Greetings dear Unraveler’s!
I am thankful for all the woolens this week because it is bitterly cold in Pittsburgh right now! Our furnace has been working overtime as well… that bill should be a fun one! (not!!)
I am back to sock knitting and should have Sock One done later today!
One thing I did do in January was take MDK’s Steek Class. Yes, I have steeked before… but I my steeks were not perfect and I figured I could learn a trick or two. Thanks to that class, I now have 3 very cozy coasters and some newly improved steeking skills. Little did I know that the real work is in the picking up of the stitches. I think these practice pieces with their very short pick up areas were good but the real life implications of picking up over a longer area (i.e. sweater fronts, arm areas, and necklines) might be improved by what I learned in class… I really need to practice on a larger piece to see.
They will be heading in for a bit of a soak shortly. My hope is that the picked up stitches will lay nice and flat…
I have completed a second page in my stitch book and I am happy very pleased with it. I am calling it Once in a Blue Moon… and I love how the yarn heads into and out of the “front door” (and it continues on to the next page.)
I did multiple gauge swatches for MDK’s BOAS that begins on Friday. The pattern says clearly that swatching in the round is a good idea and my swatching proves that. Flat swatches and in the round swatches had vastly different stitch counts (Pro Tip for all your other BOAS peeps… I had to go down 2 needle sizes to get gauge.) I tried Laura Nelkin’s method of “fake in the round swatching” and I could not make it work so I knit a large swatch in the round and I am really happy with the fabric… and those lovely aubergine blips!
It looks like it flares a bit at the bottom, but it will be joining those coasters in a warm soapy bath and I think that will fix that.
It has been a slim reading week here… I am listening to Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things (thanks to Ann Patchett’s recommendation!) and have been really enjoying it, but I am only about a third of the way through it.
That’s it for me today… what are you doing to distract yourself from the wintry chaos that is enveloping most of the nation?
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Your stitching continues to entrance me! (See what I did there – entrance as in mesmerize and entrance as a doorway – haha.). Now I want to see what happens on the next page! Your coasters are so pretty. I had thought (as you know) of taking the steeking class, but then I forgot about it. Oh well… The colors for your BOAS are gorgeous – I’m looking forward to seeing it come together. I’m sticking with the Family Socks (for now) and waiting for the next Bruno book to become available for me (it is en route to my library).
It’s been a good week for all the woolies! Even just taking Ruthie out for quick potty breaks has required, at a minimum, socks, a sweater, a hat, a cowl, and felted mittens on top of gloves. It makes me wonder how non-knitters manage!
I’m not planning to knit the Amy Christoffers sweater with all of you, but I do like it and wonder if I will have enough yarn leftover from my current sweater to make one. I think it would look great combined with some handspun, if I can find something appropriate. I love your color choices and will look forward to your progress!
INSPIRED stitching, all around! Love the sock color . . . so perfect in a simple stockinette. Love the stitch book concept. (It’s going to be a stunner, I can tell.) And LOVE your BOAS swatching. What a great color combo, Kat. XO
This post is inspirational all around! I love your “Once in a Blue Moon” page (especially your use of old sock yarn) and the new sock is beautiful. Your steeks and BOAS swatch are also lovely, and I look forward to seeing the beginning of your sweater next week. That is one of my favorite color combinations!
Great looking swatch. It would make a very warm headband if it’s long enough.
I LOVE your waffle sweater swatch! I will not be joining in the banging, but really do like that sweater. I’m finishing a pair of mittens right now and also just started a Melt the Ice hat.
Oh, so much good stuff!! Your stitching is beautiful & so creative. I was sorely tempted by that steeking class, because I think Michele is probably an excellent teacher, but I loathe knitting in the round, so there’s not much need for that skill in my repertoire. The coasters sure are cute!!
Those are some good looking steeks! I was going to swatch for my Waffle Pullover yesterday but then I read the class notes and it said it wasn’t necessary so I didn’t. Now I feel behind. LOL
What beautiful projects. As far as I’m concerned you can’t go wrong with blues. I also love the color combination in the swatch for the Waffle Pullover. Your stitch journal is off to a gorgeous start. I read The God of Small Things when it came out. It’s a haunting but beautiful novel.
I don’t think I would ever have the courage to try steeking, so I salute you. Love the stitching.
Our bill was a fun one but not super extreme. It must be straddling two months, lol. I love the blue theme!!! I have never steeked and I have never wanted to steek! I will live through your experience.