by Kat | Sep 7, 2018 | General, Making
Round and round and round, and the knitting grows. Slowly, but it does grow!
I also cast on Nymphalidea yesterday. I had a ball of Zauberball and some Lorna’s Lace sock yarn that are perfect for it. I have memorized the super easy pattern, and this will be come my “travel knit” as it is portable and simple. I also have a skein or two that would be beautiful for Close to You. Yes, holiday gift planning and knitting has begun!
Although, it is challenging to think of holiday knitting with this ghastly weather is it is NOT cooling as was forecast but, we did get some much-needed rain yesterday. So, there’s that. And, it seems there will more rain this weekend which means the chances are good that Operation Closet Organization will begin!
Now some knitting inspiration!
Staying in the Holiday Knitting mode… Sister From Another Mister “includes a colouring-in page so you can plan your perfect colour combos.”
Tuque Novembre also would be lovely in coordinating colors!
Tolt River Cowl
The next pattern in Core Wool 2018 is just gorgeous and might be my next cast on project: Etchplain
In the Stacks from Miss Babs Fall collection is also beautiful!
Remnants Shrug is interesting. Please note… it is a “recipe” only.
The sweater was strong again this week: Ingalls and Global Warming
Magnolia Mini is just adorable and has a great range of sizes!
And, finally… Scintillation! These look addictive! And, I love the warning!
That is all I have for this week! Have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
by Kat | Sep 5, 2018 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings, Unravelers and Happy September!
I have a finished Strokkur to share with you today however, I think it will be some time before I am wearing this sweater! I loved the construction of this sweater – it had two segments of short rows before and after the colorwork. They raise the back neckline the perfect amount! There is some very subtle shaping in the body of the sweater as well. Ysolda writes a lovely, easy to follow, easy to understand pattern and I look forward to wearing this sweater for a very long time!
August reading ended on a high note and September seems to be following suit!
I finished Glass Houses and A Higher Loyalty. Both were excellent books – each getting 5-stars!
I finished Three Things About Elsie. Oh boy…where to begin with this book? It was at times so very sad. It beautifully addresses aging and memory loss, but it also is about the love and beauty of friendship – friendship that has grown over a lifetime. I recommend this book and I gave it 4 stars.
And, I also finished Donal Ryan’s From a Low and Quiet Sea. This was my first Donal Ryan book, but it won’t be my last! What spectacular writing!! This book starts our feeling like a collection of 3 separate stories and then, almost miraculously, those stories are knit together into one amazing story. This is on the Man Booker Long List and I highly recommend reading it… NOW! 5-stars!
Currently I am listening to The Miniaturist in preparation for the PBS series which will be airing soon! And, I am reading The Master Butchers Singing Club.
What are you making and reading today? If you wrote a post, please leave your link below!
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by Kat | Aug 31, 2018 | General, Making
Houston… we have colorwork!!
Yes, I am on the downhill portion of my Strokkur and my favorite part! I feel safe in saying that this sweater will be done next week! This despite the realization that I did too many decreases in the short-row section – I should have done NONE and did them not “as above” but “as the previous page.” All this meant that I considered ripping back 8 rows of knitting… (yeah, yuck). My option was to just drop back stitches in the decrease areas and re-knit them sans decreases. It was fiddly, but it is done. AND, yes… colorwork has started!!
Moral of the story…really read every word the pattern author writes… knit to marker means just that. I blame this entirely on Joe Biden’s amazing eulogy yesterday for distracting me!
Is it just me or have you all noticed the huge influx of new patterns on Ravelry over the past week? You’d think a new season was coming, or something… ha! It’s true, a HUGE influx of new patterns and, sadly, not all of them were anything to write home about… or link here. But, I did find some really fun things to share with you this week!
First up, a couple of non-knitting links!
If you want to show a little RESPECT today, Aretha’s funeral will be broadcast on television and online.
Next up: Crostini, 3 Ways was posted this week on he Laine blog…oh my. This might be coming to a happy hour table in my house soon!
Are you a sock knitter?
Sockturnal… think this is your typical sock? Think again… it starts in a very unique place: the heel!
Dip your toes might be too cute to put shoes on!
Intiaanisykst are sure to be a quick knit using Aran weight yarn!
Perhaps you are more of an accessory kind of knitter…
Glitch might mean malfunction, but this cowl definitely is NOT!
Enderby is most interesting!
Magnolia Hat is so cute!
So is Hari Hat!
Ysolda’s Knitworthy 5 will be out next week!
Quince’s Dune and Ridge
However, it was Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner for the sweater knitters:
Dale was the first pattern released from Quince & Co. Core Wool 2018 (also see Dune and Ridge above… these first patterns are all about gauge!)
Jane Morris by Carole Sunday
The Throwback by Andrea Mowry
Hoar Cardigan has two sleeve style options
And, finally…The Sweater Opus: Lindisfarne which is a “labor of love.” Wow!
That’s all I have for this week! See you all back here on Monday! Have a wonderful LONG weekend!
by Kat | Aug 27, 2018 | General, Making
This weekend was truly the stuff of dreams. Steve had a work function, so he was gone until Sunday, which meant I did what I wanted all weekend long!
There was so much reading! I am three books away from a second cover all…. Yes, you read that correctly! I am focused and can almost taste success even if it might come down to the wire next Monday so stay tuned!
I made a Beach Hair Don’t Care headband. I knit it at a slightly tighter than recommended gauge and now I am hoping that it stretches out as I think it will with a bit of blocking. But… In case it doesn’t, a second has been started at the recommended gauge! Ha!
I finished the lace work of Tegna, which means that it is now the perfect knit… just round, and round, and round… for 15 or so inches! Haha!
I also pulled out Strokkur and made some good progress on a sleeve!
All this weekend productivity has energized my Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend! Happy Monday!
by Kat | Aug 24, 2018 | General, Making
It’s a 2-fer Friday! I finished up my AC-esque tee yesterday, I also finished weaving in the ends of last years End of Summer MKAL and I love them both!
I learned so much in the construction of this tee and I absolutely want to do this again! One thing I know for sure is that I need to practice stitches! Even a simple running stitch performs differently in knit materials. I see some more stitch sampling in my future! Ha! Also, AC patterns run small… holy cow. However, a quick fix of a side gusset solved that problem. I used one of Steve’s no longer worn Old Navy tee shirts which I cut apart and put back together. The front pieces are double layer (with a white tee shirt). I love how this double layer worked! It feels so substantial and is really much nicer than just a plain old tee shirt. I think for my first try, this worked very well!
Now, the End of Summer Wrap…it is huge!! I used Briar Rose Fibers Joyful and it is so soft! However, I am ashamed to say that just 3 partial days of knitting were all that stood between unfinished and finished. The unique construction of this shawl is also just wonderful! And, the huge rectangle shape is so wearable! It’s pretty sad that it languished in a basket for the better part of a year, however, I think this will be in heavy rotation this fall!
How about some links?
First up, Beth Brown-Reinsel has a couple of new Gansey books out: Gansey Style Accessories and Knitting Ganseys
Churchmouse Yarns & Teas has released a new fall collection that has some really lovely pieces! Plus, they included a little bonus hat pattern that is free!
Not a sweater knitter? This week has some lovely things for you!
The Sweater Was Strong this week:
And, finally… this one is for Carole! Beach Hair Don’t Care
That is all I have for the week! See you back here on Monday!
