Fly Fingers Fly

I’ve been staying up WAY too late at night but I’m determined to get my Cuff to Cuff sweater done by Christmas. I got through the final side and sleeve and got the sweater on the blocking boards!

  
(I measured carefully and blocked the back and fronts to the same length for seaming purposes.) After a good soak in Soak wool wash I put a fan on this overnight. And whoosh….it was dry!

  
I’m going to seam up the sides tonight and get the collar/bands picked up. I’m going with the pick up 3 then skip one method for the edging. That will be just shy of 300 stitches on the needles. And then it’s just 5 inches of seed stitch between me and a FO. All in the next 8 days….ack!

Wish me luck!

Sweater Resurrection 

I’ve been on an organizing tear of late. I went through my wardrobe with a ruthless eye and got rid of the clothes that don’t fit post baby. And the ones that don’t make me happy or feel good. They will go to a good home to my sister or to a women’s shelter. And I also tore through my WIPs pile. It was time to knit or frog. I unearthed my Cuff to Cuff Sweater.

  I started this in 2014 but it stalled majorly after Jellybean was born. I was sorely tempted to rip it out as I’m not sure it will fit my new and improved mom hulk shoulders. But all it was missing was one sleeve and the collar/edging. Still a lot of knitting to do but it seemed a shame to undo. I can always gift it to my cousin or sister. 

It’s knit with Berroco Vintage in a teal/blue. I picked the yarn up for a song when a LYS sadly closed its doors in 2014. Also, if I finish this before Christmas I can count this as another WIP interception for the Down Cellar Studio pigskin party KAL!

WIP Wednesday: Clapo-ktus

I finally got my shawl mojo going. I freely admit I had to start this thing like three times before I got it right. I think I’m in the rhythm now (fingers crossed). 

 

The yarn is pretty slippery on my needles so it’s not travel knitting. It’s been living on my bedside table and getting a few stitches here and there. I’m dipping my toe in slowly to this whole lace/shawl knitting. It actually soothing in a way.

What do you find soothing?

Clapo-Ktus: An Experiment

I’ve never been a shawl knitter. I don’t enjoy charts as they don’t make sense in my brain. And honestly I’m a bit sporty in my attire and shawls just didn’t fit my esthetic. But I’ve recently changed employment. It was a good career move and got me out of an unhealthy emotional environment. But I’ll leave that part at that. My new building is an ice box with A/C and I hear the heat is wimpy on the flip side. I’m going to need some business casual options for keeping warm (and possibly a space heater)!

I have a pretty skein of Cascade Heritage Silk in a lovely blue. It’s a merino silk blend and just gorgeous. Here is a terribly lit picture of my skein after Jellybean went to bed.

 
I’ve decided to to knit a Clapo-Ktus by Loredana Gianferri. It’s a cross between a clapotis and a baktus. It’s a free download and designed to use every bit of your skein. The pattern is written and it should be easy to memorize.

I’ve printed and read the pattern 15 times. It took me a bit to wrap my head around how it worked but I think I have it now. And I’ve hand wound my yarn and pulled needles. This is worked on size 6s. I’m not going to swatch per se, I’m just going to go with the flow as “fit” isn’t a huge thing with a scarf/shawl. Those could be famous last words….

Wish me luck!

WIP Wednesday: Garter Ear Flap Hat

It’s turning cold here in Kansas and Jellybean has outgrown all his store bought stocking caps. (Even the 6 month sizes….) So being the knitting momma I am I cast on for a hat posthaste!

Pattern: Garter Ear Flap Hat by Purl Soho

I made the toddler size to make sure it was going to fit. But I didn’t pay very good attention to the instructions and neglected to go down a needle size after I finished the brim portion. The result is a lovely hat that won’t fit Jellybean until the middle of the blazing Kansas summer…shown below…IMG_1053.JPGSo I have regrouped and cast on again, this time with a number of total stitches between the infant and toddler sizes AND the correct needles! This first hat really is just a big gauge swatch right? I totally meant to do that…

For those that are curious the yarn is some Berroco Lustra that I picked up eons ago during a trip to my first actual yarn/knitting shop. I’ve been saving it in my stash and surely Jellybean deserves only the best from my stash right?

This pattern like so many from Purl Soho is very easy and delightful. It shouldn’t take me long at all to whip out this next hat. I’ll pause for your laughter considering Jellybean is now two months old and ruling the roost and most of my free time…

Happy Knitting!

WIP Wednesday: Jellybean’s Hexi-ghan

I only thought I was done….

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My blanket for jellybean is just slightly off of a square. I know it will stretch some when washed and blocked. But I really want more of a long rectangle.

Argh, that means at least one more row right when I thought I was done. Must knit faster… Only 5 weeks to go!

Happy Knitting!!!

Sweater For Fall

I’m less than two months away from Jellybean’s arrival and I find that pregnancy has fired up my urge “KNIT ALL THE THINGS”. I’m almost done with Jellybean’s blanket. Only one more row to go and then a simple crochet edging and it’s done!!

Yeah yeah…I have two pairs of socks on the needles for #sockswithsarah. And I haven’t really touched them except for a stitch here and there. I’ve been really busy nesting in my nursery, cooking tomato sauce, making apple jelly, and having some alone time with the hubby before Jellybean gets here.

I perused my Ravelry cue looking for an easy to wear open front sweater. Something I can throw over a long sleeve tee in winter or tank in the spring! And I found the Cuff to Cuff Sweater by Julie Farmer.

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(Photo: © Coats & Clark)

I love this sweater for so many reason not least of it will be forgiving to my post baby body as I adapt to being a mom, lol. This sweater was Knit ‘n Style in 2012 and I’ve had my eye on it since. I have some smushy Berroco Vintage in a lovely teal/blue color burning a whole in my stash. I picked up a sweaters worth at a LYS closeout sale last year for a steal.

Any change to get this done before Jellybean…who knows? I’m not stressing about it. Everything will get done eventually. Just need to take good pattern notes along the way in case it takes a longer than expected time out!

One downside to this project….the yarn is not caked. Sigh, time to break out the yarn swift and ball winder. So much winding to do before I can put yarn on needles!!!

FO Friday: Appi Slopes

My first FO for 2014 Stashbustin‘!!! This was SUCH a quick knit.

2014 Stashbustin’: Project #2

Pattern: Appi Slopes Hat by Melissa Mall

Yarn: Knit Picks Cottom Simply Sport in Prussian Heather

Needles: Size US 4s (I went up a size from the pattern to get guage)

I used 196.8 yards or 60 grams of yarn. I started on 16 in circs and finished on dpns. I find myself getting more comfortable with this! I knit this hat in a matter of a couple of evenings. Super easy and great TV knitting.

I did encounter one issue. At the end I seamed all the way around inside the hat to secure the brim…and I lost all the stretch. This hat wouldn’t fit a toddler let alone my gigantic noggin. So I ripped that out and just put small “tacks” about 1 inch apart around the inside to secure the brim. That way the ribbing would still stretch. Fits like a dream. I even tested this out last weekend whilst shoveling snow. Great fit, love the brim….but the cotton isn’t terribly warm. Upside….totally washable after it got all sweaty from scooping snow!

And lastly….the photos…

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(Side view)

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(Front view)

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(Back view)

FO Friday: Honey Cowl

Tah Dah! My Honey Cowl is done!!

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I cast on the intermediate size, or 160 stitches. And I used Patons Silk Bamboo blend on my new Knit Picks Options Interchangeable circular needles.

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The honey cowl is one of my go-to/easy cowls. It’s always beautiful and immensely easy to memorize. Great movie and tv knitting. I used size 8 US needles. I used 102 yards of each color and my FO weighs 130 grams. The finished cowl is 34 inches in circumference by 7 inches tall.

The silk blend has a lovely drape and sheen to it. It’s just baby butt soft against my neck. And the two colors blend well together. Even the WS has a unique beauty to it. This is Stashbustin’ Project #43 for anyone keeping score.

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I can just barely double it and wear it around my neck. This would not be a cowl for when I don’t want to mess up my hair. But on a blustery day this would certainly keep out the chill. I apologies for the model-less indoor photos. It’s winter and I’m at work during the daylight. So this is what I got, lol.

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TGIF and Happy Knitting!