Hickory Cap Finished!

I love Brooklyn Tweed. BT if you're listening, can I please become a test knitter and receive all of your patterns for free? I can't say enough great things about this company and their BEAUTIFUL patterns.

This cap was so very simple to knit and hardly requires much yarn at all. It only requires 160 yards of worsted weight wool! I have enough yard from my skein to knit one more. Below is the image that drew me to the pattern in the first place. I was looking for a hat that didn't smoosh my hair and make it static-y. This cap accomplishes just that.

Visit the Brooklyn Tweed site if you knit--you won't be disappointed. I have a long list of future projects. Their design team deserves some major kudos for making knitwear more fashion forward.

Chevron Scarf #2

I have knit a second Chevron Scarf! They are super addicting to knit and are so cute once you're done. Back in September, I knit my first scarf. Blog post is here. Ravelry pattern is here.

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Socks That Rock), Lightweight

Needles: Addi Turbo, size 2 (2.75mm) 16" circulars (straights will work too)

If you're looking for a way to use a skein of sock yarn, this is the perfect pattern! It's super easy to knit up while watching TV or waiting for the kids at pickup.

Diangonal Lace Scarf-FINISHED!

I finished knitting the Diagonal Lace Scarf (published in Churchmouse Yarns and Teas). You can find the pattern on Ravelry here. The beauty of this scarf is that you can either make the wrap version or the scarf. I made the wrap but you'll see that it also serves as a scarf. The pattern is only $5.

This is my new favorite scarf/shawl/cowl. It's wide enough to be a shawl but you can also scrunch it to be a wrap around scarf or cowl. I have it by my bedside and wrap it around myself while I drink my nightly tea. It really is perfect.

Yarn: Spud & Chloe, Shitake, Fine

Needle: Size 6 (4mm)--I always use Addi circulars

The below image is the wrap version.

Here is my version as a cowl. (Forgive me for the bad selfie--all I see is my eye wrinkles! I'll blame it on little sleep since I had interrupted sleep last night. :) )

Here is my wrap version:

I love this wrap so much, I will probably make another. The pattern is fairly easy once you get the hang of it. You can easily catch a mistake since the pattern is so repetitive.

Are you knitting more now that it's getting cooler out?

Chevron Scarf

It's getting to be cooler out. That means scarf weather!!! [Ok so maybe we've only had one "fallish" day but that counts!]

I fell in love with this scarf pattern on Ravelry. I'm making another color now. It's pretty easy peasy. I simply grab the needles while watching tv at night and go at it. I have the pattern memorized, it's that easy!

I love how light this scarf is. It technically isn't that warm but it's great for fall over a long-sleeved t-shirt. I wear it on brisk morning walks or while watching the kids play soccer. I used Socks That Rock yarn (details below). You do have to block this scarf otherwise it curls a bit.

Yarn: Socks That Rock (Fire on the Mountain colorway), Lightweight, 405 yards

Needles: Addi Turbo, size 2 (2.75mm) 16" circulars (straights will work too) Pattern: Chevron Scarf on Ravelry

Toby even looks cute in this scarf.

Sweet Knitted Rabbits

I have loved Little Cotton Rabbit's precious knitted rabbits for YEARS now. She will make a dozen at a time, a couple of times a year, and the moment they go on sale, they're gone. Imagine my surprise when she decided to start selling her rabbit pattern!

I made a boy and girl rabbit for my kids. It took me over two months to make them. I think they are sweet. My kids love them! These sweet rabbits aren't for heavy-duty play but rather look good on a shelf. Though made with much love, they are still rather delicate.

I named the boy Henry. I think he looks kind of Henry-ish. He has one ivory-colored ear. I love his sweet Robin's Egg's colored sweater.

I named the girl rabbit PJ. I love her stripes and polkadots.

And aren't these Mary Jane's just the sweetest? Love PJ!

My Favorite Things: Ewe Stash (a knitting app)

I love app recommendations, especially if they are fun for my kids or helpful for me. One of my favorite apps is a knitting app called Ewe Stash. It is basically a database app where you can store inventory information about your yarn stash, knitting needles, and crochet hooks.

If you are a knitter then you know how easy it is to "stumble" across a knitting shop and want to start a new project but can't recall if you have the right amount of yarn to complete that cute cardigan. Or whether you have the right size of needle at home. I know there have been countless times that I know I have the specific size of needle at home but am unsure about the length, which really matters when you are working with cable needles. I have opted to not purchase a new set of needles thinking I have it on hand only to find out I'm wrong. Bummer.

With Ewe Stash, you simply enter all of your inventory and can easily look it up. Here's a picture of all of my needles:

With Ewe Stash, you don't have to be near your needles (or hooks if you crochet) to know what you have. No more digging through them all to know if you have what you need! Simply open the app and you can search by brand name (Addi, Susan Bates, etc.), type (DPNs, straight, cable, etc.) or size. YOu can also store information about all your yarn stash. My stash isn't that big so I don't store that. Plus, any excuse to purchase more yarn is to not know what you have on hand. That's not as fun when you purchase a needle you already have.

For the record, one of my other favorite things is this Rowan knitting bag. I store my needles in here. When we go on a staycation close to home, I store my latest project in the bag in case I have time to work on it.

So, I've had a lot of questions about knitting. Are you a knitter? Do you find it intimidating? Do you want to learn?

Ajiro Scarf FINISHED!

One of my New Year's "resolutions" was to begin to finish some of my works in progress. One project that I've had on the needles for more than a year was this Aijiro scarf from the Vintage Modern Knits book.

This scarf is knit in the round so it's layered twice since it is basically a tube. You strand the yarn as you work the scarf. The stranding is what made the scarf so slow to finish. Stranding, also known as Fair Isle knitting, is when you carry colors behind the work you are knitting so that when you switch colors, the new color is right there and ready to work. That also contributes to the thickness of the work since you are adding another layer to the back of the work.

I purchased the book and yarn during Spring Break 2011! I used Frog Tree Alpaca sport weight yarn. It is so very soft. I love my finished scarf. I'm not sure why it took me so long to finish the scarf. I would work it for a couple of inches and then move on to another project because it would get kind of monotonous for me. Do you have projects like that? I'd honestly go nuts to only work on this project in a short timeframe.

Do you have a project of any kind that you know you must and will finish but is taking you forever? This one was mine hands down!

My Little Zac Brown

You've probably seen a version of this hat somewhere. I thought it was so cute that I knit my own version. I keep hearing how MiniB looks like Zac Brown (he does!).

I love his little teeth in this picture. He was so very happy with his hat!

I've had quite a few people ask me for the pattern. I don't want to infringe on any copyright because I believe someone makes their livelihood selling them. I didn't write the pattern down the first time so when I made one for MiniMe, I wrote it down. I should put it on Ravelry or Etsy, but again, don't want overstep copyright issues. The entire reason I made it myself is that they retail for $38! Mine cost $8 to make.

Operation KSL: Mona

In this post, I shared how I was undertain whether I'd have enough yarn to finish my socks and lo and behold I was right. I was short. Can you see how I had to finish the top of my right toe with a purple-ish yarn? Major bummer....

I loved this pattern! It was easy and fun and as it came together, the pattern was really interesting. I'm not big on knitting through the back loop but otherwise, I liked this pattern.

Pattern Name: Mona, pg. 17

Yarn Brand: Sock Ease

Yarn Color: Cupcake

DPN size: US 1

Size Knit: S

Project Timeline: 4 weeks to complete

I can't believe I ran out of yarn! That never happens with Socks That Rock yarn. I branched out and tried something new but I realize now why I should stick with STR. It's well worth the money!

The next sock pattern for Operation KSL is Stalagmite. They're getting progressively harder! Ye haw!

Operation KSL Continues

I'm in the midddle of a pair of socks for Operation KSL. They are coming along nicely. Can't wait to share about them! Here's hoping I have enough yarn. I'm trying a new brand and it sure feels like I'm cutting it close.

Operation KSL: Hedera

In this post I wrote about Operation KSL and my quest to complete every pattern in the book Knit.Sock.Love by Cookie A. I saw that there is a Knit.Sock.Love Knit-A-Long on Ravelry! I'll have to look into that further.

Anywho.....the next pattern I took on was Hedera. I mentioned in my last post how I've only knit socks with Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock yarn. I branched out and tried something new! I used Spud & Chloe yarn. They also have some yummy colorways. Here are the details:

Pattern Name: Hedera, pg. 11

Yarn Brand: Spud & Chloe

Yarn Color: Clementine (fine)

DPN size: US 1

Size Knit: S

Project Timeline: 4 weeks to complete

I loved this pattern! You might recognize Hedera because Cookie featured it in Knitty. It was an easy repeat and as the pattern formed, I loved the look of it with the orange yarn. I think this pattern is best-suited with a solid color but I'd be curious to see it with a verigated yarn. I knit my socks in the evening after the kids went to bed. Is a month a long time to finish a pair of socks? I have finished socks much faster and I could have completed these faster but life gets in the way sometimes.

I like to finish my socks with a star toe. I like the way it looks and feels and it spares me from the dreaded Kitchener stitch! I find my toes look really stubby when I finish socks with Kitchener. Do you have a favorite toe finish?

I like Cookie's patterns because most of her patterns are knit from the leg down to the toe. I'm not a toe up kind of gal I guess! Do you have a preference?

Operation KSL: Marilinda

Operation KSL continues! In this post I wrote about Operation KSL and my quest to complete every pattern in the book Knit.Sock.Love by Cookie A. Marilinda is so far my favorite pattern in the book. Since this is only my second pattern, I'm excited for what the rest of the book holds! Marilinda is the perfect example of the genius that is Cookie A. Take a look at the heel. I love sock patterns that incorporate the pattern into the heel.

I won't lie. I had to rrrriiiippp back Marilinda a couple of times. The pattern repeat is more complicated than Hedera and BFF. I like to knit and watch tv and part of the problem and why I had to rip was because I would get confused about where I was in the chart and repeat a line and realize it later on. If you are a new sock knitter, I'd recommend you tackle BFF first.

Here are details on my Marilinda project:

Pattern Name: Marilinda, pg. 29

Yarn Brand: Socks That Rock (Blue Moon Fiber Arts)

Yarn Color: Cattywampus (lightweight)

DPN size: US 1

Size Knit: One size

Project Timeline: 26 days to complete

Here is a trick I figured out as I worked this pattern. Do you ever find that when you finish a row, you write down what the number of the next row is? Then when you come back to your work you see the row number you wrote down and can't recall if that is the row you JUST COMPLETED or THE ONE YOU NEED TO START ON? I kept having this problem (which would lead to more ripping) and so I made a rule for myself that I'll only end on an odd number row so no matter what number I wrote it better be odd which would mean the next number (even) would be the one I start on. Then I couldn't remember my own rule. I needed something easier and consistent and fast.

I bought these colored sticky tabs at Target and draw an arrow on them, and no matter what row I complete, I always put the tab on the row I should begin on when I pick the work back up again.

Operation KSL

If you knit socks, then you know about Cookie A and her incredible sock patterns. I was so excited when got her Knit.Sock.Love (great name for the book btw!) book. This book is like a beautiful coffee book to me. I love to flip through it and consider what colors I'd use for each pattern.

Then I had a brilliant idea....in much the same vain as Julie & Julia, I want to tackle every single pattern in the book. It is ambitious, I know. I don't have a timeframe, just the desire to do it. I'll call it Operation Knit.Sock.Love (KSL)Soooo........here are the BFF socks:

Pattern Name: BFF, pg. 23

Yarn Brand: Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Socks That Rock yarn

Yarn Color: Mossley Manly (lightweight)

DPN size: US 1

Size Knit: S

Project Timeline: Took 7 days

This is a great project to work on while watching TV because it is easy to follow the chart AND keep up with the plot of the show. I love cables. I think these socks have a simple, clean design. I wear a size 7 shoe so I try to stick to size small (between 60-64 cast on stitches).

I only knit socks with Blue Moon yarn. It isn't that I don't like other sock yarn, I just find it easier to order online since don't have a LYS. I love their colorways and the yarn holds up really well over time. I'd love to branch out and try other brands. What is your favorite brand of sock yarn?

Sock Love

I received a gift certificate to KnitPicks for my birthday. I've been wanting Cookie A's book, knit. sock. love. for some time now. As soon as I received my certificate, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it! It arrived this week along with this yummy sock yarn and some new sock needles. I can't wait to get started. But I'm still working on this project so my socks will have to wait....

A Little Something for Myself

M ost things I make are for others. But this time I have something I am knitting for MYSELF. I have been eyes the Brigit Jacket in the Vintage Modern Knits book. On a recent trip to our cabin in Estes Park, I visited The Stithin' Den. I love starting a knitting project while sitting on the deck of our cabin! So far this is a simple and fast knit. I'll keep you updated!