footloose

I'm intrigued by sock knitting.  I find them pretty, and fun, with lots of beautiful yarn with different themes, colourways, and other interesting aspects to them.  I have two problems - both practical in nature.

First and most challenging, I knit so loosely that I have had to special order size 00 (1.75) needles to use to try and get a tight gauge with sock yarn.  They are very thin, and a bit fiddly to hold.   To start knitting socks and be inspired to keep trying, I've decided to knit 12 pairs this year to participate in the Grocery Girls Sock Bash for 2019.  This may be a bit ambitious.
Themes for the first third of the year (image from Ravelry - Grocery Girls group thread):

 I started with bulky weight Lyndon socks by Alicia Plummer for January.  I figure that if I start with a successful project I'll be inspired to keep going.  They are done, and I wear them as house socks.

Second pair are Granola by TinCanKnits, knit with sport weight Malabrigo Arroyo.  They are slightly too big and I'll knit my next pair with more negative ease to allow for stretching.  Also discovered a dropped stitch after I wore them for a day so I'll need to mend them already...

Next up are my socks knit on the 00 needles.  Just started Hermione's Everyday Socks.  I figure if over 26 000 people have knit them on Ravelry, I can't go wrong.  My yarn choice may not show the texture well, but I'm moving ahead with them anyway.

My second issue with socks is more with fashion than function.  I don't own shoes that knit socks fit into, and my boots are tall or outdoor/winter boots that I can't keep on all day inside.  This makes my socks hard to wear on a day-to-day basis.  Short of buying different footwear (not really practical) I am not sure what I'll do about this.  I also notice that almost all sock patterns have photographs with no shoes or footwear - this makes sense as the knitter wants to see the entire project but makes it hard to imagine styling them for wear.   It makes knitting socks less appealing to me; however, I am determined to knit 12 pairs this year to get better at sock knitting.  Perhaps in a year I'll have solved the gauge issues and the footwear problem!

'Tis the Season

It's gift knitting season, and I've made several items to gift.  I enjoy making things to give, and make items for my 'gift bin' all year long.  This makes giving to people like teachers, colleagues, and friends easier with minimal holiday knitting rush.  My gifts are small accessories - not all recipients appreciate hand-made.  This year, I made and gifted:

Old Castle set by Lisa Mutch (teacher gift)

Striped Stitchplay Cowl, my own design (gift for colleague)

Wislawa by Bristol Ivy (birthday gift for friend)

Gramps by TinCan Knits (baby gift)

Not a lot of gifts to give, but all were knit ahead of time which leaves me with lots of time to knit what I want to knit during the holidays.  Just the way I like it!

2016: my favourite things

I knit a lot this year.  Many accessories, and a few sweaters.  My favourites:

Paloma - pattern Babycocktails, yarn LionBrand Wool-Spun

Love the fit, the colour, the warmth. Easy to style, cozy to wear.  Perfect.

Four Seasons - pattern Never Not Knitting, yarn Briggs and Little Regal

First Mystery KAL - Love the final product, which is interesting as I wouldn't have chosen this to knit had it not been a complete surprise! 

Twin Leaf Loop - pattern Never Not Knitting, yarn Diamond Luxury Baby Alpaca

Love the yarn, easy pattern, cozy cowl.  I find alpaca a bit itchy but not unwearable.  Haven't knit with pure alpaca before.  I knit two of these this year, but the second is from different yarn and has a denser feel.

Sitka Cowl - pattern Tin Can Knits, yarn Cornelia Hamilton Yarns Heaven's Hand Classic Wool

I 'hacked' this hat to make a cowl.  Love the tree images, but the twisted stitches were very hard on my hand joints.  Would love to knit the hat and mitts as a set but may not be able to manage the pattern. 

#7 Fair Isle Hat - pattern Vogue Knitting Fall 2016, yarn various DK weights from stash, mostly Patons Superwash DK, Loyal DK

I knit mitts, hats, cowls, a pullover poncho for a friend, and finished several things I'd started well before 2016.  Still several WIPs on the go as I head into 2017, but I'm quite happy with all of the knitting I've done this year.  I tried new techniques from complex (mosaic knitting) to simple (making a tassel).  I've knit a mystery project and 'hacked' a pattern.  I've knit a lot from stash, but also purchased yarns with projects in mind.  I have lots planned for 2017 - some already shared in my post about Botanical Knits, others still in the works.  Looking forward to another productive and creative year!

Gifting - tis the season to knit faster!

I'm a week away from Christmas Eve, and have most of the knitting done.  My ongoing 'gift bin' that gets filled with accessories throughout the year helps.  We go searching for teacher gifts, or a small thing to go with a gift card, so that it's not as much 'on demand' knitting in December.  This year's gifts:

Antler Mitts - pattern TinCanKnits, yarn Briggs and Little Heritage

Blue Devil - pattern BabyCocktails, yarn Madelinetosh DK

Cambrian Cowl - pattern Never Not Knitting, yarn Borgo De'Pazzi Luna

A Twin Leaf Loop - pattern Never Not Knitting, yarn Borgo de'Pazzi Luna

Northward - pattern TinCanKnits, yarn Borgo de'Pazzi (blue), Misty Alpaca (orange)

Just have to finish up one last one - a 'hack' for TinCanKnits "hackathon2016".  I'm turning the Sitka Spruce Hat into a cowl.  Yarn is Heaven's Hand Wool Classic.  Love how it's turning out, but the twisted stitches are killing my hands. 

When it's done, I'm determined to knit my Sambuca that I started in the fall, and finish up my vest that has been  WIP for over a year.  Both will be great holiday projects for the upcoming Christmas vacation.  Then, my Botanical Knits that I have queued up will be started!

slow October still to fast for me... and some FOs

I tried to keep up with the pace of Slow Fashion October, but it still went by too quickly for me.  I did get some knitting done, as I powered through a pair of mittens.  Sticking to my goal of using patterns I own and stashed yarn, I knit a pair of Portland Mittens from the book New England Knits.  I've owned the book for a few years, and this is the third project I've knit from it.  I knit a Brattleboro Hat, and a Montague vest.  These mitts were made with stashed Lopi-Lite yarn that I had in my stash.  I ran out of the light gray colour, so I made the tips with the contrast blue instead.  I'm happy with them and will likely gift them this Christmas.

I also used some Berroco Vintage from a sweater I frogged to make a baby gift - a Flax sweater for a friend, a Tin Can Knits pattern.

Up next, I'm using some leftover Briggs and Little Regal from my Four Seasons shawl, pattern by Alana Dakos, to make some Paved boot toppers.  Another Tin Can Knits pattern, this one for me.

Feels great to make a dent in my stash, and to use patterns I've purchased but never knit up.  I'm hoping to finish up the other WIPs by the new year, and then re-evaluate what I want to make next.  Despite the slow blog, I've been knitting faster than I thought!

Slow Down, You Move Too Fast...

Slow October - inspired by Karen Templer at Fringe Association   The notion of slowing down and simplifying is not new, but to do this with a conscience and a deliberate effort to reduce one's impact on the environment is the focus for a lot of the discussion.  She has a link to an article about the myth of 'donating' and 'recycling' clothes.  Eye-opening and thought-provoking - go read it now!

I'm re-evaluating my wardrobe from a knitting perspective.  I have things I've knit that I never wear.  I'm going to frog, and reknit into things I will either wear or gift.  My time is extremely limited these days (Slow October will be a focus on all aspects of life here, not just my wardrobe - more on that next time), as is my clothing and knitting budget.  My goal is to look at two things this month:  what I wear and knit, and how I use my time.  The second one is not just about 'spare time' or 'making more of my down time', it's about what I say yes and no to, and what occupies my mind as much as my time.  

First up:  I've frogged this 

I knit it without a pattern, but wish I had made it more slouchy and oversized than I did.  I'm reusing the yarn to make a couple of baby sweaters for friends.  Both are Tin Can Knits patterns.  I started Flax for a friend at work. 

Next up will be Harvest, with the same yarn.  I have projects underway and plan to finish them.  They've been blogged about here in the last few months (vest, summer tee, Sambuca pullover).  I want to finish projects that are in progress, and then evaluate what I really want to do with my stash. 

In short, Slow Fashion for me doesn't mean making all of my clothes.  It means looking at why I have clothes I don't wear, and taking time to knit things I'll actually wear (or give as a thoughtful gift).  More next week as I gather my projects, finish frogging the vest, and dig deeper into the real reasons why I can't seem to slow down my mind.

On the Needles this spring

I'm finishing up some projects, starting some new ones.  I don't like knitting spring/summer things, as the season is so short here.  That said, I have a few things planned for when these are done:

A Blue Devil hat - pattern by Thea Coleman (Babycocktails) and yarn is Madeline Tosh DK.  Love the colour and the yarn is so smooth!

A Spiral Spun Waistcoat - my version of the Anna Vest, since I can't afford the book the pattern is in.  This one is a free pattern posted through the Victoria Albert Museum.  I'm knitting along with Karen at Fringe Association.

Still working on my Long Vest - it's been on the back burner as I finish other projects.  May plan to finish by fall...

A Lowlands hat by TinCanKnits to keep the 'gift box' filled.

I have two spring projects queued up - more on those soon!

yarn challenge - FO

I finished my project and can now post pictures as the contest is closed.  Tina at Soper Creek Yarn set up the entries in the window for voting and there are lots of unique projects.  I always knit something practical, something I can put in the gift bin when I get it back (or keep for myself).  Others knit (or crochet) all kinds of things:

My hat is at the front of the photo, with the intarsia chevrons.  Others knit toys, blankets, cowls, a shawl, and baby clothing. (photo from Soper Creek Yarn blog).

My hat was my first foray into intarsia, with sections of colour that use 'bobbins' or small amounts of yarn in each spot.  I've done lots of stranded colourwork - carrying the yarn behind when not in use - but never this method.

The hat is a pattern from Knitscene by Teresa Gregorio  called Northern Hat.  I love the back, with its textured pattern:

  I had difficulty with the chevrons.  Specifically, the colour changes happen mid-cable in some spots, which was a bit awkward.  My yarn has a high acrylic content (about 50%) so it was a bit slippery.  I think if I used a pure wool the stitches would have stuck together more and have been easier to change from colour to colour.

I

I do like the final product.  It's a really slouchy hat, lots of room up top.  I knew that from the photo in the magazine and like the look.  I think it will be a good spring hat, when it's cool enough for a hat but not quite cold enough for wool.

I'm not sure I'm ready for another intarsia project, but I'm glad I tried.  I did this also as part of a KAL with Tin Can Knits  - "New Tricks" - to learn a new skill.  May try another project with less fiddly sections for colour change.  Perhaps the Tin Can Knits Sweetness Cowl with a change mid-row.  Until then, onward with the rest of the WIPs.  Need to "get 'er done!".

FO - 2x2

I finished a quick accessory this weekend and feel like I'm back on track mentally (if not with projects).  I set some unrealistic goals for January, but got a second item finished for my year-long KAL with Tin Can Knits.  Here's 2x2, a quick bulky cowl.  I've knit this once before in a goldenrod colour.  This one is a gift too:

Now back to the longer projects to try to get them done this week!

Keeping up - the downside of a KAL

I love joining KALs.  I like the sense of community, of following a group and seeing projects similar to mine.  I like joining to knit independent designer's patterns, to have a unique product at the end.  This month, I joined three:

Tin Can Knits - 12 patterns in 2016 - I finished one (albeit simple) coffee cup cozy so far, but have plans for hats and mittens soon to follow.  I hope to knit one per month, so I'm on track and feeling like I can manage one accessory per month.

Never Not Knitting - MKAL (Mystery KAL) - I'm about half way through my shawl.  It's a complex pattern - not difficult, but not easy tv knitting (sports - yes, Blacklist - no!).  I feel 'behind' on this one, as clue 4 has been released (the final clue) but I'm only on the second half of clue 2.  February 10th is the deadline to post if I want to qualify for a prize.  The prize is not really the motivator for me, but still, I would like to finish with the rest of the group.

Baby Cocktails - I'm knitting a cardigan as part of a Warm Winter Drinks January KAL.  I've had the pattern for a while and want to knit patterns I already have, when possible.  I am using a rather inexpensive yarn, as I had some left over from a frogged project.  It will be cozy and very wearable when done... but it seems far from finished as I've only done the two fronts and half the back.

Creating and deadlines are a complicated combination for me.  I need deadlines to stop me from casting on lots and finishing few - the 'start-itis' issue!  I also need to focus on knitting what I have, and finding projects that match my stash.

Hoping to get a lot knit this weekend, but also know that fine line between enjoyment and pressure.  When knitting feels like a chore instead of my creative outlet.  When the stress relief of knitting becomes stressful, I know it's time to 'let it go' - the deadline is arbitrary and the project will eventually get done!

first FO - cozy for the commute

Monday I go back to work, just in time for a HIGH of -14 degrees Celsius on the thermometer.  I travel with a cup of coffee and knit myself a cup cozy.  It's project #1 for my "12 in 2016 Tin Can Knits KAL".

Fast and easy, and used up a bit of stashed dk weight yarn.  On to the next!

12 in 2016 - getting ahead of the holiday curve

Now is the time to think about goals for 2016.  I don't make resolutions (I overthink my life on a daily basis, I don't need January 1st for that!), but I do make some goals to strive for as I look ahead to what worked and what didn't this past year.  Every year I get to December and wish I had stockpiled gifts.... so I'm going to try to do that this year.  I've decided to focus on accessories and have joined a "12 in 2016" KAL with the designers at Tin Can Knits.

They posted several patterns as 'gifts' this month in a "12 Days of Christmas" fashion, giving away a pattern a day for 12 days.  I queued almost all (I don't knit socks), and will knit them throughout the year.  In no particular order:

Main Street - coffee cup sleeves (one for me, one to gift)
Sweetness - a 2-colour cowl I'll knit with black and white yarn from my stash
Antler Mitts - bulky mittens that are adorable (I knit the Antler hat this year, may do another)
Paved - boot cuffs that are adorable and may be mine instead of a gift
Lowlands - a simple hat that will be a good 'teacher gift' perhaps
Sitka Spruce - a hat and mitts set
Honeycomb - super cute fingerless mitts
Gather - hat and cowl set that I'll knit with Arroyo yarn from my stash
Clayoquot Toque - a colour-work hat that I'll knit with yarn from my stash
Gothic Lace Cowl - a lace cowl in worsted/aran weight yarn, with buttons
Loch - a sport-weight hat and mitts set - I'll likely just knit the hat with some Rastita in my stash
Hipster - a basic hat with some slouch
Northward - a bulky cabled hat
2x2 - bulky cabled cowl (I knit one this year, it's fast and easy, with buttons!)
Bon Bon Toque - cabled hat

My other goal is to deplete the stash this year.  This is a goal I've set before but I'm determined to do it this year.  A few yarns I'll use for the projects above:

Malabrigo Arroyo

Malabrigo Rastita

Madelinetosh tosh dk

Lett-Lopi

I have lots planned, but hope for a year with lots of knitting time ahead!

fast november - gift season

Slow October is followed by fast November, as I try to knit as many gifts as I can.  I vow each year to knit gift items year-round to avoid the rush.  So far I haven't kept that promise to myself!  I am committed to spending less this Christmas, and giving gifts I have made will help.

To that end, hats and cowls are flying off the needles as I knit as much as possible this fall:

2x2 - a Tin Can Knits pattern

Barley - another Tin Can Knits patttern

Still on the needles I have a One-Ball Cuffed Hat, a Hella hat (both in Lion's Pride Woolspun) and a Cropped Poncho for my mom.  The hats have a birthday deadline of Nov. 27, but the poncho is a Christmas gift.  Let's hope I finish!