Tag Archives: FO

Yet Another Sophisticate

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I seem to be addicted to baby sweaters lately….baby fever anyone?!?

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Pattern: Baby Sophisticate – Free by Linden Down

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Lion Brand Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton in Pistachio (190.6 yards, 157 grams, or 1.85 skeins)

Size: 12 months

Mods: I knit short sleeves by working the garter rib right after separating for the sleeves. I also knit the button band solid with no button holes. I just wanted something that would look great thrown over a long tee to keep baby snugly!

Into the baby shower stash this goes! I love this pattern, but I will admit by the end of this project I was ready for a different pattern….

Happy Knitting!

A Teeny Tiny Sophisticate

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Just a quick post today… 

A dear friend requested a light cardigan for her 14 month old. It has been quite cold this winter and she worries about keeping her baby bear warm!

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Knitting to the rescue!!!

Pattern: Baby Sophisticate – Free by Linden Down

Size: 12 months

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton in Berry Jam (I used just over two skeins of yarn, or 211.2 yards, or 174 grams)

Time: I whipped this out in a couple of evenings 

Mods: I chose to knit short sleeves because this little tornado gets her hands into EVERYTHING and Mom is always rolling up her sleeves anyway.

Now I’m off to work and to spend some serious hours studying for my CMA exam!

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Appi Slopes

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My first FO for 2014 Stashbustin‘!!! This was SUCH a quick knit.

2014 Stashbustin’: Project #2

Pattern: Appi Slopes Hat by Melissa Mall

Yarn: Knit Picks Cottom Simply Sport in Prussian Heather

Needles: Size US 4s (I went up a size from the pattern to get guage)

I used 196.8 yards or 60 grams of yarn. I started on 16 in circs and finished on dpns. I find myself getting more comfortable with this! I knit this hat in a matter of a couple of evenings. Super easy and great TV knitting.

I did encounter one issue. At the end I seamed all the way around inside the hat to secure the brim…and I lost all the stretch. This hat wouldn’t fit a toddler let alone my gigantic noggin. So I ripped that out and just put small “tacks” about 1 inch apart around the inside to secure the brim. That way the ribbing would still stretch. Fits like a dream. I even tested this out last weekend whilst shoveling snow. Great fit, love the brim….but the cotton isn’t terribly warm. Upside….totally washable after it got all sweaty from scooping snow!

And lastly….the photos…

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(Side view)

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(Front view)

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(Back view)

FO Friday: Sophisticate

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Its finally done, buttons on, and tag sewn in! 2013 Stashbustin’ #38 is complete! This officially completes all my (non-hybernating) WIPs from 2013. I feel a great weight lifted off my shoulders!

Pattern: Sophisticate by Linden Down

Size: Medium (I should have made the large)

Needles: US 8

Yarn: Caron Simpy Soft in grey

I used 1,043 yards of yarn or 562 grams. That is about 3.31 skeins of the 6oz Caron Simply Soft.

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I worked on this project on and off for several months. I should have finished waaaaay faster. But I chose to savor the process and the soothing stockinette.

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I love it open or all buttoned up. (Sorry for no modeled pictures….the husband has been working overtime and therefore is unavailable to help me photograph my projects while the light is good.)

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The buttons are my favorite. I found some plastic buttons that look like wooden/brushed buttons in a coordinated grey tone.

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I highly recommend this pattern to all knitters! It’s a paid pattern but so worth the money! It’s creative, yet simple. And the instructions are very clear….trust me, that’s not always the case!

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday….(err I mean Saturday): Abalone

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I did a bit of monogamous knitting the last couple of days. And so I actually have a FO to show you!

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Well it’s done…but despite my best math and knitting know how it’s not quite right. Don’t get me wrong, the pattern is great! It’s written for small size only with directions/percentages given to help you “upsize” your garment. I should have been more meticulous…

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Here it is anyway….

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I completed this sweater in a little under a month. I used 3 skeins of Knit Picks Brava worsted in Wine knit up on size US 8 needles. I simple adore the color! (In math terms I used 657 yards or 300 grams of yarn)

I did my calculations and cast on 80 stitches and increased up to 149 total for the body section. I then knit 17 inches of stockinette up to the arm holes. Then I separated and knit another 7 1/2 inches of height for arms shoulders.

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Now looking at the FO, here is what should have happened:

  1. Cast on 90 stitches (ish) and worked up to 159 stitches (ish)
  2. Knit 19 or 20 inches of stockinette before getting to the sleeves
  3. Knit 8 or 8 1/2 inches for the shoulders/arm holes
  4. Paid attention to the written directions and added increase at the corners of the knit border so it would curl.

This was supposed to have been a gift for a very lovely, elegantly tall, and slender friend. This sweater doesn’t have a snowballs chance in you know where of fitting the intended recipient in any flattering manner. So into my closet it will go after some additional aggressive blocking. I would like it to hit past my butt at least.

Instead my friend for her birthday shall get some local Kansas wine from grape vines that I helped to plant. That’s sort of like knitting her a sweater right? Sigh….

P.S. this is one of my last FO from my 2013 Stashbusting efforts! It’s #45 and I hope to have a post with my final year end stats soon!

FO Friday: Honey Cowl

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Tah Dah! My Honey Cowl is done!!

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I cast on the intermediate size, or 160 stitches. And I used Patons Silk Bamboo blend on my new Knit Picks Options Interchangeable circular needles.

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The honey cowl is one of my go-to/easy cowls. It’s always beautiful and immensely easy to memorize. Great movie and tv knitting. I used size 8 US needles. I used 102 yards of each color and my FO weighs 130 grams. The finished cowl is 34 inches in circumference by 7 inches tall.

The silk blend has a lovely drape and sheen to it. It’s just baby butt soft against my neck. And the two colors blend well together. Even the WS has a unique beauty to it. This is Stashbustin’ Project #43 for anyone keeping score.

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I can just barely double it and wear it around my neck. This would not be a cowl for when I don’t want to mess up my hair. But on a blustery day this would certainly keep out the chill. I apologies for the model-less indoor photos. It’s winter and I’m at work during the daylight. So this is what I got, lol.

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TGIF and Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Purl Ridge Scarf

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This was such a quick knit!!! Just a few evenings this past week. So without further ado, I give you my Purl Ridge Scarf by Stephen West.

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I used Knit One Crochet Two Brea Tweed. This an amazingly soft yarn but the “tweed” bits got everywhere as I worked! I felt like I was pulling them off everything as I worked. I used 299.8 yards or 137 grams. I worked the pattern as written and had yarn left over. I probably could have done at least one more repeat of the purl ridge. But I didn’t want to run out of yarn!

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My finished object is 60 inches around (30 inches folded in half as shown above) and 7 inches tall. I can safely loop this around my neck twice for extra warmth or wear as a single loop for a more artistic approach. Blocking did wonders for this! It was a bit scrunched up coming off my needles.

Stephen West is a genius with design. This pattern is simple but gorgeous to look at!!

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This pattern would make a great quickly holiday knit and it’s free!! Christmas is almost here 🙂

Happy Knitting!

FO Friday: Nutmeg

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Just in time for some seriously wintry cold weather here in Kansas! I give you a finished Nutmeg!

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I knit this using Knit Picks Brava Bulky. Black may have been a poor choice as I spent 20 minutes with a lint roller getting this FO photo ready, lol. I have a white lab that sheds all year round! I used just under 7 skeins or about 922 yards of yarn. This sweater weighs about 680 grams and is seriously warm.

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I find that I like the open boat neck of the collar. I did opt however to knit the sleeve ends and hem in garter ribbing rather than the rolled hem to match the neck. I just don’t like the rolling. I like my garments to stay down over my tummy. And oh the sleeves….I highly recommend anyone knitting this sweater to omit the K2tbl and use a K2tog instead on the left sleeve.

_MG_0285This sweater is seriously warm!! The finished fabric turned out pretty dense. It was 30 degress (Fahrenheit) on the day we took these photos and I stayed pretty warm, even without a coat. God bless wool blends!!!

Would I make this pattern again….maybe, but only if someone requested it. There are soooo many other sweaters waiting in my queue. And this one was quite vanilla. I think some challenges are in order for my next project!

Happy Knitting!!!

FO Friday: One Pain In The Rear Sock

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I’m so over this project. Your guys’ wonderful comments last week were amazing and wonderful. Not to mention, full of great suggestions! But I just had to be done. I worked a few more stripes of color changes, did a 2×2 rib for a bit, and then bound off.

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I didn’t even have the heart to finish the skein. It was just one of those projects! It’s my stashbustin’ #41 for those counting and my Rav page is here. I did learn a lot:

Pros:
– I learned how to do a Turkish cast on
– I adapted the pattern to fit my measurements
– I turned my first heel
– This was my first fingering weight project
– I completed my first ever sock.
– I got to buy some neat sock blockers!

Cons:
– Dropping stitches was a pain on the rear to pick back up as I don’t own a small enough crochet hook
– My feet are big and therefore entail lots and lots of tiny stitches
– I should not and cannot do leg/calf increases on the fly…they just look bad
– I only ended up with one sock

After all this, I still want to knit socks. Next time I want to try two at a time, top down socks on circulars. I have the yarn, I have the pattern, just need to save up some moolah to buy the needles.

And because it’s Friday here is a pic of my solo sock on my giant lady foot 🙂

Stashbustin’ Stat Update

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This year is almost up!!! I can’t believe how fast it’s gone and Christmas is right around the corner. My Mom and I had a wonderful day this past weekend selling at the craft fair.  And boy howdy, are we tired! Being a knitting masochist, I have another craft fair yet to come before Christmas! I need to get back to my needles to “restock” my wares!

So today, instead of a object orientated post I’d like to share my “progress” this year on stash busting.

  • I have 42 Stashbustin’ projects in 2013 (not counting special request and craft fair wares)
  • I have completed 31 projects, frogged 2 projects, four projects are in hibernation, and I have five current WIPs.
  • I have knit approximately 8.56 miles and have another 1.88 miles on the needles
  • I have donated 1 mile of yarn to charity
  • And despite my best efforts…..added 8.94 miles of yarn back to my stash

Now I am still in the black as far as yarn in/yarn out. But I bought a lot of yarn this year. Some was for specific projects and special orders. Others was just because I could. I did get rid of some of my less than tasty bits of yarn and replaced it with better and higher quality fiber.

My stashbustin’ efforts may slow down a bit as we march towards 12/31, as I do last minute holiday gifts and restocking my craft wares. But I think I have made solid progress this year! I am still debating if I do another year of stashbustin’ in 2014 or some other method of measurement. I’m leaning towards another year of stashbusting just so I can see if I can beat my previous years levels…

Any thoughts?