Featuring lace and cables, Wendy’s Bouquet Socks are perfect for this in-between time of year, when it’s not quite winter and not yet spring. Together, the lace bouquets and the cable twist stems create a flower garden on your feet! And since the design features a large pattern motif, you can use a slightly variegated yarn without obscuring the bouquets.

With tips on sock knitting, charts, schematics, and patterns for 21 unique socks ranging from lacey anklets to knee high cables, there’s a sock for every foot out there in Toe-Up Socks for Every Body.

• Download the Boutique Socks Pattern
• Read Wendy’s guest post in this month’s issue of CrafterNews: A Knitter’s Gift
• Read more of Wendy’s adventures with sticks and strings and download free patterns at Wendy Knits

We received a lot of submissions and a lot of beautiful projects, but of course there could only be one winner. And our grand prize winner is…

Marina from Half Moon Bay, CA.

Marina’s winner is pictured here to the left. The pattern on this cutie is the Lil’ Devil Baby Hat designed by K. Schmidt. Congratulations, Marina!

For a slideshow of all our favorite entries, check out the Vintage Knits for Modern Babies Contest set on Flickr:

• Download the Wee Mittens Project from Vintage Knits for Modern Babies

• Download more of Hadley’s vintage inspired patterns for babies and adults at ShesCraftyKnits.com

• Hadley’s patterns are also available for purchase in her Etsy shop

A Knitter’s Gift by Wendy Johnson

Creating something with your hands to give to another is the ultimate expression of love, and as crafters we are fortunate that this sort of creation is something we enjoy so much. When you are a knitter and a gift-giving occasion is coming up, you often think about knitting something for that occasion, right?

Valentine’s Day was just a couple of weeks ago—the ultimate occasion for gifts from the heart! I decided to knit my boyfriend, Ian, a pair of socks. Ian has many pairs of handknit socks, because I’ve been foisting them upon him since I first started knitting socks. He loves them because they are warm, comfortable, and I knit them to fit his feet exactly.

A few weeks ago I was showing him the sample socks knit for my upcoming book, Toe-Up Socks for Every Body, and he admired the Manly Aran Socks.

Happily, the sample socks are his size, and I promised to give them to him—after I take them on tour with me this year.

That gave me an idea to knit another pair of Manly Arans for him in the meantime. A guy can’t have too many pairs of classic cabled socks, right? The book sample socks are knit in a denim blue, so I wanted a different color for a bit of variety. I chose a darker blue yarn – a not-quite navy. It’s a nice masculine dark blue, but not so dark that the cables wouldn’t show.

I have since decided that knitting very fine cables with size 0 needles in a dark yarn on dark winter evenings is truly a labor of love. But finish the socks I did! And I bestowed them upon Ian for Valentine’s Day.

I learned once again that loved ones appreciate gifts from your heart and your hands. Even when they are not perfect. After completing the socks, I noticed this:

As you can see, I messed up a couple of stitches on the side of one of the socks. I chose not to fix the error, partly because I am simply too lazy to rip back halfway down the leg of the sock, and partly because I feel small errors here and there do not detract from the beauty of a knitted item.

I did, however, remove all loose cat fur before giving the socks to Ian.

But some of that cat fur is knitted right in, because my Ragdoll kitty, Lucy, was in my lap for most of the knitting of the socks. I don’t think Ian minds having Lucy’s fur knit into his socks, because his lap is her favorite place to be—when she isn’t helping me knit, that is.

Don’t let a few small errors or a lot of pet fur deter you from giving your loved ones your handknits. I’m betting they will cherish these gifts from your heart and hands all the more! I personally think socks are a great knitted gift, because they are a small, manageable project, so I encourage you to give them a try.

My upcoming book, Toe-Up Socks for Every Body, has sock projects that will be perfect for everyone on your gift list, including yourself. And while you are waiting for the book’s release, check out the free sock patterns on my website, wendyknits.net.

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• Download the featured project of the month, Bouquet Socks from Wendy’s new book, Toe-Up Socks for Every Body

• Read more of Wendy’s adventures with sticks and strings at Wendy Knits

The year is 2039: A documentary entitled “Grey Garments” is being filmed about the reclusive Ann Meador Shayne and Kay Gardiner, who are living among impossible piles of yarn and scattered packages of Lean Cuisine and Beef Cup O’ Noodle in their New York City apartment, where they are facing eviction.

They talk about their failed book concepts, including “Three Socks on A Circ” and “Knitting for Couples”, but remember their triumph when the paperback edition of their book, Mason-Dixon Knitting was released on February 9, 2010 (still in print, in 2039)

CrafterNews presents Grey Garments:

• For more knitting-related hilarity, visit Mason-Dixon Knitting

Thursday

6:11pm
I’m on the bus to NYC, and I’ve packed a fresh knitting project, plenty of crafty podcasts, and a snack. Unfortunately, the light above my seat isn’t working, so no knitting for me. So I settle in and listen to two episodes of CraftLit, which are about the final chapters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I’m not so into the story, but Heather Ordover’s analysis brings me back to high school lit class and I love it. Gertie (my chihuahua) is unusually restless in her bag next to me.

8:15pm
The bus arrived safely and I’ve made it downtown to an art opening, curated by my good friend Hanna, featuring two artists whose work I love. One is Cristina Toro, whose paintings are densely populated with animals covered in intricate textile patterns. The other artist is Rebeca Raney, who works in cloth and embroidery and blows me away with the amount of stitch work in her pieces. It’s good to see a lot of friends, mostly other makers of some kind, who all seem very excited to talk about what it’s like to live in the country; it seems to be a common desire among artists.

9:30pm
Now it’s time for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Souen, a macrobiotic Japanese/hippy-influenced place around the corner from the gallery. I’m with my boyfriend, Richard, my friend Kim, who is accommodating me for the weekend, and our friend Erika, who is a painter, sculptor, and designer. We catch up over bibimbop and tea and some kind of vegan bread pudding. We’re supposed to meet up again with the artists for an after-party at a bar in the Lower East Side, but we decide we’re all too tired and head home for bed.

Friday

8:50am
I eat a quick breakfast of yogurt and tea at Kim’s and take Gertie out for a short walk. The trip down and back up the six flights of stairs to Kim’s apartment is significantly longer than the walk itself. I dash back out the door around 9:15 to catch the subway to Brooklyn…

10am-12pm
Now I’m at a gorgeous brownstone in Brooklyn Heights for a private pattern-making lesson. My students are two women who’ve been sewing together for years, but want to move on to making their own patterns. I’ve been working with them for about six months, and they’re doing splendidly; at this rate they won’t be needing to meet with me much longer, though they admit that scheduling our classes helps them make the time to work on projects in the midst of their busy mommy schedules.

12:43 pm
Back on the subway to head to midtown for a meeting at Potter Craft. On the train I sketch some ideas for a Valentine’s Day embroidery pattern for a class I’ll be teaching in Beacon next month.

2pm
I’m meeting with an acquisitions editor to discuss the possibility of writing a second book! I’d been wondering whether I should be thinking about a direct follow-up to my book, or try to find a new topic. The editor isn’t sure yet either, but we bat around some ideas and discuss the state of the craft book market. It’s a difficult time for publishing (and you know, the world in general), but we are thrilled that my book has sold enough copies to go into a second printing less than four months after publication.

3:20pm
On the train again, this time to Queens for a private crochet lesson. To get in the mood, I improvise some hooked hearts and think they’d be a nice free pattern to offer on my blog for V-Day. I miss crocheting on the subway; I used to get so much done while traveling to and from my classes!

4-6pm
This is a first meeting and I’m not sure what to expect; one of the fun parts of teaching privates is seeing the students’ homes. Turns out she lives in a brand new luxury building in Long Island City, with a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline (and our class coincides with sunset). Everything in the immaculate loft is heather grey, hot pink or white, and I’m relieved that the fuchsia yarn I brought fits the color scheme! My student catches on quickly and the two hours fly by.

7pm
At Kim’s apartment, I’m happy to see little Gert and hear about her adventures in the advertising world (she went to work with Kim for the day). We decide to get Indian take-out and watch old movies, while sorting through her closet and deciding which clothes she can edit from her wardrobe. I score a few cast-offs and we’re in bed by 11.

Saturday

9:10am
Subway construction has most of the train lines I need running on alternate (and non-useful) routes, but somehow I manage to get myself to Atlantic Avenue, from which I can walk to my class in Fort Greene. It’s such a beautiful Brooklyn neighborhood, so I don’t mind a bit that I am forced to take the scenic route.

11am-4pm
Today I’m teaching my infamous “Altered States” class at Lena Corwin’s Studio, in which I teach how to alter clothes and avoid the expense of going to a tailor. I love showing people how to update clothes they don’t wear, rather than tossing them and buying new ones. It’s tough to preach awareness of the “Make Do and Mend” concept when there’s an H&M on every corner. Lena’s space is lovely, and the best perk is that she makes us lunch halfway through class. We have a small group today so it’s a casual class, and I help the students with extra projects they brought in for advice.

4:25pm
Before heading back to Manhattan, I stop by the home of some friends who have a year-old baby. Over cheese and crackers we share stories of our changing lives, and the possibility of some future freelance gigs is discussed.

6:45pm
Richard is meeting friends at a new hipster bowling alley in Williamsburg, which sounds like fun, but I decide another cozy night in sounds even better. We go out for delicious Middle Eastern food and then part ways for the evening. Did I mention it’s about 17 degrees out?

Sunday

9:22 am
More crocheting on the train as I head back to Brooklyn for a morning pattern-making workshop at Brooklyn General, and I have another invigorating walk from the train through the neighborhood of Carroll Gardens, past the Italian bakeries and funny statue-filled yards. Gertie accompanies me to my Sunday classes, which adds to the fun.

10am-Noon
Everyone measures their own key body points in order to begin plotting out the dimensions on paper. My students whiz through the lesson on drafting their own A-line skirt patterns, and a few buy fabric to make their first skirts. They are excited about the possibilities that lay ahead now that they understand the basic principles.

12:52pm
After checking out all the new Japanese prints and tempting yarns, I tear myself out of Brooklyn General, and head across the bridge over the Gowanus Canal to Home Ec, for my second class of the day.

2-5pm
In this vast, inspiring space, which doubles as a trapeze studio, another enthusiastic group of budding designers learns how to make their own T-shirt patterns in my afternoon workshop. We discuss the ins and outs of sewing with knits, and I advise them how to handle the hems and necklines of their prototypes.

6:40pm
Gert and I are back on the bus to our upstate home; with any luck my Jeep will still be in the lot (even though I’ve exceeded the 72-hour parking limit by a handful of hours) and the roads won’t be too icy. It’s been a busy weekend, so it’ll be nice to get back to the snowy quiet. And tomorrow I’ll begin sketching for my spring collection. A maker’s work is never done!

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• To read Cal’s blog and check out her tutorials, visit her website: HodgePodge Farm

• Buy Cal’s clothing, accessories, and dog sweaters at her Etsy shop

• View Cal’s photos on Flickr

• For group and private lessons with Cal in the Catskills and Hudson Valley area, visit Double Knot Studio

CrafterNews: This book is so personal, filled with stories from your life and your family. Did you find it easier or more difficult to write a book so close to your heart?
Sherri Haab: Some parts of the book were easy and some more difficult.  The projects came easily as I let my personal experiences dictate the direction of the designs.  This part was more fun than I expected.  It was like making a personal history or scrapbook using jewelry instead of words to tell the story. The difficult part was writing the narrative about the history behind each idea in the book. It’s always hard to write about oneself.

CN: How has your family inspired your jewelry?
SH: My family was always busy making something.  My mother worked on various craft projects in my formative years, especially when I was in grade school.  I was drawn to anything handmade and formed a powerful association with happiness and crafting.  Making something equaled a great sense of accomplishment and happiness, and it still does to this day.

CN: Which piece in the book is the most special to you and why?
SH: The red “Fairy Tale Necklace” has an illustration from a favorite story book.  This piece brings so many memories back and evokes many emotions.  A close friend found a copy of this book for me a few years ago at a used book sale.  I had not seen the illustrations for years so when I opened the pages, it was like a flood of sheer glee to experience the joy that the pictures once brought.

CN: You cover so many materials in your book, from metal, resin, and clay to fiber and glass—which material is your favorite to work with and why?
SH: This is a hard question because I enjoy working with so many materials, but if I had to pick one it would be metal clay.  First of all, it is amazing that you can sculpt your own jewelry with precious metal.  I’m still in awe about the material and will probably always make jewelry with it without ever getting tired.

CN: Do you ever get a case of “crafter’s block”? If yes, what do you turn to for inspiration in those instances?
SH: Yes, especially when under pressure to get a project done, but pressure can go both ways and actually be a good thing.  With pressure, spontaneity is forced and sometimes the end result is surprisingly good.   Anything visual helps; I save old magazine clippings with design and color ideas that I love to look at.  I also like to read blogs for inspiration; usually I end up on baking blogs with beautiful photos of cupcakes and candies. The visual stimuli of pretty things (not just jewelry) usually excites me and fires up the part of my brain that is dying to make something.

CN: Does music inspire you? What do you listen to while you are working?
SH: I prefer to work in absolute silence when I am in the middle of a task, especially a difficult one.  But when I come up for a break or when work is more mundane, I love to listen to my iTunes collection, which includes a mix of 80’s (yes from HS) and alternative rock music—the stuff my kids listen to.

CN: What surprising or unexpected items are in your tool-kit?
A crochet hook!  For some odd reason almost every jewelry book or medium has a project involving crochet.  I have no idea why, but I’m sure it comes back from an early skill I learned as a child.

CN: What ordinary items that readers already own can be transformed into jewelry?
SH: Anything and everything!  I used be very afraid to make jewelry that was too “crafty” and not made of conventional or expensive jewelry worthy materials,  but there are so many examples of great pieces made of recycled or found objects by respected artists.  I think this has helped promote a category often referred to as “art jewelry.”   This is liberating to anyone who wants to make wearable art without worrying that it has to fit the definition of “jewelry”.  Probably the easiest and most rewarding way to get started is to take apart a broken piece of jewelry and restyle it by adding findings, beads or other objects to make it a new creation.

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• Download the Lucite Flower Bracelet Project

• Click here for pictures of Sherri at the Craft and Hobby Show: CHA Roundup

• Follow Sherri on Twitter: @SherriHaab

• Learn more about Sherri’s books and classes on her official website: SherriHaab.com

From day one, CHA was as bustling and exciting as ever. We arrived early on Saturday to set up our booth, and jumped right into the show on Sunday with a demonstration by Alonya Nicklesen, author of Colored Pencil Painting Bible. Day Two brought big crowds to our booth with demos from Judy Belcher, author of Polymer Clay Creative Traditions and Wanda Wen, owner of Soolip and author of The Art of Gift Wrapping.

Both authors attracted large groups of people eager to learn more about Judy’s polymer clay techniques and Wanda’s creative and beautiful gift wrapping methods. Wanda even got to see a finished copy of her book for the first time!

Sherri Haab took over the booth next to show off new electro-etching techniques from her upcoming book Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations just as we set out yummy cupcakes with photo printed icing inspired by a project from the book Photojojo! by Amit Gupta.

Tuesday brought more great authors to our booth. Sherri stopped by again and we also hosted Rheni Tauchid, author of New Acrylics Essential Sourcebook and The New Acrylics. She did a make and take with metallic mosaics with transparent acrylic paints on clear mylar, which was so much fun. Rounding out the day was our most well-attended appearance of the show—Donna Kato’s fans loved seeing her work and learned all about millefiori technique.

Overall the show was a great success. We had so much fun hosting our authors, meeting fans and craft store owners from across the country, and checking out the latest trends in crafting (like fondant).

See you next year!

From Morehouse Farm Merino Knits: More Than 40 Farm-Fresh Designs, these adorable mittens, made from the odds and ends of yarn, are sure to thrill any child with a wide imagination and uncanny appreciation for all things bug-like.  Crazy color combinations, felt eyes and crocheted antennaes make these little hand warmers come alive in such a way that you can’t help falling a little bit in love with bugs.

• Download the Buggy Knits Pattern (at Scribd)

Other free patterns to download in this series from our Potter Craft archives:
• The Hug-Me-Tight Shrug
• Sweetheart Neckline Corset
• Princess Mitts

We’re offering CrafterNews readers an exclusive download of the Valentine Hearts project. Until February 10, the download will also include Cindy’s special paper for the project, which is included in the back of the book. Download the Valentine Hearts project today, before this special offer expires.

Download the Valentine Hearts project from Scribd.

Maybe you need for expert advice on easy home decorating projects to liven up a dull room—Martha’s got templates for sunny curtains and hand-appliquéd duvet covers as well as tips on reupholstering dining room chairs and headboards. Or maybe your closet is overflowing with tired looking, worn-out clothes—Martha’s got ideas on how to recycle your old socks and menswear into adorable handmade toys, cute coasters, and more. Both an A-Z project guide and comprehensive reference, Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts is just as beautiful and informative as the already classic Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Crafts. Packed with color photographs and detailed illustrations, the new book includes 150 ideas, designs, and templates for fun and functional sewing (and even no-sew) projects, as well as easy-to-follow tutorials of techniques like stitching, appliqué, embroidery, quilting, dyeing, and printing.