Blog Catch Up

I knew it had been awhile since I blogged, but hadn't realized it's been 4 months. I knew that aside from my secret sample knitting, I hadn't been knitting very much so didn't have much to share 'til now. The secret sample knitting however, are still secret.

The STR charity blanket is finally done! After starting this 4 years ago(!) for our knitting group at work I finally finished it.  When I signed up for this I didn't realize that our knitting group would decrease all the way down to a mere 1 or 2 of us.  So I finally decided that I would finish it all myself.  The blanket has been washed/blocked and mailed to Blue Moon Fiber Arts (BMFA) for Tina to send to her favorite charity.

Pattern: Knitting for Love by Cookie A & Nathania Apple for BMFA (not listed in Ravelry or BMFA's site - contact Cookie A or Nathania for the pattern)
Yarn provided by BFMA: Socks that Rock Heavyweight in Jade (center square & throughout), Count Cluckula, Mr Green Jeans & Thistle - what little was left was also mailed back to BMFA.
Needes: US Size 6 circulars
Dimensions: Roughly 41"x41" 

Also done & blocked over the summer is a darling shawlette that was part of our March 2012 Rockin' Sock Club kit.

Pattern: Perennial by Debbie Stone (aka Cockeye the Sockateer)
Yarn: STR medium weight in Budding Twig
Needles: US Size 5 & 6 KP Harmony circs

Intended for my toddler nephew, but I'm not sure if his face is securely sewn on, so I may reinforce it before mailing it off.

Pattern: Tony the Toy Box Monster
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease
Needles:  US Size 6

I also finally got around to knitting a baby hat to coordinate with the Lilianna cardigan shown in my last post.

I also made a moss stitch/seed stitch baby beret to coordinate with the Lucky baby cardigan I knit a couple years back.  These will be gifts for the next family or friend who has a baby girl.

Pattern: Moss Stitch Hat by Debbie Bliss
Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton
Needles: size  5 & 6 circs

Last for now, but not least, is a hat/scarf combo that I started while my monkeys were rehearsing for their big dance recital last month.  Monkey2 put it to good use this weekend as we got more than a smattering of snow at our cabin.

Pattern: Comet Tail Hat (free Lion Brand pattern)
Yarn: Lion Brand Amazing in Pink Sands
Needles: size 9 KP circs

Brookfield Cowl

I had the pleasure of testing knitting another of knittinggolfer's patterns, the new Brookfield Cowl.

Since I didn't have the heavy worsted yarn she used (Miss Babs Northumbria Aran), I used the lusciously dense Malabrigo Twist in Liquid Ambar which was the closest I could get in my stash. This'll be great for fall & winter. 

And I did fix Monkey2's Quinny hat using the decreases in the other free Quinn hat pattern.  It doesn't have the nifty offset of the original crown decrease, but at least it'll look more pixie-like once I re-block the crown.

The hat grew when I had initially washed it, so I also had to frog back the extra inch.  It's still big enough to grow with Monkey2 though.

Next up, I'm going to go back to the cosmetics world and discuss the newish alternative to tinted moisturizers, called BB creams (aka Blemish Balm creams) from Asia.

Knee deep in holiday knitting

But first, a digression in craptastic costume sewing.  Monkey1 & her class did an "in-house field trip" called A Walk Through the American Revolution, so she asked me to make her a costume.  Unfortunately, when we were Thanksgiving vacation in the Sierras, we kept having power outages.  I had to rush towards the end and there are a lot of crooked stitches in there.

We also had a little debate on what color fabric her mobcap & shawlette were supposed to be, so I did two.  The dusty pink she eventually chose to wear during the "play," and the muslin set that I felt was a little more authentic.

At least my sister's layette set is done.  The Austermann Mosaico blanket swatch actually survived the washer & dryer fine, so she'll probably get the blanket too.

Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease (the baby is a tropical one)
patterns: Baby Yoda Sweater, Kiddie Cadet & Waves of Babies Booties
needle size: mostly 8's
Sweater mods: body in the round 'til armholes.  Sleeves picked up & knit from the armhole.  Applied i-cord edging to the vertical edges.

I'm done w/the teacher gifts, but I'm waiting for the fog to burn off before I can take a pic of Monkey1's teachers black mitts. But first up, Monkey2's teacher's hat in Cal Bears colors.  Hard not to like a teacher from my alma mater, the University of California, Berkeley.

pattern: Cascade's Pittsburgh Steelers hat
yarn: Knit Picks Swish worsted in Dusk & Semolina
needle sizes: 9 & 10 KP circs
no mods

By the time I got to the Cal hat, I started to improve on my colorwork.  The first one I did, the Norwegian Star Hat, unfortunately came out too small for the adult recipient.  (No gauge stated in the pattern & I guessed wrong on the needle size I needed to get the gauge I think I needed.)  It barely fit Monkey2 unblocked.  While it loosened up a little after a wash & block, I still did another one.

This one was much better once I went up on needle sizes, but I also had to switch stash yarns since I was too anxious to wait for another Knit Picks order in the mail.

This took me forever, but my second-to-last pair of holiday socks (yup, I've got one more!) are done for a college friend of mine.  Though technically it's not a gift since he's going to trade me one of his art pieces for it as part of our negotiated agreement.  He actually wanted a sweater & my other college buddies who knit & I are still saying no.  LOL!

Pattern: Nemesis

pattern size: Large

yarn: Zitron Trekking Pro Natura 

needles: size 2.50 mm

And for a little holiday fun while we sat around during the power outage during the day. (No knitting in the pitch dark at night of course.):

pattern: WEBS free mini turkey

yarns: bits of Knit Picks Palette doubled

needle size:  KP 5 circs

Hope everyone has a nice holiday season!  And see you on the post-holiday knitting recovery side.

Buttonhead Hats

Pattern: Buttonhead hat - "super" slouchy size


Monkey2 has a good head shape for hats, unlike me. I'm having a difficult time finding buttons I like with this, so these'll will do 'til I find something better.


yarn: A Verb for Keeping Warm superwash BFL fiber in No. 9 spindle-spun by me! Navajo-plied on the spindle too!


size 6 KP circs
mod: less decreases before the brim to fit my head comfortably


Yarn: Yarn Wench Handpainted Merino Roving spindle-spun by Tapmouse - gifted to me last Christmas, I think.


Happier w/the buttons on this one.


needles: 10.5 mm KP circs
same mod: less decreases before the the brim so it can fit my head comfortably.


And just building up the baby gift stash. Such a cute pattern!
pattern: Berry Baby Hat
yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton in Wisteria & Lime Leaf - orphan skeins bought at a couple different lys, I think
size 8 KP circs
mod: didn't do the smaller needle size for the cast on and initial few rows 'cause I saw no need.

And one time at Sock Camp...

Hah. Not really. While my Rockin' Sock Club friends are having a kickin' time up at this year's Sock Camp, I'm back at home in a quieter mode working on one of the March RSC patterns.


Slip Jig by our darling Irishgirlie, Carrie
pattern size medium
STR medium weight in Wild Irishgirlie
size 2.50 mm KP circs (just 'cause I know Carrie enjoys circs rather than dpns)

One down, one to go after a brief detour in another size.


Apparently I had a Cinderella stepsister moment and cast on for the small instead of my usual medium. I should know better than to not believe the designer and tech editor. Even my DH noticed when I tried on the small cuff (on top in the pic above) that it would be too snug. Despite the purl stitches in the cable rows, it doesn't lend itself to being very stretchy.


And since hats are quick, I finally got around to knitting Monkey1 a beanie hat version of the Scroll Lace pattern (there's a chart here) that was used for my Malabrigo Twist cowl. I used the recipe directions for this Pomatomus hat to do my decreases for this hat as well. I think I figured it out correctly.


yarn: Dream in Color Classy in Some Summer Sky
needles: size 7 & 9 KP Harmony circs (I'm hecka tight when I knit Dream in Color yarns)
CO 100 sts


And in the spirit of Sock Camp class-taking, I took WonderMike's Navajo ply on a drop spindle class at A Verb this weekend. My over-the-fold technique still blows, but the Navajo-ply method is so awesome! I'm looking forward to practicing this technique more on my little stash of dyed fibers.

Multi-themed weekend

It's been quite busy with the usual President's Day holiday weekend being combined with Valentine's Day, the Lunar New Year, the start of the Winter Olympics, & NASCAR season. The number of knitting projects I've got going seems to match this weekend's multiple events too.


For the Ravelympics which is scheduled for the Winter Olympics, I cast on for my second Shawl that Jazz in the Beached LSS I bought at Sock Camp last year. I decided that I wanted a bit of meditative garter stitch so I could watch the Olympics with ease.


But before that, I finally joined in on our mini-STR February Lady Sweater KAL at work with Tapmouse2 and Calafia. They're practically done, while I'm struggling to not make more errors on my second FLS. This time it's in heavyweight STR in Korppi.

My first set of errors were not doing all my increases in the increase row while watching the premiere of Lost's last season. I should know better than to knit anything that requires even the remotest of attention when Lost is on. My second set of errors was repeating the wrong right side row of the gull lace pattern. With alternating skeins, it's a pain to rip back a couple rows to fix. Then there's the botched garter stitch edge in one little section that I worsened in an attempt to correct it. Apparently, familiarity breeds errors and not just contempt.


The only new pattern I've been working on is the Raven Swirl sock. I won't even start my 2010 RSC sock until this is done. I love this sock, but it would also go much faster if I devoted more time to it. As it is, I get a row or 2 in here & there. But I do love how it's knitting up.


On my quick, but distracting, pile is Monkey2's new K&K Cap. The first 2 were getting too small, so I knit up the medium size. Fortunately or unfortunately, I didn't swatch, so the hat's a little big, but that means she's got room to grow. It's in a turquoise Cascade 220 colorway that she would not let go of the last time we went to visit Purlescence Yarns.

I may need to knit up a second hat as Monkey1 decided to attach her freeform crocheted "snowflake" to the hat. It's very cute, but Monkey2 wants her hat plain.


Of course, the hat wouldn't be complete without a set of mitts to match. I'm almost done with a child-sized version of the Fetching fingerless mitts. I kept the row counts the same mostly, but CO 40 sts instead of the pattern's 45. Fits her great.

And that's not even all. Not pictured are Monkey1's second Regia Flusi das sockenmonster sock on which I'm practicing my lever knitting and my sister's second Bella's Mittens, this time as a convertible pair.

The good, the bad, the ugly

The good: from the Once in a Blue Moon Rare Gems sale at BMFA -


All lightweight, one in each category (Earth, Fire, Air, and Water), not necessarily in that order since I think Tina & her dyers based the categories on what dyes and overdyes were used, not necessarily what the end result was. I love them all, but if I had to pick favorites, they are the 2 intensely deep ones on the left.

Also good: The first Knetted sock I cast on for the Blue Moon Cast On -


Sept RSC kit
medium weight STR in River Rocked
pattern size: medium-ish
size 2.50 mm KP circs
mod: foot decreased to 54 sts, 1 extra diamond repeat on the leg, but I bet if I weigh this sock & the remaining skein, I could've gotten on more diamond repeat on the leg.

The good & the bad:


pattern: Jasmine fingerless mitts by Adrienne Fong
yarn: Crystal Palace Mini Mochi in Neptune Rainbow
needle size: 2.50 mm KP Harmony circ
mod: extra lace repeat since Monkey1 wanted it longer

When we got back from vacation, I realized that the light turquoise was very sparse to almost non-existent in the second skein. The second half of the first skein & most of the second skein had a royal blue instead of the turquoise, so I punted the idea of getting both mitts to match color progression at all.

I do like the pattern & the colorway though, so that's good. The bad however was the yarn. It's splitty, the single ply is underspun in spots & I had to spit-splice it together many times, and it behaves like sticky mohair when attempting to frog or tink back a bit (looks mohair-ish too w/its halo). Maybe if I knit my Noro sock or sample Malabrigo sock, I would feel differently. Or even if I got a second generation of the mini-mochi instead of the first? Who knows, but it'll be awhile before I knit up the second skein.

It's just bad:


It used to be a completed Brioche Hat for DH. Then he asked me to extend it - several months after it sat in a dresser drawer in our cabin upon completion.

The bad part's not that I started slowly frogging it from the top even though I don't remember much on how a brioche stitch in progress looks like after several months. It's the stitch that snagged on something in the drawer he kept it in. It's to the right of the orange stitch marker, an inch from the cast on row that is currently causing me much angst. So, to fix that somehow (duplicate stitch for 2 inches on each side of it?) or to frog entirely & start over? That is my dilemma.

The ugly, though I could call it a swatch since I intend to frog & start over, but probably in a different pattern, maybe something stripey instead:


pattern: Beginner's Fair Isle Headband
size 7 KP circs
yarn: Nashua Handknits Grand Opera in Teal & Silver

Sometimes I should say no to Monkey1's requests when I feel it probably won't work. It was a bad combination of needle size, gauge, yarn and pattern. I didn't bring my entire needle set when we were vacationing, I had limits but tried it anyway. I did like the initial pattern & yarn combo on size 5 dpns, but that made the headband infant-sized and too stiff to work as a headband. I probably should've started a stripey scarf instead, which is what was intended for the leftover yarn. Knitting on size 7 circs Magic Loop style made the colorwork look really crappy and made keeping the floats even at the transition halves w/this yarn difficult.

Hopefully next time I tell Monkey1 it won't work, she (and I) will believe it and I won't need to "swatch" to prove my point. But then, that's par for the course in the parent/child experience.

The 80/20 Rule

Or is it 90/10? In any case, most of the gift buying, gift knitting, gift knitting, and card mailing are done. It's just that last batch that's going take awhile and may not make it on time.

The birthday twin likes his cardie! Although he said he didn't mind my posting his pic, the moment of bright sunshine through our office window combined w/flourescent lighting was not flattering to his forehead, so off it went.


It was also my sister's (aka the original Monkey) birthday, so another slouchy hat was whipped up.


Slouchy Copy Cat Hat
Dream In Color Classy in Deep Seaflower
size 7 & 9 KP circs
mod: Cast on 86 sts


A friend's husband had been deployed to Afghanistan, so I had started this for him. Thankfully he has been sent home, but he requested I finish this for his friend who is still there. It won't get there by Christmas, but still in time for the harsh winter there.

Helmet Liner - one size! - hope it fits
Knit Picks Swish Worsted in Camel Heather
size 6 & 8 KP circs
mods:
- size 6 for the face ribbing only
- decreased the corners of the face ribbing as several knitters have suggested on Ravelry


Call me a sucker. A long-time friend at work sweet-talked me into a hat. Smooth, he is.

Turn-a-Square hat
Knit Picks Swish Worsted in Delft Heather - 1 skein!
Cascade Greenland - a bit of gray
size 7 & 8 KP circs


This is the 20% (or 10% if I want to make myself feel better) that will probably not make it. However, this slowly progressing Seemingly Simple Vest is more like the bonus gift as we've got the usual items for her this year. Yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Twister (discontinued?) in a Waters potluck color. At least I'm stash-busting.


Lastly, I've got something in the holiday FAIL category. My first attempt at making this particular Knit Picks Swish Worsted colorway (Clematis Heather) into a cowl ended in frogging. Something about Ciara's Cowl pattern and this color of yarn was just not working. Or it could just be the yarn and stitch pattern combo just being super super slow for something I wanted to crank out fast.


I then tried to knit this yarn into a plain cowl and while the colorway looked so much better in stockinette stitch, I screwed up my gauge and it was too big. Again it's been frogged and the yarn has been put on holiday time out. I may need to return my Princess of Purple tiara for my problems with this particular purple yarn. There's just something about this particular shade that I am not syncing with.

Next month I hope, post-holiday relaxing knitting. AKA socks! It's been too too long.

In the meantime, wishing you all a happy holiday season!

For the birthday twin

Finished in time before he retires by the end of the month. He'll get it next week though as I forgot to bring it in today.


(sorry for the slight blurriness - still working out my relationship w/my new camera)

pattern: Rowan 34 Morris
size: XL
yarn: Knit Picks Swish Bulky in Squirrel Heather
needles: KP nickel-plated circs in size 10 & 10.5
mods: added side pockets

I like the yarn and this classic colorway, but I'll be happy to not see it in a good long while. I was definitely burnt out by the end. Also, not too thrilled with the pockets I threw in on the fly. But then, I should've planned the pockets out better & earlier.

Birthday brother bought the yarn, picked out the pattern and the pattern size, so I hope he's happy with it. I had to fight my own aesthetic with the sizing. He wanted large & roomy, but I kept thinking "OMG, I'm making it too big." Also, it was amusing to watch a Muggle's reaction to the price of decent yarn, especially if we're going for machine-washeable.


And since I had 1 skein leftover, I figured I might as well make him a coordinating hat. The cabling on the Chunky Dean St hat pattern has a similar look to the mini-ones embedded in the big cable pattern of the cardigan.

Chunky Dean Street hat - really quick enjoyable pattern on Ravelry
size 9 & 10 KP circs
pattern size medium - did not make his hat as roomy as the cardie


So now that the big project is done, I'm off to make a few holiday gifts. First up is Monkey1's teacher's hat. She's a big Harry Potter fan and dressed up as a Hogwarts student on Halloween, so I thought that the Hermione hat in sparkly yarn would be fitting for her.

Hermione's Cable & Eyelet Hat
Lion Brand Wool Ease in White/Multi - we like the sparkle
size 7 KP circs
"adult" size

Monkey1 gets to wrap this up as soon as I fix a bad weaving job on the brim when I encountered a knot in the yarn.

Shhh, don't tell my birthday twin I'm not done.

Thankfully we both took this week off so I've got next week to finish the right front, the collar, the button bands, insert some side pockets somehow & seam his sweater together before we officially celebrate our supposed twin-ness.

So what have I been doing instead? Still with the hat thing & then some:


Woolly Wormhead's Mystery Hat KAL for Nov 2009
Pattern A
BFL Sport in Jubilation (leftover from my Shawl that Jazz)
size 5 & 6 KP circs


I have enough leftover still if I want to do the other mystery hat pattern again.


Pattern B of Woolly Wormhead's Mystery Hat KAL
Lana Grossa Numero Uno in 113 (dc'd from a lys closing awhile back)
size 5 KP circs


This'll be a great gift hat pattern.


Scrunchable Scarf
Sunshine Yarns Merino Worsted in New Moon Alice - 1.67 skeins
size 8 KP circs
CO 29 sts

We had such a busy day the day I handed off the scarf to my sister, I forgot to take a FO pic.


Monkey1's dress slightly modified from a Simplicity pattern.

I find it ironic that my 12-yr old self was so much better at sewing than I am now. It took me a frickin hour just to baste the damn zipper into the back. (Notice I'm not showing the back.) But for some reason, Monkey1 wanted this done on my special day so here we are.

Next up, maybe I'll flash my birthday stash (got a couple bags) and hopefully my birthday twin's cardigan.