Tag Archives: WIP

For The Love of Cashmere

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My Flying North socks hit the FO pile last week and I didn’t let the needles sit bare for long! I pulled the Dream in Color Smooshy with cashmere from my Central KS yarn hop from Unwind in Manhattan, KS.

  
This is the Lucky Stone color way. It’s a deep rich green with bits of black running through. It’s very hard to photograph but totally worth it. This yarn is SOFT!!! I toyed with using a patterned toe up sock but quickly rejected that given the dark color. I don’t want to squint at these socks, so vanilla it is!

  
I’ve completed the toe on sock #1!

Go Patriots! Socks

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After some success with my husband’s Heritage Vanilla Socks I decided to start a second pair for him without finishing the first pair.  I pulled the Berry Colorful Yarning Pats color way from my 2016 Sock Experiment and got to work!

  I’ve divided and wound the yarn into tw cakes. This will be a 72 stitch vanilla socks on size US 2 nine inch circs with a 60% afterthought heel. The hubby requested tighter running around the ankle so I may take the ribbed cuff down to 68 stitches to see how he likes that.

As I wound this yarn I was also careful to make each ball start with in same portion of the stripes. This way these babies will match. I lost a tiny bit of yardage due to this. After consulting the hubby we decided on contrasting heels and toes to make up the difference. He chose some Serenity Sock weight by Deborah Norville from my stash…in black. Not my choice but these are his socks, lol.

   
This project also helps me with my 2015 Pigskin Party KAL points total. I get bonus points for using a KAL sponsor product! Now I just have to get these knit before the super bowl…

Happy Knitting!

Fly Fingers Fly

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I’ve been staying up WAY too late at night but I’m determined to get my Cuff to Cuff sweater done by Christmas. I got through the final side and sleeve and got the sweater on the blocking boards!

  
(I measured carefully and blocked the back and fronts to the same length for seaming purposes.) After a good soak in Soak wool wash I put a fan on this overnight. And whoosh….it was dry!

  
I’m going to seam up the sides tonight and get the collar/bands picked up. I’m going with the pick up 3 then skip one method for the edging. That will be just shy of 300 stitches on the needles. And then it’s just 5 inches of seed stitch between me and a FO. All in the next 8 days….ack!

Wish me luck!

Sweater Incentive

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Yesterday I blogged about my Cuff to Cuff sweater and wanting to finish this long term WIP. I technically don’t have a deadline but if I do finish it by Christmas then I get some bonus points in the Down Cellar Studio pigskin party KAL. So I’m giving myself a little motivation!

I’m in the mood to KNIT ALL THE THINGS and CAST ON RIGHT NOW. I really want a Momma Vertebrae by Kelly Brooker. One with long sleeves in a nice warm cozy worsted yarn. I even have the perfect yarn! Berroco Vintage in Mushroom…

  
A neutral beige that would suit many of my tops for a great layering piece. Tons of people have knit this and I want to be wearing it already. But first I need to finish the cuff to cuff or I fear I never will! Thus this will be the carrot at the end of my needles.

Do you use knitting incentives to stay on track?

Sweater Resurrection 

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I’ve been on an organizing tear of late. I went through my wardrobe with a ruthless eye and got rid of the clothes that don’t fit post baby. And the ones that don’t make me happy or feel good. They will go to a good home to my sister or to a women’s shelter. And I also tore through my WIPs pile. It was time to knit or frog. I unearthed my Cuff to Cuff Sweater.

  I started this in 2014 but it stalled majorly after Jellybean was born. I was sorely tempted to rip it out as I’m not sure it will fit my new and improved mom hulk shoulders. But all it was missing was one sleeve and the collar/edging. Still a lot of knitting to do but it seemed a shame to undo. I can always gift it to my cousin or sister. 

It’s knit with Berroco Vintage in a teal/blue. I picked the yarn up for a song when a LYS sadly closed its doors in 2014. Also, if I finish this before Christmas I can count this as another WIP interception for the Down Cellar Studio pigskin party KAL!

A Warm Solution 

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So Jellybean is an active wiggling 15 month old and we are heading into the heart of winter. He has several jackets and coats but we never leave them on in the car seat for safety reasons. So that’s lots of on and off clothing wrestling with a marginally cooperative toddler in the bracing cold of the Midwest. I had a flash of inspiration…he needs a open cardigan much like the kiddy or momma vertebrae. Something to keep his arms/shoulders/back warm without anything on the front to interfere with the efficacy of the car seat straps!

Enter the Snugbug by Tiaga Hilliard Designs!

  
@Tiaga Hilliard Designs 

I pulled some Knit Picks Brava Bulky in red from my deep stash. I’ve already cast on and worked down to the armhole divide. I’m in love and may have to make more than one!  

Happy Knitting!!

Black Yarn Oops

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I started up with my Mini Thermal Vest I started for Jellybean back in June. I got about this far…

  
And I hated the fabric which is why I set it down. It was too loose and open on the US 8 needles I was using. So I put my big girl panties on and swatched. The magic number turned out to be US 7s. 

  
I’m flying now, gotta love big yarn on big needles. There is a pattern there I promise. It’s just impossible to photograph this inky black yarn. It’s knit picks shine worsted. I’m hoping to have this ready for church on Christmas Eve with the family!

Happy Knitting!!

WIP Wednesday: Wool Free Vanilla Socks

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Yay for self striping yarn!

  
My Wool Free Vanilla Socks are swimming along. I did have a run in with yarn “barf” coming from my center pull ball. (Aka a tangled mess of yarn from the middle of my ball.) I tried in vein to untangle the mess but alas I had to resort to cutting….sigh

  
The cutting meant I was disrupting the stripe pattern. I salvaged as far as I could and knit till I ran out of yarn without messing up the order. Those two tiny balls are the remainder of the skein. It’s still a proper sock but shorter than I had planned. 

To soothe my soul I started sock #2 and after a few inches I noticed this…..

  
Two drastically different dye lots! The second is much more muted and I do so love the first sock. I’m still forging ahead as the color difference won’t affect how warm they are. This is what I get for not checking the dye lots of the sale bin, lol.

Happy Knitting!

So Close

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Due to the unfortunate circumstances of a funeral I had a three day weekend back in my hometown. Just Jellybean and I made the trip but Aunty, Grandma, and Grandpa were there waiting. I took full advantage of the free babysitting and snagged as much sleep and knitting time as possible. My goal was to wrap up my Neon Vanilla Socks. I only needed the leg, cuff, and afterthought heel to be done…

  
I got sooo close. Like justan inch of ribbing and the bind off left. I’m just itching to get these done to turn in for #dcspigskinparty2015 points! I guess they shall be done soon enough and I’m not going to look the gift horse in the mouth for the extra knitting time.

I snuck in a couple extra stitches on sock #2 to see if that eased the snugness I had in #1. And to hedge my bets I sneakily had my sister try these on to see if they fit her. They did…..so these might be destined for the Christmas tree…

Happy Knitting!  

Wanted: Warm Hands

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It’s finally starting to get cool here in the Midwest. And I have pulled out all our coats and woolies. I’m sadly lacking in the glove department. What’s a knitter to do but knit of course!

I trolled my queue and found the Reverse Rib Mitts by Holly Terrell.

  
Photo @ Holly Terrell

I pulled some Knit Picks Felici leftovers from my stash in the maple leaves color way and got started. I even used my new Hiya Hiya sharps and project bag!

  
The beauty of this design is that you work it inside out so no purling! All the beauty of reverse stockinette without slowing me down!! 

  It’s supposed to be in the 30s on Saturday so I better knit faster…

Happy Knitting!