I’m happy to announce that LenaBenie is the lucky winner of a free copy of New Directions in Sock Knitting. She wrote: “Why not? Life’s an adventure and so is knitting. Love to try something different in the world of sock knitting.”
Well LenaBenie, you’ll get your chance — I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks to all of you who joined in the raffle. There will be more to come.
Interweave Press routinely sends me a complimentary copy of the books I edit, so I didn’t think anything when the UPS truck stopped to deliver a couple of packages. But I was confused when I opened them.
The first package had a copy of Sock Knitting Master Class.
I’m so accustomed to focusing on the image that at first I didn’t realize that it wasn’t in English. I thought they had sent me another copy of the Estonian translation.
But, wait — the words are different. It seems that Sock Knitting Master Class has now been translated into Finnish as well! How cool is that?
The second package was equally confusing:
It took me a few moments to realize that this was Scarf Style 2 translated into German.
I guess it makes sense that if they didn’t translate the original Scarf Style, they would want to change the title. And I guess they wanted to show more than just one project on the cover. That’s fine with me!
I love the idea that these books have international appeal. Wouldn’t it be cool to see one translated into a language that uses a different alphabet? I wonder what Ann Budd looks like in Russian or Chinese or Arabic.
The FedEx truck stopped at my house and left an unexpected package from F+W Media (the company that bought Interweave Press last year).
I opened the package to find a few copies of Sock Knitting Master Class. But wait, they changed the cover:
Turns out that the book has been translated into Estonian! Now, I don’t read Estonian so other than keeping a copy to impress my family, I can’t think what I might do with the others. As much as I think it would be cool to learn another language, I’m realistic enough to know that I won’t get far.
So, if you can read Estonian and you live in North America, respond to this email. I’ll send a copy to the first two people (I’m optimistic) that respond.
I wish I knew how to say “good luck” in Estonian!
I completed Cat Bordhi’s Pussy Willow Stockings this week. It looks like the temperatures are beginning to drop so I might get to wear them soon.
The next (and final) pair of socks in Sock Knitting Master Class are the Toe-Up Travelers, which I designed and which I still have.
I labored this weekend on Cat Bordhi’s Pussy Willow Stockings from page 160 of Sock Knitting Master Class. The socks begin with a most interesting toe, then the gusset increases are worked in a five-row pattern that includes two rows to form a three-stitch eyelet followed by three rows that are worked even. This causes a three-stitch increase every five rows in a diagonal pattern across the instep.
After the heel (which includes a firm heel flap that’s worked by slipping stitches through the back loop), the eyelet pattern changes direction and decreases are added to keep the stitch count constant.
I’m getting pretty excited as I approach the end of Sock Knitting Master Class. I am now to Cat Bordhi’s Pussy Willow Stockings (page 160).
Following Cat’s genius for placing gusset shaping wherever she likes, these toe-up socks are shaped with three increases every five rounds to form an openwork pattern that travels around the instep and front of the leg. Except for keeping track of the increases, these socks are a fairly mindless knit.
Cat worked hers with Fleece Artist Somoko at 8 stitches to the inch on two circular needles.
For my version, I’m using Huckleberry Knits Willow (80% Bluefaced Leicester, 20% nylon; 420 yd/4oz) in a beautiful handdyed blue called Spindrift. I’m getting gauge on size 2.5 mm double-point needles. As many of you already know, I much prefer working with double-pointed than two circular needles. (I’m sorry, Cat…I just can’t get used to the needle ends flopping in my lap.) But I think Cat’s most interesting design and construction are more important than the type of needles used.
Stitches emerge from a wide horizontal band to form what Cat calls a moccasin toe. I haven’t worked this type of toe before, but it’s easy and a nice alternative to the more common wedge toe.
So far, this promises to be one of the easiest pairs of socks in the book!
I finished Anna Zilboorg’s Half-Stranded Socks from Sock Knitting Master Class. The colors I chose are a bit more muted than Anna’s originals so the pattern doesn’t show up quite as well, but I like the understated look.
Next up are Cat Bordhi’s Pussywillow Stockings.
Here’s my first Half-Stranded Sock.
I love the way the patterns work together–I didn’t make a single change to Anna Zilboorg’s pattern (page 152 of Sock Knitting Master Class).
I’ve already cast on for the mate, with the colors reversed to give a brown background with red pattern.
I finished the top of the foot (instep) of my half-stranded sock and started to pick up stitches around the toe and sides to work the sole, but miscounted the stitches and ended up working the sole at an angle.
I ripped it all out and placed markers at even intervals on each side to ensure that I’d not make the same mistake again.
Here’s the bottom of the foot (sole) worked EVENLY to the beginning of the gusset increases.
The next step is to increase one stitch at each side every other row until I reach the base of the heel.
I am loving this sock!
