Finished: Cherub Hat

I wanted to be done with this stinking hat so badly that I powered through. My Cherub Hat is done and ready for the gift pile.

Pattern: My own beanie recipe with 90 stitches and a folded stockinette brim

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Cascade Yarns in Cherub Aran in the color Navy

Total yardage come out to 75 grams using 180 yards. And I added my cute little personal tag to this hat. The yarn was just so darn splitty the whole time and it attracted dog hair like no one’s business. This yarn was definitely not a good use for a hat. But here we are done and its fine.

I need to focus on my Blitz Blanket but I am finding myself dreaming of my next hats…..

Happy Knitting!!

Uptown Decreases

It’s now leggings and fire pit season! Fall has arrived even though we get a few hot flashes that make us feel second summer. I managed some toasty toes and hat knitting outdoors.

I have my Uptown Hat all the way to the decreases. I should have like 30/40 minutes of knitting left. I am finding this acrylic is easier to knit with grabbier wooden needles than the smooth metal. Probably should have figured that out sooner, but we still got here.

I find myself looking at the stitch definition on this and marveling. There is zero halo and all the little Vs just march right along. It looks and feels very orderly. And I think I am getting better at keeping gauge as I pick up and put down. I notice I get looser when I get sleepy or tired.

Does your gauge move around on you?

Cast On: Uptown Hat

My rosewood circulars were bare after finishing the Classy Cashmere hat and in complete disregard to all my other WIPs, I started a new hat. I am calling this one (super creatively) my Uptown Hat.

During my summer stash re-org, I found this partially used skein of acrylic worsted and added to my hat stash. It’s really not enough for a baby knit and I wanted it gone from my pile. It is very soft for acrylic and the deep navy is very rich.

And as I am on repeat, this is another one of my hats by “recipe” of 88 sts on a US 8 needle. I am a broken record. But all this hat knitting is just scratching some part of my brain and creating dopamine so I am LEANING in. I haven’t had mojo like this in a long time!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Catbells Cardigan

Hurrah! My Catbells Cardigan is done done done!

Pattern: Catbells Cardiagn by Megan Nodecker (Rav Link)

Yarn: Briggs and Little Regal 2-ply in Midnight Blue

Needles: US 8 and US 6

Mods: I added 2 inches of length to the body and modified the sleeve decreases to accommodate my strong upper arms.

This sweater was a labor of love and took way longer to make than it should have. I also made several mistakes in the lace that I just fudged back into place because NO ONE will ever notice, lol. This sweater crushed some major stash. I used almost 6 skeins of yarn that equates to 1,500 yards of yarn out of stash!

The finished sweater is super cozy and VERY warm. Briggs and Little Regal is not a next to skin soft yarn but should compensate by being hard wearing, especially on the bottom where I will sit on it. This pattern was well designed and gets high marks from me but I don’t think I would make it again. The all over patterning is just slow knitting for me and probably why it took over a year to finish.

It is starting to get cooler around here so I feel like this garment will come in very handy! Happy Knitting!!

Straight To Blocking

I have poured on the afterburners and have churned out the second sleeve AND the hem on my Catbells Cardigan.

All my ends are woven in and I have dunked this sweater. It is so large that I had to clean out and use my kitchen sink! I did manage to eek out the second sleeve with the original yarn and had more than enough for the hem with the backup yarn I purchased.

Next up I need to knit and block the pocket patches. I should be able to knock out those in an evening if my family cooperates. I am so close to finishing this sweater that I can’t wait!

Happy Knitting!!

One Custom Sleeve

One sleeve is now complete! My Catbells Cardigan is looking more and more like a functional cardigan.

I did deviate from the pattern in regards to the sleeve. As designed the arms were to snug in my upper arm. So I knit straight for awhile and then mixed in my own decreases. I used light bulb stitch markers to keep track of where I put those in order to duplicate on the second sleeve. I also made the cuff a week bit longer so the sleeves would go all the way to my knuckles.

I have even started the second sleeve and I’m about halfway done with the decreases. I am just about out of my original dye lot of yarn. I *think* I will have enough yarn to finish the second sleeve. That does mean I will need to use my second batch/dye lot of yarn to make the hem and pockets. Honestly, they look close enough in color that I don’t think anyone will notice.

Happy Knitting!!

Sweater In The Wild

I decided to go big and leave home, so to speak. At PB’s gymnastics lessons this week I took my Catbells Cardigan and lugged to the gym.

I have roughly 40 or 42 rows of sleeve done and I have slipped this on. Based on this fit, I think I am ready to start the decreases. Given the gauge I am working at, I think I need roughly 10 (maybe 12) stitches decreased to fit my lower arms/wrists.

I plan to plot my decreases with light bulb style stitch markers so I can count rows and match my “pattern” on the second sleeve. This yarn is SO DARK, it’s my only hope to be mildly successful!

Happy Knitting!

Sleeves!

I feel like I finished a marathon and I have most of my Catbells cardigan is done! I am finished with 24 inches of patterned body.

I didn’t have my needle set with me over the last weekend so I couldn’t start the ribbing just yet. But I didn’t want to lose steam so I decided to start the sleeves. I did have my Chia Goo mini set in my project bag so I could work the sleeves in the round.

This is actually my second start of the sleeve. I accidently picked up the stitches with the sweater inside out. Oops! I do plan to deviate from the pattern on the sleeves. I have larger upper arms and really want to customize for a good fit.

Really hoping this means I am *this* close to finish this long lingering WIP. I started this sweater in June 2021….

Happy Knitting!!

Getting Closer To The Hem

The sweater that never ends is ever so closer to the hem! Twenty-one inches is a LOT of sweater body, especially when I will probably have to add length to accommodate my generous back fourty.

I have this ball of yarn and one more skein of yarn from my original lot. I did source three more from the internet last month when I panicked that my yarn was disappearing. Looking at my sweater body I can probably finish the body with those. And I would probably only need a second skein to do the sleeves, but better safe than sorry!

Happy Knitting!!

Sweater In Slow Motion

My Catbells Cardigan is growing ever so slowly. It’s turning into more of a square box and I’m into my second skein of the Briggs and Little worsted.

I find myself actively seeking this project to pick up and work on but after a couple of repeats of the lace like pattern my attention wanders off. So that seems to be the main cause of the slow pace of this garment.

Last I took photos, I had just joined the underarms and working the full body. Since then I have added a full handspan worth of work to this. The full body needs to measure like 20 some inches so I still have a LONG way to go, lol.

It’s been 100 degrees in Kansas as well, so a worsted sweater does get hot in my lap. But I hope to stay on target to finish this for the fall. Happy Knitting!!