Not much to report this week, just that I finished my self-striping socks! Woo!
And, just like I said last week, it took maybe 20 minutes to finish them up. 30 if you include weaving in the ends and blocking them. Sure, I could have pushed through and finished them last week, but it was kind of nice taking my time with them and only working on them when I was really in the mood.
I’m glad I got them done, and I’m so pleased with how they turned out. The colors are so pretty. And, the fabric is so soft and smooth, especially since I knit them with smaller needles than I usually use.
I can’t wait until the weather turns and I can wear them!
Can you believe it?! I’m already done with the socks I picked up last week! (Yes, I did have them about 80% done. And yes, they have been sitting unfinished in my stash for almost a year. And yes, this pattern was published before this pair was even close to completed. Hush.)
I even wove in all the ends and blocked them! Ooh la la!
Unfortunately, they’re a little bit small (which, honestly, was probably why I stopped knitting them in the first place), but at least they’re finished and super cute. I guess they’ll just have to go in the “to be gifted” pile for someone with slightly more petite feet than me.
Have you ever successfully resurrected something from your hibernation pile?
And just in time for a heat wave, of course. I finished my kid’s sweater on Monday. Tuesday was a chilly 50 degrees, so we busted it out right away on a little trip to the woods near our house. He looked like a cross between a baby hobbit and a little old man. Frankly, my ideal kid aesthetic. (Though I think the cute factor could be upped with the addition of elbow patches.)
And literally by Wednesday, it was in the 70s, and over the weekend it got into the 80s. So, it seems like this super-cozy, cabled wool sweater will not be getting a lot of play until next fall.
But, thank goodness, I managed to make the sweater big enough that it’ll definitely fit all the way through the next year (probably). There’s plenty of length in the sleeves, and if I blocked it out, I’m sure I could get some extra room around the belly and chest. I haven’t blocked it yet, because it fits just about perfect as is, and it’s extra-squishy and fluffy pre-blocking. It’s possible the neck will be a little too tight if this kid’s gigantic head keeps growing at its current rate, but that would be an easy fix.
I’m so happy to have this sweater finished! I truly don’t know the last time I finished anyproject, much less a full sweater. And, I’m so glad it turned out well! Now I’m thinking of making myself another Ben sweater to match… My current one is definitely “well-loved.”
I just love the feeling of making a new project and immediately knowing that that item is going to be a favorite for years. It’s been a minute since I finished a project on such a high note, and I’ve gotta say, it feels good to experience this again.
I finished my alpaca hat this week- I didn’t even wait to block it before popping it on my head and going about my day. It’s soft, warm and cozy, but still feels fancy. I made the brim super long, so I have options about how I can wear it. I can fold it up higher for warmer days, and wear it right down over my ears when it’s chilly. I love the dark, chocolate brown and the simplicity of the design. It’s an incredibly simple hat, and in its simplicity, it’s ultra-versatile.
In fact, I’m considering writing it up as a pattern. Would that be something you’d be interested in?
Of course, I still can’t take a non-awkward picture of myself to save my life, so this one will have to do.
Have you been really pleased with any of your recent projects?
I did it! Finally! I honestly didn’t know if it was going to happen.
I finally finished my socks.
That’s right. They’re done. I’ve Kitchener-ed the toes and woven in the tails. True, I haven’t blocked them yet, but frankly, I may never do that. We’ll see. They’re still wearable as-is.
I really like how they turned out, and I enjoyed dipping my toes back in the sock-water (ha!). It’s been nice to go back to my roots. I didn’t start knitting with socks, of course, but they were my first real love. I went on a tear for several years, basically knitting nothing but socks. Now, all my socks from those days are worn out and holey. Maybe it’s time to get back on that sock horse. (If that’s a thing.)
What was your first knitting love? Do you ever go back?
I can’t believe I’m actually writing this, but the wedding blanket is finally, finally finished.
I made it through 10 of the 12 skeins of Simply Wool Bulky, but couldn’t keep going. The blanket was just so big and heavy, I couldn’t keep going. It’ll make for a fantastic snuggling, but it’s not the most fun to knit on (my poor arms would ache any time I worked more than a row or two). So, I finally gave up, bound off and declared it done.
I even blocked it! That’s how done it is! I soaked it in the sink and spread it out in the basement (where the children and dog can’t get to it) on a clean drop cloth. (I know… such a fancy setup.) And, lucky for me, it’s been super dry here, so it blocked in just a couple days.
The blanket ended up roughly square, which is fine with me. I just love how it turned out. I even took it out into the snow for a few glamor shots.
It’s taken me 9 months since I received the yarn, and I’m only 7 moths late for my friend’s summer wedding. But, dang it, I finished this thing. And that’s what matters.
Now let’s see how long it takes me to get it in the mail…
They’re done! They’re done! And just in time for the baby to turn 6 months! (It might not be a very punctual “Congratulations on having a baby” present, but oh well. New sweaters are better in October than April, anyway, right?)
That duplicate stitch nearly did me in. It was such slow going. Every night I sat down to work on it I’d think “This’ll be the night I finish these ding dang sweaters,” and I’d end up only finishing one half of one letter.
But, finally, after much whining and several bad movies, I managed to finish! A little blocking later and, tada! Matching sweaters for Luna and Albus! (Or maybe Lupin and Aberforth? Or Lord Voldemort and Aragog?)
I’m so pleased with how they turned out. The duplicate stitch (while a slog), ended up looking just lovely. I love how it blends into the knitting, and how much the blocking made everything so nice and even (I swear blocking is some kind of magic).
Now that I’ve got these guys done (which took surprisingly longer than I had intended), I guess it’s time to get back to the wedding blanket that was “due” last June… Oops!
I DID IT! I finished a sweater! It’s the first sweater I’ve finished in… a while.
Yes, it’s a kid’s sweater, but still. It’s so cute and so soft and it’s going to be so appreciated by the recipient (or at least I’ll pretend it will be… the recipient is 3, and probably couldn’t care less about clothes, but still.)
I’ve roped our sleepy dog Ollie into modeling for me:
He’s a good sport.
I haven’t blocked it yet, and I’m going to wait until the little brother sweater is done, too, before adding the duplicate-stitch letters on the front and back. (They’re going to be a set of matching Weasley-inspired sweaters, so cute!)
Now that I’m in a good mood, and on a roll (and, shockingly, both kids are asleep at the same time), I’m going to go wind up the yarn for the baby version and get knitting! I’m so excited!
You guys! I think my mojo is back! (Or at least kinda back.) I’ve finished my little blue socks and I love them.
Did they take longer than I expected? Yes. Did they turn out nothing like I had intended? Absolutely. But am I pleased with how they turned out? Totally!
I think I really like this length. I usually (always) make socks with legs that are about twice this tall, but I kind of love how they turned out. They took quite a bit less yarn (so I didn’t have to play yarn chicken!) and were a much quicker knit. I think they’ll be a great fall sock, for when I don’t necessarily want a big, thick “middle of winter” sock, but I still want to pull out something soft and cozy.
Now I just have to wait for it to cool off enough to wear them!
What finished projects are you excited about lately?
OK. So, I finally finished my “Quarantine Sweater,” and the best thing I can say about it is that… it’s done.
It might be the least-flattering sweater I’ve ever made. I might even go as far as to say it’s ugly.
I mean, the shape ended up super weird (it’s way too wide, the sleeves are droopy, and the armpits start around my belly button). It’s not even worth taking a flattering picture of myself wearing it… sorry…
The colors are… fine, but I really dislike how some of the sections ended up super-marled (but I suppose that’s what happens when you knit exclusively to use up the random half-skeins of yarn in your stash without a lot of planning), and why did I include that puke-yellow color?
And the fabric itself is… odd (it’s nice and soft and warm, but also the stitches are very open and loose. I much prefer a wooly, structured sweater; this one is altogether too drapey and shapeless).
But, it’s done, so there’s that. Maybe I’ll grow to love it? Or maybe I’ll find a very wide, short friend with very long arms that grow out of their rib cage I can give it to? Or, I wonder what would happen if I tried to felt it? Does alpaca even felt?
Oh well. At least it used up a bunch of yarn.
Have you ever finished a big project, only to hear a great big sad trombone?
,” and the best thing I can say about it is that… it’s finished.
It might be the least-flattering sweater I’ve ever made. I might even go as far as to say it’s ugly.
I mean, the shape ended up weird (it’s way too wide, the sleeves are droopy, and the armpits start around my belly button). It’s not even worth taking a flattering picture of myself wearing it… sorry…
The colors are… fine, but I really dislike how some of the sections ended up super-marled (but I suppose that’s what happens when you knit exclusively to use up the random half-skeins of yarn in your stash without a lot of planning), and why did I include that puke-yellow color?
And the fabric itself is… odd (it’s nice and soft and warm, but also the stitches are very open and loose. I much prefer a wooly, structured sweater; this one is altogether too drapey and shapeless).
But, it’s done, so there’s that. Maybe I’ll grow to love it? Or maybe I’ll find a very wide, short friend with very long arms that grow out of their rib cage I can give it to? Or, I wonder what would happen if I tried to felt it? Does alpaca even felt?
Oh well. At least it used up a bunch of yarn.
Have you ever finished a big project, only to hear a great big sad trombone?
On the Needles 