Cast On: Northwesterly

I broke down. I couldn’t wait anymore. Arbitrary knitting rules be damned. I needed to start my Northeasterly blanket!

I am holding my fingering weight scraps held double with a cone of plain white sock yarn. Even after washing this white yarn is not the softest sock yarn I’ve ever knit with. But I love how it’s marling nicely with the sock scraps.

Because I’m using fingering weight held double I’m following the DK weight pattern instructions. It took me a minute to get the pattern in my brain but I was able to work up an entire scrap ball during kiddo nap times. This will be long term project much like my memory blanket and I absolutely love it!!

Happy Knitting!!

The Fifth Color

As promised last week in my whiny mom post. Here is my Mini Solutions Scarf in all it’s stretched out glory. I have added the fifth and final color from the Treasure Goddess  Super Toes Cashmere MCN gradient set in the Blackbeard’s Revenge colors.

As I initially thought I knew my gradient pack wouldn’t get it big enough for my liking. So I’m going to need a 6th coordinating color to add to this. I had initially pulled a solid white cascade sock yarn back when I kitted up this project. But this gradient set is too beautifully variegated/tonal to just slap on a commercially made solid color at the end.

I need to go stash diving to see what else is living in my yarn bins to see what grey tonal/speckle options I have. And I need to do this quick as I’m about to run out of yarn and I really don’t want to stop knitting this project!

Happy Knitting!!

Multitasking Working Mom

No finished object this Friday. Just a mom battling a cold and trying to feed her family. I’m over germs and I’m ready for spring air and open windows. Today is brought to you by Hamburger helper and knitting while I “cook”. After a full day at work, blowing my nose 1,100 times this was the best I could muster. And Jellybean declared it “THE BEST DINNER EVER” because it takes like macaroni and cheese.

P.S. This is my mini solutions scarf. I’ll try to do a better blog post next week if I can manage. I’m on the fifth color and you guys really need to see this. It’s amazeballs!!

Happy Knitting!!

Cashmere Addiction

Hi, my name is Rachelle and I have a cashmere addition. My Mini Solutions Scarf has consumed all of my knitting time because I just can’t quit it! It’s gloriously soft and squishy and requires zero complicated brain waves. It’s my comfort object and I can’t wait to wear it!

I’m already in color four of my five color gradient set. The stripes are getting thinner and thinner as I add more stitches. I did pull some solid white when I was originally planning this project but I can’t decide if this project will need it? This yarn is gloriously variegated and I don’t know if a solid will throw off the vibe. I really want this to wrap nicely around my neck without constant adjustment. What do you guys think?

I guess I could always knit a few row of white and see what I think? A little tinking never hurt anyone right? Maybe I will see how big this scarf/shawl is after color number 5…hmmmm

Happy Knitting!!

Beer and Knitting

Sometimes life really kicks you right in the knitting balls, am I right?! It’s busy season at work as I’m an accountant and we are in the throes of audit season. And then I have two tiny humans at home who seem to be hellbent on giving me grey hair. These are the days I really need my knitting (and alcohol in moderation).

Last night I had a perfectly poured frosty beer and my Mini Solutions Scarf. I’m all the way into color three and working up to where I need color four. I’ve said it before but I really can’t put this project down!

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My brain was so overloaded that I just sat and knit listening to the fire crackle. No music, no TV, no podcasts….just silence in the wake of chaos. It was glorious for all of 42 minutes until someone needed something. Oh well…there’s always tonight!

Happy Knitting!

I Heart Gradients

You guys, I’m addicted to this gradient. I finished up the first color of my Mini Solutions Scarf on Tuesday and added in the second color. The color change rows are just genius and make the perfect transitions where it’s perfectly half and half for the yarn overs.

The gradient set is very well done and the color shift is subtle but yet still noticeable. And the cashmere content makes my fingers happy. The pattern is in my brain and only once in awhile do I make a mistake. But garter stitch is very forgiving in that way.

I really should be giving my Charlotte Winter, bright socks or dad’s socks some love. But I can’t put this scarf/shawl thing down. It’s calling MY NAME!

Happy Knitting!!

Mom Paradise

Jellybean had a sleepover at a friends house this past weekend and PB went down for a morning nap. The dishes were done and laundry was not taking over the laundry room. So I decided to take a moment for myself. I had coffee, knitting and a knitting podcast playing. My Mini Solutions Scarf was just the right amount of soothing garter stitch for a slow knitting moment.

I managed to make good progress on the first color section before PB woke up. And then at bedtime I worked through the rest of the first color. I’m ready to wind up the next mini skein and work the color change row. Working with the Treasure Goddess MCN set is just SOOOO luxurious.

I may or may have fallen asleep with my knitting in my lap right after this photo was taken. I spent too long looking at the fire dance and exhaustion took over. Oh well, I guess there are worse places to catch 40 winks!

Happy Knitting

Cast On: Dad’s 2019 Christmas Socks

I was feeling a sock sized hole in my life after finishing my Helping Hippos Socks. My dad is the most grateful and totally knit worthy person in my life. So I decided to get a jump on some 2019 Christmas socks. I found some machine washable sport weight sock yarn in my stash I got from a yarn store closing in 2017. It’s not one I have worked with before but it feels sturdy and will stand up well to my dad’s work boots. I managed to pull together a full kit and get started after my tiny humans went to bed.

The best part of these? While they are 72 stitches total, they are sport weight on US 3 needles so they really feel like they fly!

I am having to keep a lotion bar in my project bag. This yarn just sucks the moisture out of hand. Look at all those lovely guard hairs! These babies are going to warm!!

Happy Knitting!!

Bulky Garter Stitch Sleeve Island

I finished the body to my Charlotte Winter this week. I went digging into my project bag to pull out the double points for my sleeves. And I came out with US 15s….but I’m knitting this sweater on US 13s. Sleeve island is a real thing you guys, and I haven’t even started knitting them!!! Insert a D’oh here…

So thanks to a 50% off coupon and a trip to Joanns I am finally ready to tackle the sleeves! (And now I own needles I will probably only use once, lol.) I may take a tiny timeout on this project. The heavy sweater and big needles are really flaring up some soreness in my forearms and wrists. Nothing major but I think it will be prudent to take breaks and mix up the weight of projects I work on so I don’t develop a fully blown injury!

Happy Knitting!!

Body Complete

 I finally finished the body of my Charlotte Winter!

Bulky yarn on this cord length really bunches up the work. It can be deceiving. I might have measured on or four times…

That my friends is 16.5 inches of bulky garter stitch! And now I’m off to bind off and try it on and have my my husband double check it is an appropriate length.

Fingers crossed!!