting project to tote along anywhere)

5. the easy care (machine or hand wash)

6. darning when they wear a hole (yes, I actually enjoy this)

7. the way your socks can be wild and crazy stripes and colors when you mainly wear black and neutrals 

8. the fun of knitting a small project and finishing in not too much time

9. the joy of flying around the small circumference on my beloved double-pointed needles

10. the fact that the pattern is so easy to memorize

There are many more reasons to love sock knitting. Do you have any to add to my list? I'd love to hear what you love about knitting socks.

I am going to share the information about the following socks, some partially finished and some finished. At the end of the post I asked permission to share a very sweet email I received from a knitter, so you will see it at the bottom.

Yarn: Gale's Art Graffiti & Asphalt Wonder Sock

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A

Needles: 2.5mm Signature Needle Arts dpns

Progress: One done, one to go!

Yarn: Opal Hundertwassers Winterbild with sparkle (I'm not sure where to purchase this yarn)

Needles: US 1s, 2.25mm Signature Needle Arts dpns
Pattern: How I make my socks (free pattern from me!)
Click here for the Ravelry page for How I Make My Socks.
Progress: Finished!
Sock blockers: from The Loopy Ewe

Yarn: Regia Super Jacquard (search on Etsy and Ebay to find this yarn!)

Needles: US 1s, Knit Picks dpns

Pattern: How I make my socks (free pattern by me! modified for men)

Click here for the Ravelry page for How I Make My Socks.

Progress: Finished! 

Note: These are for my son who has US men's shoe size 11.  He is coming home next week so I will have these waiting for him. I've been asked how I knit these socks for men using my How I make my socks pattern.

Here is what I did differently from the women's directions to make men's socks: 

Cast on 72 sts (24 sts on each of 3 dpns)

k2, p2 rib for 15 rounds 

Worked an 8 inch cuff (my boys like long cuffs)

Worked the heel flap using 36 sts, working 18 slip stitch rows

Worked the heel turn starting with purling 20 sts across

Picked up 18 sts on the sides of the heel flap

Decreased the gusset down to 72 sts

Worked the foot to 9-inches in length measured from the back of the heel (specific for a US men's shoe size 11) - this can be knit to any length, about 2-inches shorter than the finished desired length. 

Worked the toe, decreasing down to 32 sts (16 on the top of the foot and 16 on the bottom of the foot)

Grafted the toe closed!

Oh, and see that tiny ball of yarn to the right of the socks? That's how much I had left from the 100 gram ball of Regia! Phew! It is about the size of a quarter.

Yarn: Kristin Nicholas' Best Foot Forward (discontinued)

Needles: US size 1 dpns from Knit Picks

Pattern: How I make my socks for Men! (see above)

Click here for the Ravelry page for How I Make My Socks.

Progress: On the cuff of the first sock.

These socks are for my other son so I cast on 72 stitches to start. He loves the yarn.

Project bag: lovesockwool on Etsy (beautifully made, I want that piggy one in her shop right now!)

I've been making these little handmade notebooks lately and keeping them in my project bags. I stuff the pages full with fun paper clips, sticky notes, washi tape, tags, tea envelopes, family photos, stickers, and more. I leave many of the pages blank for notes, too. 

Eyeglasses Project Bag: lovesockwool on Etsy

Here on this page I have a doodle and I jotted down the formula for the number of repeats I use in the Monkey socks. I use different colors and kinds of paper in these little treasure books, too. It's really fun.

Yarn: Abi Grasso's Watermelon Sock Yarn 
Needles: US size 1s, Knit Picks dpns (I always get the 6-inch length for all of my dpns)
Pattern: How I make my socks (free pattern by me!)
Click here for the Ravelry page for How I Make My Socks.
Progress: One done, one to go! On the rib of the second sock.
Project Bag: from Sew Bendy on Etsy (one of my long-time faves)

I hand-wound the ball like that. It comes in a regular skein from the shop.

Okay, now for a sweet letter from Beverly. Beverly gave me permission to share her email on my blog.

Thank you, Beverly, for inspiring me and bringing a tear to my eye. And yes, I will be putting together a post with all of my upcoming teaching dates that I can link permanently on the sidebar and update as needed. That is long overdue. Thank you for writing, dear Beverly.

I hope to meet you soon!
best, susie

Hi Susie,

I may be too late for the two giveaways (STASH t-shirt which is very clever with its military appearance)and the yarn and project bag kit by Anne Vally, but I wanted to write to you anyway.  I recently retired after 36 years of teaching elementary school in the city of Buffalo, New York. I was taught to knit at the age of seven by an elderly neighbor and have LOVED knitting ever since.  

During my last three years of teaching, I taught knitting to 5th - 8th grade inner-city youth in an after-school program.  I took the job to earn extra money to help pay college tuition for the last of our three daughters; however, it turned out to be the best time of my teaching career.  When I suggested the enrichment activity of knitting, I was met with both excitement and opposition.  Some of the adults wanted to join in while others couldn't believe that I would actually let "these children" take knitting needles home.  I forged ahead and was amazed at how popular my "knitting class" became.  

Before long, I would walk into the cafeteria during the school day to see an entire table of students knitting as they ate their lunch.  One of my favorite memories was the day one of the teacher's aides approached me to tell me (in a not so nice tone) that two of my girls were knitting in music class.  I responded with a very enthusiastic "Two of my girls were knitting during music class?  I knew then that I was truly making a difference in the lives of children.  

One more student story and then I'll stop.  Two years ago we got a 7th grade student from Iran who had been in a car when it was bombed (she was nine at the time). Her father was killed and she lost both of her eyes (among other injuries).  She came to us with an incredible spirit and much determination to be independent.  One day I walked in to find a note on my desk.  It said that Ruah needed me to teach her how to bind off her knitting.  I was very confused.  How could she be a knitter?  After all, she had NO eyes.  She wasn't part of our after school program and I had no idea that she was a knitter.  I was very curious yet apprehensive about teaching a blind child how to bind off her knitting.  I went to her lunchroom and sure enough, she had knitted a scarf for her brother.  I sat down with her and took her hands.  She learned (by feel) in approximately five minutes, how to bind off her knitting.  Talk about inspiration.  

Now, the reason I'm writing to you is to thank you for all you have taught me and will teach me about knitting.  People asked me what I was going to do when I retired and I kept saying that I was going to knit.  Then they'd ask me again - "but what are you going to do?"  Anyway, I started taking books out of the library and one of the first ones I borrowed was "The Knitter's Life List by Gwen Steege.  What a great springboard.  That book introduced me to the world of knitting and knitters.  I found you through this book and went on to purchase all of your books.  I also purchased my very first class on CRAFTSY which was your class.  Last week I made the elephant while in a hotel room in Washington, DC.  

This leads me to the reason why I'm writing to you at this time.  Is there somewhere that I can go on-line to find out where you will be teaching in the future.  I would love to try to take some of your classes if you're going to be somewhere on the East Coast (not too far from me).  I spend time visiting my sister in Cape Cod and my daughter in Washington, DC.  I was in Cape Cod when I read that you were going to be at Fiber Space in Alexandria but there wasn't enough time for me to get everything together to get to DC on a few day's notice.  I have been so inspired by your patterns and your enthusiasm.  I love the links on your blog and have discovered such a large knitting world through these.  I visit all of the knitting shops that I can when I travel and because of your "Sock Drawer" I now purchase sock yarn (at least) at each shop that I visit.  I always have a pair on my needles. Thanks again for all of the inspiration and HAPPY KNITTING!
Sincerely,  
Beverly Szen