WIP Wednesday: Stashbusting Gloves

Posted on November 13, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I feel like shouting….”Once more into the breach!!!”

Are these gloves starting to look familiar? Well guess what, they should be! These are some Simple Fingerless Mitts (take three) or my Stashbustin’ #42 project.

P.S. sorry for the bad lighting….it’s getting so dark so early it’s hard to get good pics!

I wanted to make another gift pair and do a little odds and ends stashbusting. I had some Berroco Vintage DK in orange from my first two pair of gloves and some Berroco Vintage worsted in yellow from my Brick Sweater. They colors looked good together so off I went.

I weighed each remaining lot of yarn and divided in half. One half for each glove. I worked the orange (dk) in 2×2 rib until I ran out. Then I proceeded on with the pattern in the yellow (worsted) until I ran out of yarn. I wasn’t able to fully complete the 2×2 rib at the top, or really at all. So the mitt curls a bit…ok a lot. I’m going to give this first mitt a bath and a block to see if it solves the curl. Otherwise I’ll rip back and correct it. Then of course….knit the matching mate to go with.

Honest opinion time….do you guys think this glove works?

Only a few more weeks till Xmas…..

Oops!!

Posted on November 7, 2013 by atangledyarn84

My Socktober Socks are looking good!

Only one problem…I have size 10 wide feet. I have big lady feet, since I was like 12. I’ve simply learned to deal. I managed to adapt the pattern to fit said size 10 feet. However, I failed to calculate correct yardage on the project….oops! I only have enough yarn for a single tall sock or a regular sock with a partial toe section of hte second.

Lessons learned….patience tested….I’m finishing this as a single tall sock and moving on. It is a great learning experience and I shall keep this as a sample sock. And by the grace of god my next attempt shall yield an actual pair!!

Happy Knitting!

WIP Wednesday: Sleeves

Posted on November 6, 2013 by atangledyarn84

My Nutmeg sweater or Stashbustin’ #37 is getting sleeves!!

I was swimming along the body section and noticed my yarn quickly disappearing. I decided to pause on the body and work the sleeves (oh the joy of interchangeable needles!) lest I run out of yarn.

I’m one sleeve down and quickly dispensing with the second. They are quite lovely and are giving me the tight fit I was missing on my Brick sweater. I am finding once again that I have to cut out a few pattern repeats on the sleeves to fit my shortish arms. I also opted for garter ribbed sleeve cuffs.

Now, when I’m done I will then work the remaining body either to my desired length or until I run out of yarn, lol. And I’m definitely going to use the garter ribs for the hem. I think it looks very sharp!

Happy Knitting!

Not FO Friday: Fingerless Gloves

Posted on November 1, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Looks like a FO doesn’t it?

Sadly, I only have one glove complete. I really really liked my first pair of finger-less gloves. I just had to cast on a second pair. I had exactly half a skein of my orange Berroco Vintage yarn left so I took that as a sign to make another pair.

While starting the second pair, I realized I didn’t follow the directions correctly the first time. I inadvertently worked the first 32 rows in the 2×2 rib instead of 10 rows in rib then 22 rows of stockinette. So for this pair I followed the directions as written.

Based on how this glove turned out, I think I prefer my accidental pattern interpretation of the first pair. Those gloves were much more fitted right up to the wrist and flexed with my hand. This glove bunches slightly at my wrist when I wear it.

But I shall persevere and work the second glove to match. But I think this pair will definitely land in the gift pile.

Only 54 days to Christmas!!!!

WIP Wednesday: Nutmeg

Posted on October 30, 2013 by atangledyarn84

WIP Wednesday: Nutmeg Sweater or Stashbustin’ #37

I have finally conquered my early hurdles in this sweater. I am finding that I like lifted left and right increases for top down raglan sweaters. They just look much neater to this knitters eye. And I can knit them “twisted” so I can reduce the appearance of holes.

Pardon the dog hair. I have a white dog and his hair is EVERYWHERE!!! No matter how much I dust or vacuum. Nonetheless, I have finally divided for the sleeves and I’m working down the body. Miles and miles of stockinette but I find that it suits me and my current mood.

For a bulky sweater, this is creating a fairly dense fabric. This will definitely be a warm sweater for this winter. I haven’t been working monogamously on this, but it is growing!

My only decision left is if I am going to work the hem as written with a rolled edge to match the neckline? I am waffling….perhaps a 2×2 rib for a few rows?

Any thoughts out there?

Socktober Progress

Posted on October 29, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Tah Dah!!! I have turned my first heel on my first ever sock…..

I’m working a toe up sock with simple gusset heel. I’m using Knit Picks Felici in the colorway Peachy. It’s fingering weight yarn on size US 1 needles and it feels like its taking forever!

I am finding that holding my tension between the needles is hard for me. And I have some looser tension spots that no one will notice but me, lol. Knitter problems, I swear I’m my own worst critic.

Now I just need to knit up the leg portion. I will definitely use some sort of super stretchy cast off. (On a side note, I have a sneaky suspicion about my yardage on this project. But I will refrain voicing those thoughts until I have finished this sock)

Happy Knitting!!!

Snails Pace Sweater

Posted on October 28, 2013 by atangledyarn84

WIP update on my Stashbustin’ #38 sweater, Sophisticate!

At my last post, I had just divided for the body and separated the sleeves. Since then I have only completed the waist decreases section. I’m afraid I have a case of the “too many WIPs” and this sweater is suffering.

I manage a few rows here and there. So I’m showing you guys to keep myself honest. I don’t want this to fall to the bottom my knitting pile. I really want to wear this sweater this winter.

Anyone else have a case of the “WIPs”?

WIP Wednesday: Sophisticate

Posted on October 23, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I have a BA in accounting, an MBA, and I’m a full time working accountant…but apparently this week I can’t count or read for comprehension.

My Sophisticate or Stashbustin’ #38 is finally making forward progress. I’ve completed the yoke and divided for the sleeves.

But getting to this point has been a battle. I thought I was following the increases according to the pattern. I did a stitch count at a couple of pattern repeats before the end and I was WAY closer to the end total then I should have been. Now I probably missed making some marks on my pattern as I completed a row. And I probably worked too late into the evening after a glass of wine. I literally couldn’t count to save my life. So I’m claiming total responsibility.

So I put my big girl panties on and did some quick stitch calculations. This was made a little difficult as the pattern only indicates how many sleeve stitches and how many total stitches I should have. But I’m supposedly smart so I figured it out. And just fudged the pattern to get where I needed to be. And after some re-knitting I completed the raglan increases.

It used “firmly” backwards loop cast on stitch. Not my favorite but it looks ok. But I really had to keep the loops tight to avoid holes.

Now, enter stupid error number two. I got off a section and started to complete the men’s sweater directions instead of the women’s. I knit two extra inches of stockinette that upon realization of my error I frogged those two inches….I could not follow directions to save my life. This time because of movie watching with my hubby.

But I digress. I’m off and running on to the waist shaping instructions. No wine, no late nights, and I’m making clear and dark pattern notes. At this rate I should have a sweater by spring, lol.

Happy WIP Wednesday 🙂

Socks For Socktober

Posted on October 22, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Being that it is October, I put my big girl panties on and cast on for my very first ever sock. I know it’s already basically the end of the month, but I get points for the spirit right?

I pulled a ball of Knit Pocks Felici in the Peachy color way from my stash and I had chosen a Toe Up Sock with Gusset heel for a pattern. I was excited!

But upon careful reading of the pattern, as one should do before putting yarn on needles, I realized my folly. I had fingering weigh yarn and size US 1 needles when the pattern called for sport weight and size US 2s. Insert forehead slap here…….

After a cup of tea, I decided to forge ahead. I was determined to ” make it work” as Tim Gunn so often states. I forged ahead with what I had. Given the thinner yarn and smaller needles I decided to knit the largest size in the pattern so as to aim for something in the middle. This project is mostly about learning new skills for me, so who cares if they only fit a tiny adult.

I successfully completed my first ever seamless Turkish Cast-on and promptly set to knitting the pattern as written. I got to the end if the increase section and “tried it on” my foot and found one more increase was necessary to fit. So I wrote the change on my pattern and added it to my sock.

I then trudged through about an inch if stockinette and had one last fitting before bed!

I will undoubtedly have to continue to alter the pattern as I go. But it’s very well written and it should work out alright. As long as I take excellent notes for the second sock, lol!

If this works out, I cannot wait to fill a drawer in my dresser with handmade socks!! Anybody else out there have the same urge?

Gloves For Fall

Posted on October 16, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Due to Columbus Day here in the US, the hubs and I had a three day weekend. Which we turned into a four day weekend with the creatives use of leave time from work. It was a glorious break. I got to snuggle a tiny human, get in 18 holes of disc golf with the hubby (I’ll post pics tomorrow), see my dad’s football team play, eat waaaay too much, and chill out with the family.

I didn’t want to pack around my Brick or Nutmeg sweater, so I grabbed a single skein I had hanging out in my stash, a set of dpns, and a easy fingerless glove pattern.

This some Berroco Vintage DK in a orange-y color way. I think I picked this up a fee years ago in a birthday splurge. I have been wanting to venture more into dpns and small projects.

So I cast on Simple Fingerless Mitts from Tink’s Knits. It is very fiddly for me to get a project started on dpns, but after a few rows I can usually cruise. I managed to finish the first glove and half of the second one over the extended weekend.

Here’s hoping I can finish before the first fall frost!

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Category Archives: WIPs