Author Archives: atangledyarn84

Boxy Separation

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I am at the sleeve separation in my Worsted Boxy I forgot to move my progress keeper from earlier this week but I know I added roughly three and a half inches of stockinette to get to the desired length. I did stop right before the pattern recommendation but I know my Berroco yarn will grow when I wash and block.

And I pulled even more cord stoppers out from interchangeable set and put the back stitches on holders. Look at me being a responsible knitter and using tools as they are prescribed!

Now I’m off to Knit and Purl Island for several more inches on the front. I am going to try and pay attention now that I’m working flat to make sure my gauge doesn’t go all wack-a-doodle. I hate when I get a line in my fabric when I switch form flat to the round. Not enough to fix it, heaven forbid, but enough to make a nice harrumph out loud.

Happy Knitting!!

Let’s Just Do The Sleeve

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On Monday I had managed to achieve sleeve separation and knit down a few rows. I did sneak away, despite my family’s best efforts, to a local Joanns and grab as 16 inch circular needle in size 7 to start my sleeves. I really think I’m going to be happier if I knit the sleeves without having to turn the entire body of sweater.

The body is still on a cord with some cord stoppers I dug out of my interchangeable set. I think this is the first time I have every used them for this purpose. However, they are coming in really really handy now. It’s nice to feel like my live body stitches are secure and just hanging out waiting for me to come back.

This pattern has the sleeves worked flat and seamed up. Yeah…I’m not doing that. I modified this pattern to omit about six stitches and then to knit in the round. And I pulled my row counter from tool bag and its helping me keep track of my decrease rounds. Normally I would just make tick marks on the paper but I didn’t trust myself this time around. I’ll let you know how it works out!

Happy Knitting!!

A Good Chunk of Stockinette

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Y’all….stockinette is giving me life right now. Round and round on nice fast metal needles is my jam. And my Worsted Boxy is seeing the results.

The bottom hem is still rolling like crazy. It drives me crazy to try and get good photos of the project. But since my last post I have managed to add about a hands span of work. My Tikka Masalla progress keeper has been making me smile as I pass it every round.

I think based on my last measurement I need like three more inches of body stockinette and then I can separate for the sleeves! I’m both dreading and looking forward to it. I will halve the number of stitches I have to work when I separate but I will also have to purl as I will be working flat. But I know I’m looking forward to a finished sweater for the impending Fall!

Happy knitting!!

Sleeve Separation!

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This past weekend I got some decent knitting time sans kiddos thanks to the miracle of naps and play dates. I managed to slog through the rest of the raglan increases on my Autumn League Pullover and get separated for the sleeves.

I had one tiny hiccup where I dropped a stitch and didn’t notice for like 10 rounds. I steeled myself and then laddered down to the dropped stitched then worked both stitches back up. It was a tight squeeze but I managed to make it look decent by pulling on some of the surrounding stitches to even it a little bit.

I think my next step would be to find a shortie size 7 circular and start the sleeves so I don’t have to turn the full weight of the body while doing the sleeves. I also want to try three quarter length sleeves, but I’m not sure how they will look and feel with this oversized fit. I might develop this as I go. I mean the worst that can happen is that I rip back and start over right?

 

The Fat Squirrel Vortex

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I got a shiny new present. I have been watching the Fat Squirrel Speaks podcast and social media channels for awhile now and saw recently that she was having an update on her bags. She came back from SSK with leftover stock, which never happens. Her bags are impeccable and kind of hard to get.

I actually remembered the time of the update and was free when it went live so I hopped on to see if it had been wiped out. It hadn’t and I saw this pink and gold treasure that needed to come live with me. The Fat Squirrel bag vortex just sucked me right in!

It’s a two to maybe three skein project sized bag with a zipper closure. Definitely good for shawls or medium sized projects. I don’t really have much in this size as I have previously only collected sock sized project bags or sweater sized bags.

She even tucked in a sachet of homegrown lavender that smelled AMAZING! If you are ever in a place to get one of her bags I do highly recommend them!

Fun At The Fair

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I took a break from regular life and took my kiddos my parents for the weekend. It also happened to be the 100th anniversary of my home county fair. We made sure to hit the animal barns….mom’s favorite! I tried to swing by the art and craft exhibits but they weren’t open the morning we were there, sigh.

We petted a hairy sheep. (This one didn’t have wool but had hair. It was a weird feeling but the sheep was very friendly!).

Then we found a mommy and baby goat where Jellybean wanted to crawl in the pen!

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Even PB wanted in on the action (with the protection of Papa nearby for safety).

Baby animals just make me melt! We of course also had ice cream, saw a lot of old friends and took some time to play on the nearby playground. 

Most of the animals at this fair are 4H projects and raised for meat. I know that doesn’t always align with everyone’s ideologies but it was just a fact of life where I grew up in a highly agricultural community. Most of the sheep had already been sheered and readied for market.

All in all it was a great day. Papa even took Jellybean back to the fair in the evening to ride the carnival rides. They both came back sweaty and exhausted.

This Week’s Meditation

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Today’s meditation is brought to you by blush wine, knitting the hubby does the kids’ bedtime…

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I’m soooo close to separating for sleeves on my Autumn League Pullover, I can literally taste it! The initial neck shaping and raglan increases just whooshed by. But now it seems I knit and knit and knit but every time I measure I haven’t seem to have made any progress. I guess that is where the meditation comes in…

Happy Knitting!

My First Sucre Sucre Miniature Progress Keepers

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After my foot disaster this week, I got a cheery little package in the mail.  In a fit of weakness after a long work day and a glass of wine after the kids went to bed I fell down in the Sucre Sucre miniatures online store a few weeks back. I’m not going to pretend to apologize. My bills are paid and my children want for nothing so I decided to treat myself. (I felt at the time this was better than a pint of Mint Chip from Ben and Jerry’s while watching Big Bang Theory re-runs.)

I had picked the Swiss Cake Roll and Chicken Tikka Masala process keepers. I have been seeing and hearing about Sucre Sucre miniatures from all kinds of blogs, webcasts and podcasts for literally years and I wanted in. And these just made me smile. The swiss cake roll is already in service on my Autumn League Pullover.

I haven’t decided where I am going to put the Chicken Tikka Masala yet…oh the possibilities!

Happy Knitting!!

Wipe Out

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Well I started my Autumn League Pullover last week and boy am I glad I did! While innocently walking through my dining room I stubbed my last two toes on my foot on a dining room chair. I went down HARD. It literally took my breath away. I’m not sure if I broke the pinky toe or just jammed it all to high heaven. But holy cow it hurts! All I can manage these past couple of days is stockinette in the round.

So I’m sitting with foot up and knitting on my pullover per doctor’s orders. The hubby is going to get to wrangle the kids for a few days with this one. It was an epic wipe out! The swelling has set in already and I’m sure I’ll end up with a WICKED bruise too.

Thanks heavens for knitting, ice packs and ibuprofen! Happy knitting!!

A Half Finished Shortie

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I chaperoned Jellybean on a play date this past week. It’s in the high 80s to low 90s (Fahrenheit) here in Kansas, so with the aid of a breeze we got some wiggles out at a local park. I of course brought my knitting….my Cheery Vanilla Socks were ready to cast off!

I snuck in the afterthought toe this past week during some epic and long drawn out conference call planning meetings.  And after the heel was done I decided these were going to be shortie socks as my sock drawer is a little thin on those kind of socks. (And I just kind of wanted to be done…full disclosure.)

Above is the awkward leg contortion selfie photo of my half finished object. I thought about getting the kids to help but they were eating Fun Dip and sharing secrets under a shady tree. I decided not to interrupt them but mostly I didn’t want my sock to be sticky (#momtruth). Past Rachelle had decided to help Future Rachelle by casting on the second toe at the same time I cast on the first toe. So I’m off to the races up the foot of sock number two.

I really like Past Rachelle sometimes! Happy Knitting!!