• Knitting & Crafting

    Lopi Braided Hat

    It’s the third of the three hats I planned this winter. It’s been awhile since I actually finished this hat and a lot of things have happened in my life the last couple of months. I don’t remember all the details. I think most of the knitting was done in March and then I forgot about it. I finished it in April, blocked it, and left the weaving in ends and the photos until recently because of my hellish May.

    I love lopi yarn. I received this skein also for free from my local Buy Nothing group. I knew I had to make something with it. Great colour. I wish I had more yarn to do an additional repeat of the cables but I was running out at the end. I wanted a folded brim as well for the extra cold days. As in my recent hat projects, I also made it tall for my hair bun.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Christmas Necktie

    This took a few months to photograph and write up. There has not been a lot of opportunities for the recipient to wear the Christmas necktie. I finished this back in November as an early Christmas gift to my other half. He requested a knit tie and I was able to use the recommended yarn. Overall, I made the tie less long and wide than the pattern. It helped that I modeled after a tie he already owned. I made it less long because of blocking. If I were to do it again: make even tighter, use another decrease than SSK which did not look as clean.

    Christmas Necktie, started October 14, 2020, finished November 21, 2020.
    Pattern: The Wedding Necktie by Susan B. Anderson
    Made for: Husband
    Yarn: Chickadee by Quince & Co. (Sport – 100% Wool – 166 meters / 50 grams ) 1 skein in #133 Winesap
    Needles: US 4 – 3.5 mm
    Measurements:
    Unblocked: 134 cm/52.5”
    Blocked: 154 cm/61”

    Modifications & Notes:
    Overall, made the tie less long and wide than the pattern:

    • CO first on US 5/3.75mm but it was not dense enough so I started over with US 4/3.5mm – could have gone down to US 3/3.25mm. US 5 only if are a tight knitter.
    • Increased to 19 sts for the front so every seed st row is the same
    • Slipped 1 st of every row
    • Front: Knit to 19.5”
    • Neck: Dec to 13 sts gradually over the course over 2”
    • Decreased down to 9 sts for tail end

    Cost of Project: C$18 in total: US$1.50 for pattern and C$16 for yarn
    Would I knit it again?: Yes but tighter gauge (smaller needles) and a different decrease than SSK.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Midas Hat

    This winter has been a slower knitting one. I still have a knit tie that I haven’t posted about because the recipient has not been wearing it much. I’ll have to get that one out in the next few weeks.

    After finishing my wedding shawl in September, I was inspired to plan for more lace shawls and sweaters in my future. I took stock of my large yarn stash and realized that if I wanted to buy new yarn for shawl pattern and jumpers, I need to knit the stash down more. As a result and a shift in my hobbies, I’ve knitting hats.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Leaves Of Grass

    This lace pi shawl was my heirloom knit. How do I define an heirloom knit? I think it’s one that I wanted to invest a lot more in terms of the material and the time. I did invest more in the yarn and pattern, but I had to rush to finish it as my September became hectic. I was knitting it everyday for about a week to finish it. I even had a little cramping. I finished this two days before the ceremony and the blocking was finished drying the day before. I really wish I had more time to enjoy the knitting because it is absolutely beautiful.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO Fridays: Gladys

    Socks are a good projects. Very straightforward and useful results. I have enough sock yarn stash for more than half a dozen pairs of socks. Even though I’ve stopped making my Barn Raising Quilt, I need to keep using sock yarns. I wear them a lot when running in the cold months. I actually need to darn some handknit socks at some point.

    The pattern is interesting with the Guernsey pattern. I did not memorize it until the foot though. It’s a well written pattern except for a couple of minor bits. I would recommend it.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO Fridays: Agnes

    Originally, I had bought this yarn for Sylvi, a big cabled coat. I started it, but it was on hold for years. In the end, I decided to frog it and use the yarn for other things. I usually think of sweaters first when I have an abundance of yarn.

    I wanted a cozy, easy house sweater. This is an easy and straight forward pattern. It’s a top-down raglan with pockets. I even made it one size larger so it can have positive ease so I can easily throw it over anything in the cold months.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Barn Raising Quilt

    This project took me nine years to finish. I knew that it would take awhile going in as it’s made completely from scrap sock yarn that I either used myself, were gifted, or samples.

    I made 57 squares for this blanket. I used 54 in a 9×6 quilt. Many of the squares were doubles and they are represented twice on the quilt. All of the yarn had a wool or alpaca percentage at 75% or higher. It weighs almost 1kg.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Pavement

    A fingering weight top-down raglan that took many months as I expected but could have been done faster if I didn’t have a lot of other things going this past winter.

    I usually choose more fitted sweaters but I wanted to go out of my comfort zone and Veera is one of the few pattern designers I trust with sweaters. Originally, I was going to make a Featherweight Cardigan with this yarn, but I thought Pavement would be a more suitable choice for years to come.

    The sweater was not difficult to knit, but I found it exasperating at the end. I didn’t like the look of the short rows and I didn’t understand why there were increases so I omitted it. The pattern does not allow for enough underarm room ether. The neck is wide as well, but that’s probably more me than the pattern.

    The sweater is soft and I hope to wear it more often.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Eternal Spring Socks

    Eternal Spring Socks

    I am knitting a lot of socks lately and will continue too. I do have a lot of great sock yarn including this one that I one from a Ravelry group in 2013. The tweed and yellow colour is sweet. I do like some yellow socks.

    Eternal Spring Socks

    Eternal Spring Socks, started May 1, 2018, finished June 18, 2018. Ravelry Project Page
    Pattern: Eternal Spring Socks by verybusymonkey Ravelry Pattern Page
    Yarn: Younger Yarn Shire String in Second Breakfast – 85% Merino, 15% Nylon – 401 meters / 100 grams
    Needles: US 1 – 2.25 mm 100cm/40″ long circulars
    Modifications & Notes: Surprisingly, very little. I did it two at a time on magic loop as usual. I did three leg repeats and a stockinette foot. I made the the foot a tad short. I stopped under 7″ but should have done a little over 7″.

    Eternal Spring Socks

    Cost of Project: $0 because I won this yarn!
    Would I knit it again? Maybe. I found the lace repeat a tad too involved for me but it does look good. Pattern is well written too.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Two by Two Hat

    Two by Two Hat

    Awhile back, I made my friend Mark a cowl and for his May birthday, I would knit him a hat in time for the Australian winter. I had three skeins of this Briggs & Little yarn creating two mens’ hats and one cowl from it. I love a nice blue. The knitting of this project did not take three months, but I did put it aside for some socks in between. I modified it to be smaller cast on and I hope it’s warm and snug.

    Two by Two Hat

    Two by Two, started January 24th 2018, finished April 10th 2018. Ravelry Project Page
    Pattern: Two by Two by Anne Gagnon Ravelry Pattern Page
    Made for: Mark, 55cm head circumference.
    Yarn: Regal by Briggs & Little – Worsted – 100% Wool (249 meters / 113 grams) – 1 skein
    Needles: US6/4.0mm 40″/100cm circulars

    Two by Two Hat

    Modifications & Notes:

    • German Twisted CO 96 sts
    • Knit to 8.5” before decreases
    • Had 24sts between markers for dec

    Cost of Project: The skein cost about $3.99
    Would I knit it again? Maybe.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Snow Queen Sock – 2/6 2018

    Snow Queen Sock

    My second finished project of the year! This was suppose to be my 2018 Winter Olympics knitting project but I don’t think I can knit a pair of socks in two weeks like I use to back in 2010. It was a stretch, but I have learned my lesson. It’ll be easy scarves or hats for next Olympics challenge.

    Since I bought two skeins of this yarn for P’s socks, I had more than enough leftover for a pair for me. I wanted a fairly easy pattern for the challenge and I prefer ribbed or plain knit socks now since I use my wool socks when I run outdoors. This pattern has been in my queue awhile and I think I almost made it earlier. However, I was not satisfied with the way it was written. The heel turn was unclear which would make it confusing for a beginner or novice. I was able to wrap and turn as I normally would, but it’s not a good heel. Secondly, the toe was not good for magic looping so I changed that as well. The stitch count after the heel also meant I had to shift the stitches too. Something I never like with magic loop, but that’s more on me than the pattern.

    Snow Queen Sock, started February 9, 2018, finished March 25, 2018. Ravelry Project Page
    Pattern: Snow Queen Sock by Emmy Coplea Ravelry Pattern Page
    Size: US 6.5/UK 4/EUR 36
    Yarn: Lang Yarns Jawoll Aktion Color – 132.0370 – 75% Wool, 25% Nylon (420 meters / 100 grams)
    Needles: US 1/2.25 mm – 40″/100cm long circulars for magic loop
    Modifications & Notes:

    • Shortened leg
    • Modified heel turn
    • Changed toe to be standard dec 4 sts every other row until 16sts

    Cost of Project: Each skein was about $12CAD.
    Would I knit it again? No.

  • Knitting & Crafting

    FO: Banada Cowl II – 1/6 in 2018

    Bandana Cowl II

    The first of six knitting projects I want to finish in 2018. This Bandana Cowl was made quickly for my partner to use, but I’ve been using it as well. If I make a third one for me, I’d make it tighter at the neck and generally smaller so it can be more of a true bandana for me.

    Bandana Cowl II

    Bandana Cowl II, started January 15, 2018, finished January 24, 2017. Ravelry Project Page
    Pattern: Bandana Cowl from Purl Soho Ravelry Pattern Page
    Made for: P

    Bandana Cowl II

    Yarn: Briggs & Regal Little – 100% Wool in Royal Blue – used 0.63 skein or 156.7 meters (171.4 yards), 71 grams
    Needles: #9/5.5mm 40″/100cm long circulars

    Bandana Cowl II

    Modifications & Notes: The same as the last one.
    Cost of Project: The yarn cost about $4 before taxes.
    Would I knit it again? I already did and probably would again