A Fast FO

Feb6

You may remember that I was having a less-than-stellar day on Sunday, which led me to cast on a new project…with yarn from stash, I might add! I love worsted weight cowls so I picked my Nerd Girl Yarns Progression Worsted in Too English to Say Anything, which is a pretty rosy pink and gray mixture, and a simple cowl called Squeezie Hug. It was so easy and fun that I finished it last night, with just three evenings’ work!

It is a paid pattern but it’s a small price and totally worth it. I love the little ridges! It needs to be blocked before I can wear it, since my cast-off is looser than my cast-on, but I should have it ready to wear in another day or so. Duncan was my helper as I finished last night; I’ve definitely forgiven him for his book-eating debacle.

We’re gearing up for another round of ice and snow tonight…maybe I’ll get a snow day tomorrow?? Stay safe and warm, friends!

Review: Appalachian Baby Organic Cotton

Feb6

Last year I got to work with Appalachian Baby Design to review their Organic Cotton yarn, so when another opportunity arose, I accepted with pleasure. This time they offered a pattern as well, so I chose the Boho Baby Blanket, knowing I have a friend expecting a baby late this spring. I’m not usually a fan of knitting blankets, but I make an exception for new babies. They are totally knit-worth small humans, so they get blankets!

I could choose between pink and silver, and indigo and silver, and I chose indigo, thinking it might be the more versatile color. The yarn came beautifully packaged in a gauze bag, along with the pattern printed on sturdy cardstock. It would certainly make an attractive gift! The kit came with four skeins of indigo and two of silver, and one of my favorite things about this yarn is how easy it is to find the center-pull end! (It may not seem that important, but truly, it is.) The pattern was clear and well-written, and I quickly memorized the pattern repeats.

Though I’d originally planned to space out the knitting over two months, this soon became my nightly TV knitting project. I didn’t have to think about the pattern, and the yarn was soft in my hands, so it became kind of soothing. The yarn was rather splitty, but I find that to be true of most cotton yarns, so I could just roll with it.

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The yarn is a 4-ply sport weight, with 194 yards per ball, and I used almost all four indigo balls and about one and a half of the silver. My final product had the correct dimensions, but I only had 13 repeats of the pattern instead of the 17 that were written. Gauge, y’all. Thank goodness it doesn’t matter that much for a blanket!

My finished blanket went in the washer on cool and delicate, then in the dryer, and it came out even softer. I love using easy-care yarns for baby gifts! I also love using yarns without harsh dyes: Appalachian Baby uses a low-impact, earth-friendly dying process that I feel good about using for a baby.

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I just love the wavy chevron stitch! What a perfectly cozy blanket for a new baby boy, right? I probably should wait for a baby shower, but I wish I could give it to her now. If you need some soft cotton for a baby gift, be sure to check out the Appalachian Baby assortment!

Sending a special thank you to Stitchcraft Marketing and Appalachian Baby Design who sent me The Boho Baby Blanket Kit (retail: $73.00) for free. I received no other compensation for this review. All opinions and photos are my own.

Retail therapy

Feb5

Yep, as most of you probably knew I would, I visited the yarn store for a little retail therapy yesterday! But honestly, by the time we left the house, I probably would have been okay staying home. I’d played in my stash and cast on a new cowl, and the knitting was helping a lot. Still, it’s hard to turn down a yarn store adventure, and the boy was happy because we were going to the guitar store after the yarn store, and I couldn’t disappoint him, right? Anyway, I think I did pretty well.

Only two skeins of yarn, though I touched many other pretty skeins! This is Woolfolk LUFT and I was so excited when I found out they were carrying it. I have a little cowl in navy LUFT and wear it all the time; it’s lightweight and soft and not itchy at all and I love it. I’ve been needing a basic gray cowl, so this will be perfect. I bought yarn specifically for a project! Crazy, no?

It’s not a great photo so you can’t see how gorgeous that hot pink fur pompom is, but it’s kind of amazing. It’ll go on a gray hat, once I figure out which yarn to use for said hat. And I couldn’t resist a couple new pins for my collection. “Weirdos unite” might be my favorite!

This is how it happens

Feb3

Today kind of sucks. I mean, not major suck, but a few minor sucks. I got up with the dogs this morning and discovered that Duncan had managed to push open one of the pocket doors and decided to munch on a couple of books again. As he likes the interesting old books, I found my first editions of Native Son and Black Boy had been destroyed. Not a great start to the day. Then I went to make waffles for a family breakfast and came across my dad’s handwriting in the manual with the recipe and that was a little unexpected sucker punch, maybe because I was already upset. Then the girl had to go back to college and those days are never my favorite.

So, yeah, today kind of sucks and I really want to go to the yarn store for some retail therapy. One skein wouldn’t be terrible, right? I’m in my craft room right now and I will fondle my stash a bit and remind myself of all my beautiful yarn, maybe cast on something bright and pretty, and see how that goes. I’ll work on my newest project, the Warrior Cowl, which I’m enjoying.

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But still. I bet you twenty cents I end up at the yarn store today.

New sock pattern!

Feb2

Remember those pretty lace socks I made recently, the Guildhall Yard socks? They were a test knit and I’m delighted to say that the pattern from is now live!

They were designed by Jem at Under the Olive Tree Knits, and they were a treat to make. I typically prefer simple socks for speed and mindless knitting, but these worked up so quickly! They weren’t knitting-group socks but they were fine for TV knitting if I didn’t need to be watching all the time, and the lace pattern kept my brain engaged and interested.

They’re cuff-down with a heel flap and gusset, and the pattern is well-written and clear. Check it out if you need a pretty new sock pattern! They’d be delightful for spring.

Pattern: Guildhall Yard Socks

Yarn: KnitPicks Stroll in Razzleberry (OMG this yarn attracted dog fur like a magnet. These socks will never be fur-free.)

I had to, it was purple

Jan31

I have an unexpected day off today. That darn polar vortex hit us yesterday, but it wasn’t until this morning that we discovered our hot water pipes had frozen. Yes, we should have left water dripping. Alas, we forgot, and I am not a fan of cold showers. In trying to get the pipes warmed up, we redirected a duct from the kitchen, which made the kitchen and dining room pretty cold. And that’s where the dogs stay when we’re not home. So not only did I feel unshowered and gross, I would felt guilty leaving them in the coldest part of the house all day. So! Day off for me, and I hope to have knitting to show for it tomorrow!

Today, I’ll show off my new yarn. Yep, I bought yarn recently. But I say it without guilt or shame, because it was just one skein, it was carefully considered, and we’re doing really well with our budget this month. I knew I wouldn’t go that long without buying any yarn; I just wanted to get away from the mindless, retail-therapy, “buy it all because it’s pretty” mindset. And I have to say, so far it feels really good to break out of that habit.

This skein is a colorway I’ve had my eye on for at least a month or so. It’s from Lolodidit and it’s her newest purple colorway. She teased us with it on Instagram before it was available, asking for name suggestions, and eventually decided on Prince. Her first photo sold me, but I waited a while after it went on sale, just to make sure I really wanted it.

Spoiler: I did.

It is STUNNING. My photo doesn’t come close to doing it justice. I bought it on a basic sock base but when I saw it, I knew I couldn’t just put it on my feet. No, this needs the perfect shawl pattern so I can wear it all the time and show it off.

So this is my call to you: what’s your favorite one-skein fingering weight pattern?

Cold enough for a hat!

Jan30

As probably everyone is aware, it’s pretty cold in the Midwest right now. Like, I consider myself lucky that we’re at 4 degrees, and not the -20 and colder temperatures they’re getting north of us. But work awaits, despite the frigid air, and as I was bundling up to this morning to go to work, jealous that the boy got to stay home in his warm bed, I decided it was cold enough for a hat. As much as I love to knit hats, I don’t love to wear them. I feel like I look dumb in them, plus I’m not a fan of hat hair at work. But: 4 degrees, with -20 windchill? I added the handknit hat to the coat, shawl, gloves ensemble. It was even cold enough that I took a wrap for my legs in the car (which was a marvelous idea, I have to say).

Anyway! This is a long way of saying that not only was my head warm this morning, but I realized I never properly showed off my newest hat! This is the fantastic Nour hat made with Malabrigo Rasta in the color Zarzamora.

I love the blend of green and purple in this colorway; it’s so gorgeous. And that pompom?? I got it from my LYS and it’s an interchangeable one with a snap, but I can’t imagine a better color for his hat. Still, if they had a dark green, that would be tempting.

Hope you’re all staying warm and safe today!

Finished!?

Jan27

Guess who finished TWO projects today?? THIS GIRL! That’s right, thanks to the women’s and men’s finals of the Australian Open, I bound off my Boho Baby Blanket today! And even got the ends woven in, how about that? AND! Then after that, I had a sock that was ready for a toe so I zipped through that while catching up on Grey’s Anatomy, and voila, two projects off my WIP list!

I do need to block the blanket and take some good photos, but still, I’m down to seven WIPs and I’m committed to working it down further. I really don’t like having so many clamoring for attention.

I might have also made a couple more teeny sloths this weekend. Thank goodness they’re fast!

The Little Engine

Jan25

That’s me, as I keep plugging away at all my WIPS: I think I can, I think I can, I think I can! My quick little distraction projects last weekend did a good job of cleansing my palate, and I returned to my WIPs happily, but there’s just no finishing happening. It’s maybe getting close for a couple of projects, though. I have just two or three pattern repeats left on my blanket (depends on how long the yarn lasts).

My second Guildhall Yard sock has gotten a couple of hours’ work, so I’ve got half the leg done. And I went back to a sock during lunch breaks at work, so I’m onto the foot of my 80s sock. Can’t wait to start wearing these, so bright during this dreary, gray January.

This week was also week two of the Australian Open, when the tennis starts getting more exciting, so I switched to mindless stockinette for TV knitting, and I’ve added nearly four inches to my Clarke pullover. It’s starting to look like a real sweater, which makes me more eager to work on it!

Who knows? Maybe I’ll have a finished blanket to show off on Monday!

Wee Mouse

Jan24

Recently one of my work friends had a little mouse issue at his home. It’s happened to me a few times so it didn’t seem like a big deal, but it was his first experience and he was not happy. At all. But he took care of it, and then went on vacation. So of course I had to make a mouse.

His name is Marcel and he is now in his new home, hiding among some papers on my friend’s desk. I might add a few chocolate sprinkles for authenticity.

The pattern is Pousie Mouse, but I used a slightly bigger hook and yarn than she did. It was very simple, once I found a yarn/hook combo I liked. I’m kind of liking the amigurumi lately!