Stitch Markers into Progress Keepers!

I recently started attempting to keep track more carefully of what I knit every two weeks. I love doing this because it helps me in January. You see, in January, I sit down with Ravelry, and with sewing patterns, and I analyze how much time I have during the year, and decide exactly what everyone is getting for Christmas. The ability to know more accurately how much I knit per week, on average, is extremely helpful.

 Well, in order to keep track, I needed progress-keepers. But I only had one. That wasn't going to cut it. So one day, while I was stopping at Michael's to kill time before an appointment, I wandered into the bead section.

I ended up walking out with a purchase of some bronze gator clips and rings, some bronze ringed beads, and some silver gator clips. I attached the bronze clips and rings to one (or three) of the bronze beads (and a few I had on hand), and the silver gator clips to some old stitch markers that I had, but rarely used, because I prefer the non-dangly kind.

Wha-la! 15 progress keepers!

Gallifrey Sunset Shawl

There was a Doctor Who themed Knit-a-Long a few months back, and I almost didn't know it was happening until it was over. But as soon as I knew it was happening, I immediately tried desperately to think of something I could do.

That's when I remembered my orange and burnt brown yarns. These are both subtly variegated, and they're beautiful together.

And they remind me of a Gallifrey Sunset.

It's so comfortable. I wear it all the time.

Ravelry Project Page

Inara Wrap

My Inara Wrap. Oh, my Inara Wrap.

This was my longest-running shawl. It was huge. I mean, huge. Look at it!

It's silk. It's beautiful. I can't even handle it. So comfy. 

I almost don't even know how to wear it.

But it was totally worth it. I'm in love.

Ravelry Project Page

Portland Plaid Socks

These socks were a quick knit near the middle of June - Portland Plaid socks. The yarn was thicker and sturdy, and I thought they made the perfect summer socks.

These were a free de-stash yarn as well!

I made them in time for my trip back east, and even got to wear them at the Portland Airport Carpet!












Ravelry Project Link

Heather's Mitts

A co-worker of mine saw my October Mitts when I wore them to work, and she asked for a pair of her own, but picked out new colors.  

They turned out very well, although my tension got more even (and therefore smaller) on the second mitt.

Ravelry Project Page

Tuscarora

This was a linen tank that I rushed to finish before I left for Cape Cod at the beginning of the summer, and would you know I left it at a transit point? My parents were able to ship it back to me, but it never even made it to Cape Cod. Ugh.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about this top. It's Linen, and it sticks to anything I wear underneath in unflattering ways. It kinda just looks like I'm wearing a bag.

Maybe it'll grow on me? I did knit it from some free, de-stashed Linen that I dyed.

Ravelry Project Page

Very Hungry Caterpillar

I had been looking for an excuse to knit this for years, and then this April, it came - a Children's Book themed baby shower!

It was a pretty quick knit, and I'm very happy with it! It was nice to work with some thicker yarn (worsted held double) after having done socks for a few months.

I hope to eventually see the baby in it, though it was for a distant acquaintance, so I'm not sure I ever will.

We gifted it with a book and a rattle - I love the little kit it made!

Ravelry Project

SM4 - Sweet Nuttins

And Round Four is here! I absolutely love love love these socks! These were my fastest knit in the whole competition, and the pattern was so well written and so beautiful!

This was also deep stash - some leftover yarn from Becca's Shawl.

I knit this in a bigger needle size, because initially I was trying to make them to fit my mom, but they definitely weren't big enough. However, they're a little loose on me. I'm thinking about frogging the toe and increasing the length to give them as a gift for someone else in my family, but I haven't decided. I also haven't worn them, just in case!

Ravelry Project

PS: Round Five will be on hold until December, since it's a gift!

Ben's Birthday Moss Socks

Between rounds three and four of Sock Madness, I somehow had the urge to...knit more socks.

Well, I guess that's a little misleading. I had already knit these socks for my brother, and I had knit them with exactly the same construction of the Firefly socks I had knit him, and then I got a call, literally the night they were blocking, saying he had a few fit problems with those socks.

Don't get me wrong - I'm really glad he called. I would much rather knit him socks that he'll wear, especially since he likes them so much, but the timing was...non-ideal.

Well, during Round Two, I had gone to my Uncle's party, and while there, I tried the socks on his feet for heel alignment. I had already knit toe-up, and the problem area had been the heel, so I tried (for the first time) a toe-up heel flap. I frogged the cuffs, finished the two heels, and then headed home.

In April I got the bug to finish them. They were, after all, supposed to be a March birthday gift. So knitting back the Ramen Yarn, I finished them up and sent them off!

And the best part is? This was deep-stash yarn!

Ravelry Project Page

Yarn Dye Extravaganza!

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Wanting a distraction from traditional knitting between rounds, I decided to take some old yarn I had, but knew I would never use, and dye it up!

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I honestly can't tell you what dyes I used, since it was essentially me throwing things in a pot and seeing what came out, but I can show you what came out!

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First, I dyed some white linen yarn (image 3).

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When it first came out of the pot, it looked very red (image 1), so I put it back in for a bit, but it didn't make a difference. However, after the dye dried, it was more of a peachy color (image 4).

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Next, I dyed four batches of some wool and cotton blend I had gotten from a kickstarter. These were pink (image 5), purple (image 6), blue (image 7) and green (image 8).

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They turned out much warmer in tone, and more deeply saturated (images 2 and 10). I especially like the green and blue.

And yes, all of these are in Ravelry:
Linen Page
Pink Page
Purple Page
Blue Page
Green Page

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