Broken Seed Stitch pair

I finally finished the Broken Seed Stitch socks last week. I love how the dark green of the Knit Picks Stroll in Aurora Heather toned down the bright green, aqua, and yellow hand-dyed yarn.

The broken seed stitch looks like fish or mermaid scales that illuminate and glimmer.

The yarn color pooled a bit on the first sock (below left) that is more noticeable on the sole.

My tension changed with the second sock (below right) as I tried to tighten the stitches where the color changes. The seam isn’t as visible even if I can see it. Will it make a difference when worn? I doubt it.

I prefer the Eye of Partridge heel flap as I think it is more durable. (I must say that I’ve never had to reinforce or repair any of the heels on the socks I’ve knit whether it’s the standard slipped-stitch or Eye of Partridge heel flap so it’s just my personal preference.)

I found this sock “recipe” by Hanna Levämiemi to be a great stash buster for an ugly-duckling ball of yarn as it can be transformed into a swan with the right contrast color.

I’ve already got another sock on my needles.

Patti

Socks, KAL, Snow, Door, Bread

First: The Socks I am on track to finish the second Broken Seed Stitch sock by the end of next week.

I just finished the heel flap on sock #2 and am ready to turn the heel. Then the gusset (which I detest), the rest of the foot, and finally the toe!

This picture is the side where the colors change. You can really see the jog in the stitches on sock #1 on the right. I tried to tighten the yarn at the color change point a bit on sock #2 so it isn’t as noticeable.

Second: KAL Winwick Mum is having a Winter Haven KAL. (That’s code for Knit-A-Long) One doesn’t have to knit the same thing as everyone else but she’s included a free sock pattern if desired. She has other patterns as well. The requirements are easy to join the KAL: knit one of her patterns or use one of her yarns from West Yorkshire Spinners. The Easy Mosaic socks I recently finished is one of her free patterns.

I’ve never done a KAL before but I’m going to try this one and use her free pattern called Trailblazer socks. I have to finish the BSS socks before I start on these as I need the short circular needle from those socks. Plus I need to shop my stash for the right yarn.

Third: Snow Mother Nature dropped 6-7 inches of snow on us Sunday night and Monday. We weren’t surprised that schools were closed on Monday and possibly Tuesday. But Wednesday and Thursday?? The roads were clear by Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Aitch emailed a teacher friend about no school. Evidently the wind chill factor was so low, the powers-that-be decided it was too cold for the kids to wait for the bus. 99.99% of the kids ride a bus and sit in their parent’s warm car/truck/SUV when waiting for the bus. Whatever. We don’t have kids in school and we’re both retired so it shouldn’t concern me.

Pepper loves the snow but hates getting her sweater on. Is it because it goes over her head? It’s a struggle but I put it on her if it’s below 25oF.

Fourth: Door Our front door was bare after I took down the Christmas decorations on Monday. I thought this was perfect.

Fifth: Bread I took advantage of the below freezing temperatures this week and baked bread to help heat the house. Two beautiful loaves of bread warmed us inside and out.

In fact this was lunch the day I baked it along with a glass of wine. I still haven’t found the perfect “sandwich” type bread recipe as mine always seem to have a course crumb. Any help would be appreciated.

I had a home improvement hack and some other things to talk about but this post was long enough.

Patti nona

My first FO* of 2025

First a big Thank you! I’m truly grateful for all of you who take the time to read my blog and a extra thanks to those who leave comments. I do love to hear from you. One of my goals this year is to post at least once a week. Fingers crossed that I reach that each and every week! More on that on a later day…

…on to the post!

I finally finished the first Broken Seed Stitch sock! I powered through on New Year’s Day and grafted the toe together on January 2nd. I need to have daylight to do that when working with a dark yarn.

This is the “good” side. The blue is more prominent for some reason.

And this is the not-so-good side. That line is where the colors change. This side has more yellow and green.

I really like both the plain stockinette sole as well as the textured stitches on the foot section.

It looks like I might need to tighten up the stitches on the gusset as those bright yellow stitches seem so big! Or maybe I’ll just give them a good soak and blocking when I finish sock #2. I’m going to try to tighten the first few stitches on the color change rows to see if that helps make that seam less noticeable.

Sock #2 is already on the needles with the ribbing completed and the first 4-row pattern repeat finished. Here’s hoping the second sock will make this a pair before the end of the month.

*Finished Object

Patti nona

Broken seed stitch recipe

This sock recipe landed in my inbox last week. It’s not a complete sock pattern in that the designer (Hanna Leväniemi) assumes you know how to knit one already. Since I do, I wanted to give it a try. Here’s a link to the Broken Seed Stitch recipe.

blue, green, yellow hand-painted yarn

This ungodly, bright yarn was a dyeing experiment from September 2020 when one of our granddaughters dyed yarn with me. It’s been sitting in my fingering-weight yarn stash for a few years thinking I would overdye it sometime but obviously didn’t.

I really, really, really needed a sock project on my needles so with Mr. Aitch’s help*, I wound it into a ball. I wanted to coordinate it with something that would tame the glaring colors and found some Knit Picks Stroll in Aurora Heather, a deep green with bluish undertones. I’ve used this color twice before and it’s just beautiful.

My typical sock is 64 stitches on US #1.5 (2.5mm) and I knit top-down (from the cuff) to the toe. After 15 rows of k1, p1 ribbing I joined the “contrast” color and followed the 4-row broken seed stitch pattern.

I. Am. Loving. This. Sock.

The Aurora Heather really toned down the bright greens, blues, and yellows so they almost glow.

My only issue is where the colors and pattern change at the end of each row. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong or if that’s just the nature of the stitch. When I knit the second sock, I will knit a half row before I change yarns so the join will be on the opposite side of that sock.

The inside looks cool, too!

So what’s on your needles, or hook, or embroidery hoop?

Patti

*I’m seriously thinking about getting a yarn swift so I don’t have to beg Mr. Aitch to hold the yarn on outstretched arms while I slowly wind the it into a ball. Do you have one or can give me any suggestions for one?