Hearts in Owlantis and Despicable Socks

Socks are one of my favorite things to knit.  I almost always have a sock on my needles.  They are portable, can easily fit in my purse and can usually be knit from one skein of yarn.  If you are intimidated by complicated stitch patterns and have put off knitting a larger project because of this, socks really are a great way to get your feet wet - or keep them warm and dry!

My new Hearts in Owlantis pattern features a small bit of stranded colorwork in the center portion of the leg.  If you have never tried colorwork, these socks would be the perfect pattern to start with.  If you wanted to do a stash busting project to make these, you could even use several colors for a totally different look.  I'm dying to make them with a darker main color and a bright and possibly variegated contrasting color.  I'm having a hard time staying here and writing since I really want to go and dig through my stash to see what I have that would work! haha!

I have a coupon code for Hearts in Owlantis that is good through April 1 in my Ravlery Pattern Shop.  Enter: hoothoot when you check out and it will take $1.00 off.

 

The other fun sock pattern that is coming is Despicable Socks.  I love the Despicable Me movies and the Minions crack me up.  I laugh every time I see them and I even have a Despicable Me Fart Gun app on my phone.  Before you ask, it has a timer delay on it and yes I have set it to go off when I am not in the room! 

A couple of months ago Slipped Stitch Studios had a limited edition Minions bag set that I absolutely couldn't resist.  Michelle Berry of Berry Colorful Yarnings paired up with Slipped Stitch Studios and sent a long a little mini skein of a colorway called Minion. 

 

Before my bag set even arrived I was messaging Michelle to get my hands on the Minion yarn.  I had the design for the socks in my mind for a while and hadn't seen the right yarn for it.  The Minion colorway in the wide stripes is exactly what I was looking for.  They have a modified short row heel that has been designed to help prevent the pooling that can occur in the instep area with many self striping yarns. I am also including notes on how to get your sock stripes to match.  The pattern is available for pre-order on Ravelry: Despicable Socks and will be delivered to your Ravelry Libray on April 18th.  Why a pre-order?  It's so that you will have time to order the yarn from Michelle if you would like to join in the Despicable KAL in her group on Ravelry!  If you would like to pre-purchase the patten, use coupon code: Bapple until April 1 for $1.00 off.  Michelle will also have a few other colorways that are Despicably themed coming next week, so be sure to check to see what they are.  I have heard rumors that there is going to be Gru colorway!

I have some really exciting news to share with you!  My friend Stephanie of Spinderella and I are going to be sharing a booth at the Powhatan Festival of Fiber on April 26.  Steph will be bringing her fabulous hand thrown pottery yarn bowls, paintings of fiber animals and yarn, and her lovely hand spun yarn.  I will be bringing a full selection of my patterns and some fun project bags to store your yarn in.  I'm also going to kit up a few sock patterns and the Iridill shawlette pattern with some of my favorite yarns from Indieway Yarns!  I'm so excited to be a vendor this year.  If you are in the area I hope you can come to the festival and stop by our booth.