Cast On: Connections Beanie

I have decided its time to dip my toe into colorwork. I have avoided it up until now for now good reason other than I wasn’t ready to learn. But I have two skeins of DK from The Shepherd’s Mill that have been calling to me to combine.

I have my pattern printed, needles pulled and I just need to wind the skeins up. The pattern comes with a light and dark version. I plan to cast on the light version first with the hopes that I could squeak out a dark version with the colors reversed? Might be a bold plan for my first colorwork project and expecting that much yardage management, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

FO Monday? GFOA Conference Hat

Happy 4th of July to all my American friends. The kiddos and I have plans to set off a few fireworks and make a TON of s’mores later. But for now I have Jellybean helping me model my latest finished object, my GFOA Conference Hat!

Pattern: My own 80 stitch beanie with an improvised pony tail hole

Yarn: Urth Uneek Worsted

Needles: US 8s

I didn’t use up the full skein. This hat only used 156 yards or just about 70% of the skein. So I have a pretty decent chunk leftover of this skein. Too much to throw away but not enough to make a hole project.

Now, Jellybean doesn’t exactly have a pony tail to model so you will have to use your imagination. But It’s a nice fit and I think this will be a keeper for our winter hat bin. The folded brim is keenly warm and the stripes make me happy.

Now I’m off to relax and celebrate. Happy Knitting!!

Now It’s A Ponytail Hat

I cruised through the body of my GFOA Conference Hat and worked through the decreases. I was hanging out at my parents house when I got to the point where my circular needles were to big to continue. But I didn’t want to be done knitting! So my Aunt suggested I just finish it as is!

So I did a modified K2tog, K1 and repeat cast off to finish the pony tail hole. It doesn’t have a ton of stretch at the cast off but my pony tail fit threw the hole just fine. I still need to weave in the ends and give this thing a wash/block. Finished object photos coming soon!

Happy Knitting!!

Knitting With Dinosaurs

I did some knitting in the wild this week. Our local zoo has a special exhibit this spring and its DINOSAURS. I’m talking life sized animatronic dinosaurs and cool displays all over the campus.

Jellybean and PB ran their butts off and wore themselves out. So I got to walk (run) behind them with my Christmas Musselburgh hat. I haven’t measured in awhile but surely I have to be getting close to the decreases.

This project works out great, it serves as its own travel bag! I tucked my ball of yarn inside the work so I could walk around without lugging a bunch of stuff, lol. I did raise a few eyebrows taking this photo but I like to confuse the muggles!

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Puppy Love Worsted Hat

My Puppy Love Worsted Hat is off the blocking mats and ready for it’s glamour shots!

Pattern: None, just my ‘recipe’ for a worsted hat. I can on 88 stitches total with a blend of 2×2 rib and then stockinette. Make up the crown decreases when I get there

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Lilliput Woof Worsted in Puppy Love colorway

I am getting fairly confident on just winging these hats. I have been ending up with a nice slouchy hat that can also function with a folded brim. This one is definitely a gift knit. I have an ex-coworker who is amazing but has moved away. I think I will tuck this in a package with some homemade jelly and send her a care package.

Happy Knitting!!

Last Fire

Mother Nature is still throwing us some curve balls here in the Midwest. So I’m taking advantage and having probably the last fire of the season. Something about knitting and watching a fire just goes so perfectly together!

I cranked through my Puppy Love Worsted Hat and it’s almost done. I still need weave in ends, block it and then clip the ends. I think I’ll save the rest of the details for a proper FO post.

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Variegated Musselburgh

I have been plodding along with my Variegated Musselburgh. The yarn is really playing well with this pattern. I am getting nice color dispersion and very little pooling or flashing.

I still have like a bazillion inches to knit of course. But this project feels nice just to have around when I need. A unexpected bonus are the blips of black speckles that show up occasionally. I do think this will end up in the gift pile.

Sometimes you just need a fun knit with no plan. Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Variegated Musselburgh

Why cast on just one Musselburgh when you can have two going at once?? I had skein of Lemonade Shop Mighty sock just sitting on my work from home desk and I decided to cake it up.

For no reason other than curiousity, I am working this version on a US 3 needle instead of size 2 which I used on my first one and the Christmas version I have in my WIPs. I was a dutiful knitter and measured my gauge and following that directions for the Adult XL for that gauge.

I just finished the increases and this hat is also ready for inches and inches of stockinette. This highly variegated skein is a mix of pinks, reds, and blues with some dark speckles mixed in. The name also gives me much joy as its called “Only Strippers Shave Above the Knees”.

This has been my “my brain has too many tabs open after work” knitting. I am using some wooden needles that catch once in awhile when I skootch my work around. I forgot how annoying that can be!

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Christmas Musselburgh

My hat needles told me they were chilly after getting my first Musselburgh off of them. So I couldn’t let them get cold so I got a second hat cast on right away!

I went digging in my stash and found another skein of Moonstone Dyeworks kicking around. This time it is her Stellina Sock base in Christmas on Mars colorway. It’s a nice muted Christmas color with a TON of sparkle to it. I don’t get the sparkle to show up on camera very well.

I am making an adult large again, this time without the extra increases. I’m curious to see how this one differs from my first one. If its too small, then it can go in the gift pile or kid pile. I just finished the increase and its just stockinette for many many inches.

Happy Knitting!!

FO Friday: Goth Kitty Worsted Hat

I blinked and another hat fell off my needles! My Goth Kitty Worsted Hat is done, washed and photographed. It turned out pretty great in my opinion.

Pattern: None, my own 80 stitch vanilla beanie

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Knit Picks Felici Worsted in the Goth Kitty colorway

Ravelry project here.

I purposely ended with a complete striping sequence for not other reason than whimsy. I used all but 26 yards of this 218 yard skein. It is a decent sized that can roll the brim or be worn slouchy.

In my stash I have matching Knit Picks Felici sock yarn in this same color. So next up in my knitting plans is to knit up some vanilla socks to have a matched set. I haven’t decided if I’m going to keep the set or put in my gift box. The matchy matchy is just filling some sort of need in my crafting brain.

Happy Knitting!!