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!!

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!!

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!!

Blanket Scunchie

Thanks to PB’s makeup gymnastics practices my Chromatic Yarns ZigZag blanket now looks like a scrunchie!

There are over 300 stitches on the needles so it takes me approximately 45 minutes to do the pattern and return row on this zig-zag. Needless to say, this might be an all winter long WIP, lol.

I have roughly 10 rows completed with like a million to go. Happy Knitting!!

Sweater Bouillabaisse and Sweater Drying

I did in fact stay monogamous over the weekend and I managed to finish up the ribbing on my Super Simple Summer Sweater. Although my sweater is definitely more suited to Winter than Summer, lol.

I used some lanolin bar soap in my (clean) kitchen sink for the bath and I set it to dry in front of a roaring fire to dry. I figure why not multitask?

Man, it feels good to be done with this massive project! Happy Knitting!!

Holy Cow It’s Ribbing

My Super Simple Summer Sweater finally has reached the split hem!

The split hem has both stockinette and ribbed components with the ribbed portions being worked on a smaller needle. The pattern calls for equal hem on the front and back but I think I am leaning towards a longer hem in the back.

I am pleased that it looks like I will have enough yarn to finish out this lovely sweater. I just need to buckle down and do the darn thing!

Happy Knitting!!

Punching Along

I am now in last color of the second color repeat of my Punch Bug Vanilla Socks. I am bang on 7 inches of foot with these two colors. That means my heel can land cleanly between the color progressions.

So I should be able to make these socks out of four total rainbow repeats. And then I am faced with a very familiar question, do I do the afterthought heel from the same self-striping or find a coordinating solid? That’s a decision for later!

Happy Knitting!!

Two Summer Sleeves!

The second sleeve of my Super Simple Summer sweater is complete!

Just like the first sleeve, I decided not to cast off the sleeves. I will try this sweater on to determine the perfect sleeve length. I am back into the rhythm of round and round in the body.

I have the two skeins pictured in the photo, one more unused skein and some tiny balls left from the sleeves. So I will keep knitting until I run out of yarn, keeping in mind I need to have enough yarn for the bottom ribbed split hem.

Happy Knitting!!

Punch In The Park

The sun may be bright, but the winds are cold. I need to knit faster! Took my Punch Bug Vanilla Socks to the park to watch the kiddos burn off some energy.

This is Knit Picks Felici self-striping fingering in the “Punch Bug” color. I am SOOO close to finishing the second color repeat. I am using US 1 needles like I usually do. But this fabric seems to be knitting up more densely than usual. Not to worrying degree but more so than the last pair I made. I wonder if my latest life stress is changing my tension?

The next step is to complete the color repeat and measure my sock. That should tell me how many color repeats I am going to plan into this afterthought heel sock. Happy Knitting!!

I Repeat, I Love My Kids

I left my knitting out over the weekend, huge mistake. PB decided to consume yogurt smoothie and leave her “empty” container on my knitting.

By the time I found it, there was dried yogurt on my Super Simple Summer Sweater….(left photo).

The good news is that I used some cool running water and managed to get all the yogurt off relatively easily (right photo). Now, I just need to wait for the body to try so that I can resume knitting. Sigh, I love my children I really do. But sometimes they vex me!

Happy(ish) Knitting!!