Knitting, sewing, gardening, and the occasional gluten-free recipe.
I finished knitting my 2 Spooky Halloween Hat! Pattern by Nancy Bates. I bought the kit with yarn from Aly Bee Workshop: Superwash Merino Worsted in Pumpkin Spice, Spooky, Poison Apple, Trick or Treat, and Natural.
It’s a good fit. I opted to steam block it since it’s superwash, and I didn’t want it to grow.
I decorated the pumpkin faces with duplicate stitch.
I’m all pumpkined out for Halloween, just in time for October!
This week I’m recovering from a wonderful weekend full of friends, fiber, and fun! We met up for Wisconsin Sheep and Wool, and spent the weekend frolicking with fiber. (All the F words today, because alliteration is fun.) (Maybe not ALL the F words.) I got to meet Liz and Marilee in person for the first time!
These shopping bags were one of the secret projects I was working on before the trip. I made one for each attendee as a gift, and included a packet zinnia seeds.
I was also commissioned by Jess, another attendee, to create and dye this yarn colorway as gifts for everyone (including me!)
And There Was More Yarn
I was fairly restrained with my purchases, but I did buy a sweater quantity of Weekend Wool from Green Mountain Spinnery. These will be a Mountain Mist sweater. Last year, making the Back Porch Shawl in this yarn was the knitting highlight of my fall, so I decided I should knit a sweater with it. Also, Green Mountain Spinnery is a worker-owned cooperative. Just one more reason to buy from them! Definitely my favorite booth at the show.
I also purchased a couple of skeins from the Ewetopia booth. I thanked the owner for offering nonsuperwash yarn. I carefully picked out a couple of skeins without a project in mind. Then I decided I could knit a slip stitch cowl with these, and they would be shimmery together. The skein on the left reminds me of the twilight color of St. Clair that I tried to knit into a bobble hat. The universe is giving me a second chance at this color.
The only superwash I purchased was this gradient “Something Wicked” from Knit Circus when we went to The Sow’s Ear. I’m a sucker for a Halloween gradient. This notions pouch was from Mitchell Wool Company. As I was explaining to another guest why say no to superwash, the owner told me I’m her favorite person. I didn’t get any yarn from Mitchell Wool, but I’m linking it for another time. They have some gorgeous Targhee I know Sarah enjoyed knitting into a hat.
Speaking of hats! This guy was purchasing wool for his felt fungi hat creations. I was impressed enough to ask him if I could take his photo.
Travel Knitting
I ended up frogging my fall striped sock. Even on a size 0 needle, the 64 stitch recipe was too big. I’ll try again with 60 stitches. Luckily, I brought a small cake of Qiviuk yarn: qiviut, merino, and silk and cast on, yep, another blue beanie. It’s so soft and I’m always happy in a plain blue beanie.
On Monday, everyone else headed home and I was on my own until the evening. I stopped by Fiddlesticks Knits to say hi to @superradleesha who I met last year. She gave me a tour of all her current WIPs that were on display with the yarn in the shop, which was so fun! The shop was brand new when I visited last year. It has really filled out with lots of selections! Also, there were boob candles. Yes, you can have your boobs molded into custom candles, which honestly I think sounds like a lot of fun.
I purchased this Woll Wichtel from Fiddlesticks, because nonsuperwash + autumn colors = happy Alissa.
I also stopped into Mad City Music, and look at the treasures I found! Although I can sing along with the songs from the other three CDs, Rockabilly from Hell has surprised me with my new favorite spooky season selections.
My last stop before the airport was a trip to Sanitarium Hill to get my paranormal on. This is a working building, so I didn’t try to go inside. Instead I walked the grounds and took some photos. I did not see any ghosts or feel anything spooky. It felt very peaceful to me. I also wanted to have a drink at a haunted bar, but unfortunately it is closed for business.
Madison is a really fun place to visit. I would go back there in a heartbeat. Have you visited? If so, please leave a comment of your favorite places!
I’m really pleased it fits. Pattern is Musselburgh Hat by Ysolda. Yarn is Chester Sock by Dye Mad Yarns. The pattern was well written and easy to follow. It took a long time in fingering weight, though. But that made the perfect double layer of fabric. I made the AXL size.
I am taking one more day off from work tomorrow to completely decompress. I hope to catch up on Arrowhead and get some sewing in. A big thank you to everyone who purchased a Spring Thaw Yarn Mystery Box! 💙
This has been a Year Of Projects update. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link) or here: Backstage Kath’s YOP bloggers list. You can read my updated list of projects here.
Today I added my finished All Sass and No Squatch Hat to my Knitting Master Plan, and I crossed the 100 miles knit line! That’s not bad for mid-January.
Pattern is All Sass and No Squatch by Dragonbird Creations. Yarn is Hello Purl in Suit and Tie (BFL, Silk, and Gold Stellina) purchased at Wisconsin Sheep and Wool, and Harrisville Designs Nightshade in 1257 (Cormo).
Da dadada da (da dadada da). Da dadada da (da dadada da). Dadala dadala dadala dadala dadala da da.
Knitting
I finished knitting Henry’s Unbearable Hat. It’s very large (I made the biggest size) but he does have a very big head (for his big brains). I tried blocking it, but it’s superwash wool, and it grew even bigger! Luckily, Marilee told me to put it in the dryer, and that helped. Yarn is Valley Superwash DK.
I’m off next week, and I’m going to focus on finishing up my Celtic Myths Shawl and working on my Arrowhead Cardigan.
Sewing
I finished piecing together my coat pattern. I’m not sure about the wool flannel jacket now. I may jump right into the wool melton coat, because that’s what I do.
Spinning
I’m waiting for my class so I don’t get used to making mistakes that I have to unlearn.
Gardening
There’s still some arugula and lettuce in the garden! The greenhouse seems to be working. Also, winter arugula is much milder tasting than summer arugula.
This has been a Year of Projects update. You can find out more about the group here (Rav link) or here: Backstage Kath’s YOP bloggers list. You can read my updated list of projects here.
This beanie is for my oldest. Yarn is Valley Superwash DK in (starting at the brim) Classic Navy, Eggplant, Steel Grey, Squash, Forest, Burgundy, and Blue Mist. Superwash so if it gets thrown in with laundry, it will not felt.
My stitch gauge is 22 stitches to 4 inches on size 6 needles. I used size 4 needles for the ribbed brim. I cast on 100 stitches, knit 9 rounds of ribbing, then 9 rounds of each color until I reached 9 inches in length, maintaining the color order for the stripes. Then I began a five point decrease for the crown, starting with knit 18, knit 2 together, every other row for a stripe, then every row until 5 stitches were left. I won’t bother writing out the crown, but if you want that, leave me a comment. This is really more of a recipe than a pattern.
It looks like I missed a round of Steel Grey. Oops!
I hope this beanie fits and is loved. The last beanie was a little short, but gets worn. My children have big heads (for their big brains).
This post is JoJo Approved.
Happy September, and Happy Birthday to my Mother-In-Law, Margie! By now I hope she has received her gift in the mail. Earlier this year, Margie sent me this photo:
She wondered if I could make one for her. Of course I could! Unfortunately, the yarn was out of stock, and there wasn’t any information about the pattern. I put on my thinking cap and my can-do attitude, and found the yarn dyed-to-order on Etsy, and the pattern on Ravelry!
I finished the hat a couple of weeks ago, and popped it in the post for a birthday surprise. I hope she loves it!
Pattern is The Journey. Yarn is Fleece Artist Nova Scotia Colorway and another skein of Fleece Artist Chinook Natural. Pom Pom is from ThreadHead Knits.
I finished my Malabrigo Rikke Hat and I’m very pleased.
This shows you that you can knit a pattern in a different weight yarn and with different needles if you know how you knit. I’m a loose knitter, and I knit this DK pattern in Sport weight with needles one size down. But my first Rikke Hat is a little big, and I’m a loose knitter. So this worked for me. And I love the pooling on the brim!
As promised, here is a photo comparison of Spice Bush and Forsythia. What was I thinking? They aren’t the same at all, except both are yellow.
I received my Bougie Beaver Solo Fingering, along with a “sorry” gift. This made me happy. I can’t wait to cast on my Jessica Jones Cowl!
In the before times, you wouldn’t have caught me with a phony fur pom pom on my head. Or, for that matter, speckles in my yarn or a fade on my being. But I can admit when I’m wrong. I was wrong about these things.
You know why? Because knitting should be whatever makes us happy. I think I was taking my knitting WAY too seriously, don’t you? So here’s my Kenora Toque in Rauma Strikkegarn with a pom pom! (Rav link)
Very happy and look how well it matches my duffle coat.
I’m also really, really excited to tell you I am now on the sleeves of my Turtledove! I cannot wait to wear this so I will probably focus on it until I finish it. It’s very soft and squishy. Also, I want you to know, that after knitting the Cocoknits method, I will never, ever try to pick up and knit underarm stitches again. I will (and did) cast on enough stitches on the sleeve to match the underarm, then I will seam it when I’m done. That way I won’t have those weird holes and ladders that I can’t unsee and pretend aren’t there.
Speaking of fades, I’ve decided to knit a Boxy fade (Rav link). I splurged on a yarn fade bundle from La Bien Aimee. It’s my first time ordering from her, but I’ve been drooling since Knit City.
I also ordered some really nice plaid flannel fabric that I had intended to make PJs with, but it is too nice. It wants to be a dress. So I’m sewing this raglan dress. I love it so much, I also ordered some beautiful blue cotton shirting to make a summertime one. I have a lot of projects to add to my Year of Projects list, don’t I?
I’ve been a little down lately, so I haven’t been blogging much. That probably explains all the splurging. I have one last splurge to share.
This print is from a UK artist who made this for Shetland Wool Week 2020. I’ve been waiting for her Etsy shop to be restocked. Now I just have to find a suitable frame. I will hang it in my studio and gaze upon it lovingly and sigh.
How are you doing? Are you okay? I haven’t really been that okay, and a friend recently asked me straight up how I was. It helped to just be able to say, I am not okay. We lost a family member recently, a dear “Uncle” who was technically not my biological uncle, but he was my Dad’s best friend, and my best friend’s Dad, and definitely an important Uncle to me. We were close when we lived in Oklahoma City, and he was there for me during my separation and divorce, and helped me get back on my feet financially. He helped us get back on our feet financially after my Dad died, too, though I was too young to understand that at the time. So, feeling sad but appreciative. Godspeed Uncle Jack. ❤
Also, I am feeling depleted. As I am sure many of us are after a year of living through a pandemic.
But how are you? Please spill your beans in the comments, if you like.
When I was writing about my happy places, I was remiss not to mention Global Gifts stores. That’s where I work, but I work from my home office now. However, I was a store manager for four years, and the store was my happy place. It smells like incense and coffee when you walk in, there is global music playing, everything is handmade, everyone is happy, and there’s chocolate. Lots of fair trade chocolate. It’s a little different now because of the pandemic. There are masks of course, and no coffee samples. We’re at limited capacity to ensure social distancing. And now when I visit I realize I’m another potential germ carrier. So I make my visits quick, and shop online and pick up. I miss being in store. I can’t wait for COVID to end.
And to make good on my resolution-ish to listen to more music, here’s one that reminds me of Global Gifts.
Year of Projects Update
I may also lay out the wool for a new fiber art piece and dye some brown.
I do have another resolution-ish for 2021, and that’s to knit as much yarn as I purchase, at a minimum. So outgoing has to equal incoming, although ideally outgoing will exceed incoming. Since I’m signed up for two yarn clubs, that means I have to knit 24 skeins minimum. I also may have just stress bought a sweater quantity of Peace Fleece. I’ve wanted to knit a Peace Fleece sweater for several years, so I bit the bullet and did it.
Therefore, I’ve added a couple of things to my list:
Peace Fleece Ronan in Siberian Midnight (Ravelry link)
I wear my Christmas Village Rikke Hat all the time, so I’m going to need a new color, and this matches my coat. I love this stretchy German Twist cast on. It’s my new thing. I also learned a new stretchy bind off for Franca.
This has been a Year of Projects Update. You can read my updated list here. You can find out more about the group here.
Today is our Blogville Knitters Virtual Knit at 1PM Eastern. If you are new and would like to join us by Skype, please DM your Skype ID to me on Instagram or Ravelry. So far, it’s been me, Sarah, Marilee, Liz, Kath, Bonny, and Laura. Our group is growing!
Snakes & Cranes 