by Kat | Feb 9, 2018 | General
That’s right, Olympic Knitting starts now! Or rather at 6AM EST as Sprite so kindly advised me of. So, yes… I was up early and cast on, (not once but twice…grrr!) Above is my progress thus far on my Carbeth. I will be sitting down with Sherman Alexie and get some quality knitting time in today on this project. Also, the above photo is a much better example of the color of the color of my yarn. Kym asked me if I was making any modifications – and yes, I am! Because well… cropped sweater + mom-belly = super unattractive look (I am not saying Kym has a mom-belly, I am certain she does not, however, I DO have a mom-belly and I like to keep it covered, thank you very much!)
But, yes. I am making some mods to the knitting. Kym was worried about how this would look because the design is so perfect the way it is. So, excuse my poor rendering of where I am going… but I am doing less ribbing on the sleeves and shortening them a bit. And, I am adding 8 inches to the body…which for me nicely covers my mom-belly.
But, even with these mods, it should be a quick knit!
I am hesitant to share links today, because well… I am already knitting all the things! But, here go you!
Did you all see Rowan Denim Lace? Okay, I might have done more than oooing and ahhhing over this collection!
Also, the Spring Issue of Pom Pom Quarterly has some gorgeous designs!
Sarah Jordan has a new sock heel design that looks most intriguing!
If you need one more Ravellenic Project, Susan Ashcroft has one for you! Just Slip It (and it is free!)
This planned pooling is amazing
Svetlana’s Winter Story Mittens are so gorgeous!
And, finally… something to get us through the next season, Julie Hoover’s Hatcher
That is all I have for the week! Enjoy your weekend and go Team USA and Team Rules Schmules! See you all back here on Monday!
by Kat | Feb 2, 2018 | General
This post comes with a disclaimer… these links are dangerous!
I have cast on more things in the past week and there are at least 3 things linked below that I want to cast.on.right.now. I have some seriously knitsanity going on here.
Good thing it is Friday and there is sure to be LOTS of knitting time this weekend! (I know for a fact there will be because there is some crazy football game on Sunday night and yes, I will be knitting and watching!)
Add to all of that, Phil has seen his shadow, so more winter is on tap. Just the added inspiration (if I needed any!!) to keep on knitting! But, really Phil… thanks, NOT!
Yesterday, I started the Mystery socks… sock one is almost done. I hope to get through the cuff of sock two today. So far, so very good. Kirsten writes a great pattern. And, yes – I opted to go with the yarn that had some nylon in it.
Now, on to those links…and don’t say you weren’t warned!
Need a quick but luxurious knit? Azurine Hat and Cowl might be just the thing.
These socks might not be quick, but wow are they stunning!
Boho style Mosaic Cardigan…I mean really. I can’t even, it is so cute!
Ahem, Carole and Vicki…. Did you see Elwood?
Immortalists… oh my!
Brae Cove Tunic. I mean really…WANT! And, I love how this pattern came to be: “One afternoon, in a cozy cabin called Brae Cove, a group of knitters imagined the perfect knit tunic. It would be simply constructed for easy knitting, but it would also have a bit of optional colorwork for knitters who wanted more of a challenge. The design would be knit in the round, top-down, so you could try it on as you knit, opening the door to easy modifications. And the style could be worn on its own or layered, flattering a range of body types. With notes taken and inspiration blooming, lo and behold, the Brae Cove Tunic was born!”
Log Cabin Mitts…and free.
Joji has The Easy One and a Bulky version.
And, finally – Beth Smith is hosting a Rhinebeck Retreat…oh, and I am doing the cooking! You really don’t want to miss out on this!
That, my friends, is all I have this week. Have an amazing weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Jan 26, 2018 | General
Friday, that day of the week that puts an automatic grin on everyone’s face! And, the sun is shining brightly here with temps that are supposed to get into the 50’s! Steve doesn’t know this (Hi Sweetie!) but I am going to make him go take a walk this afternoon at Boyce Mayview!
On the knitting front, I did manage to get to the colorwork section of Stopover yesterday, but it is not finished…Maybe today, but more likely this weekend, which will give me 3 FO’s for January and my first completed project for my #makenine2018. So, this year is absolutely off to a great start!
I crocheted slipper number one together and I am not quite certain I like how it looks. I will rip it out and try an i-cord join and see if that looks better. I want to get them finished, and have cast on for slipper number two, but have not finished it yet.
My February knitting looks to be just as good as January! I have plans to start Strokkur on the first for Berroco’s Lopi-Along. I need to swatch so I am ready to go! And, I will be mystery sock knitting with Kirsten.
Now, how about some links?
There were some really fun mitten patterns this week: Want to Lopi-Along but a sweater seems daunting? Then perhaps Kate Attherly has the answer for you in her Oh, Canada Mittens and Moose Mittens (And, they are free patterns!!)
Maybe a hat? Lopi-Along with Salt Spring Toque or Saxifrage Tam (again, they are FREE!)
The sweaters were so so so knit-worty this week: Lichen, Sing Winter, Inveraray, Còinneach, Mae Cardigan, [BIG] rubble, Sunday Morning, and Timanfaya (I might be tossing the stash to see what I have that might work for [BIG] rubble!)
The Cooler Side of Warm is a knit-worthy cowl to add to your winter collection! (and free!)
There were some too cute kids knits this week: Odette Hoodie and Namya child cardigan
Valentine’s Day is coming: Palpitation
And, finally, the latest Plucky Collection is just gorgeous.
That is all I have for the week! See you back here on Monday and have a great weekend everyone!
by Kat | Jan 19, 2018 | General
Stopover is in a bit of a time out. I almost always have lots of extra yarn left over when I finish a project. So, this time I ordered accordingly so that I would NOT have left over yarn and now I am in fear that I will not have enough to finish. So, I put it aside for the day while I thought about options that did not include buying another skein of yarn that would not be the same dye lot. I then determined that there was only one way to know if I have enough – finish sleeve one and weigh it. Start sleeve two just through the color work, weigh that. Then do a bit of this absolutely brilliant knitter math from Kate Davies. Talk about divine intervention… Kate, if you are listening, I am sending you a HUGE THANK YOU for that awesome post!
Yesterday, I should have been putting together my warping mill so I can get going on the weave along, but I got distracted by some super simple slippers. I could not resist them when they showed up in my top pattern list on Ravelry this week!
Something fun (?) this weekend… kmkat and I will be live tweeting during Vikings vs. Eagles game on Sunday night. What could be more fun than a couple of knitters tweeting about football. Want to follow along? You can follow kmkat here and me here. Mary has pointed out that this will curtail knitting time, but sometimes you just gotta tweet!
Links for this week:
Berroco is hosting a Lopi Sweater KAL Need help knitting a sweater? There will be a Lopi Knit-Along newsletter with tips and tricks! They have some great sweater ideas in this blog post. There are some great FREE sweaters on this list: Ryðrauð, Glaswegian Cardigan, Aftur, Ellen Cardigan, Iðunn, Antipodal, and Hela. Take it from me, knitting a Lopi is really so much fun! Not a fan of Lopi yarn? They have suggestions on how to use other yarns as well!
Romi’s Inner Light is just stunning.
TTL Mystery Sock 2018 is discounted until February 1st!
If you loved Deschain Tee, but you don’t like to knit with linen, then you will be happy to know that Gabrielle solves that problem nicely! P.S. a genius #makenine2018 maker did this without sleeves and I LOVE IT!
Strathendrick, oh.my. It’s Boxy meets colorwork….
Need a good cardigan? Stockbridge is a classic and I love the construction!
Sparks and Lucky Dip from Justyna’s Speckles collection is a wonderful way to use speckled yarn!
Plain & Simple from Quince is available for pre-order and, oh my. The patterns are all just wonderful!
Oh, Carole…. did you see Chess Club? Gah! It is so cute!
That’s all I have for you, have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Jan 5, 2018 | General
I have been slowly plugging away at my Treysta, and Sleeve No. One is almost done! Sleeve No. Two should go faster, because I was smart and kept track of all my rows! Maybe by this time next week, a new sweater will be born!
I am glad it is the weekend and a bit of persistence will pay off there too! I got a new Lidia cookbook for Christmas and there is a cocktail (or ten) in there with my name on it. Perhaps a bit of a weekend celebration do-over is in order!
Now, how about some links to get the weekend started?
Shaila mittens were released last September but the pattern was not available for download until this week. Included is an excellent video on yarn dominance, in case you want to do some stranded knitting this year!
Staying in the stranded knitting theme, Setesdalish… oh my gosh!
Or, perhaps Vintersol
All of these are truly wonderful examples of stranded knitting!
Not up for stranded knitting? Perhaps just knitting a sweater is on your list this year. Both Margene and Mary give rave reviews for sweaters designed by Elizabeth Doherty and she has a new pattern out: Archer, knit with The Woolen Rabbit Airy.
Kate Davies also has a new pattern out today: Carbeth I love the simple lines of this sweater and the construction!
And, finally, PBSNewsHour is joining forces with the NYT’s and together they have started Now Read This! The first book is one that deeply moved me last year, Jesmyn Ward’s Sing, Unburied, Sing. At the end of the month there will be a Q&A with her! This should be so much fun!
That is all I have for this first Friday in January! Stay warm this weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
