Tag Archives: WIP

Cast On: Big Bang Vanilla Socks

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My needles felt very naked after I finished the Electric Mayhem socks. And I totally NEEDED another self-striping project. My brain was just craving that popcorn knitting of “just one more stripe” type of project.

So I pulled some Turtlepurl Yarns Striped Turtle toes yarn from my stash in the Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock colorway. That is a reference to one of my favorite shows, the Big Bang Theory. And the dyer had already split the 100 grams into two matching 50 gram skeins. I got this wound up and cast on my usual 68 stitch toe up vanilla sock on US 1 needles. I plan to knit tubes again and add afterthought heels later. Based on the yarn….I’m thinking solid red heels. But I’ll see how the tubes turn out first.

Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Easy Goes It

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After my successful Antarktis finish, I really felt the need to fill the shawl sized hole in my knitting life. I did some queue searching and stash diving in my “golden skeins” and came up with a single skein of Neighborhood Fiber Co Rustic Fingering in the Easterwood color. I picked up this skein during my trip to Minnesota last February and it has been popping into my brain every since I brought it home.

This is a singles yarn in 100% merino. So perfect for a shawl and the subtle variegation to the blue would really shine in a single color shawl. I settled on Easy Goes it by Finincky Creations. I thought the name and the garter stitch based construction were just kismet. Easy is about all I am capable of right now, lol.

Thanks to some Grandparent babysitting I managed to get cast on and work the first section of garter and start the second section that incorporates more pattern like stitches. the bag is a Suburban Stitcher bag and I hope to finish this shawl in time to enter it into the PALKAL run by the Actually Knitting podcast. We shall see….there are a lot of baby growth spurts ahead. And I’m not counting my knitting time before it hatches so to speak.

The yarn is lovely but it’s been a long time since I worked with a singles yarn. I do with my needles were slightly more pointy but not too pointy. I’m using bamboo needles from Joann’s because that is what I had on hand. And they are perfectly serviceable, I just wish the tips were just a little bit better to make the knitting faster.

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Thotful Spot Hat

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The knitting and napping method worked so swell the other day that I tried it again on my Thotful Spot hat!

I’m past the brim and well into the stockinette section. I just need to hit the magic number of 7 inches of work and I can start decreasing for the crown! This project has moved into the “bedside table” slot now that it’s stockinette in the round (in addition to nap-time knitting). But will have to be demoted after I get to the decreases. Double pointed needles plus counting stitches for decreases do not mix with almost complete darkness.

Happy Knitting!!

Knitting and Napping

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My Electric Mayhem socks are all done except the heels! Thus they have moved from nighttime bedside knitting to full on daylight knitting. As brave as I am….I’m not going to knit fingering weight sock yarn in black in the dark, lol

PB has been on hand for the heels. These heels were ready about the same time the 4 week growth spurt hit. So PB has needed a little extra attention and tummy to tummy time from mommy. Luckily I have found a relatively comfortable and ergonomic position to knit while snuggling a baby.

We both stayed warm and cozy listening to music or podcasts while the heels grew and grew.

And sometimes you just have to stop and enjoy the baby snuggles before they are gone!

Happy Knitting!!

Thotful Progress

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One bright side about PB deciding to come early….I got to attend my family’s annual reunion in my hometown. Mind you, this is an event I organize annually and had accepted that I would just miss it this year. But it all worked out and we had a lovely weekend and not a horrible first long car trip with two kids.

I squished myself in the middle row between my two children’s car seats to manage diaper changes, pacifiers, snacks and entertainment. (It wasn’t terribly comfortable but I survived). The kids did REALLY well on both the to and from trips so I squeezed in some knitting in the car and at the reunion while other people were holding/playing with my children. This is my hospital cast on of the Thotful Spot hat by Sarah Schira.

I finished the 2.5 inches of ribbing and put at least a couple inches of stockinette on the hat itself. The yarn is from Potion Yarns in their Temptress base in the Walk on the Left Side color. The blips of color are just mesmerizing to watch develop. Since this is stockinette and I’m back home, this has become my bedside/in the dark knitting. So I’m hoping it grows little by little when I can sneak a few minutes here and there.

Happy Knitting!!

Antarktis Update

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This shawl was my Mother’s Day cast on for 2018. It’s the Antarktis by Janina Kallio in KnitCircus Trampoline base in the Needle in Haystack impressionist gradient.

I’m in the last section of lace and after that it’s just a lace border and BAM I’m done! I’m on track to have enough yarn to finish this project as written. Which is super exciting to get a full skein out of my stash.

I have an almost four week old baby. So I hear you ask, how could I possibly be getting any knitting done? This project has seen some action mostly because my house is has been full of guests willing to hold PB while I cook or knit. I’m grateful for the knitting time but I’m kinda also getting itchy about getting my house back to myself. I guess this world is all about balance and choices, lol. Maybe when all the guests are gone I will miss my knitting time?

In the  meantime…I’m going to look forward to a beautiful finished shawl! Happy Knitting!!

Electric Mayhem Progress

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My Electric Mayhem socks are now two complete tubes waiting for heels!

I have been using these as my bedside knitting. I can knit in the dark while PB sleeps and I hide for some self care time. I love my family and boy howdy are my kids loved by some many people…but I have had visitors at my house pretty much non-stop since the week we came home from the hospital. And that’s just a lot for a sleep deprived mom of two. These socks have been very therapeutic for me. I get some alone time and make progress on some pretty amazing socks.

I measured and cut in for my afterthought heels on both socks. By popular vote in my house….I have listened to the masses and chosen to stick with the black sock yarn from Joanns for my heels. I briefly flirted with purple heels but ultimately came back around to black. Now I just need some uninterrupted knitting time (with light) to knit both heels and I’ll have a FO!

Happy Knitting

It’s An Electric HO

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I don’t have any FOs this week, but I do have a HO! My first Electric Mayhem sock is completed. Okay, the tube is done and it still needs a heel in full disclosure. But that’s just a minor detail right?

But LOOK HOW PRETTY THIS IS!! I bow down to the prowess of indie dyers who can self-stripe and make gradients. This is a KnitCircus yarn for those who are curious. And I purchased a 75 gram set so I would make a me sized sock without wasting a precious inch of the wonderful color.

Jellybean is currently hunting Storm Troopers in the backyard before daycare. And so I treated myself to coffee and casting on the second sock on the back patio. Don’t you just love when your baby bump and knitting coordinate?

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Jellybean’s Purple Blanket

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I have been indulging in another nesting project. Jellybean’s love of purple has not abated and his blanket has been giving me stares of shame from the WIP bucket. I had started off like gang busters on this thing back during the Pigskin Party football KAL. I finished one skein in record time and then promptly let pregnancy and other projects steamroll this right to the bottom of my list. Now I have this crazy arbitrary idea that this needs to be done before PB gets here because Jellybean NEEDS a super hot blanket at the end of May in 90+ degree Kansas weather.

In the photo above, I have completed (almost) three full skeins out of four now. I have the fourth skein split in half. My plan is to use the first half to grow the blanket and then the second half to put a simple single crochet border around the edge to hide the few places where I lost and had to add back an edge stitch here and there.

Fingers crossed I can maintain momentum on this. My bump is growing daily and it makes it hard to craft, knitting or crochet, in a comfortable fashion long enough to make any progress.

 

Nesting….Knitting Style

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So PB’s arrival marches ever closer. And while we are not ready because why would we need the bassinet assembled, the car seat installed, or meals in the freezer? But I do have my hospital bag is packed and you guys…..I may have included a (wishful thinking) project in there.

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I have been lusting after the Thotful Spot Hat by Sarah Schira for awhile. And the speckled DK skein from Potion Yarns has been calling my name since Knitting in the Heartland. In a fit of nesting I pulled out some needles, the yarn, printed pattern and a brand spanking new project bag…..and I cast on and established the brim pattern. And then promptly tucked the whole shebang into my suitcase.

I realistically may never touch it during my hospital stay. (I will have a guaranteed three night stay thanks to a c-section so it is a possibility.) But part of me feels reassured that if need be I will have pretty yarn and an easy project if I get the knitting itch. Maybe that is it’s point? To be a source of comfort and mental focal point during a time of joyous yet monumental change….just waiting in case it’s needed from inside a cheerful project bag. Only time will tell!

Happy Knitting!!!