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In case you’re living in some remote corner of the world and haven’t heard everyone in the US bitching about it, it has been HOT this week. I don’t actually go outside and we have air conditioning, so it figures that on the hottest days of the year, I knit knee-high wool socks and a stranded hat. Both of which I finished, but this post is about the socks, which I will love more in the winter.
Pattern: They are toe up socks. Do you need a pattern? Gusset/flap heel, wedge toe.
Yarn: Jo Ann Sensations Dolcetto, three skeins in light blue. The colorway reminds me of clouds and the sky, hence, Cloud Cover.
Needles: US 2 and 5 KP options circs
So the yarn held out long enough for these to go just over the knee, which is all kinds of awesome. They will be perfect for under skirts in the winter (not that I’ll probably be working somewhere where that sort of dress is acceptable, but there are weekends!) and they’re pretty comfortable. I can also fold down the cuffs for actual knee socks:
I don’t have especially high hopes for the longevity of the heels/toes of these socks as the yarn is a cotton/wool/nylon blend single (well, fake single; it’s like a fuzzy chained something or other) and the toes are not knitted especially tightly. I figure I won’t wear them that often and I can always darn them if they develop holes, but they should be alright for the time being. I can’t for winter to roll around again so I can wear my socks (and so this damn heat wave will end!)
All right guys, I finally finished and sent my swap package for the Yarnie vs. Sewists swap on Craftster. My partner was MissDolly, and we decided to craft each other’s lists (we each had five items). Here is everything I made for MissDolly (and warning–the last one is probably NSFW).
Pattern: None, it’s a top-down hat.
Yarn: Grants Knitting Worsted, the vintage wool I’m slowly working through.
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm
I like how this came out. It’s not overly complicated and the ears and a little crooked but it’s cute. And comfy.
Pattern: The Mary Jane Slippers I’ve made three pairs of now.
Hook: H8/5 mm
Yarn: Cascade 220 (grey) and Ella Rae Classic (blue)
Mods: None, I think. Crocheted as written.
Every time I make these, I like them more. One of these days I’ll make a pair for myself. In the mean time, I’ll continue making them for swap cause they’re SO FAST and they’re a great use of random wool or acrylic that I have lounging about in the stash. Also, great use for buttons I only have two of.
I did do something different for this pair though:
A while back, I picked up a couple of shelf liners/placemats (one of those things) at Goodwill. They’re kind of sticky, and I figured they’d be good for sewing to slipper bottoms so the slippers aren’t so dangerous and so they last longer (since pure wool crocheted loosely that gets stepped on a lot probably won’t last very long).
Pattern: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath, from Knitty
Yarn: Almost EXACTLY one skein of Knit Picks Comfy in Marlin (I had about three yards left)
Needles: US 6/4 mm Susan Bates dpns
Mods: None? Though next time I would do a little shaping and a different thumb. I hate afterthought thumbs.
I think these are cute. I REALLY love the cabled wrist, and I will definitely be working that into a future pair of fingerless (or fingered) mitts or gloves. It snugs up nicely and it’s quite pretty. I don’t especially care for the top (it flairs out a little) or, as I said, the lack of shaping (there’s not enough ribbing for that) and a regular mitten thumb (have I mentioned I dislike afterthought thumbs? Cause I do). I probably won’t make these for myself, but they were fun and fast to make for the swap, and I’m pleased I used up the last lingering ball of Comfy. (Now I have to order more.)
Pattern: My own; made it up as I went.
Yarn: Lamb’s Pride (in Kiwi), Lion Wool (in Purple), and some yarn from a thrift store sweater I frogged
Hook: Uh… G maybe? For amigurumi, I generally just use whatever hook I pull out first. I think I used a 3.75 mm hook.
Guys, I love this rabbit. LOVE. I was convinced it was going to come out horribly, and then I put it all together, and it’s AMAZING. I’m seriously considering making another for myself to sit on my desk and be cute and nerdy. His little glasses (scraps of jersey I glued on) are adorable. LOVE.
WARNING: This next one is NSFW or kids. Though you should expect this sort of thing from time to time since the name of my blog is “Adulterous Whores Club.” Just sayin’.
Pattern: Adult Lip Balm Cozy
Hook: Uh… 3.75 mm?
Yarn: Wool from a thrift store sweater.
Mods: Made adjustments for thicker yarn, stuffed it fully instead of leaving space for chapstick.
…Yeah. It was fun to make, and she wanted one, so I obliged. You know you want one too.
Sooooo I claimed PheonixFireDesigns for hand knit house socks! And they are great.
Pattern: Get-Together Cable Socks
Yarn: Some vintage orange wool I got at the thrift store that I’ve had forever.
Needles: US 6/4 mm Knit Picks Options Circular
Mods: Knit toe-up, left out some of the cables. Basically, I took the k1 rib and the 2×2 cable and threw them into my own socks.
I like how these came out. : ) I absolutely despise the color, but despite that, they’re cute. I worked these two at a time on Magic Loop. I don’t hate the technique, but I don’t think I love it either. I almost certainly wouldn’t bother for fingering weight socks, but these took practically no time at all, so it wasn’t too bad. At the very least, I’m fortunate to have done these on my Knit Picks Options because if I were still working on those cheap Susan Boye circular needles, there’s no way I would have finished these magic loop. I love my bendy Knit Picks cables. : )
Pattern: Basic toe up socks.
Yarn: Ella Rae Solid and some random red wool I probably got at the thrift store.
Needles: US 7/4 mm Knit Picks Options circ
So I love these socks. And if they weren’t size 6.5 and knit specifically for the swap, I’d keep them for myself. As it is, I think I have enough yarn to knit another pair for myself anyway. They remind me of spiderman. : ) I have more of the red than the blue left over, so I think for mine, I’ll do one row of blue and two of red.
Anyway, I hope Phoenix likes her socks. I certainly do. : )
I’ve written up and had tested the Cabled Snow Hat, and it is available for purchase through Ravelry. There will be more on the Ravelympics sweater on Wednesday, but for the moment, let’s hear a word from our sponsors (i.e., me):
Cabled Snow Hat: US $1.75
This hat is perfect for both men and women and is perfect for playing in the snow and keeping cold air off of your head. The hat brim is high enough to stay out of your eyes, and the earflaps mean your ears will stay warm and toasty, even in cold temperatures. Lots of heat is lost through the head, so this hat will keep you (or a loved one) warm.
The hat knits up fast and makes a great last-minute gift, and at only about 110 yards (half a ball of Cascade 220 superwash), this hat is also a great stash buster!
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash (or 110 yards of worsted weight yarn)
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm dpns and 16″ circ.
You will also need: a tapestry needle and a cable needle
Gauge: 5 sts/7 rows per inch stockinette
Finished Size: Will fit most adult heads (cable pattern is very stretchy)
I know all of you guys do. And I am all too willing to oblige:
One sleeve totally done and attached and the other sleeve up to my elbow. Which means I have about 8.5 more inches of sleeve to knit and I will finally be up to the colorwork. O hai thur, gold medal. You’re so gonna be mine.
In case you were wondering, it is extremely difficult to block a full-length scarf in a dorm room. Just a PSA for your consideration. Still it worked out alright:
Pattern: Saroyan, by Liz Abinante (free Ravelry download)
Yarn: My own handspun BFL!
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm
Mods: Did seven increase repeats, six decrease repeats (yeah, I’m not sure how that worked out either) and 12 straight repeats.
When I started the scarf, I was worried the yarn was too fuzzy and the pattern wouldn’t show up clearly. This was true in the beginning, sort of, because my spinning hadn’t been very even. As the yarn got better, the pattern showed up better, so yay. I’m glad I persevered. It’s super pretty and the pattern is great.
The yarn is also great. Cause I spun it! It’s a little rough/ropey in places where I over plied and over spun, but a nice bath evened most of that out and the BFL is soft enough in most places anyway.
Here are some pretty detail shots:
In other knitting news, I’m fixing to have a couple more small things to show off soon. I claimed for another round of OWS for amigurumi and wrist warmers, so that’s happening. Plus the things I was claimed for.
Also, here’s what’s happening on the Ravelympics sweater:
(Yes, I’m watching the Ravelympics Radar. On my pretty pretty Mac.)
Yeah, I’m so getting gold.
I’ve been knitting lots of small things lately, so it seems like every post recently has been a FO post. As such, here’s another small thing I finished:
Pattern: My own. I’m thinking of writing it up mostly because I like the decreases.
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, about half a skein
Needles: US 7/4.5
I made this hat for Joe, the boyfriend, because the previous hat I made him was acrylic and did not cover his ears. Since he only wears it in the snow (I swear, it’s like he doesn’t cold–it’s a curse, being a knitter dating such a person), earflaps are a good thing. I can’t imagine he’ll wear it often, but at least I know that he will if it’s cold enough. And that he likes it. : )
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love Cascade Yarns. This was my first time using the 220 Superwash (even though I’ve had it in the stash since probably June), and I LOVE it. It’s a little pricey for me to use a lot (poor college student, you know), but it is all kinds of soft. And superwash! It was so wonderful to knit with. And I have half the ball left. Not sure what I’m going to make yet, but whatever it is will be enjoyable.
And as for my pattern: As I said, I’m considering writing it up and offering it as a free/cheap (like a dollar or two cause I’m a college student and am poor. See above note about poorness) pattern. If you want to test knit, shoot me a comment with your email, an email, or a Rav pm (link in the sidebar). If you need convincing, look at the pretty decreases:
(In the pattern I’m writing up, the ribs will go all the way to the center. I just got lazy when I was knitting this for Joe.)
Anyway, coming up, there are swap things and a scarf thing I’ve been working on in between the small projects. And then there’s the Ravelympics, which I am doing. More about that later. : )
As anyone who knows me will attest to, I have a serious love for baby knits. They’re small and quick, they don’t take much time and they’re SO CUTE. So when my friend Sarah told me her cousin was having a baby (the shower being this weekend) and asked if I would be interested in a commission from her for several baby things, I jumped at the chance. Also cause it meant I got to buy nice sock yarn. : )
So here’s what I came up with:
Pattern: Top Down Bonnet with Anime Character
Yarn: Trekking XXL
Needles: US 3/3.25 mm (or whatever the metric is)
Mods: I followed the size for the child using a smaller yarn and needles, hoping it would come out about baby sized. I think I accomplished that. I also, obviously, left off the face features.
Pattern: Mostly an amalgamation of various baby sock patterns. Mostly I made it up. No idea when they’ll fit the kid but I imagine they will at some point. Also, I did one cuff down (I started with a pattern) then did the other toe up, as I prefer. Both have a wedge toe and short row heel.
Yarn: Trekking XXL
Needles: US 1
Pattern: Steggie Bib
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in Lime
Needles: US 6/4 mm, which made for a super squishy and wonderful seed stitch.
Mods: Changed the icord ties to crochet chain/single crochet because it was faster that the icord would have been.
I totally love this bib. The pattern was fun, it’s super cute, and the cotton-ease is SO wonderful and squishy on the 4mm needles.
Anyway, I hope the parents-to-be like the things I made for Sarah to give to her cousin. At the very least, they were lots of fun to make.
Ahem. I claimed Claire313 for a slouchy hat + surprise. Here’s what I sent her:
Pattern: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret
Yarn: Grants Knitting Worsted (Vintage wool from a thrift store purchase) in Tangerine
Needles: US 8/5 mm and US 10/6 mm dpns.
And here’s the surprise I send, a little knit Totoro:
Pattern: None, really. I looked at the crochet version and knit from there.
Yarn: Some white Sugar ‘N’ Cream and random sport weight acrylic.
Needles: US 5/3.75 mm
Knitting that is. I’ve done few commissions over the last couple of weeks:
Bufanda Del Diablo
Pattern: It’s garter stitch. Seriously.
Yarn: Lion Brand Fancy Fur in “Bold Black”. Three skeins.
Needles: US 15/10 mm
So, yes, Bufada Del Diablo. The Devil’s Scarf. A, novelty yarn. B, two strands. C, apparently the two skeins I had in my stash weren’t enough, so I literally drove all around town today trying to hunt down more. I tried Dollar Tree, Big Lots, Michael’s, and two different Tuesday Mornings before I found a skein in a clearance bin in AC Moore. BAH.
Anyway, this scarf is for one of my mother’s friends at work. She’s paying me for it, so it’s not like I just make scarves and run all over town for random people my mother knows. I am giving her a cut rate deal though, mostly cause it helped get the damn yarn out of my stash.
Next:
Pattern: My own Shark mittens
Yarn: Cascade Eco and Ella Rae
Needles: US 6/4 mm and US 7/4.5 mm
These mittens are for a girl I know at school. I was in the post office at school before break, and I had my mittens on cause it was cold. She complimented them and asked where I got them. When I told her I made them, she asked if I do commissions. And I most certainly do. : )
Next:
Pattern: My Tissue Cozy.
Yarn: Lily Sugar ‘N’ Cream in Hot Pink, Strawberry, and Playtime
Needles: US 6/4 mm
I don’t actually have a recipient in mind for these, as I’m putting them up for sale on my Etsy and my Artfire. Or, I will. At some point. Yeah.
And last but not least, this cowl:
Pattern: None. It’s a garter stitch rectangle with buttons and button holes.
Yarn: A strand of vintage wool and a strand of acrylic
Needles: Uh… US 9 or 10? I don’t remember.
A big, chunky cowl to keep you warm for winter. : ) The buttons are hand-made by me out of Fimo (or similar brand; I don’t recall) clay. It’s super cozy, and I’d keep it for myself but I can only use so many cowls, ya know? Available on Etsy or Artfire.
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 