Crafts

This Should be a Sock It To Me Monday….

mildlygranola, , , , , 13 Comments

After finishing The Weekender last week I quickly finished a pumpkin hat for my sister’s baby.

Please note the artfully configured placement of cashews, cell phone charger, peanut butter, and fruit fly trap, because why would you clear off your counter before you take a picture?

Once I finished my hat I told myself I was going to focus on my socks. If I really focused on them I could finish them in time for a sock it to me Monday post. I was determined. I pulled out the socks. I knit one row. Then I tossed them to the side and cast on a baby sweater.

The pattern is Gidday Baby I was looking for a free pattern to use up some Valley Yarns Superwash DK and this sweater fit my needs. I normally believe in paying for patterns because you get what you pay for. I still believe that. The pattern was awkward to work from, only because I’ve knit sweaters before. From the increases to picking up stitches under the arm, I was annoyed every step of the way. But it’s done. And I knit it fast to be done with it.

While blocking the sweater I threw in a pair of socks that needed to be washed. They are socks with very little pink in them, but the socks managed to bleed onto the sweater, so you can see some blotches of pink. I am choosing to think of it as a special gift – this way Mary-Claire can spill something on the sweater and not feel the least bit guilty.

I should get back to work on my socks. Or maybe I’ll start a sweater. What do you think I’ll actually work on next?

WIP Wednesday

mildlygranola, , , 10 Comments

I realized it was Wednesday only after finding the Aldi ad in the paper 10 minutes ago. This week has been crazy, and it’s amazing I’ve accomplished as much knitting as I have.

I’ve been plugging away on my twizzler socks. I would be getting more done, but my hands get so cold at the playground. If you have any advice on thin gloves that work for knitting please share it with me. I really like how these socks, but I’m ready to be done with them. They have been on the back burner for so long they are taking a long time. I might spend the week focusing on them so I can finish them up.

I’m flying along with The Weekender. I’m not going to bother with a full picture of it right now, because I should have finished photos to show you soon. I only have about 10 rows of ribbing to go on the second sleeve. I can’t wait to start wearing it.

At some point this week I started a pumpkin hat for my niece who will be making an appearance around March. I can’t believe it is the middle of October and I hadn’t made her anything yet this month. I will probably pick this up again once I finish my sweater. Pumpkin hats are one of the only times I use acrylic yarn. I’ve had the same yarn in my stash for ages. If I ever knit it all up I’ll be switching to something squishy and natural.

Have you been knitting this week?

WIP Wednesday

mildlygranola, , , 23 Comments

Riding high on the thrill of finishing Whitehorse, I quickly cast on the Roxy Baby Cardigan by Erika Flory. I’m making the 24 M size, because I always make the biggest size I have the yarn for when knitting for a baby. Now that I’m on the boring body portion this will be my playground knitting.

My range shawl has grown a bit, but progress has slowed substantially. I plan on working on this in the evenings, as it is too big to travel with. I like how it is turning out.

I have several other WIPs languishing that I cannot bring myself to knit. I think I need to hold myself to Finishing Fridays until my WIP count is under control. When I have projects I don’t feel like knitting I tell myself I need to work on them on Fridays until they are done. Usually I fall back in love with the project and start working on it regularly.

How are your WIPs coming along?

I Can Explain…

mildlygranola, , , 20 Comments

I’ve spent most of this year doing a great job sticking to my yarn diet. I only buy the yarn that I have earned (100 g earned for every 300 g knit). Recently I went off the rails, and now I’m 2052 g in the hole for the year. I don’t think I’ll be able to knit my way out of it this year. I’m disappointed in myself, and I’ll be continuing my yarn diet next year.

It all started out so simply. My sister is going to have a baby, so I wanted to get yarn to make a baby sweater. I found a pattern and yarn I liked on bluprint and decided to buy it.

I didn’t want to pay for shipping, so I added on a sweater kit I’d been eyeing.

But when the kit arrived I noticed that I had made a grave error. Instead of selecting coral, I distractedly ordered two different teals.

Obviously that wouldn’t work, so when I ordered the coral I added on some yarn to get to free shipping. I found a nice wool/silk blend on sale, so I bought a sweater quantity. The problem is I wanted to buy 1000 yards, but instead I convinced myself I needed 100 g, so now I have enough yarn for two sweaters.

I was going to be done, but I had already promised Ivy I would go to an Andrea Mowry KAL at a local yarn shop. I decided on the Range shawl, but I didn’t have the right yarn for it. So I bought four skeins of Malibrigo for the shawl.

I know I will use all of the yarn I’ve purchased, but I sure do wish I would have utilized my stash first. I have never gone on a yarn binge like this before. I hope I never do again.

So now I’m off to learn brioche so I can continue to work on the shawl. I am also going to work on my whitehorse sweater so I can finish it and cast on the baby sweater. It’s a good thing I feel inspired to knit again, as I have a lot of knitting to do.

WIP Wednesday

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I’m finished with the gusset on the first Twizzle sock. I love how this pattern looks, and the yarn has been great to work with.

I’ve been spending almost all of my time working on a Whitehorse sweater. I cast on the sweater on the 22nd, and since then I have wanted to ignore all obligations and knit.

Are you ever compelled to knit something and you don’t even care how it turns out? That is me with this sweater. I didn’t swatch. I’m using worsted instead of DK and I didn’t make any adjustments. I might not have enough yarn. It has bobbles. It has lace. It is not something I would normally knit. I’m setting myself up for sweater failure, and I don’t mind. I’ve fallen madly for this pattern and I just want to knit it. If it doesn’t fit I’m sure I’ll find someone that it works for.

I’m now off to go knit on the sweater. Please don’t ask me to hang out, I have a sweater to knit.

WIP Wednesday

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No, it is not actually Wednesday, but we got home late last night from watching Spiderman and I forgot to post. Have you seen Spiderman yet? It was really good.

Anywhooo…..I’ve really only worked on socks this week. My TDF France are slowly moving along. We’ve only had time to watch two stages this week. I’m done with the gusset of the second sock. I love how these socks are turning out. They are smooshy and the yarn is nice to work with.

I’ve decided I don’t like my playground socks. The yarn is a little rough, and I don’t love the colors. I was really excited about these socks for the first leg, but I’m now at the point where I’m ready to be done with them and move on to yarn I’m excited to work with.

I have not been knitting much this summer. I have been walking at parks instead of knitting at parks. It has been lovely, but I have been making slow progress on my projects.