GIVEAWAY: Ombre Purple Knit Socks from PaintBox

Before Christmas, Love Crafts.com sent me a ball of ombre sock yarn to try out. After I finally finished all the handmade holiday gifts (some in January *cough*), I started working on these.

Now that COVID 19 is taking over our lives, I'm finding time to photograph projects I finished earlier in the year. It's also a great time to host a giveaway for a lucky stitcher!

Love Crafts.com is kindly giving away one ball of their Paintbox Yarn Socks in the color of your choice. I'm hosting the giveaway on Instagram, so hop over there to enter.

Pattern: My own. Basically a cuff-down sock using Hurdle Stitch

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Socks in Wisteria

This yarn was really fun to knit with. I couldn't see the color changes as they were happening, but then I'd knit several rows and look back to see that gradual shift.

Hurdle Stitch 

When I'm knitting socks, I go for stitches that have a lot of texture but are easy to memorize. (That's probably also why socks are one of my go-to projects for stitch group.)

Rnd 1: Knit.
Rnd 2: Purl.
Rnds 3-4: k1, p1; repeat from across.

If I made another pair of these, I would probably do an afterthought heel. The Hurdle Stitch works really well with this yarn, and it makes it extra squishy and cozy.

Knit Soothing Shawl

I've been diligently working through my stash lately, and I finally used yarn I bought two years ago in New Mexico. It's squishy and great for a textured stitch like the seed stitch used in this shawl.

It finally snowed in Asheville, and I thought the color was perfect against the snow. (It melted around noon, so it didn't last nearly long enough.)

Pattern: Soothing Shawl by Rachel Brockman (free pattern)
Yarn: Abiquiu Dye Studio Squishy Spring "Halleluiah" purchased at Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center

The border is applied lace, so you have to work it sideways and knit the edge stitches together with the border. I couldn't wrap my head around it at first, but then I watched a couple of videos and it clicked. I've tried this kind of border before, but it's been a while.