Category: knitting

Advent Scarf

Posted on Posted in holidays, knitting, scarves and cowlsTagged , , 15 Comments

A few years ago I really wanted to knit this scarf:

📸 Tricia Weatherston

I still want to knit it! (That’s a tried and true test for spending my knitting time in a quality way.)

I’m late to start an Advent scarf. I have a cone of sport weight Frangipani gansey yarn (worsted spun with great stitch definition) in off white that I think would be perfect, though. Should I cast on? (I think the answer to that question is always YES.) Or I could add it to next year’s December knitting list, which is more rational and realistic, especially since I have a couple of gift knits to finish.

Are you a December Advent knitter? I like it as a way to count down the holidays. I didn’t put anything in my Advent chest this year. I was disappointed when I created my own yarn Advent with leftovers. I thought I was really clever, tricking myself. Oh well. Maybe next year I’ll purchase some new little things and fill in with chocolate.

Here is my updated Holiday Watch List of titles I’ve seen so far:

  • All is Bright
  • Krampus
  • Rare Exports
  • Hjem til Jul
  • Gilmore Girls holiday episodes
  • Great British Baking Show holiday episodes
  • Great American Baking Show holiday edition
  • A Christmas Story Christmas movie (a worthy follow up to the original)

Have you any new holiday movies or shows you are watching this year?

Holiday Doodle Cowl

Posted on Posted in finished objects, holidays, knitting, scarves and cowlsTagged , 18 Comments

I finished knitting my Holiday Doodle Cowl! I was worried I made it too snug, but I love that I can cover my nose with it and it stays up. (And ears!)

Pattern is Holiday Doodle Cowl by Pacific Knit Co. She has different versions of the pattern, so you have to make sure you get the charts you want. Yarn is Rauma Strikkegarn in 123 mid green, 100 white, 155 light blue, 144 red, and 198 light green. I ended up finding the red at Wool & Company, but I purchased the rest of my yarn from The Woolly Thistle.

I like this yarn a lot. It’s woolly, so not for someone who wants their wool super soft. But to me it’s warm and cozy. I have enough left to make some mittens, so I think I’ll do that. I’ve been wanting to make some trigger mittens from Saltwater Classics since our trip to Nova Scotia. They would be fun in these colors.

I also really enjoyed knitting the pattern. It’s fun, straightforward colorwork. I think this may be my favorite type of knitting, after stockinette. I’m also proud of my grafting, which you can see here. Or can you?

I’ve wanted to knit this since 2020, when I purchased the pattern on Ravelry. I’m glad I will have it to wear this holiday season!

Sock it to Me Krampus

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Krampus was sure to get his licks in today. I had four fillings replaced. The good news is I stopped by Trader Joe’s on the way home to pick up a rosemary tree so I can make gluten-free rosemary shortbread, and they had gluten-free Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s in stock! I bought two boxes. I guess I’ve been good this year after all.

We are watching Rare Exports with our Krampus gingerbread to take a bite every time a character does. I’m knitting on my Merry Krampus socks. We might watch Krampus after or A Christmas Horror Story.

Happy Krampusnacht!

Happy December!

Posted on Posted in field trips, holidays, knittingTagged , , , 7 Comments

My Holiday Doodle cowl is almost done! It’s so wide and thick, I’ve decided one loop is enough. Just a few more segments to knit!

For Thanksgiving, Bob and I and my two oldest kids spent the weekend in Pittsburgh seeing all the zombie sites: Evans City Cemetery, Monroeville Mall, and the Living Dead Museum. We also rode the Duquesne Incline, went thrifting, and went shopping at McWalker Yarns! I thought it was funny the yarn shop had “walker” in the name. I got to experience a Bavarian Christkindlemart complete with wooden stalls. We ended the trip with a fabulous dinner at Apteka — an Eastern European vegan restaurant. Their borscht is amazing!

I’m already listening to holiday music and watching Christmas movies and shows. Here’s my watch list so far:

  • Gilmore Girls holiday episodes
  • Great British Baking Show holiday episodes
  • Great American Baking Show holiday edition
  • A Christmas Story Christmas movie (a worthy follow up to the original)

It’s almost Krampusnacht! You know what that means, right? A viewing of Rare Exports, my favorite Christmas movie ever –possibly my favorite movie ever — and our “drinking” game where we eat gingerbread cookies every time a character takes a bite of gingerbread. This year I get to use my Krampus cookie cutters that Freya gave me for Christmas last year.

In other news, I ran the numbers on my little business, and I lost money this year. I promised myself if I had a loss at the end of the year, I would close up shop. So I did. I’m sad, but I tried, and I did my best.

Friday Finally Finished: Ghost Knitter’s Shawl

Posted on Posted in finished objects, holidays, knitting, shawls and hapsTagged , , , , 24 Comments

I finally finished it! Pattern is Ghost Knitter’s Shawl by Ambah O’Brien. Yarn is Pacific Northwest Purls Bump in the Night and Fluorescent Green, Seattle base. It’s sparkly!

And yes, the green glows under black light.

I had some trouble with the lace section, which surprised me as I’m usually pretty good with repetitive lace patterns. I made a few mistakes, some I fixed and some I fudged. You can’t tell unless you look closely. But overall, I’m pleased, and I look forward to wearing it next October. I think I may knit another in a gradient one day. I hope I learned enough from my mistakes not to repeat them!

Finished Objects Coming Soon to a Craft Blog Near You

Posted on Posted in knitting, life, sewing12 Comments

I’ve primarily been focusing on knitting my Peaceful Lodge Sweater. It’s so soft and it’s easy knitting. I would love to finish this soon so I can wear it all winter.

I’ve also reached the skull lace on Ghost Knitter’s Shawl. I had to rip back half of the first row because the count didn’t match the pattern, although the stitch count is correct on the row. I must have made a mistake. The lace looks pretty straight forward, so I’m hoping once I get started, I can finish it by the end of the week. I would hate to have another unfinished Halloween project to add to next year’s stack. I’m starting to feel overwhelmed by the number of knitting projects I have going.

I need to start on my Audrey Trousers in the black cotton twill. (I’m not saying pants anymore, for my friends in the UK.) If I could sew these this week, I could wear them with my Halloween Number One Shirt, which was the plan all along. Can I finish these in a week? Doubtful, but I will might try.

I also need to sew project bags from the cotton canvas dyed with black walnut leaves and iron mordant. I’ll be making a sweater sized bag and a shawl sized bag to list in the shop.

What Else is Going On?

I’ve started bullet journaling in earnest. It’s helping me stay organized and I can design it to work with my brain.

This Saturday, I’ll be volunteering with the Central Ohio Weaving and Fiber Arts Guild at the Ohio Craft Museum, leading a make and take activity: a tiny wet-felted pumpkin! This is my sample. I need to organize the materials today so I won’t be stressed about it during the week.

As you may have noticed, I’m not blogging (or crafting) as much. I’ve taken on two part-time, remote jobs. One is temporary, but it will help us make ends meet and get caught up on bills. Working will also impact how much time I have to concentrate on my own business and personal makes. (Survival must come first. Story of my life!) I’m lucky I could take time off to rest and reset, and figure out my GI health. And I’m grateful to be working. The job hunt was deflating.

I’m still sorting out how to create a sustainable routine for myself. It will take practice. And it will mean letting some things go. What about you? Are you thinking of letting some things go? Fall is a great time for that.

Friday FO: 2 Spooky Hat

Posted on Posted in finished objects, hats, holidays, knittingTagged , , , 17 Comments

I finished knitting my 2 Spooky Halloween Hat! Pattern by Nancy Bates. I bought the kit with yarn from Aly Bee Workshop: Superwash Merino Worsted in Pumpkin Spice, Spooky, Poison Apple, Trick or Treat, and Natural.

It’s a good fit. I opted to steam block it since it’s superwash, and I didn’t want it to grow.

I decorated the pumpkin faces with duplicate stitch.

I’m all pumpkined out for Halloween, just in time for October!