The Third Block

Posted on May 5, 2020 by atangledyarn84

I did manage to get my skein of Apothefaery Fibers suri alpaca in Snowdrift skeined up with no major issues. I need to pay homage to the knitting gods for giving me good luck with floofy yarn….before I am struck down with tangled yarn.

I have also officially ran out of of the last the original skein of suri alpaca and now just added the snowdrift skein. The plus side of floofy yarn is that I can spit splice EXTREMELY easily! You really can see the first two of the three color blocks. I am intrigued to see how the third lines out.

My next decision point is to decide how slouchy to make this hat? I have a recipient in mind and she hard gorgeous natural big beautiful hair so I need to noodle through how to best fit for that. In the meantime…..lots of glorious round and round stockinette to soothe my trouble away.

What is soothing your troubles these days?

An Antagonist Heel

Posted on April 29, 2020 by atangledyarn84

And just like that, I have a heel in my Antagonist socks!

I worked the toe up gusset heel ala Wendy D Johnson and I’m started up the leg. I haven’t decided what kind length of socks these want to grow up to be. I really do need more shorties in my drawer but this is really nice auto pilot knitting. I may not be ready to start the toe of the second sock….

I think I will sleep on it for a couple of days. Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Antagonist Socks

Posted on April 22, 2020 by atangledyarn84

Thanks to many (read: MANY) conference calls and video meetings I have made pretty good progress on my Antagonist Socks! The toe increases are done and the foot is one inch shy of starting the heel.

I’m really enjoying the yarn! There are flecks and pops of mossy green, burnt orange and a some other colors I can’t quite describe that keep me interested. The finished fabric is not merino soft but feels like imagined the BFL content would turn out. It is still soft but feels firm like it won’t pill or wear as easily.

I’m pretty sure I am going to do a toe up gusset heel by Wendy D Johnson for these socks. I have that almost memorized and it fits my foot quite nicely. My next hurdle will be to see if I can turn the heel while knitting out of video call frame….

Stay tuned and happy knitting!!

Cast On: Fluffy Sockhead Slouch

Posted on April 20, 2020 by atangledyarn84

After last week’s less than spectacular execution of the Everyday Slouchy Beanie I decided to get right back on the horse. I had more than half the sock yarn plus the coordinating mini. but I have less than half of the suri alpaca laceweight. So I’m taking a gamble on another hat…

I used the coordinating (and darker) mini and cast on the brim. I upped my stitch count and left the needles the same so as to avoid my previous situation. I worked the brim for as long as I thought looked good and then added the main yarn for the body of hat. I think it’s almost fade mixed color block kind of strategy.

This is a very stretchy hat at this gauge and stitch count. So there’s no way this hat will be too small, in fact it might almost to big! D’oh!! But I have a coworker who might need a pandemic pick me up and she has glorious natural big hair that a large hat would be well suited for.

I am starting to play yarn chicken with the suri alpaca and I’m not sure I’ll be able to finish the hat. But I think I may use some of my other suri/silk yarn in my stash to continue the hat in a third fade color at the top. I might marinate on this one for a day or two.

Happy Knitting!!

Prism Progress

Posted on April 14, 2020 by atangledyarn84

Hallelujah…I have finally reached the recommended four inches of 2×2 ribbing for my Prism Break Hat!

I’m loosely following the Sockhead Slouch by Kelly McClure. This has been my go-to conference call and zoom meeting knitting. I find that I can keep easy knitting in my lap and knit while I listen and it’s impossible for anyone to tell.

I’m just now starting the plain stockinette part of the hat. So just a ton of round and round for miles. And I’m not mad about it. It’s the perfect easy knitting in a fun yarn to make this time and please a little easier to handle.

What is making your life happy?

Cast On: Antagonist Vanilla Socks

Posted on April 13, 2020 by atangledyarn84

I was feeling the pull of socks again after I finished my Dark Side Vanilla Socks. I pulled out some of the sock yarn I wound up during my winding frenzy and just cast on. This is the BFL/Nylon sock blend from Stranded Dyeworks and it felt like some basic toe socks were a great pattern match.

This is my own “vanilla” recipe of a 68 stitch toe up vanilla sock on US 1s. A whole lot of round and round in soothing stockinette. Working from home and having all my meetings being virtual….I have made great time on this sock! I’m planning on a toe up gusset heel from Wendy D Johnson’s pattern. I almost have that heel memorized and it fits my foot really well.

This yarn is making a really nice fabric. It’s not merino soft but its soft in a sturdy way. The BFL really makes this feel like a sock that should wear really well. I can’t wait to get these finished and into my drawer. I really want to see how these work out. I might need to add more BFL sock yarn to my stash!

Happy Knitting

Basic Failure

Posted on April 8, 2020 by atangledyarn84

Well….I got kicked in the teeth by not swatching during what is a very stressful time. My Everyday Slouchy Beanie is TIGHT y’all. Like squeeze my brain out my ears tight.

I made enough fabric in the hat portion to try it on. I had been having a niggling feeling that brim was maybe tight after I had turned and joined the cast on edge. But I just kept knitting and damned if my instinct wasn’t correct.

Now, I have knit a TON of stitches into this thing. Andafter knitting both halves of the brim…I’m not ripping out floofy yarn for that many stitches! This hat will fit someone when I’m done. I might just have to be sad that it doesn’t fit me.

Note to self: Next time you are extraordinarily stressed….check yo gauge!

Turning The Brim

Posted on April 7, 2020 by atangledyarn84

I’ve overcome my dropped stitch problems and busted through the entire brim! My Everyday Slouchy Beanie is soooo soft, I can help but stop and pet the fabric!

This is yarn I picked up from Winter Woolfest 2020 from Apothefaery Fibers. I’m holding brushed Suri alpaca and fingering weight sock yarn to make my fabric. It’s melted butter soft and doesn’t shed like mohair. And the best part is now I’m on to the bigger needles and the at is just FLYING!

Happy Knitting

Dropped Stitch Drama

Posted on April 6, 2020 by atangledyarn84

I am cruising along through the brim of my Everyday Slouchy Beanie. This has been my Zoom meeting and assorted work from home conference call knitting that I keep in my lap. I looked down tonight after I had created about an inch of fabric throughout the day to discover a d*mn dropped stitch….

So I took a fortifying drink of chamomile tea and laddered back down in floofy suri alpaca lace weight held double with sock yarn. I didn’t feel like working the dropped stitch back up as it’s own column so I just worked a K2TOG with the stitch next to it. And then worked the single column of stitches all the way back up.

The fix was pretty seamless aside from you can see the decreased stitch. The floof of the suri silk really hides a on of sins. And now I’m back on track to almost be done with the brim. This hat has a folded double brim instead of ribbing. I am almost the point I can pick up my cast on edge and work into my live stiches.

Happy knitting!!

Frogging My Party Top

Posted on April 1, 2020 by atangledyarn84

I’m calling it….I’m frogging the TINY neck band for my Party Top. And this isn’t an April fools joke.

I just can’t pick this up to knit on it so there’s no sense in just letting it sit. I have had this on the needles since November…that is just too long. I still love this yarn and want it to turn it into something (its Moonstone Dyeworks DK in three coordinating colors). I also still want to make this top…but I think I have yarn in my stash that would be better suited to it.

I have found some clarity in my knitting lately and I feel in a much better place to “finish” or “frog” it. I want to work on things I will wear and want. No sense in forcing a project just because it is sitting there.

I am thinking a nice big squishy shawl would be great for this yarn. Maybe with these colors striped or faded? Time to dig into Ravelry!!