Well Hello.

My Sock bag over floweth.

I can't believe its over 2 weeks since my last post. Its been a busy few week here at Suffolk Socks. Babies and Yarndale have taken over the house

The knitting basket is over floweth thats for sure. I don't think I've cast on anything new lately, I don't think I've cast anything off either, so me and the pins are at stalemate.

Its all about the socks.

Ive started stocking Opal 8ply DK.  As with all the wool in the shop I always knit up a sample sock to see how it knits. These have been such a quick knit, I cast on 44 sts using 3.5mm dpns, with hindsight the next pair knit I'll increase the sts count to 48. These fit my youngest nicely but for the men in my life I think I need to play and tweak a bit which won't be a problem as the DK yarn is great to knit and with the 8 shades its hard to choose which one to knit next.

Next on the pins are some shortie socks using my own pattern, nothing too technical, I  cast on 60 sts and began knitting no rib. I prefer The Fish Lips Kiss Heel. Its a heel I always remember, I've knit socks for years and when I knit the heel flap I can never remember  how many sts to knit before turning the heel so TFLKH is ideal.

My next WIP is some mismatched socks I'm knitting for a friends 50th. it was his birthday a few weeks ago but he knows I need them as samples for Yarndale so he's happy to wait.

These have been such fun to knit, they are completely random stripes and I don't think I will get sick of knitting these. the yarn I'm using is Opal 4 ply from the Opal 20 years range.  I couldn't make my mind up what colour to go for so in the end I chose to use all 8 and Im  so pleased I did. I reckon Ill get at least 10 pairs out of the 8 100gm balls. Opal is a great work horse yarn to knit socks with and these are great.

Im surprised that the range they chose to celebrate 20 years of sock yarn is all tonals when they are known for producing fine self patterning yarns for us socks knitters of the world.

We've been Yarndaled

Yarndale has taken over the house here at Suffolk Socks. Whilst its not been without it moments on the whole its been a great experience prepping for the show.

I've had a fun time making up some Sock kits, " Yarndale Rocks hand knit socks" Each sock kit includes either a skein or a sock blank in 2 special colour ways, they'll also come with the new sock design form Joji Localteli 'Cables down The Back'.

It will be just me and Jonathan on the stand, we've made a pact I won't leave him with the wool if   he doesn't leave me with the till. I'm fairly confident hell do fine but me with the till would be a problem. Thankfully Emma (Moomaloom) is there and she is happy to do toilet breaks should we need them. This is our first time vending normally we travel to Skipton by motorbike, I head off to yarny delights for the day and Jonathan heads off on his bike. My purchases are alway ltd due to space but this year well have a trailer hurray.

I don't have a huge list but it is a healthy one. My first stop was going to be Susan Crawford Vintage. I alway have a colour work cardi on the go using excelana and  Bowland is my next cast on  having just finished my Foxglove cardigan.  Susan won't be vending this year but i can get it from her site.

 

 

Foxglove. A Kate davies design.

My next cast on. Isn't it fab.

Disrespectful needle care.

I like to pretend that I'm tidy but when it comes to the storing of my needles Im dreadful. I do have a needle case that keeps my sock circs in and I keep my dpns in some nifty pretty tubes but when it comes to my circs that I rarely use Im hopeless. Evidence below shows how bad I am at this. Part of the blame Ifeel must lie with the producers of needles. Why can't they put the needles in decent packaging so they don't rip on opening.

New yarn at suffolkSocks

Friday I hd delivery of some new to us yarn. Cumbria from The Fibre Co.Ive thought about stocking this for nearly a year now ever since I first knit with it. In March at The Country House retreat all the attendees were very lucky to be given 2 skeins of this from `Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade and a copy of Helens new shawl deign Hilltop.

Im busy knitting a sock sample using Cumbria and so far I'm not disappointed. Yes socks using Cumbria will take 2 skeins, Im not a speedy knitter, I can knit fast but I like to take my time and enjoy the process so spending that little bit more on a luxury yarn is such a treat for me and my feet, Im my world of knitting Im definitely the tortoise not the Hare.

 

My socks are a design Im working on and they'll be called G4N A X. This was my FIL call sign, he was heavily involved in amateur Radio and he used to talk about Catcalls to J so I'm using the shade Catbells.

 

 

 

 

Meet my Dad. Ive decided to name my new yarn base after him 'Ted" Why well he's 100% British, Fiercly loyal and protective and we all love him to bits, what better name to give Suffolk Socks BFL sock yarn base. My Dad is also 100% sock knit worthy.

 

The most knitworthy  little girl.

I always finish my blog with a photo of my Granddaughter who is 6 weeks today. she has grown out of some of her hand knits so I've cast on a Milo Bambino in larger size using some of my hand dyed yarn.

 

 

Thanks for reading my blog. Happy knitting.

love

julie