Finishing Frenzy

October 6, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

I’ve been busy knitting up a storm for the past two months, but not good about finishing and even worse about blogging. Gigantic work deadline got in the way. But now that the beta version of the site has finally launched, it’s time to get back to business.

Saturday, I went a little crazy. I started by weaving in the ends of five dishcloths and one dishtowel that I knit in a stash- and stress-busting frenzy that started mid-September. That led to weaving in more ends (a shawl and two cowls). Then adding the thumbs on a pair of fingerless mitts that had been languishing for more than a month. I finished the finishing by ripping back and re-knitting the toes on too-big socks. Here’s the pile I ended up with; now for the blocking…

And since I’m in catch-up mode, here are a pair of socks I finished in August and gifted to my mother.

cabin socks 1 — **Pattern**: A Good, Plain Sock by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
**Yarn**: Crazy Zauberball (Spring Is Here)

And here is a baby hat that got the quickest of photoshoots before going into the gift bag.

**Pattern**: Dinofied Wee Balaclava by by mama cerise
**Yarn**: Cascade 200 (Lichen) & Ella Rae Classic (Yellow-Lime Heather)

Time for a break…aka, more knitting! 😉

FO: Katniss Socks

August 4, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

I wanted to try socks with cables and this seemed the perfect gateway pattern — two simple braids running down the front and back centers. Just the toe of the second sock was left to knit when I packed them for the cabin. I finished them up that first night then blocked them the next day in the sun.

katniss socks 5 — Pattern: Katniss Socks by Rose Hiver
**Yarn**: TFA Blue Label (Spice)

Izzy (who’s a big Hunger Games fan) came up with the firepit backdrop, which I like even better than the kicked back lake shot we started with.

These were a really fun knit and I’m sure I’ll revisit the pattern sometime soon. Who’d have ever thought at the beginning of 2013 that I’d have four finished sock pairs done by mid-summer?

FO: Maroo Mitts

July 25, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

Not only did our week at the cabin afford me time to knit to my heart’s content, it also gave me a great backdrop to take pics of some FOs. These fingerless mitts were finished and blocked a few weeks before our trip but fell victim to rainy weekends when it came to photography.

mitts 3 — **Pattern**: Maroo Mitts by Ambah O’Brien
**Yarn**: TFA Blue Label (Olive, Squash, & Olive Truffle)

These were a fun, easy knit, and I’d like to give a special shout-out to the designer, who offered up the pattern for free on her birthday. May her generosity return to her throughout the year!

The other blessing about the pattern was that it offered the chance to use some of my scraps. I especially love the Squash OOAK with its pinkish hits in the gold. And since I gifted the shawl I knit with it, this way I get to still enjoy the color and touch of cashmere.

FO: Color Affection 2

June 30, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

Another June, another Color Affection? I seem to be a creature of habit even more than I realize.

This time rather than purchasing yarn specifically for the project, I went digging in my stash. How glorious to find three TFA lovelies seemingly meant for each other. Made me feel (slightly) less guilty about the size of my hoard.

Love this yarn and love this pattern. Nothing else to say, so let’s proceed to the glory shots…

Pattern: Color Affection by Veera Välimäki

Yarn: TFA Blue Label OOAKs (Cornucopia and Olive Truffle) and 75/25 Merino Silk OOAK (Sprout)

FO: Gramps Cardigan and Hat

June 19, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

I’ve long admired this pattern and was thrilled to have the chance to make it for a good friend expecting her first baby. Nothing more satisfying than setting the needles to work for a fellow knitter, is there?

Pattern: Gramps by tin can knits

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Worsted Merino Superwash Solids (Caraway Heather and Cinnamon)

Not only is the pattern put together really well, it has a fantastic blog tutorial. Total win. Wish I was even half as pleased with the yarn. I liked the colors and springiness while knitting (nearly) enough to deal with how splitty it was.

But then the wet blocking almost. did. me. in. Not only did it grow to ginormous proportions, but a couple of carefully woven seams started to come apart. Thankfully, I was able to save it with a long timeout in the dryer. (I’ve never been so happy to be working with superwash.) But just look at this before shot to see how tidy the pocket seams/joins started out. Sigh…

Light at the end of the tunnel? Knowing that not a single person will be looking at the seams once it’s keeping a cute little boy warm!

FO: Socks, Fully Groked

June 10, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

I went several decades without ever attempting a sock. In fact, in that time I don’t think I even considered knitting socks for a combined five minutes. Beyond that irrational fear of turning a heel, I had one other reason: I’m very particular about how my socks fit.

Yes, re-read that last line as I smack my palm on my forehead. It was only after I’d finished two pairs and taken that Yarnover Grok the Sock class that the full stupidity of that statement sunk in. Well Golll-ly, you can customize them to fit your feet exactly.

Pattern: Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s recipe fully customized

Yarn: Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball (Arroyo)

These are pretty spot-on (despite the twisted toe that came while trying to photograph my own feet).

What surprise insights has knitting brought your way?

An FO and a YO

April 28, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

I got a bit more adventurous with my second pair of socks, but not so adventurous that I couldn’t get through them pretty fast. See, I had a goal with a nice, crunchy carrot dangling in front of me.

Pattern:Simple Skyp Socksby Adrienne Ku

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Tonal (Blue Violet)

Turned out it was a perfectly timed carrot, as well: My first pair of socks was too small (and went to Izzy) and this second pair was too big (but not so big, thankfully, that they don’t make good bed socks). In the quest for a “just right” pair, what better help could there be than the Yarn Harlot, herself?

Yesterday, I attended my first Yarnover, kicking off the morning with a Grok the Sock class taught by Ms. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. It’s why I wanted at least two pairs of socks under my belt… Nothing motivates like potential humiliation.

My self-imposed deadlines and stress were definitely worth it. What a great class, and what a great teacher! Here’s my in-progress baby sock in the foreground, with classmates’ photo opp. in the background.

And here’s the finished baby sock, which I Kitchenered last night. And what’s that in the picture? Yep, it’s the start of pair #3, fully informed and on its way to that “just right” fit.

I had more time than planned over lunch since my friend Susan got a nasty bug and couldn’t attend at the last minute (no swapping of notes). So for better or worse, I then took full advantage of the market. (A thank-you shoutout to my sister and brother-in-law for the birthday bucks that bought both sets of fabulous vintage buttons.)

I finished up the day with a Celtic Cables class by Melissa Leapman, where I managed to execute the following two swatches to my disbelief and pure joy. As you might guess from the book, I’m jazzed to bring on the cables in another project or two.

Except for the missing Susan part, a fantastic day. Already planning for next year.

FO: Fiddlehead Mittens

April 7, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

The good news? I can check off Fair Isle and mittens from my 2013 Knitting goals. (And when you add in those first socks, I’ve hit everything on my list by early April.)

Pattern: Fiddlehead Mittens by Adrian Bizilia

Yarn: Mirasol Yarn Tupa (Tiger’s Eye) and Plymouth Yarn Kudo (49: Green, Teal, Brown), lined with After the Sheep Panda (Butterscotch)

The bad news: They’re too small — I clearly overcompensated when I frogged the too-big third of the first mitt. So guess who got lucky?

Yes, Izzy really was that excited to claim them as her own. There’s that. And there’s the fact that they coordinate with the too-small hat she also claimed.

So after a brief mourning period, I did what any good knitter would do: I ordered more yarn. And since I enjoyed this further foray into colorwork, I’m excited to cast on another pair.

FO: Easter Bonnet (MN-Style)

March 30, 2013March 22, 2014 | yarn & yarns

I was thrilled to have my four seasons back this year, waxing poetic about crisp fall days and snowy holidays. But now that it’s nearly April, I’m more than ready for winter to be over.

This morning began with a gentle spring rain. You could see the anticipation and relief on the faces of people out walking their dogs and in the aisles at Target. But not so fast, apparently. They’re calling for a return to 38&deg F (3&deg C) for Easter Sunday. So while this wasn’t intended as a holiday gift, it seems the FO timing is just perfect. At least the color makes it feel like spring.