2022 ADVENT | 24-stripe skein
I first came up with the idea of a 24-stripe advent skein in July 2018 as I was preparing my annual Christmas update. At the time I thought it would be fun to offer an alternative to the traditional mini-skein calendars. Originally I had hoped maybe 25-50 knitters would want to join in. To my surprise this concept was welcomed with open arms by knitters and close to 400 participated that first year. In 2021 we were up to a mind boggling 2000 participants! I am so glad that this is becoming a tradition for so many of you and I cannot wait for you to see this years version.
This will be a brand new colourway and only available for a limited time.
Yarn Base: The Advent Skein is dyed on my Bliss base which is 80% superwash merino and 20% nylon and will be approx. 115g. The skein will be split into two even half-skeins each with 2 full repeats of 24 stripes, stripes are approx. 5-6 rows depending on your gauge. To have a finished pair of socks by Christmas Day you may need to knit more than one stripe daily, this depends on your personal gauge and the size you will be knitting.
Optionally; you can purchase a mini-skein on either of my Bliss, Shimmer or Glitz bases to be used for heels/toes/cuff. This is entirely up to the individual makers, many will uses stash yarn or opt to knit their sock using just the striped yarn.
Bliss: contains 80% Superwash Merino and 20% Nylon (3 ply), 413 yards per 115 g
Shimmer: contains 84% Superwash Merino and 16% Silver Stellina (3 ply), 413 yards per 115 g
Glitz: contains 84% Superwash Merino and 16% Gold Stellina (3 ply), 413 yards per 115 g
I highly recommend hand washing your knit items in cool or lukewarm water using a pH-neutral wool wash to keep them looking amazing for as long as possible.
I use colorfast acid dyes for dyeing my yarn and rinse until water runs clear. However, there is a chance some dye may bleed slightly in the first couple of washes of your finished item. Because of this, I do recommend that you wash your items separately, especially for the first couple of washes. If you have them available it is always a good idea to use a "colour catcher", similar to dryer sheets and often found in the laundry section. Some dyes are more prone to bleeding than others such as highly saturated (e.g. reds, pinks) or speckled skeins, this happens to hand-dyed wool just as commercially dyed wool.
Please be advised washing in hot water is not recommended as it may break the bond between the fibre and the dye and could cause bleeding.