Winter Wonderland MKAL - Clue 2 Done

Once I got into the rhythm of things the second clue went fairly quickly.  I didn’t make any modifications to the pattern for this clue.  I’ve already set up clue 3 in knitCompanion, and have the clue 4 pages added as well.  The yarn is really lovely to work with.

Pattern:  Winter Wonderland MKAL by Kay Hopkins

Yarn:  Miss Babs Yummy 2-Ply

Needles:  US 3 (3.25 mm) and US 4 (3.5 mm)

 

Winter Wonderland MKAL - Clue 1 Done

I am a bit of a sucker for Mystery Knit Alongs, especially when Miss Babs dyes up such beautiful sets for them.  I have more than a few in my stash, just waiting to be knit up.  This one I am almost doing on time.  I think clue 4 will be dropping soon.  The color way is Dark Canis Major, and the gray is Quicksilver.  There were so many lovely colorway options it can be very hard to choose.  I try not to overthink it and just go with something that makes me happy.

It did take me a couple of tries to get this one going, mostly because I forgot a very important detail that I had read when looking over the pattern about slipping the first stitch of each row.  I remembered it when I introduced the first color, so I ripped back and started over.  My next challenge arose with the first chart.  I didn’t really care for how the repeat was marked as the spacing between the first three repeats of the pattern and the last repeat of the pattern were not the same (11 stitches, and then 10 stitches), which made the placement of the next set of motifs not line up symmetrically with the first set, which just bugs me.  So  I decided to shift the start of the first motif over one stitch, which allowed me to have 11 stitches between each of the repeats without putting the last repeat right up agains the center stitch.  It also meant that I could have the second set of repeats placed symmetrically in relation to the first set - the first pattern row being 9 stitches.  It also meant that I did not work the partial trees on the second set, but that is fine by me.

Pattern:  Winter Wonderland MKAL by Kay Hopkins

Yarn:  Miss Babs Yummy 2-Plu

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm), US 3 (3.25 mm)

Perseverance Knit Along - Clue 11 Done

Finished up clue 11 this morning.  Just one more to go.  I’m pretty pleased with how it has come out from a gauge perspective, especially as I have not knitted any gauge swatches.  I have changed my knitting needle size on some of the patterns, but I just winged it, adjusting based upon the stitch pattern.  I have never run out of yarn, either.  I have a nice bag of little balls of leftovers.  I will have to figure out something fun to do with them.  Maybe a matching pillow.  I used US 8 (5.0 mm) on this clue.

Pattern:  Perseverance by Jane Vanselous

Yarn:  Expression Fiber Arts Enduring Worsted

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm), US 7 (4.5 mm), US 8 (5.0 mm)

 

Fan Shawl - One Skein Done

This has been my easy project to work on while reading or while in meetings (especially good for that!), so I have been making fairly rapid progress.  The pattern has you work 5 sections, repeat section 5 a total of four times and then start decreasing stitches.  When I got to the end of section 4 I weighed my skein.  I had 61.5 grams left, when I finished section 5 I had 41.6 grams left.  If you do the math you can see that I would be able to work three of those section 5 repeats with my first skein, so I decided to work another increase section.  At the end of section 6 I had 15.9 grams, which was a few grams more than I needed to work another half of section 6.  When I reached the end of the first skein I joined the second skein and continued on, finishing the second repeat of section 6.  I am about halfway through the third repeat of section 6 and then I will start working the sections with the decreases.  I should also add that I am not using the recommended needle size, which is a US 9.  I just don’t like working on a needle that large, especially with a fingering weight yarn, so I went down to a US 7.  I like the fabric that I’m getting.  I get very annoyed at the thinking that to get more drape you just use a larger needle.  If you want a fabric that drapes, use a yarn that provides that characteristic.  Knitting on larger needles just gets you loose stitches that won’t hold their shape.

Pattern:  Fan Shawl

Yarn:  Hand Painted Knitting Yarns Fingering Weight Superwash Fine Merino

Needle:  US 7 (4.5 mm)

Fan Shawl - Cast On

Having finished the Void Socks and my Mermaid dress/tunic I was looking about for another project to cast on.  I have several of the Hand Painted Knitting Yarns kits, including three of this pattern - the Fan Shawl.  I grabbed one and caked up the first skein (the kit comes with two) and cast on.  It is a reasonably mindless knit, lots of short rows with eyelet lace in between.  My first go I was doing German short rows, because I like them, but working a row of YO, K2TOG when you have not done a plain knit row to work all those double stitches is a pain, and doesn’t look so good.  So I ripped back and did the pattern recommended wrap and turn.  You don’t have to knit in the wraps, as this is garter, and I’m not.  I am much happier with how it is turning out.  The pattern has you keep increasing with each new section until you have 5 sections, and then working sections 6 and 7 with no increases, and then decreasing.  I may keep increasing until I am almost out of yarn on my first skein and then work one section without increases, and then working the decreases, just to maximize my yarn usage and the size of the shawl.  The pattern calls for a US 9 needle, but I am using a US 7.  My gauge is pretty close to what the pattern calls for and I like the fabric.

Pattern:  Fan Shawl

Yarn:  Hand Painted Knitting Yarns Fingering Weight Superwash Fine Merino

Needle:  US 7 (4.5 mm)

Hearthside Crochet Along - Clue 10 Done

Clue 10 worked up quickly.  I wasn’t sure about the color when I received it - New York at Night - but I liked it when I worked it up.  It is a very dark green, almost green-black.  Clue 11 is already out and I have ordered the yarn for it.  I am very pleased with how this has worked up and the fact that it is laying flat with no blocking.  While I have been using Enduring Worsted for the knit blanket, I have been using Luster Worsted for the crochet blanket.  I really like how the Luster Worsted works up and how it feels.  My cat Jezebel also approves.  Although she didn’t photo bomb this time, she did curl up on a corner of the blanket while I was working on it.

I have been using the recommended colors:

Leaves

Monarch

Red Flame

Caramel Popcorn

Huanchaco

Toadstool

Friends

Sumatran Tiger

Fudge

New York at Night

Pattern:  Hearthside by Jane Vanselous

Yarn:  Expression Fiber Arts Luster Worsted

Hook:  5.0 mm (H)

Perseverance Knit Along - Clue 10 Done

Clue 10 went quickly.  It is a fun stitch pattern that is easy.  I used a US 6 needle on this clue, just as I did on clue 3, which is the same stitch pattern.  Just two more clues to go!  I am using the recommended colors:

Unshaken

Nightlife

Caricia

Black Hole

Unwilling Hero

Blue Goldstone

Like Rain

In the Cabana

Fugue

Swept Away

Pattern:  Perseverance by Jane Vanselous

Yarn:  Expression Fiber Arts Enduring Worsted

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

 

Mermaid - Finished!

I finished this last Thursday and it just came off the blocking mats this morning.  It is sort of a t-shirt dress and comes down to just past my knees.  I think the ease is pretty good.  I may try styling it with a belt just because of the weight of all of that knitting hanging off my shoulders.  Overall, though, I am pretty happy with the result and am also happy that I used an entire Advent set up.  Well, less 3.4 grams of skein 24, which is the skein that I used for the I-cord edgings.

Pattern:  Simple Raglan from KnitsThatFit

Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Rare Breed Advent Calendar - Sport Weight

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Mermaid - Nineteen Skeins Done

I am almost done.  I’ve actually started skein 20 and have skein 21 caked up.  There are just 2 skeins left to cake.  It looks like the length is going to be good for wearing as a tunic with my leggings.  I did screw up my increases, and ended up increasing more than I intended, but I think I’m going to appreciate the extra ease more than the extra length.  I am interested in how it will block out and wear.  I do love the colors.

Pattern:  Simple Raglan from KnitsThatFit

Yarn:  The Unique Sheep Rare Breed Advent Calendar - Sport Weight

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Void Socks - Finished!

I finished these up this past weekend.  I ended up having 3 joins in my second sock due to damage from carpet beetles.  I am very thankful there wasn’t more.  I am pretty pleased with the fit, although I think I could have started with fewer stitches on the cuff to make them just a wee bit more snug.

I do have several sock patterns to choose from for my next sock project, but my knitting mojo seems a bit low right now, so I think I will concentrate on finishing up some WIPs.

Pattern:  The Void Socks by Melanie Gibbons

Yarn:  madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Logwood

Needle:  US 1 (2.25 mm)