Category Archives: cast on

Cast On: Toxic Oreo Vanilla Socks

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The needles from my Sand Castle Cashmere Vanilla Socks were feeling chilly and lonely so they told me that I needed another pair of toe up gusset heel vanilla socks.

After a fun trip through my sock yarn stash I found my precious skein of Toxic Oreo from Lemonade Shop that I have been hoarding. I can’t wait to see how these speckles work up in all their rainbow glory. I was so enthused that I didn’t even cake up this yarn. I hand wound a ball and just got to work!

I have cast on my pretty standard vanilla sock of 68 total stitches on a US 1 needle. This yarn might be light fingering so I’ll have to see how the fabric works up. But for now I have completed the first toe and I’m ready to cruise up the foot.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Baby Yoda

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My husband didn’t have much under the Christmas tree this year as he tends to buy the things he wants when he wants them instead of saving any for gift ideas. So I got a wild hair to make him a little baby Yoda for his gaming desk as a winter surprise.

I am using the free Baby Yoda pattern by Kim Konen. (Rav link) I managed to knock out the body and head in one sitting. My fabric is a little loose and I can see the polyfil inside. I probably should have swatched and then gone down a needle size. But I’m plowing ahead…its a toy and for a grown adult. It’s good enough, lol

I am using Malabrigo Rios green scraps from my Weekender Sweater. I still need to dig in my stash to find suitable Yoda sweater yarn. It’s been tricky to work on this because I want it to be a surprise so I have to work on this after the kids go to bed but before my husband comes to bed.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Pardon Me Sir Hat

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Y’all, tomorrow is a new year and I have cast-on-itis. I pulled a skein of KnitCircus worsted weight yarn in the Pardon Me, Sir colorway and cast on a hat last night. After binging some of my favorite TV comedies I have a GOOD start on a hat.

I worked completely through the brim yesterday morning and by the evening I am a fair ways into the hat portion. I’m going full skein with this project. I am not using a pattern. I cast on 90 stitches and I’m making it up as I go. I want to use up as much of this yarn as possible to capture the wonderful gradient.

I think why I like this project so much is that these are my high school alma mater colors. And it will coordinate with my winter coat. This hat will most definitely be for me. The colors are sublime and the yarn extra extra soft. I can’t wait to finish this one!

Happy New Year and Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Sand Castle Vanilla Socks

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Do I have at least two pairs of of socks on the needles? Why yes, I do. Did I need another? Why yes I do! I pulled some cashmere sock yarn from my stash from Leading Man Fiber Arts in the Sand Castle colorway and started some toe up vanilla socks.

This yarn feels like BUTTER between my fingers. It’s so amazing that I don’t care how long these socks will last as they will feel AMAZING on my feet when they are done. I have managed to get the toe increases done and I’m ready for just a poop ton of ’round and round’ in stockinette. That is my sweet spot of knitting right now. It’s my happy place

What is your happy place?

Christmas Eve Cast On

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I admit I am struggling to get fully into the holiday spirit. I knew I wanted a Christmas Eve cast on but I just couldn’t decide what I wanted it to be. So I decided to make up a kit from stuff I already had. And it worked out nicely

I pulled out last year’s Christmas pajamas and I’m just praying they fit after my COVID weight gain. And then I grabbed a bottle of wine off my wine rack that I have been meaning to try.

Next up was the yarn and pattern I received as part of my 2020 Nomad Yarns retreat back in October. I grabbed the Transforming Mitts pattern by Erika Kempf Broughton and the yarn of Tweed Rocks from Nomad Yarns. It feels good to use this yarn with the pattern it was designed for.

It’s not the perfect AHA project I have had in years past. But it’s good enough for 2020. And I mostly can’t wait to put the world aside and just watch Christmas through my children’s eyes. We are going to “bubble” with my parents and isolate from the world on their property. All I want for Christmas is knitting, a good wine and not to be the primary adult for a little bit.

What do you want Santa to bring you?

Cast On: Carbon Sprinkles Vanilla Socks

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My sock needles were screaming for another sock project after I had finished my Knit Sky Socks last month. So I pulled a “golden skein” of mudpunch self striping sock yarn that I have been hoarding all fall. This is a super cool skein that no only has solid grey stripes but really cook speckled stripes. I am in awe of how hard this must have been to create.

I am working my normal 68 stitch toe up vanilla sock “recipe” that I have developed over the years to fit my foot. I got the toe started one night after bedtime but now this project lives in my purse for school pickup/drop-off and other assorted car knitting.

My love for self striping knows no bounds. And I SUPER love this yarn as there are three different grey stripes each separated by the yummy speckled stripe. This colorway was named Carbon Sprinkles and it is extremely fitting. 10 out of 10 would recommend this yarn and I will buy from this dyer again!

Happy Knitting!!

Casting On Another Hurricane

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After finishing the Hurricane Hat for Jellybean I decided I had enough yarn left to make second and maybe slightly bigger hat for me or the hubby. So during an early morning and unseasonably warm trip to the local park (before anyone else got there) the kids played and I cast on another Hurricane Hat.

Alas, as most times of being a mom are….I didn’t get much peace. There was a lot of pushing the two year old on a swing and kissing boo boos as each child crashed their respective bike and/or scooter. I managed all of 20 cast on stiches before we melted down in tantrums and packed up to go home.

My coffee was on point though and you bet your behind I finished that at least!!

Happy Knitting!!

Swatching For Success

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I’m itching to start another sweater. Usually for my birthday I do a special cast on. But this year I was a proper good knitter and knitted gauge swatches on my birthday instead of plowing straight into a sweater.

And oh boy, am I glad I did! I had picked Mycroft by Isabell Kraemer (Rav link) and my sweater lot of Malabrigo Rios in Jupiter. The color isn’t good in this photo but the yarn is a great mix of reds, browns and oranges.

I started with the pattern called for US6s and knit a full sized swatch (bottom). I washed and dried it and carefully measured it and I had WAY to many stitches. Like 5 too man which would have made a way too small of a garment. So I then pulled out 7s and made another swatch, albeit a tid bit smaller than first, and dutifully washed and dried it. This time I got a lot closer to gauge but not exactly right on.

I like the fabric it created so I think I am going to keep this needle size and just do the pattern math. I may be safe to go up one pattern size with my gauge and get my desired finished garment. But I need to crunch the numbers first. Not as satisfying as knitting a cool sweater but I’m hoping to get a wearable sweater.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Dreaming of Spring Fingerless Mitts

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I had the itch for a quick project with a tweedy yarn. And in the spirit of using stash I hopped on Ravelry and compared my pattern library to my stash and came up with a wonderful idea. A sport weight pair of fingerless mitts for my Jellybean’s Kindergarten teacher!

I picked the Dreaming of Fingerless Mittens by Joelle Hoverson (Rav link) from my book More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. I pulled my Good for Eve Claddagh which is a sport weight tweedy black yarn with rainbow pops.

I’m working on US 4s and 5s so this is going pretty quick using my nine inch circular. I’ve already completed the cuff and started the hand portion with the thumb increases. I’m hoping to power through this and get these wrapped up by Thanksgiving. I have a Christmas checklist and I need to get going!!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Hurricane Hat

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Jellybean was side eyeing PB’s recently finished sweater and made the comment that I hadn’t made him anything in awhile. So we sat and talked about what did he think he wanted? He muddled it for a bit and decided a hat. So we went to my stash and I showed him some yarns to pick from. He ended up picking my West Yorkshire Spinners Aire Valley DK.

And then he promptly went off to play. I did make him come back and feel the yarn to make sure it was soft enough. This yarn has a little tooth to it and it’s definitely not merino soft. He still said yes this is what he wanted. So I took off to Ravelry and found an easy but yet cute hat.

I chose to hold this yarn double to get aran weight and knit the Hurricane Hat by Andrea Guldin (ravelry link). I’ve obviously made it super far into the ribbing, lol. But Jellybean seems delighted just to see have started. Eventually this hat will have a purl bump that spirals up the body of the hat ending nicely in the decrease. Or it will if I can correctly follow the pattern!

Happy Knitting!!