Author Archives: atangledyarn84

Cast On: Autumn League Pullover

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I have had crazy sweater mojo here lately. It’s all I feel drawn to right now. I have a Worsted Boxy on the needles in a neutral colored Berroco yarn. But that didn’t stop me from casting on the Autumn League Pullover by Alexandra Tavel after I saw one being worn by the Jodi of the Grocery Girls podcast.

I printed the free version of the pattern and marked it up for the medium/large size, grabbed some needles and yarn and just started knitting. I pulled some Lion Brand Heartland yarn in the Acadia colorway (that has been in my stash for 5 year) because its a pretty soft 100% acrylic yarn that had the appropriate yardage I needed. It’s basically the same color as my Worsted Boxy. whoops!  I didn’t gauge swatch or pre-plan at all. This could be a total disaster…for real.

Speaking of disaster, did any of you catch the minor disaster in the photo above? When I pulled needles I just grabbed my plastic interchangeable that I have had since 2009. They had the right needles size and cord length so I could cast on right away. Well….these needles have seen better days. And as I was pushing the growing number of stitches around the cord….it came unlocked/un-clicked and I dropped about 25 stitches.

I grabbed a tapestry needle and some scrap yarn and scooped  up those stitches before they could run. I was pleasantly surprised that for 100% acrylic the stitches stayed pretty much put. I got wise after this and dug out my Knit Picks aluminum interchangeable needles and transferred my work to those. I made sure to use the key to tighten the cords.

I’m not sure if changing needle types will change my gauge or not. But after looking at my work I can already see places where I was purling flat that have some noticeable tension/gauge differences that I can see. So what the heck would a few more of those bother? This is comfy sweatshirt style pullover that I probably will just wear around the house. I just really want to be knitting soothing stockinette in the round forever and ever.

I am wondering if I am switching from a product knitter to a process knitter…zounds!!

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Worsted Boxy

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Thanks to many nights of re-watching the Big Bang Theory series over from the beginning I’m making fairly decent progress on my Worsted Boxy by Joji Locatelli.  Despite doubling the ribbing rows, this darn thing still flips and wants to roll. Hears hoping blocking helps!

I’m most of the way through my second skein of Berroco Vintage. This is the Mushroom color that has a decent chance of washing me out completely. But I’m knitting and loving it anyway! I took a quick measurement and I’m about 10 inches into the body. So I still have a ways to go before splitting at what I assume will be the armholes. I really should read ahead in the pattern!

P.S. Both my mother and my husband keep giving me crazy looks because I’m knitting a worsted weight HUGE sweater in August…..in Kansas. I’m just a special kind of crazy I guess! Happy Knitting!!

Cheery Progress

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I’ve had to move my workouts indoors to the fitness center at work. But I’m still managing to get more steps in and put some stripes on my Cheery Vanilla Socks. I looked down the other day and realized I was probably at the heel. So I measured and sure enough I was two rows past where I needed to put in my afterthought heel yarn.

So during a particularly long conference call meeting I tinked back those two rows and knit in the waste yarn. Which, by the way, I just had laying in my desk drawer because that’s totally normal right?

This sock feels and looks super skinny but my stitch count and gauge are right on with my other Felici socks I have made previously that fit. I’m going to be zen about it. If they are are too tight then they will go in the gift pile for Christmas!

Happy Knitting!!

Self Care Renewed

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It’s hot and my kids are extra special kinds of wound up because of the heat and limited hours outside. So this week’s self care is brought to you by….

Leftover cake I found in the freezer from PB’s 1st birthday in May, vanilla ice cream, my Progression Shawl, my worsted boxy as a back up knitting project, and knitting podcasts on the TV.

I mean, whats the worst that can happen? I drip a little cake or melted ice cream on my shawl. I think I’ll risk it. Fall shall be here soon!!

Happy knitting!!

Cast On: Progression Shawl

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I have found my zen again. As I wrote yesterday, I frogged my everyday shawl in my Cheshire Cat mini set yarn. Yet another dive down the Ravelry pattern search rabbit hole led me to the Progression Shawl by Carin Risinger.

This pattern is a garter stitch shawl which makes me happy because I was not in the mood to purl after my issues with the everyday shawl. And it’s also incorporated some easy eyelets to add some interest. The Progression Shawl is also asymmetrical and should made a nice long shawl to wrap up cozy in next winter. Not to mention I feel like the garter and eyelets are suited to the heavy variegation in this yarn.

The added bonus to this pattern is the fact that I can adjust the instructions to easily use up all my yarn. Those kinds of details just make my OCD tendencies SUPER happy. I might decide to save out 8-10 grams total of this set to add to my memory blanket. I’ll have to see how the yarn stacks out in this shawl.

Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!!

Frog It: Everyday Shawl

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It’s time for more violins. I am recognizing a pattern in my knitting luck here lately. The Everyday shawl I cast on this week is headed to the frog pond. But let me explain.

I’m still at that weird thong looking stage of this shawl but I did work through multiple sections before confirming my decision to frog. Let me preface with this by saying, this pattern is well written and explains everything you need to know. And I think it was handling the variegated nature of the yarn beautifully.I as the knitter just can’t get my shawl to do what its supposed to do.

Without giving away the secret sauce, I keep messing up the increases at the edges and I never end up with the right stitch counts. So I found myself not wanting to pick up this project and kinda hating it. Life is to short to knit things that make you unhappy. I still want to knit this pattern some day but right now my sleep deprived-mom of two kids-with a full time job brain just can’t handle this. This yarn deserves better.

Tomorrow I will cast on the third attempt to make this yarn a shawl! Stay tuned….

(Re) Cast On: Dad’s 2019 Christmas Socks

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I put my big girl pants on and re-cast on my Dad’s christmas socks. This time I’m working a 64 stitch count sock.

The yarn is standing up well to re-knitting as I can barely even tell it has been kinked up. I’m finished with the toe increases and ready to zoom through the foot. I am still kicking myself that I have to re-knit this. Always listen to that voice that keeps telling you that something is off with your knitting, sigh….

I am slightly cheered by the fact I’m using my 19 stitches project bag. This project bag has been floating around in my purse for weeks and really has stood up well to a lot of abuse. I like that in a project bag!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Everyday Shawl

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I have been sitting on a pack of Wonderland Yarns Cheshire Cat mini and tried to make then into a Vamping Shawl. That turned out to not be a great match of pattern and yarn. So after frogging I did some Ravelry searches and came up with Everyday Sahwl by Jenny Faifel. It was a little challenging to find a shawl that fit my yardage that wasn’t all over complicated lace and will suit this variegated yarn. My mom brain has NO space for lace nonsense right now. This shawl looks amazing! It’s alternating sections of stockinette and reverse stockinette so really soothing and easy on my grey matter.

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This is an asymmetrical triangle shawl that will make a nice large shawl that should be very wearable. And I think the pattern should be able to handle the variegated nature of the yarn. It will be interesting to see how the yarn transitions as I add the other minis.

I may or may not have cast this project on at 9 pm at night. Which soothed my soul, but I had to cast this on, rip it back and re-cast on to feel like I was understanding what I should be doing. My stitch counts were all off on the first go round. I’m 100% sure it was (tired) user error. But the good new is the 2-ply yarn structure didn’t seem to suffer from the ripping and re-knitting!

Happy Knitting!!

Dad’s Socks Go To The Frog Pond

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I need to start playing sad violin right about now. I was so excited to have finished the first sock of my dad’s Christmas present. My husband made a comment that the sock looked extra huge. So when my dad was helping with my floor I had him try it on.

You guys it sagged EVERYWHERE. It was loose on the leg, the heel and the foot! I had no choice but to resign it to the frog pond. I realistically need to take out eight stitches from the stitch count. And it’s my own fault. I was knitting DK weight yarn using a sport weight sock stitch count. (Read: too many stitches for that thick of yarn.)

So during a Netflix re-watch of a favorite episode of NCIS I turned the above sock int these….two balls of ramen. One sock ball and one heel ball because I cut in an afterthought heel. Sigh….

I still want these for his Christmas so I need to get back on them. But I may need a mourning period first…

Happy Knitting!!

Not Quite A Full Foot

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I have been pretty diligent about getting off my rear end for lunch and walking. Aside from feeling less stressed and hitting my step goal most days. I’ve been adding more stripes to my Cheery Vanilla Socks.

It’s hard to see from this angle but I have about 5.5 inches of foot complete. I have a 9 inch foot so I like to get to 7 inches (or just shy of) before I add waste yarn for a forethought afterthought heel. Based on how much I get knit…I think I have three more walks and I’ll be at the heel!

Happy Friday to all and keep on Knitting!!