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.

Sock Progress & a Shawl Problem

Despite the fact that I'm not even to the heel on the mom socks, I've been "shopping" around for my next project.

My bundles page on Ravelry reveals that I might have a knitting preference these days:

The bigger problem will be deciding which one to knit first! I'm thinking about trying to make a shawl using my Mean Girls Yarn Club Hoity Toity (which was originally going to be a Brickless). I found this really neat pattern at my LYS called Decay, where the lace/garter sections are determined by the color changes. Could be really cool looking!

At any rate, just so you all know I'm not a total slacker, here is the current progress on the socks:

As I mentioned in my last post, the yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere, and it is a DELIGHT to knit with. So soft, no splitting. I'm a little jealous that my mom will be getting cashmere socks!

Here goes...

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had started some two-at-a-time (toe up) socks back in September (post-Ravellenic Games), and had only gotten about half way through the toe increases before stopping.

I picked those bad boys up again this past weekend and started knitting them again.

They're even longer now, just over 5 inches--I'm very pleased with my progress. The yarn is Smooshy with Cashmere, and I'm following a tutorial for two-at-a-time magic loop socks from Heidi Bears. My mom picked this yarn out way back in December of 2014! Nothing like having a slacker for a daughter. I'm hoping to have these done in time for Mother's Day. Mom prefers very simple socks--plain feet and a basic 2x2 ribbed leg, so right now I'm just whizzing through the knitting.

I've knit two-at-a-time magic loop socks before, but this will be my first time trying a short row heel-eek!

Um...hi? ;D

My knitting sure has taken a dive lately, which is hilarious since I had ankle surgery in November and was doing a lot of sitting around. Did I knit? No.

I do have updates since my last post, however!

• Chroma Striped Scarf 
• Decided that this was never going to happen, and frogged it. I think. At least, I remember thinking about frogging it, but now I can't remember if I ever actually pulled the yarn out? Huh.
• Plushy Mittens (originally started Dec. 2013)
• I totally finished these back in August of 2015, literally six days after my last post. They are amazing and plushy, and perfect when I have to go outside and clean snow off my car.

• de Bourgh Brickless (originally started Aug. 2014).
• I actually did quite a bit of work on this, only to decide I hated how it looked. Frogged, though I really, really want to use the yarn for something else, I just don't know what.
•  Ripple Effect 
• Sound the triumphant chorus, I finished a project last year! I participated in the Ravellenic Games, finally finishing my Ripple Effect Shawl (designed by my buddy Rachel at Unraveled Designs), and FINISHED IT ON TIME. It was an Olympic Miracle!! I was so proud of myself that I bought a Ravellenic Games pin.

• Mom socks (started Sept. 2016)
• I don't have a Ravelry page for these yet, which is fine since I haven't gotten very far. I only cast on the toes, knit a few rounds, and then stopped. I'm trying Heidi Bears Two-at-a-Time Magic Loop tutorial for these. I'm one of those folks that gets Second Sock Syndrome, so this is ideal since I like to make my mom things and she happens to like knit socks. Now if only I actually break down and KNIT THEM.

I always jinx myself

I have been long overdue for a post, but was in a knitting funk (obviously). Only lately have I started up again, and its still been rather slow. Let me update you on my (lack of) shenanigans!

• Chroma Striped Scarf 
• This hasn't been worked on at all, and will forever be in progress/hibernation. Oh well.
• Raphaelite Socks (originally started Jan. 2013)
• I've frogged these. When I pulled them out the other day to start working on them, I tried on the completed one only to pull a hole in the heel. Not sure if its the yarn (moths? cats?), or my knitting skillz, but I wasn't going to knit a whole other sock when one had a giant hole in it already. 
• Plushy Mittens (originally started Dec. 2013)
• I had re-started these last December because I wanted to make them shorter (I didn't like the longer arms), and the cuff of one got finished at some point. Just need to keep plugging away. I'd actually like to finish these before winter this year HA.
• de Bourgh Brickless (originally started Aug. 2014).
• Have worked on this in bits and pieces. Still in progress!
•  Ripple Effect 
• Still haven't restarted. I'll probably work on this after I finish the mittens and the Brickless.
• Chevron Baby Blanket Number 1 (I discussed in the last post): 
• This went NOWHERE. I didn't like that it was stockinette, and then I got unmotivated. Frogged! (It's not even on my projects page). HOWEVER:
• Chevron Baby Blanket Number 2
• I tried out a different pattern for my new baby niece, and actually completed it. In a month. I may have given myself carpel tunnel, but it was worth it. I picked the colors to match the nursery:

(Ignore the creases, I folded it up when I gifted it to them)

I love how this turned out! It's more garter stitch style, which makes it squeezable and cozy. The pattern was easy to remember, but not horrifically boring, so I powered through pretty well.

I have so much yarn that you'd think I'd be motivated to do something with it (and I have IDEAS, but a lack of motivation). However, lately I've suddenly become re-interested in cross-stitch again, so if I break down and do any of that, perhaps I'll blog about it here as well.

And suddenly, there were projects

Because the cold weather was apparently all I needed to get motivated, I've been working on a few things simultaneously--some old, some new.

Once the urge to knit hit me again, I started revisiting some UFOs and establishing if they were worthy of continuing (answer: yes...sort of). I tried to keep in mind something my friend Sam always says (quoting Gigi of the Knitmore Girls): If you don't like it now, you won't like it later. Apparently I'm pretty good about picking things I like, because I didn't want to quit any of them completely.

I have the following on needles right now (listed from oldest start date to newest):

• Chroma Striped Scarf (this will be on-going for all eternity, so I'm not especially worried about it)
• Raphaelite Socks (originally started Jan. 2013; I have one sock completely done, and just the start of the toe on the other.)
• Plushy Mittens (originally started Dec. 2013--had nearly one whole arm of the first mitten done.)
•  Ripple Effect (technically started May 2014, but then I messed it up and pulled it out, so its just yarn again right now. Not technically on needles at the moment)
• de Bourgh Brickless (originally started Aug. 2014--just barely started).
• Chevron Baby Blanket (started just a few days ago!)

Order of priorities? Well, I'd like those pesky mittens since its actually winter. I pulled them back out and started working on them, only to decide after about 10 minutes that I didn't like the long arm because my coat is tight at the sleeves. I looked through the projects page and found a pair someone made with a simple wrist (but keeping the cabled hand), and decided to pull it all out and start over. I've finished the cuff and started the thumb gusset of mitten #1. Whee!

Second project of importance: a baby blanket. Which I hadn't even started, but I'd been thinking about for months. A friend is expecting their first child in the middle of January, and I had planned on having a blanket ready for them by the birth. I had the yarn already (Caron Simply Soft), and so have started that.

I started the third stripe (white) just the other day, so its moving along nicely. The blanket is a pleasant and easy knit--the pattern is easy to remember, but has enough tricks to keep me paying attention. I only wish that it was garter rather than stockinette, because if I was knitting on both sides I think I could whip through it even faster.

Luckily, it appears I'll have more babies to knit for in the future, so I'll be able to give that a shot! Now, if only I could finish those socks.

In which I am still alive...and knitting!

Prepare to clutch your pearls, everyone, because I am BACK. Sort of.

Apparently all it takes for me to get back in a knitting mood is super cold weather! All I want right now is a pair of giant mittens (I should probably finish the ones I started), and ALL the warms things to wrap around my neck.

I had started a Brickless back at the end of August, hoping that something a little less complicated would get me back into the groove, but seeing as it is now November, that apparently wasn't enough. But I did knit on it yesterday, and am thankful that the pattern is pretty easy.

The yarn I'm using is an old colorway from the Mean Girls Yarn Club, called "Hoity Toity" (named for Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice). I traded my soul purchased it from a club member who didn't want it, since it was from the episode before I joined the club. SO PRETTY.

Bad knitting, BAD!

My knitting is in a time out. 

It's a shame, really, because I was super excited about working on the Ripple Effect shawl, designed by my friend Rachel at Unraveled Designs.  I loved it so much when I saw it, that I immediately went out and bought yarn, despite the fact that I was supposed to be finishing my second Raphaelite sock. 

I had grand knitting plans, because my mom was having surgery and I was going to be staying at the hospital with her, and figured I'd have plenty of knitting time.  It was not meant to be.  Between getting her water, helping her adjust things, and talking to nurses, I couldn't fully concentrate on it, which is BAD NEWS.  I should have just stopped and played on my iPad, or read a book.  But no, Sam's voice was in my head scolding me about my lack of knitting, so I kept plugging away...and then totally mucked it up.  So much, I have to pull it all out and restart.

I was ticked.  So its sitting in a knitting bag by my couch and I refuse to even look at it.  Any of it.

We're supposed to have tea and knitting this coming Saturday, and I might actually bring a cross-stitch or something instead, I'm still so annoyed.  I mean...have you seen this adorable Halloween sampler?  Super adorbs!  [I am in denial].

A Tale about Knit Picks

It's been pretty well established that Knit Picks has awesome customer service, but somehow I was surprised when I experienced their awesomeness first hand.

Those of you who have followed me for awhile may know that I have a scarf project that has been on-going for decades, because it is my "easy-peasey when I'm not motivated to knit anything complicated/travel" project.  I cast it on in December of 2011, and I'm not even halfway done with the thing.

I'm knitting it with two colors of Chroma Worsted from Knit Picks, and while attempting to knit on it while traveling recently, one of the skeins revealed itself to be the most knot-filled, grumpy skein in all existence.  I am not kidding--I've used maybe 30g of the skein and found five knots, and two giant unspun/fat chunks.

Not ideal when one is on a plane sans scissors.

Knots of DOOOOM!

Since it had been two, nearly three years at that point, I didn't really expect anything to come of it, but I did send them an email expressing my disappointment and frustration, and suggesting better quality control in the future (I tried to make it light hearted and funny, but one never knows how things are read over the internet).

But because Knit Picks is great, they emailed me back and totally sent me a NEW SKEIN.  TWO YEARS LATER.

Thank you, Knit Picks.  You rock!  Now if only I could finish this scarf....

Tada!

On Sunday, I finished knitting my Peacock Shawlette (it spent overnight and most of yesterday blocking).

 

I ended up making it a bit bigger than the original pattern called for, because I got a gradient kit from Black Trillium Fibres that was over 600 yards total (the original pattern calls for 300-550 yards). I loved the yarn (my gradient was the colorway "Ice"), and once I got over my lace issues in the beginning, the pattern was easy to follow (especially if I made sure to have no distractions!)

Overall, I'm very pleased with how it turned out! 
 

Drat.

Obviously, the title of this post has likely clued you in to the fact that I didn't make the Ravellenic deadline yesterday.  This was not for lack of trying, because I power knit my brains out Friday, Saturday and even Sunday morning, but it was all for naught.  Apparently this is what happens when you pick a tricky project, make it BIGGER, and then mess it up at the beginning twice. 

That being said, I'm hoping to still finish it this week.  Nothing like a goal, right?

False Start

I managed to start my 345-stitch cast on for the Peacock Shawlette (I'm doing a larger version) on Friday afternoon (the official Ravellenic start day), and even spent some of Friday night casting on as well.

My Saturday knitting plans were thwarted by my mother and the art museum in town, but Sunday I somehow managed to finish my cast on and start knitting. 

Alas, things did not start well, because when I picked it up again the other day and purled back, something seemed weird, even though my stitch count was right.  Knitting across again, I had an extra stitch.  I brought it into work for Sam to look at, and she noticed weirdness right away and suggested I "read my knitting" back and figure out where/if there were other mistakes.  I tried, only to realize that something had likely happened on either the first row, OR the purl row, and I was going to have to rip it all back and start again.

So I'm in the middle of casting on again right now.  Likelihood I'll finish by the end of the Olympics?  SLIM.

Ready, set....

My yarn is wound, my notions and needles are gathered, my pattern is marked.  Let's do this thing. (On Friday, of course)

P.S. The yarn is from Black Trillium Fibres, and is a gradient set in the "Ice" colorway.

Knitting Goals for the New Year

This post is rather delayed (but really, what do you expect from the girl who takes 5 months to knit a pair of socks?), but I was catching up on listening to the Just One More Row podcast and came to a couple of decisions regarding my knitting (and spinning) that I thought I would share!  Brittany and Dana were discussing their own goals for the year, as well as a couple of events they have going on, that really helped light a fire under me.

First, they're hosting a "Clean Slate Challenge" which involves using yarn/fiber (or working on WIPs) over three months old.  Most of my stash qualifies for this, so I decided that my first knitting goal for this year is to:
   
     1. Use as much old stash yarn as possible (anything pre-2013).

Most of these qualify (and this isn't my entire stash)

This doesn't mean I can't BUY new yarn (because, come on), but it does mean that I should try to use the older stuff on projects I want to complete rather than going out and buying new stuff.  Obviously my Ravellenics project won't qualify for this particular goal (oops), but happily it does qualify for another goal I have for myself, which is to:

    2.  Participate in as many KALs as possible.

Despite the fact I totally fell off the wagon with my Trillian last year, doing a KAL does seem to help my motivation.  The Clean Slate Challenge will be particularly good for me, I think.

My other goals for this year relate to my other fiber-related shenanigans:

     3.  Dye and/or use my own dyed yarn(s) for a project.

and

    4. Spin at least 8 oz of fiber

Sam is teaching me to spin, and I am not only painfully slow at it, but also not very good at it yet.  I figure 8 oz is two of those giant braids, and that will take me plenty of time.  If I'm feeling particularly spiffy, maybe I'll even add a goal to KNIT the handspun stuff!

I'll post updates in a page I can go back to and edit (under the About Me page), and then I'll check back in with myself near the end of the year to see where these goals stand.  Should be interesting!  I'm excited.