Friday, December 3, 2021, Issue 226: Happy Friday...What is on your needles?

Holly & Jolly Socks by This Handmade Life, are a merry christmasy pair of colourwork socks knit from the cuff down. A pair of socks that looked like they could almost be stockings hanging on the mantle but they are cozy too. The colourwork adds that extra warmth. its a fun pattern to work, the most complicated part is the garland section because your are working with 3 colors but the rest of the sock is easy, you won’t even have to look at the chart. I love that it looks like a candy cane!

Cuff down, instructions are for magic loop. The colourwork is charted only. Short row heel is included but optional, insert your favorite heel. I used 3 colors for this pattern, traditional red, green and white.

She recommends using one size larger for your size, for the colourwork portion only. In the sample she used the 2.5 mm, for the larger size and 2.25 mm for the cuff and toe.

She has included a very basic short row heel in the pattern, it’s not everyone's favourite, but here are links to heels she highly recommend:

fish lips kiss heel

Soxploration heel

German Short row heel

Afterthought heel

Summer Lee’s Thickmas Socks are a quick, squishy, colourful knit designed for stash-busting worked holding two strands of fingering weight yarn together. These socks knit up quick, making them perfect for gift-giving season! (Although if you’re like me, you don’t knit socks for anyone but yourself, and that’s okay too!)

THICKMAS VANILLA
NOTE: This pattern also includes and recipe and tutorial for making the Scrappy version you see in the photos!

MATERIALS
Fingering weight sock yarn in the following approximate yardage/meters:
88 (152, 208) 306 (392, 460, 544, 636) yards/
80 (138, 190) 280 (359, 420, 497, 581) meters

This is the approximate total amount you need to knit your socks! How you choose to divide up colors between cuff, toes, and heels is up to you! I used three different yarns for my main sample: (Yarn A) held together with (Yarn B) for the cuff and toes, and (Yarn C) held together with Yarn A for the body of the sock. I will refer to these three yarns throughout the pattern, however you are free to knit with as many or as few colors as you like! Knit your socks in one solid color, do stripes, do a different heel color, or knit them just like mine!

US Size 4 (3.5 mm) knitting needles

A tapestry needle for weaving in ends

SIZES
(Measured around the circumference of the ball of your foot – the numbers below refer to your measurement, not the finished sock).

Baby (4-5” / 10-12 cm),
Toddler (5-6” / 12-15 cm),
Kid (6-7” / 15-18 cm),
Adult S (7”/18 cm) M (8”/20 cm)
L (9”/23 cm) XL (10”/25 cm)
2X (11” / 28 cm)

GAUGE
26 sts over 4” / 10 cm and 28 rows in stockinette, knit in the round, and blocked.

The pattern also includes THICKMAS CABLED (does NOT include baby and kid sizes!)...

and THICKMAS REVERSE.

Summer Lee’s Thicksgiving Socks from last year are similar to this year’s Thickmas Socks!

This pattern set includes tips and tricks for working worsted socks by marling two strands of fingering weight yarn together. There are three different variations of socks to knit, including vanilla, ribbed, and cabled. Each variation has its own sizing and gauge information. I hope you enjoy knitting them as much as I did, and perhaps gifting a few pairs to loved ones (or keeping all that squishy goodness for your own cold feet!)

Note:You can also knit these socks with a single strand of worsted weight yarn if marling isn’t your thing!

The pattern includes Thicksgiving Vanilla, Thicksgiving Ribbed and Thicksgiving Cabled.

For their Advent Calendar 2021, Arne & Carlos have the 24 Mini Nordic Sweaters. The pattern consists of a basic pattern and 24 charts for these adorable mini jumpers.

Arne & Carlos will be hosting their Advent Calendar 2021 KAL on YouTube, which began on December 1st. This year's 24 New Christmas Balls 2021 were designed to match their Nordic Mini Jumpers. I am hoping to make at least one from each pattern this year!

Since I first saw this Magnolia Bloom Tunic by Camilla Vad on Instagram, I have been waiting for the pattern to be released and now it has! It is a soft and feminine tunic with the beautiful magnolia lace pattern and short sleeves. The Magnolia bloom tunic is worked seamlessly in the round top down in one piece. It is perfect for sweater weather!

Chest Circumference:
(110) 120 (130) 140 (150) cm

Recommended ease is 0 to 30 cm. Depending on how tight you want your tunic.

Yarn:
(875) 1000 (1000) 1125 (1250) m

WIPs and FOs

I finished the Wee Balaclava (Dinosaur hat) that I was making for my one grandson using Berroco Vintage! I hope it fits!

I really should have knit faster on this test knit but I am in CC13 (of 24) of my Wrap It Real Good by Ambah O’Brien. It is one of the patterns in Ambah’s Festive KAL 2021. Yarn is a Koigu Summer Solstice Festive Mini Skein Set. You can't get the full effect of lace until you block it and can't even guess at the finished size so I can't wait!

I am moving slowly along on my Stria by Andrea Mowry, working both sleeves at the same time. I think it really will be a “go-with-everything” cardigan with the Tukuwool Fingering in the neutral 01 Sake and the Zauberball colours of 2310 I chose to use that will work through multi seasons.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

The newest Knit-Alongs are the Any Sweater / Shawl KAL and the Knit Any Project: our everlasting knit-along to encourage and support you to knit is running from September 1 to December 31, 2021. I will get a thread started soon!

Remember to post photos to the finished object (FO) thread when you finish a project during the Knit-Along so that you will be included in the next draw! We will also add the option of posting your finished project to Instagram using the #sue2knitskal so that I can find them!

Karen (Kmae64) finished her Magnolia Chunky Cardigan!

She used The Fibre Co. Arranmore Light in Glenveigh Castle and Garnstudio Drops Kid Silk in 22 Ash Grey.

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) finished this beautiful Fleckit by Kate Davies Design, modified to be a pullover instead of a cardigan.

Love that hood!

Sandi (sandima) finished this wonderful Oversized Chunky Pigeon Jumper by Esh Crochet for one of daughters!!

Sandi (sandima) knit this colourful and fun Sprocket Hat by Megan Nodecker using some gorgeous leftover yarn gifted to her!

Sandi (sandima) finished another All Work, Gnome Play by Sarah Schira for Christmas gifting!

Brandi (@thegreenbuttonjar) finished this stunning Magnolia Bloom by Camilla Vad for her mom.

Here’s Rita (ritz)’s last test knit of the year - Sun & Soul Wrap by Tif Neilan - tif handknits. She used Shibui Knits Lunar in Abyss and yarn stash for the contrast colour.

Linda (lmcnorton) crocheted this 67x38 inch Baby Sea Turtle Throw Blanket by Mandy Huseth for a friend using Bergere de France Barisienne.

Anna (@kollar.annie) finished this pair of Hop, Skip + A Jump Socks by Ainur Berkimbayeva awhile ago but I missed it! Aren’t they cute? The free pattern is sized from toddler up to an adult large!

Rosemary (@coolknitsbyrose) finished a new pair of Follow Your Dreams by Vinene Sestry.

SHOP UPDATE

A new shipment of Gleeners on the Go and Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Removers!

This patented and award winning fabric shaver and lint brush safely removes fuzz balls, lint and pet hair from virtually all fabrics. 3 fabric-safe edges eliminate pilling while a built-in lint brush finishes up the job.

3 Fabric-Safe Edges Gleener's patented Safe Edge System is what sets it apart from other clothes shavers. Each carefully designed edge targets a different kind of fuzz ball — from big and bulky to medium and super fine — reviving natural fibers, synthetics and blends.  Each Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Remover includes all 3 edges so you have all the tools necessary to save any fave.

• Edge #1: Ideal for big & bulky pills like those found on heavy woolens, blends and synthetics.
• Edge #2: Best for medium pilling like those found on cashmere, merino and finer wools. It also works great on fleece.
• Edge #3: Revitalizes your summer knits, t-shirts, silk blends and ultra delicates by removing fine pills.
• Did we mention that these edges are also interchangeable with the Gleener On the Go?

Smaller than a glasses case, this patented travel fuzz remover (Gleener on the Go) is compact enough to take anywhere that last minute wardrobe touch-ups are needed. 3 fabric-safe edges eliminate pilling while a built-in lint brush dusts away pet hair and dandruff. Keep one in your purse, car, briefcase or desk drawer.

The Gleener Ultimate Fuzz Remover is 2 clever products in one. The integrated lint brush picks up pet hair in a flash, dusts away dandruff and can be used to beautifully finish any de-pilling job.

Minnie & Purl - Purl Strings Sweater Plus Packs have landed in the shop!

Purl Strings let you try on your handknit sweaters in progress so you can get the perfect fit. Made by a fellow local yarn store owner, these flexible rubber hollow cords are perfect for trying on your knitting without removing it from your needles or losing your stitches!

The end of the cord squishes firmly over most size needles. After it is attached to your needle tip, simply slide stitches on to the flexible tubing so you can try your sweater on. When you are done, push all of the stitches back onto the needle and pull off the tubing. Easy peasy!

The Sweater Plus Pack includes:

• two 1-meter pieces;
• one 2.5-meter piece;
• all in one handy storage tin!

Happy Friday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting! Keep calm and keep on knitting and making!