Here we are in October already and with #Socktober well and truly underway. Autumn is in full, blustery swing here in the UK today and it seems fitting that under my smart work work boots I am wearing my best handknit stripey socks to keep my feet warm.

I do hope you have your Socktober knitting planned out and on the needles but just in case you need a little extra enabling - fear not as I have a little round up of some fun goings on in the knitterly world.

First up we have the #gbsocksawaykal hosted by the lovely Isla, of the even more lovely Brit Yarns fame. Her KAL group on Ravelry is a really fun and chatty place to hang out. Even if you aren't knitting socks (and if not..why not??) there are plenty of great tips, patterns, chat and inspiration to get your sock knitting mojo going.

As well as the KAL, Isla is also running a competition jointly with Joy of the Knitting Goddess. You are challenged to come up with a new Britsock colourway (of up to 3-4 colours) which to you, perfectly sums up Britishness. There are some great entries already and I can't wait to see what is eventually chosen.

If you are all about the KALs still, Sara of Sara's Textured Crafts is hosting one too - with the emphasis firmly on relaxed fun and chatter over on her Ravelry group.

As for my own knitting. I am having a bit of a Finishing Festival. I have several pairs of self striping socks in various stages of completion which, to my shame, have languished for far too long in search of the new, the tempting and the deadline knitting. My boys are clamouring for their completed socks - each of them chose a shade of the West Yorkshire Spinners bird-inspired yarns some time ago.

To forestall the inevitable arguments I initially started working them two at a time - one from each skein. But I soon came to realise that this didn't make for the most portable of projects. This was compounded by my trying to work the heels with separate little balls of yarn (I pre-wound about 5g from each skein before starting) in an attempt to keep my nice even stripes on the front of the sock. Things got into a bit of a tangle and had to be set aside (read - shoved into a corner) until I had time to untangle and rearrange on separate needles. All is now going swimmingly however and I have high hopes of being able to present not 1 but 2 pairs of finished socks for #FOFriday this week.

How about you - do let me know what you are working on and how your Socktober is going.

Whoosh....

That was the sound of summer whizzing by and autumn arriving with a wet and windy flourish in here in my part of the UK. After a fairly damp summer we have been plunged straight into darker, colder mornings and the central heating is well and truly on.

Weather report aside, the arrival of autumn means only one thing to the serious sock knitter. I am talking of course about Socktober. A month of all things dedicated to sock knitting in all it's glory and I'm pleased to report a veritable cornucopia of sock related goings on this coming month.

First of all we have Isla of Brit Yarns who is hosting a Socktober knit-along - the Great British Socks Away KAL starting on 1st October. The rules are simple and straightforward and can be found here but the main stipulation is that you must use wool grown in Great Britain (or local to you, for non GB residents).

Isla has also put together a great blog post featuring some fabulous pattern ideas, including patterns from Clare Devine, Rachel Coopey and my very own Rosthwaite socks also get a mention.

Rosthwaite Socks by Louise Tilbrook Designs

In other sock news I am having a Socktober promotion in my Ravelry store with 30% discount of any of my sock patterns. Just use the code Socktober at checkout.


Socktober - Louise Tilbrook Designs

On a personal level I am planning to have a good sort out of my socks projects during the coming month. My own sock drawer is in need of some replenishment and I have a few WIPs which have lingered far too long on the needles. So, as well as participating in the #gbsocksawaykal I will also be working on a good number of other sock projects. Which reminds me... with all the sock related action maybe I should put an order in for some more sock needles. You can never have too many after all - right?