New Pattern: Plumtree Socks

Summer's just about here—always a great time for knitting socks. They're light and portable and don't involve large amounts of wool (which is never too comfortable on hot summer days).

So I'm pleased to announce a new sock pattern for the start of the summer season. Worked in the round from the top down, my Plumtree socks feature an appealing mix of lace and knit-purl textures. They're now available on Ravelry.

When I ordered the yarn months ago, I wanted a color that said, "summer," and when the skein arrived I was thrilled. To my eye, this Elderberry colorway of Altair sock yarn by Luna Grey Fiber Arts really embodies the sweetness of warm weather and sunny days. A blend of superwash merino, nylon, and Tencel, Altair has great stitch definition. The purl stitches and decreases are nice and crisp and the stockinette is beautifully even. I love when I take a chance on a new-to-me yarn and discover a new favorite!

Like Hulst and Pomeroy, these socks are named after a street in my hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts. We shot the photos at one of my favorite Amherst spots, the Mount Pollux conservation area (you may recognize it—it's also where I shot Pomegranate and Wonderberry). It's a quiet, peaceful place with lots of trails, meadows, apple trees, and beautiful views of the surrounding Pioneer Valley and nearby Mount Norwottuck. I always feel refreshed after spending time there.

Check out the #plumtreesocks hashtag on Instagram to see Plumtrees in other yarns and colors. I'm really grateful to the test knitters who responded to my call and enthusiastically knit up the socks! (Their speedy knitting confirmed these socks are really a quick knit.)

I'm also grateful to my sister Jackie for being such a terrific sock model and to Jenny for editing the pattern. Another Sennott Sisters production! And a shout out to Betsey, too—she and Jenny are both knitting their very own Plumtrees (you need to be logged on to Ravelry to follow these links to their projects).

Since the socks have plenty of yarn overs, they're a perfect project for this summer's Yarn Over KAL. Join the fun in the Ravelry Blue Peninsula group—you can cast on anytime between now and July 30.  We have some lovely prizes—including a skein of the same yarn and colorway I knit Plumtree with. 

Thank you very much for reading. I hope your summer is off to a beautiful start!

New Pattern: Hulst Socks

My blue socks are finally finished, and the pattern is now in my Ravelry, Etsy, and Craftsy pattern stores.

Pattern: Hulst, by Bonnie Sennott

Yarn: Periwinkle Sheep Watercolors in the Atlantic colorway

Named after a road in Amherst, Massachusetts, Hulst is a women's sock with a bit of lace (to keep the knitting interesting) and a bit of stockinette (to make it go quickly). Through midnight EST June 20, you can get $1.00 off the pattern on Ravelry, using the coupon code HULSTKAL.

Hulst is the third pattern in my All You Need Is One collection of designs that use just one skein of yarn (On the Other Hand and Conklaree were the first two). Two more patterns will be added to the collection between now and fall; when you purchase the ebook, it's automatically updated in your Ravelry library each time a new pattern is added. At $16 for five patterns, it's a great deal!

Starting June 21 (first day of summer), we're having a Hulst Socks KAL in the Ravelry Blue Peninsula group. It's going to be a celebration of sock knitting and the summer growing season. Along with knitting the socks, we'll be sharing photos and stories about our local farms, farmers markets, summer produce and flowers, our gardens, and even recipes.

My sister Jackie and I have split a share at the Brookfield Farm, located on Hulst Road in Amherst, for many years—in fact, we've just started our 19th season as shareholders. It is my favorite place in my hometown, very near and dear to my heart. We had a great time taking the photos there early in the morning last Sunday—no one was about except us and the birds.

The pattern is written for fingering weight yarn. I used the stunning Atlantic colorway of Watercolors sock yarn from the Periwinkle Sheep. Karin has really hit a home run with this color, don't you think? She's also got some other colors perfect for Hulst in her Etsy shop right now, including a rich Cayenne and a summery green called Antidote. 

This sock is worked top down, from the cuff, and features a heel flap with a garter stitch edge. I have to admit, I really fell in love with the heel—it might become my default method from now on. Instructions are given for two sizes, and stitch patterns are provided in both line-by-line written form as well as charts. 

No pattern ever comes about only through my own efforts. My heartfelt thanks go to Karin of the Periwinkle Sheep, for dyeing such gorgeous yarn; my sister Jenny, for her expert tech editing; and my sister Jackie, for her patient modeling (and especially for getting up bright and early, so we could take advantage of the lovely morning light). I'd also like to thank the test knitters who provided helpful feedback about the pattern—Heather and Brenda (take a look at her bright green socks in a colorway she calls My Favorite Martian).

Thank you very much for reading. I hope you'll join us in the KAL!