What 45 Minutes Makes

We are back to the normal life grind after the holidays. I thought I would share what 45 minutes of gymnastics gets me. I am still working through my 2021 advent calendar minis from Hannah of Chromatic Yarns.

I had the neck of the sweater started when I sat down in the waiting room.

By the time we got home, I had the yolk done and sleeves on waste yarn. I just couldn’t quite the whole body done before I needed to pack up.

I need like three more rows of body, two rows of ribbing and then cast off. The body of the sweater will be complete. Also, you can see the havoc that dry air, hand washing and tiny sharp needles are wreaking on my finger tips. I’m trying to heal up with some intensive repair creams and it’s working okay-ish so far.

Happy Knitting!!

Christmas Heels

My 2022 advent socks now have heels!

I am still using the Leading Man Fiber Arts mini called “Baby it’s cold outside” color. I put in waste yarn between stripes where I wanted the heels so I only had to slide needles in and pick out the waste yarn. I think with the many different colors that the blue color works nicely!

We had some inclement weather with a work from home day, so I was able to install both heels last week during Teams calls. The socks did get finished on Christmas eve and I snapped some fire side photos to share later this week. I hope everyone has had a safe and happy weekend.

Happy Knitting!!

Ghosts of Advents Past (Part 2)

When I found my wee advent socks, I also found the mini sweaters I was making. I hated them…they were short sleeved and very tiny. So I ripped them out and figured out a long sleeve and larger version I liked.

They turned our great! I am still using Wee Sweater by Sarah Schira pattern, just with some mods. A wee sweater takes me a full evening of TV knitting. So I only have two of these complete but they are fun and get a little faster each time.

For these, I found some gold ribbon that I plan to “hang” the sweaters from for a sweater garland. This garland will be separate from the tiny sock one. One is good so two must be better!

Happy Knitting!!

Cozy Knitter Sock Advent Progress

I am catching up with the 2022 Cozy Knitter self striping 24 day advent skein!

This is roughly day 10 or so? I may not get a stripe every day but they are only 4/5 rows total so it’s easy to catch up. I am giving myself the grace to complete this as quickly or slowly as I need. After all, I have all of Christmas weekend to do whatever catch-up I need!

Happy Knitting!!

Ghosts Of Advents Past (Part 1)

With all the festivities this year, I decided to pull out my 2021 Chromatic Yarns advent calendar. I had this big plan last holiday to knit 24 tiny little socks. Yeah…..that never materialized, lol.

I’m feeling a little more grounded this year so I re-evaluated and decided that the socks should be pairs. I have managed to finish two pairs and almost done with a third. These are the first three advent days in order.

When they get done, I am thinking of stitching them to a ribbon decorative twine to make a garland. But let’s get over the hurdle of 48 total tiny socks. It takes me half an evening of knitting to make a sock if I can stay off my phone. So maybe a Q1 2023 goal?

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Super Simple Summer Sweater

My Super Simple Summer Sweater survived surgery and is DONE!

Pattern: Super Simple Summer Sweater by Joji Locatelli (Rav link)

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in the Jupiter colorway

Needles: US 8s, US 6s and US5s

Mods: I made this sweater longer in the body and sleeves. I also knit the back split hem longer than the front split hem.

My kitchener stitch is still slightly visible after blocking but not so much that a muggle will notice. I am VERY happy with the adjustments to this sweater. I feel like it suits my body type much better as a regular sweater and not as a tunic.

This took just over 6 1/2 skeins of the worsted yarn so that is roughly 1,380 yards of yarn. I had two different dye lots but using helical knitting I think they blended nicely. The average eye can see some flashing and striping but it looks intentional so I’m pleased.

Now I just need to plot my next sweater! Happy Knitting!!

The Weather Outside is Delightful

It’s definitely getting colder here in Kansas. I decided to pull out my scrappy memory blanket to work on in between my 2022 Advent Socks. Since the daily stripe on my socks doesn’t take much time I thought this was a perfect companion project.

Based on the project keeper, I have added roughly 16 blocks to this since this past April. The bonus factor is that this keeps my lap quite warm while I am working on it. This piece is large enough to cover me from toes to shoulders. And the multi-colored stained glass look is really making my knitting soul fulfilled!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: 2022 Advent Socks

I didn’t go full advent calendar this year but I did buy the Cozy Knitter 2022 self-striping sock set. The idea is that there are 24 stripes and you knit one a day starting December first and by Christmas you have finished socks.

I have been keeping up fairly well with the daily knitting as it doesn’t take much time to roughly four or five rows. I haven’t been as good with photographing my progress, but I have these snaps from when I started.

Full disclosure, the skeins did not come with the contrast skein. I dug around in my minis and pulled out one from Leading Man Fiber Arts in the “It’s Cold Outside” colorway. The name made it the perfect match to some Christmas socks. It’s a little darker than the blue in the skein but I like things a little quirky!

Happy Knitting!!

Tunic Surgery

I took about two re-run episodes Bones to get two sets of size 4 US needles inserted into my Super Simple Summer Sweater project for its “surgery”.

And then during another re-run of NCIS I got the cuts made and un-raveled back to each set of live stitches. It was a little tricky ripping back due to the helical knitting method. But I managed.

Now I need to muster the alone time and mental preparedness to start Kitchener-ing roughly 300+ stitches. I was smart enough to put light bulb stitch markers on each first stitch so I could correctly re-assemble front and back.

Now I need to meditate before undertaking surgery. Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Punch Bug Beanie

Before I jump into sweater surgery with both feet, I decided to take up something more mindless as a palette cleanser.

This skein of Felici Worsted is the companion skein to my Punch Bug Vanilla Socks. I couldn’t find my US 8 needles and I was impatient so I grabbed 10.5US needles. This meant I needed to take my standard 88 stitch worsted hat down to 80 stiches.

I got the brim cast on and the ribbing established. I can’t decide if I am going to do a standard ribbed brim or a folded ribbed brim for extra cushy factor. I think I will knit a little longer and decide later.

Happy Knitting!!