Monthly Archives: December 2021

FO Friday: Baby Blend Basic Hat

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I completely forgot that I had a finished object kicking around here to show you! My Baby Blend Basic Hat pretty much fell off my needles and into my hat drawer!

Pattern: None, I just worked an 80 stitch beanie with a folded two layer brim

Yarn: The Shepherd’s Mill BAby Blend in color M196

Needles: US 7 and US 8

I got sooooo close to using the whole skein but alas I still had leftovers. I used 80 grams or just right at 176 yards of this DK weight skein. The hat was tight before washing and blocking but relaxed nicely and fits like a dream. The faux cashmere makes this feel like butter on my head.

I did find a dropped stitch after washing. After a few cuss words I simply used some of the leftovers and caught the stitch and secured it to the inside of the hat. I REALLY like how this hat turned out so this might also stay in my hat bin for awhile…..

Happy Knitting!!

Spinning Mystery Fiber

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After emptying my wheel this week I decided to start my next set of singles. I am still working through the inherited fiber I received when I decided to start spinning. This is some mystery alpaca fiber that appears to contain white tweed blips.

This fiber is spinning pretty quickly and fairly consistently. I can tell my muscle memory is getting better as I am better able to look up from my hands for short periods now. Which really helps me pay better attention to my TV shows, lol.

I only have 4 ounces of this fiber so I see this project going very quickly. I think I will play to 2-ply this yarn back on itself again. I really like the yarn I am getting from this method. And I might be amazing enough 2-ply alpaca skeins that I could make larger project!

Happy Spinning!!

Knitting With Handspun

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A wise spinner told me that I shouldn’t wait to start knitting with my handspun. I should reap the benefits of my new found skill so matter how “good” I think my yarn is or isn’t. So I grabbed my recently finished teal skein and set to making a hat.

I cast on 72 stitches using a US 8 needles and started ribbing. I don’t have a plan or a pattern. I am just winging it and monitoring how much yarn I am using so that I leave enough for the crown decreases.

So far it is really neat seeing what the yarn is doing with the thick and thin bits. I can really see how that plays out in the stockinette section. I am pretty certain I will keep this hat in my hat collections because it is just too special.

Happy Knitting!!

Because Of Course, Kids

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My child came from school last night and was excitedly talking about his upcoming classroom holiday dinner. And he was so jazzed that he could dress up as his favorite holiday food…..the next day.

Because of course, he forgot to tell me ahead of time. So after a few deep breaths Jellybean and I went to my craft stash and pulled out some red flannel. After much brainstorming we decided on canned cranberry sauce.

We fashioned a rectangle sewing up a neck hole, leaving two arm holes and seweing down the rest of the side panels. We then used some canned good to draw circles to show the whole berries suspended in the sauce.

Not my best or most professional crafting but my kid was in LOVE. So we happily packed him off to school. And true to fashion, he started feeling sick and vomitted that morning in class and went sent home before he could wear his costume. Sigh, such is mom life.

Maybe we can repurpose this for Christmas day?? Happy Crafting!!

Finished: Alpaca Blend 2-ply

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My spinning mojo is still chugging right along. I finished up the alpaca blend singles I had on the wheel. I did a pretty simple process of spinning a bobbin of singles and then wound into a center pull cake. I then plied by pulling from both the inside and outside of the cake. A wash and whack after that and I have a VERY soft finishd skein of yarn!

Skein: Merino/Alpaca 2-ply (Rav Link)

Size: I ended up with an 83 gram skein of 128 yards. So this is a bulky skein for the most part.

What will I do with this one? I have zero clue, lol. I am just starting a handspun section of my yarn stash to hoard all my treasures!

Happy Spinning!!

FO Friday: Dad’s 2021 Christmas Socks

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The socks that tried to beat me at every turn are DONE! My Dad’s 2021 Christmas socks are done and knit to the correct size this time, lol.

Pattern: My own “recipe” of a toe up sock with 68 stitches

Yarn: Regia 6-fadig in color #6974

Needles: US 2s

I don’t really have sock blockers that fit the socks for my dad/husband who wear size 13 US men’s shoes. So I make do with my sized blockers but it always makes me giggle because I feel like a child trying to wear adult sized things, lol.

I feel great to have these finally done and ready to wrap up for Christmas. Am I totally ready for Christmas? Heck no, but this is at least one thing off my list!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Around Every Corner

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Next on my needles is some past Wishful Knitting! Kind of nice to cast on something I planned and have been thinking a lot about!

This will be a flower inspired Around Every Corner by Stephanie Lotven. I am doing the main color in some Cascade sock yarn in a really deep green. And then my stripes will be in a range of colors that remind me of a daffodil or other spring flower.

I have this vision in my head of this garden like object. I really hope the actual object comes out like I see in my head. Happy Knitting!!

Spinning Some Alpaca Blend

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My wheel was empty after finishing my last two skeins of yarn/plying. So I grabbed some fiber from my stash and got started on some new singles.

Most of my spinning is coming from the hand me down fiber I got from my mother’s friend. He bought a ton of fiber at festivals and farm stands. This was some alpaca and merino blend in the natural colors (I think). I don’t have a ton of information because I didn’t buy it.

So far its spinning really well and fairly thin. My skills are improving and my lumps/bumps are getting smaller and fewer. It really is intoxicating to see how fast this can go!

Happy Spinning!!

Hospital Knitting Day Two

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My Dad did really well with his procedure and he got to binge like ALL the football games in his hospital room. So on day two I plugged in my headphones with a podcast and cranked on my Musselburgh.

I am finally on to the main body of the hat and done with DPNs for now. I checked my gauge like the pattern said and my gauge is coming up tighter than the directions. I did some math and decided to fudge it rather than frog and cast on with bigger needles. I added some more increases to make sure the hat won’t be a head squeezer.

This is really nice zen kniting just going round and round. I think this could be a good purse or travel project. Not a lot of thinking but really satisfying to watch the hat come to life.

Happy Knitting!!

Hospital Knitting

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Knitting can make a lot of situations better. My father had a routine medical procedure that necessitated some waiting room and hospital room knitting. I thought it would be a nice pairing to work on his Christmas Socks.

I am about to finish the leg and start the cuff ribbing. I pressed my hoodie pocket into service as a skein minder. I got a few looks in the waiting room but it kept my work tidy, lol.

Happy Knitting!!