Episode 150 - Joyful Colorwork Socks - Stone Knits

For this special 150th episode of Fruity Knitting we’ve included 2 brilliant interviews for you. Our main feature interview is with the fabulous colourwork sock designer Charlotte Stone from Stone Knits. We’ve interviewed Charlotte before back in Ep. 135 about her first internationally bestselling book, Charming Colorwork Socks. Since then, she’s brought out a second book called Joyful Colourwork Socks, which is just as fantastic as the first. Then, in Knitters of The World, you’ll meet Zanete from Zanete Knits, who I’ve mentioned a couple of times in our recent episodes, as I’ve just finished knitting her Do Ewe Yoke sweater. We’ve also included a Christmas special in which we explore our local Frankfurt Christmas market. On top of that, we have 3 finished projects in Bring and Brag and two new projects in Under Construction.

Stone Knits - Joyful Colorwork Socks

Since our first interview in Episode 135, Charlotte has brought out a second book called Joyful Colourwork Socks, which is just as fantastic as the first. In fact, this new book isn’t just a collection of gorgeous and humorous sock patterns; it also includes an entire section dedicated to teaching you how to design your own sock motifs using Charlotte’s methods.

And during the interview Charlotte takes us through this process as she creates a brand new sock design for Fruity Knitting. It features Koala bears surrounded by juicy gum leaves!

Finding Stone Knits

Ravelry: Stone Knits
Instagram: @stoneknits

Patron Discount - Stone Knits

We’re excited to share that Charlotte is offering Fruity Knitting Patrons a 25% discount on all her self-published sock designs available in her Ravelry store! With around 125 colorwork sock designs to choose from, there’s something for every personality, holiday, and hobby. Browsing through her collection is not only inspiring but also guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Fruity Knitting patrons can find all discount details here.

Knitters of The World - Zanete Knits

In Episode 150, our Knitter of the World is @zaneteknits, who grew up in Latvia during the Soviet Union and now lives in the UK. Zanete shares what it was like to be a knitter in Soviet-era Latvia, where access to clothing was limited. For many, knitting was the only way to express individuality through fashion. Often, knitters would unravel store-bought woolen garments sent by relatives outside the Soviet Union and re-knit them into something uniquely their own.

Zanete draws inspiration from Latvian mythology, incorporating intricate traditional Latvian colourwork motifs into her designs. In Knitters of the World, she showcases a selection of her creations, explaining their construction and the stories behind the motifs.

Finding Zanete Knits

Website: zaneteknits.com
Ravelry: Zanete Knits
Instagram: @zaneteknits

Patron Discount - Zanete Knits

Zanete is generously offering Fruity Knitting Patrons a 25% discount off all her self published patterns from both her Ravelry shop and her website. Zanete offers around 94 designs on Ravelry, so there is a lot to choose from! Fruity Knitting patrons can find all discount details here.

Support Fruity Knitting - Become a Patron

We love that the knitting community is so global and are really grateful to meet a lot of you from around the world – both in person and online during our Fruity Knitting live events! Twice a month, we meet online with our Shetland patrons – either for a relaxed Knit & Chat session in which everybody gets to talk about their projects and ask for advice from the group. Or, for a live event with a special guest who’s previously been on the podcast. Leading up to the event, Merino and Shetland patrons can send in their questions for the guest and listen to the event as an audio podcast at a later date!

We organize these live events and our special patron discounts as a thank you for supporting Fruity Knitting financially. However, even if the patron benefits don’t interest you, we still ask you to support the show financially. Your patronage helps us cover not only the countless hours we invest into preparing and producing new episodes, but also the many expenses we carry along the way. To become a patron, visit patreon.com/fruityknitting where you can become a Hebridean, Merino or Shetland patron. Thank you so much for your support!

Bring & Brag

Christmas Pudding Mitts - Stone Knits

Madeleine wanted to knit a Christmas present for a friend who had been in and out of hospital lately. Only having a few weeks to complete a project, she chose these Christmas Mitts by Charlotte Stone which knit up very quickly! Because her friend isn’t used to handling woolen garments, Madeleine decided to use superwash merino yarn to protect the mittens from potential damage in the washing machine.

The pattern is fairly easy with a 1×1 ribbed cuff, followed by several rounds of stocking stitch that included a thumb gusset, before working the colorwork. For beginner knitters: a gusset is simply a triangular piece of fabric that you insert to allow ease of movement. When you move your thumb out to the side, the additional surface forms an upside down triangle. If you don’t insert a gusset, your thumb will be squashed against your hand and unable to move.

Do Ewe Yoke? Sweater - Zanete Knits

I’ve completed my Do Ewe Yoke sweater by Zanete from Zanete Knits, who is also our Knitter of the World in this episode! This sweater was Zanete’s first Mystery Yokealong, which means the knitters get the pattern in a series of clues, so they don’t know exactly how the jumper will look until they have nearly finished it. This mystery Yokealong came out in January 2024, and I think Zanete will launch a new Mystery Yoke Along in January 2025.

I highly recommend Zanete’s patterns after knitting this. They’re clear, fun, and produce a fabric I love without needing to adjust the gauge—something, as you know, I usually have to do.

Home is Where You Park it (Socks) - Stone Knits

During our interview together we look through the designs in her latest book Joyful colourwork socks. I was instantly drawn to this pattern. I love hiking and used to enjoy camping a lot. In my 20s, I did a lot of rough camping and hiking with a 21 kg backpack that included a tent, bedding, and food for 3–4 days. These days, I still enjoy hiking, even in rough weather, but I prefer returning to a warm fire, a hot meal, and a cozy bed.

Charlotte designed these socks for travelling in a camper van, and they look like very glamorous hiking socks. They have all the features I love in a hiking sock: a heel flap and gusset, 2×2 ribbing to prevent them from stretching out after a few consecutive days of wear, and a practical color that hides dirt and sweat. Plus, the retro VW camper van design always makes me smile.

Under Construction

Boyfriend Sweater

A few episodes ago, Madeleine asked for recommendations for men’s colourwork yoke sweaters as the one she originally found, Varde Rundfelt, was knitted bottom up.

Lots of you answered with some great recommendations, so here are a few examples to inspire any knitters out there on a similar mission to knit something special for the men in their life! Madeleine’s boyfriend really liked the Nightfall sweater as an alternative to the Varde Rundfelt.

After all a lot of back and forth, however, Madeleine ended up going full circle and choosing the original design, the Varde Rundfeld, after all. It came to this decision because she really wanted to use the Finullgarn by Rauma and wasn’t happy with the colour combinations we had come up with for the Nightfall sweater. To avoid problems with the yoke, Madeleine has started with a provisional cast-on and is working the yoke first.

She’s going with this stunning bright blue for the main color, and then adding a dark blue, light grey, and a speck of lime green as the accents for the yoke. Madeleine is particularly fond of the bright blue and excited about the end result.

Christmas Special - Frankfurt Christmas Market

For our Christmas Special, we take you to explore our local Christmas market, the Frankfurter Weihnachtsmarkt! We’ve been visiting this market since Madeleine was a little girl. The Frankfurt Christmas market dates back to the year 1393 when it originally started as a simple Winter market (not Christmas related). But over the centuries, it’s become more festive with Christmas trees, ginger bread and other traditional goodies! The market covers much of the city centre including the beautiful old town district known as the Römerberg.

An important ingredient to the magic of Christmas markets are the food and beverages. A German Christmas classic is the Kartoffelpuffer, which is a potato pancake fried in oil and served with cold apple sauce.

The market also features a variety of musical performances. About twice a week, a brass band plays Christmas music from the gallery of St. Nicholas Church (point up), while on other days, choirs perform carols. Naturally, this is a great place to come Christmas shopping with Christmas pyramids, nativity scenes, cookie cutters in all shapes and sizes, nutcrackers, sheep skin gloves and slippers, Christmas tree decorations and so much more to choose from!

Some of these delights are edible, such as the Quetschemännchen – little figures made from dried fruits and walnuts with painted faces and all dressed up.

What are we wearing

Andrea is wearing her Do Ewe Yoke sweater by Zanete Knits on the couch and her smocked April Cardigan by PetiteKnit in the interview. Madeleine is wearing an Alice Starmore design on the couch.

Credits

J. S. Bach, The Well Tempered Klavier, Prelude No. 3 in C-Sharp major, BWV 848, performed by Kimiko Ishizaka, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky, Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70, 1 – Allegro Moderato, US Army Strings, Public Domain
Bald nun ist Weihnachtszeit, sung by Philharmonischer Kinderchor Dresden, from the album “Bald nun ist Weihnchtszeit,” Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises, ℗ 2004 BT-Music
Morgen, Kinder, wirds was geben, performed by Philharmonischer Kinderchor Dresden, from the album “Bald nun ist Weihnchtszeit,” Provided to YouTube by The Orchard Enterprises, ℗ 2004 BT-Music
Traditional German Christmas song “O Tannenbaum“, performed by the Wiener Sängerknaben, provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
Peggy Lee, It’s A Good Day, Capitol Collectors Series: The Early Years, Released on: 1990-01-01, ℗ 1946 Capitol Records, LLC
Bethmännchen by AlexanderKlink, Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

2nd February 2025 | By Madeleine Doig

Questions