Learning and doing

What an exciting week it has been! Following last week's post I did indeed open an Etsy store with the username (and shop name) 'Rumpelstiltskin'. So far I have listed some spinning wheel oil and the Durmstrang sock pattern for sale. To do this I learnt how to make a 'banner' using Photoshop so I could have some visual whooomf at my store. Perhaps I can post it here? Let's see. Yes:



I also learnt how to create PDF files (so I can easily send the pattern via email), and found some free PDF software to do it with.

Already two people have bought the sock pattern, one of whom has posted a photo of the work in progress on Ravelry. It is very exciting and lovely to see my socks knitted by somebody else in beautiful alternative yarns.

At the suggestion of one of my friends in the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap I've also spent a lot of time this week creating a design for some Ravenclaw socks. I've ordered yarn to knit them with, as I need to test the pattern and create photos of an FO before I can publish.

I'm also researching sock blockers as I plan to make and paint some to sell in the store. I found a lot of posts in Ravelry decrying sock blockers as a waste of money because its not worth using them. What?!!!! I love my sock blockers, and wouldn't dream of giving socks I've made to anybody without first of all shaping them with some. Today I finished knitting some (more) school socks for Tom and took a picture after I'd blocked the first to demonstrate the joy of blockers. The blocked sock is not still on the blocker - it holds its new shape perfectly after steaming and airing on it:

Otherwise my time has been filled with completing the 'kit' for my Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap partner. Extending my creativity still more I made my own card packaging pouches and boxes with Harry Potter font saying 'especially for 'n'' and little house crests repeating all over it. When she has received the kit I'll post some photos of the contents, the final addition being some pumpkin pickle I made on Friday with some of our frozen allotment produce. It's very hot - I burned my fingers chopping the chillies for it!!

This evening I finally took some pictures of other recent 'FOs' - hats for the boys, knitted a couple of weeks ago (just in time for the snow, and then the hard frosts this week). I've posted pictures of ones from the same pattern before, the difference is that I've knitted the boys names into the border near one earflap on these:

And finally - a picture of the completed Durmstrang socks I used for the front of the pattern:

Durmstrang finished

Having taken less than a week to complete the first of my 'Durmstrang' socks, I have taken over a month to knit the second! It is now complete and I am wearing the pair as I write this. I will post pictures when I am home (writing this at my sister's). I have also almost finalised the pattern which Dave will help me to put into a PDF format.
After much deliberation I have decided to see if I can sell the pattern. I have been thinking for some time of opening an Etsy store as a little enterprise that I could make work with being a fulltime housewife and Mum. Having seen on Ravelry that the socks are well-liked, I think it is possible that some folk might actually be willing to part with some money to get the instructions to knit them. If I'm going to open an online shop I need something to sell in it, and thought the pattern would be a good start.
My thoughts on the store have progressed quite a bit since the first notion. I have thought of a shop name ('Rumpelstiltskin'), and have made a list of things I could make to sell, including handspun (got to have this in a shop called 'Rumpelstiltskin'!), hand-dyed yarns, small knits, my own patterns, painted bits and pieces, stitchmarkers (learnt how to make these from doing the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap), my lavender spinning wheel oil, and other handmade spinning and knitting accessories. If any of my readers have ideas/ comments/ feedback to offer this would be most welcome.

Yarns and yummies!

Was my last post really two weeks ago? Where does the time go? To the Hogwarts sock kit swap, I'll tell you. And one word just about covers it - Quidditch! Last week was spent playing online quidditch, which involved a quiz, a picture 'scavenger hunt', and (what else) seeking for the golden snitch, hidden by our headmistress in a very sneaky place.

I have managed some knitting though - two hats, one for Tom and one for Toby, with their names knitted into the border. I used the same Danah's earflap hat pattern that I've posted about here before. Pictures will follow when I have a little more time.

My package for the sock kit swap is nearly ready. I've dyed some silk yarn a varigated green mixture for a lucky Slytherin who's allergic to wool. I've also spun some silk blended with angelina to make a 'silver' yarn which I've dyed black. It contrasts nicely with the green, and the silver highlights work really well (pictures will follow after my 'spoilee' gets her package). For 'goodies' I've exploited my English location to provide some of the muggle sweets mentioned in the books - sherbet lemons, mint humbugs, and treacle toffee. I've also put in a tin of spotted dick, and some custard! Then there's my home-made jam, and I'm planning to make some pickle to put in too. And I must stop there because I'm already wondering what the postage will be on that lot!

Off to Dave's parents this weekend for a family get-together to celebrate his mum's 80th birthday. A meal out is proposed. Yummy!

One piccy for you -here's the snitch sock I've knitted to be a prize in the sock kit swap (the broomstick sock is yet to do!):

Very Clever Sock Knitting

Many years ago (20?) I bought 'Knitting in the Nordic Tradition' and have been intrigued ever since by the following quote in it (from Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace) and accompanying comment about the mystery of knitting two socks simultaneously:
" 'Ann Makarovna has finished her stocking,' said Countess Marya. 'Oh, I'm going to have a look at them,' said Pierre... Pierre went into the children ... 'Now, Anna Makarovna,' cried Pierre's voice ... 'when I say three you stand here ... Now, one, two, three!' 'Two, two!' cried the children.
They meant the two stockings, which, by a secret known only to her, Anna Makarovna used to knit on her needles at once. She always made a solemn ceremony of pulling one stocking out of the other in the presence of the children when the pair was finished."
"The maid's pattern is still a secret. How Anna separates the two stockings is still uncertain. the quotation makes one wonder how many knitting details and fine points have been lost during the years."
And then yesterday I came across this. How exciting! Mystery solved! : two socks in one

Shhhh!

Well, things are rendered rather difficult at the moment because of all the secrecy surrounding the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap. it means I can't post about any of the crafts I'm doing for it in case the partner I'm 'spoiling' comes across my blog (and she probably will during 'quidditch') and learns what she's getting. So I can't tell you about the yummy yarn I got last week from Texere yarns, or how I'm making the bag that's part of the kit, or what needles I've ordered for it, or what I'm doing about the stitch markers!

I can tell you about my non-swap projects, and there is a little to report here, despite how much time I'm spending on my Hogwarts homework. I have reached the heel on Durmstrang 2, and the adjustments I made to the pattern have resulted in a very good length that should be alright for all but Hagrid-sized legs. When it is finished I will post a picture for you to compare the two (Durmstrang 1 and Durmstrang 2!).

'Vesty thing' and 'Aidan's scarf' are only just simmering on the back of the knitting stove where I occasionally give them a slight stir!

I have cast on in black sock wool for a mobile cosy for my friend, Varsha, who celebrated her 40th recently and hasn't yet received the present from me that she truly deserves for being a wonderful, supportive friend. I'm going to knit some I-cord in a metallic silver yarn for the trim and a drawstring on the cosy, a technique that Lesley kindly taught me at the last Bradford Spinning Guild meeting. I'm also going to line the cosy and incorporate a pocket in the lining for a handsfree kit.

In and amongst all this I must make time for my French homework and, of course, some ironing!!!

Charting Durmstrang

Inspired by various patterns that other knitters have made available online I've decided to chart and write up the pattern for my Durmstrang socks. I want eventually to share it in PDF format, which means I'll have to learn a new skill because I've never done such a thing before. The Fabulous Dave has offered to guide me through this process as he does a lot of PDF stuff in his job. I've seen that Ravelry have a 'contributions' section where it seems it would be possible to place the pattern, though I'll wait until after the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap because I've offered the finalised pattern as a prize there, and think it would be a bit mean to give something as a prize that is already freely available online!

I've modified the pattern because while I think I can get away with the shortness of the sock on my dwarfish pins (I'm only approximately 5' tall!) I'm sure it really would look too short on Miss Average, and positively half-mast on Ms. Tall. I've also taken account of the aesthetic improvements I made to the first sock as I knitted it, and I've improved the way the charted pattern commences. I haven't typed up any worded instructions as yet, but here is a teaser chart for anyone who's interested:

On the Sixth Day of Christmas

Spinningmaid knit a sock:

I've called it 'Durmstrang' because of the strong Nordic influence, and as I'm full of Potter enthusiasm at the moment:

a) I have just re-read Philosopher's Stone

b) I got 'Charmed Knits' for Christmas from number one Pottter fan, my eldest son, Daniel.

c) I'm very excited about the Hogwarts kit swap starting soon (see button).

d) I watched Order of the Phoenix last night with Fabulous Dave.

I referred a lot to 'Knitting in the Nordic Tradition' to design this, and was very inspired by Which Chick's 'Hot Heels of Iron' socks which appeared in Socktoberfest (and are also on Ravelry). Helped by a significant level of illness keeping me to my bed (Christmas fluey, coughy thing) I've managed to get it done very quickly. I'm very proud of how the fairisle motifs alter for the decreases. I've worked a spell with shirring elastic in the cast-on at the top of the cuff (the cast-on was too loose).

Other news:

The decorating is finished downstairs, just a little to finish on the top landing (study area). So I strung ivy up the banister rails for a lovely Christmassy touch in our now elegant hall.

At the Spinning Guild Christmas meeting I got a wonderful hat in the Secret Santa, spun and knit by Carol Leonard. And it suits me amazingly well (I am very difficult to hat!). So its been on my head every time I've left the house since. Thank you Carol.

My package went to Jasmine, an Indian lady in the group. I was really pleased about this - it felt like poetic justice because I've had to put up with so much dreadfully racist rubbish from my decorator recently.

Must go now and conjure up a meal for hungry family.