A free Pattern for double knit vanilla socks! A little present from me to you!
These knit up amazingly in both our Rustic with Alpaca and the Hilltop DK yarns! The Hilltop particularly is a fab hard wearing DK sock yarn which even manages to survive my husband’s hard wearing!
I hope you enjoy knitting these up. I LOVE how fast they trip off the needles!!
Hop on over to Facebook and share the finished socks on our group!!
Lets talk socks!
Now I love sock weight yarns… I certainly dye up enough of them! and I love socks knitted out of them…. but I am finding with more limited knitting time these days with the two kids, a smallholding and a few businesses to sort that sock weight yarn socks just takes an age….. I have definitely been more in the mood for quick and easy finish projects.
More recently I have been using the DK yarns to make up socks! The Rustic ranges of DK both make up gorgeous socks and the Hilltop does too!
I have even designed a few patterns for DK weight socks!! You can find them here on Ravelry, or in my Etsy shop.
I have been knitting up some custom socks for a smallholder friend and her husband and have the second set of two pairs ready to go to her. The farmer whose fleeces became the Hilltop yarn blend has requested a pair of socks as well made up from the yarn from his sheep. He is currently living in the hat I knit him!
So…. I thought I would add in a plain set of DK socks as a free pattern… You can download the pattern here!! Hop on over and join the FB discussion I would love to see the socks you knit up!
I have also hit upon another idea!
I fancy a collaborative Knitalong!!
I thought a scarf, as this would allow newer knitters to join in the fun.
So I thought:
Then each week a person in the group is chosen to provide the patterning idea for the next week’s worth of knitting.
This could be a new stitch you have been itching to try, a bit of colour work or anything you fancy, as long as you keep to the stitch count!!
Hop over, join the FB group and add a comment to the thread with the image above, then go get your needles and yarn ready! I am thinking a February 28th start date??
I got you covered!!!
I have been working on quite a few patterns recently!! Including these!! (With more coming in the new year) All inspired by my love of nature and living close to nature!
We have the Queen Bee Hat and I am chuffed to bits with how this has turned out so I made mitts and socks to go with!!
These have all been knitted using the Tyddyn Bryn Rustic with Alpaca range of DK wool and they are sooo wearable and WARM!!
I have also finally sorted the pattern out for the Jewels shawl (thank you my fabulous tech editor for reminding me!!)
This is knitted in a sock weight yarn with a silk content to give it maximum drape! The Tyddyn Bryn Smooshie bade is perfect for this!
All these patterns are available on Etsy, Ravelry and Loveknitting!!
Still on the go we have the Hazels shawl…. which I seem to be taking forever to write up let alone chart….
And the Hive shawl, which is nearly written (honest mum!! 😂😘) which need blocking final photos and a trip to the tech editor!!
I am also now working on a range of foraging and smallholding inspired patterns!! Mushrooms, more leaves, animals and even a hedgehog set of patterns which will be released to raise money for our local hoggie hogspital who nursed our beautiful Holly so well!!
I have knitted up some fabulous sweaters for the boys using our beautiful rustic with alpaca yarns!!
You can see which one is more impressed at the photo shoot for his new jumper!!
The yarn is a gorgeous blend of next to skin soft yarn!! And the colourways lend themselves beautifully to colour work patterns and these yoked sweaters, the Diplodocus sweater by Kate Oates is perfect for my two dinosaur enthusiasts!!
We have all sorts of colours sure to please your dino lovers too!!
He really does love it! Just didn’t want to take photos 😂🥴 Here are the colours we have available in the Etsy shop!
I’ve been fiddling about putting together a little about the yarn video!!
What do you all think!?!
You can find our yarns over on Etsy
They truly are a joy to work with!!!
Watch this space for some new patterns releases coming soon!!!
So the crafting podcast is becoming weekly!! And on a Monday!!
This will be a weekly round up of the crafting activities I get up to!
This week’s round up can be found here
Well a fortnight has vanished since my last post!!! Well more than a fortnight!!! That’s what new babies manage to do…. and toddlers… they eat time!!!
So…. now I’m a captive on the sofa with a post immunisation snuggler….
Where was I….
Wonderwool Purchases!!! Those of you that follow me over on Instagram will have seen these beauties posted there!! But look!!!
A good mix of mainly sock yarn and some spinning fluff for my breeds log cabin blanket!! Hurrah now I just need the time to knit them!!
In other news I was lucky enough to test knit the fabulous Peeky Cat socks, a colourwork double knit socks pattern by An Caitín Beag!! Wow these knit up quick!!! I used some deep stash Sweet Georgia merino DK yarn that I bought an age ago with plans for a top for me…. two children later….. and seriously limited knit time…. and it’s now becoming snuggly gorgeous cat socks!!!!
This pattern is amazing!! And she has set it up on Ravelry ready for release on the 25th!!
Other than that I’m plugging in with James’ socks….
And I’ve finally finished the reknit of my hazels shawl in RiverKnits in Indian Giant Squirrel!!
Now I need to block it and finish writing the pattern and get it off to the wonderful tech editor!! Any interested parties for the test knit?!
So that’s the crafty catch up… for the mo!!!
I’ll post again with some farm happenings!!
Episode 12Sunday 4th March
Another one a week later than planned, but due to visitations…. First from my sister and the children and then from my parents!! So limited crafting time was had in the first couple of weeks!
Knitting
Managed a few more rounds on my Weasley sweater
Swatching for some new patterns, these still need blocking out and then finishing off into full patterns…. So these you saw last time….
These 2 are knit out of my alpaca Aran or worsted weight yarn and will be a toy pattern…. I have swatched one using my Mothy and squid yarn, but I don’t think there is enough contrast to show up the pattern…
This is knit from Jennie from Owl About Yarns Tibetan Owl, a merino, silk and yak base, which I am loving it is soooo soft and the jewel tones suit this pattern design perfectly! It’s going to be a shawl…
Then some new swatches are….
This is a swatch knitted from my smooshie yarn base and will also be a shawl of some form…
These are knit from River Knits Silbermond which is a BFL silk Cashmere base and is STUNNING!!! so we have a swatch of a star pattern and a swatch for some moon phases…. These will also be a shawl soon!!
I’ve managed a few more rows on my Hazels shawl pattern which I’m currently working on for a pattern release after the baby is born….. But I’ve left the shawl in my knitting basket downstairs!!
I have a HO, one sock for my fathers birthday present…. Plain top down vanilla sock knit out of Weavers Loft sock yarn which is 75% super wash wool and 25% nylon, so good and hard wearing for much use for my Dad!
I have also managed to knit up a nearly finished object!! A baby hat for newbie when he arrives… Knit out of rainbow heirloom solo light, which is a single ply yarn that is so soft. Mum bought this for me when she and Dad were last in Edinburgh at Ginger Twist studios.
Plans for knitting then include more design work, finishing the pair of vanilla socks, maybe a second baby hat out of the sock yarn leftovers bag… More weasley knitting and I have yarn wound to knit up James’ next pair of socks…
Crochet
A little more progress on the sheep breed blanket to show…. Most of the Masham barring the cream is now in the blanket, but I’m trying to separate the colours a little so the cream Masham has to wait for the Icelandic to be finished….
Spinning
So I have spun the bobbin of Icelandic singles finally…. Not as enjoyable a spin as some yarns for me, found it kept slipping through my fingers too fast and needed a much shorter draw…. So I had to spin much slower, but even then I think it might not turn into the most balanced yarn…. I just know it’s going to be squirly!!
I need to Navajo ply that, but it’s resting for now…. While I spin up Some Sara’s texture crafts exmoor BFL in the most fabulous underwater colours!! Sara has stopped dyeing yarns and fibres now though and it’s my last roving of her I have to spin now…..
Acquisitions
So Mum went to Unravel in Farnham and picked me up 2 skeins of Becci from RiverKnits’ splendiferous base yarn in Silbermond. She got there early…. And must have raced to the post office because they arrived the next day by 1pm all the way here in West Wales!!!
I have put an order for some fabric I need in… For a commission sew and for some of my own makes…. but given the weather and the fact that no one has been up or down our lane much this week it’s probably sat happily at the post office!! But before the weather turned my ribbing fabric turned up…. I ordered three colours pink, grey and green to see which one I liked best for going with my foxy fabric for my Linden sweatshirt…. And the 5m of black fleece fabric arrived too…. Now I wait on the rest!!!
I have also bought two new patterns…. Both are from Made by Jacks Mum, who has a website if you google that name, or an Etsy shop, through which I purchased the patterns… But it’s the same person who created the AJ Aviator hat pattern that I have made for James and now Will.
One pattern is the “Free Range Fun over trousers” which goes from 6 months to 12 years on sizings!!! And gives lots of options for light weight waterproof trousers or fleece lined waterproofs and the pattern is for dungarees style like salopettes or trousers.
The other Pattern is the Hot Coffee top and dress pattern, which is a sweatshirt pattern or dress sweatshirt, with three options on necklines round, hoodie or funnel and is for men and women….
So these two patterns are for the black fleece and maybe the pink elephant fleece I have in my deep stash…..
Sewing
I have been a busy bee when I can…
And have some finished objects to show off!!
First I have finished the first part of a commission sew which involved drafting my own pattern for a special young lady I used to teach, feeder and general bibs, waterproof back, lined with terry towelling and topped off with a pretty poly cotton
Then I have made my Agnes top….
Pattern by Tilly and the Buttons
Fabric from Stoffstil (foxy) and Fabric Godmother for the black jersey
AND
I have made my Linden sweatshirt which is a pattern from Grainline studios
Again in the Stoffstil foxy sweatshirt fabric and I chose the green ribbing from the choice of three for the neck, cuffs and hem bands.
Weaving has seen no love again for a while…. I need to sort a table for the loom to exclusively sit on…. Half the problem is clearing my craft table for and clamping it down each time….
Baking…
I have made more banana cakes using the BBC good food Brilliant banana loaf recipe… But this time as muffins
Some Raspberry and white chocolate muffins
Some cherry and almond cookies
And I have had a another bash at the apple pie I made before so I might be ready to blog a few recipes now!!
Farm
So we have had exciting busy times…. snow….. Ice…..
We have made bird boxes with the niece and nephew….
Built a retaining wall for the polytunnel….
Meshed and started planting the fruit cage….
Set our potatoes to chit…
Built a bit more polytunnel…. Cardboarded our onion/shallot/garlic growing area…. Acquired some more large tubs for spud growing….
Had a delivery of firewood….
Tidied up the front garden….
Planned and sorted our seeds we have into months for planting etc….
Acquired a rather manky looking sheep which is in our field having escaped from a neighbours land, still awaiting the chap who owns the sheep to come confirm its his and claim it!!
We have had chicks hatch…. 5 Bresse chicks hatched on St David’s Day!! chick cam showing the live hatching is on the Tyddyn Bryn Facebook page
But they are already quite feisty and jostling about in their hatchery!!
Did I mention the snow and the ice….. Well that’s had me confined to barracks as James doesn’t want me to fall and go into the labour, particularly whilst the road was basically impassable!! But it’s caused a Wee bit of barn and roof damage, so yesterday found James out on the roof of the house (only 2 foot from the bedroom Velux thankfully) fixing the log burner flashings and surrounding tiles….
Soon he will look at fixing a few bits of barn that have broken too, but they aren’t major issues nor
Any way think that’s about all….
You can find me as Tyddyn Bryn on Rav, Instagram, Twitter and there’s a FB group and a Rav group for any chattering….
Hope you’ve enjoyed
And I hope to see you all soon…. Like two weeks this time… Not three… But we will see as Baby is due now in 2 and a half weeks!!!! Eek!!!!!
Apologies I was due to podcast this weekend….. but I haven’t a the energy and b with all the visitors I haven’t had a chance to do as much…..
However…..
Some sneaky peeks…… at an A J Aviator hat (pattern from Made by Jacks Mum) made for Young Sir for next winter me thinks…….. or a over hat as he seems to want to wear hats over his hoods at the moment!
Some spinning of Icelandic wool is still happening despite me not enjoying this fibre as much….. I have to go slow and really concentrate and even then I think it’s going to be horribly over spun and squirly…
Some BEAUTIFUL RiverKnits Splendiferous yarn for swatching and knitting up a new design!!!
Some skeined up pomegranate….
And some more sewing in the form of a commission for a very special young lady I used to teach!! (For those not in the know I spent 11-12 years as a full time special needs teacher where we used to live!) and this work is making some pretty but useable bibs for everyday use and for when she is eating!! I drafted up the pattern and made a couple of prototypes!! I’m quite pleased and am now cutting out and making the rest!!
Episode 11Monday 12th of February
Only a week later than planned due to illness, starting with toddle chops and ending in all of us!
Knitting
One FO toddler socks
New cast on…. Weasley sweater for me in Hayfield Aran bonus in purple
Swatching for some new designs…..
1 shawl…. In Owl About Yarn Tibetan Owl….
1 toy in Aran weight alpaca…
Another shawl which is being swatched in my smooshie base (azure) but will eventually be knit up in RiverKnits’ glorious Splendiferous base in Silberman Mond or silver moon….
Wound the yarn to cast on the next two pairs of vanilla socks…
Both are weavers loft, which I picked up at Wonderwool last year no colourway names, but they are 75% super wash wool 25% nylon
One for James and one for Dad….
Crochet
I’ve balled up the masham and mystery hand spuns and have decided to crochet a log cabin style blanket out of them…. Mainly for ease and the fact it grows sooooo quickly!!
Aside… I love the way these Masham skeins have balled up!!
Acquisitions
Ummmm so before we get into sewing…. I’ve a few…. Ahem…… Acquisitions to admit to……
1 tartan off cuts…. One bag thereof…
Flannelette cotton
Four colours of Sherpa fleece….
Green sweatshirt material….
Waterproof fabric
White terry towelling fabric
And I’m still waiting on some pretty pink cottons and some ribbing fabrics I ordered….
Eek!!!
Sewing
So it’s been three weeks and I have just about three projects finished….
The first two are the Bucket hats by Oliver and S which I have made out this tractor fabric…. One is for William, the other for a little friend of his!!
The second is an AJ Aviator hat by Made by Jacks Mum….
This one is for James and I have started the one for William today!!
I have been finding crawling about on the floor increasingly not fun for cutting out so I have now spent a chunk of time and cut out a few big sewing projects, smaller one I can manage at my table….
I have cut out a blue coco by Tilly and the buttons
A grain line studios Linden in the green foxy fabric
An Agnes by Tilly and the Buttons in black for the body green for the sleeves,
A load of the AJ aviator hats….
Plus I still have a fleece jumper cut out to sew, though I don’t think it will now fit toddle chops, it will have to wait for his little brother to grow into it!!
Spinning
I’ve managed a fair amount of spinning these past few weeks despite illnesses….
All working on this Pomegranate colourway from John Arbon, which I picked up from Wonderwool a few years back now!!
I have Navajo or chain plied it and I am definitely finding that easier the more I practice!!! But Amy Beth of the Fat Squirrel speaks has alerted me to another ply variety called thread plying so I think I may try that on next on the gorgeous purples I have also from John Arbon…. And thread ply it with one of the beautiful cones of yarn I was gifted an age ago!!! That way I’d get a really great yardage from it…. Who know maybe even sweater yardage?!?! Or part of a sweater!!!
Weaving
Unfortunately something had to give in these past weeks with illness…. And weaving was it…. Plus I keep forgetting to ask James to help me pull the weaving round the loom so I can start the next section!! But I reckon I’m well over halfway…
Shop update
Well last Friday saw the release of the Lovehearts hat!!!! It’s available so far in my Etsy shop and in my Ravelry Pattern store!!! So head on over and have a snoop if you’d like!!!
I’m planning to release the next one…. broadleaf around the time I next Podcast….
I am also putting a call out for test knitters for the coniferous hat…. All the details will be in the Ravelry group!!
Baking
So these past two weeks we’ve been a bit more kitchen productive again after a small hiatus post Christmas!!!
I tried to make a apple pie I saw a video for in Facebook, watched once and then couldn’t find again…..
It actually turned out great!!!! I’ll make a few tweaks and make it again…. Then blog what I did!
And then I made banana loaf cakes!!!! As toddle chops went off bananas when he was ill, loads went really ripe and almost over…. So I went on the interwebs and BBC good food gave me a fab recipe for banana loaf cakes.
On the same day as we had the oven all fired up through the day rather than just ticking over James made a vat of spag Bol, a pot of leek and potato soup (his go to Delia Recipe!) and a lasagne for tea!! Yum!!
Farm Update!
Well there has been snow….
Colds….
Cold wet weather…
Hail…..
So we’ve done a fair bit indoors, finishing off bits of the house, glossing door returns…. Glossing the under stairs cupboarding….
James has built housing for his electric fencing gubbins….
And he has been collecting wood like no tomorrow!! Phew!!!
The chicken have gone onto adult food…. And Dai has even started to try and crow!!! I shall try and insert an audio clip…. If not I might be able to Facebook his proto crowing or get it onto the blog!!! Sounds rather pitiful though but he is improving daily!! (Our poor neighbours!!)
We have had another growth scan on baby two… And I’ve started washing all the clothes to freshen them up….. Next is the car seat and the baby seats and we built the cot at the weekend!!
Giveaway
Before coming on air I updated the spreadsheet I have been keeping on the giveaway entries and ran a random number generator……
Drum roll
The winners of the Alpaca are…..
Anita from Gaga knits on YouTube!!
Angeiship13 on Instagram!!
Please PM/DM/ message me your postal addresses and I will get the yarn parcelled up and off to the post office the next opportunity I have!!!!
That’s all folks!!
Tyddyn Bryn 