I cut things a little close this year but the annual ornament tradition continues. 2009 saw a stocking, 2010 had mittens, and 2011 got a stocking hat. 2012 gets a cuddly and portly house complete with doors, windows, our initials, the year, and a smoking chimney. The ornament has a high profile spot on the tree and makes me smile every time I walk past.
I hope you’re enjoying the holidays with lots of food, good company, and piles of finished gifts. Cheers!
Something amazing has happened. All of my Christmas knitting, at least all the stuff I had to make for other people, is finished. In the 6 years since I learned to knit, this is the first time I haven’t had to give out IOU’s or show off stitches still on the needles. Bonus, today isn’t even the end of the world.
To celebrate I’m giving in to the urge to cast on something fun for myself and completely without a deadline. Over a year ago I bought a kit to make Mousie by Ysolda Teague and it’s been sitting in my stash until today. I’ve got grand weekend plans of doing as little as possible, knitting a cute mouse, and enjoying good company.
If you’re still in the throes of holiday knitting, I wish you speedy needles, tangle-free yarn, and errata free patterns. Good luck. I’m cheering for you.
My love for lists is no secret. To-do lists, grocery lists, and check lists have all served me well over the years. Now that there’s only a week until Christmas, the handy list is keeping me sane. This weekend, I was able to cross 3 things off the to-make list. Awesome. This great and powerful list also tells me there’s only 3 things left to make which is great since the list seems so much longer in my head.
Another thing that’s keeping me sane on the knitting front is ignoring all those last minute requests. I’m just filing them away as future gift ideas and not worrying about them in the slightest. Less stress and more sleep that way.
Also keeping the stress down is knowing how much I’ve already accomplished. These 2 hats were added to the list late in the game but finished with time to spare. Never underestimate the strength of simple hats, nice yarn, and manly colors. Add in some entertaining movies to stave off boredom and you’re good to go.
Pattern: Squared Away Ribbed Watch Cap by Oftroy
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash - Grey (900) and Navy (854)
Needles: US 6 (4 mm)
Dates: Dec 5 - 16, 2012
This is the second and third time I’ve knit this pattern and seems to be my default guy hat. It’s simple but the squared decreases add a nice touch. It’s good travel knitting and good tv knitting which is great since 9” of ribbing gets tiresome pretty quickly. Totally worth it though.
Another Thanksgiving has passed and I hope you had a great day even if it was just another Thursday. Now, Black Friday is upon us. As someone who has worked retail on this frenetic day, there is no way that I am venturing anywhere near a mall or major shopping center today. I might not even leave the house which sounds like a great idea to me. While I’m here, have a hat...pattern.
The Keep It Simple (KIS) Hat is a slouchy hat with a garter brim and simple Fair Isle stripes. It’s meant to be a match for the Keep It Simple Mitts which I designed way back in November 2010. I can’t believe it’s taken me 2 years complete the set. This hat follows all the guidelines I set for those mitts: a simple pattern in worsted weight yarn, a little color work to keep things interesting, a nice use for all those leftover bits, and a quick, attractive knit. I knit the larger size in just 3 days.
The first pair of mitts, I knit as a gift but this first hat is all mine. I’ve already put it to good use on a few cold, windy days. Thanks to all the different colors, it’s a great match to all of my coats and a large percentage of my hoodies. I love the versatility.
The Keep It Simple Hat
Worsted Weight Yarn; Main Color(140, 160 yds), Contrast Color (9, 12 yds) per stripe
Shown in:
Valley Yarns Stockbridge (Main); (Contrast) Patons Classic Wool, Knit Picks Swish, and Knit Picks Merino Style
Sizes: Small (20”) and Medium (22”)
Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) 36" circular for Magic Loop or Double Points & 16” Circular
Gauge: 20 sts = 4” in stockinette
Can I still call this pair ‘The Denver Socks’ even if I only knit on them for a few minutes in the hotel and waiting at the bus stops? When I cast on for these socks before leaving home, I thought I’d be knitting on the plane, at cute cafes, and generally killing time between awesome. Turns out, 6:15 AM flights are not conducive to knitting nor are large, flying sardine cans with no elbow room. Ended up just reading a book, The Night Circus, on the flight back. At least, I didn’t have any problems getting circular needles on a plane at either airport.
I’m not disappointed by the lack of sock knitting, or any kind of knitting, while I was on the trip. 4 days isn’t a much time as you would think and I was busy filling it up with walking, museums, shopping, food, an aquarium, and general explorations to notice much. I wanted to experience a new place and all the sights and sounds that entails. I could knit at home after all. Now that I am home and back to my usual routine, the socks are steadily growing. I’m keeping it simple with some 3x2 ribbing and a pair of afterthought heels. I’m still calling them ‘The Denver Socks’.
Things started out simply enough. My mom was going to her niece’s baby shower and requested a cute baby hat. But only if I had one in stock. I didn’t and decided to remedy the situation promptly. So, I started perusing Ravelry with a few ideas in mind: simple, slouchy, eyelets, and baby sized. There was nothing quite like I wanted so out came the sketchbook, the calculator, the needles, and the yarn. After more swatching, ripping, and pages of notes than I’d like to admit, I had a simple, slouchy, baby sized hat with eyelets. Knit from the top-down too.
Mom headed off to the baby shower, hat in hand, a few days later and I kept knitting. Soon there was another baby hat, a toddler hat, a kid hat, and an adult sized hat because I wanted one too. I wore it to the breast cancer 5k, hiking in the woods, all around town, and even took it to Denver with me. It’s warm, it’s comfy, and it looks good. What’s not to love?
Hopefully, by the time you read this, by the magic of time zones, and if the SquareSpace servers hold out against Hurricane Sandy, my flight will be landing in Denver, Colorado. I cast on for a new pair of green ribbed socks just to keep me company on the plane. To keep the socks and their needles company in the bag, I printed out a sheet of paper from the TSA website that declares knitting needles permitted on aircraft. Otherwise, I’m going to be really sad I didn’t pick out a book to read on the plane. I’ll let you know how that goes.
If you’re on the East Coast, I wish you the best of luck in fending of Hurricane Sandy’s last hurrah.
Oh, and Happy Halloween.
Totally couldn’t help myself. Plus, the whole “It’s a trap!” thing is an internet mandated requirement whenever Admiral Ackbar is involved. Also, go watch the Admiral Ackbar cereal skit. I’ll wait.
Every so often, “Your tongues cannot repel flavor of that magnitude!” floats through my mind and I can’t stop laughing. Whose tongue would be able withstand a combination of marshmallows and imitation crab meat, after all? Silliness aside, it’s time to get down to the serious business of knitting a Star Wars alien admiral.
Pattern: Admiral Ackbar Sock Monkey by Carbonscoring
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes - Persimmon Heather, Cloud, Coal, Silver, and Turmeric
Needles: US 4 (3.5mm) DPN’s
Dates: Oct 9 - 25, 2012
Ackbar was knit as a gift and I really, really wanted to keep him for myself. He’s giant, floppy, cuddly, and has such a great face. I’m going to have to knit an Ackbar clone just for me once all that pesky holiday knitting is out of the way. He can guard my desk and warn me of traps.
The pattern description says that the knitting will be a “cake walk” if you’ve ever knit socks before and it’s true. Since the pattern is adapted from a sock monkey, the head and mouth are sock toes and the the butt is a heel flap and gusset. The knitting was pretty easy and mostly stockinette. You just have to obsessively count the rows and be prepared to spend some time sewing up the face. You can find a full list of my mods on Ravelry.
Gotta love a Mon Calamarian man in uniform.
I started these socks last month to keep me occupied while The Bearded One and I drove around Atlanta. They came with me on a road trip to Mississippi. They hung out in my purse while I ran errands and wandered around town. They showed up at knit night. Now, in a great bit of timing, the pair is bound off and ready to be worn on my next big trip to Denver, CO. From henceforth, these socks shall be known as The Adventure Socks. The Driving Atlanta title just isn’t cutting it anymore.
Adventure Socks
Yarn: Cascade Sassy Stripes - 714 (discontinued)
Needles: 2.25mm circulars
Dates: Aug 31 - October 23, 2012
These socks were such great company during my travels because the pattern was so simple: toe-up, 3x1 rib, a few calf increases, and an afterthought heel. As a true testament to the simplicity, I finished knitting the last rows on the second sock, bound off, put the heel stitches pack on the needles, cut open the heel, and started the decreases all while walking around the mall. It helped that the mall wasn’t crowded that day, but still, simplicity rocks. Self striping sock yarn is good stuff too and I’m glad I’ve got several more pairs worth in the stash.
Now that these socks are going to be on my feet and off the needles, I need some new travel knitting. Another pair of simple socks might be just the thing. Also, anyone have recommendations for fun stuff to do in Denver?
It’s only been a month and a half since I cast on for these socks in Atlanta and the pair is almost finished. The first sock, in all its toe-up, self-striping, 3x1 rib glory, is bound off. The second sock is not. The first sock has a heel. The second sock does not but soon will thanks to an awesome technique called the Afterthought Heel.
When it comes to socks, I’m usually a big fan of the gusset and heel flap since the combo fits my feet really well; however, the socks I’ve made from Cat Bordhi’s Personal Footprints for Insouciant Sock Knitters have shown me that I don’t need a gusset to have a well fitting sock. So, when I started the socks and wanted even stripes all the way up, I decided to try an afterthought heel with 3x1 ribbing on the instep to help the fit. The rows would stay the same width, and I wouldn’t have to worry about where to start the gusset increases or measure the sock every 5 minutes while stuck in Atlanta traffic. I could just knit and put my mind on other things.
Most afterthought heels call for knitting in a half row of waste yarn where the heel should go which leaves a gap in each of the corners. In Personal Footprints, Bordhi has a great alternative that prevent gaps and is very easy to knit from. You just can’t be afraid to cut your knitting. Honestly, it’s not as scary as it sounds.
When you reach the spot for the heel (Most patterns mark this as 2” or 2.5” less than the total length but I only needed an 1.5”. My sock came out .5” short but still fits well so the measurements are forgiving.) or come back to it after a few more inches of knitting, thread a lifeline through through the sole stitches on one row of the sock and the sole stitches two rows up.
Come back and slip your needles back into stitches on the lifeline. Pull out the lifeline.
Pick a stitch in the middle of the middle row and snip.
Unravel the remaining middle stitches but leave the last 2 at each corner. They prevent those annoying gaps. You’ll knit the corner stitches just like normal stitches.
With new yarn, start knitting a toe. I went for a standard wedge toe and to help the “toe” fit better I decreased on the last 2 rows to round out the shape. Then, I grafted the remaining stitches. Feel free to drop in any toe you like.
Cat Bordhi has a great video demonstrating this technique on a pair of Houdini Socks (Afterthought Legs!) that I highly recommend.
Sock one is all finished and I am in love. The stripes are even, the heel looks great, and the fit is wonderful. Now I just need to finish up sock number two before the weather turns much colder.
Nothing says “Why don’t you wind some yarn and cast on for that shawl you’ve been dreaming about for months,” like hearing about a surprise road trip first thing in the morning. So, I wound 2 skeins of yarns, printed the pattern, got presentable, and hit the road.
The shawl in question is the Stripe Study Shawl which Ravelry tells me has been in my queue since February 19, 2011. It took me ages to finish other shawls I had on the needles and then pick the yarn. The blue is Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering (Tavern on the Blue) which waited patiently for me to decide on Madelinetosh Merino Light (Antler) as it’s partner. I love how the two look together and how much the cream is starting to pop against the ever widening blue stripes.
For the next few months, this shawl is going to be selfish knitting, pure and simple, since the birthdays and holidays coming in full force. A few short rows here and some stripes there should take the edge off.
Finally, these socks are purse knitting no longer! I knit them on a road trip through Georgia, running errands around town, in restaurants, in bars, at knit night, and even in front of the television. Now I can wear them and keep my feet warm while knitting something else. Must implement this plan when it actually feels like Fall.
The Cotty pattern had been in my knitting queue for ages before I found just the right yarn. It had to be bright and variegated to counter the simplicity of stockinette and the tiny bit of lace. Hello, Yarn Pirate Merino/Tencel. The colors pooled more than I usually like but it doesn’t hide the pattern and is fairly consistent. Plus, the yarn has a wonderful sheen which only highlights the lace.
Most of my usual sock mods went into effect: toe up with a tighter gauge, finer yarn, and more stitches. I also tried out a new heel idea inspired by the greatness that is Cat Bordhi’s Sweet Tomato Heel but more on that later. The biggest change I made to the socks was the top edge since the original picot edge is just a bit too girly for me. A K2, P1 rib is more my style, matches the lace pattern, and is quite stretchy. Full technical details over at Ravelry.
Happy toes!
Adventure time in Atlanta is officially over since I’m driving back to Chez Strategos today. Atlanta was great even if The Bearded One and I didn’t make it to DragonCon after all. We spent the long weekend driving, inspecting potential future residences, eating all of the food, and playing Diablo in our down time. We also took a break to watch the latest episode of Doctor Who. I’ve been waiting for the Daleks to show their metallic appendages again.
It seems like the two of us spent most of the weekend in the car which is probably true based on how much sock is on the needles. Over 8” worth, all told. I’m letting the self striping yarn - discontinued Cascade Sassy Stripes - do all the work and knitting a simple 3x1 rib. Not even worrying about the heel, afterthought all the way, until I get I get home.
While the Bearded One and I were still driving around town, I couldn’t help but wonder about local yarn shops. I had Tuesday mostly to myself and decided to visit a shop or two since seeking yarn is a large part of any adventure, you know. I ended up at Eat Sleep Knit and had to wait for my mind to reboot after seeing the walls of Madelinetosh along with enough hand dyed yarn to happily bury myself in. Somehow, I walked out with just 2 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted - Sunset which might turn into the Arroyo Shawl from D’oh!mestic.
Time to hit the road. There’s a 2.5 hour drive ahead of me but I’ve got podcasts, chocolate, and pretty yarn to keep me company.
I’m in Atlanta this weekend to go on the great, geeky, sci-fi adventure that is DragonCon. The pre-pre-parties last night were a awesome start. I dressed up and headed out for a night on the town with The Bearded One and friends. Of course, I brought knitting - the in progress Cotty Socks - because my hands care not if I’m sitting at my desk or in a bar. The fingers get bored even if the conversation is interesting. So, I knit and bound off even though I was certain that I’d be ripping it out in the day time.
The pattern, which is written from the cuff down, starts with a picot edge; however, I’m knitting up from the toe and have absolutely no interest in making or wearing a picot edge. I decided to improvise the last few inches of the cuff by knitting 5 repeats of the lace chart, 1 row of 1x1 rib and finishing every thing off with Jenny’s Super Stretchy Bind Off. Not one of my better ideas. I’m blaming the Gin Gin Mule. The top edge, while stretchy, rolls and doesn’t look all that great.
I knew the edge probably wasn’t going to work but I did it anyway because it was something to keep my hands busy. Something to knit for the sake of knitting. Usually, I can hold off and wait but I really wanted to finish this sock. What if my crazy idea worked? No such luck there. If you’re out and about, do you stop knitting if you don’t know how it will turn out or do you chug along and rip out the problem later?
In a few days I’ll rip out that sock and make everything right but, in the mean time, I need sock knitting for standing in line at DragonCon. A simple rib and self-striping yarn will do the job just fine.
This post brought to you by a severe case of finish-itis which is defined by the urge to knit and finish all projects currently on the needles. I haven’t cast on anything new in weeks but I am getting a lot of knitting done all the same. The first project to enjoy the benefits was Hitchhiker and now I’m digging in to a pair of socks.
The pattern: a modified version of Cotty by IrishGirlieKnits. The yarn: Yarn Pirate Tencel/Merino Sock - Herron which was a gift from BrokeKnits.
I started this pair way back in June to keep me occupied during a 12+ hour roundtrip drive to Georgia. Before heading out, I knit the toe to make sure the stitch count and gauge were spot on to save me from ripping out en route. There turned out to be so much knitting time that my wrists hurt and demanded a magazine break. Unfortunately, there were still hours to go after I read the magazine cover to cover and skimmed through it a few more times for good measure. Out came the socks again and, by the time the truck was back in the driveway, I’d had my fill of this pair. The next few months saw the socks as reluctant purse knitting until I finished my Hitchhiker shawl. Then it was full steam ahead. The gussets were knit, the heels turned, and the cuffs are several inches tall.
At the speed I’m using up yarn, I should have a new pair of socks by the weekend. It’ll be time to cast on for a new pair of socks too since I'll need some purse knitting for DragonCon.
How can I resist a pattern that’s a giant, geeky sci-fi reference? Long story short, I can’t. Hitchhiker had been in my queue for the longest time but, once I decided to cast on, there was no stopping me. I grabbed my needles, wound 2 skeins of Malabrigo Sock, and got started. Once the setup rows clicked in my head, the knitting was smooth sailing. I stuck the shawl in my purse and brought it along on car trips, running errands, and out to lunch. Hitchhiking indeed. Unfortunately, those days came to end when I had to wrap the shawl twice around my arm so I could walk around the mall and knit it at the same time.
Once freed my purse, Hitchhiker was relegated to movie knitting, hanging out at parties, and occasional trips to knit night. I put it down for a month or two because the row after row after row of garter stitch and the occasional bind off just wasn’t holding my interest. Our intrepid wooly hero was saved when I was overcome by the urge to empty out my WIP bin. After too many movies and tv shows to count, Hitchhiker was finished and ready to answer the question about the universe and everything else.
Sci-fi reference aside, another reason I cast on for Hitchhiker was because I wanted a pattern that would use up 2 skeins of Malabrigo sock and that could easily be made larger. Check and double check. Since I wanted to get the most out of the yarn and spare myself from ripping out, I started measuring how many grams of yarn were used per tooth. From the 48th to the 54th tooth, the teeth used 6g each with the 55th, 56th, and 57th teeth using 7g each. There were 2g left after binding off the last tooth. The kitchen scale has turned out to be one the best knitting tools I’ve ever bought. Full technical details on Ravelry.
All finished, the Hitchhiker has turned out to be exactly what I wanted. It’s cushy, warm, and big enough to wrap around my shoulders several times. Draped over my shoulders, the tails hang down past my knees. Can’t wait to bring this out during the Fall and Winter. Oh, and its 57 teeth aside, Hitchhiker knows that the answer to the universe and everything else is definitely 42.
I seem to be in the middle of a mad love affair with garter stitch lately. Garter is just so easy to love. It looks great without any of that playboy rolling stockinette is prone to. It’s easy to find a rhythm and put your mind somewhere else. Though what I’m loving most right now about garter is that I can knit it very easily on a dark summer night. I discovered this Saturday night when I brought my Hitchhiker Shawl with me to a party to keep my hands busy. Still, I had to keep reminding myself that I didn't have to look down at my knitting since I couldn't see it anyway.
Hitchhiker also served double duty keeping me warm since summer nights do get cold on occasion. Who knew? When I originally picked this pattern, I wanted something that would use 2 variegated skeins of Malabrigo Sock. That second skein has made Hitchhiker so large that I’m knitting on the 52th tooth when the pattern only calls for 42. I’ve got 39g left which my chart tells me is enough for 6 more repeats.
Every time I finish another tooth, I weigh the yarn cake to see how much is left. Then the data goes into a handy dandy spreadsheet. I can track my progress and make an educated guess about when I’ll run out of yarn. I’m not the only one that does this, right?
A few weeks ago at a Madelinetosh yarn tasting, all the yarn fumes went to my head and I ordered 3 luscious skeins of yarn. I have grand plans for these babies. The Merino Light (Antler) will be pair up with some Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering to become a Stripe Study Shawl. The 2 skeins of Tosh Sport (Grey Garden) might become a Secret of Change Shawl. Nevermind that both of these shawls involve garter stitch, “short rows”, and are by Veera Valimaki. I might be obsessed.
I’ll get started on that Stripe Study right after I finish my giant, 2 skeins of Malabrigo Sock, 49 teeth and counting Hitchhiker. I’ve only got 53g of yarn left. Shouldn’t be too much longer, I hope.
This is Bob. He’s going for a swim in his brand new blue bikini.
This is not Bob’s lucky day.
This is Meg. She’s in the mood for an afternoon snack.
Meg, meet Bob.
He’s tasty! Now Meg’s off to watch whales before dinner.
| - | - | - | - |
I made Bob and Meg for my Dad as a Father’s Day gift. The pair was a big hit and Dad’s reaction definitely kept him on the knit-worthy list.
Bob is a modified Groom from Teeny-Tiny Mochimochi by Anna Hrachovec. He’s knit from Knit Pick Palette and Paton’s Kroy Sock on 2.25 mm needles. I stuffed him entirely with his own yarn ends and a magnet. Bob’s magnet is in his back and Meg’s magnet is in her mouth. It’s never really isn’t Bob’s day since he won’t escape. Ever. The magnets make sure he’s always sucked into Meg’s mouth.
Meg is Clare Doornbos’ Shark. She’s knit from Knit Picks Wool of the Andes on 3.5 mm needles, has 10 mm safety eyes, and is stuffed with poly-fill. The pattern was very well written and I especially like how she solved pectoral fin placement. No guess work required. Full mods and details @Ravelry.
The part of the sea is played by my own 3-ply handspun.
I had no idea how Bob’s size would compare to Meg’s when I first cast on. Turns out that Bob fits perfectly in Meg’s mouth and I couldn’t have planned it better if I tried. So, if we assume that Bob is 6’ tall, then Meg isn’t a Great White Shark (20’). She’s a C. Megalodon which current estimates put at 52’ long. Scale is everything. Now I want to knit a sailboat for Meg to chomp on.
I could wax poetic about how I started these socks last December when it was cold and when I needed purse knitting. I could write about how much I wanted to knit this pattern and have a new pair of socks. I could write about how fun it was to knit them despite having to slog through the cuffs. I could write all of those things but the main reason I knit these socks was to knit another set of Cat Bordhi’s Sweet Tomato Heels.
Pattern: modified Willamette Socks by Sara Morris
Yarn: Cascade Heritage Paints - 9872
Needle: US 2.25 mm
December 14, 2011 - May 16, 2012
Cat Bordhi, I like the way you think.
The process for knitting this short row heel isn’t hidden away in a pattern and you don’t have to be able to divine the mysteries of the universe to figure it out. The Quick Start Guide at the beginning of the book gives you everything needed to knit a a pair of socks this way and even a bit of troubleshooting help before diving into the patterns. Later in the ebook, she works out how to knit a padded, reinforced heel using this method. There are numerous diagrams, clear step-by-step instructions, and lots of helpful tips. For example, instead of wrapping and turning when working the short rows, she uses a lifted increase to close the gap between stitches. Two versions of short row heels that can be knit from the cuff or the toe and numerous patterns aside, just that epiphany was worth the cost of this ebook to me. This video shows the technique off nicely.
Reinforced heel flaps with a short row turn are still my favorite heel, but the Sweet Tomato is such a close second. It’s relatively easy to knit, uses less yarn, and - best of all - fits so well. The question of fit was the main reason I stayed away from short row heels to begin with but the tomato is so easy to modify on a foot by foot basis.
The first few pairs of Sweet Tomatoes that I knit taught me a few things. The first pair I made for myself and got the method in my brain. The second pair I knit for the Bearded One’s giant feet and they fit him just as well. The third pair - this pair - I knit in a fingering weight and decided to add a mini gusset to get a little more room in the gusset. The gusset made the fit all the better and saved the instep pattern from disruption since the heel is knit over more than 50% of the stitches. I also needed a fourth wedge instead of the three I needed in worsted weight socks. Such an easy change to make.
I think I’ll be using this heel for a long time and for many, many pairs of socks.
Hi! My name is April Klich. I write about knitting, spinning, and straight up making with a focus on playing and finding joy in the process.
