Category Archives: cast on

Casting On: Swiftie Hat

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I couldn’t help myself, I cast on another hat. I am staring a Touchdown Beanie by Katie Carlson with a Chiefs kit from TreasureGoddess and her fall sale. I am calling this one the Swiftie Beanie though. I have a colleague turning 50 next year and she both loves Chiefs and Taylor Swift.

I had just enough mojo to power through a TON of 2×2 ribbing for the brim. I extended the ribbing a bit so that she can fold the brim. But I do not plan to turn and sew it down, at least just not yet.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: 2025 Cozy Knitter Advent Socks

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It’s December 1st and that means it’s time to cast on advent socks!

True to my habits, I grabbed the Cozy Knitter 24 stripe advent for 2025. I prepped both toes with the contrast skein and I’m ready to start the first stripe later today. I do plan to use the contrast yarn to add flecks in between color changes.

This may mean I won’t be able to do the heels in the contrast. And that is a future Rachelle problem 😝

Happy Knitting!!

Failed Swatch: Rock It Tee

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I had a successful swatch yesterday. But today is not as lucky. Swatching for my Rock It Tee was a total fail

I checked the pattern like 5 times and measured three different ways. I am just way to big at my gauge and needle size. And I can’t fathom going down to much smaller needles and knitting at that gauge. I am also not willing to do the math to pick a pattern size in this pattern to work up a garment that fits me.

I am going to take this swatch and do a Ravelry search to find something that works at this needle size and gauge. Going into the holidays, I don’t want to think that hard!

Happy Swatching!!

Swatching: Cozy Classic Raglan

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I am far enough along on my Round Yoke Pullover that I wanted to start swatching for a Cozy Classic Raglan.

Using my Nomad Yarns DK tweed, I was able to get pattern gauge with the recommended needles. I honestly did a little happy dance. I was swatching over the weekend as I recuperated from a nasty cold. I needed the win!

Now I just need to find more hours in the day to knit. I think this will be the carrot to keep plowing through my current sweater WIP!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: 2025 Fall Hat

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I do love a good cozy cast on. I was traveling recently and after finishing my Firepit Hat and my Dragonfly Hat, I needed a new hat for on-the-go knitting. I grabbed some Yarns Northwest Silk & Merino from my stash because it didn’t need wound. I was low on prep time before traveling.

This is finer yarn than the worsted that listed on the label. I feel like this is closer to a heavy sport or sport weight. Therefore, I chose to go down in needle size for my beanie “recipe” and up in stitch count. I cast on 112 stitches with US 5s. And I snuggled into a fluffy hotel bed with my complimentary glass of wine. What could go wrong! 😛

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Firepit Hat

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Friends invited us for a driveway hang with their new fire pit. And I didn’t have anything on hand that I wouldn’t mind to knit and have it smell like fire.

I grabbed my skein of Isager Yarn Aran Tweed I picked up on Looped DC this past summer. Mostly because it was already caked up. And I cast on a whole whack of stiches, I didn’t even count. Just went on vibes.

And after one good hang out and a couple of beers, I managed to get this much hat done. Just using my basic recipe of a vanilla beanie with a folded brim. No ribbing, just miles of stockinette. Love me some basic auto pilot knitting…

Happy Knitting!!!

Cast On: Vary The Gate

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For my next 2025 pigskin party cast on, I am doing Vary the Gate with some yarn from the Suburban Stitcher.

I don’t think I have made a shawl in YEARS. But this skein of neon green is languishing in my stash and this pattern is perfect for wildly variegated yarn. It’s a four row repeat and you work until you do a four row cast off.

I think I am going to make a little note card and stick in the bag as I don’t need the full pattern. It does feel a little weird to work on these small needles and yarn after so much worsted and DK. Probably not a bad thing for my fingers and hands….

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Dragonfly Hat

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I needed another hat for my work bag after I finished my Online Training Hat. I grabbed a skein from my abstract fiber haul and got started.

True to my broken record, this is my 88 stitch beanie “recipe” on US 8 needles. I am working a folded stockinette brim. At this gauge I am going to get big lime green stripes/pools and mini/micro stripes of the light blue and purple. Should be an interesting look when finished!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Round Yoke Pullover

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With my Love Note almost done and my swatch successful, I couldn’t help but start my next sweater. This creatively called “Basic Round Yoke Unisex Pullover” and I think I will just called my Round Yoke Pullover for simplicity.

I chose the 44 3/4 bust size for the pattern. I really like this starts with a knitted collar. I might have gone done an even smaller needle size for the ribbing. And this will be a nice easy/wide collar regardless. I can always go back and crochet a stronger foundation.

I had to get some work done on the Rachelle-mobile at the dealer. Dang kids denting my doors! So I managed to get a couple of increases done and several inches of sweater. I didn’t feel like lugging my huge Love Note so this got all the love.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Online Training Hat

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I have two solid weeks of online training for my professional CPE. I am less than excited and I need a knitting project to keep my fingers busy and the snacking to a minimum. My needles have been empty since I finished the 2025 Conference Hat.

I grabbed some Big Sky Yarn Co Squish DK that I picked up at SSK 2024 and some hat needles. And in my haste, I may have made a misstep. This is DK yarn and I brough worsted weight hat needles. I hand wound the skein and pondered and still cast on.

This yarn is a heavier DK and I am going to knit some 1×1 ribbing and “swatch” to see if this would actually work out. At the very least I am working on something and it accidently matches my shirt….

Happy Knitting!!