Bulky Garter Stitch Sleeve Island

I finished the body to my Charlotte Winter this week. I went digging into my project bag to pull out the double points for my sleeves. And I came out with US 15s….but I’m knitting this sweater on US 13s. Sleeve island is a real thing you guys, and I haven’t even started knitting them!!! Insert a D’oh here…

So thanks to a 50% off coupon and a trip to Joanns I am finally ready to tackle the sleeves! (And now I own needles I will probably only use once, lol.) I may take a tiny timeout on this project. The heavy sweater and big needles are really flaring up some soreness in my forearms and wrists. Nothing major but I think it will be prudent to take breaks and mix up the weight of projects I work on so I don’t develop a fully blown injury!

Happy Knitting!!

Now The Gussets

I’ve reached the gussets of my toe-up vanilla socks!20140706-160805-58085026.jpgI’m still working a basic sock with gusset heal over 64 stitches. I’ve had a bit of a problem with laddering in between my needles. I need to concentrate and pull my stitches tightly when switching needles. If I get distracted by a show or conversation I find my tension slips and I get ladders. Not that anyone will ever notice but me. Still terribly annoying…

I do love these lovely green colors. The short stripes keep me knitting along and moving from color to color. I’ve quite enjoyed the #sockswithsarah KAL this year. Have you checked it out?

 

FO Friday: Rye Socks

Confession time: I love thick yarn on large needles. I am totally in love with the instant gratification of a quick project. They just fill me with knitterly glee! On Wednesday, I had one finished Rye Sock…..well now the set is done!

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Pattern: Rye by Tin Can Knits

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Yellow (I ended up using 211 yards or 113 grams of worsted weight yarn. Less than one skein of Simply Soft!)

Needles: US 4 and 5 dpns

Size: Large

Mods: I didn’t knit all the toe decreases as written in the pattern. I left out a few to create more room for my toes. It came out kind of square but very comfy!

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I may or may not have accidentally made one cuff longer than the other. It is only about 1/2 inch so I’m not going to worry about it! I also had marked improvement on my kitchener stitch! Look at the right sock (first attempt) and left sock (second attempt) pictured above, much improved!

And now that I have conquered this pattern I’m going to knit some different colors/versions in wool! This set was just a test using acrylic to see if I liked the fit.

Don’t forget to swing over to Knitting Sarah and follow #sockswithsarah on social media and Ravelry. There are some really cool things happening over there! At enrollment is open for this KAL, so join why don’t you??

Happy Knitting!

Finally FO Friday: Fingerless Mitts (take two)

This Friday really is a FO Friday! I completed Stashbustin’ #40 or my second pair of finger less mitts.

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I used the wonderfully simple pattern Simple Fingerless Mitts by Tink’s Knits. A perfect pattern match to my current dpn skill level. I used about half a skein of Berroco Vintage DK (135.4 yards or 47 grams for those of you who like hard numbers)

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While I dearly love the color and ease of construction. I don’t like the stockinette section at the wrist. It bunches an doesn’t flex and stay fit to my wrists like my first pair. But that is by no means a dig at the author or pattern, more just a personal preference. And the mod to tailor this to me is SUPER easy to work in to the pattern. Going forward all my gloves will be ribbed right up to the bottom of the thumb gusset.

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This pair is definitely one for my gift pile. I think I have a recipient in mind for them already….

As for my next pair, I think I am going to gather up my Berroco scraps from both these two pair gloves (I still have 20 yards of orange left) and my Brick sweater and attempt a mixed color combination. If my idea works I’ll have another pair for the gift pile!

I have to switch gears, like right now….I have a craft fair to set up tonight! My momma is going to do it with me and we have lots of goodies to sell tomorrow!!!

Happy Friday and Happy Knitting to All!!!

Not FO Friday: Fingerless Gloves

Looks like a FO doesn’t it?

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Sadly, I only have one glove complete. I really really liked my first pair of finger-less gloves. I just had to cast on a second pair. I had exactly half a skein of my orange Berroco Vintage yarn left so I took that as a sign to make another pair.

While starting the second pair, I realized I didn’t follow the directions correctly the first time. I inadvertently worked the first 32 rows in the 2×2 rib instead of 10 rows in rib then 22 rows of stockinette. So for this pair I followed the directions as written.

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Based on how this glove turned out, I think I prefer my accidental pattern interpretation of the first pair. Those gloves were much more fitted right up to the wrist and flexed with my hand. This glove bunches slightly at my wrist when I wear it.

But I shall persevere and work the second glove to match. But I think this pair will definitely land in the gift pile.

Only 54 days to Christmas!!!!

FO Friday: Warm Hands

I managed to overcome “SSS” or “second sock syndrome” and I have completed my fingerless gloves for fall!

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These Simple Fingerless Mitts were very easy to make, despite being on DPNs. I had a single skein of Berroco Vintage DK in orange with a few slight tweed flecks. I knit on size US 6 needles because I didn’t have any 5s. Gloves still turned out and fit pretty well. They might have been too small on the smaller needles.

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I probably only have 8-10 knitting hours in these gloves. I like to take my time and make sure to keep my dpns from getting all boogered up. I used 46 grams or 132.5 yards of yarn.  And I did make one significant mod:

  • knit 20 rows total of ribbing at the cuff

I wanted to make sure the gloves were long enough to tuck inside the sleeves of my coat. And I was very happy with this mod.  And the best part is that I only used half a skein, so I can knit a whole second pair for a Christmas gift.

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Now I’m off to refill my cup. I wish everyone a very happy Friday! And as always, Happy Knitting!!!

Gloves For Fall

Due to Columbus Day here in the US, the hubs and I had a three day weekend. Which we turned into a four day weekend with the creatives use of leave time from work. It was a glorious break. I got to snuggle a tiny human, get in 18 holes of disc golf with the hubby (I’ll post pics tomorrow), see my dad’s football team play, eat waaaay too much, and chill out with the family.

I didn’t want to pack around my Brick or Nutmeg sweater, so I grabbed a single skein I had hanging out in my stash, a set of dpns, and a easy fingerless glove pattern.

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This some Berroco Vintage DK in a orange-y color way. I think I picked this up a fee years ago in a birthday splurge. I have been wanting to venture more into dpns and small projects.

So I cast on Simple Fingerless Mitts from Tink’s Knits. It is very fiddly for me to get a project started on dpns, but after a few rows I can usually cruise. I managed to finish the first glove and half of the second one over the extended weekend.

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Here’s hoping I can finish before the first fall frost!

Conceding the Battle, But Not The War

Stashbustin’ #15 is kicking my rear end. I can’t tell you how many times I have started and then frogged!

It’s a very straight forward pattern worked from the center out. But I dislike using dpns, so I opted to try magic loop at first. Oh my golly was it hard to keep track of where you were! Two attempts at this and I went fishing for my dpns…and after some trial and error on picking up dpns after a long time I got this:

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Pretty right? Only to realize that I was reading the pattern wrong! Grumble grumble grumble curse grumble grumble….

So I’m off to frog this again and start over. I will not let this blanket beat me!!

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!!!