Nailed It (So Far)

I am trying to dust off my WIPs to clear them out for the 2025 Pigskin Party KAL. No WIPs allowed in that. Today I pulled out the Crown Town Hat and installed the KC into the main body.

The pattern called for duplicate stitch and I’m rubbish at that. So I decided to double down and work stranded colorwork. I simply left LONG loops and moved the blue yarn back to the beginning of the row. I’ll cut those later and weave in both ends.

I think I did not so bad! Blocking will do a world of good for this. I feel like this hat is going to be shallow so I might add a few rows after the KC to make sure this will fit my dad. I hope I don’t regret my decision, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Emotional Support Chicken #2

I am still feeling the mojo for the Emotional Support Chickens. I decided to cast on #2 with the opposite colors of #1.

This cream color handspun is much more consistent than the darker color I from the last one. I am hoping I will get a more consistent fabric? This chicken will be for Aunt Barb, who helped me make jam this year, to give to her best friend who loves chicken. I am on a bit of time crunch as this ladies birthday is coming up so I need to get knitting!

Happy Crafting!!

Almost A Chicken

The emotional support chicken now has a beak!

I ended up finding some Malabrigo singles in a bright yellow from my hat leftover stash. I held it single and I kind wish I had held it double. Might try that on the next version. I also grabbed some red leftovers of Cashloft from the hat leftovers as well.

I just need to knit the chest piece and sew everything up! Happy Knitting!!

An Emotional Support Chicken Body

Thick yarn on big needles really makes a project fly by! I have completed most of the body of my Emotional Support Chicken.

My crochet join of the tail region could use some work but it’s secure and I can always add more rows to cover. I am working with uneven handspun so it doesn’t hide my sins as easily as a commercial yarn.

Next up I need to start and shape the head. And see if I have any polyfill in my crafting stash. I don’t make a ton of toys so it’s not a guarantee…

Happy Knitting!!

Two Autumn Gold Sleeves

The sleeves of Autumn Gold are complete and happily matching.

I ended the second sleeves with just one tiny nub of yarn left from the skein. Both sleeves knit nicely from one skein of yarn. I will have more than enough to finish this sweater based on what I have caked up.

Now I am just on the forever knitting of the body and adding the ribbed side details. So I have to pay attention on every other round. I wonder how many times I will get that wrong?

Happy Knitting!!

Conference Hat Brim

It’s been a hot minute since I last touched my Conference 2025 Hat. I had some downtime getting my windshield repaired so I got the brim folded and attached.

It feels like riding a bike as I have been on a sweater kick lately and returning to my hat knitting. I have zero plans for this hat, just a slow and steady knit that runs around with me in my work bag.

A few more inches of hat body and I will be ready for decreases! Happy Hat Knitting!!

Puppy Dog Eyes And A Sleeve

Duke is doing his best to derail my Autumn Gold Sweater. It’s a good thing he is super cute and very cuddly.

I was in a place where I needed more “autopilot” knitting and that is NOT this sweater body that has a section with moving increases and decreases. So I broke out the short circulars and started one of the sleeves. This is all stockinette and easy symmetric decreases that a can be counted. I made great progress on the first sleeve in my meeting!

I will probably wrap up this sleeve and go ahead and complete the second one while I am at it. That way I have a better shot at the sleeves matching and being the same length. I can count rows and make the second one identical.

I am really liking this project and the speed at which it is going. Remind me of that when I get back to working the body that has a pattern!

Happy Knitting!!

Bibliophile 2 In The Round

I made some slow and steady progress on the Bibliophile 2 sweater. I am through the back and forth process that has a ton of purls.

This construction is intriguing as the back and forth is what is what is making the ‘short rows’ that build up the back of the neck. Where I joined and the work is very skinny will be the front neck. I am not sure I have ever built one this way, so I’m interested to see how this works out

Next up for this project, I am in for inches and inches of raglan increases. But at least I will be in the round! Happy Knitting!!

SSK Try It On

A really cool feature of SSK is the Try It On Room. Knitters bring finished pieces in all sizes to share and try on. You can test drive finished garments before you knit. And those that bring garment get extra tickets for prizes!

I even got in on the action this year and put my Rainbow Radiate in the mix! It made my heart grow three sizes to hear other knitters compliment my sweater.

I also fell in love with a couple of patterns. I want to now knit Love Note by Tin Can Knits, Rock It Tee by Tanis Lavalee, and Beachcomber by Tif Neilan. I used that inspiration to guide my yarn purchases….

Wool fumes coming soon!

Cast On: Bibliophile 2

One of the tasks I accomplished at SSK was casting on the Bibliophile 2 that I was swatching. Swatch #1 was not succesful but I tried another size of needle.

My second swatch was more successful. I am within half of a stitch of the pattern gauge. My swatch was a little unconvential….but it works.

I didn’t realize the yoke of the sweater is worked flat for a minute. Not ideal, but I guess I can manage a few purl rows. In an SSK class I realized that I am a combination knitter and purl the English way. Hit me like a lightning bolt that is why my decreases lean opposite ways sometimes!

The more you know!! Happy Knitting!