Decisions, decisions

There is nothing like finishing some projects to keep you motivated. I'm all antsy to start something new, so I've been poking through (and updating) my Ravelry queue and favorites.

There are some fingerless mitts I've been meaning to knit since 2013 (oops), countless shawl patterns I'd love to tackle, and now I have a whole slew of amigurumi patterns to add to the mix.

There is also the sweater that I meant to knit during lockdown back in 2020.  I have since frogged it because my gauge is completely different from when I started it, but it keeps creeping into my thoughts so I know it will be next on the list.

However.  The original pattern I was working on was The Weekender, and because I will have to knit a new gauge swatch, etc., my yarn yardage will be SUPER close. Based on my last game of yarn chicken, I'm a little wary. I'm also not sure I really want a boxy sweater at the moment. So, I've been poking around for several days trying to find a pattern that will work with my yarn (Berroco Vintage) and the amount I have.

There have been several contenders. I had actually decided on Pull Me Over by Andrea Black, and started knitting my gauge swatch only to decide about one inch in that 1) I hated the fabric it was making and 2) I didn't like the Berroco with that particular pattern. It's a little fuzzy because of its acrylic content, and I would like the ribbing more defined as she has it in her sample.

So back to the drawing board, and it turns out I'm a little particular. I wanted a more open neckline (which was why I was drawn to the Weekender originally); I'd like a little shaping; I'd like it to be mostly stockinette/simple since its my first sweater; but I'd also like it to have a little SOMETHING.

It took awhile, but I finally found something that checks all the boxes: Seacoast by Joji Locatelli. Not only that, but there are half a dozen projects using the Berroco, so I was able to double check how many yards folks seemed to be using and it seems like I'll be fine with my 5.5 skeins! Yay!

Now to motivate myself to finish my swatch...

Tada!

 Y'all, the blanket is blocking. It is done!

via GIPHY

I finished knitting on January 5th, and only because I had a little headache at the end. The pattern calls for you to knit 16 sets of the 20-row repeat, and then an additional 9 rows of the pattern before doing 11 rows of garter and the bind-off. This was weird to me, because of full set of one of the rows of blocks was actually 10 rows, and the cast-on edge included the cast-on, and then 12 rows of garter. I wanted them to be even (ha), so I knit the 10 rows of the pattern repeat, and started on my garter rows--and realized after my 12 garter rows that I would not have enough yarn for the bind-off. Grr.

So I made the hard decision to insert a lifeline and pull back to row 10 of the garter. This worked pretty well, and its not super noticeable, thank heavens. I think my 2-year old nephew will be pretty satisfied.

BUT I HAVE MORE NEWS.  I finished another project!

Pierre the Penguin, from the Woobles! I asked for a kit as a Christmas present since they're pretty pricey, and was delighted to receive one.  The videos are SUPER helpful, and he even manages to look cute. Is he perfect? Heck no--I sewed his belly on off-center and under-stuffed him, but dang if I don't love him anyway. 

I have now fallen down a rabbit hole of amigurumi and other crochet projects and stitches, which is throwing a little hiccup into my decision about what to make next...

Blanket is still blanketing

Still working on the pinwheel blanket!

I got thwarted in my progress because I had to travel for work at the beginning of December.  My original intention was to bring the blanket with me and work on it when I could--any progress was better than leaving it at home and getting zero progress. But it was over 50% done, unwieldy and heavy, so I made the tough decision to leave it behind.  Turns out it would have been difficult to fit it in my suitcase anyway.

After getting back home, I had a slow ramp-up to my daily progress goal (8 rows per day)--I was getting only 2-4 for a bit, but its been easier to find time the last week or so because of the holiday (yay!)  I'm on track for finishing just after the New Year, though I'm kind of hoping I can do a big push at the end and finish before the 1st.  Wish me luck!

Pinwheel Blanket Update

The pinwheel blanket is coming along rather nicely...I'm about halfway through at this point, at least based on my math:

 

There is 100% a boo-boo on one of my edges that I couldn't quite figure out how to fix, and I'm sure there are some other errors too, but I have apparently grown as a knitter, because I don't really care.  That's not to say I don't want it to be perfect, but its also a handmade item and I am human. I am doing my best.

As far as other projects, both the sweater and scarf are currently in hibernation. I did investigate both to see how far long I had actually gotten (my project photos on Ravelry were rather out of date), and it turns out that I have a little more done on my sweater  than I realized (pattern is The Weekender by Andrea Mowry). So, now I'm not sure how I want to tackle it. I may just do another gauge swatch, but I have to double check my yarn to be sure I have enough. 

I had changed my knitting style while working on baby blankets back in 2019/2020 (more on that in an upcoming post), and when I restarted last month I didn't quite have the muscle memory remaining of how I had held the yarn, so have been having to retrain myself a bit on this one. That being said, I'm sure my gauge is NOT the same. And we all know how gauge is my arch nemesis. So...we shall see!  Blanket first. Right now I'm on track to finish before Christmas, but I am traveling for work next week and not sure I can keep up at the same pace (boo).

Times, they are a-changin'...(updates)

I was going back through this blog the other day, and realized that so much has changed since some of my previous posts. I thought I'd do a quick run-down on what's new and different in my world (both knitting-wise and in life).

The most major update is that I've moved to a completely new state (I already miss JBW, though the yarn store closest to me in my new locale is quite charming). Because of this move, a few things happened:

1) I actually cleared out a bit of my stash. Some of it I donated, some I gave to my good friend (and knitting Yoda) Sam. That being said, I still have a fair amount of yarn (two good sized bins, most of which is worsted or fingering weight).

2) I found the Chroma Striped Scarf. I thought I had frogged it, but no. IT STILL EXISTS. I feel like the fact that is has persevered 12+ years is a sign that I should probably break down and finish it.  

IT LIVES!

3) At some point I was working with a drop spindle and learning to spin some lovely Malabrigo roving (if my goals from 2017 tell me anything, though I don't appear to have really blogged about it--terrible), and I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO IT. I haven't found the drop spindle in my boxes* (yet?) and the roving wasn't in my stash. 

4) I had restarted these socks (just the very tippy toe), but recently frogged those as well and am thinking about using the yarn to make my mom some kind of shawl because she keeps stealing mine. On that note...

5) I still have a shawl problem.

*In 2015, I also made a move and a ton of stuff ended up in a storage unit; a lot of stuff is STILL in a storage unit, including (until recently) many of my knitting books and accessories. I was finally able to dig a bunch of this out recently, but am now wondering if there is another box in there with other knitting/crafty things I need to hunt down...

Well, hello there

 So...its been awhile.  Six years, actually, which is a little crazy.

Have I been knitting since 2017?  Yes, actually, though I have also taken some breaks.  My last completed project was actually back in 2020 (according to my Ravelry, anyway). I also started my very first sweater during the lock down, but of course got sidetracked by other crafty things (watercolor painting, coloring) so it is still a WIP on my needles.

At any rate, it HAS been three years since I held knitting needles in my hands, and I have picked them up again to knit yet another blanket, because I am insane. My brother and sister-in-law blessed me with a third nephew/niece to spoil back in 2021, and unlike the first two, I was totally a slacker about knitting the poor baby a blanket. Said child is now two, and I'm finally feeling motivated, but alas for me, that means it is now a toddler blanket, not a baby blanket. Oops.

 

All the other blankets I've knit have involved multiple colors and stripes, but I made the executive decision that third babies get a solid color, to give poor Aunt Jackie a break.  I chose the pattern Reversible Blanket Pinwheels by belovedLT on Ravelry, because I thought it was a nice balance between simple and interesting (e.g. not a total bore to knit, but also not overly complicated because blankets are a heck of a lot of stitches). 

I've been plugging along quite nicely, though it was a fight at the beginning because I had to get used to knitting and gauge and all that again. I'm actually wary of re-starting my sweater because I'm positive my gauge has changed. I may need to knit a new swatch and see where I'm at...I wasn't terribly far along, so I might be able frog and restart.  We'll see. Blanket first!

Knitting, why have you forsaken me?!

I should have known. Or more correctly, I knew. I knew the socks seemed a little big; they were a little loose when I tried them on. Wasn't too worried about it; mother assured me she didn't care.

I plugged along, finished the foot as per the instructions (1 inch shorter than foot length). Plowed through the heels (which are Double Stitch Short Row heels).

Y'all...they are ENORMOUS. Things went terribly, terribly wrong.

I checked my gauge when I first noticed the bigness, and thought I was getting 8.5-9 stitches per inch. Online calculators informed me that my stitch count (64) was right on for that gauge. But...I KNEW.

Having re-checked it (since I now have the world's largest sock swatch), I seem to be getting 7 stitches per inch! I don't know if things are stretching or I'm blind, or both.

At any rate, I have to RIP OUT THE ENTIRE THING AND START OVER.

Lessons learned:

1. Listen to your knitting common sense FOR GOD'S SAKE.
2. Quadruple check your gauge.

I'm digging my favorite trusty sock book out of storage as well, since it never steered me wrong before. Oh, and a size 1 circular (I'm pretty sure I have one somewhere).

ARGH. *insert sounds of my hysterical weeping here as I mournfully update my Ravelry page*

In other news, I guess this means I'll be able to snug up and perfect the heels the next time around.