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I didn’t go in to my volunteer gig today so I could get some work done for my occasional paid employment (shit I sell on Etsy). I’ve almost finished up a pair of shark mittens and I dyed up some wool for additional mittens and spats.
I just used black RIT dye in a bucket in the sink. I did four skeins then took them out to dry:
It’s damp outside so they’re on the kitchen table until my parents yell, in which case I’ll just hang them up in the shower or something.
All the yarn I dyed was recycled from thrift store sweaters, mainly from the Goodwill Outlet. I actually (or, well, my mother) found the RIT dye at the thrift too. I also used some leftover Dylon dye I’ve had for a bit. I probably paid less than $5 for the yarn, so it was a lot cheaper than buying WotA for mittens.
Because it’s so cheap to whip up, I’m considering offering kits for the mittens and spats. I’m not sure if people will be put-off because it’s recycled yarn and because it doesn’t have a “brand name”, but it’s just an idea. I’m not sure how much people charge for kits anyway. And I’d have to print up patterns. But I’d definitely appreciate another revenue stream.
Anyway, next time on Stitch, Brinn Stitch: Finished shark mittens. Maybe some spats (I forgot to photograph the last two pairs I made). Possibly Karlsro progress (it isn’t much, but I’ve been sneaking in stitches here and there).
Yeah, yeah, bad pun. Anyway, since the start of fall, my Etsy shop, wherein I sell custom knit shark/dino mittens and spats and patterns, has been doing very well. My needles are pretty busy which is good cause I need the money. Anyway, here’s what I’ve been making lately for the shop:
A pair of baby sharks, going to Canada.
A single shark to be used as a puppet.
And some black spats. I’ll be mailing everything off tomorrow, and I just got two more orders for spats and an order for shark mittens. So get used to seeing those things for the time being.
Sooo the other day I participated in a test knit on Ravelry for a pair of cute slippers. The pattern hasn’t been released yet, but I’ll edit this post with a link when it has.
Pattern: Options Slippers by KrisKrafter
Yarn: Two recycled wool/acrylic blends
Needles: US 8/5 mm
Hook: I (whatever that mm is… 5.5?)
Mods: Fewer heel stitches, blanket stitched the heel.
This was a pretty solid pattern, and it knit up reeeeeally quickly. It was sort of annoying to knit the upper and sole as separate pieces and sew them, but I like the two color effect. And also they’re super comfy.
There’s not a tremendous amount of things to say about these slippers, so instead I’ll tell you about some WIPs. I’m currently working on some baby shark mittens (they’re so wee!), a pair of black spats, and a single shark mitten to be used as a puppet. I’m nearly finished with the first two so they’ll probably go in the mail tomorrow. I’m thinking about adding custom knit dinosaur mittens to my Etsy shop, but people so rarely give me their hand length (it’s in caps in the description) that I doubt they would specify their dinosaurs. Maybe I’ll just say if you don’t tell me, I’ll do what I like.
Unrelated fun fact: I am on Twitter as Brinnanza. Feel free to follow me. I post things about knitting, live tweets of various shows/movies, and funny things people say. Sometimes I say swears, so be aware. : )
I’m back to full-time job hunting, which basically means full-time knitting and watching Charmed (which is the latest sci fi/fantasy show I’ve gotten into. I love it; it’s like Buffy except sometimes the characters are happy and there are more witches). This means there is more time for knit blogging.
I recently finished up the last pair of shark mittens on order. They look like this:
I also started another knitting project for me (even though I have two others on the needles at the moment). As I mentioned the other day, it’s Karlsro in some recycled wool. I went down a couple of needle sizes, and this is my sleeve so far:
Don’t mistake it for a swatch. You know I don’t do that.
I also managed to do some dyeing the other day. I recently recycled some undyed wool from a thrift store vest, and I dunked it in some dye:
Colorway: Sharks. For knitting more shark mittens, obviously.
Colorway: Gradiation Experimentation. I rolled yp two 50g skeins into loose balls and dunked them in a bucket of purple kool aid for a bit. Voila, two gradient-dyed skeins. Not sure what to knit with them yet. Maybe a striped something or other. Thoughts?
The thing about suddenly working (or volunteering) a full-time job when you’re used to having the whole day for whatever is that I have waaaay less time for knitting. And I have shark mitten orders which means I’ve put knitting for myself on hold. : ( I currently have three orders outstanding (one is for two pairs of children’s mittens).
I have all the parts knit for the first two pairs, and I need to put them together. The next pair is a bit past the thumb gusset.
I’ve also been doing some unravelling. My mother found a big red cabled pullover that I’m working on (though it’s a little felted). I also recently found a tan cashmere sweater to felt for my blanket. Which I have enough sweaters to make decent-sized, I just need to get around to doing the sewing. And I’ll need a warmer blanket soon because the weather was in the 60s for the last couple days so I got to wear knits. : ) I much prefer fall to summer.
So, yes. I’ve been knitting. I’ve been working on a pair of socks for a WWFY swap:
Pattern is Twisted (from Knitty) in Bugga! That’s the cuff there and it’s FINALLY up to the heel flap. FINALLY. I’ve been working on these socks forever.
I’ve also been knitting shark mittens:
I’m trying a new yarn for the grey part (it’s Wool of the Andes, which is a bit thinner but it also cheaper and softer). It seems to be working out.
In other news, I think I’ve forgotten what it’s like to knit for myself.
So it snowed last night, and I participated in a snowball fight and made a snowman. It was dark though, so there aren’t any pictures. We still had class today though, but I made my own snow day and spent the morning finishing up some shark mittens:
That’s three pairs. I still have like four more to make, plus four pairs of socks.
So yeah. Knitting.
So, uh, sorry for the radio silence, people. It’s finals week, which means last week was hell week, during which all of the last minute homework and projects professors assign is due. So yeah. But I have been knitting. I’ve started a pair of socks for a WWFY trade:
And I’m knitting a hat for a commission from a friend:
And of course I’m knitting eighty six bajillion pairs of shark mittens.
At least winter break starts next week.
So I made some more shark mittens:
I did tell you you were going to see a lot of them. These are made in acrylic though, as the customer has a wool sensitivity. I have another wool pair knit in pieces (mittens with fins and unblocked mouths) and I’m currently to the beginning of the thumb gusset in another pair. And then I have another pair after that. And two people who want to be alerted when I relist the pattern.
Gonna need to order some more Cascade Eco.
So… I made some shark mittens.
Shark Mittens, Cascade Eco and Valley Yarns Northampton, six 6/4 mm needles. Two at a time magic loop.
In the last week or so, I’ve gotten five orders for shark mittens (one person for two pairs!). Expect to see them a fair amount over the next week or two. Sorry. (Not really.)
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 