All posts tagged sock yarn

ScrapHappy May 2020

Whilst I may not have managed to write much this past month, I’ve certainly been busy with my scraps. You might remember that some months ago I started using up scrap sock (and other 4-ply) yarn in a scrappy blanket. The last time I reported on progress was in November 2019, and I’d got to this stage:

November

Since then I’ve beavered away and dug out old scraps and small scraps, until I finally had more than 200 little squares. In order to turn them into a blanket, I did have to buy some yarn, but I supported my local yarn store and, fortunately, had collected it before the lockdown happened.

And now, I’ve got all of the bits joined together and all I need to do is work the border. My intention was to achieve a stained glass window effect and I think that I have been quite successful. Unfortunately there is very bright sunshine today, so the photos don’t quite do justice to the most vibrant colours, still, you get the idea…

Some of the squares are unique as I had only enough yarn to make one, some are made with several scraps in order to use up bits. Some of the yarn was left over from making socks or shawls or blankets or gloves, some was given to me by folks who no longer had a use for it and one ball was a dye test. Considering the varied origins I’m rather pleased with the result. Placement was random with the only rule being that I did not put two squares next to each other that were the same.

-oOo-

I’ve been inspired to write this (and future) ScrapHappy posts by Kate,  Tall Tales from Chiconia. On the fifteenth of every month lots of folks often publish a ScrapHappy post, do check them out:

Kate (me!), Gun, Titti, Heléne, Eva, Sue, Nanette, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Debbierose, Tracy, Jill, Claire, Jan,
Moira, Sandra, Linda, Chris, Nancy, Alys, Kerry, Claire, Jean,
Joanne, Jon, Hayley, Dawn, Gwen, Connie, Bekki, Pauline, Sue L,
Sunny and Kjerstin

If you fancy joining, contact Kate and she’ll add you to the list. It would be lovely to see more non-sewing posts, but any use of scraps is welcome.

35 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on May 15, 2020  •  Permalink
Posted in craft, Scrap Happy
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on May 15, 2020

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2020/05/15/scraphappy-may-2020/

About that ‘yarn diet’

As you may have gathered, I am on a ‘yarn diet’. This means that over the next few months (at least until the end of the year) I am not going to buy any more yarn. This may sound like imposing unnecessary suffering on myself, but the intention is to encourage me to enjoy the beautiful yarn I already have rather than leaving it languishing in various drawers and cupboards, unappreciated. Many crafters have the habit of accumulating lots of materials (whatever their preference). I do this and, whilst it’s fun to have stuff available to use when inspired, it feels very wasteful to have loads of untouched yarn, plus it does take up a lot of space.

In general I buy yarn for particular projects, but sometimes I never get round to starting them, and by the time I am ready, I have had a change of heart (or even shape!) and so I need to find an alternative. I’m also a bit over-enthusiastic about sock yarn and have ended up with rather a lot of the stuff… more than I need for sock making. As I don’t want to build up an enormous collection of shawls, I have been wondering what else I might do with the sock yarn and inspiration arrived on Saturday. One of the organisers of the 60MT get-together was wearing a beautiful short-sleeved, asymmetrical top, clearly knitted in 4-ply. I asked her about the pattern and now I’ve bought a copy and will use some of my yarn to make Sugar Maple.

Despite the diet, some new yarn has come my way, but I did not buy it. At the event on Saturday, we had a ‘secret Santa’… everyone brought a ball of yarn wrapped up and they all went in a big box, before each person selected a different package to take away. So, I gave a ball of mottled sock yarn (which I entirely failed to photograph), but came home with two balls (yes, there were two balls in the parcel I picked) of Rowan Lima, an interesting aran yarn that looks like it has been crocheted into a chain already:

The two balls add up to the same weight as the donated ball (and, in fact, contain similar colours), so I have made no net gain, and, indeed, a loss, if I consider length of yarn rather than weight. I really am beginning to think like someone on a diet! Not sure what I’m going to use this yarn for – it’s very soft, so maybe a cowl.

As well as working on various existing projects, I’m also trying to restock my etsy shop a bit, as I’ve sold quite a few of the bird roosts. The train journeys over the weekend were split between sock-knitting and bird roost crochet, and I’ve now got several roosts ready to felt:

IMGP4085

three done, one in progress

So, the stash is slowly being used and I’m not feeling deprived because I can’t shop for yarn… it’s a good result so far.

39 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on September 18, 2017  •  Permalink
Posted in craft, reducing consumption
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on September 18, 2017

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2017/09/18/about-that-yarn-diet/

Sock-hogs

I don’t knit socks to sell – they take so long to make that even asking a paltry per-hour rate would take them out of the reach of almost all potential customers. Although a pair of handmade socks will last for years and is much easier to repair successfully than a mass-produced pair, no one wants to pay the true value. This means that, in general, if you own a pair of socks that I made, it’s because I love you! The only way I will undertake a commission to make socks is if I can barter for them – although I still have to like you a lot to even agree to do this! There are , however, folks out there who have skills that I do not and so there is a possibility of an exchange.

And so it is with my latest creations. These socks are very special: not only are they going to be exchanged for some leather work (haven’t quite finalised what), but more than that, they are made in part with wool from a friend’s sheep at The Inkpot, which is…

home grown, home shorn, Yorkshire spun, permaculture designed, pasture fed, holistically managed, non chemical, rare breed, British native, slow grown wool

Because it’s pure wool, it’s not ideal for hard-wearing socks, so the heels toes and ribbing are knitted from ‘sock wool’, which contains some nylon so that it doesn’t wear out too quickly. Even that yarn, is British (from West Yorkshire Spinners).

The recipient of these socks also already owns the first two hedgehogs that I made (Shy and Spike)… so I decided to expand the family. Therefore, the parcel contains three additions… two made from the Inkpot wool and one from the sock yarn. Of course, the spikes are made using eyelash yarn and that, sadly, isn’t British, but these three were made from left-overs from previous hedgies.

What do you make for love?

20 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on January 15, 2016  •  Permalink
Posted in craft
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on January 15, 2016

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2016/01/15/sock-hogs/

Hanging up the stockings

Apparently this evening many of you will have hung up some knitted foot attire in the hope of it being filled with goodies.

Chez Snail, we hang out our socks on a regular basis, but only on the washing line and the only thing that ever fills them is feet (and I should note that the two things NEVER happen simultaneously).

socks

A fine display and not a mantelpiece in sight!

In fact 2015 has been a good year for socks… I’ve made a whole bunde of them over the year:

One less-than subtle sock with the completed Noro pair
Socktober
Sock in British Merino (colour ‘prize-winning pumpkin’) and commercial sock yarn for heel and toe

And those are just the ones I can find pictures of!

My endeavours have been slightly encouraged by joining a ‘sock yarn club’ about five months ago. I signed up for six months so that I would receive a skein of hand-dyed sock yarn every month for the duration. I’ve liked the colours, but I have been rather disappointed by the fact that three of the five lots of yarn received so far have not really been suitable for socks – being spun from soft yarn and not reinforced with some hard-wearing man-made fibre.  The yarn is perfectly lovely, but I feel a little let-down that it is sock-weight yarn (i.e. 4-ply) rather than what I consider ‘real sock yarn’.  I used one skein to make the lovely spatterdash wrist-warmers, but now have two beautifully soft fine yarns that I’m not sure what to do with. I’m really hoping that the last of the six is suitable for socks.

Anyway, not to be deterred, I have decided to subscribe to a different sock yarn club for 2016. In this case, the yarn type is the same each time and really is sock yarn. In fact, the yarn is posted out six times a year, so that’s a little less frantic. This club is perfect for me as 2016 is themed ‘Back to Discworld‘. It’s being offered by The Knitting Goddess, an indie dying company based in Harrogate (near where I grew up). There will be a different discworld-inspired colour scheme for each skein… now won’t that be great?

Anyway… whatever you are doing with your socks today (I’ll be knitting some morefor my mum), have a great time!

19 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on December 24, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in craft
Tagged ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on December 24, 2015

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2015/12/24/hanging-up-the-stockings/

Snuggly socks

I am not a big buyer of souvenirs when we go on holiday, but Mr Snail has learned to accept that there may be the seeking out of wool. And thus it was in Norway (although since this was our second trip up the coast of that beautiful country I had already identified my target yarn shop). So, we returned home in May with little that we didn’t take with us in the first place, the exception being six balls of Norwegian sock yarn:

IMGP5357

Local wool, bought in Norway

Since my skill with the Norwegian language is non-existent, I was unable to follow the pattern that came with the yarn. However, I found an attractive pattern – Silver Star by Drops Design – and have spent a couple of weeks creating my first ever pair of socks involving colour-work:

Norwegian socks

I rather enjoyed making them and they are very cosy because of the double layer of yarn throughout, but the pattern was not the best-written and I’m certainly glad that I had experience of knitting lots of pairs of plain socks previously.

I have enough yarn left to make another pair, but I think that I will be seeking out a different pattern.

Have you tried anything new this week?

27 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on December 10, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in craft
Tagged , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on December 10, 2015

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2015/12/10/snuggly-socks/

And the winner is…

Entries for the yarny give-away closed last night.

All the names were placed in a bowl:

IMGP6834

The bowl of opportunity (note the use of scrap paper)

And a winner was selected by our impartial judge:

IMGP5769

The judge

And here is the draw itself (be patient):

So, congratulations itwasjudith… we will be in touch very soon to get your address so that we can post your yarns to you.

Commiserations to all the rest of you. That was fun, so we might have another one in the new year… watch this space.

 

28 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on December 7, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in blogging, craft
Tagged , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on December 7, 2015

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2015/12/07/and-the-winner-is/

Last chance

Today is your last chance to enter our yarny give-away: an Arctic tale and some cosy sock wool. Perfect for winter entertainment… or just entertainment if you are south of the equator!

reading KB

A gripping yarn

Simply leave a comment on the give-away post for one chance to win. For a second chance, head over to Mr Snail’s blog and leave another comment on his give-away post. Entries must be received before midnight tonight, 6 December, UK time.

Good luck everyone… we will be making the draw tomorrow.

And if you don’t knit, you can nominate someone else to receive the yarn.

sock yarn

Lovely sock yarn, for you or a friend

7 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on December 6, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in blogging, craft
Tagged , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on December 6, 2015

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2015/12/06/last-chance/

Remember to enter our give-away

Just a note to remind you about our give-away for a chance to to win these two yarns

IMGP6825

Ripping yarn and knitting yarn

Whether you fancy a good read

IMGP6754

Kirkenes Blue (reader not included in the give-away)

Or creating a pair of socks

IMGP6694

This is what the yarn looks like when knitted into socks (socks not included in the give-away, they belong to my mum now!)

Our give-away is for you!

To enter, just leave a comment (not just a like) on the original give-away post HERE; and to double your chances of winning, leave another comment on the original give-away post on Mr Snail’s blog HERE. Actually, go visit Mr Snail’s blog anyway… he’s got a lovely new blue background and it’s snowing (he likes snow), plus his latest post has a very scary picture of a spider.

Entries for the give-away close at midnight on Sunday 6 December 2015, UK time… and you can enter no matter where you are in the world.

GOOD LUCK!

 

2 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on December 2, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in blogging, craft
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on December 2, 2015

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2015/12/02/remember-to-enter-our-give-away/

Will knit for wool

I wrote a post a few weeks ago about wanting to do more bartering, so I was delighted the other day to receive a message from a friend who is about to move house and is sorting out ‘stuff‘. He wanted to know if I would be interested in an exchange… he’d got some merino wool tops suitable for felting, did I want them and what would I offer in exchange? After a bit of discussion, we settled on a pair of hand-knitted socks. I sent him a photograph of my stash of sock wool:

My current sock yarn stash

My current sock yarn stash (smaller than it used to be!)

and he selected the colours he liked.

I still haven’t received his foot measurements yet, but that’s not a problem for the time being… I can do as far as just beyond the heel for both feet before I need to know. So at present on my needles are Eddie’s socks… I hope he likes them:

Work in progress on Eddie's sock (displayed with my happy snail yarn bowl)

Work in progress on Eddie’s sock (displayed with my happy snail yarn bowl)

6 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on November 9, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in craft
Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on November 9, 2013

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2013/11/09/will-knit-for-wool/

Scrappy update

All laid out, in no particular order

All laid out, in no particular order

When you’ve finished a piece of knitting, there are always scraps or oddments of yarn left over. Currently, I’m using the left-overs from my sock knitting to make hexipuffs… tiny hexagonal padded pockets that will eventually become a ‘beekeepers quilt‘. I’d really like it to be big enough to cover our bed eventually, but I’m a long way off yet. To date, I have knitted 86 puffs, but they don’t even make a square metre of quilt. However, I still have lots of yarn oddments to work with and lots of sock yarn still to knit into socks. My intention is only to use left-overs and not to buy any new yarn for this project because I started it as a way to avoid waste. It’s also rather lovely to have a project like this, where it’s possible to complete a section in half an hour or so (with practice, I’ve got quicker at making them) and thus maintain a sense of achievement even when there’s still a long way to go.

planetcoops' leftovers shawl... I really want to make one!

planetcoops’ leftovers shawl

Despite my long-term goal, I have recently seen a another project for using sock yarn oddments that I would really like to undertake in the future, a ‘leftovers shawl‘ as made by planetcoops… perhaps I’ll get there in about four more years!

Of course, not all my oddments are 4-ply – the gauge I knit socks in – so I’m on the look out for other projects to use up double knitting  and chunky yarn. Amigurumi is great for this, especially since I’m currently experimenting with my own designs… eventually I will have a crochet version of the knitted snails that star at the top of this page.

So, what do you do with yarn oddments?

14 Comments
by The Snail of Happiness on October 22, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in craft
Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by The Snail of Happiness on October 22, 2013

https://thesnailofhappiness.com/2013/10/22/scrappy-update/

« Older Posts
%d bloggers like this: