Hopkins Fall Fiber Festival - Come Take a Class from Me!

This photo is from last year.

I didn't think it would do me a lot of good to just sell books, as I did last year at the Fall Fiber Festival. So, when they asked if anyone wanted to teach, I jumped at the chance! It's coming up in just a few weeks.

I'm going to teach one of my favorites: Beyond Basic Sock Techniques. It could be called "This is the stuff that makes knitting socks easier, faster and more fun," but that's waaaaay too long!

We decided to keep the classes small - 10 spots. There are two times: 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. That's the same class twice, not a four-hour class broken into blocks. There's a little more information here.  

You're supposed to register by contacting me. My email address is on the page I linked to, above. When you email me to sign up, I'll write down your name. You can pay me at the venue. I will be able to take cash, charge or check. 

Lovely Time in Pocohontas, IA

I had a lovely time last weekend talking about knitting, spinning, history and socks!!!! It was the first time the Little Sioux Spinners and Weavers Guild brought a speaker to their annual meeting and it was a total blast. Thank you to all of the wonderful ladies who were great students and an attentive audience. 

Sock Architecture, in PDF and Print Form

Up until last week, the only way to buy a PDF and a print version of Sock Architecture at the same time (and for a good price) was by going to http://cooperativepress.com/ to do it.

Well, they're clearing out their warehouse and my book has sold out, for now, from them. A little note on my book's page on their site now says this:

"As mentioned in our most recent email to the CP mailing list, we are currently transitioning to a new sales method for our books. Our new website will go live shortly, and in the meantime, we are working to clear our warehouse of excess inventory. Some book titles have oversold, and this is one of them. We are shipping books to fill those orders now. In the meantime, if you would like to order a copy of this book, you can find it on Amazon here. If you purchase on Amazon now, you can forward a copy of your receipt to us at support@cooperativepress.zendesk.com with your Ravelry username and we'll put it in your library there."

So, if you've been waiting to buy it, this might be a good time to, since I don't know how long they will offer a bundle deal!

The Start of the Season

September always seems like the start of the knitting season. It's exciting for me to suddenly be receiving more requests to teach! Check out my schedule, I'm going to some really fun yarn shops and locations this Fall/Winter!

Minnesota State Fair!

Third Place!

Paris Wallpaper Socks, 5th Place

I received two ribbons this year at the Minnesota State Fair! The third-place socks are stockinette-stitch socks with a Balbriggan heel in Poste Patina Glass Mountain from Simply Socks Yarn company. The red and black Paris Wallpaper socks are in Dream in Color's Smooshy with Cashmere.

It's always so exciting to see all of the exhibits at the fair!

One-Year Birthday!

Sock Architecture was one year old yesterday, so I did what any proud parent would do. I made gluten-free brownies and took a picture of my book with one. As you do. 

The pirate cupcake topper had to stand in for the candle because, well, fire.

If you don't have it yet and want it, where's the best place to get it? You can buy it from my publisher (they're clearing out their warehouse, so it's 30% off at the moment), online from at least two places, and I'll happily sell you a signed copy from my Etsy store. A digital-only version is available on Ravelry, too.

Already have the book, but want more sock-knitting time with me? I  have a Craftsy class, and if you use this link, you can get it for 50% off.

Here's to many more years of happy sock knitting for all!

Knitty Wrote About Me!

Reviews are every author's bread and butter, even if they don't know it. Hearing that a friend "gets" your work is a nice thing, but it's truly wonderful and exciting when it's another person in your field.

It takes a lot to write a book. I mean time, of course, and work, but also a little courage, chutzpah, guts, craziness, or whatever you want to call it. You write, you work, you sweat, you cry, and you do it all not knowing if it will be useful to anybody or if anyone will want to read it.

So, anyway, I'm very, very happy today.

The First Few Rows

I keep finding different ways to think of (and knit) the beginning of a round (French) heel turn.

In my Craftsy class, the really important bit is:

ROW 1 (RS): Sl1, knit to the center of the heel sts, k2, ssk, k1. Turn.

Which means the same thing as (from page 23 of Sock Architecture):

If X is an even number:

Row 1 (RS): Sl1, k(X/2) sts, k1, ssk, k1. Turn.

(My Craftsy class is restricted to X being an even number, to keep things simple. If X is odd, there is help for you in the book!)

So, even though I said it two different ways, I seem to know what I'm about in those moments.

But, a sharp-eyed knitter pointed out: in the patterns section of Sock Architecture, I seem to have led myself astray. By one stitch. It is an important, stitch, though!

(pages 51, 101 and 104, Sock Architecture)

Row 1 (RS): Sl1, k14 (15, 16, 17, 19, X/2), ssk, k1. Turn.

Should be: Row 1 (RS): Sl1, k14 (15, 16, 17, 19, X/2), k1, ssk, k1. Turn.

I am adding this to the Errata page. I am so sorry if this has caused any of you to think that you have failed at counting to 2, 5, or 17!

I Believe Your First Socks Should Fit

Gauge swatch, in action.

This question came up in an Amazon review: "How many people can make a first anything...fit perfectly when it comes to knitting?"

It is true that perfection isn't possible in a lot of things. Your first omelet won't be perfectly beautiful. The very first thing you knit probably wasn't perfect. 

But, I'm going to risk myself and put it out there. If you:

1) are careful when you measure
2) work a gauge swatch
3) follow directions well

...you CAN have your very first pair of hand-knit socks fit you. Perfectly. 

Yes, practice helps. If you knit the same size of socks in the same yarn on the same needles, you'll learn when 2 or 4 stitches or rounds one way or the other really matters and when you can fudge it. 

I also really, truly, completely believe that you have to knit a gauge swatch whenever you have a new sock size, yarn, or set of needles. That is, if you don't want to add to your "this was a nice pattern, but the socks don't fit" pile. 

It is part art and part science, but it's not impossible!

Wall of Books

It's a bit strange. Literally, a (little) wall of my work. Those are 4 boxes that contain 88 of my books. I'm getting ready for some events, so I ordered more books than I ever have, before. Let's hope that 88 people want to take them off of my hands. 

Also, here's living proof that no matter what you achieve, it's very, very hard to impress a cat. 

Minnesota Knitters' Guild

Last night, Fragile, my socks, Dee, Leslie and I hit the road so that I could speak to the Minnesota Knitters' Guild about The History of Socks. But, really, I could have called it: 

- My History of Finding Photos of Socks from Museums and Graves

or

- How I Learned To Love Aftherthought Heels, And So Can You

or

- Holy Cow LOOK At That Colorwork

or

- If You Think You Don't Like Charts, Check Out This Argyle Sock Pattern from 1886

Can you spot my non-knitting fan club, on the right? 

I had a great time! I actually had a little too much material, so I had to skip some stuff, but it was wonderful getting to talk to so many people about socks. :)

Count, Think, or Use Stitch Markers

I like to think. I like to knit. I like to think about knitting. I just don't always like to think about my knitting (or count too much) AS I'm knitting.

The Round (or French) heel has always kind of bothered me. Just like with any heel turn, if you get off by one tiny stitch when you start the turn...well, you're going to have to pull it all out and start over. WAAAAY too much pressure for me, on some days.

I just found a cheat to make my heel turns (almost) foolproof.

Before you start the first heel turn row, place a marker dead-center in the middle of your heel stitches (that's the gold marker). Then, place another marker 2 stitches away from it, one on either side.

Knit over to the last marker, ssk, k1...

Turn. Purl over to the (was the first, but now is the) last marker, p2tog, p1...

Turn. Then just take out the markers and continue as you normally do for this sort of heel, secure in the knowledge that your first two rows, at least, are correct!

Voila. Heel turn courtesy of me. Amazing stitch definition courtesy of Simply Socks Yarn Company and some amazing Minnesota sunlight.

On the Road Again!

Last weekend, I got to teach a wonderful group of knitters at Darn. Knit. {Anyway} in Stillwater, MN!

It's one of many near-LYS places in Minnesota that have stolen my heart. It's great to find so many homes away from home!

My teaching gear:

- notes

- coffee

- regular knitting bag

- "class" knitting bag

- box-o-socks

- model foot (to keep me from taking my shoe off while talking about the structure of the foot)

- (under my notes) a few skeins of yarn from the shop, so that I can wave them around and talk about what makes a great sock yarn vs. what makes a good one. Some of these end up jumping into my knitting bag...

Some Clarifications - X, S and what the heck is A1?

I recently received an email from a knitter who seemed pretty frustrated by some aspects of Sock Architecture, so I want to try to answer her questions here, in case there are others out there who agree with her. (I also answered her email, so don't worry!)

The beginning of the book has a lot of calculations for the heels and toes. This is so that you can "plug in" your own numbers and make those heel or toe shapes with any number of stitches you like. If you want, you can use these instructions to make up your own socks from scratch or just alter an existing pattern to suit you.

The patterns in the back of the book are a little more spelled-out in a stitch-by-stitch way. If you are using one of the sizes in the pattern, you can just follow the pattern, so your knitting experience will be a lot like using any other knitting book. In other words, you can pretty much not do any calculations at all, if you have the same row and stitch gauge the pattern calls for and you want to end up with the exact size that I have written.

Some patterns combine the  best of both worlds (in my mind). They include an adjustable size, where you plug in your own S (total number of stitches), X (half of S) and sometimes a few more calculations, so that you can customize that pattern just for you. Those patterns have the term "adjustable size" in their sizing notes.

Ok, this next bit is only for people who are looking at page 12:

A1, A2 and A3 aren't always computed, but they are related to each other.

When you are working from the toe up, you should work A1 and use the information from the toe-up section of the book to calculate A3. Then, subract A3 from  the desired length of your sock's foot to see how long you should make A2 before you start the heel (and gusset, if any) shaping (which is A3).

When you are working from the top down, you should work A3 and use the information from the top-down section of the book to calculate A1. Then, subtract A1 from the desired length of your sock's foot to see how long you should make A2 before you start the toe shaping (which is A1).

I hope this helps and I'm sorry if I just gave everyone who didn't like high school algebra hives!

"The Last Sock Book You May Ever Need"

Truly, truly kind words by Pamela MacKenzie of myCentralJersey.com! It's so interesting to watch different people react to my book. She almost wishes she had the book 50 years ago, to help her mom knit socks for her dad. How charming!

The Library Journal Reviewed Sock Architecture

This is for those of you that don't receive a copy of Library Journal every month. :) I'm absolutely thrilled that they love it!

It's Not Too Late: Enter to Win a Digital Copy of Sock Architecture!

Annie Modesitt (who is generous enough to call me her friend) wrote a very kind review of Sock Architecture last Friday. If you don't have a digital copy of the book, you can leave a comment on her blog post for a chance to win one by the end of the business day today.

While you're there, don't miss her wonderful self-published books. I love my complete set of FlipKnit books. Yes, you read that correctly. They're adorable little flipbooks that show you how to knit, purl, increase and decrease. I like them for teaching new knitters. The photos are clear and the action is easier to follow than most videos.

And, in case you don't know about it, take a look at Modeknit yarn. The colors are gorgeous!

No-Bull Book Review by Carol Sulcoski of Black Bunny Fibers

I love Carol's yarns and admire her writing. It does mean something extra-special when a knitter with a wonderful sock book of her own reviews Sock Architecture.

I'm happy that she calls my book a treasure, but even more excited that someone who is as clearly in love with vibrant, exciting colors as she still likes my book. She asks that people not skip over it because it may appear too basic, which was one of my real fears about the way I chose to photograph the book. What could be seen as wonderful clarity by some might look boring and bland to others.

Carols' review also raises a question of word choice. Carols says "cuff down" where I say "top down." It is my journalistic tic of alliteration that makes me pair "top" with "toe?" Which version do you see more often? Which makes more sense to you?

You can read the whole review here.

Twisted Loop Yarn Shop

I had a great time last night at Twisted Loop Yarn Shop!

I placed my pile of socks next to a cute tray of sock cookies that Jenni brought. YUM!

There were many nice knitters and LOTS of great yarn.

One skein (for socks for me!) jumped into one of my boxes. Don't worry, I paid for it. It's Regia 6-ply. I knit some socks from a skein of this last winter and I just love them. 

I'll Help You Drop A Hint

The holidays are on their way and I'm flattered that more than one knitter has told me that my book is on her wish list. I know it can be hard to convince your non-knitter family and friends to buy knitting stuff for you, so I made a few hints you can print out or share electronically. Go forth and drop hints!

Square for Instagram

Might print out better than the other two.