Day 1 of Winter

Over the next 12 days, we’re releasing a series of kits designed by the Universal Yarn Design Team. It’s a cozy, wintry collection of accessories that make perfect gifts–for yourself and your loved ones. To accompany the kits, we’d like to share a blog post each day. This series will highlight special aspects of each pattern and include inspiration, tips, tricks, and a few tutorials. For Day 1, we’re introducing the Blue Spruce Socks in Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved evergreens and conifers. I’m not sure if it’s because of their fragrant needles and bark, or if it’s because their beautiful colors brought me joy during long and endlessly grey winters. Whatever the reason—I’ve always been drawn to them, so it’s no surprise that I designed the Blue Spruce Socks for our 12 Days of Winter collection.

These socks are warm, cozy, and a joy to knit. If you aren’t a fan of stranded colorwork, don’t fret! The Blue Spruce motif is achieved through slipped stitches. One color is carried at a time and only the stitches requiring the working yarn are knit—the rest are simply slipped purlwise. It requires twice as many rows, but the overall effect is very similar to the appearance of stranded knitting.

In addition to colorwork, the small details make this project ever so special. It features a 1×1 Twisted Rib cuff and an Eye of Partridge heel. My favorite detail is the slip-stitch stripe just before the contrasting-color toes.

You can find this kit, Day 1 of our 12 Days of Winter collection here.

Sunday Swatch – Saki Silk

Friday’s rain brought, predictably, mud, and a lot of shoes and boots left outside the door.  Thankfully the sun’s back out here, so soon the never-ending battle for clean floors will turn in our favor.

Sunday Swatch Saki Silk 2 180

But we take time out from cleaning to do what we love – namely, knitting!  I pulled out my DPNs and started a pair of socks in Saki Silk, the superwash wool/nylon/silk blend that’s part of our Wisdom Yarns line.  The nylon provides extra durability, and silk gives it a luxurious sheen.

I decided to go with the earth tones of our 303 Peach Cobbler  colorway, but looking around on Ravelry, I noticed these gorgeous socks by SuzyZim that had me drooling.

SuzyZim's Mars Attacks! socksSuzy chose colorway 302 Mystery Mars.  They look fantastic!  She’s following Susan B. Anderson’s top-down formula, which calls for a 64 stitch count for the leg and foot – the same as I’m using.  The moral, of course, is always check your gauge.  SuzyZim’s look just perfect on size 1 needles, while I’m getting gauge on size 0’s.

I love how my socks are turning out, but next time, I think I’ll take inspiration from Suzy’s socks and go for that extra burst of color.  Colorful feet look great coming out of muddy boots.