Category Archives: WIPs

WIP Wednesday: Carbon Sprinkles Vanilla Socks

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Welcome to my happy place…..self striping yarn! My Carbon Sprinkles Vanilla Socks well into production of sock number two.

As with sock number one, I plan to knit sock number two all the way to the cuff as a tube. I’ll install both afterthought heels at the very end. I may regret this choice when I’m on “heel island”, lol.

I am little excited to get these into my sock drawer. I feel that between the patterning and knit fabric feel will mean this will be some favorite go-to socks. I have a full sock drawer now so it’s nice to be able to have lots of choices so I don’t put too much wear on any one pair of socks.

Happy Knitting!!

Ready For The Heel

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I blinked over the weekend and realized I had knit 6 rows past where the heel on my Sand Castle Cashmere Vanilla Socks. I slipped a progress keeper in where I need to tink back to.

I am really enjoying this yarn and project. The cashmere content in the yarn just feels so decadent. And I never seem to tire of vanilla knitting in the round. Up next is to count my stitches and start working the heel turn.

For my toe up socks I used the Wendy Knits pattern for toe up gusset heel socks. Her instructions are clear and happen to match the stitch count I use for my feet. Works every time and the fit is good.

Happy Knitting!!

One Finished Tube

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Thanks to some holiday downtime I managed to get the first sock tube completed for my Carbon Sprinkles Vanilla Socks.

I feel like I knit a pretty long tube and I even worked some increases in the leg portion. I’m sure it won’t be as long as I think it will be. That’s probably the impatient knitter in me. I need to weigh the yarn to see how much I used to create the first tube before I start the second tube.

I really think I’m going to be lazy and not put the heel right now. I will install both heels when I am done with the second tube. Why? I really don’t know why other than “I just feel like it”, lol.

I am really really really liking the speckles in this striping yarn. I need to get my DPNs out and get the second tube started before I get second sock syndrome.

Happy Knitting!!

Down To The Last Strap

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I am SOOO close to finishing this long languishing “sweater”. My DK Ripple Bralet is down to the one last strap.

Based on a lot of pattern notes and comments from others who have knit this bralet I have purposely knit the straps shorter than I would think they needed to be. The first strap is 12 inches where the measurement on my body is 14 inches.

I have the second strap on the needles and the first strap is on holders waiting for me graft it to the body. I really really hope to get this sweater finished this week. I have this urge to clear the needles before my Christmas Eve cast on!

Happy Knitting!!

Hurricaning Along

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My second Hurricane Hat is swimming right along. I think I am within an inch or so of starting the crown decreases. And I think I have a good shot of using up most of the yarn.

I did end up adding more stitches than the pattern called for to make the hat more adult/slouchy. Therefore I had to recalculate the number of stitches in-between the purl swirls. I think I did a pretty decent job though the crown decreases will also have to be recalculated. Drat…

Happy Knitting!!

Mitts For Teacher

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I have been trying to knock out some of my smaller project I have knocking around in my WIP pile. I had cast on the Dreaming of Spring Fingerless Mitts with no real plan in mind. I have now decided that these need to be for my son’s kindergarten teacher. This has been an extra crazy year for teachers and I want to try to fix it with hand knits.

The first mitt is complete except for the thumb. And I’m well into the thumb increases on the second mitt. I think I should be able to knock this out this week especially with Thanksgiving. I think my plan is to wrap these up and stick a little note of appreciation in with them. A virtual hug in stitches.

Happy Knitting!!

Close To A Bralet

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I put my big kid pants on and picked up my languishing DK Ripple Bralet. I had stalled in the main body section and didn’t have the concentration to read the pattern move to the next section. It was all in my head and for no good reason.

I picked up and counted and managed to figure out I was on track with the pattern. I completed the top band section, cast off the back and knit both cups. I made the decision to knit both cups before starting the I-cord straps. Mostly because I wanted both cups to match and I was not in a mood to knit I-cord yet.

We will see how fast the I-cord mood hits me. I did have to open a second skein of this Chromatic Yarns DK yarn. I don’t think I will use hardly any of it but for sure I could not eek this project out of a single skein for my size.

Happy Knitting!!

Car Line Knitting: Hat Adventures

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Now that my Knit Socks are finished I needed different car line knitting. So the Hurricane Hat for Jellybean became just the thing. (And yes I know my check light is on. It’s for low tire pressure and they are just going to have to wait there turn in my to do list…it’s 2020 and I can only handle so many dumpster fires).

I’m a little bit nervous about this hat. The yarn has a lot of tooth to it and it is not next to skin soft in my opinion. Jellybean really likes the swirls in the purls but I have a feeling this won’t get much wear. I may have to break out my Tuft wool wash that has lanolin to block this to see if I can add some softness.

I’m holding DK weight yarn double so the project is really flying! I might even have a FO this week depending on how long the car lines are this week.

Happy Knitting!

More Waiting….More Knitting

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In true 2020 fashion, life continues to humble me. I had been struggling with eye and cheek pain for a couple of days. I tried to brush it off until my vision went blurry and it hurt to blink. So on went the mask and off the urgent care clinic I went. Long story short….I have an infected tear duct and that hurts and totally sucks.

My visit was long and not without anxiety. Even with all the COVID precautions I was NOT fond of being in a doctors office with the general public. And everything took FOREVER and the staff couldn’t have been kinder. I did manage to remember my ear buds and my knitting. So by the grace of my Knit Sky Socks and some true crime podcasts I waited out the over hour long wait.

This is sock number two and I’m really pretty far into the foot section given that I started this like two days ago. This is all progress from car line knitting and this doctor’s visit. I’m not mad at that rate of progress. I did get prescribed some eye medication that is helping a ton so I hate life a little less now. And I’m honestly going to be a little sad when this knit is over. I really really love the feel and colors of this yarn.

Happy Knitting!!

Ribbing Is Slow

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I am still slowly working my way through my second attempt at my DK Ripple Bralet. I haven’t really been serious about this project and it’s only seeing progress on long Zoom meetings or family movie nights.

I’m learning lessons from my gauge errors on my first attempt. So therefore I know how much body I need to knit. And man….ribbing is slow. My default is 2×2 rib and this is not that so it “feels” weird to my fingers and I’m just naturally slower than I feel like should be.

I mean I know since my last post on these I have added a good three inches of ribbing. But it feels like I knit and it never grows. My rational brain knows that is not true but my pandemic brain is frustrated! I am pretty sure I need another three inches of ribbing before I start the strap portions.

I think this is my slow and steady “turtle” project so I am just going to breathe and keep knitting on this one. Happy Knitting!!