April’s Socks

At the end of March, I showed my first finished socks of 2022 and explained my own rules for which patterns I could knit. The main thing is not to force myself to knit socks if I can’t find a pattern I really like that fits the Sock Knitters Anonymous monthly challenge. This is why I’ve only knit two pairs so far this year. The latest socks were for April’s challenge and as it took more than a month to complete the first sock I did wonder if I’d finish the pair in the two months allotted. But once I’d finished the Tunisian crochet project, I was able to spend more time on these socks.

One of the challenges for April was underappreciated patterns. This means any pattern that was published before the end of 2021 that had fewer than 15 projects. A search of patterns I owned came up with a few options and I chose Crocus Socks from Interweave Knits, Accessories 2011. There were only 13 projects and the newest ones had been made in 2018, so I was pretty confident that I would not be beaten to 15 before I cast on but to make sure, I cast on just after midnight Eastern time on 1 April. Although this felt a bit like cheating as it was still 31 March in my time; but I reminded myself that the finish time is also in the Eastern time zone so I am not getting extra time.

The yarn I used is from Akara yarns and was a gift. I think it works perfectly with this pattern and I am always happy when I can use gifted yarn soon after I have received it. The pattern is toe-up with a short row heel – not my favourite – but I went ahead anyway. I worked the short rows as instructed and am not happy with my execution. But I am glad that I made them that way as it reminded me to use a different method on a cardigan I am working on.

 

Ladder Back Jaquard AKA Invisible Stranding

One of the problems with working colourwork designs in knitting is what to do with the colour not being used for that particular stitch. When working stripes each colour has to be moved up the side ready for its next turn. Patterns that are a few stitches of two or more colours, the yarn has to move behind the stitches to get to where they are next needed. When moving the yarn not in use, you do not want it too tight so that the fabric puckers and you do not want it too loose so that you have floppy stitches; and what to do when you have to go across many stitches? The yarn going across the back of the fabric is called a float and it is recommended that you do not carry the yarn across more than 5 stitches or about an inch. You have to incorporate a method to “catch” the float. The one problem is these yarn “catches” show through to the right side. Can anything be done about this?

Enter the Ladder Back Jacquard method. I have come across this so much from one particular knitter in the Sock Knitters Anonymous group that it has certainly been present in my mind and when people have asked about it she has directed them to a group on Ravelry and from there I found a hat pattern that was designed to teach the method. Finally, I decided to just go ahead and buy the pattern as that was going to be the quickest way to learn this new-to-me method.

Let’s talk about the pattern – It’s Not About the Hat. The pattern is for a colourwork hat, in five sizes. Each size is charted and written out and comes in beanie and slouchy options. And then, most importantly, instructions on how to work the technique with YouTube videos and instructions on how to apply this technique to other colourwork patterns using a different chart (a snowflake) that could be used on the hat pattern.

Why am I mentioning all this? “Because someone wrote on their project page:- “Super cool technique, it’s just a shame it isn’t free for all users to enjoy.” So this person, who is selling patterns of her own by the way, doesn’t believe that other designers should be compensated for their work. Incidentally there are tutorials available if that person had made a little effort, like put the words into their favourite search engine.

I decided to go ahead with this pattern rather than practice through tutorials as I make a hat each month for charity anyway. The yarn was part of the friend of a friend’s stash. It is Arranmore Light from The Fiber Co and is 80% merino, 10% nylon, 10% silk. It is amazing how just 10% of silk makes such a difference to the yarn. By following the pattern, I have learned a new technique and have a finished item. I didn’t bother with swatching and my hat came out a little smaller than hats I usually knit. But that is the joy of charity knitting – it will fit someone. I have no plans for colourwork projects in the near future but when one crops up I know have another way of dealing with floats.

 

 

Tunisian Crochet

In my last post I said that I had a finished knitted item. Although it is not really knitted as it is Tunisian Crochet. My two yarny friends and I have Make Alongs at various times, usually we make the same pattern, sometimes we have a theme – for example Advent. It’s been a while since we all made the same pattern and one of the others suggested Tunisian crochet. I requested hooks for Christmas and then with all the cast ons at the beginning of the year suggested a start date of 14 February.

I was having trouble choosing yarn as I didn’t want to buy any but I also wanted to join in. Then it came to me I had five skeins of yarn that I had purchased to go together and I could use them double to make DK weight yarn. I had originally purchased this yarn as it was massively on sale and it would go with a skein of yarn I already had but as things go that skein of yarn turned into a pair of socks.

Here are the original five skeins. 

The top skein is the first one purchased, the next three were the ones I purchased as they were on sale and the bottom one was purchased so I had five skeins to make a wrap. But then the top one became socks however at the same time I was able to get another skein on sale. So I still had five skeins with plans to make a Joji Locatelli pattern, except I never did.

It was really nice to finally use these and I could see myself making a garment out of tweed yarn. I especially thought so for the grey yarn that I used for the border. As I said I had five skeins of tweed yarn but this pattern only used four. The remaining skein could become socks or will be lovely as one of those cowl/shawls that I like.

These are the five skeins before use, the bottom one was the one that didn’t get used.

 

 

 

Here is my finished Tunisian crochet shawl. It is soft and squidgy and I look forward to wearing it in the colder weather. 

 

Oh, and as we have all finished our shawls, there was a discussion about our next make along. We couldn't come to an agreement so new cast ons for the time being, which actually is a relief as I do want to finish some more things.

I Sewed a Skirt

I’ve been rather quiet just lately despite finishing two sewn items and some knitted items. I have knitted two hats that I will not be showing until the end of the year as they are gifts. I made a dress but do not have a photo of it yet and I also made a skirt which I will be showing here.

I was given some fabric for Christmas and as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted it to be a skirt; I also decided I didn’t want to make my standard easy pattern of two pieces cut on the bias with an elastic waist. A while ago I had downloaded and printed the Simple Summer Pleated Skirt from So Sew Easy. I had enough fabric as long as I didn’t want pockets and I had some zips from when I purchased in bulk so I could start whenever I wanted.

There is a video to go along with the pattern but I still was not able to get the zipper and waistband to look the same. Obviously, I was doing something wrong but, despite watching the video a few times I could not get it plus this way of attaching a zip was not in any of my books. Having said that, the end result is acceptable. The other thing is to trust your measurements. The body of the skirt, front and backs, are rectangles and pleats are added at the waist to fit the waistband. I had to take in the waist, which was not hard as the waistband is seamed but would have been better if I’d trusted my measurements and cut the waistband to the correct length. I still would have made the skirt pieces the same width and made bigger pleats otherwise I suspect that it would be tight around the legs. Despite these two issues, I am really pleased with the finished item and not only will it be worn I can see myself making more.

 

 

Another Gift

There’s going to be a few gifts coming up as I know three pregnant ladies. I finished this at the last minute and has been given to the recipient so for once there is not a big time difference between finishing an item and posting about it.

I knew this person was expecting a boy and I thought I had bought yarn for just these moments when a gift was needed. But it seems that the yarn I purchased was mostly girls colours. Although hats are a quick baby knit this baby is going to be born in May in Southern California so I did not want to make a hat that would not be used for months. I had some yarn that was part of the stash I was given and chose an old pattern that I owned. I remember making this item before but cannot remember for which child.

I would have finished with a few days spare but I did not work the same number of rows of rib as on the fronts and there was no getting around it so I had to frog the back down to the rib. I finished this just a few hours before I was meeting the person and luckily I found four buttons in my button stash.

And best of all, the mother loved it. 

 

 

First Socks of 2022

You might have noticed that I have been making more socks lately. My sock yarn got added to quite a bit last year and, although, I could make multi-colour shawls I am quite happy with the thought of knitting more socks. My plans are mostly guided by the challenges in the Sock Knitters Anonymous group but I decided to put a small restriction on myself as often I spend the end of the month looking and looking and looking at patterns that fit any of the upcoming month’s challenges.

This year I am limiting myself to only looking at patterns that I already own, whether they be in books or downloaded (mostly for free). If I don’t find anything there I may look at my queue and favorites. This has helped me not cast on for the sake of casting on and is meant to cut down on the amount of time I spend looking at sock patterns. This meant I did not start a sock in January, which was no big deal considering all my other cast ons, but I did purchase a sock pattern in February. To be fair it was a pattern that I had had in my queue since 2011 so about time I made it. I used one of my sock yarn purchases from last year’s sale as the main colour and various leftovers for the flowers. This was an interesting pattern in that the flowers required more concentration but there was a lot of straight forward stocking stitch. I’m not sure how comfortable they will be to wear at the toes and heels but I can always wear them over a thin pair of socks. But they sure were fun to knit.

 

 

I Ran a 10K

Another event that was delayed.

After running the 5k in 2019, my friend and I had the crazy idea to run The Strip at Night in Las Vegas. We did not go completely crazy and opted for the 10K race, not anything longer and signed up for the October 2020 event. As we all know what the last two years has brought, you will not be surprised that the event did not take place. Even though there was never any indication when the event would be rescheduled, there were no refunds offered as the event had not been cancelled. This policy has been very unpopular with participants and (according to comments) had put them off the Ironman organization. This was not helped by the complete silence from the organization about the event. I also know this was a policy for concert promoters.

I decided to train as if I was going to run the race at the end of 2020 and finally ran for 10 kilometers on 31 December 2020. I had been putting off this long until I finally told myself I HAD to do it before year end. It was hard to know what to do next when I had two races of different length but no dates to aim for.

At last we were given dates for races and after running the 5K I started to train for the 10K. And it did take place. With all the changes in numbers of virus cases and variants I would not have been surprised by any cancellation.

Taking part in the race was amazing. The strip was completely closed down and there are spectators on both sides of the road and on the bridges. (The only part where there were not any spectators was after the start of the race as you are running away from the finish.) It really felt good having people cheer you on. The part that is not so fun is people walking and blocking the middle of the road so you have to run around them. I would have liked to complete this in an hour instead it was 1 hour and 3 minutes, which I know I shouldn’t complain about. When I finished the 5K in San Diego I was really hungry and wanted coffee. When I finished this race I wasn’t very hungry and was starting to feel cold so we just went back to the hotel and had a shower and small meal.

It was a great experience and I am glad that I did it unfortunately my friend did not join me in the end.

Here I am at the end of the race laden down with all the goodies you get for finishing.

 

 

Two Gifts

As I said in my last post, I have been slow in posting photos of finished items because I had made a couple of gifts that I wanted to make sure were received before I posted. The gifts are very different but I enjoyed making them equally.

First is a tea cosy I made for my sister. This was a fun knit and I kept on laughing at how much work was going into a tea cosy. I followed the pattern as written and she loves it.

 

The yarn is Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport, in Natural, Charcoal and Pepper. I don’t think that is true Starsky colours but close enough.

The other item I made was a coaster, or mug rug as people call them, for a friend who is going through a hard time. This is a knitter who I have met through a weekly Zoom call. Sending her yarn would have been nice but not exactly the thought I wanted to convey which was to send a hug. I was looking for heart patterns to make a coaster but didn’t like any I had found online. There was a heart on the monthly quilt I made. I adapted it slightly, omitting the wings and making the borders narrow. The quilting was simple straight line following the heart shape. I was pleased with the result which I called a mug rug hug.

 

February's and March’s Hats

I was going to write a post about my thought process and why it blog posts are in my head and not on the web. Suffice it to say I have air written a few on different subjects but here is one showing actual knitting.

I have been slow in showing finished items because in February I made a couple of gifts and I wanted them to be opened before showing pictures here. Then I just delayed on everything so I am starting off showing the hats I made over the last two months.

February Hat, worked as written except I started with a Turkish cast on so that the stitches were sitting on a cable ready for the pick up row. The yarn is Tosh Vintage (from the friend’s friend’s stash), the same as January’s hat. I may have enough for another hat.

 

March’s Hat. Worked using Tosh DK from the aforementioned stash. This is a thinner yarn than called for in the pattern, so I worked the larger size, this was not necessary and when I looked at the pattern the gauge was tighter than usual for worsted weight yarn. The hat turned out fine although I had to omit the last pattern repeat; (the yarn I was given was not a full skein), I was worried that it was not enough for a real slouch but too much for a nice looking hat. Apart from missing the last pattern repeat, I knit the pattern as written, including the tubular cast on.

 

On WIP news, getting buttons on the jacket is proving to be a slow process. I have buttons, I am trying to work out how I want to do the loops. I have finished one sock and started the other. I would like to finish them by the end of the month. I stopped working on the blanket as I needed more grey yarn and the Tunisian crochet project is coming along slowly.

Today is Pi Day and I have decided NOT to start a Pi Shawl. Although I like the fun of starting such a shawl on 3/14, I do not need another project. I will reconsider for 22/7.

 

Working With Multiple Strands

February’s projects are following different themes. The beginning of the month was provisional cast ons. Now it is working with multiple strands. You could even say there is a finishing theme as I have finished two items.

The main reason for using more than one strand in a project is that the project uses a specific weight of yarn and I do not have that yarn in my stash. Or I really want to use certain yarn(s) and doubling them works the best. An example of this is the Odyssey Shawl. I was wanting to use yarn in my stash for something other than socks. I decided these three yarns went together, the pattern was for three colours of a thicker weight yarn. I just held the yarn double and voila a finished shawl and three skeins of yarn used up.

The first project I started this month is a blanket using the skeins from the swap. I frogged the blanket I had made and wanted to get something on the needles PDQ.

  I knew I wanted to make a blanket and I knew I would be adding my own yarn to it but otherwise had no idea. I had abandoned the original project as I would have had to use so much of my own yarn it would take away from what I had received. I chose a pattern from a book I own of squares made up of a centre colour and a plain outer. The pattern called for aran weight, the yarn I have is fingering weight. I started off using the yarn doubled but didn’t proceed with that idea as I would have to make more than one square from each colour I then held four strands together and the squares are a decent size using most of the mini skein. How do I work with four stands? Firstly, I wind a centre pull ball, then I rewind with the outer and inner ends to make a double stranded ball and work with the inner and outer ends of these four strands. I am really pleased with the outcome and am using two different greys from my stash for the outer rows.

 

The other project is a Tunisian crochet pattern that three of us are working on as a MAL (Make Along). The pattern was originally written for DK weight yarn and then a fingering weight option was added, with either option two different colours are required but four skeins total of DK and only two skeins of fingering. I wanted the squidgyness of the thicker yarn but did not have any in stash. I knew I could double fingering weight but what yarn? Thinking about it instead of sleeping one night I remembered yarns I had purchased to go together but the closest they had got was in the storage container. If I used them double I would need four of them. No problem. And I now have the start to a lovely squidgy shawl.

 

Anne of Green Gables

I recently read the graphic novel version of this book. I have not read the original so can not comment on how accurate this version is. I had an idea of the subject matter of this book, had not read it in childhood had a mild interest in what all the fuss was about so when I saw a graphic version decided to go ahead.

The most interesting aspect of this book is that it is extremely well loved, including readers wanting to and actually visiting PEI to get a feel of the setting, and yet the main character is a foster child.

I have a big problem with this adoration as in the USA foster children are not loved. They are looked down upon by society, even though it is not the child’s fault they are in foster care, and let down by the organizations that are supposed to protect them. Mostly, but not exclusively, because they are not considered worthy of resources.

All too often we hear of another case of a child dying or disappearing in foster care because the workers have ignored the warning signs or have not checked on the child for months. But for all the cases that rock the news there are many more cases of abuse and neglect and just plain less than.

Imagine you’ve been looked after by the State without being allowed to make your own decisions and then at age 18 you’re on your own, quite often kicked out of where you are living as foster payments stop. No surprise that a high percentage of former foster children end up living on the streets. Or you’re quite happily living with a family and at the end of the school day your case worker picks you up and takes you to a different home. Your belongings are in a bin liner, half of them missing, you haven’t been allowed to say goodbye to school friends or the other children where you were living. Or the family you are living with want to adopt you but the courts decide you should go back to live with your mother because she has completed a drug rehabilitation program but her new boyfriend abuses you and she soon reverts to her previous behaviors so you are put back into foster care but not with the original loving family because that wouldn’t be good for anybody!

Is it any surprise that children are angry, sullen, unwilling or unable to form relationships. But hey, you continue loving Anne of Green Gables and the feisty orphan.

Starting All The Things (But Not Finishing Them)

At the beginning of the year I had plans for a few cast ons and I did start all those mentioned. Plus I started another project in the middle of the month with the minis I had received in a swap. Alas, I have just one finished item to show for all this effort - the hat - although the gift is nearly finished. The other items were worked on but the gift and the hat received the most attention and I worked a mini skein a day. And I do not have a finished older project although the jacket just needs buttons. (Yes, I am prevaricating on this as my only in person option is Jo-Anns.)

 

 

 

Which brings us to February. And, of course, I started the February hat and I started a pair of socks. Both of these started with provisional cast ons but the hat is now easy ribbing and the sock is not-so-easy circular colour work with decreases on small needles. And I am frogging the mini skein project so now I have to decide what to make with as I do not want the yarn to sit in stash. Other participants in the swap made wraps and scarves. Although these came out very pretty, they are not anything I would wear.

First of 2022

As most of the hats I make are for charity, I quite often wait until I have finished a few before showing them here. But this one has to be shown as it is my first finish of 2022.

I started this hat at the end of November on a car trip and decided to keep it as a car project even though it added to the number of WIPs I started the year with.

Last weekend we went to San Diego to meet up with a couple of people for an urban hike – Seven Bridges. This was a fun thing to do on a nice Saturday when everyone is still working from home and limiting socializing. Although I called it a hike, it really was a leisurely stroll. What this has to do with a finished object is that I worked on my car project and it was almost finished by the time we arrived home. Later this week, I finished it off (only two rounds needed) and sewed in all the ends.

The pattern is my go-to crochet pattern – Better Late Than Never Beanie – this is the seventh one I have made, and is great for using small amounts of left overs. Usually I will make the medium size for the number of stitches and add more rows for length but this time I only added one extra row of single crochet. It is a little small for an adult; later in the year I will find a charity that wants hats for teenagers and then I don’t have to worry about sending hats to places where they are not wanted.

 

Apart from this hat, I have hardly touched my WIPs. I started a project as planned with the yarns I got in a swap and have kept up with that each day and the project I started as a gift is relatively easy and has been getting most of my attention. I have sewn in one sleeve on the jacket but the two new projects are priority right now.

It’s The Priscilla Show

In my plans for 2022 I wrote that I would be starting new projects on 1 January. I started three of the four projects and as I was texting my friend I realized that all of the projects I had started used yarn she had given me either as a gift or from her friend’s stash. Although I had plans for specific projects using these yarns, I thought it was funny that all of my cast ons on one day used her gifts. Especially as I didn’t get around to my fourth cast on until a couple of days ago and for that I am not using yarn from her.

That project, although a garment, has started with relatively easy knitting; the projects I started on the first, although small, are not completely mindless.

2021 Round Up Part Two

This is the other project I finished just before the end of the year. I started this project on 30 November 2019 as the 2019 Advent shawl. I knew I would not be able to keep up with the rows every day as it is complicated lace knitting but I wanted to get it started. I started 2021 with it about half-way completed and great plans to work on it every day. In the end I decided I would work a clue each month as there were enough remaining to take me through to the end of the year. And this I could keep up with. The pattern required a lot of concentration and, funnily enough, that made it quite boring so having a plan made the end achievable. Until I hit a snag. I ran out of yarn. Towards the end, I was weighing the yarn after every couple of rows and knew it would be close. The last clue was the edging which was a sideways knit edge with yarnovers and corresponding decreases and knitting the live stitches; yarn wise equivalent to a few rows. I could have undone two rows but I really didn’t want to do that. As I said the pattern is complicated and there are lots of double decreases also I would probably have taken out four rows just to be on the safe side.

So why not buy more yarn – because it was discontinued. I estimated I would need about 5g. I went to that trusty source Ravelry and someone was selling their leftovers. But the price they wanted plus postage was more than I wanted to pay for such a small amount of yarn. I had the option of using left over lace weight in a different colour if I really couldn’t find the same yarn. But first I approached someone else who had yarn leftover from their project. They were willing to send it to me for the price of postage. This was very acceptable.

The border wasn’t hard but having got this far, I wasn’t going to rush it so I only get worked on when I wasn’t going to be interrupted. The blocking was easy, apart from size, as I soaked it and then just laid it out with the top pinned. I did not stretch it out at all as I did not think it needed it. Although we had had wet weather, it dried very quickly and it was completely finished ends sewn in and trimmed on 31 December.

Here are pictures pre and post blocking.