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Try Your Hand at Design for Free Yarn, Cool Prizes

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my mountain design contestThe German yarn company Schachenmayr is celebrating the release of its new yarn line in North America with a very cool design contest.

The line is called My Mountain, so the contest is about your personal design mountain, something you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t felt up to the challenge yet.

This is a pretty fast-moving contest, in that you can put in a request to receive free yarn for your design (how cool is that?) between now and August 17 and a photo of your design needs to be emailed by August 30. Fifteen semifinalists will be chosen by Sept. 6 and will be promoted as part of a Facebook contest. It’s not clear (to me, anyway) if all 15 get $150, or just the winner.

In addition, five finalists will each receive an iPad mini, promotion in social media and be featured in an ad on Ravelry. What’s more, everyone who submits a design gets a free T-shirt. That’s a pretty sweet contest.

The one caveat is that designs become the property of Westminster Fibers, so even if you don’t win, you can’t publish your design elsewhere. But it still sounds like a pretty fun design exercise and a cool chance to get to play with some new yarn.

If you decide to take part, I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo via Schachenmayr Yarns.]

Comments

  1. I have my pattern pretty much finished. I’m wondering where you saw the part that the designs become their property? I didn’t find that anywhere. Are you entering?

Have you read?

Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern – A Cozy Little Gift Project With Old-Fashioned Charm

There is something wonderfully nostalgic about a pair of handmade bed socks, isn’t there? They are practical, pretty, and just the sort of project that feels like it belongs beside a cup of tea, a good film, and a basket of wool that is pretending not to be overflowing.

This vintage Bed Socks knitting pattern is one of those sweet little patterns that still feels useful today. Originally from the Jaeger Hand-Knit Series No. 44, the design features a simple garter-stitch foot, a ribbed cuff, eyelet holes, a crochet chain tie, and little tassel-style pom-poms at the front. The original pattern even describes them as “a very acceptable present,” and honestly, I don’t think much has changed there.

These would make a lovely handmade gift for someone who is always cold, someone recovering or resting, or anyone who appreciates a bit of old-fashioned comfort. They would also be beautiful as a Mother’s Day gift, a winter birthday present, a Christmas stocking filler, or a “just because you deserve cozy feet” project.

The pattern itself is delightfully simple in construction. The socks are knitted flat, beginning at the lower edge, with the foot worked in garter stitch before moving into the ribbed upper section. The decorative eyelet row allows for a crochet chain cord to be threaded through, and the finishing tassels give the socks that charming vintage look. The top edge is finished with a row of double crochet, which adds a neat handmade touch.

The original measurements list the socks as approximately 10½ inches from the top to the lower edge of the heel, with a 9¾ inch foot length, and the pattern notes that the size can be adapted. As with many vintage knitting patterns, modern knitters will want to check gauge carefully and choose a soft yarn that feels comfortable against the skin. A cozy wool blend, soft acrylic, or washable yarn would all work depending on whether you are making these for everyday use or as a special gift.

I especially love that this pattern has that “giftable” quality without being a massive project. It is small enough to feel achievable, but still special enough that the finished pair looks thoughtful. And let’s be honest, handmade socks with pom-poms are always going to beat a last-minute candle from the supermarket.

The PDF version has been cleaned up and formatted for easier reading while keeping the original vintage design intact. It also includes a modern pink mockup image and the original vintage scan, so you get both the historical charm and a fresh idea of how the finished socks could look today.

If you enjoy vintage knitting patterns, cozy handmade gifts, or quick projects that feel useful rather than just decorative, this sweet little bed socks pattern is a lovely one to add to your collection.

You can find the Vintage Bed Socks Knitting Pattern PDF in the CraftGossip Etsy store.

For supplies, this is also a nice stash-friendly project. A soft yarn from Mary Maxim or Amazon would work well, and if you make pom-poms regularly, a small pom-pom maker is one of those inexpensive tools that saves a surprising amount of fiddling.