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Swocks!

When making thick comfy socks out of a colourway called Swamp then naturally your friends will refer to them as Swocks!

I wanted to make some thick warm socks for The Englishman, choosing a colourway during the annual Black Friday sales from Hedgehog fibres the yarn was waiting for us when we arrived in England.

Originally I cast on a size large but they were huuuge! way too big, so I re cast on in a size Medium and that worked out much better. Unlike my own tiny feet making socks for The Englishman uses a whole skein of thicker ply yarn.

I genuinely enjoy knitting rib so it was a lovely time sitting in front of the fire making my way through the socks. Using only a single colour meant they were very calm and easy to knit., Highly recomended for a fireside easy knit! Also quite fun to be able to knit a pair of socks while in England, 2 years since I had learnt to make a very wobbly cast on and attempt to make some stitches. Testament to practice and dedication!

Pattern:

Yarn: Swamp from Hedgehog Fibes

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Sashiko and Boro Rice Bags

A few years ago I was introduced to Sashiko and Boro after watching a documentary on mending from Japan. Intrigued I did some research found some supplies and set about learning some new to me techniques.

I really enjoy it, the slow meditative repetitive stitching quietens my mind while still allowing me to keep my hands busy. There was a period of time where I was spending quite a lot of time in waiting rooms of varying doctors and medical offices and having something to do that didn’t require complicated charts or note keeping was a special gift. The staff were also impressed at someone doing something too!

At some point I would love to go and learn from a traditional artist in Japan as I know I’m probably doing many things incorrectly or at least not best practice, I have found google translate and being able to add subtitles to YouTube videos a good way to learn from people practicing their craft everyday.

This rice bag is one of a handful I made from the same pattern. Each panel was handstitched and then the whole thing assembled by machine. The pattern was from BeBeBold and I had got a bundle of traditional fabrics to use in the pieceing but I did add my own Japanese fabrics I had picked up on trips or been given.

From memory I think I made 3 maybe 4 of these? Since they were made mine was lost in a house fire, my mums was lost in floods, one person has passed away and I think 1 may still be in use by it’s recipient. As always I value the time it took me and how much I enjoyed using that time to create and the joy of gifting them to people. The fact the bags may no be in existence is not sad just what happened.

I just wanted to include these photos here as a record of the make and the enjoyment I got from learning new things and creating.

 

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Satisfyingly Boring Sewing – Not Paper Towels

One of the things I genuinely love about sewing is making boring things. Need a new tote bag, sew it, need a new placemat, sew it or as it happens in this case, need new non paper towels, sew it!

I first made not paper towels a few years back and I’ve found them so very useful. I was cleaning  up my fabrics, came across some flannel scraps and decided to sew them up straight away and get them into use. I followed the same principles as I did in this video I made showing how to make Not Paper Towels and the pattern is available here

Generally I use these for all kinds of cleaning and they’ve been handy in the winter time to wipe down the insides of our windows which are prone to collecting condensation to the point of dripping water….thanks poor Australian housing standards which never specify the use of double glazing.

If you’ve got some flannel scraps lying around I highly recommend making some up, you’ll be surprised at just how useful they are. Plus you just throw them in the wash with the towels and they come out ready to be used over and over.

Pattern – Not Paper Towels by Measure Twice Cut Once

Fabric – left over flannel scraps

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Dark Academia Super Wide Rib Socks

Learning to knit has been a surprising journey for me so far. At first I found it so difficult and I was so tired from trying to take in new things, then I got to this pair which taught me the joy of repetition. Turns out I really like knitting rib! Admittedly the leg and upper foot of this pair is very wide rib but still so enjoyable.

I really wanted a taller sock suitable for wearing with my hiking boots. With the sock yarn being merino I also thought they would perform similarly to my RTW merino socks which are fantastic for walking in, I shall report back once I’ve worn them and see how I get on.

The yarn which is showing up much lighter and more purple here is almost black with lighter purple highlights, very dark Academia look. This looks fantastic but was a bit of a killer as I was using a pair of darker bamboo needles to make this one, once I swapped to my silver metal needles it did go much faster but was a bit brutal on my wrists.

Pattern is from Summer Lee’s Wide Rib Sock Set and this is the 8 x 8 sock.

Yarn is from Maker Maker store, with the bright pink coming from Skein Sisters as a mini skein of Fabulous sock.

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Wonderfully useful Hana Fukin Sashiko cloths

These Hana Fukin Sashiko cloths have been in heavy use since I finished stitching them.
I can’t remember where I got these exact ones, it was either from our last trip to Japan or from @bebebold where I get many of Sashiko supplies from.
They were a delight to stitch, wonderfully meditative and now I use them to wrap my bento in before I pop it in my backpack to take to work. Makes a fantastic mini tablecloth or napkin while I’m having my lunch.
Highly recommended if you need something to stitch that keeps your hands busy without taking a huge amount of concentration.
 
Supplies: pre printed Hana Fukin cloth, sashiko thread, sashiko needle
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Scrap busting knits with the Active Beanie

The Active beanie pattern (buy the pattern here) and check out the video of how to sew it here is such a favourite of mine, not only is it a super fast make, it takes next to no fabric, is perfect for scrap busting and makes awesome gifts!

I normally make a bunch of them whenever I’ve cutting out anything merino and then they either go into the cupboard ready to grab before a run or walk or get added to the present box where I keep everything I make all year intended for gifts.

Here are some I made recently, I mixed and matched colours making sure all fabric scraps were utilised to their fullest extent.

 

Pattern: The Active Beanie by Measure Twice Cut Once

Fabric: merino wool jersey scraps and leftovers

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More shorty socks!

When it’s cold and almost snowing well naturally I made shorty socks!

I cast these ones on over the Christmas break when we were in England and it felt ridiculous in all that cold weather but come January and back in the heat of Sydney and I was grateful for my shorty socks.

Once again I’m using a Summer Lee sock pattern but this time I’m trying on with an arch support.

This was fun to knit but when it came to wearing them they are sooooo comfortable. I really like how it feels like they hug your foot. They are particularly fun to wear on Saturdays when I stand all day teaching.

The main yarn is a Hedgehog Fibres yarn and once again I can’t find the name and will have to add that back in later. The mint I’ve used for the heel and toe is from a bundle of mini skeins from My Creative Garage I picked up at FibreFest.

After wear these are suffering the same fate as my neon shorties, once my shoes suck them in I have to adjust them straight away. As it is I didn’t do that while rushing for the bus one day and I think the rib has now felted. So sad but good lesson learned. Start with a smaller size and make them a little taller to help with fit.

Pattern: Summer Lee Knits – shorty sock set – arch support shown in Pom Squad Sneaker Sock

Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres and My Creative Garage

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and now for something different…a scarf!

Just in case you thought it was all socks all the time, here’s a scarf! Well technically a cowl and yes it has indeed been many socks and will continue to be sock central but this was something fun! And it was perfect to wear on cold crisp days in Cambridge, England over Christmas.

Knit in the round, this pattern is the Time after Time cowl in super chunky wool. I found it very fun to make up and it was one of the first times where I found the rhythm of the pattern of stitches easy to remember instead of nail bitingly difficult to keep in my head.

I did have a momentary panic mid way through the second colour that it was going to be too tight to go round my head twice and instead be some kind of not long not short length.

Thankfully once finished and blocked it did end up being enough to slip over my head twice. Though honestly blocking is probably too strong a word for dunking it in some water and draping it over the line to dry. I really need to research more about blocking.

Pattern: Time and Time Cowl by Elizabeth Smith Knits

Yarn: NNK Super Chunky from Maker Maker Store in NNK Super Chunky Merino Singles Fanciful, Pinkilicious, Bright Lights

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Neon Shorty Socks

Catching up on my backlog of posting, these neon shorty socks were knitted last year and have been in rotation ever since.
The pattern is @summer.lee.knits Shorty sock pattern set, I used the fade without the fade as I wasn’t quite at that skill point in my knitting.
I love the shorter length, makes knitting seem even faster but with wear I’ve been regretting they are quite this short. I’m notorious for my shoes eating my socks. That’s happened a few times with these ones and it ruins the rib along the top.
Note for next pairs be sure to make them a fraction taller and tighter so they move around less on my foot. I’m making progress with closing up the toe, I still have to watch the video and set up one stitch at a time and not be interrupted but it’s looking slightly neater and has no holes.
On this pair I feel like I was finally getting the hang of knitting the rib in the round, though trying to count the neon yarn nearly sent me blind, it is bright!
Pattern – Summer Lee Knits – Shorty sock pattern set
Neon yarn – Jawoll sock from Maker Maker store
Blue Yarn – I think it’s also Jawoll sock but I can’t find it’s order to confirm that
Speckled Yarn – Hedgehog Fibres, I’ll update the colour when I find it