beebonnet report

My Head is the Size of a Beachball

Thanks everyone for all the really swell comments, I wish I could hire you all to just comment like that every day of my life!  I would always be on the sunny side of the street then!

I like Tree of Life too, I have a love affair with trees, they just make me feel peaceful.

Several people have asked about the yarn used.  The yarn in the blue/black version is Malabrigo Sock yarn in colors Indiecito and Black.  It's a very soft yarn, and the resulting socks are kind of silky feeling even though it's 100% merino.  I also have a sample sock knit up in autumn colors in Lisa Souza Sock! in colors petroglyph and garnet.  It doesn't have as much contrast, but it's also striking in an autumny way.

And were you wondering what the back of the sock might look like?  Well here's a peek at that - because you should look as good going as coming!  I think they'd make great clog socks.

A few people have asked in the comments how they can pre-order the book.  You can pre-order here.  It's 10% off, free shipping for media rate mail or only $2 for priority upgrade, and arrives signed by me.  International orders are 10% off but you have to pay shipping (I know the shipping part of the order button is broken, I will email international orders close to the ship date and let them know the shipping cost).  Pre orders end July 31st, after that you will only be able to get it from your LYS or an online seller like Amazon or other bookseller.

And now for the winner!

Monday's winner for either the Tree of Life or Talking Fish pattern is Steph!

If you are a recent winner please contact me and let me know which pattern you'd like.  I've gotten a little mixed up, so even if you sent me an email before, send another and remind me.  Thanks!  Send email to MAIL AT JANELLAIDMAN D O T C O M  (hopefully you figure this out - I'm trying to avoid spam)

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Tree of Life or Talking Fish. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

Tree of Life

Happy Monday everyone,  the new pattern today is Tree of Life

The Tree of Life shows up in many cultures, myths, philosophies and religions and reminds us that we are all interconnected with each other, we are rooted with the earth and our branches reach out to every living being. Make some tree of life socks to forge new roots, to remind yourself of your own connections, or just to bask in the serenity of their branches!

Thursday's winner for either the Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish pattern is Jennie!

Friday's winner for either the Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish pattern is Sue A.! (ooh, the random number generator must have heard you!)

Saturday's winner for either the Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish pattern is Anne!

Sunday's winner for either the Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish pattern is dim45Ann! (again the random number generator picked number 1)

The winner of the week for a copy of the book is Debbie Bourque!

Congratulations everyone!

If you are a recent winner please contact me and let me know which pattern you'd like.  I've gotten a little mixed up, so even if you sent me an email before, send another and remind me.  Thanks!  Send email to MAIL AT JANELLAIDMAN D O T C O M  (hopefully you figure this out - I'm trying to avoid spam)

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Tree of Life or Talking Fish. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

The Yarn for Talking Fish and some musing.

I've had a lot of positive responses to Talking Fish, which of course makes me want to do happy dances all day long, so thanks for the kind words everyone!  I think part of what people really respond to with a sideways sock is seeing the yarn striping up and down the sock instead of around and around your leg.  It's a very flattering look.  When you see some of my other sideways socks that aren't so ripply, you'll see that the vertical stripes hug the contours of your legs, and make them look, well, sexy.  It's a wonderful effect of seeing the yarn in that orientation.

So a sideways sock is a great way to show off a painted skein of sock yarn.  And the yarn I used for that picture of Talking Fish is really lovely.  The yarn is Enchanted Knoll Sock yarn, in the colorway "Sedona".  I can't say enough nice things about this yarn.  The Enchanted Knoll colors are really saturated and gorgeous and the yarn has a nice tight twist that keeps it smooth and lovely.

The sideways method of construction is not hard, in fact my test knitters who had never knit sideways socks before told me they really enjoyed it, and that it was a fast method for knitting a sock.  The only tricky parts (if you can call them tricky) to a sideways sock are that you need to know your gauge, both stitch and row gauge, and you will need to kitchener the sock up when you're done knitting.  I know a lot of people don't like the kitchener stitch, but I just think of it as knitting with a tapestry needle, and then it becomes just another type of knitting that I do.  Knitting is all about the repetition, and kitchener stitch is exactly like that!

I'm nearing the end of editing the book and getting ready to send it off to the printer.  What an amazing process it is writing a book.  I still have a few variables in the works before I will know whether it will be available by Sock Summit.  I will update here on the blog when I know for certain whether it will or will not be available by then.

Today I shot some final photos for the glossary at the back of the book.  Since my hands will be in the photos I got to go have a manicure, a luxury I haven't indulged in since my wedding!  Yikes!  I forgot just how great a manicure (and pedicure) make you feel.  It was wonderful to sit down and HAVE TO stop using my hands for a half hour.  I never realized how much I use my hands all day long.  If I'm not knitting, I'm manipulating a mouse or typing or drawing.  The thought of not using my hands makes me a little nervous, which is why I'll go out of the house with mismatched shoes but I won't go out without knitting, even if I'm going to the supermarket.  I think I live in fear that I will somehow be stranded by a giant sinkhole of doom preventing me from getting home in a timely manner and I will have to sit idle without anything to do except drum my fingers on the dashboard and wish for my knitting.  I take knitting everywhere, restaurants, appointments, and visiting with relatives.  Recently I showed up at my relatives house and didn't feel like knitting (I've been burning the candle at both ends lately and my fingers were actually tired!) my relatives remarked that it was the first time they've seen me not knitting and that it "looked good" on me (to not be knitting).  One of my other relatives also remarked recently that my knitting was just like her son with his @#%$! handheld computer game.  I realized that, to a non-knitter, my knitting can actually appear rude and it startled me.  It won't make me stop knitting, but it does make me aware that I need to remain engaged in the conversations around me rather than drifting off into happy knitting land when I'm socializing.  Do you ever get this reaction from people?

Well, if you've gotten this far, you might be wondering if you've won a pattern.

Wednesday's winner for either the Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish pattern is Marie E!

If you are a recent winner please contact me and let me know which pattern you'd like.  I've gotten a little mixed up, so even if you sent me an email before, send another and remind me.  Thanks!  Send email to MAIL AT JANELLAIDMAN D O T C O M  (hopefully you figure this out - I'm trying to avoid spam)

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

Talkin' 'bout Talking Fish!

I have so many patterns yet to share, I thought I'd share a new pattern today!  So, because many people expressed interest; I give you "Talking Fish"!

If you happen to catch a talking fish, it is best to spare his life and throw him back.  A grateful talking fish will probably bring you riches, good luck, or at least grant you a few wishes. This talking fish loves the ripples of the watery river, and brings the good luck of a flattering fit, and the charm of a painted skein shown off to maximum effect. Your fishies will be the talk of the town.

Monday's winner for either the Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish pattern is peachesforever!

Monday's winner for either the Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish pattern is SylvieT!

If you are a recent winner please contact me and let me know which pattern you'd like.  I've gotten a little mixed up, so even if you sent me an email before, send another and remind me.  Thanks!  Send email to MAIL AT JANELLAIDMAN D O T C O M  (hopefully you figure this out - I'm trying to avoid spam)

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Tristan & Isolde or Talking Fish. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

Tristan & Isolde

For those who like the lace up look in a more practical form...

"Two star-crossed lovers ensnared in a triangle, Tristan and Isolde were bound together by a love potion gone wrong. These cable crossed socks require no potions to make you love them. They are sturdy, warm and look good in every color, and are equally handsome for both men and women. "

Sunday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is LorieH

And the week's winner for the book is mk!

If you are a recent winner and I haven't yet sent you a link, please contact me.  I've gotten a little mixed up, so even if you sent me an email before, send another and remind me.  Thanks!  Send email to MAIL AT JANELLAIDMAN D O T C O M  (hopefully you figure this out - I'm trying to avoid spam)

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Tristan & Isolde. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

my pretties

One of the fun parts of going to TNNA is the chance to see and touch new yarns, and maybe come home with a few samples.  I didn't bring home a lot of yarn, but I did come home with a few choice pretties...

First up

Shalimar yarns, Zoe sock.  This yarn is lovely to work with, and they have terrific colors.  I really loved this pretty, pretty lavender.  It's a merino superwash, and it has a lovely feel to it.

Another favorite yarn, was this luscious Bluefaced Leicester (BFL) superwash from Pagewood Farm.  BFL sock yarn is becoming more and more accessible, and it is a terrific wool.  BFL wool is classified as a long wool.  It's lustrous and strong.  But it also has next to skin softness unlike some other longwools.  I really love BFL both in yarn and also as fiber for spinning.  And I love the colors from Pagewood.  They have a million colors and they're all gorgeous.

And I also got a sweet sample from Kitchen Sink Dyeworks.  This is their "lend a hand" colorway which I love.  Proceeds from the sale of this colorway go to Kiva micro loans, which is a wonderful cause.  So if you love this color like I do, you may want to consider buying some and helping someone across the world have a better life at the same time.  That's a win/win.

And, of course, any time I fly I get a nice long stretch of knitting time.  I started these socks at TNNA but didn't get far until I got to the airport.  Now I've got a nice chunk of them done and I'm about ready to begin the heel.  This is my precious skein of Woolen Rabbit Oakmoss color that I've been hoarding for myself.  I can't decide if they should be Tintagels or Lothloriens.  What do you think?

It's almost time to reveal a new sock... this time I'll ask you all by name rather than technique.

Would you rather see

Tristan & Isolde
Firebird
or
Talking Fish

?

And on to the winners!

Wednesday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is Sharon!

Thursday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is Katie!

Friday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is Debra!

If you are a recent winner and I haven't yet sent you a link, please contact me and let me know whether you would like the Atlantis or the Galadriel pattern.  I've gotten a little mixed up, so even if you sent me an email before, send another and remind me.  Thanks!  Send email to MAIL AT JANELLAIDMAN D O T C O M  (hopefully you figure this out - I'm trying to avoid spam)

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Atlantis or Galadriel. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

Blocking Socks

Blocking socks is not a necessity.  They will look the same on your feet whether you block them or not.  But if you're a sock designer and you're photographing your socks, you may want to block them to take pretty pictures.  Or perhaps you have made a pair of socks as a gift for a special person, blocking your socks can make the presentation of the gift a little more special.

Here is the Atlantis sock blocked (left) and unblocked (right).  You can see that blocking  makes the sock a little more delicious when not on a foot.

There are two ways to block, either by wetting the sock, stretching it over a sock blocker form and allowing it to dry, or by putting a dry sock on the sock blocker and blasting it with some steam from your iron.  I usually like to do wet blocking because I like to soak my socks in a nice, lightly scented, wool wash.  And the block from wet blocking seems a little more "solid".  However, sometimes I have to block a LOT of socks, like when I'm writing a book!  And when I have to do that, I often steam.

Because I have so many socks to block at once, I had to come up with a good sock blocking form.  I have some beautiful wooden sock blockers that I bought from Chappy, however I can't afford to buy 25 pairs of sock blockers just to block socks for the book!  So I made my own sock blockers from foam core board.  It's cheap, easy to find (I buy mine at Staples) and you can make your blockers whatever size you need.  It holds up just fine for wet blocking, they're lightweight, and you can make a lot of them and block all your socks at once. 

I trace my sock blocking pattern onto the foam core and then cut it out with a utility knife.  Make sure your knife is sharp!  When the blockers get too ratty, I throw them out.  But they last a pretty long time, and if they get wet, don't worry, they dry out pretty quick.

Another advantage to these blockers is that you can make them any size you want, so if you're doing knee highs, you can make them nice and tall, or if you have very curvy calves, you can round the calves on them. 

So next time you're in need of specialized blockers, or lots of blockers.  You might want to give the foam core board a try!

And now for the winner

Saturday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is ReadingKnitter!

If you are a recent winner and I haven't yet sent you a link, please contact me and let me know whether you would like the Atlantis or the Galadriel pattern.  I've gotten a little mixed up, so even if you sent me an email before, send another and remind me.  Thanks!  Send email to MAIL AT JANELLAIDMAN D O T C O M  (hopefully you figure this out - I'm trying to avoid spam)

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Atlantis or Galadriel. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

Wondering?

Were you wondering how Galadriel might look in white?

Here you can more clearly see the stitch pattern and how the stitch pattern is arranged into a point on the front.

I think the stitch pattern looks like little elvish leaves or wings.  I also think this pattern would look pretty for a wedding if you had a sock-wearing kind of wedding.

And now the good stuff...

Tuesday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is gilraen!

If you are a recent winner and I haven't yet sent you a link, please contact me and let me know whether you would like the Atlantis or the Galadriel pattern.  I've gotten a little mixed up, so even if you sent me an email before, send another and remind me.  Thanks!  Send email to MAIL AT JANELLAIDMAN D O T C O M  (hopefully you figure this out - I'm trying to avoid spam)

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Atlantis or Galadriel. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

Report from the land of yarn:

I'm finally back from TNNA, sorry I wasn't able to use the internet while I was gone, so there was no blogging happening. TNNA is a whirlwind of activity, I'll try to remember all the cool people and yarn I saw.

First the yarns...

I saw beautiful yarns everywhere. I particularly loved some of the yarns I saw at Fibre Isle. They have gorgeous bison/wool blends, some with bamboo, and some with cashmere. They even have a bison or cashmere sock yarn. I'll definitely be trying some of their yarns in my next book. I also saw beautiful hand dyed sock yarns at indie dyer booths for Pagewood Farm, Shalimar Yarns, Madeline Tosh, Hand Jive, Chameleon Colorworks, and Abundant Yarn and Dyeworks. So much yarn, so little time! In the non-sock category, I really fell in love with the yarns at Elemental Affects and Green Mountain Spinnery. When I decide to do a non sock-related project, I'm definitely thinking of these two. And for those of you who are spinners, it was nice to see that a lot of places had beautiful fibers in addition to yarns. Chameleon Colorworks, Pagewood and Abstract Fiber had some lovely offerings.

And now the people...

Walking the convention floor, you get to meet all kinds of knitterati. I saw Cat Bordhi, my pal Cookie A., my hero Norah Gaughan (I might have been a bit of a starry eyed fangirl around Norah), Chris DeLongpre from Knitting at Knoon, Clara Parkes (who has a cool new book coming out! The Knitter's Book of Wool - she had advance preview copies for viewing there) and Chrissy Gardiner who also has a new book that I got to see an advance copy of. Chrissy's sock book Toe-Up! will be out in time for Sock Summit - I think she's taking pre orders now. I also got a chance to meet Mr. Tweed himself, Jared Flood. I had a great time chatting with Rodger from Abundant Yarn and Kristen Rengren, the author of Vintage Baby Knits. I also ran into Jenni Claydon and she showed me a copy of her new book "Spin Dye Stitch" which looks great (and has some of my yarn in it)! In the spinning world, it was lots of fun to see Abby Franquemont, Beth Smith from The Spinning Loft, Amy King, and the Schacht Spindle crew. I also met and nearly had lunch with Guido Stein from It's a Purl, Man. He was interviewing a lot of people, so check out his podcast if you want to hear more about TNNA. Whew! that's a lot of name dropping!

My roommate for this great adventure was Anne Hanson from Knitspot. She is the perfect person to room with, sweet, intelligent and loves to stay up until the wee hours talking about shipping and postage with me! We are par-tay girls! Anne and I had a lot of fun.

I don't have many pictures from the show since cameras aren't allowed on the convention floor, but I did take a few at the after show "spontaneous knit-in" that occurs in the lobby of the Hyatt with my iphone.

I call this one "3 amys punctuated by a beth" That's Amy O'Neill Houk, Amy Singer, Beth Smith, and Amy King

And this one is "the two J's" that's Jillian Moreno and Julia Farwell-Clay.

And of course, no visit to Columbus would be complete without a visit to Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams. They have the most delicious flavors. This time around I sampled the lemon and blueberry yogurt, the lime-cardamom yogurt and the cherry lambic sorbet. I intended to make one more trip over to North Market for another flavor, but unfortunately I had to go the airport instead... so long Jeni's until next year!

Well if you've gotten this far you might be curious about whether you've won a sock pattern!

Friday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is Becky Schnabel
Saturday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is Gabriele
Sunday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is Suzanne
Monday's winner for either the Atlantis or Galadriel pattern is Anne

And the week's winner for the book is Tara

congrats everyone and thanks for your patience!

Comment Contest Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern. This week's featured pattern is Atlantis or Galadriel. Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing. Winners are chosen by random number generator. Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out! So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.

Galadriel and Pre-orders are open!

I'm off to TNNA to promote The Enchanted Sole - wish me luck!

Pre Orders

I'm excited to announce that pre-orders of the book are now open.  If you pre-order the book you get it at 10% off the cover price plus free shipping if you choose media rate shipping or only $2 shipping for priority in the U.S.  For international orders the price is 10% off the cover, but you have to pay shipping (sorry about that, but I can't afford to give free shipping overseas).  To find out more about pre-ordering the book, go to the Rustling Leaf Press website.  The release date for The Enchanted Sole is August.  Pre-orders are the first books available anywhere.  Pre-orders will close July 31, after that you can only purchase the book through your LYS or online through a bookseller like Amazon or an online knitting shop.

Galadriel

Because I will be traveling all day monday and I can't guarantee I'll have access to the internet over the weekend, I'm posting next  week's pattern early.  If you win this week, you get your choice of Atlantis or Galadriel.  I think that's pretty fair.

Powerful and beautiful, Galadriel ruled over the Elven land of Lothlorien with wisdom and grace. Galadriel's power could be gentle, or formidable depending on the circumstances. The Galadriel sock is at once both delicate and strong, with many options for different looks. Make some Galadriel socks for the gracious, powerful Queen in you!

And now on to the good stuff:

Wednesday's winner for the Atlantis pattern is Jenni F!

Thursday's winner for the Atlantis pattern is Elysbeth!

Comment Contest  Reminder - each day I'm giving away a downloadable version of the featured pattern.  This week's featured pattern is Atlantis or Galadriel.  Leave a comment and you'll be automatically entered for the random drawing.  Winners are chosen by random number generator.  Each Sunday I choose one person by random number to win a copy of the book when it comes out!  So keep commenting to be entered for the drawing.