Coffee Update

Posted on September 24, 2013 by atangledyarn84

My Little Coffee Bean Sweater is almost done!!

This is my Stashbustin’ #30 for those keeping track. I followed the pattern as written except for the color changes. I knit the body in solid blue and the ribbed edges in yellow.

I used 85.5 yards or 45 grams of Knit Picks Dishie Solids in Creme Brulee (yellow) and 180.5 yards or 95 grams of Knit Picks Dishie Solids in Jay (blue). It was a pretty quick knit as well. I’m just needing to do the buttons. But I can decide!!

So here is where I am asking the wisdom of the knitting community. Do you like the white stars, yellow stars, or blue stars?

Variations on Sophiatication

Posted on September 23, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I recently have made a couple of Baby Sophisticate sweaters (here and here). The first was a gift for an old friend and new mom to be. While at the shower, another mother picked up my knitted creation. While not a knitter she gave me some “motherly” insights. She suggested a slightly longer body and bigger sleeves. Her reasoning was that babies grow longer faster than they grow wider (most of the time, lol). And that the baby will most likely have a shirt on underneath this jacket and the sleeves could use extra room to accommodate the fabric layers.

So, I tucked these bits into my knitter brain and went home. I pulled some Lion Brand Natures’s Choice Organic Cotton in Khaki from stash and grabbed my needles this past week. I cast on the smaller 0-3 month size.

I knit the body according to the directions for the smaller size, with the change of working towards a total length of 7 inches instead of the prescribed 6. When I got to the sleeves I picked up the required 25 stitches and added three increases evenly across the first row for good measure. And I worked the sleeves for an extra 1/2 to 3/4 inches in length to match the body.

This is my Stashbustin’ #32 project and it’s all done except for the buttons! I used 189.5 yards of yarn (just under two skeins of cotton) or 156 grams of yarn. This sweater is now headed for a bath and blocking.

I love when I get real world feedback on my knits. I just hope that most of the time it’s positive!!

Happy Knitting!!!

Last Bits of Summer

Posted on September 21, 2013 by atangledyarn84

The yard has been weeded and seeded. The apple trees have been harvested. The shrubs and tree limbs are trimmed back. And the patio is now clean. All that is left is to wait for gentle fall rains and grass growing. Then the leaves will begin to change and fall and we will have a whole new set of chores to get this house ready for winter.

For now we celebrate the last bits of summer with wine and a good reading…

Puppy snuggles….

Weanie roasts and smores….

Happy Saturday!!!

FO Friday: Snug #2

Posted on September 20, 2013 by atangledyarn84

My second attempt at Snug is done!! This pattern is by Hinke.

This is not my first swing at this pattern and it won’t be the last! I used 212 grams or 288.3 yards of Knit Picks Brava Bulkly in Peapod. That’s just about 2 skeins plush a little of a third skein. The body is worked flat. The sleeves are done on DPNs. And the hood is knit flat and closed withe Kitchener stitch.

I was not has happy with this sweater as I was with my first sweater. The shoulders are ugly to me. For whatever reason, I didn’t get the arm decreases placed very well. They are visible along the top. And the the sewing I did on the seams on the shoulders is not as clean as I would like. But I am assured by my husband that he can’t see it. Oh…#knitter problems

The part of this sweater that I really love is the buttons. I spotted them at JoAnns and I was in love!! The watermelons really save this project for me. I deviated from the pattern a bit and added four buttons instead of the pattern request of three.

Into the FO stash this one goes. I love having some cuteness hidden away for a rainy day! Happy Friday to all!!!

Sometimes You Just Need Ice Cream!

Posted on September 19, 2013 by atangledyarn84

It’s hot….like really hot here in Kansas right now. And sometimes you just need ice cream. So the husband and I hit a local Sheridan’s for some custard. We let Chloe lick that last of the goodies from one of our cup.

I gotta give her points for both enthusiasm and perseverance!! She managed to get all the way to the bottom, lol.

Dex mean while had his taste and decided to sleep through the heat, lol.

It’s a hard knock life for dogs in this house!

WIP Wednesday: Little Coffee Bean Cardigan

Posted on September 18, 2013 by atangledyarn84

How adorable is this already!? This sweater is turning out to be everything I hoped so far!

I have knit all the raglan increases and divided for the body. I am making the 6 month size and its going very quickly. I may or may not have babies on the brain 🙂

I am using Knit Picks Dishie cotton yarn. A fellow knitter remarked how odd my choice was for the project. But having three nephews I know how hard kids are on clothes, so what better than hard working dish cloth cotton for a hard wearing sweater? Plus I have a boatload of it in my stash and need to find ways to use it, lol.

This free pattern is quickly coming up my rank of quick and easy baby knits to crank out for last minute gifts.

What’s your favorite go-to baby project?

Git R Done….Knitting Style

Posted on September 17, 2013 by atangledyarn84

I AM DONE!!!! This made this balaclava my b*tch!!! This multipurpose project is finally a FO.

Introducing to you, Garter Stitch Chunky Balaclava/Beanie by Christine Grant. This has been one of the few patterns I have actually paid for. And for the most part it has lived up to it’s price.

I used Knit Picks Swish Worsted in Lost Lake Heather. I used 126 grams or about 278.3 yards of yarn. That is about 2 1/2 skeins of yarn.

I had a few bumps along the way with this project here , here, and here, oh and here! But I managed to Git R Done (to paraphrase a certain Cable Guy)! This took me far longer to knit that it should have. But sometimes good projects have to have time outs once in awhile!

As you can see you can wear it as a beanie or as a balaclava. I kind of like the dual purpose of the project. And the yarn is a wool blend that will be very warm. Did you know that wool still keeps you warm even when it’s wet? How cool is that? I really hope this keeps my coworker warm this winter.

Oh and a big thank you to my husband who modeled for me after I was done knitting…..this last picture pretty much says it all, lol

So Close….Yet So Far…

Posted on September 16, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Frustration be damned! My Stashbustin’ #26 is rolling now!!!

After a couple of miscues on the pattern (my fault not the authors) I powered through the remaining flat portions of the pattern.

I found the brim portion to be a bid fiddly but I persevered. All I have left is to seam the back, knit the ribbed side face panels, and finally sew down the brim. I cannot wait to finish this one, both so I can give this to the recipient and so I can finally be rid of this knit!! I hope to have some later tonight to officially put this one in the FO column!

Oh and weave in all those pesky ends, of which there are a lot. Oh so close but yet so far…..

FO Friday: Baby Sophisticate #2

Posted on September 13, 2013 by atangledyarn84

And this Friday I bring to you another FO! I have finished my Baby Sophisticate #2!! (Stashbustin’ #28)

This time around I made the 0-3 month size. I used Caron Simply Soft again in Berry Blue. I used 100 grams or 185 yards of yarn. I started with a partial skein and I only had 5-6 yards left of yarn.

This smaller size only took me a few evenings of TV knitting. I did notice that my tension changed when I used the DPNs on the sleeves. Not that anyone else would notice. It bugs me a little….not enough to frog and start over though!

The buttons were some I had hanging out in the stash. The color is very close to the yarn but isn’t as matchy/matchy as the picture shows.

This pattern is so amazing and this is fast becoming my favorite go-to project for baby present knits. I cannot recommend this pattern enough! I don’t have a recipient for this sweater yet, so in the baby present stash it goes!

Happy Friday Everybody!!!

Stashbustin’ #30: Little Coffee Bean Sweater

Posted on September 12, 2013 by atangledyarn84

Earlier this year I made a Mud Season sweater designed by Elizabeth Smith (The Brown Stitch) and I LOVED it!!

Then I saw this….

(Photo from elizknits / Elizabeth Smith Rav page)

This is the Little Coffee Bean Sweater from The Brown Stitch. I already have so many things in my WIP pile but I just couldn’t help it!!! I have some amazing Knit Picks worsted Dishie Cotton in my stash. I have two skeins of Jay (blue) and one skein of Creme Brulee (yellow).

These are my old high school colors and so I am partial to this combination! I plan to stray from the pattern a bit. I am not going to work the alternating stripes as shown. I am going to do yellow button bands and collar with a solid blue body. Maybe a yellow stripe in the middle of the body? What do you guys think?

This is a top down raglan construction cardigan. This construction is the first sweater method I learned and it’s quickly becoming old hat. I love it!! I’m making the 6 month size. I can’t wait to finish this one 🙂

And so, this little amazing sweater is now my Stashbustin’ #30!!!

My Tangled Yarn Knitting Adventures

Ramblings from an obsessed knitter