Tag / stash yarn

by TechnicolorMom

Dragon Fairy Socks

I think it would be accurate to state that I am obsessed with my latest sock pattern. Last week, I published the Dragon Fairy Socks pattern, and I love, love, love knitting these socks. This design features a textured panel on the front of the sock, and the back of the sock is stockinette. When I say these fly off the needles, I am not kidding. I gave a sneak peak of the sock a few weeks ago when I shared the socks I made for my grandmother. I gifted them to my grandmother for her birthday, and she loved them!

The difficulty rating for the Dragon Fairy Socks pattern is EASY. This project is worked in the round from the cuff down and includes an easy textured stitch and decreases. Kitchener stitch is used to finish off the toe.

The pattern has been tech edited and test knit.

DESIGN INSPIRATION

On the way home from school one winter afternoon, as I was finishing up the second sock for this sample, my daughter was arguing that she didn’t feel cold outside because she is a “Fire Fairy.” My 3-yo piped up and declared that he is a “Dragon Fairy,” and I thought the conversation was just the cutest thing. I was struck by how the texture on the front of these socks resembles dragon scales and how the knitted bars highlight individual colors in the fabric like the sun glinting off of iridescent fairy wings. Thus, I decided to call these socks the “Dragon Fairy Socks.” The texture on these socks makes the pattern ideal for any yarn dyeing style, from solid to variegated and anything in between.

RECOMMENDED YARN

This pattern will play nicely with any fingering weight merino/merino nylon blend yarn in solid, tonal, speckled, or variegated colorways.

I used Sock by Teal Torch Knits, a 75% superwash merino wool/25% nylon, 463 yds (423 m) per 3.5 oz (100 g) base. I used Christina’s Cake by the Ocean colorway for my blue/green sample. I love how the texture stitch shows off the variations in this color, and I am loving seeing this texture in yarns that I collected long ago but wasn’t quite sure what to do with.

Below you can see the pattern in Sweet Sock by Twisted Ambitions; I used Russ’s Sweet Like Candy colorway for these beauties, and I love how they turned out. I started these on February 5, 2024 and finished them on February 12, 2024. I always knit the 64 sts size for myself.

It was a little tricky to get the lighting correct for these socks, but the color is probably closest to the cooler photo on the right.

GIFT KNITTING

My children are so incredibly knit worthy, and for Valentine’s Day this year, I made them each a pair of Dragon Fairy Socks using Sequoia Sock by Treehouse Knits. I collected Lauren’s Land of the Living colorway a couple of years ago. I love how well this design shows off the intricacies of this colorway.

This sock set came with two minis, and I used them to add a pop of color at the cuff and a contrast cuff and toe. I used the 56 sts size for my 7 year old’s pair, which I started on January 17, 2024 and finished on January 22, 2024. For my 3.5 year old child, I used the 48 sts size and started them on January 22, 2024 and finished on January 25, 2024.

I have since started three additional pairs of these socks — two for my 7 year old and one for my husband, and I can’t wait to share them when they are finished.

Do you have any collected yarn that has been hiding away, unsure of what it wants to become? What yarn would you use for these socks?

by TechnicolorMom

Pause Time Socks

I am so excited to share that the Pause Time Socks pattern is officially out in the world! This pattern is available on Ravelry, and the code PAUSE20 will get you 20% off now until Tuesday, February 6, 2024.

The Pause Time Socks are knit cuff-down, beginning with a German Twisted Cast-On and 2×2 rib. The leg and foot of the sock feature a beautiful trio of short and long cables on the front of the sock and stockinette on the back. A traditional heel flap and gusset make for a great overall fit, and a rounded toe and Kitchener stitch finish off the sock.

The difficulty rating for the Pause Time Socks pattern is INTERMEDIATE. This project is worked in the round from the cuff down and includes cables, slipped stitches, increases, and decreases. Kitchener stitch is used to finish off the toe.

The pattern has been tech edited and test knit.

Pause Time Socks in Neon Melon

DESIGN INSPIRATION

It seems as though the older I get, the faster time goes, and sometimes I wish I had the ability to pause time. My two children seem to change and grow as quickly as the smaller cables on the Pause Time Socks. As I typed up this pattern, my three-year-old sat in my lap, pretending to type and control my finger movements. He won’t be small enough to sit in my lap for long, but I will enjoy the moment for now. The larger central cable takes the shape of an hourglass with longer stretches of stockinette between the cables, reminding us to pause and breathe in the beautiful moments around us.

RECOMMENDED YARN

This pattern will play nicely with any fingering weight merino/merino nylon blend yarn in solid, tonal, or lightly speckled colorways.

I used Sock by Teal Torch Knits, a 75% superwash merino wool/25% nylon, 463 yds (423 m) per 3.5 oz (100 g) base, in the Neon Melon colorway for my sample. I love how these cables pop in this color, and I cannot wait to get these cables onto some more accessories.

GIFT KNITTING

One of my goals for this year is to knit using stash yarn, and another is to knit gift socks for my extended family members. My husband, dad, mom, Grandma, MawMaw (maternal grandmother), and mother-in-law have all been enthusiastic supporters of my knitting endeavors, and this year I want to treat them to some handmade socks.

I wrote about the Dragon Fairy Socks that I gifted my Grandma a few weeks ago, and I just finished up a pair of Pause Time Socks for my MawMaw. She wears a size 6 shoe, so I was able to finish these up in just a few days. I love how these cables look in this gorgeous tonal yarn.

Pause Time Socks in Sangria

For these beauties, I used The Lemonade Shop House Sock in Sangria, which I purchased in September 2020. My MawMaw loves bold, saturated colors, so I thought this colorway would be perfect for her. I started these socks on January 26, 2024, and I finished them on February 2, 2024. You can find more info about this pair, including when I started the toe of the sock, on my project page on Ravelry. I’ve already started working on the sunburst granny squares to use up the leftover yarn.

Do you have a beautiful tonal or solid skein that would look amazing in these cables languishing in your stash? Maybe it’s time to cast on! Have you knit cables before? If not, what is holding you back? I’d love to ease any fears you might have about cable knitting.