Two sources of wooly wool - UK and Canadian - and lots of breed specific stuff that I've discovered are The Woolly Thistle in I think Vermont and Fleece & Harmony in Prince Edward Island CA. They both have on line shops and TH-cam channels. Great customer service too. the owners are very knowledgeable about sheet and yarn. F&H have a flock and a small mill and spin yarn only grown on PEI. Love these two sources. I'm sure there are others but these are my favs.
Love your Casual Friday videos - you cover so many different topics, I always learn something! I'm not a "technical" knitter - I knit for relaxation and fun - trying something new once in a while when there's something I want to knit and I need to learn a new skill in order to do it. I haven't been knitting long enough to have become bored knitting the things I know! I took your sock KAL-class and loved it, measured my foot, tried some new techniques for that pair, then went right back to my standard cuff down, standard heel-flap, wedge toe, and the body with some kind of rib - I have very narrow flat feet and long pointy toes and I need the stretch of the rib to make the sock fit snug the way I like them. I tried two at a time, but like you I couldn't deal with it - I knit socks to have something easy and small to carry with me always, and two at a time really defeats that - I don't know how people manage the yarn without having the two cakes on a table. What I do do, however, and the reason for this comment, is knit two socks concurrently - that is two at a time on two separate needles, going back and forth after each section. I wind the yarn into two cakes initially, using a scale, and try to sort out the striping at that time - I use commercial sock yarn mostly and some are better at duplicating the striping than others. If something is not going well - like I decide I'm not liking the tension with the needle I've chosen, or I see where a color change is coming compared to the cuff length, etc., I only have to rip back one, and then I'm good to go. I usually knit the entire leg before beginning the second sock. Once I have two going, I rarely leave the house with both of them, only if I think I will need to refer to the first while knitting on this particular outing. Then I just put the first in a freezer quart size baggie, (with point protectors if I can find them) and only open it if I need it - it doesn't get tangled up and interfere with my current sock knitting. And I can plan for turning the heels and picking up the gusset stitches at home, and not on the subway!! And I wait for the second sock to be completed before kitchenering both toes at the same time - and then we're done - no second sock syndrome, and the stripes match!
I love the idea of 2 at a time concurrently! It eliminates all the problems with traditional 2 at a time. It also eliminates the confusion I get with both socks on one needle. I can't tell you how many times I've knitted both socks together because I forgot to drop sock A yarn to pick up sock B yarn 🧶. Thanks for the great idea.
“I need self-striping sock yarn, and I need it now!” Best line of the year! Love the Christmas stockings too! Mine are not lined, so looking forward to the lining video. Thanks for another great video 😊
I look forward to seeing the video about lining the stocking! I've been making stranded colorwork stockings for my own family, and I had not decided how to line them yet.
I am very much enjoying your breed study with the combed top, Roxanne! I am a spinner myself in the UK and it’s great to see you doing a study like you are doing in such a methodical way, and it’s interesting to hear what you think of the different breeds with their different characteristics. Most of all, I hope that people will be encouraged to try knitting using specific breed wool, to try to keep the variety of breeds going that we still have. Thank you for you great podcasts, I tune in to every one!
Loved your explanation of the twist that causes the one leg to look tighter. I learned this doing the August Sock KAL you led in 2019. I can't remember if I ripped out and started over, or was saved before I did, after posting that one leg of every stitch was tighter. Somehow I found out this was normal. I think someone on Ravelry helped me know it was not my fault. I'm currently trying to finish those socks. First pair I've ever knit, but I'm already planning my next pair. As for knitting when traveling... even to the store, I always keep a project in my vehicle for emergencies. I take at least 3 projects when going out of town. The thought of the stress of being stranded somewhere and not having something to knit causes me anxiety even now thinking about it. I never thought to look up a store before traveling but will so that from now on.
Sitting here hand carding out home died Falkland wool for my first sweater spin! I fully credit you with helping me get into learning about sheep breeds. It used to all be wool and then I deep dived into breeds and microns and figured out why some wool is more scratchy. And all the other thousand things. Every time I think I know about something I find out there's so much more to learn!
Just wanted to post and let you know I enjoy your channel. I recently found you and when I have time I go back and watch older videos. Someday I may get through them all,
I have a friend who spun a Jacob fleece. She put the fiber in a bag and pulled out what she touched. The plied yarn was white, black and many shades of gray (some from marling) and had no discernible pattern. I tried it once with alpaca, and I couldn't resist the veto if I thought I had too much of one color.
Your videos are always fascinating, Rox. I'm so sorry about your father-in-law. We lost my mother-in-law this year, and it was just 80 kinds of hard and emotional. I'm not a spinner but am really enjoying your breed study. So many new wools to look for! I've never seen Jacob wool anywhere, but have worked with a BFL/Masham (pronounced Mazzam, like the place in Yorkshire, UK) blend that I just loved: Winterburn DK by baa ram ewe (also out of the UK, I think, but available in North America).
Your fleece exploration led me to purchase a limited offering of Cormo wool. I belong to a subscription program through DestinationLane & recently Jeanne (the dyer) offered this in her shop. It's from all women owned business in the US. I had no project in mind, but loved the colorways, the chance to have a unique yarn & the whole idea of supporting women owned business.
Those sweater wheels are ingenius! That's exactly how I'd like that information presented to me, all those sizes, different yarn weights, from babies to adults, a simple pattern presumably easy to modify. Okay, I'm going to eBay right now!
This was a wonderful video on spinning and sheep. I have studied all the sheep and spun many fibers. The fiber I truly love is cotton. There are varieties of cotton as well. Did you ever spin it?
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with liking pink & purple. No matter what your age! I just turned 41 yrs old about 2 weeks ago. And pink & purple are still my favorite colors!
Wychwood Spinner on Etsy sell lots of washed rare breed fleece. I think you can buy in various quantities. They're a Uk based company. I would highly recommend them.
Urth Uneek also makes a matching self-striping sock yarn that I believe has nylon in it. It is put up in two matching balls containing enough to do two matching knee-high socks. I didn’t want knee highs, so I did shorter socks (4” leg, but could have made longer) using the enclosed pattern and simple mitts using a pattern called Socks v Fingerless Mitts. I modified the mitts pattern to make smaller around for a better fit and to make arm shorter, but it was still plenty long. Even had some yarn left over!
I just love your spinnig wool study, so nice to hear some fleece are more fun to spin yet you would'nt like to knit with it. How strange ... You are inspiring me to start spinning, but I will try to refrain for space reasons.
I too have been searching for the toe-up heel flap/turn/gusset and haven’t found it yet. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Wishing you well!
The knitting emergency sounds sadly familiar. I love your Casual Fridays, your research approach is very much appreciated. My favorite is still different ways of doing colour knitting the avoids colour dominance. I loved going through the paper and trying the different techniques.
I enjoyed listened to your sock "emergency" story. I consider myself an introductory knitter. I learn so much from your videos and am encouraged to challenge myself more. Your dilema with the sock up or sock down construction with the matching of the stripes made me giggle inside a bit. "Experienced knitter problems."😉I will be happy to create something that resembles a sock. I hope you aren't offended. I don't intend it that way. I just hope some day I may have Rox's knitting challenges.😎😍
I love Uneek’s striping. It sounds like you got a hank of fingering not their sock. Uneek sock is a 72/25 blend of merino/nylon and comes caked in a box with yarn to make 2 matching socks with that wonderful color changing. Interesting tidbit, Urth will plant a tree for every picture of socks (fo or wip) made out of their yarn that you share and tag on social media.
Yes, the shop owner made it clear to me that the yarn I was buying was 100% merino, with no nylon, and that she usually sold that yarn to be used in other types of projects, like shawls.
Breed study samples have been around for over 20 years. I have one sample set left from when our spinning guild did a breed study in the 1990's. They are really a fun way to study fibers. We (the spinning guild) also bought fleeces for the guild and split them up among the members so that we had some larger samples. I really enjoyed the whole process! 💕💕
I like everything that you talk about. It helps me learn more about my new hobby. I have stuff going on that’s preventing me from knitting. I’m being patient with myself, because I know I’ll get back to it. I love using the ravelry site to document it.
I knit two.at a time toe up 64 stitch on size 0 needles. Having tried several different methods of sock knitting that's my favorite, because the stitch is consistent, I can knit up all of my yarn, and when I finish the knitting, I've finished a pair. For the past year or more I also nearly exclusively knit contrast toe, heel and cuff. I really like the look, and it helps me to extend my yarn and make matching socks for family members.
I recently discovered your interesting educational chats. I thought you might like to know that Masham is actually pronounced "Massam". It is one of those odd British place names that is spoken in totally different way to the spelling! It is a beautiful market town here in North Yorkshire, famous for beer and its sheep fairs.
A couple of years back I visited the UK, and did a tour of National Trust properties. There was one where they sold yarns made from the wool of sheep on the property. I bought one that was dyed with wode, from a 'white faced woodland' . It was the most I'd ever spent on yarn until that point...
I think specific labeling is done to show the value of the item. So we do see more breed specificity on labels these days amongst wool breeds, and also for fibers like alpaca, cashmere, etc., which presumably have more market value. Still not clear, however, whether the generic "wool" is theoretically acceptable for those other animal breeds, even though unlikely to be used.
I love your videos, thank you! I can not stick to one project or craft for any amount of time no matter how hard I try, it is refreshing to watch you all about yarn! I intend to learn to spin for my 63rd birthday- I want actually to ply some of the yarn I own so off I go. I am curious as to what you use to wash your yarn. I'm sure you've said before but I am dull, could you tell me again please? I tend to try to use environmentally safe soaps as I have a septic system that is very finicky. Thank you so much! I just learned about watching all the way thru and its importance, am doing so from now on. Sorry for your loss, thanks again for posting.
Love two at a time. I use the same skein and work from inside and outside so the colors are the same but the stripes are totally different. Both socks are exactly the same size.
A toe up knitter's perspective - ff knitting toe up were that complicated I'd never use it! I started with toe up socks and learned it from Lifestyle Toe Up Socks - No Swatch Needed (at that time there wasn't an actual pattern, just blog posts) because as a newish knitter I was sure the sock patterns I looked at would not fit me (I was right) and all the methods for modifying I found were too confusing. I could do it now, then I couldn't. For the faux heel flap I simply follow the measurements for various insteps (for myself I use high to very high depending on the yarn but for my daughter I found she likes a very short heel flap and needed to determine my own measurement) I found in Liat Gat's Fingering Faux-Heel-Flap Toe-Up Socks - Magic Loop and the measurements work for any weight of yarn I've used. The socks fit. I try them on if they're for me and measure them, usually over a cardboard cutout footprint if for someone else. I measure before the heel turn and allow for about 1/2" remaining before total foot length to know if I got it right. I understand you like doing the numbers and spreadsheets and analysis but I needed to learn how to knit a sock that fit with the least fuss and bother and that's what worked for me. This method is my shortcut to what I really want to do and that's cast on and start knitting. I can now make major modifications to socks in patterning or adapt the method for slippers. The down and dirty methods for making it work got me past all the hangups and roadblocks. I honestly have no idea how many rounds I work for a sock foot - for me that's the beauty of toe up and two at a time. No swatching, no math, no trying to duplicate the first sock, and no second sock syndrome. We're all different but I thought you might like the perspective of a toe up sock knitter and the why for doing socks the way I do. The patterns I referenced are on Ravelry so I gave the exact names should you or anyone care to take a look.
I just finished my first stocking and was planning to line it with a basic quilting cotton. Is there a reason you'd use a fleece that stretches (is it a knit?) instead? I have the fabric but I haven't cut it yet 😬
How fun is that, having the sweater wheels!?! I didn't know those existed. Very cool. Of all things to catch a glimpse of in one of your books it was Boye Non-Inflammable needles lol. I like icord hangers too for socks. Nice Latvian braid on the top. I think that's what I see anyway. I've done that...step over it or move it aside and leave without it lol. I've only done toe up socks. I'm on my first pair of top down right now. That's the fun part of spinning...seeing the end results of the yarn and the different properties of the wool in the end product.
Great video. I’m making some Christmas stockings also. What a great idea about lining them. Do you have a link for the lining you ordered? I’m putting names on mine but they are longer 7 and 8 letters so have to figure that out. Looking forward to an upcoming video on putting lining in. 💜💜
There is not. In the first stocking I made, I cited the other stockings I used to establish come of the pattern (the Latvian braid and the two patterns at the top of the stocking, including the Norwegian star), but the rest are from various stitch dictionaries, which I charted in a spreadsheet.
Hi Rox, are you going to do a tutorial on the purple toe up sock..I found that I like your mock short row heel alot..also I just started spinning and what is a good wool or other fiber for a beginner?? Delafield is a cool place. I live just south of Milwaukee. 😊
I have a tutorial already on the round toe that I used. Eventually, I will probably do a tutorial on different toe up heel flap and gusset constructions, but I haven't yet figured out how to modify some of them for a good fit. For the one I really like, the challenge will be figuring out how to lay out the instructions in a way that allows for customized fit. (I know how to do it for the people I knit for, but explaining it to others is always the challenge) I'm just not there yet.
Mom and i knit sweaters that turned out on raglan sweater wheel. Now I'm using set in sleeve wheel and having terrible results! Gauge? Yarn? Dont know why.😢 20:19 l
in the explanation of the angle of the yarn S curve, isn't it also that the yarn on the right leg is going up, and the yarn on the left leg is coming down? ie., take the yarn from bottom of screen up, anchor it with a pin and turn yarn around the pin and come back down (before going over to the left for the next stitch) to mimic a stockinette K stitch.....
Thank you for the interesting video. I made my first cuff down sock earlier this summer Nd learned a lot. I then tried a toe up sock..fiddly at first but then seemed fairly straightforward until I got to the heel. The pattern said it used something called a Turkish heel but it just didn't make sense so I ripped the whole thing out. I couldn't find any information on the Turkish heel on TH-cam, Google, or sock books/blogs. Any idea how to knit it?
It was *probably* a peasant heel (aka afterthought or forethought heel), but regardless, the pattern should have included instructions for how to do it.
I seem to remember you bought your breed taster pack from a British supplier? If so, then the Jacob wool was definitely separated into black and white fleece. Also, Masham is pronounced Mass'um!
I bought my fiber sampler off etsy from a US seller, which is why it was unclear to me if the Jacob my fiber came from was from a single-color sheep, since we do have those in the US.
Hi. I'm wondering why you don't use a natural fiber fabric, rather than a polyester fleece, to line and stabilize the Xmas stocking? Couldn't you use a cotton flannel, or a lightweight wool felt? Neither of those would allow stretch, I would imagine, and you could avoid using plastic in your lovely handmade gift. Is there a clear advantage to using the plastic?
The point of using the fleece is that it *does stretch* in one direction, which I see as an advantage. It also comes in a huge range of colors, is readily available, and doesn't fray at the edges, which means it can be trimmed very close to the stitching. If the seam opens at some point in the future, it won't ravel. These reasons, of course, may not seem to be advantages to you, or they may not be enough to offset what you perceive to be the disadvantage, which is why you are free to use whatever you feel is right for your own projects.
Just took a quick look to see if anyone else mentioned this, but at about the point where you started talking about Rosie's stocking you went kind of fuzzy and not well focused, camera problem? I have knit only one sweater, using Cocoknits method, and will make a second sweater attempt this fall using Ann Budd's top-down book. Looking forward to a large project after three months of socks!
@@RoxanneRichardson yes, I figured it out when I tried to watch something else after you. YT had knocked me down to 144p without even asking! Rude. Check your settings, everyone! 🧐😄
The one my friend brought to knitting group was for set in sleeves, so I googled set-in sleeve sweater wheel, or something like that, and from those results, I saw who the inventor was (Bea Freeman), and could include that in my search. While I bought it on ebay, that's not the only place people might be selling one (or both), so start by googling, and then see what sorts of hits you get (I've seen them on ebay and etsy)
One of the heels that seems to be popular with the Toe Up socks is the Strong (named after a person) heel. Ellen at Chilli Dog (th-cam.com/video/GIfmMaYuW5k/w-d-xo.html) [she refers to it as a gusset or strong heel, and Carrie Craftgeek has a tutorial on the Strong heel as well (th-cam.com/video/Vdt4Ffmcxz8/w-d-xo.html) has a whole video on this heel. There are also at least two other videos on this technique. This heel can be used in both directions and has some flexibility to enhance fit. The only other heel that I have come accross that can be knitted in both directions and provides potential for alterting the pattern for fit is the Tomato Heel by Cat Bohrdi (th-cam.com/video/IRc3309JUyc/w-d-xo.html). I have yet to fully master the cuff down sock, but I know that I will eventually like to become comfortable with the toe-up method as well. Thanks for all the work you do on socks. I am also going to send you a Ko-Fi for all your efforts.
Any short row heel can be knit in both directions, as can a peasant or plain heel. Typically, the construction of a Strong heel is cuff down, and when it's knit toe up (with slight variation), it's called a Fleegle heel. The heel looks different when knit from opposite directions, so both heels also have versions that will create the same appearance as their original version, when worked in the opposite direction. I.e. you can find a cuff down Fleegle heel that looks like a toe-up Fleegle heel. I haven't tried the Fleegle for fit in the toe up direction. When done cuff down as a Strong Heel, I end up with far too much extra fabric in the instep length, so I don't like to use it. It could be that the extra instep length wouldn't be an issue when worked toe up, but as I said, I haven't yet tried it.
just curious, is there any historical reference on how jacob breeds got its name (with the black-white and all-black) or it's just a coincidence with the bible story and stuff?
Also: check out Weavin’ Stephen technique for knitting in color changes on your socks and other projects to end having to sew ends. (Stephen West on TH-cam)
It's probably one of those UK language eccentricities. :-) I was convinced that Herdwick was probably pronounced Herd-ick, but nope. So of course, Masham is Mass-am.
So much wonderful information! Thanks for freely sharing your wisdom and experience!
To you and your husband and family, so sorry for your loss.
Two sources of wooly wool - UK and Canadian - and lots of breed specific stuff that I've discovered are The Woolly Thistle in I think Vermont and Fleece & Harmony in Prince Edward Island CA. They both have on line shops and TH-cam channels. Great customer service too. the owners are very knowledgeable about sheet and yarn. F&H have a flock and a small mill and spin yarn only grown on PEI. Love these two sources. I'm sure there are others but these are my favs.
Love your Casual Friday videos - you cover so many different topics, I always learn something! I'm not a "technical" knitter - I knit for relaxation and fun - trying something new once in a while when there's something I want to knit and I need to learn a new skill in order to do it. I haven't been knitting long enough to have become bored knitting the things I know! I took your sock KAL-class and loved it, measured my foot, tried some new techniques for that pair, then went right back to my standard cuff down, standard heel-flap, wedge toe, and the body with some kind of rib - I have very narrow flat feet and long pointy toes and I need the stretch of the rib to make the sock fit snug the way I like them. I tried two at a time, but like you I couldn't deal with it - I knit socks to have something easy and small to carry with me always, and two at a time really defeats that - I don't know how people manage the yarn without having the two cakes on a table. What I do do, however, and the reason for this comment, is knit two socks concurrently - that is two at a time on two separate needles, going back and forth after each section. I wind the yarn into two cakes initially, using a scale, and try to sort out the striping at that time - I use commercial sock yarn mostly and some are better at duplicating the striping than others. If something is not going well - like I decide I'm not liking the tension with the needle I've chosen, or I see where a color change is coming compared to the cuff length, etc., I only have to rip back one, and then I'm good to go. I usually knit the entire leg before beginning the second sock. Once I have two going, I rarely leave the house with both of them, only if I think I will need to refer to the first while knitting on this particular outing. Then I just put the first in a freezer quart size baggie, (with point protectors if I can find them) and only open it if I need it - it doesn't get tangled up and interfere with my current sock knitting. And I can plan for turning the heels and picking up the gusset stitches at home, and not on the subway!! And I wait for the second sock to be completed before kitchenering both toes at the same time - and then we're done - no second sock syndrome, and the stripes match!
I love the idea of 2 at a time concurrently! It eliminates all the problems with traditional 2 at a time. It also eliminates the confusion I get with both socks on one needle. I can't tell you how many times I've knitted both socks together because I forgot to drop sock A yarn to pick up sock B yarn 🧶.
Thanks for the great idea.
“I need self-striping sock yarn, and I need it now!” Best line of the year! Love the Christmas stockings too! Mine are not lined, so looking forward to the lining video. Thanks for another great video 😊
Very interesting, really interesting. We are very lucky that sweater instructions are so much better.
I look forward to seeing the video about lining the stocking! I've been making stranded colorwork stockings for my own family, and I had not decided how to line them yet.
I am very much enjoying your breed study with the combed top, Roxanne! I am a spinner myself in the UK and it’s great to see you doing a study like you are doing in such a methodical way, and it’s interesting to hear what you think of the different breeds with their different characteristics. Most of all, I hope that people will be encouraged to try knitting using specific breed wool, to try to keep the variety of breeds going that we still have. Thank you for you great podcasts, I tune in to every one!
Love the Christmas stockings. Hope live settles down for you soon.
Loved your explanation of the twist that causes the one leg to look tighter. I learned this doing the August Sock KAL you led in 2019. I can't remember if I ripped out and started over, or was saved before I did, after posting that one leg of every stitch was tighter. Somehow I found out this was normal. I think someone on Ravelry helped me know it was not my fault. I'm currently trying to finish those socks. First pair I've ever knit, but I'm already planning my next pair. As for knitting when traveling... even to the store, I always keep a project in my vehicle for emergencies. I take at least 3 projects when going out of town. The thought of the stress of being stranded somewhere and not having something to knit causes me anxiety even now thinking about it. I never thought to look up a store before traveling but will so that from now on.
Always enjoy your tidbits and insights!
Sitting here hand carding out home died Falkland wool for my first sweater spin! I fully credit you with helping me get into learning about sheep breeds. It used to all be wool and then I deep dived into breeds and microns and figured out why some wool is more scratchy. And all the other thousand things. Every time I think I know about something I find out there's so much more to learn!
The sweater wheels are amazing! I wish someone would make a top down raglan sweater wheel!
I also enjoyed spinning Jacob. Mine was black and white and I spun it for color changing sock yarn. That was fun.
Just wanted to post and let you know I enjoy your channel. I recently found you and when I have time I go back and watch older videos. Someday I may get through them all,
I had the sweater wheels many, many years ago. It would be kind of neat if someone would mass produce an updated version.
I have a friend who spun a Jacob fleece. She put the fiber in a bag and pulled out what she touched. The plied yarn was white, black and many shades of gray (some from marling) and had no discernible pattern. I tried it once with alpaca, and I couldn't resist the veto if I thought I had too much of one color.
Your videos are always fascinating, Rox. I'm so sorry about your father-in-law. We lost my mother-in-law this year, and it was just 80 kinds of hard and emotional. I'm not a spinner but am really enjoying your breed study. So many new wools to look for! I've never seen Jacob wool anywhere, but have worked with a BFL/Masham (pronounced Mazzam, like the place in Yorkshire, UK) blend that I just loved: Winterburn DK by baa ram ewe (also out of the UK, I think, but available in North America).
Very interesting video! I liked the Christmas stocking, and I would love to see how you add the lining.
Your fleece exploration led me to purchase a limited offering of Cormo wool. I belong to a subscription program through DestinationLane & recently Jeanne (the dyer) offered this in her shop. It's from all women owned business in the US. I had no project in mind, but loved the colorways, the chance to have a unique yarn & the whole idea of supporting women owned business.
Those sweater wheels are ingenius! That's exactly how I'd like that information presented to me, all those sizes, different yarn weights, from babies to adults, a simple pattern presumably easy to modify. Okay, I'm going to eBay right now!
Keep in mind that the silhouette of the 1960s might not be what you want for the 2020s, particularly when it comes to sweater body length.
This was a wonderful video on spinning and sheep. I have studied all the sheep and spun many fibers. The fiber I truly love is cotton. There are varieties of cotton as well. Did you ever spin it?
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with liking pink & purple. No matter what your age! I just turned 41 yrs old about 2 weeks ago. And pink & purple are still my favorite colors!
Wychwood Spinner on Etsy sell lots of washed rare breed fleece. I think you can buy in various quantities. They're a Uk based company. I would highly recommend them.
Urth Uneek also makes a matching self-striping sock yarn that I believe has nylon in it. It is put up in two matching balls containing enough to do two matching knee-high socks. I didn’t want knee highs, so I did shorter socks (4” leg, but could have made longer) using the enclosed pattern and simple mitts using a pattern called Socks v Fingerless Mitts. I modified the mitts pattern to make smaller around for a better fit and to make arm shorter, but it was still plenty long. Even had some yarn left over!
I just love your spinnig wool study, so nice to hear some fleece are more fun to spin yet you would'nt like to knit with it. How strange ... You are inspiring me to start spinning, but I will try to refrain for space reasons.
I too have been searching for the toe-up heel flap/turn/gusset and haven’t found it yet. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Wishing you well!
The knitting emergency sounds sadly familiar. I love your Casual Fridays, your research approach is very much appreciated. My favorite is still different ways of doing colour knitting the avoids colour dominance. I loved going through the paper and trying the different techniques.
I enjoyed listened to your sock "emergency" story. I consider myself an introductory knitter. I learn so much from your videos and am encouraged to challenge myself more. Your dilema with the sock up or sock down construction with the matching of the stripes made me giggle inside a bit. "Experienced knitter problems."😉I will be happy to create something that resembles a sock. I hope you aren't offended. I don't intend it that way. I just hope some day I may have Rox's knitting challenges.😎😍
Jacob is one of my favorites too, along with Finnsheep and fine wool shetland, and cheviot.
I really enjoy your podcast!
Glad to hear it!
I love Uneek’s striping. It sounds like you got a hank of fingering not their sock. Uneek sock is a 72/25 blend of merino/nylon and comes caked in a box with yarn to make 2 matching socks with that wonderful color changing. Interesting tidbit, Urth will plant a tree for every picture of socks (fo or wip) made out of their yarn that you share and tag on social media.
Yes, the shop owner made it clear to me that the yarn I was buying was 100% merino, with no nylon, and that she usually sold that yarn to be used in other types of projects, like shawls.
Breed study samples have been around for over 20 years. I have one sample set left from when our spinning guild did a breed study in the 1990's. They are really a fun way to study fibers. We (the spinning guild) also bought fleeces for the guild and split them up among the members so that we had some larger samples. I really enjoyed the whole process! 💕💕
I like everything that you talk about. It helps me learn more about my new hobby. I have stuff going on that’s preventing me from knitting. I’m being patient with myself, because I know I’ll get back to it. I love using the ravelry site to document it.
I knit two.at a time toe up 64 stitch on size 0 needles. Having tried several different methods of sock knitting that's my favorite, because the stitch is consistent, I can knit up all of my yarn, and when I finish the knitting, I've finished a pair. For the past year or more I also nearly exclusively knit contrast toe, heel and cuff. I really like the look, and it helps me to extend my yarn and make matching socks for family members.
I recently discovered your interesting educational chats. I thought you might like to know that Masham is actually pronounced "Massam". It is one of those odd British place names that is spoken in totally different way to the spelling! It is a beautiful market town here in North Yorkshire, famous for beer and its sheep fairs.
A couple of years back I visited the UK, and did a tour of National Trust properties. There was one where they sold yarns made from the wool of sheep on the property. I bought one that was dyed with wode, from a 'white faced woodland' . It was the most I'd ever spent on yarn until that point...
I think specific labeling is done to show the value of the item. So we do see more breed specificity on labels these days amongst wool breeds, and also for fibers like alpaca, cashmere, etc., which presumably have more market value. Still not clear, however, whether the generic "wool" is theoretically acceptable for those other animal breeds, even though unlikely to be used.
I love your videos, thank you! I can not stick to one project or craft for any amount of time no matter how hard I try, it is refreshing to watch you all about yarn! I intend to learn to spin for my 63rd birthday- I want actually to ply some of the yarn I own so off I go.
I am curious as to what you use to wash your yarn. I'm sure you've said before but I am dull, could you tell me again please? I tend to try to use environmentally safe soaps as I have a septic system that is very finicky.
Thank you so much! I just learned about watching all the way thru and its importance, am doing so from now on.
Sorry for your loss, thanks again for posting.
I got to knit a sample pair of Uneek socks from that yarn. I was really impressed with it!
Have you seen world of wool? For spinning fibers. Great selection!
Love two at a time. I use the same skein and work from inside and outside so the colors are the same but the stripes are totally different. Both socks are exactly the same size.
Oh, my socks are always the same size, it's just that the striping sequence isn't always completely matching.
Jacob yarn is so gorgeous, I love the look of this glossy deep black
A toe up knitter's perspective - ff knitting toe up were that complicated I'd never use it! I started with toe up socks and learned it from Lifestyle Toe Up Socks - No Swatch Needed (at that time there wasn't an actual pattern, just blog posts) because as a newish knitter I was sure the sock patterns I looked at would not fit me (I was right) and all the methods for modifying I found were too confusing. I could do it now, then I couldn't. For the faux heel flap I simply follow the measurements for various insteps (for myself I use high to very high depending on the yarn but for my daughter I found she likes a very short heel flap and needed to determine my own measurement) I found in Liat Gat's Fingering Faux-Heel-Flap Toe-Up Socks - Magic Loop and the measurements work for any weight of yarn I've used. The socks fit. I try them on if they're for me and measure them, usually over a cardboard cutout footprint if for someone else. I measure before the heel turn and allow for about 1/2" remaining before total foot length to know if I got it right. I understand you like doing the numbers and spreadsheets and analysis but I needed to learn how to knit a sock that fit with the least fuss and bother and that's what worked for me. This method is my shortcut to what I really want to do and that's cast on and start knitting. I can now make major modifications to socks in patterning or adapt the method for slippers. The down and dirty methods for making it work got me past all the hangups and roadblocks. I honestly have no idea how many rounds I work for a sock foot - for me that's the beauty of toe up and two at a time. No swatching, no math, no trying to duplicate the first sock, and no second sock syndrome. We're all different but I thought you might like the perspective of a toe up sock knitter and the why for doing socks the way I do.
The patterns I referenced are on Ravelry so I gave the exact names should you or anyone care to take a look.
I just finished my first stocking and was planning to line it with a basic quilting cotton. Is there a reason you'd use a fleece that stretches (is it a knit?) instead? I have the fabric but I haven't cut it yet 😬
How fun is that, having the sweater wheels!?! I didn't know those existed. Very cool. Of all things to catch a glimpse of in one of your books it was Boye Non-Inflammable needles lol. I like icord hangers too for socks. Nice Latvian braid on the top. I think that's what I see anyway. I've done that...step over it or move it aside and leave without it lol. I've only done toe up socks. I'm on my first pair of top down right now. That's the fun part of spinning...seeing the end results of the yarn and the different properties of the wool in the end product.
Ha ha ha ha! “I need some self-striping yarn and i need it NOW!!!!”
Great video. I’m making some Christmas stockings also. What a great idea about lining them. Do you have a link for the lining you ordered? I’m putting names on mine but they are longer 7 and 8 letters so have to figure that out. Looking forward to an upcoming video on putting lining in. 💜💜
I searched for "fleece with roses" or something like that on Amazon. It's called "Red & White Roses Fleece Fabric" from "Online Fabric Store"
Hi Roxanne, you mentioned about reinforcing the sock with nylon after the fact. Do you have a video on this technique?
I don't think I do. I'll add it to my list!
Are you going to publish your Christmas Socking pattern. I hope so.
I believe wools like Lincoln don't have a lot of crimp. They're more wavy. Crimpier wools (merino, corriedale, etc) tend to make bouncier yarns.
Yay! You Rock!
Is there a pattern for the Rosie sock. ❤️ Wanting to make stocking this year for all my grand children ❤️.
There is not. In the first stocking I made, I cited the other stockings I used to establish come of the pattern (the Latvian braid and the two patterns at the top of the stocking, including the Norwegian star), but the rest are from various stitch dictionaries, which I charted in a spreadsheet.
@@RoxanneRichardson thank you for the info. I will look up Latvian Braid and the Norwegian star. Your stocking is beautiful
Hi Rox, are you going to do a tutorial on the purple toe up sock..I found that I like your mock short row heel alot..also I just started spinning and what is a good wool or other fiber for a beginner?? Delafield is a cool place. I live just south of Milwaukee. 😊
I have a tutorial already on the round toe that I used. Eventually, I will probably do a tutorial on different toe up heel flap and gusset constructions, but I haven't yet figured out how to modify some of them for a good fit. For the one I really like, the challenge will be figuring out how to lay out the instructions in a way that allows for customized fit. (I know how to do it for the people I knit for, but explaining it to others is always the challenge) I'm just not there yet.
Mom and i knit sweaters that turned out on raglan sweater wheel. Now I'm using set in sleeve wheel and having terrible results! Gauge? Yarn? Dont know why.😢 20:19 l
The sweater wheels are fun! I love things like that. However, I challenge anyone to get 10 rows per inch at 8 stitches per inch.
in the explanation of the angle of the yarn S curve, isn't it also that the yarn on the right leg is going up, and the yarn on the left leg is coming down? ie., take the yarn from bottom of screen up, anchor it with a pin and turn yarn around the pin and come back down (before going over to the left for the next stitch) to mimic a stockinette K stitch.....
Not sure why that would make a difference? The twist angle looks the same right side up or upside down, always \
Thank you for the interesting video. I made my first cuff down sock earlier this summer Nd learned a lot. I then tried a toe up sock..fiddly at first but then seemed fairly straightforward until I got to the heel. The pattern said it used something called a Turkish heel but it just didn't make sense so I ripped the whole thing out. I couldn't find any information on the Turkish heel on TH-cam, Google, or sock books/blogs. Any idea how to knit it?
It was *probably* a peasant heel (aka afterthought or forethought heel), but regardless, the pattern should have included instructions for how to do it.
@@RoxanneRichardson thank you!
I seem to remember you bought your breed taster pack from a British supplier? If so, then the Jacob wool was definitely separated into black and white fleece. Also, Masham is pronounced Mass'um!
I bought my fiber sampler off etsy from a US seller, which is why it was unclear to me if the Jacob my fiber came from was from a single-color sheep, since we do have those in the US.
@@RoxanneRichardson ah thank you!
Hi. I'm wondering why you don't use a natural fiber fabric, rather than a polyester fleece, to line and stabilize the Xmas stocking? Couldn't you use a cotton flannel, or a lightweight wool felt? Neither of those would allow stretch, I would imagine, and you could avoid using plastic in your lovely handmade gift. Is there a clear advantage to using the plastic?
The point of using the fleece is that it *does stretch* in one direction, which I see as an advantage. It also comes in a huge range of colors, is readily available, and doesn't fray at the edges, which means it can be trimmed very close to the stitching. If the seam opens at some point in the future, it won't ravel. These reasons, of course, may not seem to be advantages to you, or they may not be enough to offset what you perceive to be the disadvantage, which is why you are free to use whatever you feel is right for your own projects.
Where do you get your shirts?
Is the stocking pattern available?
Just took a quick look to see if anyone else mentioned this, but at about the point where you started talking about Rosie's stocking you went kind of fuzzy and not well focused, camera problem? I have knit only one sweater, using Cocoknits method, and will make a second sweater attempt this fall using Ann Budd's top-down book. Looking forward to a large project after three months of socks!
The focus problem is not in the video. It may have been/might be a buffering issue on the TH-cam end.
@@RoxanneRichardson yes, I figured it out when I tried to watch something else after you. YT had knocked me down to 144p without even asking! Rude. Check your settings, everyone! 🧐😄
Hi, what exactly did you type in to find it? I typed in Vintage sweater wheel and Ebay had no idea what I was talking about.
The one my friend brought to knitting group was for set in sleeves, so I googled set-in sleeve sweater wheel, or something like that, and from those results, I saw who the inventor was (Bea Freeman), and could include that in my search. While I bought it on ebay, that's not the only place people might be selling one (or both), so start by googling, and then see what sorts of hits you get (I've seen them on ebay and etsy)
@@RoxanneRichardson ty
One of the heels that seems to be popular with the Toe Up socks is the Strong (named after a person) heel. Ellen at Chilli Dog (th-cam.com/video/GIfmMaYuW5k/w-d-xo.html) [she refers to it as a gusset or strong heel, and Carrie Craftgeek has a tutorial on the Strong heel as well (th-cam.com/video/Vdt4Ffmcxz8/w-d-xo.html) has a whole video on this heel. There are also at least two other videos on this technique. This heel can be used in both directions and has some flexibility to enhance fit. The only other heel that I have come accross that can be knitted in both directions and provides potential for alterting the pattern for fit is the Tomato Heel by Cat Bohrdi (th-cam.com/video/IRc3309JUyc/w-d-xo.html). I have yet to fully master the cuff down sock, but I know that I will eventually like to become comfortable with the toe-up method as well. Thanks for all the work you do on socks. I am also going to send you a Ko-Fi for all your efforts.
Any short row heel can be knit in both directions, as can a peasant or plain heel. Typically, the construction of a Strong heel is cuff down, and when it's knit toe up (with slight variation), it's called a Fleegle heel. The heel looks different when knit from opposite directions, so both heels also have versions that will create the same appearance as their original version, when worked in the opposite direction. I.e. you can find a cuff down Fleegle heel that looks like a toe-up Fleegle heel. I haven't tried the Fleegle for fit in the toe up direction. When done cuff down as a Strong Heel, I end up with far too much extra fabric in the instep length, so I don't like to use it. It could be that the extra instep length wouldn't be an issue when worked toe up, but as I said, I haven't yet tried it.
just curious, is there any historical reference on how jacob breeds got its name (with the black-white and all-black) or it's just a coincidence with the bible story and stuff?
Toe up with heel flap and gusset: I have to modify for my high arch. Watch Purl Together on TH-cam: th-cam.com/video/ZPowmtzkxc4/w-d-xo.html
Also: check out Weavin’ Stephen technique for knitting in color changes on your socks and other projects to end having to sew ends. (Stephen West on TH-cam)
Apparently the word "masham" is pronounced "massam" , according to 'world of wool'.
It's probably one of those UK language eccentricities. :-) I was convinced that Herdwick was probably pronounced Herd-ick, but nope. So of course, Masham is Mass-am.