Monthly Archives: April 2018

Shadow Knitting, Franklin Habit and KITHKC

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I have finally had the brain space to jot down a few thoughts about my first knitting class and the 2018 Knitting In The Heartland festival from a couple weekends ago.

First up, I found a cute pregnancy outfit and my hair and make-up didn’t make me look like an “exhausted mom of one and a half”. I was quite pleased to feel like a proper adult doing adult-y things without worrying about potty training, naps or snacks.

I arrived on time and got all my supplies set out and ready. Being my first class ever I was worried I would forget something for not have the right items. Turned out….I was perfectly prepared.

Franklin Habit was charming, informative and just pleasant to share three hours with. My classmates were pleasant and prepared and we all BREEZED through the technique and class thanks to excellent instruction. And how handsome is Franklin with this hand knit? We had enough time in class to pick his brain about anything we could think of and it was wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for a better first in-person class.

And the technique….shadow knitting. It was totally awesome! I managed to work two swatches during class. I think I had a great grasp of it by the end. I’m not sure how much I will work this into my future projects. But I like that I was able to a) work from a chart for the first time ever and b) learn a completely new skill!

I just adore my little X and heart. If I can manage it, I may add some crochet edgings to these swatches and keep for little knickknacks in my craft room. I also did some shopping at the marketplace but I will save those for another post.

Overall, I felt so fulfilled to be with “my tribe” who shared my passion and craft. And just so blessed to have such a wonderful day. I may have teared up when it was time to go home. But that might have been my pregnancy hormones, lol. Now, I have to wait for two years for this festival to come around again….

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Smooth Operator Socks

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Unfortunately, my time at work turned out exactly as I knew it would…..sooooo many meetings. But I was able to finish my Smooth Operator Socks! Even the end are woven in!

Pattern: Smooth Operator Socks by Susan B Anderson

Needles: US 1 nine inch circs

Mods: none

Yarn: Fibernymph Dye Works Bounce Sock in Bam Zap Pow

Overall, I was very pleased with this project. The heels did in turn out to have no gaps and fit moderately well. (Full disclosure, I have devised my own personal afterthought heel recipe that I absolutely love the fit of…so there as a high bar to clear.) Both socks match remarkably well if I do say so myself! The yarn was extremely nice to work with and I think will stand up well to the abuse that socks tend to take. The pattern was helpful and well written, but what else do you expect from Susan B Anderson?

I did try these on…and my legs and feet are now 34 weeks pregnant. They don’t fit badly but they don’t make my feet feel head over heels in love. Like my Accidental Travel Socks, I think I will tuck these into my drawer for fall and test them again post-preggo legs. They are just a bit tight here and there. If I don’t end up liking them or their fit, well, they can just go in the Christmas box for my sister!

Happy Knitting!!

Now The Toes

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My web-ex and conference call work time continues apace. I literally spent all day yesterday and will have many hours today in meetings. The silver lining….I have one of my Smooth Operator Socks almost to the toe!

(Dex and I enjoyed some quiet time this morning before everyone else woke up this morning.) I’m really hoping to get the second sock to this point today and work on toe decreases! I only need a nine inch foot to fit my tootsies.

And because I’m working cuff-down, I used my Soxyzz ruler to measure my progress! The ruler fit nicely into the heel and tells me exactly where I am. I was suitably pleased and it was much easier than managing the sock with a traditional tape measure.

Wish me luck today….happy knitting!!

SOS Heels

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The heels were a success! Jellybean and the husband had some Lego adventures last night and I was able to work both heels on my Smooth Operator Socks!

The heel came out to roughly two inches which should be good fit for my robust heel and arch. But I have to knit the rest of the feet to find out. As you can tell, I went with the grey contrasting yarn. This was largely motivated by my pregnancy laziness that didn’t want to fuss with pulling from the outside of each ball. It was just much simpler to work from an already wound contrast skein, lol.

I worked the heel exactly as written and I have one reservation. This is a very ‘pointy’ heel for me. My heel is very wide and typically I Kitchener before I get this narrow so that points are not physically under my heel. But I wanted to give this pattern a true test and do it like I’m supposed to.

Now I have some foot knitting to do! Happy Knitting!!

First Smooth Operator Heels

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Working socks in tandem seems to be really working for me lately. I have been knitting my Smooth Operator Socks in tandem on two separate 9 inch circulars.

I split the skein into two balls and I’m working on trying to keep the socks matching. I think I’m maybe one or two rows off, but it’s close enough for me. I worked these socks for six inch legs and then knit the tube past that point a couple more inches. I went ahead used the scrap yarn instructions in the SOS pattern. Now I’ve gotten my needles installed and I’m ready to install the heels. I plan on doing the no gap heel variation from the pattern update that Susan B Anderson added.

I plan on doing some pondering today. Do I use the stripes for the heels….or do I use contrasting grey? Right now it’s a 50/50 tie!

Happy Knitting!!

A Speckled Finish

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You guys….I finished ANOTHER THING! My Vacation Vanilla socks are done done done!

Pattern: 72 stitch toe-up vanilla sock with a gusset heel

Yarn: Andromeda Sock yarn in the “My Nerves” colorway. I used 80 grams or 370 yards of yarn

Needle: US 0 nine inch circular

Gauge: 9 stitches and 13 rows per 1 inch

My feet and ankles are not there normal size at the moment so pardon the sock blocker only photos. And to be honest I’m not sure how they fit, lol. I will have to stash them safely in my sock drawer until I’m no longer retaining water like the Hoover Dam! But I really adore the speckles. I did notice that one sock appears to have darker tint than the other. Not that it really bothers me and I am well aware this happens with hand dyed indie skeins quite a bit.  Just found it a bit odd when I laid them side by side, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

My First Knitting Class

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I’ve been knitting for just over 11 (or is it 12 years?) now. And I have been a knitter with a capital K for the past 8 years. I’ve made sweaters, socks, hats, mitts and toys. But I have never taken a knitting class of any kind. I just taught myself or flew by the seat of my pants. Well, as a pre-baby present to myself I signed up for the Shadow Knitting class with Franklin Habit at the 2018 Knitting in the Heartland festival. I have never even attempted this kind of knitting skill before and I’m keen to see what I can learn.

And today is the day! I’m beyond excited and nervous. I have all my supplies lined up and the hubby is my chauffeur for the day. (I promised him some non-yarny date activities after my class and the market place). I think he’s going to show me his Top Golf skills while I sip lemonade, lol.

I just hope I don’t geek out in front of Franklin Habit…..

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Baby Vertebrae for PB

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Okay, this FO has been done for awhile. Truth be told all it needed was a bath but a mild but persistent upper respiratory virus attached itself to this pregnant body and I lost all will to do anything but play with Jellybean while simultaneously laying on the couch and then surf Instagram after he went to bed for like a solid week back in early April.

Nevertheless, here is the Baby Vertebrae for PB!!

Pattern: Baby Vertebrae by Kelly van Niekerk

Yarn: Apothefaery Fabrications Delightful DK in the Glimmer coloway

Needles: US 6 and US 4

Size: 12-18 months

Mods: None (other than I really don’t know if I followed pattern gauge)

Gauge: 5 stitches and 8 rows to 1 inch

I’m super jazzed about this sweater and I hope it fits for fall! Either way I really hope this becomes and heirloom piece for PB to save….

 

 

The Second Heel Goes Slowly

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I have been on FAR TOO MANY webex meetings lately. But the upside is that no one can see me and therefore I can knit while I listen. My pregnancy nesting is starting to pick up some steam and I feel the pull to finish some WIPs before PB gets here. The combo of these two has led to some progress on my Vacation Vanilla Socks that I started in the summer of 2017.

I’m finished with the foot and I’ve installed the toe up gusset heel on the second of these socks. I follow Wendy D Johnson’s instructions for those with inquiring minds. It’s Tuesday morning and I have approximately 7 hours of remote web meetings left this week. Fingers crossed that I can just zoom up the leg and be finished really really soon. One way or another PB will make her debut on or before May 30th…so I only have a little over a month left!

Happy Knitting!!

Canadian Yarn

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A dear dear friend sent me a quick note to expect a little surprise in my mailbox. We live across the country and once in awhile we tuck things into the mail to surprise each other. Okay….let’s be real…we are 30 something adults with careers and kids. We try to remember each other’s birthdays and end up sending packages 6 months later, lol.

Well, this yarny beauty showed up in my mailbox!

She claims this was a combination of late night Instagram skimming with wine plus the favorable US to Canadian exchange rate. But she thought I needed a pick-me-up skein of self-striping sock yarn. This is even a new to me dyer! I have seen the Cozy Knitter yarn on several podcasts and thought it was amazing. This is a Bliss sock set in “Celebrate the Night”. Jellybean was ecstatic that the contrasting heel/toe/cuff skein was purple. That’s his FAVORITE.

If my Smooth Operator Socks go well and fit like I hope then this skein may just well end up being SOS socks as well!

Happy Knitting!!