Dividing For Synthe

My Synthe sweater is moving right along despite how many stitches I am adding each round.

I had to stop several times and measure frequently to make sure I was getting proper length. My gauge is close but not 100% correct. I really like when patterns have measurements and schematics. This pattern, at my gauge, required a full extra repeat of the pattern to get my full yoke depth.

I have divided for sleeves and worked an inch down past the divide. And then I think I will start both sleeves. It is easier to turn a small sweater than a full body!

Happy Knitting!!

Weaving Or Darning?

Not much sleep has happened with all the coughing so I had a lot of time to finish not only the colorwork but also the crown of my second Chiefs Touchdown Beanie.

I also chose to block this hat a wee bit before weaving in my ends. I just wet it under the kitchen sink and let dry on my Styrofoam head overnight. And then when dry turned the thing inside out to attack my ends.

I wove the ends in for several stitches and then doubled back on itself to lock them in place. I was careful to look at the front side to make sure I liked how things were laying before locking them. Having the head on the inside made this feel a bit like darning, lol. I will have to remember this trick in the future!

Happy Knitting!!

Second Attempt At Colorwork

Duke and I snuggled in for this latest cold snap to start the colorwork on my second Chiefs Touchdown Beanie.

We’ve been hit with a bout of COVID in the house so I don’t have a lot of witty repartee to share today. I think some hot tea, re-run TV and knitting will do just fine.

Happy Knitting!!

It’s Colorwork!

I finished the colorwork on my Chiefs Touchdown Beanie!

I did make a couple of mistakes that I didn’t catch during the knitting of the letters. And I am still super proud of myself. The stitches are fairly even and I think would do for a good blocking. I need to weave the ends in carefully so they don’t show on the front of the work.

I am now progressing towards the crown decreases. I still feel like the hat is coming out small even though I am knitting the large size. Fingers crossed this works out!

Happy Knitting!!

Those Are Letters

Turns out colorwork is a little addicting. I worked on my Chiefs Touchdown Beanie until it was way too late and I was nestled in bed.

On the first round I tried to carry the red all the way around. And that proved problematic as I could not keep enough slack as I was catching the floats. So I am adjusting to the fact that I will have 1,000,000 ends to weave in later. I am leaving very long ends of the red as I start and stop each colorwork row and then using the gold all the way around.

I really hope this blocks out as it looks a wee bit small on the needles! Happy Knitting!!

Touchdown Beanie Progress

I have recently had the urger to clear out my WIP pile. So this means I need to get back to my Chiefs Touchdown Beanie. I slogged for what seems like forever on the 2×2 ribbing and I am now adding the other colors.

I made the decision to use the gold as the background for the red letter rather than the white. This means I will use basically nothing of the white and have a nice leftover. I just like how the gold and red play on each other.

I took a photo of those two yarns and changed it to black and white to make sure I had enough contrast for the letters to stand out. I am little nervous as I have not yet done proper colorwork with a chart and I am sure I will be fine.

Happy Knitting!!

Cozy Handspun Decreases And A Finish

My Handspun Hat is finished and oh so cozy!

Pattern: My own basic beanie “recipe” with 72 stiches

Yarn: My own bulky (thick and thin) handspun

Needles: US 10s

This hat weighs roughly 120 grams and round about 100 yards of yarn. It is sufficiently large enough for my noggin. This hat will not be going into the gift bin. This will be a Rachelle hat. I have a couple of yards of handspun left but not enough to really do anything with. I put it in my scrap bag just in case.

I need to see if I have any more skeins of handspun to make hats with! Or you know work on the sparkly handspun hat that has been languishing for AWHILE, lol.

Happy Knitting!!

Damn Twist

While spectacularly getting my arse handed to me in Uno: No Mercy, I was knitting in my Scandia Hat and realized the damn thing is twisted…..

So I ripped that sucker out and started over. This time with no Uno cards and a glass of wine.

I opted to skip the 2×2 ribbing this time and just do stockinette. I chose solace in the comfy chair with the gas fire place that took longer to figure out that I would like to admit. I am still loving this yarn from my Christmas stocking. It really held up well to knitting and ripping back. The cast on row was a little sticky but came apart fine.

Happy Knitting!!

Dewberry Progress

The Dewberry Hat is zooming along. Imagine that! It’s only bulky yarn on US 10 needles, lol.

This is a 100 gram skein and I need to weigh where I am at. I think I will save the 15 or 20 grams to do the ribbing? I will knit until the yarn chicken gods yell at me to stop and then cast off in ribbed pattern.

I am keeping a stitch marker on the beginning of round. And I was too lazy to find a big enough one to fit on these large needles so I am clipping it to the row and just moving it up once in awhile.

Happy Knitting!!

Handspun Hat Progress

I am really loving how my Handspun Hat is coming out!

I am getting close to the end of this handspun skein and probably need to start the decreases. The yarn is a 2-ply from a braid I split down the middle. I can tell where my fiber colors lined up and therefore give me solid color chunks versus the barber poling. It is giving the hat an almost striped appearance?

It’s true when they say that you should knit with your handspun so you can see what how it works up in fabric. Is it my most even yarn? Absolutely not but will make a cozy hat! I am knitting on US 10.5s and I don’t have that sized DPNs. I am just going to make due with the US 8s again and try to manually manage my gauge to finish.

Happy Knitting!!