Radiate Progress

My Radiate pullover is swimming right along. I’m several inches into the body with lots of zen round and round knitting.

The pattern calls for 14 inches of body and I haven’t measured to see how far I am. The pattern also called for waist decreases and increases. My midsection after two babies is less shaped that it used to be so I’m omitting the shaping and just knitting straight down.

I think I’ll try it on when I get close to 14 inches and see how it looks. Both these yarns are super-wash so I know i’ll get some stretch. But I like a nice long sweatshirt length sweater in my garments. Next up for this one is sleeve island. I think I will use my Chia Goo interchangeable needles to knit the sleeves in the round.

Happy knitting!!

A Quick Tutu

My daycare provider is about to be a first time grandma. Her daughter is having a little baby girl in October. Both of these ladies hold a special place in my heart because they love my children almost as much as I do. So of course I needed to knit something!

I made a quick Lexi’s Knitted Tutu by Ashlee Lackovic this past weekend. I just grabbed some Caron Simply Soft acrylic for the waistband and some leftover Red Heart Boutique Sashay multicolor. This is just such a quick knit and it ends up looking more complicated that it actually is.

I finished off with some eggshell colored ribbon to make the waist tie. I think beginning to end this maybe took me an hour? The newborn size is like like 40 rounds of knitting. I can’t wait to wrap this precious gift up!

Happy Knitting!!

Packing Of The Knits

I don’t have any finished objects this week. But I did check one item of my “to-do” list and that was to “summer-ize” and pack away my knitted things. Yeah…its July and I’m just doing this. But come on, there’s a pandemic and I think I get points for doing it at all!

I inspected each item for damage or stains, gave them a quick rinse and a fully dried them and then packed them in to my cedar lined chest. This pile consisted of a ton of shawls, some baby PB knits, hats and some cowls.

I can’t wait to pull these things out in the fall! They smell like my lavender sachet and it might be my second favorite ever scent in the world!

Happy Knitting!!

Knitting Poolside

We are in the middle of a long heat wave in the Midwest right along side big increases in COVID cases. So my family and I are doing our best to find ways to have fun and stay safe at home. This week’s adventure had water balloons, lots of driveway swimming pool time and me knitting in the shade.

Modified version of Helen Stewart’s Habitation Throw

This photo was taken 10 minutes before I dropped a stitch and made a huge hole in my Rainbow Habitation Throw. I literally spent the next hour tinking back two and a half rows to fix my mistake because it just wouldn’t ladder back down and back up again correctly. So that means I’m still in my fourth color of twelve.

But the good thing about knitting garter stitch is that you can just knit and knit and eventually you look down and a blanket has popped out of nowhere!

P.S. I completely see the irony of knitting a lap blanket during a heat wave. I’m a special kind of crazy!

Happy Knitting!!

Sunlight and Knitting

I took advantage of my parent’s deck to take some beauty shots of my Rainbow Fluff Habitation Throw. I couldn’t get over how beautiful the sunlight looked shining through the fabric.

This is a modified Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart. I’m omitting the eyelets and adding a fluffy alpaca stripe in between each color change. I’m just starting the fourth color of the gradient. I have 12 colors total so I’ll work the increasing section for the first six colors and then decrease for the last six.

This has been a nice lighweight knit to keep in my lap while it’s hot. It’s also soothing garter stitch with a little interest at the edges. So it is balm for my troubled mind and spirit. I haven even started weaving in my ends so I don’t leave them all to the end. You are welcome future Rachelle!

Happy Knitting!!

Retro Rainbow Progress

Sock knitting really hasn’t been my jam lately, but my purse knitting is still a pair of socks. My Retro Rainbow Socks are a few stripes longer now.

I’m knitting these as sock tubes and I will cut in afterthought heels. The yarn is some de-stashed MustStash yarn in Stacie’ Retro Rainbow colorway. I’m working 72 stitches on US 0 needles.

I’m not going many places anymore so I don’t seem to pick these up as often. We largely go to work and then stay home otherwise so I am putting a lot more work on my larger projects. Good thing yarn and knitting doesn’t go bad!

Happy Knitting!!

Splitting For Radiate Sleeves

Thanks to the long holiday weekend and lots of grandparent babysitting, I managed to knit through the yoke of my Radiate sweater and split for sleeves.

I even slipped on an extra knitting needles and tried this sweater on. Even unblocked it falls appropriately in all the places. The neck was higher than I anticipated but other wise the bust and armscye fits nicely. I’ll have to be careful with blocking this super wash yarn so that I don’t make it too big.

Now I have like 14 to 17 inches of sweater body to knit. Lots of round and round in stockinette! Happy Knitting!!

Socially Distant Crafting

It may be hot as Hades outside but my mom and I still managed some chatting and crafting time outdoors where we could social distance in the shade over the holiday weekend. Other than the humidity, it really was a beautiful day and my parents have the most beautiful deck and views.

I might have over-packed my WIPs again. I brought my Radiate sweater, Retro Rainbow Socks and the Rainbow Fluff Habitation Throw. I put a little work in on all of them while sipping a perfectly ice cold coca cola.

Happy Knitting!!

Hiding Outdoors

Happy three day weekend to all my American friends. The eve of 4th of July is upon us. Working for a local municipality means I get a three day weekend, huzzah!

My children are inside either watching a movie for quiet time or taking their afternoon nap. I snuck outside to be alone and to knit. I mowed the grass earlier and wanted to admire my handiwork.

Nevermind it’s a million degrees, I packed my Radiate pullover and some liquid re-hydration and sat under my patio umbrella. I realize this the first time I have been alone in like three weeks. Like truly ALONE and it is a glorius re-charge for this introverts soul.

Time to crank the tunes and see how many rows I can get done on this sweater! Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!!

Spinning Tequila Sunrise

As predicted I couldn’t help myself and my newest fiber jumped right on to my spindle. I mean how could I not? After all, I used an entire child nap time/free time to carefully pre-draft the whole 4 ounces of fiber!

This 100% Corriedale is a new to me fiber. It drafts like a dream and really feels very soft after drafting. But it’s spinning up much thicker than my last merino project. Maybe its the fiber, maybe I’m rusty? Either way I’m letting the fiber tell me what it wants to be and I’m just enjoying the process.

Happy Spinning!