knitting – Page 8 – Better Living Through Literature

Tuesday Project Roundup: Socks For Doc’s Pop

August 2, 2016August 2, 2016 Karen

The thick pair of Pa Ingalls socks I made for Doc’s dad for Christmas were such a hit that he requested more, “but maybe a little thinner.” I was just happy to have a gift idea for the next birthday/holiday, so I started another pair for him in the spring.

His birthday is in June so I thought I had PLENTY of time, but oh man–men’s size 12 socks on size 2 needles (bamboo skewer size) take a loooong time. I had one done on the actual birthday but just finished the other one, a couple of months late.

The yarn is a cool computer dyed stripe that has a “start” indicator for the second pair, so you can get perfectly matching stripes. Otherwise, this was a straightforward knit.

Now it’s time to start the Christmas pair, I guess. I’m gonna use thicker yarn though.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Rosebud

July 12, 2016July 12, 2016 Karen

Another coworker is going to have a baby so I made a quick little hat. It’s the trusty Ann Norling Fruit Cap pattern I make for most babies, but I was hoping the pale pink would make it read more flower than fruit.

I don’t think it worked, because the mom-to-be said, “Oh, a little strawberry.” [Shrugs] Every project doesn’t exactly work out how it is in my head, I guess.

Making Me Happy: Rainbow Socks

April 26, 2016April 26, 2016 Karen

The longing for the apocalypse is a hard feeling to shake, so let’s focus on happy things this week. Like some finished rainbow socks (and that new carpeting):

Details: Opal Sock Yarn – Potpourri in “Paradies” color (from here)
Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s “sock recipe” pattern (archived here)
Rainbow Brite feelings here (“Rainbow colors will cheer you u-u-up, yeah”)

Tuesday Project Roundup: Hat for Bébé

February 23, 2016February 23, 2016 Karen

One of the partners at work is having a baby boy soon and had a work shower last week. We’re not super close but, if I’m being completely honest, I wanted to get more on her good side–plus, I was bored with the second rainbow sock I was working on. So I made a little hat:

No fruit hats or crazy colors here–she wears a lot of black so I thought some classic French stripes would be good.

If I’m still being honest, this isn’t my best work. I started it the Thursday before a Tuesday shower and it took me a while to remember the tricks for changing colors on the stripes. It also turned out a little big, but by the time I realized that it was too late to start over.

But it’s cute and it was well-received. I made sure to package it up to the nines so it looked way more impressive:

Because that’s what advertising is about, right?

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(Details: pattern was Purl Soho “Hats for Newborns” [not really with my gauge]; yarn was washable MillaMia “Naturally Soft Merino” in midnight and white.)

Handknits In The Wild

February 9, 2016February 9, 2016 Karen

Oh look, a knitting project at the mouth of the Zion Narrows:

I made myself a new hiking hat after I finished all the socks over Xmas, and it finally turned out how I pictured it in my head. I’m sure it turned out so well because I used a pattern I actually paid money for–the “Bough” cabled hat from Brooklyn Tweed. (Yarn is Beaverslide Merino and has been sitting patiently to be made into something since 2009.)

I loved the cabled tree motifs and the overall shape. Plus, the pompom is finally big enough–use this tutorial if you want to make your own custom size poms.

Gifts For The Out-Laws

December 29, 2015 Karen

[Out-laws: when they’re not in-laws but you have enough of a history that they’re more than “my boyfriend’s family”]

Doc was in charge of getting gifts for his family this year but I wanted to add a little something on the side. So I made lavender sachets for the ladies in the family, with scraps of cotton and velvet and lavender from the hedge in the front yard:

I also finished the socks for Doc’s dad, which turned out about as “Pa Ingalls” as I’d thought. They were a hit, though. (Doc’s dad and I bonded over a hatred of too-tight socks.)

It Really Will Be A Prairie Christmas

November 17, 2015November 17, 2015 Karen

I finished the first sock for Doc’s dad and it’s a little…rustic. It will smooth out more after I wash it but the thicker yarn and the BRIGHT RED are just screaming Christmas presents from Little House In The Big Woods:

In each stocking there was a pair of bright red mittens, and there was a long, flat stick of red-and-white striped peppermint candy, all beautifully notched along one side.

They were all so happy they could hardly speak at first.

Maybe I should wrap the socks with a stick of peppermint?

Socks For Everyone

October 13, 2015October 13, 2015 Karen

Ever since the weather cooled down I’ve been feeling extra knitty. I have another pair of socks started for me (the rainbow ones) because I’ve decided I want my sock drawer to look like this.

I usually bring my sock knitting to Doc’s family gatherings, which has intrigued Doc’s dad enough that I decided he should get a pair for Christmas. (He actually asked for the blue pair I finished, but they would be too small.) His socks will be more sock monkey than rainbow, so I hope he likes them.

Tuesday Project Roundup: Socks!

July 28, 2015 Karen

After all the complaining last week about how the socks of 2015 wouldn’t end, they ended pretty quickly right after that. And now I have the first pair of socks I’ve finished since 2008.

Up next? More socks with more colorful yarn and probably a replacement hat–I accidentally felted the hippie hat I made for myself a couple years ago doing the post-yurt-camping laundry. And I can’t go camping without a hippie hat.

Tuesday Project Roundup: The Socks That Won’t End

July 21, 2015 Karen

I have been knitting this particular pair of socks since January. If you’ll remember, I had to re-do the toe on the first one because I got confused and it got weird. I was able to get the second sock done without incident, but then the second one showed me that the first one was still weird, all the way back to the heel. So I ripped it out and started over on half of it. Even with six hours of car knitting time, I’m still catching up.

There’s no rush to get them done, really, but I have new yarn with even better colors I want to start using for the next pair of long-term socks.