The End Is Near: Sophisticate

Posted on December 31, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I had the best of intentions to finish this sweater on Christmas vacation. Yeah right, lol!

I did manage to finish both sleeves whilst traveling. (Sorry about the low light, our days are too short to get good photographs!) Here is the back view. And don’t worry the sleeves are the same length, I just didn’t get the sweater laid out very well.

And the front view:

All that’s left is to pick up and knit the button band and shawl collar! All in glorious knit stitch so it should go fast!

I have been knitting the medium size as that is what fit my measurements and gauge. However, trying this on (pre-blocking of course) it’s a bit tight. It fits, but I was hoping for more of a loose cozy sweater. I probably should have knit the large size or gone up a needle size on the medium. Live and learn! It will still be a lovely sweater.

That reminds me, I need to find some coordinating grosgrain ribbon! I want to reinforce the button band so that my button holes don’t sag. I’ve never done this but I have seen it lots in the blogging world. It always looks so sharp and sneaky!

This is Stashbustin’ #38 for those keeping score. I hope to finish this in the next couple of days to wrap up my 2013 year!

FO Friday: Oops I Forgot!

Posted on December 20, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I had a craft fair about a week ago and though I don’t normally do custom orders around Christmas….I got suckered into one. The customer filled out the request sheet and I filed it into my purse….and promptly forgot!

I feel awful. I whipped out my needles and knit like my life depended on it. I did these two quick cowls in one evening. They are now safely in the mail to their recipients. And I now I can move on towards Christmas!

These are one of Soulemama’s Wavy Weather Cowls. Its a great easy pattern that is very well written. Perfect for a last minute Christmas gift!!

FO Friday: Honey Cowl

Posted on December 13, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Tah Dah! My Honey Cowl is done!!

I cast on the intermediate size, or 160 stitches. And I used Patons Silk Bamboo blend on my new Knit Picks Options Interchangeable circular needles.

The honey cowl is one of my go-to/easy cowls. It’s always beautiful and immensely easy to memorize. Great movie and tv knitting. I used size 8 US needles. I used 102 yards of each color and my FO weighs 130 grams. The finished cowl is 34 inches in circumference by 7 inches tall.

The silk blend has a lovely drape and sheen to it. It’s just baby butt soft against my neck. And the two colors blend well together. Even the WS has a unique beauty to it. This is Stashbustin’ Project #43 for anyone keeping score.

I can just barely double it and wear it around my neck. This would not be a cowl for when I don’t want to mess up my hair. But on a blustery day this would certainly keep out the chill. I apologies for the model-less indoor photos. It’s winter and I’m at work during the daylight. So this is what I got, lol.

TGIF and Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Purl Ridge Scarf

Posted on December 6, 2013 by atangledyarn84

This was such a quick knit!!! Just a few evenings this past week. So without further ado, I give you my Purl Ridge Scarf by Stephen West.

I used Knit One Crochet Two Brea Tweed. This an amazingly soft yarn but the “tweed” bits got everywhere as I worked! I felt like I was pulling them off everything as I worked. I used 299.8 yards or 137 grams. I worked the pattern as written and had yarn left over. I probably could have done at least one more repeat of the purl ridge. But I didn’t want to run out of yarn!

My finished object is 60 inches around (30 inches folded in half as shown above) and 7 inches tall. I can safely loop this around my neck twice for extra warmth or wear as a single loop for a more artistic approach. Blocking did wonders for this! It was a bit scrunched up coming off my needles.

Stephen West is a genius with design. This pattern is simple but gorgeous to look at!!

This pattern would make a great quickly holiday knit and it’s free!! Christmas is almost here 🙂

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Nutmeg

Posted on November 29, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Just in time for some seriously wintry cold weather here in Kansas! I give you a finished Nutmeg!

I knit this using Knit Picks Brava Bulky. Black may have been a poor choice as I spent 20 minutes with a lint roller getting this FO photo ready, lol. I have a white lab that sheds all year round! I used just under 7 skeins or about 922 yards of yarn. This sweater weighs about 680 grams and is seriously warm.

I find that I like the open boat neck of the collar. I did opt however to knit the sleeve ends and hem in garter ribbing rather than the rolled hem to match the neck. I just don’t like the rolling. I like my garments to stay down over my tummy. And oh the sleeves….I highly recommend anyone knitting this sweater to omit the K2tbl and use a K2tog instead on the left sleeve.

This sweater is seriously warm!! The finished fabric turned out pretty dense. It was 30 degress (Fahrenheit) on the day we took these photos and I stayed pretty warm, even without a coat. God bless wool blends!!!

Would I make this pattern again….maybe, but only if someone requested it. There are soooo many other sweaters waiting in my queue. And this one was quite vanilla. I think some challenges are in order for my next project!

Happy Knitting!!!

FO Friday: iPhone Earbuds Cozy

Posted on November 22, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I HATE when my earphones get tangled in my purse and gym bag! I spend forever untangling them no matter how carefully I put them away! I saw another blogger showcase a genius idea on how to fix this!

I grabbed a small crochet hook and some leftover sock yarn. Tah Dah!!!

I’m not the best with a crochet hook, but it will do. I did a single chain stitch around the cord and all the way up the main cord and up one side of the ear buds. I left the other ear bud alone because it has a volume control.

Now I have fabric coated ear buds that resist tangling!

Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!!!

FO Friday: One Pain In The Rear Sock

Posted on November 15, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I’m so over this project. Your guys’ wonderful comments last week were amazing and wonderful. Not to mention, full of great suggestions! But I just had to be done. I worked a few more stripes of color changes, did a 2×2 rib for a bit, and then bound off.

I didn’t even have the heart to finish the skein. It was just one of those projects! It’s my stashbustin’ #41 for those counting and my Rav page is here. I did learn a lot:

Pros:
– I learned how to do a Turkish cast on
– I adapted the pattern to fit my measurements
– I turned my first heel
– This was my first fingering weight project
– I completed my first ever sock.
– I got to buy some neat sock blockers!

Cons:
– Dropping stitches was a pain on the rear to pick back up as I don’t own a small enough crochet hook
– My feet are big and therefore entail lots and lots of tiny stitches
– I should not and cannot do leg/calf increases on the fly…they just look bad
– I only ended up with one sock

After all this, I still want to knit socks. Next time I want to try two at a time, top down socks on circulars. I have the yarn, I have the pattern, just need to save up some moolah to buy the needles.

And because it’s Friday here is a pic of my solo sock on my giant lady foot 🙂

Finally FO Friday: Fingerless Mitts (take two)

Posted on November 8, 2013 by atangledyarn84

This Friday really is a FO Friday! I completed Stashbustin’ #40 or my second pair of finger less mitts.

I used the wonderfully simple pattern Simple Fingerless Mitts by Tink’s Knits. A perfect pattern match to my current dpn skill level. I used about half a skein of Berroco Vintage DK (135.4 yards or 47 grams for those of you who like hard numbers)

While I dearly love the color and ease of construction. I don’t like the stockinette section at the wrist. It bunches an doesn’t flex and stay fit to my wrists like my first pair. But that is by no means a dig at the author or pattern, more just a personal preference. And the mod to tailor this to me is SUPER easy to work in to the pattern. Going forward all my gloves will be ribbed right up to the bottom of the thumb gusset.

This pair is definitely one for my gift pile. I think I have a recipient in mind for them already….

As for my next pair, I think I am going to gather up my Berroco scraps from both these two pair gloves (I still have 20 yards of orange left) and my Brick sweater and attempt a mixed color combination. If my idea works I’ll have another pair for the gift pile!

I have to switch gears, like right now….I have a craft fair to set up tonight! My momma is going to do it with me and we have lots of goodies to sell tomorrow!!!

Happy Friday and Happy Knitting to All!!!

FO Friday: Warm Hands

Posted on October 25, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I managed to overcome “SSS” or “second sock syndrome” and I have completed my fingerless gloves for fall!

These Simple Fingerless Mitts were very easy to make, despite being on DPNs. I had a single skein of Berroco Vintage DK in orange with a few slight tweed flecks. I knit on size US 6 needles because I didn’t have any 5s. Gloves still turned out and fit pretty well. They might have been too small on the smaller needles.

I probably only have 8-10 knitting hours in these gloves. I like to take my time and make sure to keep my dpns from getting all boogered up. I used 46 grams or 132.5 yards of yarn. And I did make one significant mod:

knit 20 rows total of ribbing at the cuff

I wanted to make sure the gloves were long enough to tuck inside the sleeves of my coat. And I was very happy with this mod. And the best part is that I only used half a skein, so I can knit a whole second pair for a Christmas gift.

Now I’m off to refill my cup. I wish everyone a very happy Friday! And as always, Happy Knitting!!!

FO Friday: Brick

Posted on October 18, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Stashbustin’ #33 is complete!

Love love love this sweater!! Despite all the ups and downs it came out wonderfully. And after a bath and some drying time it’s ready to wear just in time for fall!

Nice and roomy and I had just enough yarn for the project. Only have a skein left! I used 452 grams or 4 1/2 skeins of Berroco Vintage DK. That’s about 980.8 yards of yarn in one garment! Start to finish I think this garment took about three weeks?

My one complaint is that the sleeves are still pretty loose even with knitting the tapered instructions. As I have said before my arms are not necessarily proportional to the rest of my body, lol. So as I was knitting I noticed the sleeve getting very long and I still have an entire decrease section to do before the ribbing. I measured and confirmed my fears. So I only worked five total decreases in the tapered sleeves with the final decrease having only 8 rows of stockinette following it. This solved my length problem but I feel the sleeves deserved to be tapered more to fit my arms.

I managed to make both sleeves match this alternation. So I didn’t have the heart to rip out and re-do. Besides this is going to be my cozy winter sweater anyway!

P.S. Totally wish I was headed to Rhinebeck and this was my sweater….

TGIF and Happy Knitting!!!

My Tangled Yarn Knitting Adventures

Ramblings from an obsessed knitter

Category Archives: Finished Objects