Tag Archives: knitting

Knitting Poolside

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We are in the middle of a long heat wave in the Midwest right along side big increases in COVID cases. So my family and I are doing our best to find ways to have fun and stay safe at home. This week’s adventure had water balloons, lots of driveway swimming pool time and me knitting in the shade.

Modified version of Helen Stewart’s Habitation Throw

This photo was taken 10 minutes before I dropped a stitch and made a huge hole in my Rainbow Habitation Throw. I literally spent the next hour tinking back two and a half rows to fix my mistake because it just wouldn’t ladder back down and back up again correctly. So that means I’m still in my fourth color of twelve.

But the good thing about knitting garter stitch is that you can just knit and knit and eventually you look down and a blanket has popped out of nowhere!

P.S. I completely see the irony of knitting a lap blanket during a heat wave. I’m a special kind of crazy!

Happy Knitting!!

Sunlight and Knitting

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I took advantage of my parent’s deck to take some beauty shots of my Rainbow Fluff Habitation Throw. I couldn’t get over how beautiful the sunlight looked shining through the fabric.

This is a modified Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart. I’m omitting the eyelets and adding a fluffy alpaca stripe in between each color change. I’m just starting the fourth color of the gradient. I have 12 colors total so I’ll work the increasing section for the first six colors and then decrease for the last six.

This has been a nice lighweight knit to keep in my lap while it’s hot. It’s also soothing garter stitch with a little interest at the edges. So it is balm for my troubled mind and spirit. I haven even started weaving in my ends so I don’t leave them all to the end. You are welcome future Rachelle!

Happy Knitting!!

Retro Rainbow Progress

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Sock knitting really hasn’t been my jam lately, but my purse knitting is still a pair of socks. My Retro Rainbow Socks are a few stripes longer now.

I’m knitting these as sock tubes and I will cut in afterthought heels. The yarn is some de-stashed MustStash yarn in Stacie’ Retro Rainbow colorway. I’m working 72 stitches on US 0 needles.

I’m not going many places anymore so I don’t seem to pick these up as often. We largely go to work and then stay home otherwise so I am putting a lot more work on my larger projects. Good thing yarn and knitting doesn’t go bad!

Happy Knitting!!

Splitting For Radiate Sleeves

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Thanks to the long holiday weekend and lots of grandparent babysitting, I managed to knit through the yoke of my Radiate sweater and split for sleeves.

I even slipped on an extra knitting needles and tried this sweater on. Even unblocked it falls appropriately in all the places. The neck was higher than I anticipated but other wise the bust and armscye fits nicely. I’ll have to be careful with blocking this super wash yarn so that I don’t make it too big.

Now I have like 14 to 17 inches of sweater body to knit. Lots of round and round in stockinette! Happy Knitting!!

Socially Distant Crafting

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It may be hot as Hades outside but my mom and I still managed some chatting and crafting time outdoors where we could social distance in the shade over the holiday weekend. Other than the humidity, it really was a beautiful day and my parents have the most beautiful deck and views.

I might have over-packed my WIPs again. I brought my Radiate sweater, Retro Rainbow Socks and the Rainbow Fluff Habitation Throw. I put a little work in on all of them while sipping a perfectly ice cold coca cola.

Happy Knitting!!

Hiding Outdoors

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Happy three day weekend to all my American friends. The eve of 4th of July is upon us. Working for a local municipality means I get a three day weekend, huzzah!

My children are inside either watching a movie for quiet time or taking their afternoon nap. I snuck outside to be alone and to knit. I mowed the grass earlier and wanted to admire my handiwork.

Nevermind it’s a million degrees, I packed my Radiate pullover and some liquid re-hydration and sat under my patio umbrella. I realize this the first time I have been alone in like three weeks. Like truly ALONE and it is a glorius re-charge for this introverts soul.

Time to crank the tunes and see how many rows I can get done on this sweater! Happy Friday and Happy Knitting!!

Spinning Tequila Sunrise

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As predicted I couldn’t help myself and my newest fiber jumped right on to my spindle. I mean how could I not? After all, I used an entire child nap time/free time to carefully pre-draft the whole 4 ounces of fiber!

This 100% Corriedale is a new to me fiber. It drafts like a dream and really feels very soft after drafting. But it’s spinning up much thicker than my last merino project. Maybe its the fiber, maybe I’m rusty? Either way I’m letting the fiber tell me what it wants to be and I’m just enjoying the process.

Happy Spinning!

Cast On: Radiate

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I finished my Weekend and dove right in to my Radiate pullover by Joji Locatelli. It helps that yarn was already caked up and I had swatched. I am knitting the XL size and in pretty much two sittings I had progressed to where I am incorporating the second color.

This pattern utilized slipped stitches to create visual interest and the line, as the pattern suggests, radiate down from the yoke. My camera is kind of blowing out the Hedgehog Fibers blue color but I am loving it. I was worried the highly variagated yarn would too much but so far I think it looks fantastic.

The best part is that the pattern isn’t overly complicated and I can read my knitting enough that I can just knit knit knit and it doesn’t take too much brain space. This project is definitely my addictive project right now, its kind of the only thing I want to work on!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Weekender

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I am beyond proud and excited to show you my first proper adult (and properly fitting) sweater! My Weekender is blocked, dried and thanks to portrait mode on my iPhone is got it’s final photographs!

Pattern: Weekender by Andrea Mowry

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in Fresco y Seco

Needles: US 8s and 9s

Mods: I added two inches of length to the body. And I knit custom sleeves where the decreases started at the elbow

I am probably one of the last knitters on earth to knit a Weekender. But I can see why it is so popular. It is an easy sweater to wear and to knit. I used just over five skeins of Rios, roughly 1,108 yards or 528 grams. I knit the 48.5 chest size with the modifications listed above. I am SUPER happy with my decision to alternate skeins. I think there is a some flashing and pooling but it’s consistent over the entire garment so it looks purposeful.

It is quite literally 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) right now in Kansas. I DO NOT need a worsted weight sweater so into the cedar chest this project goes! But this finished object has really revved up my garment mojo. I’m already casting on my next sweater that I will share with you on Monday.

Happy Knitting!

Glacial Shawl Progress

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I just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on my One Perfect Skein Shawl. I knit a row or two occasionally as I get pulled away to work on my sweater wips or my blanket. I really really love the yarn and the color is amazing.

I passed the first eyelet row and working towards the next one. The pattern is very well written and easy to memorize. There is no excuse for not making more progress but I’m going to keep this in my WIP bag and keep adding a little love here and there. It will eventually get done. I’m the boss of my own deadlines and knitting!

Happy Knitting!!