Stitches West 08 "Editor's Choice" Winner!

Yes ladies and gentlemen I have a new title "Award Winning Designer"!

Ugg Sock updated.

This is an update on my Ugg Sock. Who knew. Their real name is "Valenki"

.......are traditional Russian winter footwear, essentially felt boots. Its very name, valenki literally means, "made by felting". Valenki are made of wool felt.

According to Manolo’s Shoe Blog

Manolo says, recently the Manolo he has been hearing much talk about the Russian Valenki boot as being the next Ugg, the next ugly boot to be the big trend.

Here, allow the Manolo to nip this in the bud.

If you are the shuffling, toothless, 100 kilogram Russian babushka with the head scarf then by all the means, wear the valenki. If you are not the Russian granny then, in the opinion of the Manolo, you have no business wearing the Valenki.

Trust the Manolo, nothing says, Comrade, I have in my soviet-era apartment stockpiled 500 rolls of the low-quality toilet paper like the valenki.

Do not be the babushka, do not wear the valenkis.

I don't know about the toothless part but I love mine.

There are times when I jump in bed and my feet are frozen! They are like ice, hence the "Popsicle feet" reference.

How to warm up my feet, tucking them anywhere near my DH is not satisfactory and he really does not like it. I must confess I don't like him doing the same to me either. As a matter of fact I've been known to get hostile about even thinking of doing such.... the solution is the Ugg Sock.

I knitted a giant sock, size 13 needles DK weight wool yarn and tossed them in the washing machine to shrink/felt. Then I needle felted fleece to the inside.


The softest and warmest of all. Warm toes for me, and yes I made DH a pair too.

Sea Socks 08

I had such a good time last year Sea Socks 07 that I just booked Sea Socks 08.

I've printed out a picture of the ship and when I get stressed out I just look at the ship and imagine the fun. Knitting socks on the high seas!

Pavlo the blond Ukranian head waiter serving me dinner in the formal dining room every night, room service bringing me coffee at 6 am. Life is good. I can hardly wait.

German Twisted Cast on

The German Twisted Cast-on is very useful when you want a stretchy edge, like for socks, hats or if you are a "tight" knitter this is very handy because the cast on can get too tight.

You hold the yarn the same way as if you were doing the "long tail" cast on just by twisting the yarn around the thumb gives the cast on an extra bit of yarn for the stretchy effect.

First stitch regular long tail cast on or a slip knot, then (the thumb does all the work) Under both strands on the thumb --do not go through the regular loop but go under both strands--

Push the needle through the loop dip the thumb way down kind of jiggle it and hook the index finger yarn through the thumb loop.


I found this video on YouTube that demonstrates it very nicely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af1xpkBBYxs