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...

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.

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! 
 

Surprise FO

I couldn't talk about this one when I actually finished it, since it was a gift for my friend Sam, who is one of the three people who actually read this blog.

This is The Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief by Orange Flower Yarns (I blocked it to be more wingy and less triangular because I have no blocking wires). 

I used yarn from the Mean Girls Yarn Club inspired by Scar from the Lion King (colorway name: Pussyfootin') because the colors are just the ones Sam loves; plus I thought the "rusty" nature of them suited the pattern name.  My picture above sadly does this colorway little justice--it is SO pretty (and I'm not usually into warm colors!)  I also adored this pattern--it was easy but interesting, and using a DK weight and size 8 needles made it a breeze!  I will be making another for myself.

A long overdue FO

I forgot to mention that at the beginning of the month I finally finished my Trillian.

I was supposed to finish this for a KAL back in August...oops.

An FO and more knitting-curses

A couple weekends ago I had an action movie marathon and finished my Truckee Shawlette.

It was seriously a marathon--I watched/listened to four different action flicks and knit my brains out.  I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and Malabrigo remains my favorite thing ever.  It's so lovely and soft!

Poor Sam hasn't been able to finish (and I shouldn't have, but I was on a roll).  Luckily she's a better friend than I am, and is okay with my having finished because she knows I have other KALs to start.

Speaking of, the Mean Girls Yarn Club KAL started July 1st (and goes until August 31st), and I had all kinds of plans.  None of them have come to fruition yet.

I really wanted to use the colorway called "Hoar's Your Buddy?" which is based on Syndrome from the Incredibles.  My original plan was to make a knitted monster, but the more I looked at the yarn, the more I wanted it to be something else.  I decided I liked the pattern Baana, because the linen stitch would mix up the colors nicely and prevent a lot of pooling.  I started it, and even liked how it looked:

...but then I realized that despite all the blue (I love blue), I would probably never wear it because I am not a fan of orange.  So...I frogged my progress and decided to make it a monster again...except I don't have the proper needle size.  My birthday is in a couple of weeks, and I asked for an interchangeable needle set, which would include the needle I need, so the monster is on hold.

So, with a different MGYC colorway, I decided to try my hand at Trillian.  It was looking pretty good, but the pattern calls for a gauge of 21 stitches/27 ridges over 4 inches, and I'm getting 30 stitches over 4 inches.  SIGH.

I'm not really sure how far up in needle size I should go (and how much it matters, since its a scarf/shawl).  I did pull back and try on a US 8 for giggles, and that's WAY too loose for my liking.  I actually liked how it was knitting up on the needles I was originally using, but I'm worried about the gauge, especially because I have less yardage than called for (which others have done, just making a smaller kerchief).  I WILL NEVER WIN.


ETA:  I just realized that the gauge thing may be less of an issue than I thought, because its not blocked.  Crisis averted?

Et fin

Despite fate's numerous attempts to thwart me, I persevered and finished my monster just in time for my friend's baby shower.  I am pleased to report that he was much admired.

This is Baldwin the Bathroom Monster from The Big Book of Knitted Monsters by Rebecca Danger.   I used Knit Picks Stroll in the colorway Cartoons, and a size 2 needle for a sort of "mini" monster--he was about 5 inches tall.  I "embroidered" his face since he was for a baby--that was quite the adventure.  It took me hours to get  his eyes somewhat even, and to get his "teeth" big enough that it didn't look like a weird mustache.  It has been many years since I embroidered anything, but the crookedness adds a sort of charm.

For future monsters, one thing I need to practice is my whip stitch for limb attachment; mine looked messy.  I also tried to use whip stitch to close up his bottom, but it looked TERRIBLE, so I ended up doing an invisible seam. It's not perfect, but its way better than the horrid whip stitch was!* Looking at it now, I don't think I did it quite right--oh well!

At any rate, I have wanted an excuse to knit one of these guys since I first saw the book, and am glad I finally got the chance.  I'm also super excited to have finally finished a knitted toy--something I've wanted to do since I stumbled upon Little Cotton Rabbits blog several years ago.  More of these guys might have to start popping up in the hands of people I know very soon.

*I have now realized I was doing the whip stitch incorrectly, so that was probably part of my problem.  A seamstress I am not.

BAM.

Guess what I finally finished over the weekend?

Hail the conquering hero!

 

The wingspan is done and happily blocking as I type (actually, I started blocking it last night, it's probably close to being dry).

I'm very proud of it--I love the colors in the Chroma and it was lovely and easy to knit without being too tedious (since it was just all knit stitch).

I only did seven triangles (the pattern calls for eight) because I wasn't sure if I'd have enough yarn or not...after completing it, though, I think I could have done the eighth.  Next time (because I'd totally make more of these).  I also slipped all my stitches knit-wise, with the yarn in back, and quite like how the edges came out.  I didn't do anything to deal with the holes (which result from the short rows), but as I mentioned previously, I actually like them; you can hardly seem them anyway.

I think if I did this again, I would definitely try the "Angel" version, where the holes are more obvious and there on purpose.  I like the airy look that gives the whole thing.

Gettin' stuff done.

This is an amazing feat, but team--I finished another project!



Just some simple cabled hand warmers to go with my cloche.  The pattern is called Blue Monday and is a freebie on Ravelry.  Its super easy to follow and I didn't have to use my brain too much, which is always nice.  I like how they turned out and they'll be lovely and warm and cushy when the weather decides to be cold again, and not 95(F).

Next up, I'm thinking of going for a Wingspan.  I rather like the version with the holes, which I think is referred to as "Angel" (there's a Ravelry page here, and the actual blog post about it is here.)  I fell in love with several versions people have done using Knit Picks Chroma in the Mix Tape colorway, so I decided to do one myself!  Sadly, I don't seem to have the right needle size (of course), so a trip to the LYS is in order.  Shucky darn!

Finally an FO

I somehow managed to be a knitting maniac the last few days, and finished my Jenny Cloche last night.

I love it!   It's cushy and warm and lovely.  I did have some issues trying to cinch up the side seam (I couldn't get it to look right--it always made the hat look wonky), so I ended up just taking that out and left it un-cinched. I also ended up tacking down the bow on either side, as it was otherwise a bit too floppy and felt like it would come flying off.  I think this is where my lack of sewing skills came into play (I should probably work on that...)

As I also mentioned before, I have also developed a deep love for Malabrigo, and I have quite a bit left over!  I'll have to measure it, but I think I might have enough to make some handwarmers to go along with it...and we all know I have plenty of patterns to choose from in my Ravelry queue.