Pick Up Sticks Sock Club

2008-05-08T05:16:00.002-04:00

Which shipment was the Ring a ling of Dream in Smooshy. That sock yarn was waiting for me when i arrived home in taiwan.. i wound it up and am making Charade with it. It's such a dream to knit up... soft and smooth.

I wonder if there's an option for receiving the sock yarn without the pattern... because i usually don't knit the pattern that comes with it.

also, is there a group on Ravelry for this sock club?

Looking forward to trying

2008-03-25T09:19:00.001-04:00

This months sock club arrived yesterday, thank you so much. I have wanted to try this sock yarn for ages but haven't gotten around to it. Couldn't have picked a better choice in colour. Great job!!! Thanks.

it's here! in CA.

2008-02-20T03:35:00.003-05:00

I have received the new feb shipment. i love the color, and the pattern.

edited to add:

while winding into a workable skein, the hank has turned into an untangled mess... it's taking real patience to unwind... i have a small skein, maybe i will actually swatch just so that I am not overwhelmed by the untangling.

Corrected Sock Pattern for January

2008-01-29T12:10:00.000-05:00

I must apologize for the omissions in the pattern. I have made the following additions to the pattern:

Added the needle/gauge info.
Added the pattern in text.
Added the chart legend.

The corrected pattern can be found here

Introduction from Crazy4Dyeing

2008-01-27T21:38:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone- I see that my yarn and pattern has gone out for January. Many thanks to Connie for including my yarn and pattern in this months sock club. I am truly honored.

Please feel free to send me any questions that you might have. I had a lot of fun with this yarn. I hope that you do too!

Ellie

Stop by and visit my blog at crazy4knitting

January

2008-01-27T17:48:00.000-05:00

Like this one a lot - not that I haven't liked the others, mind you, but I didn't know about this dyer, and I'm impressed. Knitting is my stress reliever these days; I find myself making socks in the morning as a way to set up my day. Thanks - this has been well worth it.

Looks Like Lilacs to Me!

2008-01-26T16:54:00.001-05:00

Wow--this was a wonderful treat in yesterday's mailbox---This color is so beautiful, I can just imagine a bouquet of lilacs on the table and can almost smell them too! Thanks, Connie, for an early breath of Spring and another great pattern. Has anyone cast on yet, and, if so, what neeedle size did you use to get guage for your California Dreamin'? Stay warm and cozy with your knitting, all...perfect weather for it here in the Northeast!

Fantastic!!!

2008-01-04T05:05:00.000-05:00

I received my Chrissy package today and it is, lo and behold, one of my fav sock yarns. As usual I am sooo impressed with the pattern and yarn selection :) Beautiful!

Love it!

2007-12-27T18:33:00.000-05:00

I love this yarn and colorway! I can't wait to get started. Have a happy New Year everyone!

Happy Sockmas, everyone!

2007-12-21T12:46:00.000-05:00

Hello all;

Well, I just got December's club - so lovely, lovely like a late afternoon winter sky. Thanks so much!

Hope everyone enjoys their occasions, being half of a Jewish-Heathen household (the heathen half, and Chanukka is done), the actual calendar holidays are just a free day to hang with family for us. And Knit!

Cheers, everyone.

Note from The Dyer

2007-12-04T10:39:00.000-05:00

A few people have expressed interest over random colour specks, so I thought I'd address the issue.

The dyes I choose to use are in crystal/powder form, rather than liquid. I mix them myself in my studio (read: on the stove in my kitchen). Red and blue to make purple. Yellow and blue to make green. It's all very preschool-teacher-meets-mad-scientist.

Sometimes a few of these base-pigment crystals get caught on the side of the pot and when they come into contact with the wet yarn, specks (of fairly intense colour) form.

I've always liked these specks, personally. It reinforced the idea of hand-dyed-one-of-a-kind, etc. I've actually developed another line of yarn that takes proper advantage of this effect. If you DON'T like them, the easiest way to rid yourself of them is to clip the yarn at the speck and continue knitting as if you've joined a second ball of yarn.

I hope everyone enjoys knitting the yarn (and the amazing pattern Meghan designed) as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Happy knitting,

~Angela

Nov. package

2007-12-03T23:16:00.000-05:00

I got the latest Nov package. I love the color and wound it into a skein right away. I just got some new DPNs, so I am itching to try them out. Perhaps I might not work the pattern exactly like it states, but i like the sock looks like a staple formula for any sock yarn that i may have.

a little thing that was bothering me while i was re-winding the yarn is that certain spots of the yarn would have colors that weren't suppose to be there. Mostly in the white areas, there would be a yellow spot or a red spot of color out of no where... I don't know how that is going to affect the turn out of the sock color. Did anyone else have this issue?

Hello?

2007-11-10T18:44:00.000-05:00

It sure is quiet out there... Any progress pics? I'm curious to see how the yarns knit up!

A New Baby and A Contest Winner!

2007-10-18T11:45:00.000-04:00

Here's our pattern designer extraordinaire holding her little bundle of joy. Meghan had a baby girl on October 16 after an intense 12 hour labor (when is labor not intense!). She is a cutey - dark hair just like her mom! Congratulations!

The contest winner for the October Sock Design is:

Theresa Bell from Ontario! Congratulations Theresa! You sock knitters are in for a real treat this time!

2007-10-01T21:39:00.001-04:00

mine also arrived at my house in taiwan... i just don't know what it looks like.

Got mine too!

2007-09-29T03:06:00.000-04:00

Seriously gorgeous! Ta so much!! :)

*bec heads off to do some serious yarn patting!*

Bec.

Am I the first???

2007-09-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

Hehe, I got the box today! Ya'll are gonna love it!

We're Right On Schedule

2007-09-19T11:27:00.000-04:00

for the September sock club - the yarn has arrived and Corey LaFlamme has provided an awesome pattern. Invoices have been sent and packages are starting to ship right away!

2007-09-07T11:02:00.001-04:00

One hundred skeins of August sock yarn have been ordered - various colors, including new ones!
Yea!

The Rolls Royce .....

2007-09-06T05:28:00.000-04:00

.... I am not referring to a car but the yarn of this month's sock club - it's like a brand new Rolls Royce being delivered to my door step - it's the ultimate yarn - so gorgeous & the colors .... I just can't describe it! Thanks Connnie for choosing such a lovely yarn & Thanks Sarah for the equally lovely pattern - I can't wait to cast on but unfortunately it had to wait as there are a couple of projects that I need to finish off.

Will post pictures this weekend.

Now off to drool over the yarn.....

Ann

www.1morerow.blogspot.com

drool

2007-09-05T09:05:00.000-04:00

OMG! I received my package and.... *drool* *pat* *drool* *pat* *faint*

Love it - ta so much Connie yet again! :)

ETA - a huge thank you for supplying a large size pattern! Hallelujah! :)

Bec.

Please Madam Can I Have Some More?

2007-09-04T22:17:00.000-04:00

I love this yarn. I want more. Connie, are you going to be carrying this is the future? Love it, Love it, Love it. The pattern is also rockstar. I think this and Grow are by far my two favorites since I've been in the club. Must resist urge to cast on now, i have swap socks to knit on.

September Sock Club Designer is.....

2007-09-04T12:33:00.000-04:00

Corey Laflamme

Congratulations Corey!

Thank you so much to all who participated - it was a difficult choice - that's for sure!

Woman, 24, rushed to hospital after near-fatal overdose on yarn

2007-09-04T11:33:00.000-04:00

Hi! Sorry! That was me! I got this month's kit and nearly passed out.

Um...wow. All I can say is that this yarn is DELICIOUS and I want to know when and where I can get more. Lots more. I want to wallpaper my house in it...I want to line my floors in it. I want to build furniture and bedding and all my clothes from it.

I want to name it.

I want to marry it.

I am this yarn's bitch. She has conquered me and made me her own...

I love this yarn so much I wonder if I can ever knit with it. At the same time...I kind of need to knit with it now. All day long I'm consumed with wild ideas. Where is she now? What is she doing? Is she with Someone Else? Having someone else lovingly rub their face on her silky-soft curves? Drinking deep of her delicious colour? I am mad with jealousy and irrational fears.

I am consumed by this yarn! I LOVE IT!

(And the pattern is so cute!)

Best. Kit. Ever.

Thank you, Connie!

August

2007-08-31T17:29:00.000-04:00

I got my shipment in this week. I LOVE the yarn! I dont want to wind it up, it's so pretty! And the pattern is sooo cute! Sarah, you did a great job. I'm so excited, I cant wait! Off to knit!

Head Yarn Gatherer Still Alive!

2007-08-30T10:20:00.000-04:00

Hey there,
Did anyone wonder if I'd left the planet? Well, I must admit with the opening of my shop and the amount of work (which I severely underestimated)involved, there have been days when I have been sitting on the front steps of this little shop and wondered what on earth I was thinking when I decided to plunge ahead on this project. But now, a mere 4 days from opening I can see it all coming together and am very excited - I planned to take today off to catch up around the house and find myself wanting to go to the shop - a good thing, right? Yet more yarn arrived last night and I can't help myself I have to go and put it on the few remaining shelves that are empty -

The sock kits have all been shipped - this month's yarn is very special, I think. Mostly because it's new and not very well known - yet it's from a very well known company. Sarah did a great job on the pattern - she's knit it over and over and over due to all the yarn changes and she deserves a big hug for persevering through it all.

Oh and the sock contest - we have picked a winner! And I will be announcing that on September 1st. I've just had the sock test knit and it's really good - all the entries were really good and I had a tough time with choosing, so I put it to my Pick Up Sticks team and we voted.

Enjoy your new kits!

Yarn sniffing, August kit (no spoiler)

2007-08-29T21:07:00.000-04:00

I almost titled my post "yarn smells" then realized someone might think I got a stinky yarn! Not what I meant. I meant to out myself and own up to being a yarn sniffer. I mean, when checking out a new yarn, you want the feel, and the drape - but occasionally, I've come across a really STINKY yarn and well, you don't want that. A teeny bit sheepy, like a nice clean baby sheep that just had a bath, is OK, but not, say, wet muddy sheep on the barn floor smell. So I sniff my yarns.

Something lovely I've noticed about a number of the handpaints/handdyes, is not only is there NO sheepy smell, but there's often a tang to it that I find very evocative, and different yarns have such distinct scents. Mostly acidic, which makes sense as they would have gone through some variant of an acid dye process, but so different.

When I've had my hands on the occasional skein of Jitterbug, the smell is very distinctly vinegar. Reminds me of a clean linoleum floor at Grandma's house. My Blue Moon is a little less sharp, but a touch metallic, or mineral, reminds me a bit of the scent of rocks on a cool, damp day. And this month's kit yarn? I hope this is no spoiler from the kit point of view, but there's a tang to this yarn that very clearly brought to mind... chewable childrens' aspirin. Those orangey-pink tablets that were around when I was a kid. Something I associate with chilly days, pyjamas and staying in bed, probably because they all went with a little kid being sick with a cold or fever (back when nobody knew not to give them aspirin!).

Maybe that is just what jumped to mind as I've got a sinus cold this week, but still - I admit I'm a little odd, and maybe no one else has my warped sense of smell or has a totally different one, but I find it delightful how distinctly scent can bring a long-forgotten memory to mind, and more so that my different yarns can have such memorable essences.

Thanks again for a lovely surprise again this month!

This month's selection

2007-08-28T12:16:00.000-04:00

is absolutely beautiful - love the pattern, LOVE the yarn - no spoilers, but just wait till y'all see... and feel...

Thanks, Connie, and Sarah, for a terrific kit!

An apology

2007-08-14T17:17:00.000-04:00

I am sorry about the rant that I posted a few days ago about my terrible tangle. I never meant to cast aspersions on Connie's sock club nor on any of her suppliers - both have been really wonderful. In fact, Connie (who must be out-of-her-mind busy) wrote back in the comment right away offering to replace the skein and even wind it up for me. Wow, you just don't get any better in customer service than that! I am, however, going to decline her generous offer because:

-I ought not to have posted something when I was having a moment of frustration. I forgot my "wait 24 hours before pressing that send-button" rule. I know better than this.

-I did not in fact throw away that yarn. I just....couldn't. The colours - the silky feeling of it - nope, couldn't do it. Instead, I put it away for that day (that day that I should have waited - remember?), then sat down and spent several hours UNDOING it. Yup, I told myself that it was a "patience-building" exercise, and stayed calm and cut (yeah, cut - I know) when necessary, and now have about a dozen little balls of yarn. It's OK, really - just a few ends to weave in, right? :)

-I was an idiot when I decided to go ahead and try to wind the skein initially when I *knew* that there was a problem with it. Kind of like when you kinda sorta suspect that your gauge might be off a little, but you don't stop knitting because it might just magically get better if you just press on? Well, the skein may have been wonky, but I should have done something different, and I didn't. I cannot lay all the blame on someone else's feet when I shared in it.

Sorry everybody, I hope that you don't think that I am a total twit.

Cynthia
-off to work on my Beach sock.

How Cool!

2007-08-12T21:06:00.000-04:00

July was my first ever sock club shipment, and can I say wow!! It was so exciting to see the box sitting there, not knowing what exactly was inside. I think someone else on here said not something she would have picked herself, but now that she has it, loves it. That's me too :) I have my First Socks on the needles (Lattice Stitch from More Sensational Socks by Charlene Schurch, Trakking XXL 100). Once those are done, on to Grow!

So sad...

2007-08-12T20:24:00.000-04:00

Oh, but I am disappointed! Not with any of the wonderful colour choices or patterns, but with the yarn mishap that I have just had.

I just got around to pulling out the swift and ball winder to wind up June and July's skeins. July's (lovely) went just fine, but I had nothing but problems with the Bird of Paradise skein. As we were told ahead of time, this yarn was not re-skeined by the dyer, but sent in the original tie-up. I noticed that it was a really short skein, and when I unwrapped the ties I saw that there were quite a few longer loops that had been tied up with the rest. It looked unusual, but there was nothing that I could do to manipulate them to change it, so I had to try to put it on the swift and try. I wound slowly and carefully, but it ended up snarling and there was nothing to do but cut it. I now have a small 35 gram usable ball of this beautiful yarn, and 76 grams that are going into the trash because they are really and truly hopelessly tangled. I can't help but think that had this been re-skeined by the dyer that the difficulties would have been discovered then and I might have gotten a usable skein. I really hope that we get them done up properly in the future.

I don't like complaining (born and raised in Canada, eh), but this sock club is a little luxury that I cannot afford if I am not getting good product. Wah.....

Cynthia

First time!

2007-08-05T09:39:00.000-04:00

Hi - bec from Australia here :) Well the July package was my first ever sock club package and I am thrilled! What a blast opening up the package to see that gorgeous shade of green (I think the universe has a green obsession at the mo and rightly so ;) ) and the divine pattern :)

I have a couple (well more than a couple but don't we all ;) ) UFOs that I need to finish before starting although my fingers are itching to get stuck into those cables :)

Take care everyone and thank you again Connie and Meghan :)

bec.

August Sock Club

2007-08-05T08:18:00.001-04:00

Hey there Knitters! I'm glad everyone is excited with their July kits. I love Shelridge Farms - knits up to smooshy, yummy fabric! And well, Meghan's pattern - what else is there to say about that? This is the last pattern Meghan will be doing until November as she awaits her new baby - and sits and points telliing us where to put things in the shop - she deserves the break especially after July's pattern!

Our August pattern designer is Sarah Chase, another great friend of mine - she's hard at work knitting the test sock now and the pattern is a beauty! Oh and the yarn....well, there was a glitch but actually an excellent glitch! The supplier I ordered from is backordered on the yarn I selected until October but has offered to send a brand new sock yarn that virtually no one has heard of. You're going to love it and I'm so excited to be able to get it for you!

September and October patterns are part of our Sock Club contest and I have some beautiful designs so far - I'm just waiting for one more and then I will announce the winner!

I'm off to paint the shop today - you can check my other blog for pictures -
Connie

Hello - first time caller :)

2007-08-03T16:53:00.000-04:00

I just received an invitation to join this group - thanks. This will be the second month for the sock club and I love it. I can't wait to start the socks. I love the pattern and who knew that shade of green was my favorite color. I first must finish the toe of the sock I am on - I promised myself and a promise is a promise. I look forward to keeping up with all of you.

Oh yeah - I am Luanne from Northern Maine- 3 kids ages 22, 19, 17 - I have been knitting most of my life. Our new baby is now 10 weeks old - Golden Retriever named Bauer. He has cut into my knitting time somewhat - his big brown eyes are hard to resist.

~bye for now~

I love this pattern

2007-08-02T09:56:00.000-04:00

I think this is my favorite month (so far), I love the yarn (one of my favorites), I wouldn't have picked that colour but I really like it, and the pattern is terrific. I may use this for a few Christmas presents this year, simple colour but outstanding design.

I got mine1

2007-07-31T01:40:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted here in a long time. But I got my July sock package today, and love it. Meghan you out did yourself, the pattern is awesome!

WOW

2007-07-30T22:24:00.000-04:00

I just got my July package today. What a gorgeous pattern, and the yarn looks perfect for it. This is one of the most beautiful sock patterns I've ever seen! These will definitely move to the head of the sock queue.

June socks done!

2007-07-27T21:23:00.000-04:00

I've completed Fawkes socks using our lovely June yarn... the Bird of Paradise just seemed to match so well with the Phoenix theme.

Pics (with my admiring cat) are on my blog, and a couple more have been tucked into my Gallery, also off the blog.

Grow -- In Errata

2007-07-25T22:57:00.000-04:00

Hello Sock Knitters,

I hope you enjoy the July installation of the sock club.

There are a couple of minor corrections on the Grow pattern. They will be emailed to sock club participants in addition to being posted here. I am also correcting a PDF of the pattern to be distributed by email on Friday. Apologies, of course, for any inconvenience to you!

Chart C-1
Note under chart should read "Repeat rows 1 through 4 of Chart C EIGHT TIMES before continuing on to row 5."

In Symbol Key
The word "stitches" is mis-spelled a few times.

In Notes Section
Gauge as shown on foot is 9 stitches/11 rows PER INCH and gauge as shown on leg is 8 stitches/10 rows PER INCH.

Happy Knitting. I hope everyone is having a good July!

Meghan

Great news about the store

2007-07-25T12:38:00.000-04:00

Great news about the store. One more place for me to try to find the next time I visit Southern Ontario - (is that Ontari-ari-ario?). On line is great for those of us who don't live near a great sock yarn store, but it's aways a pleasure just to see and really, really want to touch.

Karen

July Sock Club

2007-07-25T10:52:00.000-04:00

Hey! The July sock club is on the way! Some were sent Monday and the rest are going today! I know I say this lots and lots about Meghan but this pattern is something else - Meg thinks this just might be her personal favorite - that says alot!

Did you read the news on my regular blog? Pick Up Sticks will continue to be online but effective September 4th we will also be a Bricks & Mortar store! It's all very exciting and terrifying and..........about a million other emotions all at the same time!

July Sock Club out for delivery!

2007-07-24T11:28:00.000-04:00

Yay! Canada post says my next yummy yarn treat is on the way. Canadians, at least, check your mail. I won't get it until tomorrow, probably, because they always try to deliver at home during the day when most folks are at work.

I promise, won't post spoilers except on my own blog, which you can avoid or not as you wish. And I'm almost done with my Fawkes socks in BoP from June, so this is perfect timing.

Yarn Botanika

2007-07-22T07:26:00.000-04:00

I have not been good about keeping the patterns with the yarn. I absolutely loved the Yarn Botanika and saved it to use with the Embossed Leaves socks pictured here!

This yarn is so soft and wonderful to work with. I am quite pleased with how these socks turned out.

FlamingPurpleSummerBirds....

2007-07-12T19:40:00.000-04:00

With no slight at all intended to either of the lovely June patterns, I didn't have one over the other grabbing me as the best candidate for the lovely Bird of Paradise.

But there is some sort of fire/heat/bird/sock/harrypotter zeitgeist going on with socks. I know there's at least one other Rockin' Sock Clubber also in Pick Up Sticks Club - so did you see the Fawkes Socks that the RSC blog was talking about?

Because I'd promised myself I'd at least have a good go at knitting club socks in club patterns, I wouldn't have thought I'd be doing this. But since for June, we had neither pattern as an all-original-just-for-June pattern, I feel morally sound with considering that an out, and Bird of Paradise is going to be knit up into a Fawkes Socks pair. I'm 3 reps in down the first leg, and it's lookin' really neat. Pic to come.

--jlb

Heel kicked my butt

2007-07-04T07:40:00.000-04:00

I'm one of those still alive.

I started my Beach sock about a week ago. I've had to rip the heel flap out twice. First time was because I only had 25 stitches on my needles instead of 31. So I ripped back and decided to fix that by making 6 stitchs (not bothering to read the pattern). Than i got to the insole and realized I had too many stitches for the top of my foot. Again, checked the pattern and realized I had just completly started the whole heel flap wrong (reading the pattern is a good thing) and ripped back again. It's going much better now.

tap tap... is this thing on?

2007-07-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

We're a quiet crowd for 100 Sock Knitters.

Just wondering what progress everyone else is making (socks or other?).

I should be doing homework, but I'm working on my 2nd sock of the Beach pair. My first has turned out to be my fastest sock ever (so far), and I'm not sure how that is. It's one of the more complicated patterns I've done and I cast it on just last Thursday night, to "take a break" from my other sock club's April project (which is knee socks and just getting tedious right now). Grafted toe just after work today. Meghan's pattern is SO CLEAR and easy to follow, I had a sock before I knew it. It might have helped a bit that this is a return to DPNS after some digression into 2 circulars and magic loops - I think I've concluded I'm fastest on the good ole' pointy sticks.

I've put a pic on my own blog and in my gallery (linked from my blog).

Anyone else got Pick Up Sticks Socks going? Finished? Anyone done Bird of Paradise yet? I can't wait to see how that knits up.

June is on the way!

2007-06-21T09:04:00.000-04:00

If you've paid for your June kit then it's on the way - they went out Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. If you haven't paid yet and haven't received your invoice, please let me know!

Meghan is doing much better but still needs to take it easy probably for the rest of the pregnancy. She's no longer confined to bed so she's hard at work on July's sock and the July yarn is already here.

One thing you will notice is that it has not been re-skeined by the Indie Dyer - this is a huge amount of work and I try to give them the option not to do it so it makes it easier on them. With the size of the club over 100 skeins of the same yarn can wear on their patience I'm sure. Besides - not seeing it re-skeined adds to the fun, I think! Once you wind it, it looks like a whole new ball of yarn!

Have fun!

Got June kit - Better and better!

2007-06-20T11:32:00.000-04:00

Ooh, this is the best yarn yet! But I've admitted, I'm a bold colours kind of girl.

More things in the world should come in combinations of orange and purple. Now the dilemma.... do I put it in line behind Beach, which is still waiting for me to finish another sock... or do I jump the queue and get right to Bird of Paradise? And which pattern???? Very excited to try the Dreamwalkers but wondering if mixing cables and some lovely bold variegated is good or not. We shall see....

Thanks again, Connie.

traveling socks!

2007-06-16T02:02:00.000-04:00

The package for the May Socks arrived in Taiwan... not too bad, only about a month's time. The only reason I know it was the May Socks is because when my mother opened the package she read Beach. I was like Beach? Ohhh! OK, I know what package it is. I totally forgot that I had the yarn sent to Taiwan.

I get my packages delivered to Taiwan because I don't trust the mail system here in China, so my mother collects them for me, and I had her open this one because i was expecting yarn packages and wanted to know if it was in a ball form or in the hank form.

Can't wait to see it!!

Easy Does It

2007-06-14T07:57:00.001-04:00

I've been working away on my Easy Does It socks. Yummy. Nice pattern Meaghan. I had to add another needle's worth of stitches to get the sizing right but they are zipping right along now, in fact the toy is about to be grafted now. I like the Yarn Pirates sense of colour, though I prefered the colours when I did fewer stitches, it's kind of a stripe now. Still striking though.

Have fun knitting all!

Teeny Trellises done!

2007-06-13T19:43:00.000-04:00

I had to share this with you guys, having posted about 'em twice.

Trellises, for about the smallest feets I could find to measure. These are for my friend's little girl, who is 1 now but was a preemie so she's small. I get to meet her for the first time at her b-day party Sunday.

I admit, I "dumbed down" the pattern a little to both work quickly and make them a little more proportioned, as the detail at the top of the leg, even in a single repeat, made them disproportionately long for a small foot. So they're mainly worked in the 4-row trellis twist, with a picot edge on the top.

And I still have 90 grams of the yarn, so a few more little girlies in my life will soon have Trellises.

Johannab

Pattern Errors?

2007-06-07T10:36:00.000-04:00

Hello Sock Knitters!

It's time for a hot topic -- pattern errors.

As Wendy of WendyKnits fame the other day said, "...errors in knitting patterns are a very common occurrence. I think it is terribly hard to write a pattern that is completely non-ambiguous to at least some people and totally error-free."

I did make an error in the heel instructions for Beach last month, as you can see in a post below, and I do apologize for any trouble it might have caused you!

I do strive for error-free patterns, but we all know from our knitting experience that mistakes in knitting patterns can and do occur, despite our best intentions. While some of the errata listed for published pattern books can be overwhelming and frustrating, I think completely error-free patterns are pretty hard to come by. Leaflets, magazines, books... even in of the highest profile publications with the largest budget for test-knitters and technical editors, you still see errata published for most of them.

Anyway, the point here is that I do try my darndest not to have errors in the patterns I write -- but they do happen -- and I bet they bother me more than they bother you (the guilt!)! If you ever find an error in a pattern or if you just need some clarification, please feel free to post here or to email Pick Up Sticks with your question or comment.

The bottom line is, if there is an error, we can't correct it if we don't know about it!

I appreciate any and all feedback on the patterns I put together!

Happy Knitting (hopefully error-free)!

May's Sock Kit

2007-06-04T11:30:00.000-04:00

Hi knitters, I got my yarn and love it,love it, love it!!! But 10 days ago I broke my left arm :*(
I had all sorts of stuff to do this summer, knitting being a large part of it.
The Dr. said 3 to 6 months !!!I am going crazy!!
It was the humorus , not the least bit funny, and no cast, just an immobilizer and that SUCKS..... !
I can move my fingers and I have been trying to knit a shawl on circs but the numbers keep coming up wrong. so I give up on that.
This just happens when time is of the essence. If
i was 20 or 30 ,no problem, but at 58 , 24/7 is NOT the same!!! I have many projects to finish before timeout is called.
Sorry that I'm rambling on , just want to let you all know that I will be lagging!!!
May your stitches never drop ! Star

OOPS! Beach Pattern Error

2007-06-01T09:54:00.000-04:00

IN ERRATA -- BEACH, page 6
Rows 1 to 5 of band heel should read as follows:
Start band heel as follows:
Row 1: s1, k8, k2tog, k6, ssk, k9
Row 2: k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2
Row 3: s1, k7, k2tog, k6, ssk, k8
Row 4: k2, purl to last 2 stitches, k2
Row 5: s1, k14, ssk, turn

Meghan says sorry! And of course, she's forgiven!

Yay - I got May!

2007-05-29T18:43:00.000-04:00

I just got my sock kit today, and it is beautiful. April's kit will be for my daughter, but May's is all mine. I really like the colours, and can't wait to see how it knits up. The pattern looks pretty challenging to my skill level, but it is something to aspire to - right? I like the motifs very much, and I think that Meghan is a great designer.

Can't wait to see everybody's progress on this one.

2007-05-28T10:29:00.000-04:00

Pick Up Sticks
Sock Design Contest
For
Sock Club Members Only!

As you know, Meghan is expecting her first child in October and so we need a new pattern designer for September’s and October’s socks while Meg takes a short break!

Here’s what you win if your pattern is chosen:

$150 Pick Up Sticks Gift Certificate
Free Sock Club Kit
(the monthly club installment of yarn and pattern that you design)

Here’s the details:
Ø You must be a sock club member to participate.

Ø Project yarn can be purchased for 20% off. Supplies do not have to be purchased from Pick Up Sticks; but the projects must be knit out of the yarn specified (not necessarily the same color). Discount extends only to enough yarn to complete one pair of socks knit out of the specified yarns for each contest month.

Ø Email us with your intention to participate and we will send you the details on the yarn. pickupsticks@zing-net.ca

Ø September sock pattern entries need to be submitted by August 1. Submit 3 pictures of socks and pattern. (Please test knit your pattern) Pattern cannot be published anywhere else, including your own blog. Pattern must be submitted in hard copy on white paper and on disk, saved as a PDF file. If you are unable to submit a disk or creat a PDF, in addition to your hard copy pattern, pattern may be emailed as a .doc file.

Ø October sock patterns need to be submitted by September 1. With the same criteria as above.

Ø Pick Up Sticks will copy the winning patterns for club members + up to 50 extra copies of the pattern. Pattern sales will remain exclusive to Pick Up Sticks for three months, and then the pattern designer retains all rights to pattern for sales/distribution. Copyright remains the property of the pattern designer.

Ø Participants can design for both months, but patterns must be different.

Ø Two winners will be chosen: one for September’s sock and one for October’s sock.

Let me introduce.....

2007-05-26T20:40:00.000-04:00

MEGHAN!

Here's a close up of her knitting tattoo - I'm sure we'll be seeing it on the Yarn Harlot's blog because Stephanie took a close up! See the little bump in the picture above - yuppers Meg's expecting her first baby in October. Remember when the patterns were delayed a few months back - well, it wasn't because she had the flu - it was because she was morning sick - BIG TIME! She's feeling great now and just had the big ultrasound - everything is going perfectly! Yahoo! That little bump has something to do with the contest (actually two contests) that we are doing for Sock Club members only! More details next week!

So pretty

2007-05-26T13:13:00.000-04:00

I really like this months kit. The yarn feels wonderful, and the pattern looks so interesting. Wow Connie and Meghan thank for your great work.

Ready for the Seaside!

2007-05-24T11:42:00.000-04:00

Love the new sock club kit. The yarn is in one of my favourite colour combinations. And with the hot weather today, the theme certainly seems appropriate. Thanks, Connie!

I got it!

2007-05-23T12:23:00.000-04:00

I have this month kit!!! The postman just left! Wow, that delivery is very fast! I'll say 36 hours. Now, lets open it....Wow! I want to go to Miami Beach!
Connie, I want to ask you something. How come you ship by Expedited parcels? I dont mind waiting a little for my stuff...

When life gives you pastels ... make a Trellis!

2007-05-23T09:14:00.000-04:00

I have to follow up my earlier comment about the Spring Garden/Trellis kit for the April club.

I stand by my observation that pastels/sweet stuff isn't my thing, but I gotta say, after knitting a test "baby sock", my original thought of what to do was spot on. Little girl sockies! SOOOOO cute!

Now, my test sock has returned to the ball, both because it was off-sized for any of the babies/toddlers I know and I did make a few mistakes (note to self: knitting while walking is cool, but you need to knit SIMPLE stitches....). So I don't have a pic yet. But it was too cute, it took only a day and a bit of my spare-time stitching, and I figure I can get at least 3 little pairs out of the yarn.

Thanks again to Connie and Megan for tossing something new my way and helping me get creative.

Anyone else trying to get to the Harlot's book tour in Toronto this Friday? Should we pin our Trellises (or just our yarn) to our shirts?

Johanna

Here they come....

2007-05-21T12:17:00.000-04:00

The sock kits are ready to go....today is a holiday so there's no mail but they will all be on their way tomorrow! I'm anxious to hear your feedback on the pattern because I think it's brilliant! Meghan and I did the boxes yesterday and now have the next six months yarn planned out. I've already heard back from July, August and September suppliers and they are very excited to participate! Stay tuned for a contest announcement this week just for sock club members!

Help ,please

2007-05-18T17:09:00.000-04:00

Hi all ... I need some instruction about the ' LT' ....I don't know how I'm to get the first stitch. Maybe it's just me but when I try it I usually get a purl stitch upside down !! I had no problem with the RT. I hope someone can help me .... Thanks, Star

Trellis Done

2007-05-15T16:17:00.000-04:00

I finished up my April Trellis socks. Love the pattern. Love the yarn. So soft. Only modification I made to the pattern was to use a 2.5mm addi turbo for magic loop instead of using DPN's. Mostly because the only 2.5mm DPN's I have at the moment are Brittny's and the points aren't too sharp and I found it difficult to do the left twist with them.

Pics on my blog. Very excited for May's socks!

Meghan is a Genius!

2007-05-14T08:32:00.000-04:00

Ok so I'm a fan of Meghan's - and I know many of you are as well. Her patterns are well written, very detailed, organized - just perfect! However, I must say that for May she has completely outdone herself. This is a Hall of Fame pattern! Get your needles ready because I bet you will want to start it the minute arrives!

My girls are coming over on Thursday to give a helping hand so the sock boxes will be picked up on Friday. All the paypal invoices have been sent - if you haven't received yours, please let me know!

OH GOODY !!!

2007-05-11T13:44:00.000-04:00

Hi, Connie and girls, I am excited too and way behind too! I just wound my hank last night and was too sleepy to start it.
And this blogging stuff ain't easy! I still got mine all screwed up, and frankly, darling, I don't give a damn ! Oops , can I say that??
The knitting is more important ! But I need a nap too, and who will do the house work (ugh)? So much to learn , so little time.
nitey nite....Star

Misconceptions

2007-05-09T14:11:00.000-04:00

I can see there some misunderstanding about what comes along with your first month's sock club. Back when I started the club I used to charge a $35 registration fee which was basically the cost of the GoKnit pouches and the needles. I decided to do away with that when I started adding large groups of new members in April. New members in April and forward will be getting a free pair of 2.25 mm Pony Pearls for joining. Ideally they would ship with your first kits but they've been out of stock for ages. The good news is that I heard from my supplier today and they are on the way to me. So all the new members in April should receive their needles. I've decided not to carry the GoKnit pouches any longer because it was hard to keep them in stock for the sock club and so have also, done away with the registration fee.

Meghan and I have some new club ideas up our sleeve - what do you think of a beginner's sock club. The patterns would be simple and basic and the yarn would probably be a sportweight. Do you know any knitters that would be interested?

2007-05-08T12:31:00.000-04:00

oooh! exciting... this is the first sock club i've subscribe to, and boy is it exciting to be getting all this yarn monthly...

May Sock Club is Almost Ready!

2007-05-08T09:29:00.001-04:00

I just got the word from Meghan that the May pattern are almost done! Yippee!
You should be receiving your Paypal invoices by the end of the week - our plan is to have everything shipped out by Friday, May 18th. I love this month's yarn and I know that the pattern is spectacular! I've already got June's yarn..... :)

A Query

2007-05-02T10:31:00.000-04:00

Since I am a new member of the sock club, I am just wondering if someone could let me know if there is a set time of the month when the new kit is sent out, or if it varies. I need to plan when to be ready! Thanks!

Glad You Like It

2007-05-02T09:02:00.000-04:00

I'm so glad you like this month's yarn. I was most nervous about this one - not because of the yarn (which is great)but because of the colorway. I loved it personally being the pastel girl that I am but wondered about everyone else. Glad to see that even if it's not for you, you've all found great ways to use it for gift socks!

Next month's yarn is already here and Meghan has been filling me in on the pattern - it's working up very nicely so I hear. I've scheduled June's and July's..........lots of planning ahead!

It's always good to have options!

2007-04-30T16:01:00.000-04:00

Just a few tips on this month's pattern...

If you're used to top-down socks and don't want to stray from the norm, no matter! Cast on 60 stitches and dive right into the "sock cuff" pattern! Then, when your cuff is of a length you like, decrease one stitch on the instep of your sock (so the instep has 29 stitches and the back of the leg has 30) and continue on with the "Twisted Trellis" pattern on the instep and the ribbing pattern on the top of page 4 at the back of the leg. Use your usual heel, continue the instep pattern over the top of your foot and presto chango -- Trellis is a top-down sock!

Also, about the picot edge. It's completely optional. I think the sock works completely fine without it! If you find it a bit fiddly, leave it out -- or, if you want the picot edge but want it easier to work and sew down, knit 6 rows before the turning row and 5 rows after the turning row.

If you don't want a fancy cuff at all... use the ribbing pattern on the top of page 4 for the whole cuff (you'll need a multiple of 15 stitches to make it work, so don't forget to add that extra stitch on the instep when getting ready to start your cuff!).

Last -- this sock loves a good blocking. Pin out those picots on a flat surface for maximum effect. The cuff pattern naturally waves, so it makes those picots a little stubborn in falling into place!

Last for real this time -- to convert this sock to a smaller (or larger foot)... the cuff just needs to be a multiple of 15 stitches and the instep needs to be an odd number of stitches. So, find your favourite kid's sock pattern that starts off with, say, 30 stitches (15 instep and 15 back of leg stitches), and you can go from there, using the stitch patterns given for Trellis instead of stockinette. To make it even easier to work on just about any number of stitches, omit the cuff, use a K1, P1 ribbing at the back of the leg, and just add the Twisted Trellis pattern on the instep. This way you could use virtually ANY pattern with a stitch substitution on the instep. I'm not sure about sizing for a child specifically (especially going toe-up)... so using a generic pattern and substituting the stitches is probably the best way to go! I'll do some investigating to see if I can come up with more info... but I've got the May sock to finish too (which is coming along very, very well at this point!) -- and this pesky full-time job!

Happy Knitting!

Converting for little feets?

2007-04-30T14:48:00.000-04:00

Gotta say, my first club delivery is a sweet sweet sweet yarn and pattern. While I love it aesthetically - my feets usually don't do sweets, I'm more of a bright-brights or muted-darks type, nothing in between. BUT! says me, I have two adorable neices, one of whom is nuts for pinks and pastels and the other... well, she's just turned one so hasn't told me her favourite colours yet. I'm wondering if I can get two pair of little-girl sockies out of this.

I have not yet made the attempt to convert anything other than a plain old stocking-stitch sock to a vastly different size, and am wondering if either:

1) our designer is on-line and could provide advice on converting for this stitch pattern?

2) does anyone else have a knack for turning full-size patterns into little-size patterns who could at least give me some pointers in the right way?

I must admit, I haven't even had a chance to start a swatch and it might be a couple of weeks yet, so no hurry to reply but I'll certainly take any hints I can get.

Johanna b (pandaovtoes@gmail.com in blog-land... jlb889@gmail.com in online shopping land)

Oh My!!

2007-04-30T14:28:00.000-04:00

I was just feeling sad and forlorn this morning, waiting for my package to come....and ta-da! It's here. The yarn is gorgeous and the pattern I love love! I'm going to need my thinking cap on though, I've never done toe-up (like a few of us here, it seems) nor a picot edge. Both I've wanted to try but was afraid of failure!! Perfect opportunity to try this out now, with a good support system we have here. Yippee!

2007-04-30T10:50:00.000-04:00

YAY I got my yarn !!! Can't wait to start !! 8)

I love it!

2007-04-27T13:05:00.000-04:00

I just received my first sock club shipment, and I'm so pleased with it. The yarn is beautiful! I'm among those who've never done toe-up socks, and I'm going to try.

It's Here

2007-04-26T16:22:00.000-04:00

I received my first kit two days ago as well and it is gorgeous. Mine looks a lot like Andrea's on her blog, but has almost no blue in it. I guess there is some variation in the batch. I haven't done toe up socks yet, either, but am very eager to try them. This is a great excuse to start.

April In The House!

2007-04-26T11:44:00.000-04:00

My postman just met me at the door and handed me the April kit. Wow! Pretty, pretty yarn, great pattern, has me feeling "Springy" all over :)!

I got it two days ago

2007-04-26T10:50:00.000-04:00

I received my parcel 2 days ago. Wow, shippping from Aurora-Ontario to Montreal-Quebec is fast! Colors are gorgeous, no pics sorry. One problem, I dont know how to knit a toe-up sock.

Spring Kit Arrived!

2007-04-25T21:31:00.000-04:00

My April sock kit arrived! It's my first month, so I'm very excited. Love the colours! Pics on my blog if you're interested.

And they're off!

2007-04-22T16:22:00.000-04:00

4 bags just like these two, full of boxes for my Sock Clubbers! Being picked up tomorrow! Boy am I glad Canada Post does pick ups for me now?!! How many post offices would I have had to gone to, to get these out?

April Sock Club on the Way......

2007-04-21T19:04:00.000-04:00

Monday, April 21, 2007! Meghan just dropped off the patterns to me and the yarn arrived on Friday so tomorrow my sister and I are going to pack up the boxes! There are lots of new members this month and we now top 100! How fun is that?!

Happy Knitting!

Get Your Needles Ready!

2007-04-17T08:53:00.000-04:00

I'm talking about the April Sock here...

We're hoping for Spring around here soon, and the April sock will be going out very soon to bring a little springtime into your lives and onto your feet, so get your needles ready -- and by needles, I mean nice, strong pointy ones (but that's the only hint you're getting)! I used KnitPicks 2.5mm DPNs for this one, and for this sock they were perfect. I love my Pony Pearls, but not for this sock!

Are you curious yet?

Happy Knitting!

2007-04-10T01:39:00.000-04:00

I got Marches sock package last week. It takes a while to get thing in South Korea. I absolutely love, love, love the yarn and the pattern! Now I have to finish my current socks so I can start my new ones.

Whoo hoo !!

2007-04-04T17:46:00.000-04:00

Got my kit today !!

OMG LOVE IT !!

Like I need another project to side line me, but SO casting on for this today !!

I got it! I got it!

2007-03-31T07:59:00.000-04:00

My parcel came! My parcel came! The yarn this month is TO DIE FOR. I LOVE the colours, the twist, the sexy sexy yarniness! And the pattern is really my thing! I love a simple pattern that lets the yarn do the talking. Excellent excellent work, Meghan! It looks simple enough to allow for Maximum Yarn Show-Offiness, yet interesting enough that I won't get bored. I LOVE IT!

No spoilers here though. I've saved those for my blog!

Wanderlust Knits

Have a look. I swear, you'll like it. Unless you want a surprise. Up to you really. :)

I hate to be the person to be a bad lady and say a bad thing, but I thought we'd get our GoKnits pouches this month. Did anyone else get theirs? I'm sure it's just a glitch and Connie will sort it out when she gets back from Holiday, but I did want to mention it in case she forgot. :-/ But I still love my sock kit! I'm not complaining! Don't cut me off! I swear I'll be good! :D

February Also Finished

2007-03-27T11:20:00.000-04:00

I have also finished my February socks. Since there is such a lovely photo posted already I didn't think there was any point in posting my picture. The pattern was really nice to work. Once again the little difference in the heel turn, made it a pleasant change. The socks fit really nice around my foot and are very nice and warm to wear. Have worn them several times already. I did knit the first section of the cuff pattern just for the knitting experience. However, I know I won't wear it, so opted to save the white yarn for another project. Great pattern and beautiful yarn, ladies! I am soooo looking forward to the new sock kit for March, maybe it will arrive by the end of the week.

February Socks

2007-03-27T00:22:00.000-04:00

I finished my February socks last week. I decided in the end to go without the lace cuffs. I knit and blocked one cuff to see how it would look, and while I'm sure it's adorable on more petite legs, I decided I liked the socks better plain on me. I still need to remember to pick up some ribbon for the tops though.

I think I might still knit up the other cuff so I can wear them as faux lace sleeves under my velvet jacket. :)

Patience is a virtue

2007-03-24T11:58:00.000-04:00

and you've all been very patient............look what's going to the mail..............March Sock Club kits.............they're very exciting! I love the yarn, I love the pattern! Hopefully, you will too...........

I'm kind of upset though - I will be in Florida when most of them are being received so won't be have access to read your comments.

Meghan's got April and May's yarn in her hot little hands and tells me she has something beautiful and intricate planned for April. I won't be back until the middle of April so the April kits won't go out until around the 20th or so.

Enjoy!

Virginia Van Santen

2007-03-19T13:38:00.000-04:00

I know many of us loved having the VvS yarn in our sock club shipment in January, and if you were like me you stopped by Pick Up Sticks and purchased some more. Unfortunately, Virginia Van Santen lost her fight with cancer on Saturday and passed away. We have have lost a true hand painted artist. If you would like to see how talented Virginia was please see her blog.

You know you don't feel well when...

2007-03-16T13:33:00.000-04:00

you're not knitting!!!

Hello Pick-Up-Sticksters!

I've been feeling under the weather lately -- so much so that I haven't been knitting as much as I usually do!! And, feeling icky + pattern designing = lots of frogging!!! I can't wait for spring!

So, I wanted you to know that March's kit is running just a couple of days behind... The pattern is being wrapped up as we speak, then some copying, and it should be hitting the mail early next week (depending on how fast Connie can pack up those boxes!!) Wait until you see the yarn -- it's AMAZING and I know that all of you are going to love it!!!

I've got a fantastic design already in the works for April -- and I'm feeling better, so my knitting groove is back on!

I love seeing everyone's projects on this blog -- so many beautiful socks! I like seeing everyone's variations, as well.

Connie mentioned that a contest is coming up -- and it's going to be great! Lots of fantastic things are in store for the Pick Up Sticks sock club! Thanks to everyone who's sticking with us for the 2nd round! I hope the next 6 months are as fantastic as the first!

Happy Knitting!

Conifer Complete

2007-03-16T13:22:00.000-04:00

I finished my conifer socks this week and just love them! Can't wait for the next kit. More details on my blog.

January Sock

2007-03-14T20:08:00.000-04:00

Here is my January sock completed. I have to confess to washing and wearing them 3 times before I thought to block them out and take a photo. I am trying to finish and post each sock of the month, just to have a goal to complete some projects.
I found the socks fit just fine, but I did not wrap the cluster back around, I just brought the wool forward, slipped the three stitches, as if to purl and kept on knitting. Next time I will just skip the cluster bit. However on the plus side the foot of the sock is a terrific fit, and I love the way the heel is worked. Good pattern!

Photos of February's Kit

2007-03-11T11:52:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone.

I just want to say that I've finally got photos of February's kit on my blog so if you want to see what my kit looks like please come and have a look. I'm always interested to see how the dyeing of each skein varies between kits. I love that each kit is unique so we all have slightly different skeins! I've also got pictures of the first Rockin' Sock Club kit up as well, so if you are a member and haven't had yours yet be warned! And if you're not a member you might want to come see what's on offer!

I REALLY look forward to March's sock kit! I can't wait to see it. And I also can't wait to start on my February kit. But I need to finish my blue socks first! *sigh* Anticipation anyone?

See, ALMOST finished (too bad that's only 1 of 2!) can I start my Pick Up Sticks socks now please?!

OOPS! Edited to add:

Wanderlust Knits My blog!

A Near Miss

2007-03-09T20:36:00.000-05:00

I knit a lot at work between work things. My shifts are all weekend ones, the one advantage to that is that they tend to be a bit quieter.

So last night I'm happily knitting along and I wasn't happy with the turn of my heel on the Feb kit. No biggy, frogged it back and then some work things happened. When I went back to my knitting I realized I had rolled over the now long loose yarn several times with my office chair and broken it! Right at the heel, I didn't want a join there! Well I tried something new, a Russian join and I'm pleased to report I will use it again. It may be a SLIGHT bit thicker but no one will ever notice. There were way bigger slubs all through my yarn last month. YAY for disaster diverted.

March's Is Almost Ready

2007-03-08T10:59:00.000-05:00

Don't you think the month's just fly by! I feel as if I just get one kit out and it's time for another one! This is one for March is super duper! I think many of you will be very, very happy with the Indie Dyer! And....I already have the yarn for April and May - just the samples for Meghan to do the patterns but still....very nice!

Invoices will be going out today and tomorrow - I've added 10 new spots for the club on the website so if you have a friend who wants to join now would be the time....

Oh and we have big news coming soon.....a contest.....but not til Fall - more info at the end of April!

February Sock Kit Progress

2007-03-06T15:30:00.000-05:00

I have been "collecting" my sock kits to this point, but the Spunky Eclectic was so gorgeous, I couldn't resist starting these. I just finished the first sock today and have posted a picture on my blog, if you'd like to take a peek. I did modify the heel to an Eye of Partridge, but otherwise have followed the pattern exactly. Hoping to get sock two on the needles tonight. I am debating about the cuff - a twisted cord of the sock yarn, woven through the eyelets and tied in a discreet bow, may be what I go with. How is everyone else doing?

Modification ?

2007-03-06T00:58:00.000-05:00

I prefer a lacey sock to a 'solid' one since living in Hawaii is warm enough...

Has anyone made the Love Song sock with YO increases instead of M1? Think it would work just the same ?

February Kit

2007-03-05T04:51:00.000-05:00

February's kit is wound into a ball, swatched and begun. I'm not sure I'll do the little add on bit (careful, no spoilers!), it's not really my style. The leg pattern so far is very pretty and the colour... yummy. Yay!!

Got my first sock kit!

2007-03-01T18:21:00.000-05:00

This is so yummy can't wait to start , but it will be a little while. My swift is not quite big enough for the hank, wasn't up to hand winding it was a tanglely kind of day. The Apple Laine sock yarn is also very yummy.
Janet