Tag Archives: cast on

Cast On: Dinosaur Jr.

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After dreaming of sweater for Jellybean yesterday I also decided he needed a new stuffy. He sleeps with the monkey I made him almost every night these days. And surely Monkey would like to have a friend?!

So I pulled the remaining Plymouth Encore Worsted left from the monkey and found I had enough yarn for a Dinosaur patter in my queue but only if I reversed the colors. So Dinosaur Jr by Katie Boyette hit my needles. I have only started the head portion but I’m hoping some good evening knitting will see this project chug forward in no time!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Leksak

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I had finished PB’s Second Sporty Cardigan and I couldn’t stand the thought of not knitting cute baby girl sweaters. So I did some Ravelry searching and stash diving to find a good match.

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I found Leksak by Yarn-Madness. It’s a top down raglan style tunic (or pullover if you prefer) made for DK yarn. It has an interesting button band construction I found intriguing and I had two colors of Berroco Comfort DK languishing in my stash. Comfort DK is a 50/50 acrylic and nylon blend so very washable and very durable. And I like the idea of a tunic for my sweet PB. And I am for SURE making the open front construction versus the pullover closed construction. (P.S. Leksak is Swedish for “toy” and I am of Swedish decent so I that kinda hooked me as well.)

The colors are a minty green and bright blue I originally got for making hats. While not a a pairing I would normally make I think they actually work well now that I can see them knit up together. I will be playing a small bit of yarn chicken on this project but I think with some strategic order of operations and yarn management I can make it work.

Happy Knitting!!

(Re)Cast On: Rainbow Pop Sockhead Slouch

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I had previously regaled you with the tale of many cast-ons and frogging of a Sockhead Slouch. I think I had “swatched” enough to be satisfied with a gauge and stitch count for the project and then I realized that the 2018 Pigskin Party KAL was starting September 6th. So I frogged what I had and waited to cast on my final iteration of the hat until it counted for the KAL. And then I knit like the wind!

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I’ve cruised through four inches of 1×1 rib and I’m into the stockinette section. I’m pretty pleased with how the color is dispersing. It’s almost a tad bit striped but it is definitely not pooling or flashing so I’m happy.

This project has been promoted to primary purse and bedside table knitting. Just soothing round and round and round knit stitches with no brain space required. I could go for a good movie so I could make some serious progress on this puppy!

I have one niggling thought….do I knit a slightly less slouchy hat and save yarn for some matching fingerless mitts??

Happy Knitting!!

 

Cast On: Rainbow Sockhead Slouch

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I’ve been procrastinating on casting on my next “easy bedtime” knitting project. The Big Bang Vanilla Socks have been done for awhile and I knew exactly what I wanted it next…a Sockhead Slouch from my Lemonade Shop Stormy Day yarn. Why  the procrastination? Well, I have this vision for the fabric that I know I want my hat to have. I want the rainbow blips of color to distribute without stacking, pooling or flashing.

I finally decided to take the plunge…I did some Ravelry research on this pattern and this yarn to get a feel for what happens at different stitch counts and gauges. I decided to cast on the pattern recommended 144 stitches on US 1 needles. This was the result…

It was very clear even at this short amount of knitting that I was going to get total pooling. So I ripped it out and tried 144 stitches on US 2 needles….

This attempt was better and I made the pooling stop.  But now the color blips were stacking and making sort of flashing stripes. While this is a totally cool effect…it’s not what I wanted deep in my knitterly heart. So once again I ripped the whole thing out. For the third attempt I used 164 stitches on US 2 needles.

Much better!! The colors are still touching a bit but for the most part are randomizing and dispersing nicely around the hat. It’s not 100% what I was looking for but its really close. And given how much knitting time I get and how many brain cells I have left after two kids…..its close enough for now.

The caveat….I have no clue how this will fit! I am just working to get a fabric I like. The Sockhead Slouch is an easy pattern and I plan to knit several inches of hat and then try on the ribbing portion to see how things go. Fingers crossed….worst case scenario is that I rip out again and start over. Darn, more time time knitting this beautiful yarn!

P.S. This Lemonade Shop yarn really stood up to ripping and re-knitting!!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Cheery Vanilla Socks

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After finishing my Big Bang Vanilla Socks I felt the pull of having an empty sock project hole in my knitting life. I finally snagged some elusive knitting time at work during a conference call that coincided with PB taking a nap.

I cast on both toes of my Knit Picks Felici in the Cheer colorway. When I went back to work after maternity leave I had this project all kitted up and stored safely in my desk. I’m doing another toe up vanilla sock but this time over 72 stitches because I like to use US 0 needles on Felici yarn. It’s a bit thin than I like for size 1 needles. And I did my best to make the two socks match as best I can. My plan is just to crank out some tubes and do afterthought heels later.

It just felt good to get needles in my hand and have some soothing knitting while Iistened to coworkers “discuss” their opinions on our ongoing project, lol. Now as a working mom of two I have to grab my knitting time where ever I can….even if it’s 5 minutes.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Easy Peasy Triangular Scarf

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I bit the bullet and decided to cast on one of my wishful knitting ideas.

I pulled out my Nickie’s Knots sparkle sock blank and after much deliberation decided to use the pattern for which this yarn was designed for. It’s called the Easy Peasy Triangular Scarf and the pattern is not listed on Ravelry. But I had a copy of the pattern from the dyer/designer. I initially started from the wrong end of the blank but I quickly remedied that.  The pattern is pretty easy to memorize and incorporates a faux i-cord edge on on side. Otherwise it’s all garter stitch and simple increases.

Working with ramen like yarn is a new experience but not altogether unpleasant. I’m a good chunk of the way into this and I don’t hate it, so I’m going to keep going. I really like the sparkle and how the subtle yarn variegation is showing up. It will be interesting to see how this crinkly looking project will look after a good bath when it relaxes into it’s new form.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: PB’s Sporty Cardigan #2

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Since I seem to be on a roll with baby sweaters and finishing the knitting on the Gidday Baby….I decided to cast on another Sporty Cardigan in the next size up.

I have enough of the Frabjous Fibers Messenger Kit from the first Sporty Cardigan to work another one….with a little extra yarn added that is. I pulled some Knit Picks Comfy sport from my deep stash to use. It’s not the same fiber content as the Frabjous kit but given this is a baby sweater and that I really don’t care I’m rolling with it.

I worked the collar ribbing in the Frabjous kit yarn and I think I’m gonna use the Comfy Sport in Lady Slipper to work the entire yoke. And for the body and the sleeves I will stripe the Frabjous Fibers and see how far I can get. I may have to finagle this one a bit but it will be an adventure!

Happy Knitting!!

It’s Back to Work I Go….With Knitting Of Course

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I am back to work today. And my desk wouldn’t be complete without a project tucked into it’s drawers to save me during long and boring conference calls/webinars. But I finished my “desk knitting” before PB was born and never replaced it. So when I was packing baby gear to deck out my office I also did up a project bag with some knitting.

I grabbed two skeins of Felici self-striping in Cheer and my US 0 needles and threw into a project bag. The socks are not started and lord knows between catching up on work and taking care of an infant while at work I won’t have time to actually knit. But I find it oddly comforting to know it’s there just in case I need it!

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Am I the only one who stashes knitting like a squirrel stashes nuts?

Cast On: Gidday Baby Cardigan

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I can’t help myself…..my tiny PB is coming to work with me and she is gonna need A LOT of sweaters. So after the Sporty Cardigan was complete I did some Ravelry searching and came up with my next sweater for PB.

I picked the Gidday Baby Sweater by Georgie Nicolson because I loved how the garter yoke looked with the stripes and the eyelets. And I adored the simple two button closure at the top while the rest of the sweater is worn open.

The only catch was that I wanted to make 9 or 12 month sized sweater for PB to grow into and this pattern is only written for newborn and 3 months. So I decided to be the boss of my own knitting and used some logic with a sprinkling of math. I took the yarn weight from DK to worsted and the needles to US 7s and 8s. Based on my known gauge with Berroco Vintage and some slight length alterations…I was pretty sure I could make this a larger sweater.

I’m following the 3 month size stitch counts for the pattern instructions but modeling the schematic off of a 12 month sized commercially made baby sweater. Fingers crossed this doesn’t come back to bite me. If so, then it will make a good story for the blog! I’m only 8 rows in and it seems okay so far, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: PB’s Sporty Cardigan

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The time is drawing near that I have to return to work. My maternity leave has seemed to just fly right by! Well, I have prepped my office with all the items I think I will need. But there is one situation I need to address….my office is freezing and PB is terribly temperature sensitive.

Solution…..cast on a cardigan! I pulled a Frabjous Fibers Messenger Kit in the #13 colorway. I picked this sport weight kit on a deal at a LYS closing. I did some Ravelry sleuthing and found the Sporty Cardigan for Boys and Girls by Cecilie Clark. I wound the yarn and got to work. This yarn kit was perfect because it has two difference coordinating colors in the same base.

After some napping and knitting I am working on the garter stitch yoke. I’m working the 6 month size. But at the exponential rate at which PB is growing…I might need a bigger one. If I manage my yarn carefully (and maybe pull some different sport contrast from my stash)….I may be able to knit a second sweater in the 12 month size for when she grows out of this one. These colors are just going to look so cute on PB!!

Now, shhhhhh I have more knitting to squeeze in during nap!

Happy Knitting!!