For the intolerant…

… well, for those who struggle to wear wool, to be more precise.

Like my ma.

She loves jumpers and cardis of all descriptions, but wool sends her horribly itchy. Which, as you can imagine, is massively frustrating for her. And for ME! When I want to make her pretty things but so little acts with as much versatility as wool.

However… All is not lost.

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Following hot on the heels of my Dolly Socks, designed and knitted with Debbie Bliss Toast in mind (oh, *hello* cashmere!), I was determined to make her a birthday present of similar intricacy and beauty.

 

 

 

So imagine my delight when this bundle of squishiness appeared on my doorstep (and I say appeared because that it precisely what happened. This particular delivery company doesn’t bother knocking. They just try your door and stick it on your doormat if it’s open. Which is both a lovely surprise and somewhat alarming).

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The yarn is by Knit One Crochet Too and is called Cozette. It is 62% silk, 30% cotton and 8% polyamide and it just OOZES that luxurious raw silk feel.

If I tell you I started this pair of lacy socks two days before her birthday, I don’t think you’ll need informing that they didn’t get there on time. They should, in fact, be arriving today – 11 days late. But since I also owe her a jumper from her birthday 2 years ago, with this one I’m already winning, right??

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You can see how beautifully the texture of the raw silk holds and emphasises the stitches, and makes the lace pattern stand out.

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But best of all, the colourway is called ‘Seaglass’, which is most beautifully synchronous since it combines my two most favourite things: knitting, and making jewellery with the seaglass I comb the beaches up here in the North-East for (click the pics below if you are interested in more information).

 

I think they came out rather beautifully, but we’ll let mum be the judge of that 😉

The Dolly Socks pattern is available by clicking the link above, but it is also one of February’s Patreon subscriber patterns – for more information on instant access to all those patterns, click the link or look at the Patreon pages above).

Happy knitting, fellow yarnies <3

Sandra Dee Socks

Some time ago, I bought some beautiful Blue Faced Leicester superwash sock yarn from The Knitting Gift Shop. They’re a hop, skip and a jump from me and run by a truly lovely couple dedicated to producing as locally as possible.

But it’s taken me this long to drum up the dedication to commit to knitting and designing lacy socks and, following the success of my Dolly Socks, I decided it was time to put this beautiful stuff to work.

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(I have another skein of it waiting for me, and am currently working up the courage to try dyeing it myself, for a truly unique project – any tips or pointers for yarn-dyeing gratefully received!!)

So here they are, anyway. My Sandra Dee Socks (click the name for a link to the pattern, or check out the patreon links up at the top, for info on instant access to this, to February’s patterns, and to all future patterns):

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Happy knitting, lovelies! <3

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February Finished.

February was wonderfully productive, I’m delighted to say. I feel like 2019 has brought me back my design mojo, which was waning a little at the end of 2018.

Clockwise from top left (click links for patterns, where available):

  1. My Dolly Socks, in wool and cashmere superwash – the perfect prettiness for Spring.
  2. My first pair of gloves, knitted exclusively for me. I haven’t bothered with the pattern as they were my first pair, but I’m already looking forward to designing some beauties, now that I have these ones under my belt. Motto? Feel the fear and do it anyway 😉
  3. Aphrodite’s new jumper: the Juno’s Friend Jumper. And apparently we’re to expect a late blast of snow in a few days’ time, so that will come in handy. My beloved husband tells me I need to make her a pink spotty one next. Watch this space…
  4. My Lilac and Lime Bobble Socks, in a not-at-all lilac and lime colourway, which I love to bits with my Duckfeet.
  5. My husband’s woodland jumper, already tried and tested in the woods, and the pattern for which I have yet to write up, but WILL. I promise <3

I’m already excited to see what March will bring.

Happy knitting, lovelies! <3