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Giveaway: Sockupied

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sockupied giveaway

Judith is the winner!

I spent a fair bit of yesterday knitting the heel flap, turning the heel and working the gusset on a sock I’d neglected for more than a year. I’d knit the leg a long time ago and just moved on to other things, as will happen, but I’m trying to finish some things before the end of the year and it felt like a good place to start.

It reminded me how much I love knitting socks, especially that particular part I did yesterday, where the magic happens. It finally feels like you’re knitting a real thing when it curves into a sock shape, and I think that very part may be one of the many reasons so many of us like to knit socks so much.

Whether you know that feeling or have yet to knit your first pair, this week’s giveaway is designed to encourage the sock knitter in you. Sockupied: 20 Knit Projects to Satisfy Your Sock Obsession, edited by Anne Merrow, features patterns and advice from the “pages” of the digital magazine of the same name from Interweave. It includes 20 patterns from basic to slightly mind-blowing, as well as advice on things like working stranded colorwork on socks, casting on, binding off and shaping toes.

Check out all the patterns on Ravelry, and if you’re interested in winning this one, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, Dec. 4. I’d love to know how many pairs of socks you have knit and/or your preferred construction method. I usually go with top-down but my toe-up ones are probably my favorites to wear. Go figure.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  2. I have still never had the opportunity to knit socks. These models are very beautiful and I would like to try!!!

  7. I have knit zero pairs. I am intimidated by socks!
    BUT my goal is to conquer sock knitting in 2017!

  12. I’ve knit 12 (!!!!) pairs of socks this year! I prefer the toe-up construction and a Fish Lips Kiss heel. My favorite pair so far is a No Purl Monkey pattern from Cookie A. It was free on Ravelry and has been a real pleasure to knit with the partridge eye heel. I like to try new construction and the last pattern I knit was a Vanilla Reversed sock.

  14. I have one sock that needs to be finished! just 2″ to the toes and my socks will be complete! Help me finish knitting that pair of socks! Its Christmastime, and my Carolina Panthers aren’t winning!

  15. I love knitting socks. I’m not sure how many I’ve made, but my favorite construction is toe-up. I even make toe up baby socks for new parents!

  16. I am very lucky my sister knits all of my socks for me. I think she prefers the top down version. I know she does both top down and toe up. I would love to win this book for her.

  19. I’ve knit at least 50 pairs, I still love them and have 2 drawers full. I also have 2 drawers full of sock yarn that need a little inspiration.

  24. I knit a pair of socks every month to month and a half. They’re my go-to-meeting knitting, mindless and portable, and my job sadly requires quite a few meetings. I have at least 20 pairs now. I normally do toe-up with a gusset and heel flap, but love exploring different construction techniques.

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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