Pride and Labels

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Awhile back I purchased several sets of labels for my knitting from, Remember Wynn on Etsy. Seriously, I love this shop and her labels rocked my world! I had a set made for my Etsy shop and a set for personal gifts. But for some reason I stopped adding them into my items I knit for myself.

Well, I’m proud of what I knit and why shouldn’t I advertise my goodies! So I took some time last night on the couch and sewed in labels to my Brick, Nutmeg, Mud Season #1, Mud Season #2, Abalone, and Shalom sweaters.

Take a look!

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Stashbustin’ #5: Antrose

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I read too many knitting blogs for my own good, but sometimes I read about projects that I just fall in love with. Enter, Antrose by Shannon Cook

(Photo credit to Nicholas Kupiak and the Antrose Rav page)

My bread and butter when it comes to sweaters is a top-down raglan. I have a unique body shape and I like to try sweaters on as I knit. This way I can make alterations if I don’t like the fit. And this sweater is all that and more.

Top down with a reversible funnel neck. Lots of easy plain stockinette with great chevron details thrown in. Just enough to make you pay attention and not get bored. And worsted weight yarn should fly off the needles!

This will be my #5 stashbustin’ project for 2014. I have some Knit Picks Brava worsted in Dove Heather. A lovely cream/neutral color to be sure. I recently dyed my hair several shades darker and I have been craving some neutral pieces to set off my new hair.

Well, I’m off to swatch! Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Sophisticate

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Its finally done, buttons on, and tag sewn in! 2013 Stashbustin’ #38 is complete! This officially completes all my (non-hybernating) WIPs from 2013. I feel a great weight lifted off my shoulders!

Pattern: Sophisticate by Linden Down

Size: Medium (I should have made the large)

Needles: US 8

Yarn: Caron Simpy Soft in grey

I used 1,043 yards of yarn or 562 grams. That is about 3.31 skeins of the 6oz Caron Simply Soft.

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I worked on this project on and off for several months. I should have finished waaaaay faster. But I chose to savor the process and the soothing stockinette.

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I love it open or all buttoned up. (Sorry for no modeled pictures….the husband has been working overtime and therefore is unavailable to help me photograph my projects while the light is good.)

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The buttons are my favorite. I found some plastic buttons that look like wooden/brushed buttons in a coordinated grey tone.

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I highly recommend this pattern to all knitters! It’s a paid pattern but so worth the money! It’s creative, yet simple. And the instructions are very clear….trust me, that’s not always the case!

Happy Knitting!

Alpacas!!!

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I recently stumbled upon an alpaca fiber farm near me!! They are just down the road from my favorite winery, Prairie Fire Winery in Paxico Kansas. I present to you, Alpacas of Wildcat Hollow!

Look at the gorgeous fiber they offer:

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Image of Prime Alpaca Fiber by the ounce

Image of Alpaca Batts

I really need to visit this farm and pick up some of this gorgeousness!! It’s very affordable and I love supporting local businesses. They even have an online store for anyone far away 🙂

A girl can never have enough alpaca in her stash!

Stashbustin’ #3: Rye Socks

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I want to take another swing at socks. So for 2014 Stashbustin’ #3, I chose Rye Socks by Tin Can Knits! It’s a free pattern using worsted/aran weight yarn. Aren’t they gorgeous?

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(Photo from Tin Can Knits rav page)

I pulled the Caron Simply Soft in Sunshine (yellow) from my hibernating One Piece Pullover from back in 2013. It’s worsted weight and being acrylic will stand up to my beginner mistakes and subsequent frogging when it comes to making socks. If I like this pattern, then I may do it again with better yarn, lol.

I like this idea of socks knitting in heavier yarn. I find as a knitter I like instant gratification projects. Socks are fast anyway, but worsted weight yarn whooo boy! I might even whip up a pair for my husband and his giant feet 🙂

Happy Knitting!

’14 Stashbustin’ #2: Appi Slopes

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We are smack dab in the heart of winter here in Kansas. And I need more hats to cover up my noggin on my walks with the fur children. My Rav queue is LOADED with hats I want to try. So I closed my eyes and just clicked one…the winner is….

Appi Slopes by Melissa Mall!

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(Photo from Melissa Mall’s ravelry page)

This pattern calls for DK weight yarn on size US 3 needles. I just adore the stiffened brim! I pulled some Berroco Comfort DK in primary blue from my stash. I need a little pop of color in this the dead of winter. This yarn was fun to work with before, you may remember it from my lacy hats in 2013.

Now I just need to track down a bit of plastic canvas or other platic medium from which to cut the brim stiffening bit….I’m thinking milk carton…..I might have to think about this!

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday….(err I mean Saturday): Abalone

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I did a bit of monogamous knitting the last couple of days. And so I actually have a FO to show you!

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Well it’s done…but despite my best math and knitting know how it’s not quite right. Don’t get me wrong, the pattern is great! It’s written for small size only with directions/percentages given to help you “upsize” your garment. I should have been more meticulous…

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Here it is anyway….

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I completed this sweater in a little under a month. I used 3 skeins of Knit Picks Brava worsted in Wine knit up on size US 8 needles. I simple adore the color! (In math terms I used 657 yards or 300 grams of yarn)

I did my calculations and cast on 80 stitches and increased up to 149 total for the body section. I then knit 17 inches of stockinette up to the arm holes. Then I separated and knit another 7 1/2 inches of height for arms shoulders.

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Now looking at the FO, here is what should have happened:

  1. Cast on 90 stitches (ish) and worked up to 159 stitches (ish)
  2. Knit 19 or 20 inches of stockinette before getting to the sleeves
  3. Knit 8 or 8 1/2 inches for the shoulders/arm holes
  4. Paid attention to the written directions and added increase at the corners of the knit border so it would curl.

This was supposed to have been a gift for a very lovely, elegantly tall, and slender friend. This sweater doesn’t have a snowballs chance in you know where of fitting the intended recipient in any flattering manner. So into my closet it will go after some additional aggressive blocking. I would like it to hit past my butt at least.

Instead my friend for her birthday shall get some local Kansas wine from grape vines that I helped to plant. That’s sort of like knitting her a sweater right? Sigh….

P.S. this is one of my last FO from my 2013 Stashbusting efforts! It’s #45 and I hope to have a post with my final year end stats soon!

2013 Knitting Wrap Up

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Being a consummate accountant and OCD organizer, I dearly love spread sheets and logging things. And thanks to the help of Ravelry and MS Excel I did a pretty good job of tracking my 2013 stashbustin’ efforts!

I didn’t set any goals or benchmarks. I simply knit what I needed to and wanted to. Then logged my activity. When it comes to knitting I have a hard time working on things that don’t speak to me or suit my mood. I don’t stick to deadlines or project lists very well when it comes to knitting. Hence my many cases of “start-itis” during the year.  Here is what I accomplished.

  • Attempted 59 Stashbustin’ projects total.
  • Completed 50 projects, frogged 3 projects, and sent 6 projects into hibernation/time out
  • Knit 20,287 yards, 60,860 feet, or 11.57 miles of yarn
  • Used up 148.63 skeins of yarn

Now on the flip side, I did add a little yarn to my stash…okay maybe a lot.

  • Purchased 19,992 yards, 59,976 feet, or 11.36 miles of yarn
  • Added 142 skeins of yarn

So I netted out 295 yards, 884 feet, or .21 miles down in “stash”. Roughly 6.63 skeins, lol! In my defense I really feel that over the past couple of years that as my skills have expanded, my taste in yarn has changed. I liken it to the drying of ones palette when you are a wine drinker. So even though I added back to my stash, I did so with better quality and finer yarns. I am getting rid of the “cheap” stuff and replacing it with “good” yarn.

How will I do in 2014? I don’t really know. And I don’t care, lol! I simply like to knit and just see what happens!!

Sometimes….It Just Doesn’t Work

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I have bad news for my Jericho Blanket….it’s hit the frog pond.

This pattern is gorgeous, but I just wasn’t feeling the yarn/pattern combo. I just didn’t feel the drive to keep working on it and I didn’t even get past my first color change. I didn’t want it to languish so I pulled the plug.

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Instead of a written pattern, I have decided to move forward with an improvised pattern of my own. I cast on a bunch of stitches (you like my exactness? lol) and started working back and forth in stockinette. I will work 3 inch stripes of each color (black, grey, wheat, and cream) until I run out of yarn or the blanket gets big enough.

Then I plan on picking up and adding a seed stitch border in black around the outside. I’m slipping the stitches on each side so that they are easy to pick up later. I feel much better about this project and I have the mojo to keep working.

And I will donate my blanket to the local animal shelter!! It’s cold out and every fur baby deserves a good snuggle blanket. Don’t you think?

Happy Knitting!