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The invisible sock

18/8/2017

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NoShow Socks by La Maison Rililie
... or, otherwise known as the NoShow Socks!
They aren't technically real "socks" though, more something like socklets, or short socks or even a liner sock (as Google just informed me): 
All words to describe this coveted tiny piece of well fitting fabric, which protects your foot from scuffs and keeps you warm - BUT still remains invisible when worn with shoes.
Allow me to describe my though-process and incentives about this pattern in this lengthy post:
I was searching for this perfect but elusive accessory for years!
It must have been right after I learned knitting socks, when I whipped up my first typical run-of-the-mill shorty. I was and remained disappointed while periodically continuing with experiments to knit a sock with a low top section, that not only would hide perfectly in my shoes, but also remain put and make for an elegant and flattering footwear, if I'd needed to take my shoes off while visiting friends. (I don't know about you, but I did find that all those other short socks with the horizontal "cut" across the ankle were not the best option for a long-leg-and-slim-ankle look).
Then I started to notice and love the look most "youngsters" were sporting around me: In midst of the coldest winter, they all seemed to wear sneakers without socks! But my not-so-young feet were revolting against the idea of being rubbed against the lining of my Adidas at sub-zero degrees.
Even at warmer temperatures, blisters had me quickly convinced that I needed to find a way to knit these NoShow Socks, so as to protect my wimpy but fashion-forward feet!
NoShow Socks by La Maison Rililie Designs
Only after many trial socks later, I finally had found a way to produce a low top sock with my favourite kind of heel (a gusseted short-row one). This sock was constructed with a new kind of decrease - especially developed for this pattern, because I didn't like the look of the gusset stitches after turning the heel. I therefore tried to produce sturdy and symmetrical decreases that still had some "plush" feel and style at the gusset-heel edges.
But all of these ideas and new systems, as also the extensive (ab)use of german short-rows in the pattern made me insecure and afraid that people would hate my construction and find it much too cumbersome for such a tiny sock! So I did hold off with publishing it for quite some time and only after getting wonderful feedback from my talented testers I felt brave enough to make this strange little sock pattern public. I was immediately blown away by the amazing response and my fears were completely quelled! I even noticed that many of the other knitters out there shared many of my own quirks and slightly neurotic "preferences" in relation to short socks.... who knew!
NoShow Socks by La Maison Rililie Designs
To make this pattern fun and easy to knit, I had gone through great lengths to showcase all techniques in a comprehensible way:
Many tutorials, some with pictures and others as direct links have been included and are explaining old and new techniques in detail, while there are many tips and tricks scattered throughout the pages.
No recommended yarn was used for this pattern either, although there were many options of beautiful sock yarn for me to choose from!
The reason was simply that I wanted to showcase that this pattern lends itself wonderfully to use up any of the accumulating bits and pieces, that seem to take up our yarn stash. Small lenghts of yarn, which we don't want to through away but still don't know how to use up!.
It's quite easy to use yarn rests of similar weight here: First find the colours you'd like to combine and then just weigh the yarn rests. Work half or less for one sock and you'll have enough for the second sock!
The stripes here are playfully showing off the construction by getting wider and opening up on the longer sole. Of course you don't need to follow the given stripe sequence at all, if you don't feel inclined to do so. There are immense possibilities in colouring and even the smallest amount of yarn can be used up in this super quick project.
This pattern is also a very good training pattern for German Short Rows, since they are used extensively here and even a special increase is included that was developed during my search for the perfect gusset heel: It rarely happens that you might need to work an increase in a double stitch, but here you have one (as a photo tutorial included in the pattern), so that you are equipped, even for very "rare knitter's problems"!
NoShow Socks by La Maison Rililie Designs
Finally the last technique that provides a good fit to this special little sock is the customisable cast off, which securely hugs the backside of the ankle while giving a looser fit at the instep section, which needs to be more elastic.

As you can see from the pictures, I have already knitted up quite a variety of those socks - and I have only worn this kind during all of last winter! Standing next to all the youngsters on snowy pavements, wearing sneakers and even short booties - I too, kept my ankles fashionably naked!

You can find the pattern either on ravelry or here on my site
(on ravelry you can even check out many of the wonderful socks that have been already knitted up by knitters all over the world)
NoShow Socks by La Maison Rililie Designs
I wanted to celebrate my finally posting this pattern here on the blog (and rewarding the readers that have come this far) - so I decided to give away 5 NoShow Sock Patterns: One for each of the first 5 people commenting below... to knit up and enjoy!
I really do think that everybody needs (at least) one pair of these!

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May Recap

25/5/2015

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The month of May comes to an end and it was one filled with joyful encounters, fun games and lot's of yarn in every aspect!
Mid May I was in Berlin at the wonderful BerlinKnits 2015 Yarn-Event, organised to perfection by the owners of Yarn Over Berlin: Marion and Steffi. There I met many of my "virtual" friends from all over Europe and had a blast while hosting two workshops.
I brought lovely yarn sponsored by Nice&Knit for each participant in both of my Anatomical-Knitting courses and there was a lot of knitting involved at all times! 
Workshop Rililie, BerlinKnits2015 - Photo by Jan Pauls (www.janpauls.de)
working hard and non-stop for 3 hours (photo credit: Jan Pauls)
Nice & Knit yarn and other goodies for the Workshops
Gorgeous hand-dyed merino yarn sponsored by Nice & Knit
Sunday-Workshop group Rililie, BerlinKnits2015
Don't we look über-cool after the Sunday-Workshop???
The whole atmosphere at BerlinKnits was intoxicating - there was laughter and chatter everywhere and of course lots of yarn-touching and cuddling. The first evening we had the opportunity to see Berlin from the river Spree, on a full-blown-knitter's cruise and meet & mingle with designers and knitters alike...
(Below you can admire my most ridiculous star-struck face while chatting with Stephen West and Veera Välimäki!!!)
BerlinKnits2015 cruise
BerlinKnits2015 cruise
All in all it was an incredible experience and I think that everyone that was present or not is already preparing for next year's event in Berlin - the city to be!!!
But that wasn't the only thing happening in May: The second RevampKAL that was held in my ravelry group did come to an end and the winning project was this gorgeous mix of BlueSand Cardigan and SpringLines Pullover by Ariane (known as Raketenmaedchen on ravelry), here on the right...
The very close runner-up was figolilo's "Cherry Dalmatian" - a SpringLines revamp again with short sleeves and a gorgeous colour combination.... and then there were a ton of other really inspiring ideas and gorgeous projects!!!
Winner of RevampKAL2, Ariane's Springline BSC
Many prizes were waiting for all participants! Amongst patterns from great designers like Anke, Isabell and Nancy there was a lot of yarn, offered by great indy-dyers and shop owners, which made many "Revampers" happy... (click on the pictures to go to each site).
Mabel & Ivy Coast, by Tangled-Yarn UK
MelliferaYarns, hand-dyed in the USA
SnailYarn, hand-dyed in Italy
Western Sky Knits, hand-dyed in the USA
...and because everybody should leave this KAL with something more than new ideas for modifying and "revamping" their projects, all participants got the promise to receive my newest pattern CineCitta, as soon as it is published (for now it is still in testing phase... another thing that happened in May):
New pattern coming soon, CineCitta by La Maison Rililie Designs
In the end and although it's still technically May, I announce this month as done and over with! It's already filled with so many great new memories anyway....
... So... hello to June!
:)

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Yarn-Give-Away!

15/9/2014

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Today is the day!!
The day a new yarn-baby has been pushed out into this great big world for us to caress and to love.... the Maai Yarn of Shibui has just been released!!!!
Shibui Maai give-away on knittingtherapy by Rililie
I am considering myself extremely lucky to be one of the few that had the opportunity to try this baby out before... I got a very generous sample by post and couldn't resist in casting on immediately for a new project (the hat from my last post), leaving my overflowing to-do list completely untouched.
It is this soft and beautiful!
Shibui Maai - on knittingtherapy by Rililie

The Maai is made in a fine and soft chain construction out of 70% super baby alpaca and 30% merino. When knitted up the chain becomes invisible, but it allows the yarn to stay soft and springy, while the entrapped air in the chain provides even more warmth than the alpace/merino mix would give you in a traditional twisted yarn construction.
In the same generous bag I got some other beautiful samples... Here you can see an array of different yarn bases in the same gorgeous colour "mineral" - I really want to use them all together in a project to showcase their differences and subtle variations. 
The idea of mixing yarn bases is very popular with Shibui and by looking at all the different hues and textures that one gets in the same colour, I totally understand why!
Shibui Yarn Selection - on knittingtherapy by Rililie
...Of course I had to order some yarn for my next dream projects, too! I am afraid that only by looking at the incredible pictures on the Shibui site one can't help but wanting all of the lovely beauties they have on offer...
Shibui Pebble - on knittingtherapy by Rililie
Pebble in "pollen", "blueprint" and "ash"
Shibui Staccato - on knittingtherapy by Rililie
Staccato in "mineral" and "fjord"
But back to the main idea for this post... I wanted you guys to see and feel for yourself the beauty that is called Maai and I thought that a give-away of a skein of this little wonder is in order: 3 persons that comment on this post will get one skein send to them by post.
A little present from me and Shibui!

To make the whole thing a little more fun I thought of a little game: You just need to continue the sentence of the one person that commented before you. It can be completely irrelevant or stupid, whatever you like. Hopefully we get one extra long ridiculous sentence written by all of us in the end...
... and 2 skeins in the colour "Poppy" and one skein in the colour "Blueprint" will be sent out to three different destinations each, when the time is up.

The winners will be drawn by a random generator 2 days after this post goes live and I will announce the winner at the bottom of this little article when the moment has come!
(I will also write an email to the winners to ask about postal addresses - which can be anywhere in the world - no restrictions!).
Shibui Maai - on knittingtherapy by Rililie
Maai in blueprint wants a new home.
Shibui Maai - on knittingtherapy by Rililie
Maai in Poppy want's one, too!
So... let's start the game!
Who will be the first to start the sentence???
Update on 17th September:
The three winners have been drawn!!!!
(I used a random generator for this difficult task... )
Picture
Virginia
Picture
Adam
Picture
ByGab's
CONGRATS to the lucky winners!!!
Thank you everybody for playing!!!
The long sentence you guys wrote is really fun, sometimes very poetic and quite dreamy... with unicorns and elephants making unexpected appearances!
I loved reading through it and every new comment made me smile!!!!
I couldn't wish for more inspired readers!!!!!
:)
I will write an email to each of the winners right now, to ask about where to send the yarn!!!

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    Rililie

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