Cherry Ripe

cherry garni socks by yours truly

araucania ranco solid in pt 485

the yarn side walker merino in red lentil evenings

It's about time another cocktail sock pattern was added to the repertoire, so here's something a little fruity! Cherry Garni is a toe-up, heel-flapped, cherry-lace sock, with contrasting cocktail-skewer toe, heel and cuff.

Okay, these should really, technically, be called 'Cherry Garnish Socks', as 'garni' isn't foreign for garnish, but is only an attempt on my part to sound fancy!  I am nothing if not creative in the ways of language!  Or lazy...  Either or, the cherry is a massive part of cocktail dressing, and this new patterns is a natural progression from the Twist of Citrus homage to all things zesty in the cocktail world!

So, whether you're adding a rich red Maraschino cherry to a Manhattan, a green cherry to your Blue Lagoon, drinking a black cherry Mojito, or having your tequila sunrise adorned with a yellow ground cherry, I'm sure you'll agree that the cherry, no matter what colour, is truly a worthy addition to the cocktail sock theme!

The sock begins at the contrasting toe with a simple but effective cocktail-skewer rib pattern:

then moves on to the cherry-lace pattern (a rich, ripe cherry with its stalk and a leaves) :

and for something completely different, I've added a heel-flap.  I have to say I love the final appearance of this - the gusset pick-up is oh-so-very neat, but pay attention - you have to start the increases around 4 inches from the final edge of the heel.  (I've suggested adding a life-line if you aren't completely sure of the length you need - I measured 4 inches from a sock I had previously made and worked out where I needed to start the increases.)

Totally worth it - it looks fabulous!

And another plus: it looks great in different colours!  I asked my testers to use different colours - purples, greens, yellows for different coloured cherries, and they turned out looking fabulous - check out the pattern page for linked projects!  

So, what else do you need to know?  Oh yes indeed - the link to the pattern page and a lovely Ravelry button to click if you fancy investing in something fruity!

Cherry ripe, cherry ripe, 
Ripe I cry, Full and fair ones

Come and buy.

Cherry ripe, cherry ripe,

Ripe I cry,

Full and fair ones

Come and buy.

Sticks & String: An Introduction

I think that before I throw my latest knitting patterns into the mix, I should give you a brief run-down of the whole sticks and string thing.  

I knit. I knit for fun AND profit, as they say. Actually, pretty much just for fun, but it keeps me off the streets, and if I've got needles and yarn in my hands, it means there's less of a chance that I have food in my hands, too. 

A friend of mine introduced me to the gentle are of not garrotting or impaling people with twine and sharp spikes in the Summer of 2008 and I was hooked. Well, I was needled. I can't crochet to save myself. (Some of you will get that pun. And for that we thank you.) Not long after that I was inducted into the hallowed halls of Ravelry; a website for knitters, crocheters and other fibre artists that sounds a lot more dull than it really is. What it is is a treasure-trove of patterns, inspiration, community, friendship, and much more fibre-related wonderfulness. 

I was inspired to start a knitting blog, initially describing my attempts at fitting in, learning to knit, singing locations, and lots of stained glass windows. (I am nothing if not eclectic in my choice of subjects.) It grew in scope once I started designing my own patterns and although I make it sound much more grandiose than it really is, it's something I really enjoy, and I'm proud to share my creations.

What are these creations? Well, if you click HERE, you'll be taken to the afore-mentioned knitting blog's page containing all my blog pattern links. You can take it from there! What I will do, though, is add a cross post from my knitting blog to here when I have a new pattern up. I thoroughly enjoy knitting, it's a part of who I am, and I think it's right to include some of it here.

(I just have to point out that the inspiration for most of my patterns is alcohol in mostly cocktail form - you'll understand it when you see them. I know. Cake and alcohol. But all things in moderation, and all that!)