Tag Archives: knitting

Cast On: The Knit Sky Socks

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I have cast-on-itis and it’s running full bore. In addition to casting on a sweater for PB and redoing my DK Ripple Bralet I have also cast on some more vanilla socks for my purse project. Because I couldn’t be bothered to get my swift out, I chose some KnitCircus sock gradient cakes that were already wound. They are 25 grams each so to make full socks I also grabbed some Cascade heritage in solid purple for heels toes and cuffs.

I managed to get the solid purple toe cast on and have now attached the gradient. I chose to work from the outside of the cake so that the purple end of the gradient would line up nicely with the solid purple. I just thought that starting with the blue would be jarring.

This is my own recipe for a toe up sock worked over 68 stitches on a US1 needle. I am pretty invested in this project as it’s really satisfying to watch the gradient work up and change. And these will for sure be for my sock drawer so I’m relishing the project.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Good Ole Raglan

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After finishing my Radiate I looked at my leftovers and thought “I bet I could make PB a sweater from that.” So when I was attending the 2020 Nomad Yarn Virtual Retreat I decided this was going to be my “retreat project”.

I found simple top down raglan patter on Ravelry that fit my gauge and yarn yardage. It was the Good Ole Raglan by Karen O’Hanlon Cohrt. I grabbed my needles and just dug in. This pattern has a very interesting approach to raglan increases that I have never tried before. I’m intrigued to see what kind of fit this approach gives.

I am making the 5-6 size in the pattern. PB is running in the 4T to 5T category so I erred on the “too big” side of caution. I am going to do the yoke in this Hedgehog Fibers Deep End colorway and then I will use my remaining TreasureGoddess black yarn to finish the body to mimic my Radiate sweater. At this point I am not sure how far the black yarn will get me. I may have to do the sleeves in the contrast color or perhaps even stripe them? I’ll just figure that out when I get there, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

Progress ON DK Ripple Bralet #2

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After my first and failed attempt at the DK Ripple Bralet, I have successfully cast on and I’m well into my second attempt. This one is two sizes bigger than before and my gauge is in the zone.

I powered through the twisted 1×1 rib and I’m comfortably into the body of the bralet. I didn’t bother winding my yarn into a cake and I’m just working from my ball of yarn I made while frogging. I have virtual accounting leadership conference coming up soon and I’m hoping to power through more of the body.

Though it does take my brain some thinking to do 3×3 rib when my autopilot instinct is 2×2 rib. But after 10 years of knitting, my fingers can feel when I am trying to do the wrong stitch and it’s pretty easy to switch. Fingers crossed I can get this done before true winter sets in here in Kansas.

Happy Knitting!!

FO Saturday: Radiate

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Don’t mind me, I’m over here on cloud nine and reveling in fall weather. My Radiate is complete and I am over the moon. Thank goodness for portrait mode in iPhone and actually putting on jeans and makeup. Really gives a good mood boost in the dumpster fire that is 2020.

Pattern: Radiate by Jojo Locatelli

Yarn: Hedgehog Fibers DK in Deep End (blue) and Treasure Goddess Yarns DK Treasures in Gundpower

Needles: US 6s

Mods: Split hem at the bottom instead of a bottom solid band

I may have lengthened this sweater to cover my shelter in place enhanced bum. But I think the length really ends up flattering around what is usually my thickest section. I couldn’t be more happy with how the indie dyed black yarn played out. Absolutely no issues with pooling, flashing or lines between my skeins. But I did alternate skeins using the helical method.

I used less than one skein of the blue color and just under four and a half skeins of the main black color. All told I used 1,380 yards of DK weight yarn for the large to extra large size. I honestly can’t remember what I picked. But all told I it’s five skeins of DK yarn.

I wore this sweater to my virtual knitting retreat this past weekend and I got lots of Ooohs and Aaahs from the attendees. I can’t wait until it’s cold enough here to wear to work!

Happy Knitting!!

Blocking Radiate

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It’s blocking time humans! My Radiate is complete except for the binding off of the sleeves. I have blocked this baby in a nice sink bath and I have set it in front of a fan to dry.

I am really pleased with how the yoke blocked out and the sleeves did grow a bit. I am glad I didn’t bind off the sleeves first. The yarn really softened nicely and this is going to be a lovely thin lightweight but warm sweater.

For this to be a FO I need to bind off the sleeves and convince my husband to take some real photos. Fingers crossed I get that done this week!

Happy Knitting!!

Almost A Radiate Sweater

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Knit night zoom knitting did the trick. I have an almost finished Radiate! And don’t worry the sleeves are the same number of rows and do actually match. I made sure to mark my decreases and count my rows to match on the second sleeve.

I have not bound off the sleeves as the body is superwash yarn. I plant to soak and block the sweater to see how much it is inevitably going to grow. That way I can add or subtract sleeve length if needed.

I do need to weave in the ends still. But otherwise I’m SUPER happy to have an almost finished sweater. And it helps that this a ton of yards of yarn out of my stash and clearing my needles for the 2020 Pigskin Party KAL that started 9/25.

Happy Knitting!!

I Found A Knitting Group

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I have reached that point of 2020, as great as I get along as an introvert, I needed PEOPLE. And I needed MY people. A few of the knitting podcasts I listen to have been referencing Zoom knit nights that are open to anyone and I finally bit the bullet and showed up to one.

I was nervous because I didn’t know anyone on the call. But I grabbed my Radiate and a glass of wine and showed up anyway. And like most all in the knitting community they were kind and welcoming and it was an amazing night. I mostly just enjoyed seeing other people’s project and listening to the banter. I didn’t feel like I was intruding and they seemed genuinely happy to have new people in the group.

Bonus, I also made good progress on my second Radiate sleeve. I might have a finished thing soon!

Happy Knitting

Just Be A Sweater Already

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Hello from DK weight yarn sleeve island! It’s a balmy 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit in Kansas and it’s hampering my desire to knit with a full sweater in my lap. I really am ready for my Radiate to just magically turn into a sweater already.

Sleeve number on is complete with all my decreases marked with super fancy paper clips. And I’m roughly halfway through the decrease on sleeve number two. I have plenty of yarn and I’m not seeing any discernable pooling with the black. So I think this is the home stretch. I just need to find the mojo!

Happy Knitting!!

FINALLY, Retro Rainbow Vanilla Socks

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I have a finishing thing, and it’s not even Friday! My Retro Rainbow Vanilla Socks are finished, ends woven in, (not blocked) and photographed!

Pattern: 72 Stitch Toe Up Vanilla Socks (my own pattern)

Yarn: Muststash Yarn & Fiber Perfect Must Match in the Retro Rainbow colorway

Needles: US 0s

I used roughly 70 grams or 308 yards of yarn to make these two socks. They run a nice way up my calf. The negative ease is quite robust across the top of the foot but is fairly decent overall. I didn’t end up with a perfectly matching pair of socks. This was NOT a fault of the wonderfully dyed yarn. My gauge was slightly different on the second sock log and second heel. And therefore I ended up with fraternal twins instead of identical twins.

But for sure I’m going to have a really nice cozy and bright pair of socks for the coming winter. These are my first socks from this dyer so I’m excite to see how they wear. And yes, I will need to wash them but I just couldn’t be bothered to block them

My sock needles feel empty and cold so I need to figure out what to put on them next! Happy Knitting!!

The Last Heel

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Thanks to some socially distanced travels to the grandparents this weekend for Jellybean’s 6th birthday…I have almost finished socks!! My Retro Rainbow Socks are almost complete and basking in the early Kansas fall season.

The first sock is still complete and the second one is a complete tube with a finished cuff. I have a sneaking suspicion that my socks will end up being fraternal rather than identical. Most certainly due to my gauge and no fault of the dyer. This pandemic and remote school has played all kinds of hell with my tension.

Fingers crossed I have a finished pair of socks this week! Happy Knitting!!