I don’t have much to say this week. The Side cardigan has been a challenge to say the least. I restarted it four times but I’m in a good place right now. Currently, I’m worried about when I have to switch to dividing the arms. Here are a few pictures and videos below.
I set out to knit hats for this winter and began with a very simple recipe. This a women’s small hat as I made it for my teenage daughter. I cast on 84 stitches using a long tail cast on, using worsted weight wool of the andes yarn from Knit Picks. The long tail cast on is stretchy and easy to learn. You can cast on any amount of stitches as long as they are a multiple of 4.
My gauge for this is 18 stitches and 24 rows equals 4 inches by 4 inches. Anything close will do just fine for this project.
Once I cast on the stitches, I join them in the round, with my circular needle tips held together. You can use any size cable if you are willing to use the magic loop method. These circulars in my tutorial were 16 inches, not 8 inches as I stated in my video. I had to use some elements of the magic loop as it was just a slight bit too long.
Once the yarn is joined in the round, start the 2×2 ribbing. This is done by knitting two and then purling two. This is why the number of stitches cast on has to be a multiple of 4.
Continue the ribbing for two inches.
Switch to stockinette (all knitting). Continue for 4-6 inches of stockinette (6-8 inches in length overall.
Use the tapestry needle and move the stitches from the needles onto the loose yarn. Cinch the hat tightly and sew it closed. Sew on a pom pom or other decoration if you like.
Happy New Year. I’m a few days late. I’ve been posting to YouTube regularly while promising to update my webpage. That didn’t happen. Life is crazy with a full time job, three kids, three cats, four chickens and perhaps, ADHD brain? I finished the Darkwater Sweater pattern by Jennifer Steingass and I’ll post that separately here with the video that shows my progress. I really enjoyed this pattern and had the focus to follow it through. My coworker asked if it was a Christmas present and I believe I beamed when I told her I made it myself.
My goal now is to knit the Sode sweater, which is a Cabled cardigan designed by Hiroko Payne. However, I’m already overwhelmed. I couldn’t get the gauge quite right so I think I’m going to knit one size for width and another for length. I am going to cast on this afternoon when life is quieter and I can focus. Right now my brain is busy with getting ready to ski with my middle child. We’ll go for an hour plus and I’ll be home before lunch time. I’m no longer in any kind of shape to be skiing, but it’s quality time with the middle child who doesn’t have constant, intense needs.
I’m also reading the Principals of Knitting, which is a great big book about everything you ever wanted to know about reading. I’ve borrowed it from my library and read a few pages each night before going to bed.
Happy 2025. I will be eating, drinking, breathing knitting this year!
Here’s my New Year, New Project Video
Here is my weekly summary on my knitting/crafting projects.
I’m really awful at keeping up with this. I’m back and I am now a – drum roll please – YouTube creator. I did a few videos about a year and a half ago but they were simply not good and I dropped it.
How did we get here?
Some of you may already know, I’m the mother of three kids, two with special needs, and I work full time as an accountant. If you are on Tik Tok or You Tube, you know I don’t sleep that well. I’m up most mornings between 3 and 4 am. I was away at a respite retreat when I should have been sleeping, but instead I stumbled upon this master knitter’s program. I’ve been knitting for about 30 years, so why not? Then I looked at the program and read/watched reviews of what is required. I was floored. My knitting experience may be vast, but my technique is not.
Do I spend the money, jump full on into it and get frustrated? At that point, I had knit three sweaters in the space of less than two months and none of them fit as expected. The fourth sweater wound up being huge as well.
Let’s start at the beginning with GAUGE.
I decided to knit the Wasabi Sweater from Custom Knits 2 again, but this time for my daughter. I had to go down two needle sizes to get the right gauge.
I did the provisional cast on using a crochet hook instead of figuring it out while in the car on a two hour ride.
I blocked the sweater. For the FIRST TIME. Did I mention I’ve been doing this for THIRTY YEARS!
It came out – perfect. I added a cabled ribbing, and it is perfect.
Onto sweater number 6. Let’s tackle color work. I picked the Darkwater Sweater by Jennifer Steingass (Knit.Love.Wool). I made my swatch and went down one size with my needles and a size down since my swatch was wide. I can knit it longer. I will knit it longer!
So far so good.
I’m so excited to announce that I’ve finally completed the Lindisfarne Scarf/Shawl. I used the pattern for the poncho but didn’t have enough yarn so pivoted. I still have some left over so I’ll probably make a matching set of fingerless gloves to go with my scarf.
Here’s a link to my very first YouTube introducing myself and my projects.
Am I the only person who has to have a travel project? Here I am, with my shawl in progress but the pattern is too intricate to take along. I also have my cross stitch but I’m carrying 32 threads so that’s not great to carry with me. There’s always socks! I started my two at a time toe up socks for my kiddo but I forgot a stitch marker. I used a hair tie to mark the beginning of my round.
I’ve been working for months now washing, combing, spinning and now knitting the Tunis fleece I bought last September at a Fiber festival. The first huge skein I actually over spun when plying. It didn’t seem like I had enough yarn to knit the Lindisfarne Mantle, which is a poncho. Instead I’m making this into a wide cabled scarf/shawl. I think it’ll be more useful than my jacket over this upcoming winter!
How, how do I know I’m going to be ok? This is how! It’s been over a week since I cast on a particular project. It’s not easy. I’m working on the Lindisfarne Poncho which means cabling repeat pattern blocks and tracking it carefully. I haven’t been able to do an in-depth pattern for ages. I pretend that I did an intricate lace pattern last holiday season but it just looks pretty because of the colors! This THIS is how I know my mind is healing. Look how pretty it is!
We start again. Is there any better feeling than starting a project from scratch? I started yesterday on the Lindistfarne Poncho using my hand spun, hand combed, Tunis. The cabled cream colored four ply stranded yarn already looks fantastic cabled. I just hope I have enough yarn and/or fiber. Second, I’m cross stitching Pikachu and it’s evolved form for my youngest. It’s a bit intimidating starting such a large cross stitch project but it is stamped- making it easier.
There’s an ancient practice of weaving using a piece of equipment called a peg loom. This can purchased or created if you happen to have a wood worker you know. Fiber artists seem to have handy partners! I’m not that lucky so mine is purchased through The Woolery. I picked the 24 inch version instead of the longer 36 inch version. I wish I had gone for the longer option.
I have pictures below of how to go ahead and prepare the loom by inserting yarn into the hole of the dowels and tying the end together. The yarn is woven around the dowels. Once the yarn is built up on the dowels, the pegs are removed one by one and the yarn slipped down. In that manner, the weaving grows down and down the warp.
I love peg loom weaving for stash busting and using up the extra bits of hand spun and commercial yarn. It’s a fun technique to learn and continue.
What does it mean to be me? Today is the anniversary of my mother’s death. Am I a daughter first? A wife? A mother? A creator? A writer? A fiber artist? An employee? I have a million pieces that make who I am and trying to explain it is like having to weave in the ends of an elaborate project. I say this after 1 – failing at my weaving a scarf on my baby wolf 2 – succeeding at weaving a tapestry project.
This year, for a whole year, I’m not allowed new projects, tasks, volunteers or pretty much anything that involves me extending myself. That started in February and I’ve already broken my commitment by agreeing to go full time at work. I desperately want to hit the art store and by a canvas and a load of acrylic paints but that would be messy, expensive and breaking my no new hobbies rule. Instead, I started a tapestry using a loom I already have and yarn from my closet.
I’m still trying to finish this baby off. It’s a mountain scene and what I’ve had in my head for years. I sit here today, trying to figure out how to end this piece, already weaving on another project on my peg loom, thinking, what would Mom say. I think she’d be happy with it- with all of it. Don’t get me wrong. She’d sprinkle some judgement on in there, but over all, deep inside, she’d be happy. It’s time to use more yarn now. Happy Creating!!!
It’s the busiest time of the year as the Christmas knitting and crafting bonanza is in full force. My coworkers – who have no idea I have a blog!!! – are all getting cowls except for the one who is allergic to wool. She’s getting a pillow. I wove towels for another friend since she can quilt anything but I have a new to me 4 shaft Leclerc Meco loom.
Then there is the most difficult and prized gift – a baby dress and matching Santa hat. This is the first dress that I’ve knit without a pattern and if her Momma approves, I’ll be posting a picture later. In the meantime, I made it knit up – starting with bulky white chenille like yarn but switching to knit picks mighty stitch which is only 20% wool. Mom’s don’t have a lot of time to hand wash wool knits. I reviewed a few videos and blogs to do the set in sleeves. Since the baby is in South Florida, I went with short sleeves. The pictures look a little off but hopefully it fits just right.
We had a COVID scare at work a little over two weeks ago. One coworker tested positive despite only having a sore throat, and next thing you know two others are being quarantined. Then I caught a cold. I don’t know how but I blame the short people in my house. Many nose swans later, no covid. I did sleep around the clock for two days.
I’ve been hiding in my craft room, thinking more than I should, and cycling through my crafts. I have 1.5 scarves done, a few skeins of yarn spun and three more cowls knit up. Tomorrow we go look at merino fleeces!
Welcome to Fiber Friday! Ok maybe just for me and anyone who is following Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair on Facebook this year. https://saffsite.org/ Check out the Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/MissingSAFF
I discovered this a few days ago and I look forward to visiting in years to come. In the last two weeks, I’ve gone from no new hobbies!!! to extending out my current hobbies through the roof. I picked up my spinning wheel and picked up some gorgeous alpaca roving. I dyed with Jacquard dyes for the first time. It was a learning lesson for sure and the dye the yarn did soak up looked great.
I spun up some white wool years ago. I added this to a bobbin of merino/nylon mix and grey alpaca. I dyed the single white wools separately in Jacquard 608 Pink Acid Dye.
I then hung it for a few days. I plyed the three together rather quickly and wrapped them around the knitty noddy. I washed it gently with warm water and Dawn dish soap. The fun part was thwacking it against the kitchen counter.
Now I’m knitting up a cowl for my coworker. I’m thinking about dyeing over it again more pink but we shall see.
In between all that, I brought my husband and kids to a local farm to purchase my first fleece. Technically it’s not a new hobby but I also ordered a hackle and comb set to be able to prepare said fleece.
Arbormeadow Sheep Farm raises Coopworth Sheep in Steele’s Tavern, Va. It’s a georgous area and we got to walk around and talk to the owners. I purchased a lovely natural fleece and immediately went home to clean it (Dawn plus hot hot water. We ever so gently placed the fleece in said water.) Rinse it (Same thing but no Dawn dish soap) and placed it on an old screen door to dry. It was a lot of work but I had a few helpers.
So that’s where I am. I may be a touch over my head but I love it.
Knitwerks 