Cast On: Windowpanes

If you have been following my blog this week, you might have keened that I have a case of Cast-On-Itis, lol. Next up is the project I had intended to be my Christmas Eve Cast On. But I didn’t get around to getting that organized thanks to germs and a lack of bandwidth. But I have sorted the cast on now!

I chose Windowpanes by Jill Ramos as its a worsted weight bandana style cowl. I pulled two coordinating skeins of worsted by K-Zip Knits from my stash. I started this once on US 9s and HATED the loose fabric. So I ripped back and started again on US 7s and that made me much happier.

I did have to use my plastic needles from WAY back when I started knitting. Not my ideal needles but I couldn’t lay hands on any other US 7s and I really just wanted to knit. The pattern is pretty straight forward and I have 7 inches of this pattern to do before moving on.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Variegated Musselburgh

Why cast on just one Musselburgh when you can have two going at once?? I had skein of Lemonade Shop Mighty sock just sitting on my work from home desk and I decided to cake it up.

For no reason other than curiousity, I am working this version on a US 3 needle instead of size 2 which I used on my first one and the Christmas version I have in my WIPs. I was a dutiful knitter and measured my gauge and following that directions for the Adult XL for that gauge.

I just finished the increases and this hat is also ready for inches and inches of stockinette. This highly variegated skein is a mix of pinks, reds, and blues with some dark speckles mixed in. The name also gives me much joy as its called “Only Strippers Shave Above the Knees”.

This has been my “my brain has too many tabs open after work” knitting. I am using some wooden needles that catch once in awhile when I skootch my work around. I forgot how annoying that can be!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Christmas Musselburgh

My hat needles told me they were chilly after getting my first Musselburgh off of them. So I couldn’t let them get cold so I got a second hat cast on right away!

I went digging in my stash and found another skein of Moonstone Dyeworks kicking around. This time it is her Stellina Sock base in Christmas on Mars colorway. It’s a nice muted Christmas color with a TON of sparkle to it. I don’t get the sparkle to show up on camera very well.

I am making an adult large again, this time without the extra increases. I’m curious to see how this one differs from my first one. If its too small, then it can go in the gift pile or kid pile. I just finished the increase and its just stockinette for many many inches.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Goth Kitty Worsted Hat

New Year and new cast on! I had some training this week so I decided that a basic beanie was the way to go. I grabbed the skein of Knit Picks Felici worsted, mostly because I required no winding, lol

I cast on 80 stitches on a US 8 needle. I worked 2×2 ribbing until it looked good. I didn’t really have a pattern in mind. The goal was to stay awake while listening to a four hour lecture. The good news is that four hours is enough time to get 60% of a hat done!

I think I need two more color stripes and then I can start the decreases! Happy Knitting!!

Knitting With Handspun

A wise spinner told me that I shouldn’t wait to start knitting with my handspun. I should reap the benefits of my new found skill so matter how “good” I think my yarn is or isn’t. So I grabbed my recently finished teal skein and set to making a hat.

I cast on 72 stitches using a US 8 needles and started ribbing. I don’t have a plan or a pattern. I am just winging it and monitoring how much yarn I am using so that I leave enough for the crown decreases.

So far it is really neat seeing what the yarn is doing with the thick and thin bits. I can really see how that plays out in the stockinette section. I am pretty certain I will keep this hat in my hat collections because it is just too special.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Around Every Corner

Next on my needles is some past Wishful Knitting! Kind of nice to cast on something I planned and have been thinking a lot about!

This will be a flower inspired Around Every Corner by Stephanie Lotven. I am doing the main color in some Cascade sock yarn in a really deep green. And then my stripes will be in a range of colors that remind me of a daffodil or other spring flower.

I have this vision in my head of this garden like object. I really hope the actual object comes out like I see in my head. Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Musselburgh

I decided I could no longer resist seeing all the beautiful Musselburgh hats all over Raverly, social media and podcasts and I needed one of my own! I wound up the skein of Yak Sock from Moonstone Dyeworks and cast on my first Musselburgh.

I must admit I had put this project off for awhile because I HATE fiddly cast-ons with DPNs. I am totally capable of doing them but I have a mental block with them. And my needles definitely slipped out of my first try because it is slick yarn on metal needles.

But now I am off to the races and knitting the prescribed amount so I can determine my gauge and stitch count. Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Baby Blend Basic Hat

I’ve had a super soft skein of Shepherd’s Mill Baby Blend DK just sitting on my desk at home. It is a superwash merino, faux cashmere and silk blend in a 2 ply DK weight. I just couldn’t bear to put it in the stash, it needed knit up! So I grabbed one of my new project bag and some needles and started a basic hat.

Based on my hat experiments earlier this year I knew I needed roughly 80 stitches and I’m starting on a size 8 US needle. I think I’m just going to work stockinette and then turn the brim to create a double layer of fabric. The reason? I didn’t feel like doing ribbing and I want to use the majority of the skein inside this project, lol.

So far I’m about five rows in. I just need to stay off my spinning wheel long enough to keep knitting! Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Dad’s 2021 Christmas Socks

My sock needles were empty and my purse lacked travel knitting after I finished my Advent Socks #3 last week. I wanted some instant gratification so I decided to go for some sport weight socks rather than more fingering weight socks.

I pulled some Regia 6-ply from my deep stash in the every helpful color of “6974”. This has been marinating since 2017 and needs to turn into socks for my Dad. He makes a point to rave how warm his feet are when he is hunting in my hand knit socks.

I am doing the “sock recipe” I have for my dad. I cast on 18 stitches with a wedge toe and then increased to 68 stitches on US 2 needles. My dad has a 13 inch foot and I’ll do a toe up gusset heel. I just need to pay attention to when I get to halfway through the skein so I leave enough yarn for the second sock.

Happy Sock Knitting!!

Cast On: The Weekender #2

I did some soul searching about my Mycroft. It has been on the needles with approximately 10 rows knit since November 2020. I just never felt like working on it. So I frogged it, life is too short to knit project that don’t speak to you.

I ripped out all the Malabrigo and decided to make a second Weekender by Andrea Mowry. This time in a bigger size than my first one. I like and wear my first one but I want a cozier and slouchier version. Plus the pattern is easy and having been through it once before, I know the ropes. I need easy in my life!

I have my yarn caked, needles pulled and project bag organized. All that is left is to rewatch a tubular cast on video and have some uninterrupted time to get the hems on the needles. After that it’s just sweater round and round!

Happy Kniting!!