Last Knit of 2018!

My last finished knit of 2018. Another pair of socks! Vanilla sock pattern with a fish lips kiss heel. The yarn is Midknit Cravings on their Sweet Sock base which is 80/20 superwash merino/nylon. The colorway is Room For Everyone.

I bought the yarn in the summer...I think. It was during a time when a dyer of instagram was accusing another dyer of dying a colorway too similar to theirs....my understanding is that there was A LOT of bullying going on. This inspired the dyers at Midknit Cravings to dye a special colorway with the proceeds going to an anti-bullying charity. Now, this happened like 6 months ago. I truly cannot recall the entire story, so I may be way off on this. Still, I loved the yarn and the idea that there is room for everyone be it in yarn dying, crafting, or this country.

This pair of socks brought my totals to 13.6 miles knitted/crocheted for 2018. That is a personal best for me. I am kinda proud of that :-)

I hope that 2019 will be a year filled with happy crafting, hope, love, and good-tidings for EVERYONE.

Remember, kindness doesn't cost a thing. Spread that shit everywhere!

A Very LSG Holiday

Admittedly, I was not in the holiday mood this year. Just wasn't feeling it. However, I did participate in the LSG card group again this year. Last year I absolutely loved getting cards from all over the United States as well as several other countries.

I had hoped to be able to send cards to everyone that signed up this year. We had over 300 people sign up! Unfortunately, fiances forbade me from sending everyone a card.

I am so amazed at the generosity of my fellow LSG crafters. I received stitch makers as well as crocheted skates to put on my tree. Given my non-holiday headspace, it was a little pick-me-up each time a card arrived.

Hmm...just in case you don't know, LSG is the Lazy, Stupid, and Godless group that I belong to in Ravelry. It's a huge group with members from all over the world. Lovely people...mostly ;-)

A few More Knitted/Crocheted Gifts

 Pot holders were my gift of the season. After crocheting the 11 sets for the office staff at Gavin's school I also made a set for his teacher. Plus, I wanted to give her something extra. I was feeling a bit uninspired and ended up knitting a scarf for her. The yarn was a Lion Brand Shawl in a Cake that I had in my small stash. I cast on 250 stitches and randomly did rows of stockinette and garter.

 The bus drivers were also given a set of pot holders. That brought my total number of pot holder sets to 14. I'm kinda sick of pot holders. The above pic is the set Gavin gave to his bus driver. Included was a sample set of lotions from Happy Hands. Unfortunately, I neglected to get a picture of the pot holders and lotion set for Henry and Irene's bus driver.

I also managed to knit a new hat for Mark. Again, no photo. He left on Sunday before I had a chance to take one. In fact, he left with a still damp hat since it hadn't had a chance to finish drying.

I did manage to lengthen the sleeves on the Weekender sweater that I knit for Easter. At the time I had only done elbow length sleeves. I wore it once, at Easter, and never wore it again. I had two big problems with it; sleeve length and itchy wool. I did have two balls of yarn left and Sunday/Monday found me ripping out the sleeves and making them wrist length. I happily wore the sweater today with a turtleneck underneath. The yarn is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Tweed. It's nice, but my super special skin objects to it without a barrier. I did knit another Weekender sweater in October out of an acrylic yarn. I love that one. Oddly, on this one I followed the neck bind-off that the pattern calls for and it is tighter than I like. With the October version I did my favorite bind-off and the neckline is much more comfortable.

I do have a sweater that is 75% finished that I really should work on. Instead I am totally knitting socks. Oh well, I am just not up to that much knitting.

Until next time, Be Kind.

Holiday Knitting

I wasn't planning on doing much holiday gift knitting this year. And then...22 pot holders later. Yeah, I crocheted 22 pot holders to make 11 sets for Gavin to give out at school. I still have 2 more sets (4 individual) to crochet for bus driver gifts.

I found a video on YouTube that I followed. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the video is anymore since my computer completely died taking all my saved things with it. Still, if it's something you need you can just write it into the search option. These were very easy to crochet even for me with my lack of crochet talent. The yarn is Crafters Secret in the two holiday colorways that they carry.

The second holiday gift I finished is a pair of socks for Mark. I've never knitted him socks before. It's not something he has ever expressed an interest in. This year I wanted to give him a gift he could use while on the road or at home. These are his bumming-around-after-work-my-feet-are-cold socks.

The yarn is Patons Kroy in the Blue Striped Ragg colorway. I followed the Spacious OMG Heel sock pattern. I was not overly in love with this pattern, but I think it will work for Mark's feet.

And that is what I have finished for gift knitting!

Professor Meow

At the end of July I suddenly felt the need to knit Irene a sweater for school picture day. School picture day was August 15th. Yeah, I don't know why I think I am superwoman and can knit something so quickly. But, I did finish it so I guess in this one instance I am super....or something.

This adorable sweater is the Professor Meow pattern by Claire Slade. Knit Picks sells a kit which includes the yarn and pattern. It is adult sizing and I made Irene the smallest size. The yarn is Knit Picks' Wonderfluff and is so very fluffy and soft.The Pattern is easy to read and follow with the back and front being knit separately, the sleeve and neck edging picked up and knit in the round. When I purchased Irene's they only had the grey/dark grey kit available. They have since restocked and all three color combos are ready to buy.

Once I stopped whining about having to knit quickly, as well as having to seam, and knit intarsia it was actually a fast project. I highly recommend it!

You can check out the pattern on Ravelry by clicking Here!

You can find the kit from Knit Picks by clicking Here!

You can find a very helpful video on Intarsia Knitting by clicking Here!

This Knitter has been Crocheting!

 At the end of 2017/beginning of 2018, I crocheted each of my kids a big blanket out of Bernat Blanket yarn. I followed a Youtube video because I cannot crochet. Just reading a crochet pattern sends my head into a spin. I need to see it and ask questions about it. Still, I wanted my kids to have blankets that would be big enough for them to use until the yarn fell apart. Turns out...I kinda liked crochet.

Still, I didn't crochet another thing until May. Then I made the shawl above as a gift for MamaC. MamaC has been in my life since I became friends with her daughter way back when I was in like second grade. So many moons ago.

I saw the Youtube tutorial (by Mikey of The Crochet Crowd) for this shawl and decided I could do it. Well, I did it, but I am shocked that it worked. The tutorial assumed that you were a crocheter of some experience and left you to work large sections on your own without stitch counts, etc.

The beautiful lace at the edging was actually the easiest part of this shawl. It was the large "easy" rows at the beginning that were hardest for me because of the expectation of crochet experience.

I thought the end product was pretty. However, I wasn't thrilled with the color placement. I think I should have done the lace in the cream, but by the time I got to it there was no way I was ripping out. Plus, if MamaC didn't like it I thought it would be lovely on the back of a chair, or over a table.

The shawl is Crochet Comfort Shawl by Yarnspirations. I used the recommend yarn of Caron Simply Soft in the colors Victorian Rose, Off White, and Grey Heather.

 Next up on this crazy crochet-ness is the Seaside Shawl by PurpleIguana. I followed the fantastic video tutorial on Youtube by Fiber Spider. For this one I used Bernat Pop! yarn in the Lipstick on Your Collar colorway.

I made this for my sister-in-law, Ashley. There was no special reason. We were getting together for Irene's birthday and I was giving things to my dad and brother (her husband) and I didn't want to leave her out. She seemed to really like it, or at least was pleased to be getting a gift. I thought it would be great for walking the dog when it's a bit chilly out. And it's machine washable so muddy paw prints are easily dealt with.

 Back at Easter my dad mentioned that he needed coasters. He was using one of a set that I had knit him years ago for his dining table. I came across a video on Youtube by Jayda InStitches for these cute and quick coasters. They were easy, didn't take up much time, and very intuitive to follow. I ended up making coasters and coasters and coasters until I was out of Lily's Sugar and Cream yarn. The crochet pattern on Youtube is called Crochet Drink Coasters. I couldn't find a pattern listing for it on Ravelry.

Without going into too much personal information of his, my brother has a chronic immune disorder. The treatment of which makes him cold. Usually I knit him all the socks because he is very knit worthy, but during an episode socks and shoes hurt his feet. Instead I felt he needed a blanket that he could completely cover himself with during treatments. My brother is six foot four. The blanket I made is long enough to cover him from toes to teeth...and quite possibly to the top of his head. When I tried to photograph it I could lay on it and be completely wrapped in it like a candy with twists at both ends. And, as you can see in my pictures, I has two furry helpers. I never did get a pic with out one of them in it. Darn dogs! This blanket is not for you!

My brother was rather surprised by the blanket. I didn't tell him I was making it and he seemed genuinely touched by the gift.

This blanket is the Hibernate Blanket by Yarnspriations. And I did follow another Youtube video from The Crochet Crowd.

Now for all the links to patterns and Youtube!!

Crochet Comfort Shawl Pattern is HERE!
The Crochet Crowd Youtube Channel is HERE!

Seaside Shawl Pattern is HERE!
Fiber Spider Youtube channel is HERE!

Jayda InStitches Youtube channel is HERE! (Crochet Coasters)

Hibernate Blanket pattern is HERE!
The Crochet Crowd Youtube is HERE!

*GASP* She knit more socks?!

 I knit these socks for my dad for Father's Day. Same basic sock recipe with the fish lips kiss heel. The yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4 Ply. It's 75% wool (35% is Bluefaced Leicester) and 25% nylon. There is no colorway or even a color number on the ball band. I purchased the yarn online from Simply Sock Yarn Company.

 This pair of socks I knit for myself. It's basic recipe again with the fish lips kiss heel. The yarn is Schachenmayr Regia Tweed Color 4-Ply. 437 yards. 70% wool, 25% polyamide, 5% viscose. This yarn also came from Simply Sock Yarn Company during their anniversary sale.

And these socks! Aren't they cute? Same basic pattern with the fish lips kiss heel. The yarn is from Brenda and Heather Yarns. The sock yarn is their Tuff Toes base which is 80% superwash merino, 20% nylon and is approximately 380 yards. The color is Slice of Summer Remix. The heels and toes were knit with an 80 yard mini skein of Watermelon Rind in the same base as the sock yarn.

You can find the Brenda and Heather Yarn (they have a lot of awesome colorways!) by clicking HERE! They will also be at the Michigan Fiber Festival in Allegan on August 18-19.

West Yorkshire Spinners can be found HERE!

Schachenmayr can be found HERE!

And Simply Sock Yarn Company can be found by clicking HERE! They carry a wide variety of yarn and ship out quickly.