I Have A New Obsession - Sleep Socks

It all started a few months ago! I kept seeing the Sloffen Slipper Socks on Instagram. They’re a simple ankle sock design from The Kitchen Sink Shop.  What made them even more appealing - besides the fact it was March and my feet were freezing - was that they’re knit in DK weight so I knew they’d also be a quick knit. Toasty toes were within my grasp!

I chose to knit them in some sock yarn held double. Sock yarn that had previously been cursed! (The curse is now unbroken obviously). When I say cursed I mean that over the years I’d started no less than three or four times to turn this yarn into socks and somehow something would go awry every single time. This yarn is at least 15 years old so it seemed as good a time as any to get it made up into something.

The yarn is snuggly and warm and perfect for slipper/bed socks. It’s Estelle Arequipa in the Scarlet colour way and is a blend of wool, alpaca and nylon.

I was correct in the speediness of the pattern. I knit my socks and were wearing them to bed in under two weeks!!

Emboldened by my success and new found love of bed socks I decided to knit a new pair. This time using Lichen and Lace sock yarn in the Rosewood colourway and the stunning Saltwater Socks book (both were given to me for Christmas by my daughter and son in law!) I chose the Nighty Night Sleep Sock pattern of course!

These have taken considerably longer to knit being in fingering weight - they took one day shy of two months, although the second sock only took nine days for me to complete. I finished them last night and I’m so pleased with how they turned out!! I did lengthen the ankle by ten rows just to have a slightly longer pair of sleep socks!

I’m now without a project on my needles which is rather disconcerting so I’ll need to remedy that quickly. I don’t like having nothing ready to work on. I’ve been going through my pattern library trying to narrow down what to choose next, but so far haven’t pinpointed anything at all. It’s a decision paralysis of sorts I guess. Being spoiled for choice makes it hard to narrow it down.  So we’ll see what I come up with!

Algarve

Well holy smokes. It’s been awhile. Life has been busily flying by on me these last few months! I’ve been getting lots of projects done which I always love because I’m always glad to spend time with my creative pursuits. I’ve been knitting on and off and sewing lots of things. When I’m not actually knitting or sewing I’m definitely plotting and planning projects.

I have really scaled back testing patterns and try to be really discerning when choosing which ones to do. Well to be honest I’m trying to be a bit more discerning about what I choose to make in general. Not just diving head first in on the next new shiny thing. (That’s not to say I don’t occasionally fall off my noble project planning wagon - I have some hot pink boiled wool sitting newly in my stash that would definitely go against any and all discernment. Lol)

Anyways I was starting to talk about pattern testing for a reason. I decided to do the Algarve* test - it’s the latest pattern to be released from Itch to Stitch. I had fabric in my stash and I’m in dire need of some new tees this summer. A lot of the tees I have were made several years ago and are definitely getting a bit worse for wear. I had the time and felt it would also be a fairly simple project, so it felt like a good choice.

I’m glad I did test this one! It’s bound to become a TNT pattern for me. It’s neckline is somewhat boat necked with a from and back yoke that help to form a grown on sleeve. The back falls straight from the yoke while the front gathers along the gently curved seam. I Made mine in a size 18 regular and blended to a size 16 at the hips. I also added 1 1/2” of length.

My first version is sewn up in viscose spandex. I’ve had this Lady McElroy Mademoiselle print for several years. (I’m think I was still in the parts room at Gen Mills when I bought it and I’ve been gone from there for six years now) I love the fancy vintage ladies on this fabric but never quite knew what should make with it until now!

My second version is just an inexpensive “fibre content unknown” jersey from a bin at Fabricland. I think I’ve had it tucked away for at least a few years too!

I had fun sewing both versions and am pretty excited to have some fresh new tees for spring! The Algarve pattern is, of course, available as part of the extensive Itch to Stitch pattern collection.