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.