Cast On: Film Noir Hat

I decided to put that grey skein of Potions Yarn DK with cashmere to use. I just finished my Delightful DK hat and had enough mohair left to make more hats. I thought that grey would look great with this variegated grey.

I am doing another Bluestem Beanie and holding these yarns double. I am interested to see if I can feel the difference of the finished fabric when it has cashmere content. I don’t think it will be a soft and drapey as the alpaca but should be softer than the 100% wool DK from the last one.

I also realized that I am the only Raveler making this pattern right now. I am wondering if the designer is excited….or weirded out! 🙂

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Classy Cashmere Hat

The Classy Cashmere Hat is finished and I did not play yarn chicken.

Pattern: My own hat “recipe” using 80 stitches and rolled (shorter) brim

Yarn: Classic Yarn Cashloft Aran in the Poppy colorway

Needles: US 8s

I ended up using 87 of the 100 grams to finish the hat. It’s slouchy on PB but a more fitted beanie on an adult. The cashmere content is to DIE for and the aran weight on 8s makes for a warm dense fabric that still have some stretch. I probably should have used 9s, but not enough to worry about ripping it back and re-doing it.

Cashmere Decreases

This Aran weight yarn works up VERY quickly. I was knitting happily along and my second ball of yarn was disappearing. This Classy Cashmere hat is being made from “free to a good home yarn” and I can’t get more. So I panicked and started the decreases.

I should have weighed and measured because I am going to have more than enough. I will have a few grams leftover in fact. I still think I will have a plenty big enough hat for an adult to wear.

Duke is supervising all of this of course. I just have 5 or 6 rounds left and this hat is done! Happy Knitting!!

Classy Progression

After finishing the Wool Tweed Hat, I have been focusing on my Classy Cashmere Hat.

I am kind of winging yarn management. I knit the brim but made it shorter than normal as this hat is using yarn quite quickly. I am moving along through the body and I have joined the second skein of yarn. I only have the two skeins.

That is still a lot of yarn in the cake, I SHOULD be okay. But I may end up ripping this back to adjust. I should know better by now but I am still proceeding thusly, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Classy Cashmere Hat

I had one other yarn grab from the “free to a good home” table at SSK. This was some Classic Yarns Cashloft Aran that I think came from across the pond. It’s gloriously soft for this type of yarn.

The yarn is a mix of extra fine merino, microfiber and cashmere. The label has microfiber spelled the British way so I am pretty confident I have some yarn that is well traveled. Even Duke approves…..or maybe he wants a walk.

My supplies have multiplied over the years. So much so that I found needles that I didn’t realize I owned. These are some 8 inch Dreamz in rose wood in US 8s. so I decided the color was kismet and I started yet another hat.

This is an Aran weight yarn so I went with 80 stiches on the US 8s. I have two 50 gram skeins so I hope I can finish out a hat. I really enjoy the feeling of this yarn passing through my fingers.

Now I need to go and walk the dog 🙂

Yarn On The Slopes

We took the kiddos for a little fun and the first time skiing. I had to tuck some knitting into my ski bag. So my ankle socks got a little mountain time! This is the toe of the second sock as I finished the first one last week. The weather was warm enough to knit without gloves for the most part. But alas, keeping track of two kids on the family slope didn’t give me much free time.

And sometimes, I got lost in the views. It really was a nice trip and a break from work stress. Though, at almost 40….I am not as in shape as I need to be for downhill skiing, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

Coffee And A Wee Toe

It’s a Friday morning after a long week. I needed to recenter so I set out my Ankle socks and my favorite coffee.

I did end up deciding to go up to 64 stitches on these US 2 needles because 60 just looked too small of a circumference. As is my normal operating procedure, these will be toe up vanilla socks….just ankle length this time.

I have also started adding unflavored collagen powder to my coffee for a little protein and hair/nail boost to my morning. I realized that I don’t always get enough protein so I am going to work on some ways to beef up that part of my diet. Did you know that Sams Club makes the most BOMBTASTIC grilled chicken? I could eat that at any time of the day, hot or cold.

Happy Knitting!!

A Good Morning

I’ve had this skein of KnitCircus Opulance in a prototype colorway that will make super cozy and soft socks thanks to the 10% cashmere content. It’s honestly been wound up into two equal balls for weeks but I didn’t have the gumption to start the socks.

But I had the opportunity to get this started on the perfect morning. Early morning appointment for one of the kiddos, no work and a hot coffee. I unpacked my purse on a clean table and had a glorious 30 minutes to myself.

I am casting on 60 stitches and following the same “recipe” as my Emotional Support Socks. I just don’t plan to make them as tall. Maybe ankle height? I need more of those in my rotation for ankle boot days.

Happy Knitting!!

Gal’s Gifts

I firmly hold that one’s “gals” give the best gifts. I had the good fortune to bond very deeply with a work colleague who moved on to another City. And we developed quite the group chat with one of her new coworkers because we missed hanging out. We all three enjoy crafty things and each other’s senses of humor.

This lovely box was delivered to me from those two gals. Without asking they know exactly what to gift me.

This box contained many yummy chocolates and two full sock sets from Amber Waves of Fiber. The color is called “Santa’s Workshop” and the content is 80% merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon. I have enough yarn for a large shawl or multiple socks. I need to meditate on what this yarn wants to grow up to be.

Happy Knitting!!

Finished Cashmere

My cashmere skein is completely dry and all measured up! This is my softest and finest spin yet. I am beyond happy with this one.

After finishing I ended up with 223 yards weighing 112 grams. This makes this skein DK in most spots with other sections more of a light worsted. I can tell my plying was tighter on this skein than any of my previous 2-plys. With this having cashmere content I put extra twist in it in order to reduce piling in its future knitted state.

I don’t have any projects in mind yet. I think I’m going to let this one marinate in the handspun stash for a minute. Happy spinning!!