Wherein I spend a fun day wandering around a particle accelerator!
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 93 - It spirals around the foot
Links to things I mentioned
FO's: Paraphernalia, Manfriend socks
WIP's: Lieverds inspired mitts, shorty socks
Coming up, maybe:
Shops/new toys:
Current KAL: Funkytown KAL
Other stuff: Sewing closed knit hems, how to knit picot hems, Anon trailer
Question of the Week
Got any good book recommendations to help me get my literary mojo back? I tend to gravitate towards thrillers or suspense when I read fiction and I like things that make me keep saying "Just one more page..."
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 92 - Big, pointy, triangle-shawl-bandana sorta look
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
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!
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 91 - Refocusing
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
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?
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 90 - Alternative tensioning
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
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.
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 89 - Non-standard socks
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
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!)
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 88 - My yarn is dripping
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
What was your February like?
Exceedingly Vanilla Socks - Free Pattern
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:
- German twisted cast-on
- Picking up along garter stitch edge (for the heel flap), version 1 and version 2 (same method but one might be easier to follow than the other for some people)
- Kitchener stitch
Interlude - February plans!
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 87 - Move into the mush
Links to things I mentioned
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"
Question of the Week
What's something really awesome going on for you right now?
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 86 - Editing on fleek
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
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"?
Vlog #12 - Vogue Knitting Live 2018
Wherein we go to NYC and have fun at Vogue Knitting Live!
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 85 - An algorithm for wedges
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
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?
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 84 - Stupid stress compass
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
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.
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 83 - The admin episode
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
What are you doing to celebrate the upcoming winter holidays?
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 82 - Dropping yarn all over the place
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
What system do you use to keep your life together?
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 81 - Vintage yarn show-and-tell
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
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!)
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 80 - A bumper crop of FOs and WIPs
Links to things I mentioned
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)
Question of the Week
Got any recommendations for good books?
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 79 - I put on the fringe to hide the knots
Links to things I mentioned
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
Question of the Week
Have you started thinking about your knitting plans/goals for 2018 yet? If so, have any you want to share?
10,000 Stitches Podcast, Episode 78 - ...so I cast on a sweater
Links to things I mentioned
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