Author Archives: atangledyarn84

Canadian Stash Enhancement

Posted on by
12

This week’s self care is brought to you by Canada! I opened the Gauge Dyeworks newsletter at the exact right time for a shop update and the wrong time where I was feeling down about the state of the world.

This is the classic merino twist sock yarn in a self striping set of greens. The official name is Colour Study: Green. It’s 443 yards and 115 grams of the plumpest most glorious sock yarn ever. I have been letting this yarn sit out on my work at home desk so I can admire and pet before I add it to my stash.

Has the current state of affairs led you to pad your stash or use your stash? I’m somewhere in between the two….

Happy Knitting

Basic Failure

Posted on by
7

Well….I got kicked in the teeth by not swatching during what is a very stressful time. My Everyday Slouchy Beanie is TIGHT y’all. Like squeeze my brain out my ears tight.

I made enough fabric in the hat portion to try it on. I had been having a niggling feeling that brim was maybe tight after I had turned and joined the cast on edge. But I just kept knitting and damned if my instinct wasn’t correct.

Now, I have knit a TON of stitches into this thing. Andafter knitting both halves of the brim…I’m not ripping out floofy yarn for that many stitches! This hat will fit someone when I’m done. I might just have to be sad that it doesn’t fit me.

Note to self: Next time you are extraordinarily stressed….check yo gauge!

Turning The Brim

Posted on by
2

I’ve overcome my dropped stitch problems and busted through the entire brim! My Everyday Slouchy Beanie is soooo soft, I can help but stop and pet the fabric!

This is yarn I picked up from Winter Woolfest 2020 from Apothefaery Fibers. I’m holding brushed Suri alpaca and fingering weight sock yarn to make my fabric. It’s melted butter soft and doesn’t shed like mohair. And the best part is now I’m on to the bigger needles and the at is just FLYING!

Happy Knitting

Dropped Stitch Drama

Posted on by
7

I am cruising along through the brim of my Everyday Slouchy Beanie. This has been my Zoom meeting and assorted work from home conference call knitting that I keep in my lap. I looked down tonight after I had created about an inch of fabric throughout the day to discover a d*mn dropped stitch….

So I took a fortifying drink of chamomile tea and laddered back down in floofy suri alpaca lace weight held double with sock yarn. I didn’t feel like working the dropped stitch back up as it’s own column so I just worked a K2TOG with the stitch next to it. And then worked the single column of stitches all the way back up.

The fix was pretty seamless aside from you can see the decreased stitch. The floof of the suri silk really hides a on of sins. And now I’m back on track to almost be done with the brim. This hat has a folded double brim instead of ribbing. I am almost the point I can pick up my cast on edge and work into my live stiches.

Happy knitting!!

FO Friday: F Bomb

Posted on by
4

My F Bomb turned out to be a quick knit! I have a teeny tiny (slightly rude) finished object for this week.

Pattern: The F Bomb by Jenifer Spock-Rank

Yarn: Bernat Satin Solids in black and some scraps of Caron Simply Soft for accents

Needles: US 5s

The knitting of the bomb portion went pretty well. I was getting a nice fabric on the 5s and none of the stuffing is showing through. My crochet for the fuse could be a bit tighter but I think it looks very fuse like. Now, my duplicate stitch is ATROCIOUS but at least successful for my first go at it.

I have looked at several tutorials now for the duplicate stitch and I think having this piece being in the round and the fact that there is stuffing on the inside makes this process not as simple as it would be for a flat piece. All I really need is more practice and I think I can improve.

I really liked this pattern and I think I’m going to crank out a few more to give out to coworkers and family once it’s safe to be in the same place at the same time again. I am finding this kind of knitting to be very cathartic!

Happy Knitting!!

Work From Home Style

Posted on by
3

Still working from home and my current coworker (aka my husband) insists on opening windows or running the AC because he is warm all the time. I meanwhile am freezing my debits and credits off. So I’m looking quite the sight on my Zoom meetings….but at least I’m warm!

I have on my Free Your Fade, my Faded Fingerless Mitts and DK Habitation throw. What is your work at home style of late?

Frogging My Party Top

Posted on by
10

I’m calling it….I’m frogging the TINY neck band for my Party Top. And this isn’t an April fools joke.

I just can’t pick this up to knit on it so there’s no sense in just letting it sit. I have had this on the needles since November…that is just too long. I still love this yarn and want it to turn it into something (its Moonstone Dyeworks DK in three coordinating colors). I also still want to make this top…but I think I have yarn in my stash that would be better suited to it.

I have found some clarity in my knitting lately and I feel in a much better place to “finish” or “frog” it. I want to work on things I will wear and want. No sense in forcing a project just because it is sitting there.

I am thinking a nice big squishy shawl would be great for this yarn. Maybe with these colors striped or faded? Time to dig into Ravelry!!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: The F Bomb

Posted on by
3

I felt the itch for a new project this weekend. And in light of recent world events I decided this project from my Ravelry queue would be PERFECT.

I even managed to find some black yarn from my stash that would be serviceable enough for this project. I have some Bernat Satin Solids in black rolling around from my early knitting days. I printed the project, grabbed some needles that should get me gauge and pulled a cute project bag from my stash.

I just need to work up the courage to cast on in the round with a small number of stitches on my DPNs. Not my favorite type of knitting but I really want this project. I will also have to learn to duplicate stitch as the F is added after the fact. So I guess I’ll use this time of distancing to add a new skill to my knitting tool kit.

I would hope to crank out a few of these over the next few weeks. I think they would make cute thank you gifts for my staff and other work colleagues when we (hopefully) get back to working regularly.

Happy Knitting!!

Weaving Fail

Posted on by
3

I was trying to be a good knitter and give future Rachelle a leg up on finishing these socks. I decided to weave in the end on my Dark Side Vanilla Socks (Take Two) before starting the heels. I am making these from a sock machine cranked sock tube, so there are a LOT of ends to weave in from the contrast heels, toes and cuffs.

I was working with the sock turned inside out and when I turned them right side out I had a d’oh moment. I had accidentally dipped my needle in too far and grabbed a stitch from the sock. After a couple of curse words I turned the sock inside out again and PICKED OUT MY CAREFULLY WOVEN IN ENDS. It took 30 minutes because the universe was teaching me a lesson.

I very carefully re-wove in the ends after I released the extra stitch. It looks much better now! It was a total weaving fail but at least one I could correct. I think these socks are ready for their afterthought heels now!

Happy Knitting!!

Dinner Rolls Take Two

Posted on by
6

Happy Carbohydrate Friday! (I’m pretending its a thing during this crazy time)

I decided to take another run at dinner rolls in my bread machine. My last attempt was okay but I knew I could do better. I did some internet searches and landed on the Bread Machine Dinner Rolls on the Betty Crocker website.

The dough came together nicely. I managed to make more reasonably sized dinner rolls that were almost all the same size. The batch made 15 rolls and they raised nicely. I think I need to space them a little better during their second proofing.

The rolls taste and texture were a VAST improvement form my first try. This recipe is definitely a keeper. I printed it and put it inside my bread machine cookbook. My family quickly gobbled these with a bit of butter and peach jam.

Happy Baking!