WIP Wednesday: A Plain Rye Sock

Posted on April 2, 2014 by atangledyarn84

I have been woefully neglectfull of my #SockswithSarah KAL. My knitting mojo kind of went out the window during February and March. All I could manage was a few stitches here and there and only every so often.

But over time those stitches add up! At my last update on this sock I was halfway down the leg. Now I’ve turned the heel and I’m working down the foot.

This project is mindless and portable….and right up my alley at the moment. I’m not into committing to a huge WIP right now and I DEFINITELY don’t want to have to think too hard!

What is your go-to mindless knitting project?

Let Me Reintroduce Myself..

Posted on March 31, 2014 by atangledyarn84

Hello, my name is Rachelle and I’ve been an absentee knitter and blogger….

It’s been over a month since my last post. Between the winter blahs and some less than fun medical issues I decided to go “dark” for awhile. I read a lot of books, took walks with my pups, worked on some home organization, and lots and lots of time with my beloved husband. I didn’t read any blogs, used my smartphone only when necessary, and barely picked up my needles at all. I’ll pause for your gasps of horror, lol.

Oh my, was it soooo needed! I had seriously lost my mojo for almost everything. It’s not quite all the way back yet. But I am getting there. I think my priorities have shifted a little. (My home is certainly cleaner for it.) And now I have a better idea of what I want to accomplish in 2014. Have you ever taken a step back to rearrange yourself or searched for a new balance? I highly encourage it in this fast paced digital world!

Stay tuned…this is going to get exciting!

FO Friday: Close Knit Waffle Hat

Posted on February 21, 2014 by atangledyarn84

Tah Dah! A FO for your Friday

This FO has been done for a while, but I didn’t get around to photographing it until this week. Here are the details:

Pattern: Close Knit Waffle Hat by Leah Bandstra

Yarn: Bernat Bamboo Natural Blends in Linen

Needles: US 10 16″ circular and US 10 dpns

Mods: I added 6? stitches to the total count. It now fits easily over my head and is almost more of a slouch hat than a beanie. Totally love this change!

This hat only took 1.28 skeins or 80.6 yards (77 grams) of bulky yarn. I would also say if I had worked on this monogamously it would have been a CRAZY fast knit. But I kept picking it up and putting it back away.

The softness alone is to die for! The fabric created does have a lot of weight and drape. Probably not a great yarn for garments but GREAT for accessories worn close to the skin!

Happy Knitting!

Stitch by Stitch

Posted on February 20, 2014 by atangledyarn84

I think a picture is worth a thousand words….I have taken the #sockswithsarah call for a few stitches a day to heart. I have managed a row here and there over these past few days when I have not felt my best. And little by little I have made some small progress. For the original post on these socks, check here.

Think I can call myself the little knitting engine that could?

Happy Knitting

WIP Wednesday: Assisted Hatching

Posted on February 19, 2014 by atangledyarn84

My knitting has been few and far between lately. But before I lost my knitting mojo, I did make some good progress on my Assisted Hatching sweater…

For a memory refresher, you can find the pattern here. I’m making the smallest size using Caron Simply Soft in Pagoda. My cast off edge at the bottom has quite a bit of curl….I may or may not rip it out and re-do it. I can’t decide yet. Next up, sleeves!!

I do love the side vent opening for baby’s big noggin. What a great way to get a good fit and not smush baby’s face as it’s going on!

Happy Knitting!

A New Balance

Posted on February 18, 2014 by atangledyarn84

As most of you have noticed….I’m a pretty voracious knitter. I have a perpetual case of “KNIT ALL THE THINGS” coupled with occasional start-itis. This bodes well for me as a blogger. But this can become at odds with the rest of my life.

Recently I have found my stress level too high and my health too low. It has gotten so bad I haven’t knit anything IN DAYS! I literally lost my knitting mojo along with my mojo for pretty much everything else. So in the efforts I’m looking for a new balance. I’m striving to find a dietary mix that better suits my body, I am trying to get my butt off the couch and moving a little more, and not put so much pressure on my knitting/blogging.

What does this mean for you dear readers? Well I might not be so diligent about posting every day. Never fear, my blog isn’t going anywhere and neither am I. I just need to take my speed down a notch or seven. So you will continue to see my original posts as I have them and I hope to give some shout outs on my ‘off’ days to some other awesome bloggers and posts for your viewing pleasure.

Thank you for your patience and I hope you stick around!

A Little Calorimetry in My Life

Posted on February 17, 2014 by atangledyarn84

Happy Presidents Day!

I work at a financial institution which means I get the day off! So I say MORE KNITTING!! I have been petting the skein of hand spun superwash BFL I picked up awhile back.

And then it hit me, I had just shy of enough yards for a Calorimetry by Kathrn Shoendorf.

How can you not want to knit something like this when the author is this excited? (Photo credit to © Kathryn Schoendorf and the Calorimetry Rav page)

So off I go in search of my US 8 straight bamboo needles. I seriously haven’t used straights in AGES! But all my other 8s are tied up with baby sweaters so I gotta do what I gotta do! I’ll also need to make a couple of mods to the pattern length or width to make sure I have enough yarn but I’m a big girl I think I can handle it!

P.S. This will be 2014 Stashbustin’ #10 for those keeping track.

Happy Knitting!!

Instagram: Friend or Foe?

Posted on February 15, 2014 by atangledyarn84

I had coffee with a knitting friend this past week and we have an lively discussion of the pros and cons of Instagram as it relates to knitting. I am firmly in the pro camp and she was firmly in the con camp. (Don’t worry we didn’t start jousting with our needles or anything and we are still friends)

My argument:

It helps grow and support the fiber arts community
I can learn about new techniques or constructions
I use it to publicize my blog
I get great pattern ideas and yarn ideas
It’s short and to the point and I can peruse quickly on hectic days

Her argument:

It encourages people who are not photographers to pretend to be said photographers
Photos are often so distorted you can tell what the project really looks like
It encourages short attention spans
It doesn’t have the long term viability like Ravelry and it will most likely die out like all social media platforms

Now I don’t want to start an internet firestorm because she has some good points and so do I. I told her I would pose the question to the blog-o-sphere and see what response we could get. We value all opinions of every shape, size, and color. All thoughts are welcome!

So, what are your thoughts on Instagram and Knitting?

A Plain Rye

Posted on February 13, 2014 by atangledyarn84

I bit the bullet and joined the Socks with Sarah KAL over on Ravelry! There are some SERIOUSLY cool socks rocking over there!!

For my next KAL project I decided to take a twist on my last set of socks.

Pattern: Rye by Tincanknits

Yarn: Knit Picks Swish Worsted (100% merino and should make WARM socks!) in Squirrel Heather

Needles: US 4 and 5 dpns

Size: Large

Mods: I’m going to omit the garter ridges on the top of the foot and up the cuff. Don’t get me wrong they are gorgeous! I really like the fit of this sock and want a basic “vanilla” sock right now.

Have you ever modified a sock to fit your “flavor”?

2014 Stashbustin’ #12: Assisted Hatching

Posted on February 12, 2014 by atangledyarn84

It’s WIP Wendesday!!!

Bolstered by yesterday’s gorgeous sweater and a ginormous case of start-itis, I cast on another baby sweater. Baby fever + start-itis = more WIPs than my husband can handle!

But how can you resist this? Assisted Hatching by Elizabeth Ditchburn Dew….

I’m really glad I have two sets of interchangeable needles, lol…..because I have already made good progress on this sweater!

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Pagoda

Needles: US 8 circs (Denise Interchangeable)

Size: 0-3 months

Happy Knitting!!!

My Tangled Yarn Knitting Adventures

Ramblings from an obsessed knitter

Category Archives: Knitting