Uh Oh #%36($ +>~ 42/;

Posted on January 8, 2013 by atangledyarn84

GASP…..THE HORROR……I RAN OUT OF YARN FOR MY PROJECT….

It’s 110% my fault. In my zeal to destash and cast on a project, I didn’t stop to calculate yarn yardage. I just grabbed stash yarn and went to town. See that small bundle at the top? Ya…that’s what I have left. Luckily I was able to source the necessary two additional skeins I need from the Internet for my Waves and Ripples blanket.

I’m bummed a little. The pattern is easy to memorize and the yarn is yummy. I’m sad that I can’t keep knitting as this bulky project is flying off my needles! And how amazing is the zig zag and the cream/white contrast!? Sigh, now I have to wait for my Knit Picks box to here…guess I’ll have to cast on another stashbustin’ project. Stay tuned tomorrow!

Happy Knitting!

Stashbustin’ Post #2

Posted on January 3, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I have WIP-itis……and it’s bad.

I cast on another WIP just because I felt like it. I have at least five baby showers to knit for (that at least partially substantiates my WIP-itis right?)

I have a LOT of Caron Simply Soft Solidsbin my stash. I picked up most of it from a destashing friend years ago when first learning to knit. It’s soft and washable and I used to love it. But my admiration has flagged a bit and its been relegated to mostly baby knits.

I found the Waffle Blanket (free pattern) through a Pinterest pin linked to a Ravelry pattern. I was smitten immediately and cast on! Not sure who this blanket is destined for yet but I have a few months left to decide. I’m very optimistic and can’t wait to see the finished product.

I knocked out the border and one repeat of the pattern while watching a TV DVR-ed episode. It’s very pretty and I’m sure after a couple repeats very memorizable.

I must have baby blanket fever!! (Or baby fever if you ask my mother.) Stay tuned for updates on this and my Waves and Ripples Blanket!

Happy Knitting!!

Stashbustin’ Post #1

Posted on January 2, 2013 by atangledyarn84

A few years ago I made a couple electronic device covers from the Premier Yarn pattern.. It was a nice knit that was easy to memorize and visually pleasing. That stitch pattern has been bouncing around in my brain for awhile. I thought an adaptation of it would make a lovely crib blanket…

I pulled some Brava Bulky from Knit Picks from my stash in cream and white. I modified the pattern to 134 stitches and alternating color stripes but otherwise using the same two row repeat pattern.

I shall call it my waves and ripples blanket. It’s a little curly right on the needles but I think a little blocking in the end will go a long way. I’m not sure which of the five spring baby showers this will be for but it’s destined for a new bundle of joy! Follow my Rav notes here.

Happy Knitting!!!

Knitting Rut

Posted on November 29, 2012 by atangledyarn84

I am back (sort of) from the flu. I’m fine as long as I don’t eat too much or too spicy/greasy. One day at a time I guess…

I have my last craft fair of the season this Saturday. I wish I could say I was more excited. Thanksgiving was stressful, I don’t feel 100%, and my knitting has been in a rut! All I have been doing is cranking out scarves, dishcloths, and headbands for fair season.

Easy knitting to be sure, but it’s just not speaking to my soul. I really want to dive into some baby sweaters and blankets. Not to mention a circle vest I have planned for myself.

After this Sunday I pledge to knit what I want, when I want! At least schedule and health permitting 🙂

At least tomorrow is Friday!

Back Up Plan Thanksgiving

Posted on November 22, 2012 by atangledyarn84

Well, we made the trek to my hometown for a family thanksgiving yesterday. We have gorgeous 60-70 degree weather here in Kansas. It wa on course to be a great trip. Our plan was to have a nice meal with my parents and grandma as the rest of the extended family is out of town.

The best laid plans…..

Both my parents woke up this morning with the flu. My dad had been up and down all night with an upset stomach. So we implemented plan b: lunch at grandmas with just the three if us!

We had turkey (slow roasted and carved into a crock pot)

We had potatoes and gravy (all home grown from the family garden)

And of course delicious rolls made by my mother before she got sick

Mmmmmm Thanksgiving!

I am truly thankful for my life and those who are in it and all that I have. Today is for hanging with grandma and nursing mom and dad back to health.

And maybe a little knitting and football from the easy chair!

Knitting for Babies

Posted on November 15, 2012 by atangledyarn84

I received exciting news this weekend, there is a new baby cousin on its way in my family!! Aside from my mothers chagrin that she is grandchildren-less, we are all very excited.

This brings my baby gift total to seven before June…..five before April! After Christmas knitting I need to get down and dirty on baby knitting. I plan a nice assortment of receiving blankets, infant sweaters, and maybe a few cute vests. Started the first blanket….One Row Blanket de la Harlot from skullsnbats.

(I’m using Caron Simply soft for the durability, softness, affordability, and wash ability in case anyone wanted to know)

AND my first seasonal craft fair is this Saturday! As readers of this blog I will be sending out a sneak peak Friday night (fingers crossed and barring disaster) of all my holiday goods! My mother is going to join me and put out some of her goods as well. It will be a nice assortment of hand knits and hand sewn treats.

Stay tuned!

Lessons In Patience

Posted on November 4, 2012 by atangledyarn84

It doesn’t matter how long you have been knitting or how great or lousy you are at it, knitting will always remind you to be patient. I was watching Castle on DVD and not paying enough attention to my work.

I had some wonderful Berroco Vintage DK leftover from my sweater so I decided to knit a quick hat and I chose the Lacy Cap by Carissa Knits.

Everything was going along swimmingly and I was all the way to the crown decreases when I realized I had been reading the pattern incorrectly! Sigh…..

See the obvious line in the middle and WAAAY to many decrease rows because I wasn’t doing it right. So a frogging I went! Here are the results:

I lost several hours of work but I didn’t have to go all the way back to the beginning at least. I was mad at myself for awhile, but then I realized it was just another lesson in patience. I could choose to be mad or choose to make a beautiful hat.

I choose the hat!

Happy Knitting!!!

Hand Knit Socks

Posted on November 2, 2012 by atangledyarn84

My urge to knit all things has calmed and after careful deliberation I have decided to set myself a goal to knit at least one pair of socks by 12/31.

I have done some pattern search on Ravelry and a little in my LYS. Anybody have a great suggestion for a pattern at a beginner level that doesn’t use tiny yarn or tiny needles? I’d also prefer to work in magic loop over dpns…but I’m open to suggestions.

In other news, my husband turned a year older yesterday and we celebrated by meeting our friends new bundle of joy!

We have more birthday celebrations planned this weekend, including some yummy goodies I will share with you guys!

TGIF!!

WIP Wednesday

Posted on October 4, 2012 by atangledyarn84

Yes, yes I know it’s Thursday. I can’t for the life of me figure out where yesterday went!

Anyway, back to the knitting! I picked up a super adorable baby doll dress at a local thrift store last week. It’s a simple white scoop neck bodice with black baby doll skirt. I just had to have it to wear with my black boots the hubby got for me last year on my birthday! It was a steal at $7!

It just needs a little pizzaz! So after perusing Ravelry for some boot toppers/boot cuffs, I decided to use Ravelry as my inspiration and improvise my own! Mostly because I wanted to make them out of some Deborah Norville Serenity Chunky I had in my stash in a lovely shade of deep red.

So I pulled out my US size 11 circs (size recommended for this yarn) and cast on 44 sts using long tail cast on method and placed a marker. I prefer to knit in the round rather than with dpns because I am not careful enough to travel with work on dpns and not mess it up hopelessly!

I knit the first round then transitioned to K1, P1 ribbing so that the cuff with expand and contact with the contours if my leg and boot.

I plan to work the cuff for 7-8 inches in rib and cast off with a stretchy cast off. Of course then I will move on to the second cuff and I should have enough yarn for a skinny ribbed scarf to accent my black and white dress.

Follow my project on Ravelry!

I like to use affordable, easy to find acrylic when I am inventing a pattern for a few reasons:
A) It’s cheap
B) Its easy to find in stores and with matching dye lots
C) It stands up well to frogging if I don’t like the pattern
D) It’s almost always washable

If I like pattern and the FO, then I will fork over the dough and get quality natural fibers to make the next set. I can conserve my funds and manage my stash at the same time!

I hope to have this finished this weekend and have the hubby help me take photos!

Happy Knitting!

Resourcefulness!

Posted on September 28, 2012 by atangledyarn84

I am finally getting back into the swing of knitting mostly because my busy schedule has slowed down.

I have made progress on my knit shrug, about another 3 inches. I have also knocked out a handful of kitchen scrubbies for my mom’s craft fair next Tuesday. Both of which I have packed for our weekend travels!

(100% cotton worsted and tulle cut into strips knit together on US 8s with a seed stitch design)

We are headed to the husband’s 10 yr high school reunion, Go Bears!! I finished two scrubbies in the car when I realized I didn’t have a tapestry needle!! A search of my bag was fruitless, all I found was a bobby pin. So I improvised…

A bobby pin makes a needle in a pinch if your price is “open” enough (which mine was). And tah Dah!

I’ll be busy most of the weekend, so ill see everyone on the other side! I finished Needles and Pearls by Gil McNeil this week and hope to have a review up next week!

Happy Knitting!

My Tangled Yarn Knitting Adventures

Ramblings from an obsessed knitter

Category Archives: WIPs

Uh Oh #%36($ +>~ 42/;

Stashbustin’ Post #2

Stashbustin’ Post #1

Knitting Rut

Back Up Plan Thanksgiving

Knitting for Babies

Lessons In Patience

Hand Knit Socks

WIP Wednesday

Resourcefulness!