handmade by stefanie

This article and pattern originally appeared in Holla Knits , an online magazine produced by my good friend Allyson Dykhuizen . She has graciously allowed me to republish here on my blog now that Holla Knits is no more, and I am super excited to relaunch one of my favorite sock designs, the Spring-tastic Socks, which are now available here in my Ravelry store ! This pattern is fun to knit and looks great in both semisolid and variegated yarn.  The Spring-tastic Socks are shown here in the Periquito colorway of Manos del Uruguay Alegria Sock. Sock Knitting Basics Sock knitting is a pretty vast subject, so this article in no way purports to cover every aspect - but it will help you to tackle your first pair of socks with confidence and give you some ideas for future sock exploration. First things first: let’s cover the terminology. Below is the basic anatomy of a sock, which you will see referenced throughout most sock knitting patterns. Cuff: Generally, this cons...

The 3rd Annual  Holla Knits KAL  starts TODAY and runs through April 30, 2016! I'm heading up the project KAL for my own pattern, the SpringTastic Socks - but you you can knit any Holla Knits pattern (or patterns!) to be eligible for tons of great prizes over the next three months. Whether you like to knit accessories, or are looking to start your next sweater, there is something for everyone ( click here to read more on the Holla Knits blog ). If you'd like to join the Spring-Tastic Socks KAL, check out the thread  here on Ravelry  - and don't forget to use the #hkkal and #springtasticsocks hashtags on your social media posts! For those of you who purchased the SpringTastic Socks pattern prior to today, your names have been automatically entered in a drawing for a skein of sock yarn - I'll be announcing the winner ASAP and will update this blog post accordingly. If you are just now discovering this KAL, don't worry - there are plenty more prizes up for gra...

I'm excited to announce that one of my patterns is now available in French! I was recently approached by a Raveler who offered to translate my Chittery Chattery sock pattern into French, and I couldn't say no! Thanks to Guy (also known as tricotman on Ravelry), this free pattern is now available in both English and French. I took 5 years of French, but couldn't even pretend that I know enough to translate a knitting pattern, so I am quite appreciative of Guy's efforts. He noted that my super-clangy title was a big of a challenge for him to translate: "avoir un brin de jasette" or "piquer une jasette" translates to "having a chat" in Québec. Close enough for me! Guy has a blog of his own which is in French located here - it's worth checking out, you can definitely get the gist of it through Google translate. The Chittery Chattery socks are available as a free download in your choice of English or French here on Ravelry ...

Ever since I discovered that the original yarn called for in my Alameda Sock design was discontinued, I have wanted to update this design. To be totally honest, the yarn I originally chose wasn't particularly well-suited to becoming socks, being that it was a rather inelastic cotton yarn. As much as I wanted a pair of hand-knit cottony summer socks, it just didn't work quite like I had imagined. When two skeins of beautiful Violet GEMS sport weight yarn arrived on my doorstep, I realized they would be the perfect yarn choice for version 2.0 of the Alameda Socks , and last fall I cast on for a pair which would also conveniently serve as my grandmother's Christmas gift. Two birds, one pair of socks! That's the saying, right?? Anyway, I loved the way they turned out, though the yarn substitution did necessitate a few changes to the original pattern due to the difference in gauge. I chose to revise this pattern to be knit in 2 sizes (instead of the original 3)...

Knitting socks with a cotton yarn may cause you to exclaim “Say What?!” - but the uniqueness of SilverSpun is well-suited to the task! Featuring combed cotton with a touch of lycra, the resulting yarn is incredibly stretchy. The addition of pure silver adds a variety of benefits: silver inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria and also has excellent thermal properties (read more about this unique yarn here ). Say What? Socks  in SilverSpun yarn While the conductive properties of the yarn make it excellent for gloves or mittens, you’re sure to love these textured, cabled socks for year-round use. SilverSpun yarn is made from cotton which is raised and spun in North Carolina; it is a finalist for the Martha Stewart American Made Craft Awards , and I highly recommend you click here to cast your vote! The cabled panel gives a faux knotted look (without having to cut any yarn!), and it is complemented by a background of simple seed stitch. The Say What? socks ar...

It's been a while since I've checked out out an issue of Sockupied , but when I was offered a free download for my review, I couldn't say no! This latest issue is a user-friendly, interactive app which is available for both Mac and PC. I really liked the overall presentation; the images of the socks and products were well-done, while the graphics interface was eye-catching and engaging. The layout is such that you can click (or tap) various areas on the page to bring up more content which are generally well-marked with graphic elements such as asterisks or arrows. True North DK Socks  by Lucy Neatby Navigating through each section was fairly intuitive for the most part (although sometimes I would totally miss something which probably is quite obvious to tablet users, which this format seemed geared towards). After so many years of knitting (and designing) socks, I have countless books and patterns in my library, and I find it hard to get excited about most "...

I'm so excited to announce that I have a new sock pattern! The Windmill of the Autumn Sky Socks are a celebration of my favorite time of year, and I chose a nice, autumnal color from Fleece Artist (the sample is knitted in the "Rust" colorway of Nova Sock ). They feature a simple lace pattern that will keep you interested as you knit, but won't stress you out by being overly complicated. I'm all about lovely, soothing knits for fall.  The stitch pattern also lets the subtle variations of hand-dyed yarns take center stage. Plus, they make a great gift if you're starting to panic about your holiday gift-making!  The name of this pattern is kind of a mouthful, but I became obsessed with a song by Asteroid #4 and couldn't get the song title out of my mind whenever I thought about these socks! Somehow - long though it is - it just suited them perfectly, and the name stuck. Plus, the lace pattern kind of looks like windmills! Unfortunately, t...

Hooray, it's FO Friday, and I am especially excited to share my finished project with you this week: See how excited I am?? Based on a vintage stitch pattern, the Scalloped Rib Socks have always been near and dear to my heart. I am thrilled to offer a totally new version of this design knit in Baah! La Jolla superwash merino sock yarn. It's delightful to knit with and the perfect way to show off this stitch pattern! Version 2.0 of the Scalloped Rib Sock pattern includes an additional size option, clearer instructions, and most importantly, CHARTS! If you have already purchased this pattern, you will receive the updated PDF free of charge! Pattern Details: Yarn: 1 skein Baah La Jolla (400 yards) - both sizes Needles: US #1 Gauge: 30sts = 4 inches in stockinette stitch Size Options: Women's S/M (7" circumference) or Women's M/L (8" circumference) Click here to purchase on Ravelry. I strongly recommend signing up for newsletter u...

First off, let's start with the disclaimer: as a new affiliate, I was given a special code to create my first Blurb book for free using a preview of their new Designer Photo Book Template . The catch? I had less than a week to use the promo code, which meant that my first book with Blurb would be a whirlwind! I decided that the best place to start would be with my back catalog of patterns, so after much internal debate, I decided to do a sock retrospective called Super Socks! (what do you want? I was under a deadline). From start to finish, everything was totally easy and user-friendly. I used Bookify to drag and drop each page's graphics (I converted the PDF pages to PNGs for speed, I admit) and added in text and graphics elsewhere as need, easy peasy. Once I was done, I listed it for sale to the general public; all you have to do is order the first copy and set your price, then folks can choose which type of book they'd like to order. I myself ordered the hardcov...