Monthly Archives: February 2014

FO Friday: Close Knit Waffle Hat

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Tah Dah! A FO for your Friday20140217-123626.jpg

 

This FO has been done for a while, but I didn’t get around to photographing it until this week. Here are the details:

Pattern: Close Knit Waffle Hat by Leah Bandstra

Yarn: Bernat Bamboo Natural Blends in Linen

Needles: US 10 16″ circular and US 10 dpns

Mods: I added 6? stitches to the total count. It now fits easily over my head and is almost more of a slouch hat than a beanie. Totally love this change!

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This hat only took 1.28 skeins or 80.6 yards (77 grams) of bulky yarn. I would also say if I had worked on this monogamously it would have been a CRAZY fast knit. But I kept picking it up and putting it back away.

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The softness alone is to die for! The fabric created does have a lot of weight and drape. Probably not a great yarn for garments but GREAT for accessories worn close to the skin!

Happy Knitting!

Stitch by Stitch

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I think a picture is worth a thousand words….20140217-123601.jpgI have taken the #sockswithsarah call for a few stitches a day to heart. I have managed a row here and there over these past few days when I have not felt my best. And little by little I have made some small progress. For the original post on these socks, check here.

Think I can call myself the little knitting engine that could?

Happy Knitting

WIP Wednesday: Assisted Hatching

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My knitting has been few and far between lately. But before I lost my knitting mojo, I did make some good progress on my Assisted Hatching sweater…20140217-123332.jpg

 

For a memory refresher, you can find the pattern here. I’m making the smallest size using Caron Simply Soft in Pagoda. My cast off edge at the bottom has quite a bit of curl….I may or may not rip it out and re-do it. I can’t decide yet. Next up, sleeves!!

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I do love the side vent opening for baby’s big noggin. What a great way to get a good fit and not smush baby’s face as it’s going on!

Happy Knitting!

A New Balance

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As most of you have noticed….I’m a pretty voracious knitter. I have a perpetual case of “KNIT ALL THE THINGS” coupled with occasional start-itis. This bodes well for me as a blogger. But this can become at odds with the rest of my life.

Recently I have found my stress level too high and my health too low. It has gotten so bad I haven’t knit anything IN DAYS! I literally lost my knitting mojo along with my mojo for pretty much everything else. So in the efforts I’m looking for a new balance. I’m striving to find a dietary mix that better suits my body, I am trying to get my butt off the couch and moving a little more, and not put so much pressure on my knitting/blogging.

What does this mean for you dear readers? Well I might not be so diligent about posting every day. Never fear, my blog isn’t going anywhere and neither am I. I just need to take my speed down a notch or seven. So you will continue to see my original posts as I have them and I hope to give some shout outs on my ‘off’ days to some other awesome bloggers and posts for your viewing pleasure.

Thank you for your patience and I hope you stick around!

A Little Calorimetry in My Life

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Happy Presidents Day!

I work at a financial institution which means I get the day off! So I say MORE KNITTING!! I have been petting the skein of hand spun superwash BFL I picked up awhile back.

And then it hit me, I had just shy of enough yards for a Calorimetry by Kathrn Shoendorf.

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How can you not want to knit something like this when the author is this excited? (Photo credit to © Kathryn Schoendorf and the Calorimetry Rav page)

So off I go in search of my US 8 straight bamboo needles. I seriously haven’t used straights in AGES! But all my other 8s are tied up with baby sweaters so I gotta do what I gotta do! I’ll also need to make a couple of mods to the pattern length or width to make sure I have enough yarn but I’m a big girl I think I can handle it!

P.S. This will be 2014 Stashbustin’ #10 for those keeping track.

Happy Knitting!!

Instagram: Friend or Foe?

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I had coffee with a knitting friend this past week and we have an lively discussion of the pros and cons of Instagram as it relates to knitting. I am firmly in the pro camp and she was firmly in the con camp. (Don’t worry we didn’t start jousting with our needles or anything and we are still friends)

My argument:

  • It helps grow and support the fiber arts community
  • I can learn about new techniques or constructions
  • I use it to publicize my blog
  • I get great pattern ideas and yarn ideas
  • It’s short and to the point and I can peruse quickly on hectic days

Her argument:

  • It encourages people who are not photographers to pretend to be said photographers
  • Photos are often so distorted you can tell what the project really looks like
  • It encourages short attention spans
  • It doesn’t have the long term viability like Ravelry and it will most likely die out like all social media platforms

Now I don’t want to start an internet firestorm because she has some good points and so do I. I told her I would pose the question to the blog-o-sphere and see what response we could get. We value all opinions of every shape, size, and color. All thoughts are welcome!

So, what are your thoughts on Instagram and Knitting?

A Plain Rye

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I bit the bullet and joined the Socks with Sarah KAL over on Ravelry! There are some SERIOUSLY cool socks rocking over there!!

For my next KAL project I decided to take a twist on my last set of socks.

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Pattern: Rye by Tincanknits

Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Worsted (100% merino and should make WARM socks!) in Squirrel Heather

Needles: US 4 and 5 dpns

Size: Large

Mods: I’m going to omit the garter ridges on the top of the foot and up the cuff. Don’t get me wrong they are gorgeous! I really like the fit of this sock and want a basic “vanilla” sock right now.

Have you ever modified a sock to fit your “flavor”?

2014 Stashbustin’ #12: Assisted Hatching

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It’s WIP Wendesday!!!

Bolstered by yesterday’s gorgeous sweater and a ginormous case of start-itis, I cast on another baby sweater. Baby fever + start-itis = more WIPs than my husband can handle!

But how can you resist this? Assisted Hatching by Elizabeth Ditchburn Dew….

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(Photo credit to © kitchenerstitch and the Assisted Hatching Rav pg)

I’m really glad I have two sets of interchangeable needles, lol…..because I have already made good progress on this sweater!

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Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Pagoda

Needles: US 8 circs (Denise Interchangeable)

Size: 0-3 months

Happy Knitting!!!

Stashbustin’ #11: Henry’s Sweater

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After yesterday’s disappointment I had the itch to try a different baby sweater. And having recently pruned and tagged my Rav queue, I did some easy and organized searching to find….Henry’s Sweater

P1050813_medium2(Photo credit to © jennicole01 and the Henry’s Sweater Rav pg)

This is similar to the Sophisticate with the stockinette and shawl collar. But it has more overlap on the chest and those adorable 4 buttons laid out in a square. I couldn’t wait to get started!

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Yarn: Bernat Cottontots in Country Taupe (I think this yarn has been discontinued and it’s a shame because it’s a very soft cotton and easy to work with!)

Needles: US 8s (Knits Picks Options Interchangeable)

Size: 3-6 months

Mods: None yet but I love the pattern so far!

Happy Knitting!