Category Archives: WIPs

Cast On: Zen Yarn Garden Chevron Baby Blanket

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The 2019 Pigskin Party KAL hosted by the Down Cellar Studio podcast is in full swing now. I wasn’t able to do as much pre-planning this year as I have done for years past. I realized I had three major projects that were already on the needles that I don’t want to put into hibernation because WIPs don’t count for points. So I may not be as gung ho this year.

But at the very least I tried to get into the spirit of the competition by casting on a new WIP. I had been craving a big chunky blanket knit after I finished the Westport Blanket. So I went stash diving and found roughly 990 yards of Knit Picks Brava Bulky kicking around. The colors really do play well together with the true red, navy and grey.

I used the advanced search in Ravelry to look for bulky blanket patterns that used this yardage amount and that were completely garter. I wanted a nice BIG auto pilot project. I came up with the Zen Yarn Garden Chevron Baby Blanket by  Staci Perry of the VeryPink podcast and YouTube channel. I love listening to her every week so I went all in!

I cast on and quickly got to the second color. I think I will be true to the pattern and alternate the navy and grey with a solid chunk of red in the middle. This pairs nicely with the fact that I have three full skeins of the navy and grey and only one and a half skeins of the red.

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My hands do get tired working on this large of needle and yarn. So I will probably work this one in bits and pieces to avoid injury. But I’m really pleased with the pattern so far and how the yarn is knitting up! And it’s been awhile since I had to work a chevron. It’s been nice dusting that off!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Worsted Boxy

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Y’all….I made a thing and it is done! My Worsted Boxy is off the blocking mats and ready for fall.

Pattern: Worsted Boxy by Joji Locatelli

Yarn: Berroco Vintage in Mushroom. I used 437 grams or 948 yards of yarn.

Needles: US 7 and US 9

Mods: Omitted rolled stockinette collar and used a single crochet edging

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I realized as I was packing away my supplies from this project that I might have made an oops. I’m pretty sure I knit the body of this sweater on US7s instead of US 9s. Between that and the fact that I picked a pattern size to purposely have less positive ease I have probably four to five inches of positive ease instead of ten as called for in the pattern. And the sleeves hit me above the elbow instead of below as shown in the pattern.

I am still happy with this project. The fabric I created is nice and dense enough that I don’t need a tank underneath. It’s definitely boxy shaped and I think hangs nicely on my frame. And I only had 70 grams of yarn left so I probably could not have made the next size up. I don’t know, maybe with the larger needles I would have not used as much yarn? I might go back and add another row of single crochets around the neckline. Simply to add more stability and make it look like a formal neckline.

I’m not sure I would knit this particular sweater again. I could possibly be tempted to do a fingering weight boxy or the v-neck boxy?

P.s. the hem totally stopped rolling after blocking! I win!!!

Happy Knitting!!

Hospital Knitting

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My mother recently underwent a surgical procedure that left my dad and I kicking around the hospital for the better part of 11 hours. The procedure was preventative in nature and went really well. She is sore and slowly on the mend albeit a little grumpy at the slowness of healing. I was a little nervous for her so I made sure to pack my knitting. (Full disclosure….I brought two whole sock projects “Just In Case” that I managed to finish the first set of socks).

To start the morning I finished the cuff of the first sock for my Dad’s 2019 Christmas Sock. And then I started working the afterthought heel. This is the second time I have knit this because my first attempt was WAY to big.

I averaged no less than three comments per hour on my knitting as other families rotated through the waiting room. All very positive and usually followed by compliments when I explained what I was doing. Some of the families were there for much more serious procedures than we were and I think (hope) that it gave them some comfort to be distracted for a minute or two. One woman just asked if she could watch because she found it calming.

By the time we grabbed lunch I had the first sock ready for kitchenering the heel. I neglected to bring my tool tin and therefore couldn’t finish the darn thing. So I left that on some spare needles and started the second sock. I also had like three coffees that day. I hope I didn’t blow my tension out of the water.

By the end of the day I was SORELY uncomfortable in the waiting room chairs. I had managed to snag my dad the one recliner in the room so he could put his feet up and take a rest. But I had managed to put six stripes into the foot of sock number two. I only have two more stripes and I will place the waste yarn for the heel.

I tucked away my knitting and headed home for my kiddos meanwhile my dad slept in a hospital recliner for three more nights. I think I might knit him a medal….

Happy Knitting!!

I Win At Sleeves

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Sound the trumpets because I have FINISHED THE KNITTING OF MY WORSTED BOXY!

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I stayed up embarrassingly late last night just to finish the second sleeve. I’m going to need a second cup of coffee to make it to work but it was totally worth it! And I was watching “I Mom So Hard” on Amazon video and laughing until I cried and my husband asked if I was okay. If you are mom, seriously check it out! But trigger warning it does have strong language and adult humor. It might not be for everyone.

The arms of my sweater can often feel tight. So I picked up a few extra stitches and worked the instructions for the next size up in the pattern. It worked great because now the sleeves are snug but not bindingly tight.

Now I’m off to weave in my ends and get this ready for a blocking/bath this evening after dinner. Soon this sweater shall be mine!!

Happy Knitting!!

Debating Necklines

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Over the weekend I applied the pattern written neck band to my Worsted Boxy. Guys…I hate it. Straight up white hot disgust. Take a look….

It looks sloppy and when I try it on, the weight of the sweater pulls ALL of the roll out of the collar so it’s just a big chuck of stockinette. And my tension got wonky in a couple of places and I may not have picked up in the cleanest fashion. It all just look Homemade instead of Handmade.

So I ripped it back and grabbed a crochet hook (that took me like 24 minutes to find) and added just a simple single crochet edge treatment. I have a few ends to snug up and weave it. But this feels MUCH better to my eyes. And it sits much nicer around my shoulders when I tried it on.

Now on to sleeves! Happy Knitting!!

So Close To A Sweater

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After putting the kids to bed, doing the dishes and packing lunches I managed to add the last few rows on my Worsted Boxy back panel. From that point it was pretty easy to add the three needle bind offs to get the sweater attached.

My short rows turned out neater than they felt as I was knitting them. And I was only off two stitches on one shoulder when I was seaming. It didn’t look like it was going to show so I just decreased them away as I was binding off.

I did try this on after I seamed. It is not as long as I maybe want. But I only have one skein of yarn left for the collar and both sleeves. (They won’t take the whole skein for sure.) But if I would have added 2 to 3 more inches I would have been in yarn chicken territory. And I’m pretty sure a good blocking will add some length if done right.

P.S. the bottom hem is STILL flipping up. I literally cannot wait to block this into submission!

Self Care Renewed

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I started the back portion of my Worsted Boxy last night. It was the hubby’s night for bath and bed so I pulled a bottle of one of my favorite local Kansas wine makers and went to town on some flat stockinette.

I haven’t looked yet this morning, but I’m pretty sure I did not suffer wine induced knitting oopsies. It was actually a very much needed calm evening. (And I busted out the crazy yoga pants that drive my husband crazy.) As I’m getting older (read more tired) I find that I’m getting better about self care and taking care of my needs just as much as I take care of others. Some days is a struggle but it’s always worth it.

Happy Knitting!!

Completed Fronts

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I hit another milestone on my Worsted Boxy by Joji Locatelli. I completed both fronts and have the live stitches on holders.

It was pretty fast to zoom up the stockinette portion of the front. I did have to slow down and take my time to work the short rows in the shoulder shaping. But at least I wasn’t working with 300 plus stitches anymore!

Of course my mom addled brain put the cord in wonky when I put the second should on holders. My OCD can’t handle that it is twisted and won’t lay flat. So I’m off to fix that!

Happy Knitting!!

Progressing To The Third Skein

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Thanks to labor day travels I made some teeny tiny progress on my Progression Shawl.

I’m through with the second mini skein (yellow-ish one) and on to the third one (blue green-ish). My mom saw me working on this and commented “oh my that is pretty”. I may see how this knit goes and make it a gift for her….

For sure, this Mad Hatter Tea Party mini skein set is going to make a statement piece. It’s an abstract rainbow with lots of black pops throughout. But I am really finding the garter soothing and easy to work. I have made some mistakes on the eyelets rows and my stitch count got off. But this pattern is easy enough to fudge that I don’t mind. And no one, not even a knitter, will ever find my eyelet mistakes. This yarn is just too busy!

Happy Knitting!!

Temporarily a A Crop Sweater

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I took some time this weekend to crank out the collar of my Autumn League Pullover. And its done and looks pretty darn good (despite my dismal ability to properly pick up stitches) and it inspired me to try it on.

Thanks to try it on tubing (I have this kind) I managed to slip on this sweater to get a feel for the fit. Now…it’s basically a boob cozy or crop top at this point. But I wanted to see how the neck and sleeves felt.

It definitely has positive ease in the sleeves and the body. Yet I don’t think it looks sloppy. I can totally tell this yarn is an acrylic yarn. It doesn’t have the drape that wool does but it will still make suitable sweater. And the yarn will be gone from my stash.

As I look at my sweater I think I might alter this pattern for a split seam on the ribbing and if I have enough yarn then I will make the back ribbing a little longer than the front. I’m ready to go full cozy sweatshirt on this project. Bring on winter!!

Happy Knitting!!