Author Archives: atangledyarn84

Shopping Small With Someone Small

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My little man was getting a little restless after three days at the Grandparents. So we loaded up in the car and headed “to town”. Which for those raised in the sticks means driving at least an hour to a moderately large city that has more than a grocery store and antique shop/junk store. Jellybean and I dropped Grandma and Aunt Bar-bar at a Joann’s and spencer and I headed off to shop small at Yarns Sold and Told in Salina Ks.

I have been wanting to find some workhorse solid sock yarns for contrasting bits and bobs. Spence was SO FANTASTIC about shopping with mommy. We held hands and walked the sidewalks and chatted about toddler life. He was amazed by the yarn and fell in love with a shop sample knitted monkey. (Mommy was a softy and let him pick out yarn for mommy to knit a toy monkey. More about that later.)

While I perused sock yarn Jellybean found some sample ribbon scarves and proceeded to play dress up with the shop mirror. He asked one of the proprietors if he “looked pretty” and she just about burst out giggling as she assured him he did. He kept himself busy while I finished my shopping.

He was so amazing that we slid down the street to a local ice cream store and split two scoops of chocolate. It was a perfect mommy and Jellybean date! I’m going to hang on to that memory for awhile ❤️

Happy Knitting!

WIP Wednesday #2: Daunt Cowl

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My Daunt Cowl has been growing slowly oh low these past few weeks of potty training. I’m just now starting the last of the purples!

I’m still not sure I’m sold on the magic knots as I can tell where they are in my work. They are thus far staying on the back side of the work. But full disclose, I have not blocked this and blocking is ALWAYS magic. I do find myself rushing in order to get past the purples because up next is BLUE!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Mother-Of-All Shawl

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This is one of the last project/yarn combos I put together waaaay back in August to prepare for the Pigskin Party KAL. This is the MOA Shawl by Nick Davis using my MJ Yarns Simple Sock in the Mice and Men color.

I haven’t been getting a lot of knitting time lately and I’ve gotten in a bit of funk. Nothing in my WIPs *sounded* like fun. So I started this baby on annual personal day off of work to celebrate my birthday.

I’m two full repeats into the very easy pattern. I’m finding the variegated yarn is playing nicely with the pattern. This yarn will need a good blocking as this project just likes to kink back on itself like CRAZY! You see my fingers in the  photo because that’s the only way I could showcase the pattern!

Honestly I don’t know what I will wear this shawl with as my closet leans green and blue. But it’s just so pretty I’ll have to find something. Or else it will be my snoodling up shawl at my bedside!

Happy Knitting!!

Happy Birthday To Me

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My birthday came and went in a flurry of laundry and stomach flu woes. We have had some unseasonable weather her in the Midwest and it’s really reeking havoc on our immune systems….at least in this house.

Nonetheless, my husband asked for some birthday suggestions and I sent him some names of new-to-me yarn dyers that I would like to have something from. He picked Shannon of Mudpunch. She’s Canadian and I hear her mentioned on several Canadian podcasts I listen to. The hubby chose a speckle sock set in her Tundra/Desert colorway.

The yarn has a great hand and the lovely green colors are something I wouldn’t normally choose. I can decide if this needs to be a two color shawl or a pair of socks with contrasting heels/toes/cuffs. I’ve never done the later (on purpose anyway) and the former is still relatively new to me.

I think this yarn needs to ruminate in the stash for awhile! Happy Knitting!!

A Smidgeon of Sock

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I have been cheating on my Pigskin Party knitting.

This is a WIP that predates the KAL so it doesn’t count for points. But my Strands of Drunken Watermelon socks have been living in my desk and I’ve put some stitches on the second sock during long webinars and conference calls. I’ve made maybe an inch? Slowly but surely this will be sock someday!

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Daunt Cowl

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My Daunt Cowl has some seen some action!

I managed to plow throw the rows and rows of speckled solid color. I could not wait to start getting to the color changes!

I’ve now completed the three grey and black stripes. Next up is the purples in my rainbow of scraps. I just love looking at the rainbow cake unwind as I knit. It’s just so pretty!!

Happy Knitting!!

Knitting Slow-Mo

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I haven’t been great about posting lately. This isn’t another blog post apologizing….blah blah blah. I promise it’s for a good reason and I’m not sorry, lol.

My knitting mojo ramped up really high in September and then took a major nose dive in October  when Jellybean expressed interest in potty training. I can’t tell you how excited I am that he’s FINALLY on board now that he’s 3. He’s a big growing boy and we are busting out of pull-ups, lol. I’m seriously buying his clothes in the Boys section now 😢.

So my knitting time has been replaced with potty related books and videos, hours spent in the bathroom helping him work out the logistics and of course cleaning up more accidents than a new puppy….

At the end of the day I’m just pooped out, literally and figuratively, lol. My knitting has slowed considerably and is mostly vanilla stockinette. I still plan to pop in here as much as possible. So don’t abandon me!!

Ps. Any positive thoughts and vibes towards my kid completely milestone would be greatly appreciated. Momma needs a potty trained toddler!!!

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Vanilla Rainbow Socks

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Phew! I finished my (hopefully) last Christmas knit! My Vanilla Rainbow Socks!


These were a quick but slow knit for reasons I’ll explain later. But they match almost perfectly! And I turned them in for FOUR KALs for points/possible prizes. How can you not love that?

Pattern: 64 stitch toe up vanilla sock with gusset heel

Needles: US2 nine inch circs

Yarn: Cascade Heritage Prints in the Rainbow color

My mom really like these so they might end up being for her. And the Christmas pair I finished prior might go to my aunt Barb. I used 310 yards or 71 grams of the skein so they could have been bigger but I was soooo done with this project I just couldn’t do it!

Happy Knitting!!

Knitting with Jellybean

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Every once in awhile Jellybean shows some fleeting interest in my knitting. Mostly he wants to know if the project is for him or if he can play with it. I have been very firm but gentle in talking about that we don’t touch other people’s knitting. Jellybean is very keen to turn my ball winder as well which I let him help me do from time to time. He also very much enjoys unwinding small balls of yarn. He calls this process “his knitting” I always have little bits and bobs laying around so I decided to make him his own knitting.

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I pulled out a project bag with knitting skulls on it and he was delighted. I then included some heavy fingering and sport weight little balls of yarn. He was DELIGHTED to have his own bag and his own yarn.  I can’t tell you how many times I rewound his “knitting” for him but I’m pretty sure we played for a solid 40 minutes.

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I just love that he enjoys spending time with me doing crafty things!

Happy Knitting!!