FO's: Matchmaker
WIP's: Paraphernalia (+ Episode 90 when I last talked about them)
Coming up, maybe: Rose Candy, Beekeeper Socks
Shops/new toys: Holland Handmade Co
Current KAL: the Botanical KAL chatter thread
Other stuff: Ready Player One trailer
Share a cooking fail you've had recently! I had a pretty epic fail when making some blueberry flax muffins this weekend... I guess the lesson here is not to try and bake healthy things!
FO's:
WIP's: Matchmaker
Coming up, maybe: Match & Move, Rose Candy
Shops/new toys: Holland Handmade Co
Current KAL: the Botanical KAL chatter thread + the Exceedingly Vanilla KAL to celebrate my sock pattern release! Use #ExceedinglyVanillaKAL on instagram
Other stuff: Triggers, Episode 58 - Four slices of pizza
How are you feeling about the new season we are moving into? (Spring for us in the northern hemisphere, autumn in the south.) I know a lot of places in the States are getting snow, so does it even feel like spring where you are?
FO's: Blue Steps Baby Booties
WIP's: Manfriend socks, Paraphernalia socks
Coming up, maybe: my queue of projects for 2018
Shops/new toys: Youghiogheny Yarns, Araucania Yarns
Current KAL: the Botanical KAL chatter thread + the Exceedingly Vanilla KAL to celebrate my sock pattern release! Use #ExceedinglyVanillaKAL on instagram
Other stuff: Exceedingly Vanilla sock pattern
Is there an aspect of the way you knit/crochet that you have made a conscious effort to change for the sake of efficiency or utility? I have changed how I tension my yarn so that I can still knit while wearing fingerless gloves.
FO's: Knit like it's 1999
WIP's: Blue Steps Baby Booties
Coming up, maybe: my queue of projects for 2018
Shops/new toys: Youghiogheny Yarns, Gwynne Spins
Current KAL: the Botanical KAL chatter thread + the Exceedingly Vanilla KAL to celebrate my sock pattern release! Use #ExceedinglyVanillaKAL on instagram
Other stuff: Exceedingly Vanilla sock pattern, Never Split the Difference, Gulp
What is a strange preference you have that you have never met another person who shares? (I know that's horribly worded, couldn't figure out a better way to say it!)
FO's: Socks on a Plane, my vanilla socks + the published pattern!
WIP's: Knit like it's 1999, Blue Steps Baby Booties
Coming up, maybe: my queue of projects for 2018
Shops/new toys: Bare yarn from KnitPicks, Hook a Frog yarn store in Huntsville, Gwynne Spins
Current KAL: the Winter KAL chatter thread + the Exceedingly Vanilla KAL to celebrate my sock pattern release! Use #ExceedinglyVanillaKAL on instagram and be on the lookout for some threads on Ravelry
Other stuff: Electric Eel Wheel, Yarn to Table podcast + her great video on goat fibers
What was your February like?
After knitting what seems like a gazillion pairs of socks since the start of 2016, I have distilled my basic recipe into this pattern. Use it to knit your first (or tenth or hundredth) pair of vanilla socks, or do as I do and use as a base for combining with other patterns.
Click here to download a PDF of the pattern for standard sock stitch counts (56, 64, and 72)
Click here to download a PDF of the pattern that will work for any stitch count you like (Note, this version is meant for someone who has already knit a sock before and doesn't need exact numbers for each step but instead a general recipe for in-between sizes.)
Or, click here to get a super duper condensed version of the standard stitch count pattern that will fit on one piece of paper if printed double-sided.
The pattern has been test-knit, but if you find any mistakes please let me know.
Some tutorials that might be helpful for beginners:
FO's: Exploration Station + my project page for mods
WIP's: OctoMitts, Socks on a Plane
Coming up, maybe: my queue of projects for 2018
Shops/new toys:
Current KAL: the Winter KAL chatter thread
Other stuff: Vlogmas day 27 - "Bare minimum"
What's something really awesome going on for you right now?
FO's: my "VKL socks"
WIP's: Exploration Station, OctoMitts
Coming up, maybe: my queue of projects for 2018
Shops/new toys: Youghiogheny Yarns, Shirsty Cat Designs
Current KAL: the Winter KAL chatter thread
Other stuff: Squirrel Pie Productions, Just One N, Chevyrell's Stuff, Vogue Knitting Live vlog
Where do you draw the line between "I could totally make that so I won't bother buying it (ever)" and "I could totally make that but I'd rather pay someone else to do so"?
Wherein we go to NYC and have fun at Vogue Knitting Live!
FO's: 1898 Hat
WIP's: Granny Stripe Blanket, Exploration Station, OctoMitts
Coming up, maybe: my queue of projects for 2018
Shops/new toys:
Current KAL: the Winter KAL chatter thread
Other stuff: Video for ladder-back jacquard by Sockmatician, Yoga with Adriene + her newest 30 day yoga series
Do you like to frequently move around the furniture in your home? Or do you stick with a setup once you find what works? Or do you prefer to redecorate via new accessories?
FO's: Dotted Rays, Wesley's laptop case, Ondine socks
WIP's: Granny Stripe Blanket, Exploration Station
Coming up, maybe: my queue of projects for 2018, OctoMitts
Shops/new toys: Scratch Supply Co + my vlogmas tour
Current KAL: the Winter KAL chatter thread
Other stuff: my Vlogmas playlist, Superfreakonomics and When to Rob a Bank, Everybody Lies, The Craving Mind
What is your favorite project from 2017 and why is it your favorite? Mine is a tie between my Advent Socks and my Scrappy Bias Shawl.
FO's: Copy.Cat C.C beanie
WIP's: Dotted Rays, my Advent Socks
Coming up, maybe: my queue of projects for 2018
Shops/new toys:
Current KAL: Neutrals and trying new things, Marie Amelie Designs, ArtFil yarns
Other stuff: my Vlogmas playlist, my very first podcast episode, the Simon Sinek video I mentioned, "Slow Knitting" podcast episode by the Knitting Monk
What are you doing to celebrate the upcoming winter holidays?
FO's:
WIP's: Dotted Rays, my Advent Socks, laptop case for Wesley using The Aspens, Copy.Cat C.C beanie
Coming up, maybe: Exploration Station, Ondine Socks (to be finished)
Shops/new toys: Minnehaha Fiber Works
Current KAL: Neutrals and trying new things, Marie Amelie Designs, ArtFil yarns
Other stuff: Mildliner highlighters, my Vlogmas playlist, the original Bullet Journal video
What system do you use to keep your life together?
FO's: my Christmas socks
WIP's: Dotted Rays, my Advent Socks
Coming up, maybe: Laptop case for Wesley using The Aspens, Valanar Mitts
Shops/new toys: Valley Artisans, Prairie Retreat Farm, Espace Tricot
Current KAL: Neutrals and trying new things, Marie Amelie Designs, ArtFil yarns
Other stuff: my Vlogmas playlist, French Silk Pie recipe
What is a children's movie you watch as an adult and simply cannot suspend your disbelief for? (That is a really strangely worded sentence - good writers, help me out here!)
FO's: Effervesce, paulie + my project page, The Aspens
WIP's: Dotted Rays
Coming up, maybe:
Shops/new toys: my Etsy shop
Current KAL: Neutrals and trying new things, Marie Amelie Designs
Other stuff: Seaming a seamless sweater, crockpot dyeing tutorial, Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)
Got any recommendations for good books?
FO's: Scrappy Bias Shawl
WIP's: Effervesce, paulie
Coming up, maybe: Exploration Station, Dotted Rays, Abalone, Circular Yoke Summer Shirt, Botanical Yoke Pullover
Shops/new toys: my Etsy shop
Current KAL: Neutrals and trying new things
Other stuff: Seaming a seamless sweater, clip of John Mulaney
Have you started thinking about your knitting plans/goals for 2018 yet? If so, have any you want to share?
FO's: Manfriend socks
WIP's: Effervesce, paulie
Coming up, maybe: Exploration Station
Shops/new toys: my Etsy shop
Current KAL: Orange or colorwork KAL chatter thread
Other stuff: Super Simple Sock Shawl; Yarn to Table Podcast; If you are on instagram, feel free to join my Year of Hand Knits challenge with #yearofhandknits
Wherein I make a very short visit to New Hampshire!
FO's: Brioche Hat and Cowl
WIP's: Ondine, Manfriend socks
Coming up, maybe: Exploration Station, Mosaic Blanket, Brioche Toe Up Socks
Shops/new toys: my Etsy shop
Current KAL: Orange or colorwork KAL chatter thread
Other stuff: ...
What's your best birthday memory? Or, how do you usually celebrate your birthday? Being a bit of an introvert and middle child, I don't like to go all out because I hate having all the attention on me (crazy thing for a youtuber to say, I know).