handmade by stefanie

Last weekend, I finished the first sock with my Waterlilies yarn , and just for yuks, I tried it on even though it was basically just a tube sock. Much to my surprise, it fit really well, even without a heel. Who knew? So, that got me thinking: what if I just didn't add the heels?  I never thought a tube sock would actually fit nicely, but I genuinely like the fit, so...why spend time to add the heels? As the saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.... Let's say I decide not to add heels once the second sock is done - there will still be placeholder yarn for the afterthought heels, as you can see above, so should I leave it in and just weave in the ends? Or should I remove it, put the live stitches back on needles and at least graft them together using more of the Waterlilies yarn? I plan on mulling all of this over as I knit the second sock, and I'd love to hear your opinions of what you think would look best (or if you think this whole "n...

After sharing my first Weaving Wednesday post last month , I warped my loom for my first project using some destash yarn: I've been meaning to share some of my getting-started resources here, so this seems like a good time to mention them: in addition to Syne Mitchell's Inventive Weaving on a Little Loom , I have also been keeping Liz Gipson's Weaving Made Easy handy (note, I do not have the updated version, but I linked to that since it seems like it would be more helpful to anyone looking to build their weaving library). And my colleague Ben sent over this YouTube video which ultimately helped me get my loom warped. I watched it several times and would pause it as I worked on each step: Right after I got my loom warped, I had to travel for a few weeks and didn't get much weaving time - I believe this was the last time I blogged about this project . But once I was back at home base, it really started to fly! You know how people tell you that weaving is WA...

Remember the sweater I started last August from Graphic Knits? I've been working on it here and there and finally have a bit of progress to share this week. I also started a new top-secret test knit in some lovely yarn from Manos - while I can't share more details wit you here, I can at least show you my gauge swatch showing you the pretty hand-dyed variations of the color I'm using, Black Forest in Clara. As I mentioned on Monday , I started a new striped mitten project over the weekend, though I'm still not to the striped part just yet: The Waterlilies socks have been coming along, I think I am closing in on the toe for the first sock! - And I've just gotten to the next color (#5!) on my Find Your Fade , which I think is pretty remarkable considering how many shiny squirrels have been tempting me of late. Whew! That was action packed....I don't have any finished projects to share this Friday, but I'll see you back here n...

Like most of us, I really don't need more yarn in my life, but when one of my clients mentioned that they were launching a new yarn club this year, I couldn't resist signing up. The Legacy Yarn Club from Mountain Meadow Wool will feature themed boxes of US-made, sustainably produced yarns which support family ranches in the western states. I love yarn with a story, and this club has it in spades! My first shipment arrived this month, and it did not disappoint in the slightest! I received two skeins of worsted weight yarn (one natural/undyed skein and one dyed skein), two patterns, information about the ranch which raised the sheep, and a discount code to use in their online store - and it was all beautifully packaged in this box: While the patterns included in the box were tempting, I fell in love with how the two skeins looked together and decided I wanted to knit a project using both yarns. I found a free pattern on Ravelry, the Lychee Mittens , and immediately c...

Another long-term project has finally found its way off the needles: the Matchmaker I started in mid-October of last year is done! The best smile I could muster - it was cold! I used 2 skeins of Tibetan Dream sock yarn from Bijou Basin Ranch in some limited edition colors dyed by Miss Babs, Lenore and Raven (I believe both are still available here if you are interested). The pattern is Martina Behm's Matchmaker ; I didn't make any modifications, unless you count the third color "design element" at the end, when I ran out of both yarn colors and had to sub in something left over in my stash - oops! It blends in surprisingly well... I thought about buying another skein of Lenore to finish this project, and I very nearly frogged the light gray pictured above in favor of doing so, but once I slept on it and took another look at this project in the light of day, I realized that I was ok with the 11th hour substitution...plus, if you wear it cowl-style...

This week, I have an exciting Find your Fade update: I finally got to the the fourth color, a skein of stellina yarn that was gifted to me recently: I have an instagram buddy with whom I swap beer a few times a year, and we always include something yarny for each other; this skein of hand-dyed yarn from the Susquehanna Knitting Company seemed like the perfect thing to use for the middle color of this project (and I totally dig the color name,  Winter Waves ). I've also made it to the heel on my first Waterlilies sock , over the weekend I put in the placeholder yarn so that I can work an afterthought heel. You have to really squint to see the not-so-contrasty gray yarn I used, but I assure you it is there! Since there is some sample knitting in my future, I am trying to avoid starting new projects right now in favor of finishing current (and possibly languishing) WIPs. The yarn for one such sample arrived earlier this week - check out this luscious bundle of  Clara...

I've finally reopened my Etsy shop , and it's fully stocked with sock yarn mini skein grab bags ! Yay! There are tons of new yarns and colors, most of which are hand dyed (a few are even one-of-a-kind colors dyed by yours truly!). Each one contains over 100g of fingering weight yarn, which includes postage to the US (Canadian shipping is just a tiny bit more, you can also Convo me for international shipping rates). Many of the yarns and colors are unique, hard-to-find, one-of-a-kind, exclusive, discontinued....you get the idea! Also, if you have a reasonable request (i.e. colors you love, colors you hate, no variegated colors, etc.), I am totally happy to honor that as I pack up your skeins. THIS WEEK ONLY: Get $2 off your order with coupon code BLOG2017. Offer good today through 2/12/17.   Click here to visit my Etsy shop, thanks for stopping by! 

Today's FO is a long time coming: I gave the yarn to Tyler for Christmas 2015 with an explanation of the project - to knit him a pair of socks which commemorated the 2015 Kansas City Royals season ; each of the 4 colors would symbolize a win or a loss either at home or on the road. It was an ambitious project, needless to say. I didn't cast on until March 28, 2016, and I finished them just in the nick of time before we headed to Kansas City last month - the official "done" date is January 26, 2017. Honestly, they would probably still be on the needles if I hadn't had a fire lit underneath me to finish them so that Tyler could wear them to Fan Fest! Unblocked socks are ready for Fan Fest! Why did this take so long? The obvious answer is that wrangling four balls of yarn is a total PITA - and since I decided to knit them two-at-a-time, that meant I was actually dealing with eight  balls of yarn on any given day...so, you kind of had to be "in the mood...

Traveling two weekends in a row was certainly an ambitious way to start 2017. I spent last weekend visiting family in Kansas City and took 3 projects along. I knit a sum total of 1 row on my Find your Face shawl , but I did start a new pair of socks with some yarn I bought on Etsy from The Fawn & The Fox (fun fact: this purchase was 100% enabled by Instagram !). I am just doing a plain vanilla sock, the base is called Otter Sock and it's a 75/25 merino/nylon blend dyed in a colorway inspired by Monet's Waterlilies. Most of my knitting time was spent focusing on the Matchmaker shawl, which I really want to get off the needles so that I can wear and enjoy for the rest of the season! I am closing in on the finish line - I finished knitting with the black yarn, Raven (there is only a tiny bit left, hooray for no leftovers!) and am getting ready to start the final step, the Joining Part, with the variegated yarn. That's it for this week, but I have an FO proje...