2018 Manitoba Fibre Festival Makers Challenge

Check out this year' Collection of designs for the Manitoba Fibre Festival! From now until June 7th the patterns are 20% off on Ravelry using the code Challenge20. I have a pair of socks in the collection called Straw into Gold that are knit with a beautiful hand dyed yarn by Colleen of Cog Yarns. We have kits available at The Naked Sheep Yarn and Fibre Emporium and I will also have them with me at Blue Hills Fibre Festival on June 9th. Why not pick one or two of your favourites and cast on during this MAL (make-a-long) until the festival Sept 14-15th. There are lots of great prizes available :)

Wheat is one of the world’s most important and oldest cereal grains. Saskatchewan is often referred to as the “Bread Basket of Canada” and for good reason. Much of the prairies is covered in farm land and wheat is a common sight in the province as Saskatchewan is the main producer of wheat in Canada and one of the largest in the world. 
I really wanted to represent not only Saskatchewan with this design but the prairies as a whole. Agriculture is important here including both the flora and fauna. The leg of these socks proudly display wheat as it sways in the wind. The foot has a simple knit/purl textured pattern which I wanted to represent the soil and how I have been a born and raised prairie girl and my roots are planted here.
Straw into Gold is part of the Makers Challenge in support of the 2018 Manitoba Fibre Festival. I partnered with Colleen of Cog Yarns who dyed up a special colourway for this challenge. This pattern uses toe up construction and features the Fleegle heel.
Pattern includes written instructions followed by their corresponding charts

Materials: 
• 1 skein of sock yarn approximately 425 yards 
I used: Cog Yarns – SW Sock – “Peaceful Haze” 425 yards (389 m) 115g 
Cog Yarns – SW Sock Mini Skeins (2) – “Squash” 60 yards (55 m) 15 g 
Cog Yarns – SW Sock – “City Blizzard” 425 yards (389 m) 115g 
• 9” Circular needle size US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
• You may also use Magic Loop or 2 circulars 
• 4 Double pointed needles size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) 
• 3 Stitch markers (2 regular, 1 removable) 
• Tapestry Needle 
• 12” (30 cm) length of waste yarn for provisional cast on

Gauge: 
10 X 10 cm / 4” X 4”=36 stitches X 48 rows in stockinette stitch (stitches unblocked) using size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) needles
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Abbreviations and stitches used: 
cc – contrasting colour 
k – knit 
k2tog – knit 2 together 
k3tog – knit 3 together 
m1l – make 1 left 
m1r – make 1 right 
mc – main colour 
p – purl 
p2tog – purl 2 together 
sk2p – slip, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over 
sl1 – slip 1 
ssk – slip, slip, knit 
sm – slip marker