Learning and doing

What an exciting week it has been! Following last week's post I did indeed open an Etsy store with the username (and shop name) 'Rumpelstiltskin'. So far I have listed some spinning wheel oil and the Durmstrang sock pattern for sale. To do this I learnt how to make a 'banner' using Photoshop so I could have some visual whooomf at my store. Perhaps I can post it here? Let's see. Yes:



I also learnt how to create PDF files (so I can easily send the pattern via email), and found some free PDF software to do it with.

Already two people have bought the sock pattern, one of whom has posted a photo of the work in progress on Ravelry. It is very exciting and lovely to see my socks knitted by somebody else in beautiful alternative yarns.

At the suggestion of one of my friends in the Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap I've also spent a lot of time this week creating a design for some Ravenclaw socks. I've ordered yarn to knit them with, as I need to test the pattern and create photos of an FO before I can publish.

I'm also researching sock blockers as I plan to make and paint some to sell in the store. I found a lot of posts in Ravelry decrying sock blockers as a waste of money because its not worth using them. What?!!!! I love my sock blockers, and wouldn't dream of giving socks I've made to anybody without first of all shaping them with some. Today I finished knitting some (more) school socks for Tom and took a picture after I'd blocked the first to demonstrate the joy of blockers. The blocked sock is not still on the blocker - it holds its new shape perfectly after steaming and airing on it:

Otherwise my time has been filled with completing the 'kit' for my Hogwarts Sock Kit Swap partner. Extending my creativity still more I made my own card packaging pouches and boxes with Harry Potter font saying 'especially for 'n'' and little house crests repeating all over it. When she has received the kit I'll post some photos of the contents, the final addition being some pumpkin pickle I made on Friday with some of our frozen allotment produce. It's very hot - I burned my fingers chopping the chillies for it!!

This evening I finally took some pictures of other recent 'FOs' - hats for the boys, knitted a couple of weeks ago (just in time for the snow, and then the hard frosts this week). I've posted pictures of ones from the same pattern before, the difference is that I've knitted the boys names into the border near one earflap on these:

And finally - a picture of the completed Durmstrang socks I used for the front of the pattern: