Sock Contest Winners!!

We had the most completed projects for the sock contest, then for any of the contests before that.  There were 19 pairs in all and they were all beautifully done. The voting ended yesterday and we are excited to announce that the winner of the State Fair Parade Sock Contest is..............................

#18, knit by Tasha Wells

Owlie

By Julie Elswick Suchomel

And as always, we also have a prize for a voter, drawn at random.  For every vote, your name was put into the "hat" and because of her vote on Nancy's blog, the winner of the "Voter's Drawing" is Ashley Davidson.

Tasha won two skeins of Regia Extra Merino Twist, one skein of Opal sock yarn, and Around the World in Knitted Socks by Stephanie van der Linden. Ashley won two skeins of Regia Extra Merino Twist Color and a Regia booklet.  You may come into the store to receive your prize.

We also had a drawing for Rose's sock students who participated and completed at least one of their socks. Rose had four students complete a pair of socks for her special drawing. Marsha Duea won a skein of "vintage" Opal sock yarn from Rose's vast sock yarn stash, and several sock patterns donated by Denise B that she got at Sock Summit in Portland.

We've had someone who is not one of our registered customers question the voting for this contest. We would like to take a minute to remind you that you must follow all the rules for voting. Only registered customers (who receive our emails) are eligible to vote in any and all of our contests. 

 

Thanks so much to everyone who participated!  We have just begun our 6th and final contest, the Labor Day Fall/Winter Sweater Contest.  Check out our website to read all of the rules and details.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE SOCKS!!!

it's voting time once again! The socks have all been turned in and we have a great selection to choose from. We have posted a picture of each pair of socks here on the blog (although we highly recommend coming into the store to see them because they are so beautiful and the pictures don't always show their details).  To cast your vote, just leave a comment on this post with your full name and the number of the socks you want to win!  Voting ends Tuesday September 13th, 2011.

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VOTE NOW BY COMMENTING ON THIS POST WITH YOUR FULL NAME AND NUMBER OF THE SOCKS YOU WANT TO WIN!  Don't forget there is a "Voter's Drawing" as well! Check out all of the detail and rules on our website.

Also, remember that there are other ways to vote! You can vote once on the Knitted Together facebook page and once in the store.  Although you can earn an additional vote for every purchase you make during the voting period! 

 

CALLING ALL SOCK KNITTERS!

We know it's HOT outside!  So for the State Fair Contest, we are asking you to knit a much smaller project!  A project that doesn't cover your lap or use bulky yarn!  It's SOCKS!  Watch our friends Opal and Regina as they introduce the next contest.  Then follow all of the links and directions.

Now click on the sock picture below to be redirected to our website, where you can get all of the rules and details for this State Fair Sock Contest!

Stripes Alive Sock KAL is ON!

I rushed right to my computer on Tuesday morning and immediately printed off Part 1 of KAL 3, the Stripes Alive sock pattern from Knit Purl Hunter. Rose's comment from my last posting is exactly right, it's like a month long present and you get something new to open every 7 days! I've never done a KAL on the web and it's proving to be lots of fun.

For those of you who haven't joined in, we have more of the March Trekking XXL yarn (you can see what the yarn looks like in the ball at the link above) coming in at the shop, so you can have as much fun as the rest of us. I'm sure it will arrive sometime next week; so far only one is spoken for. Here's a little peek at my sock on the needles...

Join Us for the 20 Years of Trekking KAL

I'd heard about the Twenty Years of Trekking Knit Along, but didn't get interested until my sales rep, Kim came in. If you're a sock knitter/sock yarn lover and are interested in participating in the KAL with us, go to Skacel or Knit Purl Hunter for all the important information, including all the ways to win prizes! There are weekly and monthly prizes as well as a Grand-Prize Winner and Not-So-Grand, but none-the-less Great Prize Winners. (Once you check out the prizes, you'll be hooked...)

You can come into our shop for the yarn. The yarn for the January (toe-up) sock is a beautiful blue called Susanne; your purchase of that particular yarn makes a $10 donation to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research. The March (cuff-down sock) is a colorful striped yarn. The April (toe-up sock) is a yummy striped tweed. The 6-ply tweed for the February (fingerless gloves) is on backorder, but will be in the shop next week. I'm planning to start with the March sock (you know how much I like sock yarn and knitting socks!). I'm not sure if I'll get four of the six KALs completed, but I'm sure going to try. I'd like to be entered for the Grand- and Not-So-Grand Prizes!

I joined the Knit Purl Hunter KAL group on Ravelry, too. There you'll find tips and conversation about each of the KAL projects (at least the ones that are currently in progress). All of the KAL patterns will be up on the Knit Purl Hunter website through July 15th, so don't waste time!

Happy knitting! Nancy

Knitting Winter into Spring

The groundhog recently predicted an early Spring, and we've definitely seen weather changes here! I like to knit smaller projects when it gets really warm, but in the last days of Winter and the first days of Spring, I still love to knit socks (for my small-size projects) and shawlettes (for my medium-size projects). I just finished two pairs of socks, and I'm in the process of helping a couple of ladies learn to knit socks by the magic loop method, so I'll probably be knitting at least one or two more pairs before Spring is actually here by the calendar.

Yesterday we got a good-size shipment of Regia sock yarn at the shop, so I think I'll try one of them for my next pair. Regia is well known for it's easy care and sturdiness. We also got 6 colorways of Regia Lace (100 gram ball with approximately 659 yards). It's a beautiful yarn with long color changes (kind of like Noro only more subtle). It would be lovely for so many of the shawlette patterns that are so abundant on Ravelry. How about Annis from Knitty? Don't forget about our class for the Annis shawlette that starts tomorrow evening! We still have a couple of openings.

So if Spring is just around the corner, what are you planning to knit?

I'm still knitting gifts...

I was very fortunate to get the gifts on my gifting list knitted in time for Christmas. Well, all but Tim's sweater, and that's a totally different story!

Tim's "Hiker" sweater has a wide ribbing ("k5-p3" pattern repeat) for the entire back. And when I got to the top of the back it seemed like the gauge changed dramatically. When I got to the decreases for the armhole, the instructions read that I should knit 31 rows and the armhole should measure almost 9 1/2 inches. When I measured the completed opening, it was a little over 7 1/2 inches. I was afraid that even if I blocked the back like crazy, the sleeves, the front and the back wouldn't fit together well when I seamed them. I'm going to ravel and knit the back again with a 7-mm needle instead of the 6.5-mm that I'd previously used. I'm also going to TRY to work at an even tension. The reason I snugged up on the back was because of the loose knit stitches that sometimes occurred on the last stitch of the knit 5 section when I went from knit to purl.

Tim's sweater will have to wait a bit while I knit a scarf for our nephew Zach and a baby blanket for another nephew's baby boy that will be born sometime this March.

I'm using the "Noro Striped Scarf" pattern for Zach's scarf, but I'm knitting it with my favorite yarn, Cascade 220 Superwash (machine-wash and tumble dry low). He picked his own colors (Jet and Christmas Green) for the scarf so I know he'll be really happy and a whole lot warmer walking across campus. Now if he can only keep from losing it!

As for the baby blanket, I'm knitting the "All Purpose Knitted Afghan" from Project Linus. Again, I'm knitting it with Cascade 220 Superwash in a blue-green hand paint color called Celtic. Hopefully I can ship it off to Ben and Karie in Southern California by the end of March...

Keep on knitting!

Calling all followers and followers-to-be!

I would love to have everyone that reads or occasionally reads my blog to become a "follower." We will be having prize drawings and they will be for followers only. The more followers we get the more often we will be able to give prizes away. Sign up to follow me soon if not today!

I'm really close to finishing my first toe-up sock. It was a stretch for me since I have always done cuff down. The heel was my biggest issue, because I like a slip-stitch heel flap and a lot of patterns that I looked at had short-row heels. Anyway, thanks to Jean who works for me and also teaches our Toe-Up Sock Class, I got through the heel and I'm nearly done with the cuff.

I've picked out a couple of WIPs in my collection to work on, too. I've made it halfway through on my Stork's Nest Scarf and it's looking really nice. I also am working on my Revontuli out of Zauberball Crazy. I think It's going to be really beautiful, too. I put it away about 5 months ago and basically forgot about it... The other day someone reminded me about it, so I got it out today and will dive in and try to finish the remaining 20 rows!

My friend, Kelly recently had surgery and has been off of work. She's been getting out more and more and everytime she comes into the shop she has baked something delicious. I told her she's going to kill me! Last week she brought in Dutch Letter Bars. They are wonderful! I asked Kelly for the recipe, and if I could share it. She gave me the recipe and I made them this weekend and now I'm going to share the recipe with all of you. I hope you enjoy them as much as we all did.

Dutch Letter Bars

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 stick margarine, softened (do not substitute either of them, you need one of each)
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 can Solo Almond Paste
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

Cream the butter, margarine and sugar together. Add eggs to mixture, then *almond paste, and finally flour, mixing well after each addition. Spread the mixture into a greased 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle with white sugar. Bake at 350-degrees for 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Cut into bars and share with your knitting friends!

*pinch off small pieces of almond paste and add in to the batter or it is hard to mix well! Using a stand mixer works really well!

FYI: You can find the Solo Almond Paste in the baking aisle near the pie fillings.

My Super Bowl knitting plans

As usual on Super Bowl Sunday, we're going to be open at the shop from noon to 4:00 PM. Being open could possibly cut into my knitting time that day, but I'm planning a knitting project anyway (I just might get a free moment or two). Since I'll probably be busy, I think I'll work on a new sock, that day. I've been wanting to start a toe-up sock since they have become really popular. I've got Wendy Johnson's current book, Socks from the Toe Up, so I'll probably choose one from there. Whichever pattern I choose, I'll be sure to get started before Sunday, so I'll be done with the toe and ready to just knit the foot! That will hopefully insure that I don't make any errors!

(FYI: We still have two spaces left in our Toe-Up Sock class that Jean is teaching. She's made many toe-up socks, so I'm sure everyone will learn lots and have fun at the same time. The class begins next Tuesday, February 9 (at 6-8 PM) and concludes the following Tuesday. We do require that you've made a cuff-down sock first.)

OK, back to the party ... I'm planning to make goodies for our customers to snack on. I'm not leaking any of that information though. It's Top Secret! You'll have to come in to taste the assortment of treats that Megan, Tim, and I come up with. If you decide to come in that day, we are collecting food for the Des Moines Area food Pantry and will be collecting canned goods that day. Think of it as we'll feed you and you can help feed the homeless right in our community.
Suggested Donation List:

• Baby Formula and Cereal
• Canned Fruits or Vegetables
• Canned Meals (stews, hash, chili, ravioli)
• Canned Meats or Fish
• Canned Spaghetti Sauce (no glass jars!)
• Cold/Hot Cereal
• Dry Pasta
• Hamburger or Tuna Helpers
• Juice (no glass jars!)
• Peanut Butter
• Plain White Rice
• Saltines

I wanted to give you one of my favorite recipes, and thought I might divulge an appetizer for Super Bowl Sunday, but then you might know what I'm making. Sorry! The recipe I chose is for a delicious, HEALTHY breakfast shake. I love this and have made it in my smoothie maker, but you can also make it in a blender.


YOGURT SHAKE

• 1 ripe banana, frozen ahead
• 2 T. wheat germ
• 1 T. orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Place all ingredients in blender or smoothie maker and blend until smooth and serve. Try adding other fresh fruits in season (berries, peaches, pineapples, etc.).


Happy knitting!
Nancy

Tips for the New Year

In 2010 I'm going to offer you knitting tips that I've discovered. Some are ones I've actually stumbled on by doing them because I didn't like what I was seeing, and some will be ones that I've read or heard from others. Since you are well aware that I love to knit socks, I think my first two tips will relate to sock knitting. If you don't knit socks, these may not make sense to you. If you do someday decide to knit socks you will discover that these two tips you will help you achieve a more professional finish.

Tip #1 (socks)
Count the number of rows you knit on the heel flap (how many rows you slipped the first stitch on the knit and the purl sides). If you knit 36 rows you will have 18 slip stitches on each side of the heel flap. That tells me I would pick up and knit 18 stitches along the heel flap; then I would pick up and knit one more near the corner by the instep stitches. That extra stitch will often close any holes or gaps that can occur there. On the second side of the heel flap you will pick up and knit the extra stitch right after you knit across the instep stitches; then pick up the remaining 18 stitches.

Tip #2 (socks)
On the round after you've picked up the stitches along the heel, knit the picked-up stitches through the back loops. Doing this keeps the stitches tight against the heel flap. (This round is also a decrease round, but I do my decreases as called for in my pattern. I don't bother with changing them, since they close up any gaps that you might have from the picked-up stitches.)

FYI: I just got a really nice thank-you note from my nephew's wife, Karie. She loved the socks I knitted for her, and even wore them to a New Year's Eve pajama party (with her slippers)! Of course living in southern California you can run around in your pajamas, socks and slippers. In Iowa we'd have had to wear socks (possibly two pairs, long underwear pants and top, pajamas, ski pants, boots and down parka!

Happy Knitting,
Nancy

My sad sock story

If you've ever knitted socks for someone, you know that knitting them is a true act of love. That said, my story is sort of a sad one ...

Our nephew Ben got married this year and he and his wife Karie came to Iowa this summer to visit the Iowa side of his family (they live in Los Angeles). So on the Fourth of July we had Ben and Karie over for a cookout and a trip to see fireworks. Prior to the fireworks, we ran by our shop to show it to them. Karie told me she wants to learn how to knit and if I'd had more time I would have crammed in a lesson, but time was far too limited. Anyway, I showed her some socks that I'd made and she told me she would really love some. I told her I would make a pair for her, knowing that in California it still gets cold enough to enjoy wool socks in the winter. Her favorite color is orange, so a week or so after their visit I got in a shipment of sock yarn from Skacel. There was a perfect pattern and color of yarn, so I got started. Within a week or two I'd quickly knitted up a pair of socks for Karie. I wrote her a quick note about all the love that goes into a pair of socks and told her how to care for them. I popped them into a padded mailing envelope and Tim took them to the Post Office to mail. As time went by, I began to wonder if Karie didn't like them, since I hadn't heard from her or Ben. Finally, about two weeks ago Tim sent Ben an email to see how Karie liked the socks. Ben sent a return email that they hadn't gotten the socks yet! (This is where I start to get tears in my eyes!) Over a month had passed since we sent the socks, so it appears they are lost for good. That or one of their neighbors will be enjoying warm feet this winter! Our Post Office said the package may still show up as they sometimes get caught in the equipment, but I'm not going to hold my breath!

This past Friday evening I started another pair of socks for Karie. I even like this yarn better. It's a Trekking XXL sock yarn that is red, orange and hot pink. When it's done I may try to ship it to Karie's office, since she and Ben currently live in an apartment. This time when I write my note to Karie I can tell her that the new pair of socks has double the love knitted into them!

Sock Maniac

I'm doing a guest blog for Nancy so she can continue to knit. Sometimes it's hard for her to stop knitting long enough to write a blog entry. This is my first time blogging!

Who am I? I'm known by many names. I'm most frequently known as Rose, Rosie by my family, or Grandma Rose by my granddaughters.

I'm RosieL on Ravelry. And, for anyone who has made my basic sock pattern, I am RosieL of RosieL’s Socks, the basic sock pattern that I wrote. There are now three versions of my pattern (56-stitch, 64-stitch and 72-stitch), plus Nancy has adapted my pattern for Magic-Loop instruction. It's a good basic pattern, and you can always do your own thing on the cuff as long as the pattern you use is a 4- or 8-stitch repeat. To get my sock pattern, you either need to buy some sock yarn at Knitted Together or take my beginner sock class. So I guess another name for me is “sock teacher.” I've been teaching the beginning sock class on a monthly basis at Knitted Together ever since the store opened. To take the sock class, you need to be experienced enough to be able to knit and purl (as in ribbing), increase, and decrease. I teach the basics with my mini-sock pattern on double-point needles (which I prefer). After you learn the basics, you can try other methods of making socks. Magic loop is very popular, and Nancy can teach you how to move on to that method. I personally prefer working on double-point needles.

I just got back from Stitches Midwest in Schaumburg, IL where I purchased my very first pair of Signature Needles. I haven’t yet, but I’ll soon be casting on my first pair of socks with my new needles and can give you a full report. They're on the pricey side but I have heard rave reviews and really wanted to give them a try. Due to the high price, my husband thought they were possibly battery operated or even knit the project for you, but what would the fun be in that?!

I'm also known as “chief volunteer” at Knitted Together. Nancy and I met through knitting at our church in late 2000 and we have been great friends ever since. I was so excited when Nancy and Tim decided to open Knitted Together. I live less than a mile from the shop and I'm frequently at the shop knitting. When Nancy gets busy with customers, I’ll pitch in to wind yarn and help customers. I eventually learned how to work the cash register so if you're in the shop and someone is checking you out that's not the most proficient on the register, it’s probably me (hey, a little grace, please!).

I most recently became known as “sock maniac” when I attended Stitches Midwest with five of my knitting friends. My friend, Marsha's fancy phone actually announces the caller, so while at Stitches, Marsha changed my name in her phone so it would say “sock maniac” when I called. This was my tenth time to attend Stitches, and as usual I loved it. It's the most fabulous get away for a knitter. This year almost all of my "market" purchases were sock related. I think it's my duty to try new sock yarns, especially since I have also been called the “sock maven”. I love socks for their portability, and of course, all the fabulous sock yarns that are on the market. I have a sock bag that I always take with me wherever I go that contains a basic sock in progress. I knit other things than socks though. I'm currently working on a man’s sweater for a friend, a baby blanket for my niece, a bag, three other sweaters for myself, and more WIPs than I dare mention.

This year we started the “KT-Socker Club” at Knitted Together where we are knitting patterned socks. If you're curious, ask Nancy about it or check the Knitted Together Events Page (listed as K-tog #2 on Tuesdays each month). Maybe I’ll save details for that in another guest blog spot if Nancy invites me to blog again.

Nancy frequently closes her blog with a recipe. I’m going to share my favorite cookie recipe. I have made this recipe for years. They are simply delicious cookies as the name implies and the recipe makes more than enough to share! I make them for my boss (of 30 years) for his birthday ever year.

Delicious Cookies (Note: recipe was corrected at 1:05 PM on 9/19/09)

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup margarine
• 1 cup oil
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cream of tarter
• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1 cup Rice Krispies
• 16 ounces chocolate chips

Cream sugars and shortening. Add egg, vanilla, salt, soda and cream of tarter. Mix well. Add flour. Blend in oats, Rice Krispies, and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Enjoy!
Rose, RosieL, etc.