Monthly Archives: February 2019

I Heart Gradients

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You guys, I’m addicted to this gradient. I finished up the first color of my Mini Solutions Scarf on Tuesday and added in the second color. The color change rows are just genius and make the perfect transitions where it’s perfectly half and half for the yarn overs.

The gradient set is very well done and the color shift is subtle but yet still noticeable. And the cashmere content makes my fingers happy. The pattern is in my brain and only once in awhile do I make a mistake. But garter stitch is very forgiving in that way.

I really should be giving my Charlotte Winter, bright socks or dad’s socks some love. But I can’t put this scarf/shawl thing down. It’s calling MY NAME!

Happy Knitting!!

And Then Stripes Appeared

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I kinda feel silly. I was knitting in a waiting room yesterday (I had my dad’s sock in my bag for purse knitting). As I happily went round and round I thought to myself “oh these are going to be striped!”

This really shouldn’t haven been a surprise to me. The yarn skein CLEARLY shows itself to be self striping. Chalk one up for mommy brain!

They are nice thick stripes on 72 stitches. I can’t even imagine how much bigger these would have been if they had been socks on a stitch count for me! I do like the blend of blues, purples and grey. It’s pleasing yet still “dude” appropriate. But I’m pretty sure if I knit my dad bright pink socks he would proudly wear them, he’s that awesome.

Happy Knitting!!

Mom Paradise

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Jellybean had a sleepover at a friends house this past weekend and PB went down for a morning nap. The dishes were done and laundry was not taking over the laundry room. So I decided to take a moment for myself. I had coffee, knitting and a knitting podcast playing. My Mini Solutions Scarf was just the right amount of soothing garter stitch for a slow knitting moment.

I managed to make good progress on the first color section before PB woke up. And then at bedtime I worked through the rest of the first color. I’m ready to wind up the next mini skein and work the color change row. Working with the Treasure Goddess MCN set is just SOOOO luxurious.

I may or may have fallen asleep with my knitting in my lap right after this photo was taken. I spent too long looking at the fire dance and exhaustion took over. Oh well, I guess there are worse places to catch 40 winks!

Happy Knitting

Cast On: Dad’s 2019 Christmas Socks

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I was feeling a sock sized hole in my life after finishing my Helping Hippos Socks. My dad is the most grateful and totally knit worthy person in my life. So I decided to get a jump on some 2019 Christmas socks. I found some machine washable sport weight sock yarn in my stash I got from a yarn store closing in 2017. It’s not one I have worked with before but it feels sturdy and will stand up well to my dad’s work boots. I managed to pull together a full kit and get started after my tiny humans went to bed.

The best part of these? While they are 72 stitches total, they are sport weight on US 3 needles so they really feel like they fly!

I am having to keep a lotion bar in my project bag. This yarn just sucks the moisture out of hand. Look at all those lovely guard hairs! These babies are going to warm!!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Mood Indigo Sockhead Slouch

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My Mood Indigo Sockhead Slouch is done, with a pom pom on top!

Pattern: Sockhead Slouch Hat by Kelly McClure with mods by amberlindemann

Yarn: Voolenvine Yarns Smitten DK in a OOAK Mood Indigo colorway

Needles: US 2 and US 3s

I managed to use up as much yarn as I dared without risking yarn chicken. I used 93 grams or 215 yards of this DK weight yarn. The resulting hat is a bit snug in my opinion but my husband thought it felt like any other beanie hat. This has 10% cashmere and that doesn’t suck. It’s a lovely next to the face kind of feel. Maybe it could have used 4 to 8 more stitches in the total stitch count.

My favorite part is definitely the pom pom. It’s tonal browns really pair well with the moody hues in the yarn. Its a very light pom pom so it doesn’t feel heavy on my head. The fabric is nicely dense without being stiff and will be yummily warm.

I do wish it was a tiny bit bigger. With the brim rolled it barely covers my ears in addition to its hair flattening tightness. But it’s fine on length when I wear it slouchy style. Overall I’m happy with the hat made with a golden skein from my stash. I mean voolenvine just has the best colors. This will definitely need to be a staple in my winter hat rotation!

Happy Knitting!!

PB Won’t Stop Growing Up

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When I was at Joanns picking up the needles I was missing, I might have fallen down in the chenille yarn section…

PB will be one year in May and I’d like to make a lovey for her birthday like I did for Jellybean when he turned one. I found the Premier Parfait Layers in the perfect grey and pink combo that matches PB’s layette. Man…she does not stop growing these days!

She definitely approved and was thematic for her outfit that day!! (PS…that’s 18 month sized clothing on my 9 month old….)

I already own Rebecca Dangers’ Big Book of Knitted Monsters and there is one written for super bulky. So I think PB is getting Baldwin the Bathroom Monster.

I fully recognize that I made my life harder by choosing chenille yarn. It’s not my favorite to knit with but PB has an affinity for super soft things and I’m a total sucker. I’m thinking I’ll make the big monster and then crochet the leftovers into a little monster sized blanket.

Deadline knitting and I don’t always mesh…so we will see how this goes! Happy Knitting!!

Bulky Garter Stitch Sleeve Island

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I finished the body to my Charlotte Winter this week. I went digging into my project bag to pull out the double points for my sleeves. And I came out with US 15s….but I’m knitting this sweater on US 13s. Sleeve island is a real thing you guys, and I haven’t even started knitting them!!! Insert a D’oh here…

So thanks to a 50% off coupon and a trip to Joanns I am finally ready to tackle the sleeves! (And now I own needles I will probably only use once, lol.) I may take a tiny timeout on this project. The heavy sweater and big needles are really flaring up some soreness in my forearms and wrists. Nothing major but I think it will be prudent to take breaks and mix up the weight of projects I work on so I don’t develop a fully blown injury!

Happy Knitting!!

Oh Yarn Balls

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I recently did a wooly wash day. I was so proud of myself for washing and restocking my hand knits drawer. All this cold weather has really had me digging in there lately! But as I was putting away socks I found a problem. I might have uttered something worse but adjacent to “oh yarn balls”….

Guess who didn’t citric acid treat her finished TurtlePurl yarn socks? This girl! Even though I KNEW the white was next to red and despite the talent of any given dyer that red dye can be a fickle mistress.

It’s so subtle at this point. But I know the white is no longer the bright white it was when I knit them. Sigh…. I’m still going to wear these and I’m not mad at the dyer. I should have known better. I’m just mad at my sleep deprived mommy brain.

I haven’t decided if I’m going to citric acid treat them to stop it from getting worse. Or just let it do what it’s going to do. Right now they are in time out until I decide. Oh Yarn Balls!!

 

Body Complete

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 I finally finished the body of my Charlotte Winter!

Bulky yarn on this cord length really bunches up the work. It can be deceiving. I might have measured on or four times…

That my friends is 16.5 inches of bulky garter stitch! And now I’m off to bind off and try it on and have my my husband double check it is an appropriate length.

Fingers crossed!!

 

FO Friday: Mackenzie 5-Ply

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Jellybean has a finished sweater!! The battle of the Mackenzie 5-ply sweater is over and I won! It has two sleeves and a matching hemline.

I even went so far as to install the buttons, sew in my tag, and wash and block this bad boy. Though it’s largely acrylic and doesn’t need blocking. But after my grubby hands…it definitely needed a bath!

I just ADORE the side seam treatment. The little garter panel just makes it looks so polished!

And it’s safe to say that Jellybean loves it! He ripped it out of my hands and put it on before I could even put buttons on it!

It makes him look so grown up….sniff sniff….

Pattern: Mackenzie 5-ply by Rebecca Newman 

Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Sport in Eggplant. I used 2.84 skeins or roughly 317 yards for a modified 7 year old version.

Needles: US 5s

Mods: See my Ravelry notes for my sleeves mods.

I’m sooo happy to have this off the needles. I was frantically knitting this on Super Bowl Sunday in order to finish one last WIP for the Down Cellar Studio’s Pigskin Party KAL. And I managed to weave in the ends by halftime! And this FO has seemed to kick off my “let’s finish all the WIPs mojo” so I’m hoping to ride that wave for a bit. I haven’t even touched by scrap blankets in over a week!

Happy knitting!!