SocksRme

Keeping Going

2011-01-21T09:27:00.001Z

Looks better on a human leg!

Well over halfway through January and I am still on track with 'a sock a day'.
Not all socks though but the leg warmers have been done on a sock machine so they do count. I have made 3 (not 3 pair!) The first was the proto type and as the weather has turned very cold again (well it has here in Devon) I think I will be doing more. I have found that the easiest way to make a cast off edge on 1/1 rib is to do the last rib row as loose as possible. Leave a very long end of sock wool attached, then do several rows of waste yarn . Remove knitting from machine. With waste yarn still on pick up last row of ribbing on sock using small circular needle. Remove waste yarn and with a larger size ordinary needle cast off in rib with the long end of sock wool

Welcome to 2011

2011-01-04T11:38:00.002Z

Another year has begun ...so more New Year's Resolutions!!!
I have really let myself in it this time I have announced on the Vintage Krankers Sock Knitting Machine Group that I will knit one sock A DAY.!!! No I hadn't been drinking but I am mad.
We have reached day 4 and I have completed 3 socks to date, so today's sock will match day 3's, a pink sock in our latest yarn 55% Alpaca 25% Merino and 20% nylon in 3ply thickness. I have made it on a 72 needle cylinder on the same tension as I would use for the Trekking Sock Yarn It is wearable but the leg knitting is a bit loose. The foot I knitted with the heel spring in place which tightens up the tension and it has come out perfect. So next pair also in pink (as haven't got time to dye any more yet) will be done on a tighter tension and only the heel spring used for heels and toes.
Now back to flat bed knitting finishing orders before continuing building the shopping cart on my website
www.strands-knitwear.co.uk (by the time it is completed I will be too old to knit!!)

Unravel in Farnham

2010-03-15T18:14:00.003Z

Welcome to 2010!!!!

At the end of February Jacquie and myself took a stand at 'Unravel'. A show for all types of fibres and yarns, held in Farnham Maltings. It was a marvellous show and very well organised.
We had a stand selling my knitwear, our very own hand dyed sock yarn, socks and of course we demonstrated the sock machines. (Our dyeing experiences are another story for later). I think we were the 'Morcombe and Wise' entertainment for the weekend. It all began with me getting lost on the A303 detour and arriving in Surrey at 8.30 pm far to late to unload the stand and set up ready for Saturday. I did an extra 40 miles going on their detour route.
We got to the show very early on Saturday and at last set up our new stand, all very smart but for the rest of the weekend I felt I was always searching for things in our 100's of bags under the tables. My brochures turned up Saturday evening in one of JACQUIE'S boxes!! Sabotage, I hope not???????
We had good sales and the demonstrations went down well.

My next big show is not until May when I shall be at RHS Rosemoor for the May Bank Holiday weekend.
I am doing 2 little craft fairs in Chagford on Dartmoor in April. Then twice a month until December. I shall post when other shows have been booked.

Fibrefest 2009

2009-08-27T11:34:00.001+01:00

We went to Fibrefest at Coldharbour Mill in Devon armed with 14 sock machines for our six CSM workshops. I don't think my poor car will be the same again.

The classes I hope were successful and people went away happy with their piece of knitting that sort of resembled a sock.

The organisation was perfect and the weekend flew by. We were very tired at the end though, as we were on the go from very early morning. Thank goodness we only had 45 mins travelling all of which was on country roads.

The marquees were full of the most wonderful yarns and fibres. I wish I had had more time to browse but perhaps it was a good thing I didn't as I really have no more room for anything in my workroom.

My husband say's it looks like a landfill site!! I have had a de-clutter session for the last few days but it has been refilled with everything back from the weekend.

Well back to knitting orders now if I can find the machine.

Thank you to all the organisers at Fiberfest. It was wonderful.

Getting in gear for Fibrefest

2009-08-07T20:55:00.001+01:00

All go now as we gear up for Fibrefest on the 22nd-23rd August. I am running workshops on circular sock machines over the 2 days with Janet Coleman another avid sock machine enthusiast. See www.fibrefest.co.uk for details.
My knitwear and socks will be on the Strands Knitwear stand that will be run by friends Jacquie and Richard. They also will be demononstrating sock machines and have socks for sale.
We will have our Alpaca sock wool for sale on the stand. This 90% alpaca 10% nylon yarn we have dyed ourselves and some will be knitted up into socks also for sale. We will also be selling commercial sock wool eg. Opal, Trekking etc.
Jacquie and Richard will be on the stand all day to answer questions about machines and Janet and myself will be on the stand from 1.30 to 3pm before going to the afternoon workshops.

How time flies!

2009-07-13T10:16:00.005+01:00

I cannot believe we are in the middle of July already! In the last month the chicks have got nearly all of their feathers. As hoped they are Speckled Sussex. One a cockerel and the other a hen. I have named them appropriately Hastings and Lewis. Brighton and Hove were the alternative names.

The garden is looking a bit better and the million plants I ordered have been spread around and looking good.

I have been knitting on my flat bed machines completing orders from the Exeter Craft Fair and the Axminster Garden and Craft Show. I now need to knit ready for the Mid Devon show in 2 weeks time.

The bamboo yarn knits up very well, producing fine, very soft silky socks and people are showing a lot of interest in it. ( there is enough yarn per ball to make two socks even though I have only showed one sock in each colour)

Cathedral Green craft fair has been and gone.

2009-06-17T20:26:00.005+01:00

Last Friday and Saturday I was at the Exeter Craft Festival held on the Cathedral Green in Exeter.

I managed to have quite a lot of knitwear and socks for sale on my stand and I took my little Golden Fleece sock knitting machine with me too.

Having a sock machine with me always attracts the crowds as there aren't too many machines about.

I was using a sock yarn made of 75% Bamboo and 25% Nylon. Soon I hope to have an Alpaca, Wool and Nylon sock yarn available for sale.

The weather was just right not too hot and not too cold in all it was a very good weekend. For more details about the craft fair go to www.exetercraftfestival.co.uk

Another distraction!

2009-06-01T12:56:00.002+01:00

Another distraction from ALL types of knitting. 2 chicks have hatched. We started with 6 eggs and 2 hens decided to share them, so in the process only 2 hatched and one 'mum' is looking after both. SO a new house had to be found for her, which meant clearing a place in the shed. Not an easy task.
Now its setting up a run to protect all from magpies and Pip the dog!
What about these craft fairs that are approaching fast?---and nothing to sell! except 2 chicks and a million bedding plants that have arrived in the post, which I had completely forgotten had been ordered. Watch this space. Nervous breakdown fast approaching.

A Very Old Griswold Machine

2009-05-27T20:25:00.003+01:00

Have been busy knitting on 'flat beds', but now back to Sock Machines.
My latest aquisition is a very old Griswold Stocking Knitter. I have done a bit of research and it dates from around 1880 and it STILL WORKS. It is all very oily and gungey at the moment and needs a lot of tlc.
It has a 72 cylinder that is about 1/2" shallower than the later Griswold cylinders and the yarn travels around the outside of the camshell.

I shall post another picture when I have restored this 'oldie' and have a sock hanging from it.

Still Knitting

2009-04-23T08:23:00.002+01:00

Still knitting like mad.
Have 4 days of Craft fairs over May bank holiday!!!

Wool mountain is going down have to order more today.

Knuckling down to knit

2009-04-15T10:11:00.001+01:00

Well the year is charging ahead and craft fairs are approaching!!!
Where is my stock of jumpers? What stock?
So it is time for knitting 24/7 Hopefully socks will get knitted too.
I made 2 pairs over Easter as I restored a sock machine and needed to ./1\\\\\\\9ppppppp (Oooops Daisy sat on the keyboard!!!) check it out.
So here are two off the production line, not all were for stock though, one was an order.

Cannot sit here all day typing, or watching cat ruin typing, have to KNIT.

Another order completed

2009-04-08T17:50:00.002+01:00

Today I sent off a sweater order to Essex. The design is Saddletor . I haven't shown this sweater design for a number of years until last December and suddenly I am having to make several more. The one here is in 'sea holly and white' Shetland wool.

Let's make a sock size chart.

2009-03-31T12:54:00.014+01:00

I have moved the sock chart to the side so it will stay on show until the sock chart is complete. Please contact me through my website with foot details.

New Machine to Restore

2009-03-15T21:44:00.002Z

The London work has been completed and sent off by carrier.(Hurrah) I have rearranged 'the skip' and am ready to knuckle down to knitting socks and completing orders. Oh and making stock ready for a load of craft fairs throughout the summer.

Today I went onto Exmoor to collect a sock machine.
The weather was beautiful the best it's been so far this year and they say its going to last 'till Wednesday.
The machine I picked up was an Auto Knitter similar to a Golden Fleece. This one has 3 cylinders a 60 slot, 80 slot and 120 slot. The 120 is rather rare I thought it was going to be the usual 100 slot, but no a 120 with very fine needles, all in very good condition as they has been wrapped in a oily rag.
Once everything is cleaned up this will be a lovely machine. I use a Golden Fleece machine throughout the summer months to demonstrate sock knitting at craft events. They are a lightweight machine and I call mine 'My out and about knitter'

So tomorrow is knitting all day. I need 2 sleeves and bands to finish a jacket for the weekend.

More Snow!!!!

2009-03-04T08:22:00.001Z

Woke up this morning to more snow. It was raining very hard when I went to bed, so didn't expect snow. Thought Katie would try and stay off college but no she has caught the bus at 7.30am this morning.

She has her work assessment today. Good luck Katie.
Business at the Craft gallery is a bit slow, but as we are in the 'middle of nowhere' in a garden centre car park it's to be expected (Who wants to do gardening this weather even if there wasn't a recession?)
Well I have to clear my workroom (the Skip) today as I have work coming from London (this is my 'proper job') I have to make some overalls for an ad. They must be as worn in 1929. So will clear a path to my sewing machine and empty the table (another avalanche in the making)
I am aiming to start knitting one sock a day (one sock ,not one pair) from today. I want stock for the summer when it arrives.

Why SocksRme?

2009-02-27T23:26:00.001Z

This is going to be all about knitting socks on Antique Sock Knitting Machines.
I was give a machine about 3+ years ago by a friend retiring from knitting due to bad eyesight.
I had never seen one before! After making my first pair of socks I was addicted.
Now several machines later and an awful lot of socks under my belt I am ready to spread the word.

SOCKS FOR EVER