A Game Of Yarn Chicken

I haven’t wanted to knit on anything else but my Kindness 2019 Shawl from my Mother’s Day cast on. I blew through all the remaining sections and I’m on the last garter eyelets before the garter bind off.

The pattern indicated that you could continue to add eyelets if you had the yarn to do it. So I added 12 extra garter eyelet rows. You can see my remaining yarn above. Did I do the smart thing and weigh my yarn to determine how much each row was consuming so that I could have enough yarn to do the four ridge garter bind off? Nope, I sure did not! I’m just straight playing yarn chicken!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Free Your Fade

I made it you guys! My Free Your Fade is done and I’M IN LOVE!! I just wish it was still cold enough to wear it this week. 

Pattern: Free Your Fade by Andrea Mowry

Yarn: Anzula Ava in Raspberry, Leon Alexander Yarns Duke DK in Oh La La and One Twisted Tree Lavish in Chaotic Nuetral.

Needles: US 7

Mods: Omitted the picot bind of in favor of a suspended bind off instead.

This thing is sooooo squishy and lovely. The DK (and sport) yarn just give this a nice heft that I haven’t felt with my fingering weight shawls. It is also MASSIVE. I used approximately 260 grams of yarn or 673 yards of yarn. And I used the middle variagated skein down to the last little nub!

My fade isn’t super duper subtle as it would be with a more graduated set of colors. But I love it and pretty proud of myself for my first fade! I do wish my larger yarn overs were a little neater. But I was too far in when I noticed and I decided that consistent yarn overs made my brain happier than neat ones would.

Oh my gosh…I need to wear this soon! Happy Knitting!!

Fading To The Finish

The winter germs are hanging on REAL hard this spring. And Jellybean, PB and I have all been sick this week. Between soothing kids and trying to sleep I have done like almost ZERO knitting. You know I’m sick when I can’t knit.

But I’m sooooo close to finishing my fade!

I have one eyelet row and one garter section to finish before the bind off. The pattern calls for a picot bind off. Truth time, I sorta don’t love the look of picots. So I’m considering using a suspended bind off instead. But for the immediate time…I’m going to drag my butt to work and cross my fingers for an early bedtime for all humans in this house tonight!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Mini Solutions Scarf

I have a finished thing!! My mini solutions scarf is in the books! On Monday this week I managed to tuck in all my ends and give this lovely a bath. I have a literally worn this every day since I finished blocking this.

Pattern: Mini Solutions Scarf by Kelene Kinnersly

Yarn: Treasure Goddess Yarn Super Toes Cashmere MCN gradient set in Blackbeard’s Revenge and lolodidit Everyday Sock in Naked Hippo

Needles: US 7

Mods: None

This puppy turned out LONG. I used roughly 515 yards of fingering weight yarn and this project is longer than my wingspan. I couldn’t be bothered to actually measure this because I couldn’t make myself take it off! This skinny shawl (aka scarf) wraps really nicely around my neck for warmth with good tails hanging down. It is very narrow in depth (maybe 10 or 11 inches) but that is fine by be. The cashmere content makes this next to skin heaven. And the color changes made this a complete and utter potato chip knitting. As is evident by all my blog posts, I was kinda obsessed with this project.

This pattern is definitely one I will do again. I can see this being a great gift knitting pattern. Soothing and squishy garter stitch but with just enough change to keep me going. And this kind of scarf is very wearable.

Happy Knitting!!

I Found The Sixth Color

It took some serious brain effort and I tossed my whole stash (via Ravelry) to find my options of white and grey yarn. My Mini Solutions Scarf needs a sixth color and I’m determined! I finally stumbled upon my Naked Hippo mini skein from Lolodidit. I had planned this for heels/toes/cuffs on socks but it’s a relatively solid grey and very very close to my last gradient color. Now it’s shawl yarn!

It was the best option I had without buying new yarn so I just went with it. I’ve gotten it attached and working up. It’s very subtlety different from the adjacent color but not to shabby.

I did have to work this addition of the sixth color twice because in my haste I added the last color without adding the eyelet row. Doh! I painstakingly tinked back to the fifth color and re-knit the eyelet row. Darn near perfect now! I just need to work up this color for a bit and then do the bind off and I’ll sitting pretty with a new scarf!!

Happy Knitting!!

The Fifth Color

As promised last week in my whiny mom post. Here is my Mini Solutions Scarf in all it’s stretched out glory. I have added the fifth and final color from the Treasure Goddess  Super Toes Cashmere MCN gradient set in the Blackbeard’s Revenge colors.

As I initially thought I knew my gradient pack wouldn’t get it big enough for my liking. So I’m going to need a 6th coordinating color to add to this. I had initially pulled a solid white cascade sock yarn back when I kitted up this project. But this gradient set is too beautifully variegated/tonal to just slap on a commercially made solid color at the end.

I need to go stash diving to see what else is living in my yarn bins to see what grey tonal/speckle options I have. And I need to do this quick as I’m about to run out of yarn and I really don’t want to stop knitting this project!

Happy Knitting!!

Cashmere Addiction

Hi, my name is Rachelle and I have a cashmere addition. My Mini Solutions Scarf has consumed all of my knitting time because I just can’t quit it! It’s gloriously soft and squishy and requires zero complicated brain waves. It’s my comfort object and I can’t wait to wear it!

I’m already in color four of my five color gradient set. The stripes are getting thinner and thinner as I add more stitches. I did pull some solid white when I was originally planning this project but I can’t decide if this project will need it? This yarn is gloriously variegated and I don’t know if a solid will throw off the vibe. I really want this to wrap nicely around my neck without constant adjustment. What do you guys think?

I guess I could always knit a few row of white and see what I think? A little tinking never hurt anyone right? Maybe I will see how big this scarf/shawl is after color number 5…hmmmm

Happy Knitting!!

I Heart Gradients

You guys, I’m addicted to this gradient. I finished up the first color of my Mini Solutions Scarf on Tuesday and added in the second color. The color change rows are just genius and make the perfect transitions where it’s perfectly half and half for the yarn overs.

The gradient set is very well done and the color shift is subtle but yet still noticeable. And the cashmere content makes my fingers happy. The pattern is in my brain and only once in awhile do I make a mistake. But garter stitch is very forgiving in that way.

I really should be giving my Charlotte Winter, bright socks or dad’s socks some love. But I can’t put this scarf/shawl thing down. It’s calling MY NAME!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Easy Goes It

My Easy Goes It shawl is blocked and end woven in. This baby is DONE!

Pattern: Easy Goes It by Finicky Creations

Yarn: Neighborhood Fiber Company Rustic Fingering in Easterwood color

Needles: US 7s

Mods: See Ravelry page

It’s a nice asymmetrical scarf type of shawl. And my pattern mods made it even longer. This should be super cozy this winter wrapped around my frozen neck. My needles did turn blue working on this project. But I never had dye on my fingers and I didn’t get any to let loose during soaking/blocking. Very curious but I’m glad it didn’t bleed.

This project is definitely a selfish keeper for my shawl drawer. I had toyed with giving it away to my sister but I couldn’t part with this beauty. Have you ever changed your mind like that?

Happy Knitting!!

Easy Blocking

I made it! My Easy Goes It shawl is blocking!

I chickened out at 7 grams left and bound off. You can see my pattern additions along the right side of the photo. I did 14 or so garter bumps then two a single repeat of eyelets before binding off. I am supremely happy. And I even busted out my blocking wires and gave this puppy a good stretch! My inside curve needs work as it has a few scalloping bits. But a mother of two young children can not afford to be too fussy.

I’m hoping to grab some FO photos tonight if this thing is dry! Yay for Kansas summer heat!

Happy Knitting!!