Hand Knit Socks now available for pre-order!

Order before November 5 and get free shipping!

It'll be on newstands everywhere too!

Woot!

Drum roll please....

I don't have ordering info yet, but Threads Magazine (a division of Taunton Press), is publishing a bookazine with patterns from my book. The Big Book of Socks. It's going to press next week and will hit magazine stands everywhere, everywhere I say, in November!

As soon as the page goes live, I'll post a link. But in the meantime: Woohoo!!!!

Contest #3!

I'm switching up the order on the final two contests- this week the lucky winner will get signed copies of Taunton's Threads Selects Lace Socks and Colorwork Socks, both with patterns from my book The Big Book of Socks.

Same drill as before- enter by leaving a comment on this post. Be sure to put your name in the comment if you're posting anonymously! The contest is open worldwide.

The drawing will be made, and the winner announced, on Sunday!

And if you're not a sock knitter, or a knitter at all, enter anyway- use the booklets as gifts, or donate them to your local library!

Monday Contest #2- Two more Taunton's Threads Selects Booklets!

Just like last week- two of Taunton's Threads Selects booklets are up for grabs.

This week's prizes are Fair Isle Flower Garden, with patterns and projects for children's wear, from Fearless Fair Isle Knitting, and Lace Socks, from The Big Book of Socks.

To enter, leave a comment (and be sure to leave your name, if you're posting anonymously) on this post. I'll draw a winner on Saturday and announce the lucky person on Monday.

I'll sign the booklets any way you like, and if you're not a knitter, they'll still make good gifts for the knitter (or the library) in your life.

Have fun!

Hauskuus hämmästys kotona lähettää postissa

In Finnish that means: A fun surprise in the mail. At least I hope that's what it means- if not, blame the online Finnish to English Translation Engine. Why am I writing headers in computer-translated Finnish, you ask? Well, because this arrived in the mail yesterday.

I knew that the foreign rights to The Big Book of Socks had been sold, but I thought it was to a German publisher. That happened a year ago or so, and I'd never heard anything else about the sale, so I mostly forgot about it. Until yesterday.

A German publisher may have bought the rights, but a firm in Helsinki published it. Is this not the coolest thing ever? It's my first foreign edition, and I am still grinning from ear to ear.

It looks great on the Kathleen Taylor shelf.

Yep- still grinning...

Look what arrived today!!!!

More info tomorrow, but here's a teaser:

More Excitement!

I'm back in business, internet wise (long story, full of much angst and grr-ing and tech people who tell you that the problem is not their fault when it actually is), which is great because I can share with you the latest cover from Taunton's Threads Selects new line of booklets.

This one will feature 7 patterns from The Big Book of Socks!

There will be 6 booklets using my patterns, which is absolutely thrilling. I don't know the pub date on this one, but my guess is that it'll be sometime in November, as with the Fair Isle Flower Garden booklet.

Woohoo!!!

Threads Selects- Fair Isle Flower Garden

Taunton is publishing a series of booklets featuring patterns from other books they've already published, for readers and crafters who are only interested in a few patterns at a time, rather than the entire book.

The first booklet with my patterns will be the Threads Selects- Fair Isle Flower Garden, with the children's patterns from Fearless Fair Isle Knitting. This is going to be a totally adorable and handy booklet. It's going to press soon, and should hit the stands in November. 

In addition to the Flower Garden patterns, other projects from both Fearless Fair Isle Knitting, and The Big Book of Socks will be featured.

I'm thrilled with this new series, and I'll be sure to keep everyone posted on the progress and availability.

Cool book news

I can go for weeks without anything new to report on the publishing front, and I still don't have anything new to tell about the current fiction project, but Knitting Book News sort of exploded all over this week.

First, I did a podcast interview with Kelly Petkun of Knit Picks a few weeks ago, and it went live on Thursday. I, personally, have not listened to it yet because there is some weird technical glitch with my recorded voice where I end up sounding like an adenoidal 12 year old. It happens every time... so strange. But you can listen to it here. It was a fun conversation, and I don't think I said anything too stupid.

And I learned that foreign rights to The Big Book of Socks were sold! English language versions of the book are already available in Europe, so I have to assume that whoever bought the rights (I don't have all of the details), is planning a translation. This could be my first foreign language edition, and I am inordinately excited about it.

And on top of that, PDF versions of both The Big Book of Socks and I Heart Felt are now available directly from Taunton.

 It's actually handy to have the book in PDF format, because you have to download it to your computer first, and then transfer it to your eReader (it looks wonderful on my Kindle Fire, doesn't it? The entire book is there, just like any other book on my Kindle, and I can pinch and zoom the pages as I need).

And since the book is on your computer, you can print out the charts and instructions for individual projects! Win Win! Both of the Prayer Shawl Companion books (knitting and crochet- I designed the cover project for the former, and another shawl for the latter) are also available as PDF books.

Speaking of eBooks, Interweave has the All New Homespun Handknit book available too- I have a project in it. Also, Spin Your Socks, with the Christmas Stocking pattern that sort of jump-started my knitting book adventure.

Oh, and I guess I do have a little Fiction Book News- the final 3 Tory Bauer mysteries are nearly ready for me to proof in their eBook format. Mourning Shift will be the first one of this batch released, probably by mid-June or so, with Cold Front, and Foreign Body following.

Like I said, and exciting week!

Leftover Hat Recipe, and some wonderful knits

 Here's the latest leftover yarn hat. Not very manly, is it? Pretty? Yes. Masculine? No. This is yarn I bought at the '09 Sock Summit, and used as Road Knitting to make socks on the way to the Michigan Fiber Festival last summer (and which were gifted to my niece). I love how the stripes are working out (it's not officially a self-striping yarn).

Elizabeth asked in the comments, for the basic recipe for these leftover hats. It's easy peasy:  Approx 34gr fingering weight sock yarn, 16" size 2.75mm circ and DPNs (or whatever needles will give you 8sts=1"). CO 140 sts, join (without twisting). Work 6 or so rnds of K2P2 ribbing and then K until the hat measures 5" (more or less, depending on who is the recipient). Decrease every other rnd as follows: Rnd 1: *K 12, K 2 tog*, rep around, Rnd 2: K, Rnd 3: *K 11, K 2 tog*, rep around, Rnd 4: K. Continue, working one less st before the decreases on the Odd Rnds, until you K2 tog around. Cut yarn, weave the tail through the remaining loops, tighten and tie off. Weave the ends in, wash and block. This makes a snug beanie. If you use slightly heavier yarn and 3mm or 3.25mm needles, you'll get a looser hat. If you want a smaller hat, CO 10 or 20 fewer sts. As I said, easy peasy.

 Robin knitted these gorgeous Macaroni Socks (from The Big Book of Socks). She adapted the pattern a bit because the yarn she used was finer than what is called for in the pattern (yay for adaptation!). She said that she hasn't even gotten to try them on because her 12 year old daughter has appropriated them (yay for daughters who love handknit socks!). Thanks for sharing!

Susan took my Nordic Christmas Stocking class at NCFF last September, and made this wonderful stocking! It turned out beautifully! It happens that I'm teaching that class at the Winter Retreat in Asheville next weekend, too.

Next weekend? Yikes, I'd better finish getting ready.

Clarification for The Big Book of Socks- as for

This has come up several times in the past few weeks, so I thought I'd better post a clarification (and it'll go permanently to the right, with the other Big Book of Socks information).

When you come upon instructions that say knit as for, referring you to a different pattern for the next step (in this case, to the 40 stitch flap and gusset heel), knit that portion of your heel as you would for the referred pattern. In other words, knit it in the same manner, using the same short-row technique as in the referenced instructions. Knitting "as for" does not mean that you are to use the same number of stitches (which would be impossible, since only the 40 stitch heel uses forty stitches). Work the first two rows of your listed heel instructions, and then continue in the same manner as the 40 stitch flap and gusset heel (in other words, work one more stitch on each row, before doing the decrease and turn), until you have worked across all of the stitches.

Clarification for the Big Book of Socks

A knitter contacted me because she was having some trouble with the foot measurements for the short-row heel sock patterns in The Big Book of Socks. It took a few messages to sort out where the problem was, but together we figured out the confusion. Just in case anyone else is having the same trouble, I would like to emphasize that all foot measurements in the instructions are to be measured after the heel is finished. Measure the foot for flap and gusset heel socks from the gusset edge, and measure the foot for short-row heel socks from the first full round after completing the heel.

The Big Book of Socks Errata- Worsted Weight and Fingering Weight Afterthought Heel Socks

An alert knitter let me know of omissions in the Worsted Weight and FingeringWeight Afterthought Heel Socks, and that the toe decreases are misplaced in The Big Book of Socks.

The instructions for each should read:

Round Worsted Weight Afterthought Heel Sock
-page 31

Add to Toe Instructions: Decrease as for the heel.


Next Rnd Heel Division should read:

K 12(18, 22, 24, 26, 30), sts, place marker, K to end of rnd.
______

Round Fingering Weight Afterthought Heel Sock
-page 32, 33


Page 32 Next Rnd Heel Division should read:
K 18 (22, 26, 30, 32, 36), place marker, K to end of rnd.

Page 33, Add to Toe Instructions: Decrease as for heel.
_____
My abject apologies for the errors and omissions.

Workshop prep, a nice surprise, and more BBoS previews

While I wait for the next step in the Huge Freaking Project With The Terrifying Deadline, I've been doing more prep work for my workshops at SAFF in October (I'm teaching 5 different classes, 2 of them brand new). Today I will order yarn for the two dyeing workshops, and I'll wind a sample skein of the Patriotic and the Watermelon Spiral Dyed Yarn colorways for class samples, and begin knitting the sample socks for display. The nice thing is once I finish those socks, I can set them aside for future workshops- this particular prep work is forever. I need to revamp the handout a bit, but not a whole lot. I also have a list of supplies that I need to buy and ship to NC before the end of October (I'm not going to fly with all of that stuff and take a chance on the airline losing the luggage. I'll send it early- that way if it disappears, I'll have time to order more).

Anyway, I got a nice surprise as I was checking the Fall 2009 Knit Picks catalog for dyeable workshop yarn- they revamped my Palette Fair Isle Cardigan pattern with the new colors in their Palette line. The pattern is available again, with the new colorway- link to Knit Picks in Stash Enhancers.

And since I'm bragging, here's another sneak peek from The Big Book of Socks. This is a worsted weight sock with a garter stitch lace cuff from Chapter 5.

Getting ready for SAFF, and another BBoS preview

My 8-year old helper assisted me in dyeing up sample skeins for my Spiral Dyeing Workshop at SAFF, in North Carolina in October (see right hand column for link). Students will spiral dye a skein of sock yarn in one of two colorways: Patriotic (though my Tomato Red Country Classics dye came out a lovely pink, so it'll be sort of patriotic, rather than all-out), and Watermelon. I needed one skein of each dyed just for class display purposes, and one dyed so I can wind and knit a sock with it, to show how the yarn knits up. I have taught workshops using this technique, allowing students to choose whatever colors they like for their yarn, but those workshops were within driving distance of my house. I have to mail/fly everything for this class, so this time, we're concentrating on 2 distinct colorways.

The 8 year old understood both the theory and the process, which bodes well for the class (I'm worried about the teacher, not the students). And the yarns came out gorgeously. I used citric acid rather than vinegar this time, and was very pleased with the results- no bleeding in the rinse water at all, even with the reds/pinks. And the house didn't stink afterwards. And I didn't poke holes in my gloves, which means my hands are only chokecherry blue, not overdyed.

As a reward for our hard work, we both dyed one of Knit Picks sock blanks (fabric pre-knit with 2 strands, for dyeing). I made the wide colorful stripes (in part, to use up the dye we had already mixed, though we added some orange and yellow, but also just to see how the stripes on the socks differ from the stripes on the blank), and Helper chose pink stripes and splatters. I will knit my blank into socks, of course. Helper asked for "a scarf to wear with clothes, not with a coat. You know, Grandma, one of those light ones." I think I know what she wants- something lacy as an accessory rather than outerwear. That'll be fun to knit.

I'm not a 2-at-a-time sock knitter, so I'll have to unwind my blank and divide the yarns. I'll need to do that with Helper's as well, since I don't want to knit her lace double stranded. I'll post pics of progress, if there ever is any.

(side note: that lovely oak is covered by a transparent, cut-open garbage bag. I'm not really dyeing yarn directly on the dining room table)

And lastly, here's another Big Book of Socks preview- these socks are from Chapter 4, Texture and Cables. I continue to be delighted and impressed with Taunton's photography- they did a wonderful job with all of the socks in the book (did I mention that there are 75 patterns? Go buy the book already...)(or check it out from your library)(or borrow it from a friend).

Darn it all, and a BBoS preview

Thank you Merike Saarniit. I took your Darn It one-hour wonder class at the Sock Summit, and you did everything a good teacher should do: you engaged your students, you presented your information clearly and simply, you walked us through the process you were teaching (making us cut a hole in our swatches! Not snipping a thread, but cutting a big, gaping, ragged hole!), and you helped us to complete our assignment, making sure we all understood the process, within the class time-frame.

And better yet, I was able to use what you taught me outside of the class room. Last night, I sat down and repaired five pairs of handknit socks. Some of them had actual holes, others holes and thin spots, and others still, very thin spots that would become holes on the next wearing. I don't have an official darning egg, so I used a handblown glass paperweight from The Glass Eye (purchased a couple of years ago, on vacation at Cannon Beach) (http://www.glasseye.com/ ), which was a heavy, and spendy, darning egg, but it worked very well indeed.

First, I laid a foundation of stabilizing stitches around the hole vertically, as you taught me. Then I crossed the hole with individual strands, then I laid another foundation horizontally, and then I wove through the vertical strands to form new fabric, and then, Voila! No more hole!

I will wear my properly mended socks as a badge of honor. It's not that I am particularly frugal, but I am not about to toss handknit socks just because of a little hole (or even a big one). And it's not that I haven't fixed holes before, but my way of doing it was lumpy and ugly (note the previous lumpy repair in the heel of the pictured sock). There is a simple elegance in Merike's method.

After I finish fixing the holey socks, I'm going to go through my sock drawer and reinforce thinning heels and toes, as a preventative darning. It's actually sort of relaxing.

So again, thank you Merike Saarniit- my socks are grateful and so am I.

Speaking of socks, I am hearing reports that copies of The Big Book of Socks are being spotted in the wild! For those who haven't seen a copy in person yet, here's a preview of some socks from Chapter 6. These are Nordic Style socks, sized for adults, and children. I love love love how the photo came out (I love love love all of the photos in the book- Taunton did a marvelous job of putting it all together).

I'll post more pics from the book as the week goes on.

Drum Roll Please....

For the first time on this blog, the cover of my new book:

The Big Book of Socks- The Ultimate Beyond-the-Basics Guide to Knitting Socks

The listing is up on Amazon, without the cover:

http://www.amazon.com/Big-Book-Socks-Beyond-Basics/dp/1600850855/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236270299&sr=1-1

The book will be released on Sept. 1, and I am so excited!!!!