Monthly Archives: January 2025

Finished Friday: 2025 Chiefs Hat

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The 2025 Chiefs Hat is done and fully complete with the decal installed!

Pattern: My own vanilla “recipe” for a beanie with 72 stitches (because I can’t count) with a folded stockinette brim

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Sauterne and Sealing Wax

For sure this hat is snugger and smaller than my standard adult hat. It can fit over my large noggin but I can feel the squeeze. And that showed in the yardage used with a total of 189 yards of yarn. I think that is like 0.9 of a full skein so I for sure will be fine for my second hat with this yarn.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Chiefs Hat #7

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I was a little miffed with discovering the issue with my 2025 Chiefs Hat and the wrong number of stitches. And I was done with with the red color from that hat so I set aside some bedside time to cast on the next hat.

I counted twice and this hat for sure has 88 stitches. Duke was less than helpful in the cast on as he was in charge of napping. I am using US 8 needles for this yarn. It’s still Malabrigo worsted and therefore a singles. The sharper tips of the metal needles are nice so I can get the full strand on every stitch.

Happy Knitting!!

And Now The Chiefs Decreases

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I blinked and my 2025 Chiefs Hat was at the brim.

For no good reason that I can explain, I went with larger and chunkier stripes that my previous sports ball hats. The folded brim is roughly 30 rows tall and then the main body is like 20 rows tall.

It does mean that I don’t have as many stripes as before and I’m not using the two colors in an equal/balanced manner. I still think I will have enough leftovers to flip the color sequence and make a second hat.

OH! And I discovered something putting in the needles for these decreases….I in fact made this hat with 78 stitches and not 88. No wonder this hat went so crazy fast. This hat will just be smaller and tighter than my others. I guess that is what I get for lack of attention, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

12 Days Of Christmas – Spinning Style

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In late fall, I was deep in the feels and I purchased a 12 days of Christmas fiber package from Knit Spin Farms. I knew based on my performance with the other fiber advent calendar I knew I couldn’t manage to keep up with this either. So I saved for the doldrums of winter!

They did the best job wrapping and organizing the whole thing. I opened the full box in one shot. I got some great saturated colors and a variety of fiber content, including two bags of stellina to add to other fiber.

I have so many other spinning goals that all of this went into the VERY full fiber bin after it was logged in Ravelry. They will be pretties for another day even though I hear other spinners RAVE about Joanna’s fiber. Perhaps I will use spinning some of this as a reward for making other other goals?

Happy Spinning!!

Finished: 2024 Advent Socks Take Two

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I cranked on my 2024 Advent Socks Take Two and those puppies are DONE!

Pattern: My own 68 stitch “recipe” for toe up vanilla socks and an afterthought heel

Yarn: 2024 Advent Stripe from The Cozy Knitter Bliss base and one mini skein of Red Door Fibers Heels & Toes in Hint of Grey

Needles: US 1s

With the added contrast heels, toes and cuffs and then the little flecks, this project racked up 351 yards of yarn. And I was pleasantly surprised that they fit was good. The alterations I made to the afterthought heel worked and I didn’t make these too large.

Really pleased with how matched these came out. And it feels just satisfying to use up every bit of the Advent skein and contrast AND a bonus mini skein. I love marking my yarn “completely used up” in Ravelry. The floats do give the socks a texture on the inside and they may not make the best boot socks. Perhaps socks for being cozy around the house?

I will definitely work this fleck again as I like how it add some visual interest. Happy Knitting!!

Finishing Up Advent Fiber

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I have opened every single day in my 2024 Knits and Pearls fiber advent calendar!

These last few days included some neon, speckles and definitely stellina. I am worried that day 22 is a little compacted and felted. I will have to see how it spins. The final braid came with an ornament and has a RAINBOW of colors. It does a really great job of incorporating a lot of the colors from the other 24 days.

I am stating my intention to finish this spin in February 2025. I need my wheel to be able to start spinning some of stash down. I pulled some of the fiber I purchased at SSK 2024 to start working on because I AM GOING AGAIN IN 2025 and I am very excited.

Happy Crafting!!

Catching Up Advent Fiber

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I completely flamed out on my 2024 advent spinning. But I did finally open up the rest of the days to see all the pretties!

There were a lot of purples and greens in this run. And one mini had a teeny Christmas light stitch marker. I don’t trust my memory so I put these back in the numbered bags for when I finally get around to spinning. I think finishing this spin will be one of my February craft goals?

Tomorrow I will wrap up this calendar and show the full braid that came for day 25! Happy Spinning!!

Swatch Yes!

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I kind of forgot I had a swatch drying in the laundry room. And I grabbed it yesterday after folding a load of towels. Good news….I got stitch gauge!!

I am short a couple of rows on row gauge. This means I get to use the size/stitch count I want but I need to be careful on the parts that say “Knit to XX inch length”. Shall we take on odds on if I remember this whilst knitting?

Now I just need to plan my cast on…heheheheheh!

Happy Knitting!!

Matching Advent Heels

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I decided not to wait to install the heels on my second set of 2024 Cozy Knitter Advent Socks.

I might regret this. Picking up stitches with so little fabric on the leg portion…I dropped a stitch at the corner and it ran 5 rows before I noticed. ON BOTH SOCKS, sigh. I secured both with a lobster claw stitch marker and I will ladder back up.

Unfortunately I don’t have any loose ends on the inside of those respective corners to be able to secure that stitch. Which means I will have to grab some waste yarn and tack those stitches securely. But hey…..don’t my heels look great!

Oh! And I took out about 5 rows of my “recipe” afterthought heel and the work measures 9 inches from toe to heel which matches my foot. We will give it the ultimate test when I get to try these on!

Happy Knitting!!

Finished: A Hat For Jenn

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The Hat for Jenn is off the needles and onto the hat form!

Pattern: My own 88 stitch beanie working in stockinette with a folded brim

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Thelittlewolfknits Opti base in the color Prophecy

This hand ended up using 86 grams or 187 yards of yarn. I tried for a big brim and a tall hat as the recipient has a lot of long hair. I spent a lot of time admiring my stitches post blocking as they came out so even and balanced.

Now I need to dig out some tissue paper and a mailer to get this sent off to it’s recipient. I will have to text her to verify her address as she has moved. I am still going to try and be sneaky.

Happy Knitting!!