To Socks and Beyond

Someone told me recently that my two new patterns, which will be debuted at Sock Summit 09, are “way beyond socks.” I just love that phrase. In a way, it was a great complement, as socks are rather prosaic knitted items and I strive for the unique and well, special. But functionality is key too, as for all sock-like knitted items that are expected to perform well and look awesome.

Form and function.. both so important, don't you agree?

So here, without any more ado, are my two newest creations.

Continuum, so named because my inspiration for the cable design was the Tibetan never ending knot that symbolizes the interconnectness of all beings. Continuum is a cabled and beaded series of leg warmers in three lengths, in dk weight yarn. Here again I thank my friends Sparklefaerie and M.Scott, her able and willing photographer.



The shortest version, cuffs that are meant to go over boots or knee socks.



The longest version, thigh high and bell bottomed leg warmers that drape beautifully.





And these shortie leg warmers, so cute on Sparklefaerie, that warm your knees when your boots aren't quite high enough.

Next, Blossom Dearies, beaded baby booties that are meant for the most angelic of little feet. I named them after one of my favorite singers as a tribute to her tiny but perfect, angelic voice.







Thanks to Zoe Gee, mother of the little angel in this picture, and the angel himself, Teijo Tso.

These patterns will be found at the Sock Summit vendor area at the Carolina Homespun booths and at WEBS. And after Sock Summit, elsewhere of course.

Happy journeys.. to socks and beyond!

The Event called Sock Summit

OK.. is there anyone out there who still hasn’t heard of Sock Summit, the event that “takes sock knitting almost too far”?

For everyone who hasn’t drooled over the possibilities yet, Sock Summit takes place in Portland, OR on August 6-9 of this year. You can see all the wonderful details on the website, where the class listings were posted for the first time recently.

And very excitingly for me, I am getting to teach at this fantastic event! Truly, I feel as if I should be the one paying them for the privilege. Once you look over the list of teachers and classes (not to mention the 150 vendors in the marketplace) I know you will agree.

If you would like to take a peek at my class offerings, here are the links to those (and yes, they will be all beads, all the time):

http://www.socksummit.com/classes/beaded_cables/

http://www.socksummit.com/classes/beautiful_beaded_baby_bootees/

http://www.socksummit.com/classes/hooked_on_beads/

I hope you can join me there, in spirit if not in the “socks”!

Buried Treasure, Unearthed

What is it about cables and beads that is so magical together?

Many of you have been asking about the Buried Treasure Socks pattern that appeared in Yarn Magazine last year, as the magazine is hard to find here in North America.

Good news.. the pdf pattern is now available for purchase on my website and on ravelry!

When I designed this sock, I had wanted for a long time to make intensely cabled socks, and here they are... elegant socks with cables galore, plus a “buried treasure” of glittering beads. The cables cause the leg to draw in more than usual, so the number of leg stitches has been increased to compensate. These extra stitches are then decreased in the gusset with a special technique.

The yarn I used for this pair is Sweet Georgia's Handpainted Sock, and the pattern requires approximately 226 (254) size 8/0 beads. The socks are sized for women’s medium and large. Retail price is $6.00 and download is immediate from either source.

I actually added this pattern to my projects a couple of days ago but ravelry was having a little trouble with accepting pattern uploads then... happy happy, all is fixed now...

Uno Amore, Up Close and Personal

Kristine asked for a closeup of the scarf, so here it is... ask and you shall receive!



Click for bigger.. hope this fills the bill.

She also asked for information on how the beads go into the design. Here is a description of sorts.

First, the beads go across the beaded purl edging. After the edging is complete, the pattern separates into several patterns across the row, of which two are beaded: the right and left cables and the Fan pattern, which only contains 3 beads in itself but after 20 rows becomes the Beaded Center Pattern which features one centered bead every fourth row of the scarf. Most of the 500 beads go into the beaded cables, and you could still get the impact of beads by just beading the center stitch in my opinion. Hope that helps you sort out your bead priorities!

In other news, I have written a draft of the Rolling Thunder Glove pattern but still need someone to test the larger size. Is anyone up for that??? Please contact me here or at my regular email address, siviaharding AT shaw DOT ca.

In other non knitting news, I have taken up learning the ukelele! Hehe... more on that later, perhaps MUCH later...

Happy almost Canadian Thanksgiving, everyone!

Two Lovers

Now available: the Dué Amori Gloves and Scarf.

Two Lovers... Lace and beads provide sinuous lines in this poetic glove and scarf duo. Fan and Leaf lace motifs are framed by twisted ribs in the gloves and mirrored beaded waving cables in the scarf. The gloves are in two lengths, sized for women’s small, medium and large.

The Dué Amori Gloves and Scarf Set is designed for fingering weight yarn and requires 400 yards of yarn for the scarf and 180 (300) yards for the shorter (longer) gloves. I used a US 2-3 (3 mm) needle for the scarf and US 2 (2.5 mm) needles for the gloves, which are knit in the round. The gloves are sized in two lengths for women's small, medium and large.

The set shown above is worked in Blue Moon Fiber Arts Seduction (50% merino, 50% tencel, 400 yds/100 g) in the Quilla colorway. The set required two skeins. The pattern features beads as a prominent part of the design. The scarf requires approximately 500 size 6/0 beads; the shorter gloves, 114 (122, 130) beads. The longer gloves require 134 (142, 150) beads. For the samples, I used off-white pearl finish seed beads.

Below, the longer gloves are worked in Seduction in the Tanzanite colorway with silver lined amethyst beads. The longer pair requires one skein of yarn.

Thank you, Jamie and Francesca, for the modeling, camera clicking and pinch hitting all around!

And especially a huge, huge thank you to my test knitters, Carin and Kat, who are my saving angels and I bow at their feet...

The pattern is available for sale (so far) on ravelry, my website, Patternfish, and the Knitting Zone as a pdf download. More soon I hope!


Happy knitting to all... enjoy.

Dué Amori Unveiled

I think it's time for a little unveiling... this is the first glimpse of my new design that will be released soon, right after the workshop that will be happening on Vancouver Island in early September. It might be a little premature because the patterns are not completely ready, but I just couldn't wait any more!

The Dué Amori Glove in its shorter version, medium size. There is also an opera-length version, and two more sizes available.

The start of the Dué Amori Scarf, unfinished and unblocked. Note the beaded cables and lovely little cable needle... more on that later.

The Dué Amori Glove and Scarf set is shown using a stunning yarn in a new and very ethereal colorway: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Seduction in Quilla, one of the brand new Spirit Colorways. I feel so privileged to be working with this yarn... it is literally angelic in look AND feel. I am using size 6/0 pearlized seed beads, which lend a sweet Victorian air to the design.

I do hope you like them so far... more progress shots promised soon.

In other news, a big thank you to all who expressed such delight in the new stole pattern, Midnight Lace Stole from Alt Fiber. I have now added the pattern to Ravelry so you can queue it up! Go over and do it right now!!!

And a little word about a beautiful knitting tool from Leslie Wind, the sinuous, lovely cable needle necklace in bronze. I don't have it on a necklace as I prefer to keep it stowed in my knitting tool box, so forgive me Leslie! I love the heaviness of the bronze which makes it stay put while you are doing your other manipulations, and the squat shape of mine (each one of her cable needles are completely unique in size and shape) is perfect. Leslie will even customize your cable needle for the size of yarn you use most. What more can you ask for????

You can go here to view a video of the cable needle necklace in action and purchase your own. I was fortunate enough to get mine in person at Three Bags Full.

Happy knitting to all...