Knitting
I finished my socks on Monday. These were my 9th pair based on Hermione’s Everyday Socks pattern (free on Ravelry)!! The yarn is Thistly Brae colour 4ply/fingering weight by Cookston Crafts. The only difference to the pattern (apart from row count) is where I put the purl stitches. Rather than alternating between 2nd and 4th stitches I spiralled them around, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st stitches. I hope that makes sense, it creates a diagonal line, not very obvious on this variegated yarn but it makes it more interesting to knit than just plain stocking stitch.
So far I am telling myself I need to knit a different sock pattern next…but think I’ve said that the last 8 times too.
I’m still adding rows to my cardigan…DK garments are so slow! I am on the 7th ball of 10 and I’m still on the body and not started on sleeves yet. I may switch to doing the arms shortly, before finishing the body. This is a yarn chicken project.
My husband is chasing for some fingerless gloves. He has huge hands but I managed to find a pattern that has an XL size and it is <£2! So I just need to wind the yarn and get going.
Spinning
I picked over and drum carded the Beltex and Soay wool fibres for my breed project. I am keeping some aside to do a felt sample as well. I’ve made a start on some sample cards and once I have spun some up I’ll attach it too.
On Saturday we had a talk, on our monthly Guild call, about spinning Flax, and our usual social afternoon. It is crazy how fast these come round, the months are flying by. The talk was fascinating but I have decided spinning flax isnt in my immediate or future plans. I do have some linen yarn to weave with in my stash though.
Weaving
I have definitely found that weaving an interesting pattern is much more addictive than just plain weave. I finished my Garden Path scarf and I LOVE IT. I mean I really LOVE IT! I’m feast or famine with weaving and this was feast, it was like it was calling to me and I even spent some evenings working on it which allowed my husband to watch football on the big TV instead of his iPad. I have done a detailed post about it, but sharing a wee snap here of it.
I have started to warp my loom for a new project but I messed up reading the pattern…I need more yarn for the weft! More on this project once I get more yarn.
Other News
On Tuesday the weather was crazy. We awoke to snow, then it was warm, blue skies and sunny and melted, then snowed again and repeated this pattern all day. I wish we had some time lapse footage of it, quite crazy weather. Thursday was rain all day, and other days were snow flurries so we still have one raised border left to replace and apparently more snow is expected so not sure when we will get that done.
My husband had to go into the office on Wednesday, only his 2nd time in 12 months. So I did some DIY around the house, including some sealant application and where we have some broken kitchen tiles I painted the wall where they were missing! A temporary measure until we either get the kitchen done or I get my hands on a tile cutter and properly replace the tiles.
This is a Year of Projects post. Officially the Group is in its 10th year, but this is my 3rd year participating. If you would like to find more about the Year of Projects Group on Ravelry.
HighlandHeffalump 
The socks are lovely and that is a pattern that livens up a simple vanilla sock but is simple to memorise (also not the end of the world if you mess up or forget where you are!)
Your woven scarf is beautiful, I’m looking forward to seeing the next one.
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Your socks are so pretty. What a clever way to modify the design. I’ve decided to grow some flax in my garden for the Rust Belt Fiber Shed linen project and experiment with it. If I get it to the fiber stage, I may get a charka wheel to spin it.
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Good luck with growing it. Our tutor lives in the north of the Netherlands and it grows well there.
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Thank you for sharing your modification to the Hermione sock pattern! I too love and use that pattern multiple times but I’m looking forward to using your modification. Wow, your weather is crazier than here!! And that’s saying something. Fingers crossed we are past snow days. Our week is my ideal – 60s (~18C) with sun. No excuse not to finish the grass cutting and flower bed prep.
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I’m a fan of your variation to the Hermione sock. It’s a great way to create interest without adding a lot of fuss. I may try this myself using a solid color yarn.
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I think in a solid it would work really well.
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Thanks for explaining the variation of the HES pattern. Might need to try that in the future. What will your new weaving project become? Your scarf is so pretty. I can see why you love it. Bravo for getting some DIY done while hubby was at the office.
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Oh my that woven scarf is gorgeous! I love your variation on the Hermione sock pattern. I’ll try it that way next time (and I am sure there will be a next time). Your weather definitely sounds bipolar. My son woke up to snow this morning too after a major snow fall, but by the afternoon it was all but melted. He is in the next province over from ours but living so close to the Rocky mountains gives him much different weather.
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I bet he has beautiful views!
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I really like the socks you knit, the colours are fabulous. Good luck with finding a tile cutter. My dad had one back in South Africa, they are really useful.
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Once it’s a bit warmer I can have a proper hunt in the garage in case we inherited one, otherwise I may hire one.
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Lovely socks! I did a pair of Hermione’s and although I loved the pattern, I found them to be too tight. I am like you…I find a pattern and every time I tell myself that the next pair will be a different pattern but no…..I do my vanilla recipe.
That scarf you wove is gorgeous! Is it faster than knitting?
You can rent a tile-cutter at the big box stores if you have them like Lowes or Home Depot. Good luck!
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Hi, our hire (and other) shops open at the end of this month I think. To produce something of that size yes it is faster to weave than it is to knit. There’s time spent doing the warping but overall I would say weaving is faster. So a great way of using up stash.
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Love the socks, of course but I had my doubts about the scarf you were weaving, so much openwork looked like it would catch on everything. But wow! It’s gorgeous and the color!
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I think I will need to be a little careful around buttons etc. it could snag on.
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I see the spiral in the foot on the socks! I’ve noticed it from the beginning and it’s very pretty. And that woven scarf is just beautiful!
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Thanks Becki
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Love your socks – the stitch variation looks great! It does look a bit different and very pretty with that yarn 🙂 Interesting to hear how your breed project is going as well!
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Love how your socks turned out!! The color is delightful, they look like they will be cozy.
Your Beltex fiber looks SO FLUFFY! I bet it will be like spinning a cloud.
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[…] More Hermione’s Everyday Socks (HES) by Erica Lueder: 2nd pair of wood pigeon ✅ week 21, Christmas socks ✅ week 24, Thistly Brae socks ✅ week 41 […]
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