Month: November 2017

Categories
Designing

Indie Designer Gift-A-Long

For the first time, I’m going to be taking part in the Indie Designer Gift-A-Long on Ravelry. This is a giant KAL that has been running for five years and is supposed to be lots of fun.

The first part is a sale from 8pm EST on 21st November (that’s 1am on Wednesday here) to midnight EST on 28th November. All my sock patterns are 25% off with the code giftalong2017. You can find them on Ravelry here.

All my sock patterns are eligible for the sale
All my sock patterns are eligible for the sale ©Rachel Gibbs

Then you have six weeks to knit any pattern from a participating designer, enter competitions and chat with other knitters and crocheters. It’s a great way to get to know the awesome patterns from indie designers all over the world and have some support for last minute gift knitting.

Categories
Uncategorized

Level Up Your Socks KAL Winners

We had 14 entries into my Level Up Your Socks KAL, including 4 using my patterns who got a bonus entry, making 18 in total.

Thanks to everyone who took part, it was great to see all your socks and talk all things sock related.

Here are all the winning entries:

A Skein of Explorer Sock from Phileas Yarns

Päivi is the winner with her Piezoelectric Socks.

paivi-piezoelectric
Päivi’s Piezoelectric Socks ©kaisukka

3 Single Patterns from Yarnesty (Anna Friberg)

The winners are Päivi’s Pangolin Socks, Conchi’s Dove Lace Socks and Heather’s Socks on a Plane.

paivi-pangolin
Päivi’s Pangolin Socks ©kaisukka
conchi-dovelace
Conchi’s Dove Lace Socks ©ConchiRodes

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbVtYZQATZs/

Two single patterns from Rachel Gibbs Designs

Sandeleh’s Convoluted Clues and Heather’s Basket Rib.

sandeleh-convolutedclues
Sandeleh’s Convoluted Clues ©sandeleh

https://www.instagram.com/p/BazYdk1A3JP/

Categories
Knitting

Right- and Left-Leaning Decreases

In knitting, there are two main types of decreases involving two stitches – right-leaning and left-leaning. It’s really useful to be able to tell these apart and know which action will produce which result.

Right-Leaning

The first decrease most people learn is knit two together (k2tog). This results in the left-hand stitch on top, causing the stitch to lean to the right. The first stitch the needle enters is the one that ends on top.

right-leaning decrease
k2tog: a right-leaning decrease ©Rachel Gibbs

Left-Leaning

Left-leaning decreases are a little bit more complicated. The two most common ones are slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over (skp) and slip one knitwise, slip one knitwise, knit two slipped stitches together through the back loop (ssk). In all cases, this results in the right-hand stitch on top.

left-leaning decrease
ssk or skp: left-leaning decrease

Purl Decreases

Decreases can also be worked in purl and similarly, a p2tog is right-leaning and an ssp is left-leaning.

right-leaning purl decrease
p2tog: a right-leaning decrease ©Rachel Gibbs

However, purl decreases are most commonly worked on the wrong side of the work. When you look at the back of a left-leaning increase, you also get a left-leaning increase, but it will point towards the opposite side of the work, which is something to bear in mind.