I’ve had a Clapo-ktus on the needles since Jellybean was a few weeks old. It looks like this…
The yarn is great, the pattern is great, the FO will be beautiful but I just don’t love it anymore. It takes so much brain power to count my stitches and it’s hard to set down in order to chase Jellybean away from danger. I need more simplicity in my life. I think I’m going to rip this and cast on something garter related.
Maybe 22.5 degrees by Martina Behm….
I’ve been surrounded by pregnant ladies of late with large percentage having boys. Not that I’m partial but I adore tiny male humans in tiny old man sweaters.
Some friends of my husband are having a boy so I pulled out a favorite sweater pattern….Baby Sophisticate by Linden Down
This pattern is easy and adorable. And at worsted weight it practically flies off the needles. I’m already at the sleeves. I’m using some yarn I bought on my 2015 yarn crawl, Uptown Worsted in Navy. It’s 100% acrylic and first time mom friendly. It has a soft feel but knits nicely. Pretty darn happy with it for it being acrylic.
This pattern runs small so I made the 6-12 month size just to be safe. I also plan to “finish” this one wit grosgrain ribbon on the button bands. It’s definitely time to step up my finishing game!
Happy Knitting!!
My Mandrake socks are zooming!
I’ve had a bit of project ADD of late so a lot of things are getting a little progress. But these have been my purse knitting so they have gotten more than their fair share. Thanks to addicting strips of String Theory Colorworks yarn and a vanilla patter these are flying. I’m almost ready to establish the ribbing at the top of sock number two. After that all that is left is the afterthought heel. I’ll be sad and happy when these are done because they are so cheerful and the cashmere content is sooooo yummy under my fingers.
But one thing I find myself thinking about is the afterthought heel. I’m not finding it as comfortable as I used to. Well at least compared to the last couple socks that had toe up gusset heels. I already do an afterthought heel over 60% of the total stitches and it fits. It can feel a bit tight and not as form fitting as the gusset. Maybe my sock preferences are changing?
Happy Knitting!
I finally had the guts to start working the chart for the Zigzagular Socks. I did half of the chart back here and did the second half this week.
I could use some working keeping consistent tension when my cables are moving. You can see above that I’m already getting better. I’m still a cable knoobie but it’s very neat to watch them wave back and forth. And being new to this I still need some quiet to work on these to make sure I’m going the right directions. So this project is relegated to after Jellybean goes to bed. Progress on these might be slow…
Happy Knitting!
Germs are once again invading our home. This time it’s a stomach bug, blargh. I guess this is what you get once you have a child that touches/licks/eats everything in sight. We are on the mend but during the worst of it I managed some knitting while holding a sick little Jellybean.
I was unhappy with my first attempt at the mitered square for my Cousins Mitered Square blanket. My travails are logged here. I went down to size US 5 needles and got to work. I also used a firm cast one (long tail cast on) to start the first square. I am much happier the fabric is firmer and squishy. I also knit the first stitch when I remembered. There are few stitches I slipped due to muscle memory and good TV. But those I can hide with the next square. I also did some YouTube research on picking up the bumps. Not to shabby if I do say so myself!
Now I’ve only like 16 more squares to go….
Happy Knitting!
I’m slowly working on my Zigzagular Socks. I’m converting these to toe up so I’m having to think through the construction and the pattern to wrap my over tired brain cells around that all.
I’ve knit the stockinette toe for the right sock and places stitch markers for the pattern section. When I get a minute to concentrate I’m going to try to work through a chart repeat to see how this goes.
I made a series of realizations whilst working the toe increases. A) this yarn is more of a light fingering B) the ideal stitch counts for my foot at this guage fall in between the pattern counts C) my sister’s shoe size fits the 64 stitch count and guage perfectly. So basically my knitting subconscious is telling me these need to be for my sister. I don’t have the warewithall to both follow the chart, work my first cables and modify this to fit my foot. Baby steps….I’ll get the pattern in my fingers/brain first and then do another pair for me. Besides it will knock an item off my Christmas to do list!
Happy Knitting!
I’ve made some reportable progress on my Mandrake Vanilla Socks!
The first sock is done. This is a 68 stitch toe up vanilla sock with afterthought heel. I like the afterthought heel for preserving the stripes but I’m not sure it’s the best fit for me depending on my gauge/stitch count. But it works well enough to keep using for now.
I’ve started the second sock. When I wound the yarn I made sure to get two matching balls that started with the same stripe. However, I didn’t even use close to 50% of the yarn for the first sock so I’ll have lots of leftovers. But I’m really enjoying the cashmere content in these socks so leftovers would be the worst thing ever!
Happy Knitting!!
I’ve pulled out my Dad’s crochet blanket from the WIP pile. I want to get this done ahead of Mother’s Day because that is the next major family gathering and I really want to get it delivered. Because why wouldn’t you need a super bulky blanket in the blazing May heat!?
This one I’m working across 60 inches instead of the 36-38 inches of my mothers. Those are some LONG rows! But I’m making progress…
I literally have a tote bag full of sock WIPs…
In this bag:
These socks are all in various stages and it’s really nice tone able to pull out whatever project suits my knitting time/place. I truly have sock knitting ADD!
Happy Knitting!!
A few days ago I pulled out the yarn for my Cousins Mitred Square Blanket and made some decisions.
I even started the first square.
I pretty much hate it. It took two hours and 24 grams of yarn. So at the very least I know how long each piece will take. But the cast on was too loose and stretchy. The fabric is too loose as well. Not to mention I can’t tell if I should slip the first stitch or knit it in order to make the best surface to attach the next square. Wise blogger/podcast knitters always say to not slip stitches on seam edges but the knit edges of garter stitches just look terribly cuddly to pick up! I’m terribly conflicted. I knit these on 7US and I’m going to try 6US by frogging and re-knitting this square.
This was just a swatch right?
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