11 January 2010 · No Comments
Over the past week or so I have had three, yes three pairs of socks wear out at the heels. One of them is an early pair of The Boy’s (made during that period of deeply unsuitable yarns I mentioned earlier). The other two are mine and were made a bit later and with more suitable yarns. Alas, even with appropriate yarn, socks are not everlasting. In all three cases I caught the damage when it was just a thin spot and not a full-fledged blow out. This means darning them isn’t actually all that hard, and I have very little excuse not to do it. I even have remnants of all the yarns. I just need to collect the necessary fortitude and dedication and actually do it. If I waver, I’ll just have to compare the time to make new socks (at least 20 hours a pair) versus the time needed to repair them (about an hour a pair) and brow beat myself into doing the right thing.
I am, however, taking the spate of holes as a sign that I need to buy some of the mythic ‘wooly nylon’ reinforcing thread. I’ve heard it’s perfect for carrying along with the main yarn while working heels and toes. My socks (and The Boy’s too for that matter) always wear out at the ball of the heel. I think it should be fairly simple to reinforce that area in upcoming socks. I may even take the reinforcing thread and work it into our existing socks in that area to see if it helps stave off future holes.
I’ve got two other small administrative notes. First, Wednesday is the last day to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win one of three free patterns. Second, a new sock is coming out either at the end of this week or the beginning of next week. This is one of the (many) secret projects that’s been depriving you of pictures over the last few months. It’s finally ready to go and will be here soon!
7 December 2009 · No Comments
Now for some actual knitting. That empty box over there, the one under “On the Needles?” It’s a lie. The needles are not empty. They are, in fact, quite full. Alas, almost all the current knitting is secret, so I can’t show you pictures. I’m realizing now that this was poor planning. I can’t show you pretty pictures, but I can let you know a bit about the schedule and what you can expect to see over the next little while.
The next pattern you will see is part of Penny Rose’s Wicked Women yarn club. While only club members will be able to get the particular yarn I used, everyone will be able to buy the pattern. This one comes with its own fairy tale and a bonus history lesson. It will be out in early to mid January. I’ve finished my knitting, my marvelous testers have worked their magic, and The Boy spent a very amusing hour taking pictures of my feet yesterday, so this one is officially finished. Now I just have to wait to show them off. In the meantime, I’ll console myself by wearing them.
In February, you’ll see another sock club pattern, this time with Gaia’s Colours. These will be exclusive to the club for a while, but I’ll torment you with photos and try and try to talk you into putting the public release on your calendars. One sock is done, and the second is waiting for a few more yards of yarn. Testers have the pattern, and I’m lovingly fondling the existing sock (it’s a super thick and wonderfully warm) while I wait to finish its mate.
There are two more secret projects on the needles, one for publication (yay) and one for another sock club, but they’re for a bit later in the year and must remain unmentionable for a while longer. Some time very soon now (this week with any luck) the combined pattern for Crenellation will be available. It was up in pieces for the KAL, but I wanted to redo it as a single download with pictures.
Nope, no empty needles around here.
28 November 2009 · No Comments
I’ve been dreadfully delinquent and shamefully slow in posting the winner of the truly scrumptious Liberty’s Yarn. It’s all my fault, and I don’t have particularly good excuses. I’ll go pick knots out of laceweight for penance. Without further delay, the lucky winner is Tamara. I’ll be in touch to arrange delivery.
Thanks to everyone who said nice things about Sybaritic, I’m thrilled you guys like this one! All the sock patterns are still on sale through Monday night, so if there’s something you’ve been considering, this is the time.
27 November 2009 · 1 Comment
I…um…accidentally fled the country in search of the Traditional Thanksgiving Pizza. I’ll be back home later this evening and will explain all that, but in the meantime, I’m having a sale.
All sock patterns are $4.00 from now until Monday evening.
Avoid the lines and the infuriating Christmas music, stay home and knit in your pajamas instead. It’s better for your sanity and your feet.
5 November 2009 · 5 Comments
…the kind with yarn though, not the kind with criminal charges and embarrassing social diseases.
So, I’m planning out my knitting for the upcoming year. Yes I realize there’s a bit of a disconnect here. Half a year ago I was agonizing over whether it was ok to charge for patterns. Now I’m making a knitting schedule. It feels rather odd, but odd in a fundamentally awesome way, so I’m sticking with it. I’ve got lots of exciting collaborative projects coming up in the next year, but it looks like I still have a few spots left. So this is where you guys come in.
If you make or dye yarn, and you want me to design a sock with your yarn, get in touch! I love working with independent producers and am very open to coming up with arrangements that work for everyone. Don’t be shy, I want to hear from you.
Now I know not all of you make or dye yarn, but I’m guessing pretty much everyone reading this uses yarn, so here’s the second part. If you have a favorite yarn maker or dyer, and you’d like to see me work with their yarn, let me know. Better yet, let them know too! Help me find great new yarns. Feel free to email me (hunter at violentlydomestic dot com) if you’re feeling stealthy and don’t want to put suggestions in the comments.
24 October 2009 · No Comments
And the winner is…Steph, with comment 52! I’ll be emailing you later today to arrange to send you your goodies. Thanks to everyone who entered, and thanks for all the nice comments about the socks. I’ll be placing an order for more of the Three Irish Girls yarn some time next week, and it’s great to know what colors you all prefer.
The socks with Dicentra’s yarn are making their way through the testing process and should be out in early November. I’ve got another pair written up and about to go out for testing, and a third pair on the needles. At least one (and maybe both) of those should be out towards the end of November. I’ll try to have yarn to give away for those too.
20 October 2009 · 5 Comments
My newest pattern, and a brief account of my youthful descent into the criminal underworld, will be appearing tomorrow or the next day. In the meantime, I can show you a picture of the finished socks, and tell you that their name is Calcareous.
The socks I showed you last time are off to the testers and should be coming out in a few weeks. On an administrative note, the third and final part of Crenellation has been posted over on Ravelry. All three parts of the pattern will remain freely available until at least the end of November. After that, they will likely disappear to be combined into one finalized pattern with pictures and some extra notes and possible modifications that have come to light during the knit along. If your life will be incomplete without the free version of the pattern, go get it between now and the end of November.
Some time in the next few weeks I’ll be putting out a call for testers for three pairs of super secret socks…socks so secret I can’t even publicly post a picture of them. If anyone out there would be interested in doing some stealth testing for me in November and December, drop me a line and let me know. I’ll be compiling a list of folks brave enough to take on clandestine projects (cloak and dagger optional)!
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