Category Archives: Knitting

All my knitting adventures

Finished: 2018 Advent Socks

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The 2018 Advent Socks are done and dusted!

Pattern: My own 68 stitch toe up vanilla sock “recipe”

Yarn: The Cozy Knitter 2018 Advent Stripe skein and The Cozy Knitter Bliss Sock white mini skein

Needles: US 1s

I used about 15 grams of the white contrast for the toes and heels. While I used exactly half of the advent skein. The Cozy Knitter sends hers with two full repeats of the 24 color design. So I can get two pairs of socks out of these skeins for my US 9 womens shoe size. I did mess up one sock slightly as the heel and toe are just slightly off alignment. But that doesn’t affect their wearability so I’m rocking it.

I do have the remainder of the skein to do something with. I think I will move on to the 2019 skein and save all the second halves. And then I will take all the seconds and send off to be cranked into sock snakes. Then I can batch create the second pair of each color.

Seems simple right? Happy Knitting!!

Grafting The Heels

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The 2018 Advent Socks are extremely close to being done.

I cut the heels in last week and got the live stitches on the needles. I have just been avoiding knitting the actual heels. I do a modified afterthought heel where I add extra plain rows when I start the heel and methodically work down to the alternating decrease row/plain row pattern. This creates a deeper heel that fits my specific foot better. The fabric doesn’t slip down into the foot portion nearly as badly.

Both of these are ready for Kitchener and I’m feeling the task avoidance….

Happy Knitting!!

Finished: Bibliophile 2

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The Bibliophile 2 is finally off my needles after almost exactly one year on the needles.

Pattern: Bibliophile 2 by Alicia Plummer (Rav Link)

Needles: US 7s and US 5s

Yarn: Berroco Vintage DK in Blue

Mods: I didn’t knit the cuff ribbing as long as called for. And I lengthened the body to have a finished length that hit below my hips, also a pattern deviation.

This ended up being a nice comfy sweater. Just slightly oversized without swamping me. The sleeves are slouchy and cover my knuckles. I used just under four full skeins of the Vintage DK. Finished weight is 372 grams of yarn or 1,078 yards of yarn. I have a little numb and one full skein left over.

I literally tried this on and took photos in the 100+ degree heat. So I didn’t linger in this FO for very long. It will be a minute before I need this sweater for warmth. The pattern was fairly easy to follow and the finished look is good. But I likely wouldn’t knit this one again, once is enough.

Now I need to plan my fall sweater knit and what I want to work on for the 2026 Pigskin Party KAL! Happy Knitting!!

Cutting In 2018 Heels

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The tubes are done for the 2018 Advent Vanilla Socks!

I measured and cut in for where my heels need to go. It’s so hot here in Kansas that I plan to skip the wool and do some reading in the basement where the air doesn’t hurt my face. But I think another evening of swim lessons or indoor gymnastics and I will have finished heels. And therefore finished socks!

I will have half a skein of the self striping left. I am formulating an idea where I save the second halves of all my advent skeins and send them off to be machine knit into snakes….stay tuned….

Happy Knitting!!

Casting Off, Finally

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It just finished storming here in the Midwest and is forecasted to start to reach temperatures close to the surface of the sun. So why not finish a DK weight sweater? The Bibliophile 2 is almost done!

I have in fact used my measuring tape to figure out when to stop instead of just using up all the rest of my skein that is attached to the work. I don’t need a knitted dress.

This thing is cast off and I did a quick bath in the sink. Bright side to the heat? This thing is drying quickly in the constant flow of A/C from the floor vent. Plus I popped it outside in the sun for a couple of hours to speed up the process.

Next up, I just need to weave in the rest of my ends and take FO photos. In 100 plus degree heat…..Sigh

Happy Knitting!!

Hemming Along

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The 2×2 hem is growing on my Bibliophile 2. I’m on the home stretch, I think? I have over an inch thus far on these tiny needles.

PB has passed level three swim and I got to enjoy an only sort of hot Saturday morning in the shade. My ball of yarn is shrinking but I’m also making growing progress on the hem. It’s just a race now!

Happy Knitting!!

Fell Down In The Library Sale

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I took the kids to the library to collect our summer reading prizes. And it just so happened they were having the library book sale.

I might have fallen down in the mystery section. I grabbed six books that just sounded good. Turns out I had already read one of the six books so it’s going into little free library in my neighborhood.

And one of these was actually on my Goodreads FYP page so I feel like my instincts are good, lol.

Happy Reading!!

Bibliophile 2 Hem

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Okay, I honestly have slogged through the rest of the stockinette body of my Bibliophile 2. By It wasn’t that much in reality but I was ready to be done.

I have gone down needle sizes. One more even than the sleeves. Why? I couldn’t find my 5s so I used 4s. This Berroco Vintage DK really relaxes anyway so I don’t think the difference will be noticeable. (Fingers crossed)

Now I just have inches and inches of 2×2 rib to do. I have a pretty good chunk of skein left. My plan might be to knit the rest of this skein and not crack into the last skein unless I absolutely have to.

I’ll see how much this skein makes in fabric.

Happy Knitting!!

Book Rescue

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I was recently visiting my parents recently and there were some “free to a good home” pile of books. Jellybean was so sad to see books about to get rained on so we rescued them.

I had never heard of this author, but they appear to a novel/beach read type of author. Lots of romance and mystery type of themes. It’s a pretty extensive collection of one author with only one duplicate. I think the duplicate will go into the Little Lending Library in my neighborhood.

I just can’t decide if I will keep these or keep sprinkling them around. I think I will test read one to find out if I like this author and their style. I should give it a fair shake, don’t you? I think I will peruse the synopses to see what catches my fancy as the best one.

Happy Reading!!

Planning By The Pool

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PB has been doing level swim this year. So I get roughly 45 minutes poolside every evening this week.

I decided to organize some new hats for the 2026 Pigskin party. This is all yarn I picked up in Alaska this summer. I’m going envisioning two mohair hats and the Glacier Bay kit.

When I got the kit I didn’t realize that the pattern it was meant for was color-work. I found it on Ravelry when I was waiting poolside. At first, I was like heck no. But I am growing more used to it. It looks like an interesting challenge and something different.

I still need to buy the pattern. And now I need to pull needles and stitch markers to go in each project bag.

Happy Knitting!!