Cast On: A Coworker Hat

Posted on by
2

I found out last week that one of my coworkers and fellow managers is leaving to move his family to Oregon. I’m super happy for him to have a cool new job and be closer to his large family. But I am sad I will be losing my partner in crime. So I decided to channel my energy into a hat.

Digging in my stash I found two skeins of Woof Worsted from Lilliput Yarns. This first one is Chocolate Lab and perfect for a hat! Bonus points that this yarn was made in Oregon and seems a fitting parting gift to go back to Oregon.

I am using US 8s and my basic toque recipe of 88 stitches. I am thinking a folded brim on this one? My gauge might be getting tighter. I noticed my hats are coming out smaller these days. I will need to either add more stitches or go up a needle size me thinks.

Happy Knitting!!

Finished Spotted Circus

Posted on by
2

My Spotted Circus spin is complete!

The larger skein is my 2-ply intended spin. I got 255 yards to 100 grams so I’m likely in the light worsted arena. I think this was 12 (ish) wraps per inch but I forgot to write it down. Based on the singles I was hoping for a finer yarn but it really plumped during washing. Probably should have suspected based on the alpaca and nylon content. This yarn came out barber poled/marled and its lovely

The smaller skein was the singles I had leftover chain plied back to them selves. This skein was 18 yards over 17 grams so a worsted/bulky. It’s finish is more self striping since the colors folded back in on themselves.

These are off to a nice nap in my handspun bin while I plan my next spinning project! Happy Friday!

Cast On: Mom’s In The Light

Posted on by
3

This past summer my mom went a quilt shop hop and ended up finding yarn. She has been wanting a shawl to wear at church or in her basement sewing room when it gets a bit chilly. I admit, I did some pattern research and then lost all track of this during the last 6 months of crazy.

So to get past decision fatigue, I decided to knit something I knew I love and could do. I am knitting another In The Light. I have already made three of these and love them all. I asked my mom if she wanted color blocks or marling. She said “whatever I want” so I picked marling to make color management easier.

She picked a nice forest green and pale variegated yellow in the Barefoot base by Laneras. this yarn is 100% Polworth and should make an execptionally warm shawl. I am a little light on yardage so I might have to tweak the pattern. But that is a problem for later!

Happy Knitting!!

A Warm Sock

Posted on by
2

My first Emotional Support Sock is complete thanks to a long weekend in Missouri wine country. I only made a few mistakes that I had to rip back after a glass or two of wine. These were perfect to work on beside the outdoor fire with a sparkling glass of wine!

Before the trip I did end up weighing my yarn and the sock together to find “half” so I could break the yarn and have roughly an equal amount for sock #2. This sock is my own recipe for a toe up vanilla sock with a gusset heel. I use 68 stitches and the Wendy Johnson heel pattern.

It’s a great fit in the foot and heel and a teensy bit tight in the leg. I have had some swelling from getting back into competitive volleyball and also all the walking on my trip. I’m hoping a return to a healthy diet and some extra water will help flush everything out!

P.S. This was my first fire of the season and I am SO EXCITED!!

Happy Knitting!!

Dark Humor

Posted on by
Reply

I was recently at a bakery and found the perfect gift for my former work bestie. She has moved to another company and I miss her dearly. She and I enjoy self deprecating humor and the occasional cocktail. This towel fits her PERFECTLY.

I think I am going for work up a little “new job” basket and add this towel, a bottle of wine, some chocolate and a fidget toy. We don’t really do birthdays or Christmas and prefer random acts of kindness.

Happy Tuesday!

Super Pup and Sock Legs

Posted on by
2

Jellybean and I had some time to kill this week whilst PB was sporting. So he had MarioKart on the Switch and I stopped to admire Emotional Support Socks.

I took PB to see the Paw Patrol Mighty Pups in theatre. I had just re-joined in the round when the movie started. So one cartoon movie is roughly 1.75 inches worth of sock knitting. The movie was not my cup of tea but PB was in rapture. She is now running around the house pretending to be Skye.

I think I will add another 1.25 inches of stockinette leg before I start the ribbing. These socks are calling for some decent ribbing so maybe another 2-3 inches? I love making free form socks and when I’m not stuck to a pattern.

Happy Knitting!!

Plying and Puppy

Posted on by
1

The singles from my Spotted Circus singles are finished and thoughtfully rested several days. So I sat down a perfectly cold beer and Welcome to Wrexham and got to plying last night.

The puppy is now half grown and FULL teenager phase. Spinning requires tiring him out before hand and making sure lots of toys are on hand.

The finished bobbin is resting and I hope to find some time later tonight to wash and whack it. It is a fairly fine 2-ply and has a nice marl in places. There was some more singles left on one bobbin so I chain plied a little mini skein of a 3-ply. But its a wee baby of a skein. I haven’t done any measurements on the 2-ply so I am ballpark guessing at heavy DK?

I need to pick my next fiber to spin so I don’t lose steam! Happy Spinning!!

Blanket Energy

Posted on by
4

The blanket energy has gotten to me to the fourth skein of yarn! This latest color is lightest pink and that should be the last purply skein. I think coming up next is some greens an yellows?

This is my Zig Zag blanket made out of all the DK one off skeins made by Hannah of Chromatic yarns. I think I had 10 skeins total so this is just under half. Still feels like miles to go. This isn’t as wide as I was thinking it once would be. But it’s still going to be beautiful and a snuggly piece regardless.

Happy Knitting!!

Socks On A Driveway

Posted on by
4

The crisp air has finally arrived! The kiddos were running up and down our sidewalk on scooters. So I grabbed a lawn chair and my Emotional Support Socks.

I have finished the foot and I’ve divided for the heel. I am going to put in Wendy Johnson’s gusset heel. I have been using it for years and found that it wears well and fits my foot shape.

My cake of yarn is still in great shape so I definitely have enough yarn for good sized socks. The yarn has been caked for a bit so it is noodly in a few places but that should block right out!

Happy Knitting!!

Fancy Finished Hat

Posted on by
2

My Basic Dude Beanie is FINISHED and oh so pretty in the setting sun.

Pattern: My own “recipe” for a beanie with 96 stitches

Yarn: Ella Rae Classic Wool in brown/tan

Needles: US 8s

Mods: For this version I used a folded stockinette brim

I still need to give this hat a bath to even out some of the stitches. But I didn’t want to miss the golden hour vibes for photos. I worked star like crown decreases in a “traditional” fashion. The finished hat used 87 grams or 174 yards of yarn for the whole hat. Once again I missed the mark a tad on using the whole skein.

All in all, this was a great knit and felt great to get an orphan single skein out of my stash. This hat will 100% be a gift and I need to work on the washing and finishing touches. And then find the right occasion to gift.

Happy Knitting!!