Knitting Hats – Knitting Is So Fun

2023: Wk of 5/7-13; Hat FO, Ranunculus Progress, and Yarn Box Reveal

May 14, 2023May 15, 2023 by knittingissofun, posted in Knit, Knitting, Knitting Hats, Knitting Plan, Sweater Knitting, Yarn

RANUNCULUS UPDATE

This is supposed to be a summery tee even though I’m using mohair. I think I’m going to make it very short sleeved to minimize the mohair on my arms. I’ll just do a few rows of ribbed cuff with the collar yarn and then bindoff. The body length will be determined by using up all the yarn. I went up a needle size on the body after I split for the sleeves as I want it to have more ease than my previous Ranunculus.

STUDENT HAT

This has been a fun “fill-in” project for car or “waiting” knitting. I liked this pattern as basic but more interesting than ribbed. I have enough yarn to knit a second with the yarn. I’m going to switch to a colorful rainbowish yarn next just for variety. I will definitely keep a hat on needles for when I need some easy knitting.

SOJOURN SCARF

Had two sessions of social knitting this week so the sojourn scarf was perfect. It was fun to share with fellow knitters the soft yarn while working on an easy to carry and easy to knit project. Scarves are definitely not my favorite project to knit so I’ll be glad when I finish this.

MOTHER’S DAY YARN ACQUISITION

Here’s what was in the Mother’s Day Box I wasn’t able to resist. The good news is that the “trial purchase” worked. It was a good reminder that “mystery” purchases can often be disappointing. Black, grey, and brown is not a yarn I would have purchased. I think I can successfully resist buying another advent calendar when I already have one.

I also received the yarn I ordered to knit some orange and blue themed socks. I’m much happier with this purchase since it wasn’t a mystery. This will go on needles as soon as I finish the Sojourn scarf.

For the mothers and those who mother in the group, I hope you have a relaxing, wonderful day. For those who have suffered loss, I wish you peace. I cannot image what this day is like for my sister-in-law surviving her first Mother’s Day after the death of her son.

Wishing everyone a wonderful week of crafting. This has been a Ravelry Year of Projects post. Bloggers are encouraged to share their fiber plans for the year and then post weekly updates. Sticking to the plan is not required.

2023: Wk of 4/23-29; Promenade Blouse Almost FO and Other Knitting News

April 30, 2023 by knittingissofun, posted in Knit, Knitting, Knitting Hats, Knitting Plan, Sweater Knitting

PROMENADE BLOUSE

This sweater puts me in the spirit of the Red Hat Society – “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple, with a red hat which doesn’t go and doesn’t suit me.” This bright, happy top definitely fits me at this stage of life. Here it is blocked so I could check the fit and see how close it was to be finished. I added 2 more blue stripes to the body and bound off in blue with an i-cord bindoff. The sleeves will get one more stripe of 2 rows of yellow, 2 of orange, and 2 of blue before using the confetti yarn for the i-cord bindoff. Yes, yarn chicken makes you do strange things. I stuck with solid blue as the final stripe on the body as I decided I didn’t want a “bright” stripe as the final stripe across my hips. 😉

I really do love this pattern so I will definitely knit a second one this fall with my autumn themed mini skeins. I will knit that one with more ease to give it an even more different “look” than this one.

STUDENT HAT

I cast on a child’s hat this week to have some “social” knitting in addition to my Sojourn Scarf. My youngest will be teaching 4th grade math in a VERY depressed school district this fall. I plan to knit some hats, cowls, and mitts for him to have available for students. Unfortunately I realized today that it’s going to be WAY too big so I’ll frog and cast-on fewer stitches. Quick knit. 🙂

SOJOURN SCARF

Not a lot done on this scarf since I focused on finishing the Promenade Blouse. The yarn is sooo soft. It does make it a bit hard to knit but it will have wonderful drape and feel great against my neck.

STITCH GOALS

As I predicted, this month saw a drop in the amount of stitches I knit. But I’ll never complain about getting a weekend visit from my daughter followed by a weekend visit from my niece, sister, and brother-in-law plus a family gathering of my husband’s side, some card game nights with my son and his girlfriend, and finally a weekend with my stepdaughter’s family and my only granddaughter. April was definitely Family month. May will certainly have less out of town visitors and visits.

YARN ACQUISITION

This is my story and I’m sticking to it. Not my fault. 😉 Someone, who shall remain nameless, pointed me in the direction of Southern Skeins for a yarn advent calendar. I’ve had the tab open on my computer for weeks as I contemplate ordering the yarn only version. Then this week I get the newsletter that the Mystery Mother’s Day Box is available. A good way to check out the yarn without investing the cost of the whole advent calendar “she thought”. A price point that makes it relatively “cheap” “she thought”. Makes up for not participating in Local Yarn Shop Day “she thought”. (wrong – I’ll still visit my LYS to get purple mohair to make the Abydos!! with purple stash yarn) So I caved. No idea what I’m getting. I’ll share after it arrives and I open on Mother’s Day.

I hope you had a great week of crafting. This has been a Ravelry Year of Projects post. Bloggers are encouraged to share their fiber plans for the year and then post weekly updates. Sticking to the plan is not required.

2023: Wk of 1/22-28; Reversible Hat FO, Sea Glass Tee Update, and Sock Cast-0n

January 29, 2023 by knittingissofun, posted in Knit, Knitting, Knitting Hats, Knitting Plan, Sweater Knitting

SEA GLASS TEE

Still loving this tee. I’ve separated for the sleeves. I’m about to go back to the sleeves so that I can try to have the sleeves coordinate with the body. That means I need to break my yarn into sleeve and body balls so that they match. Thankfully it’s short sleeves so I don’t have to do this very long. You obviously don’t have to have the sleeves match the body but I prefer when it does.

I’m happy that using the yarn ring forces me to knit continental and probably even looser than if I was knitting two handed. I like the looser gauge as I think it shows off the stitches more. I’m already using 3 needle sizes larger than the pattern calls for in addition to the continental knitting!! I’ll be dropping down needle sizes as I knit the body to give it some waist shaping. I am using the magic knot technique the pattern recommends. I did not make a magic ball as suggested but I think I will for my next one. Alternating between 2 minis has turned out more stripey than I had intended. You really do need to alternate every row!! I think it does look nice also as stripes like some of the projects did with 4-5 rows before changing colors.

REVERSIBLE HAT FO!!

I finished the reversible hat!! This was a stash buster project. The Christmas stripe yarn is leftover from the stocking I knit my granddaughter. Not sure what the other yarn is leftover from. I’ll be mailing it to my stepson this week. He will be able to get use out of the “winter” side of the hat. Knowing him, he’ll wear the Christmas stripes anyway.

VANILLA SOCK CAST-ON

I needed a new “walking” project so I cast-on a pair of socks. I love this yarn although sadly the dyer no longer dyes yarn. Fortunately there are a lot of good self striping yarn dyers out there so I’ll still be able to get my favorite type of sock yarn. It is my hope to give these socks as a gift to one of my daughter’s friends who is a brewmaster. He often gives us discounts on beers he brews when we visit Charleston so I’d like to give him something from me.

And that’s it for this week’s knitting. Can’t believe January is almost over already. We are halfway through our time in Florida and happy to be missing all the snow and ice back in Cincinnati. Wishing everyone a good week, knitting and otherwise.

This is a year of projects (YOP12) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog each week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like many). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts. YOP started it’s 12th year in July and I’m starting my third year in the group. You can find more detailed information about my projects on my Project Pages in Ravelry. I’ve been knitting for six years.

2023: Wk of 1/15-21; Hat FO and Sea Glass Tee

January 22, 2023January 26, 2023 by knittingissofun, posted in Knit, Knitting, Knitting Hats, Knitting Plan

MORE 2023 PLAN CHANGES 😉

I knew it wouldn’t take long but really??? Two weeks??? So I’ve already added a project to my 2023 plan that wasn’t there are the start of the year. Not a big deal. Made another hat for my son since the carryover WIP one turned out to be a bit too small. I had hoped to get it to him before another snowstorm hits Cincinnati but they got 6″ today. Oh well, for the next one.

SEA GLASS TEE

I was having so much fun knitting my Sea Glass tee and using the yarn ring last Sunday that apparently I stressed out the thumb on my right hand. Didn’t hurt while knitting but boy if I moved it a certain way – Yipes. I guess for me, if you are going to knit all day, do it over multiple projects. I’ve been massaging my thumb and hand and it’s doing much better. I think it’s because I’m knitting the tee continental when I’m usually an English style knitter. Anyway, it seems to be helping that I’m knitting my hat projects English while knitting the tee continental and making sure not to knit on the tee all day. The tee is a bit of slow go as it’s 400 stitches per row and the alternating colorwork also slows it down. I’m still enjoying it.

REVERSIBLE HAT

With the focus on getting my son’s hat done and making progress on the Sea Glass Tee, the reversible hat didn’t see a lot of knitting this week. This is definitely going to be a gift for one of my Cincinnati stepsons and I see knitting more or these Christmas/winter hats as gifts.

And that’s it for this week’s knitting. Wishing all a good week.

2023: Wk of 1/8-14; Plan Changes Already!! and Lessons Learned

January 15, 2023 by knittingissofun, posted in Knit, Knitting, Knitting Hats, Knitting Plan, Knitting tools, Sweater Knitting, Yarn Advent Calendars

CAST-ON, FROG, RECAST-ON; SEA GLASS TEE

Well, that didn’t take long. I already changed my mind on the yarn to use on a project although so far so good on pattern choice. I knew I needed a light colored yarn to use with my minis and I planned a cream colored yarn that I had bought years ago for a tee. But since my advent calendar from Emma’s yarn had a lot of light colored yarns, I decided that I would use the light colored minis from the Emma’s Yarn calendar with the dark colored minis from A Girl And Her Wool advent calendar for my Sea Glass Tee. I’m actually thrilled to be using only advent minis for the tee. So this is a change I’m happy with. I also didn’t realize the Sea Glass Tee is a “colorwork” sweater so I’ll be knocking off that goal too by knitting this tee.

I’m knitting the “light/dark” colorwork version. I love it!! I can see making more of these tops for my daughters. Colorwork means the fabric is double thick so it’s going to be warm. But we get cool days in the spring and fall. (Or I’ll just crank up the AC!!) I was given the yarn ring below for Christmas. I’ve never used one before but it’s perfect for this 1×1 colorwork!!

Full confession – I’ve already frogged the sweater shown below. It is my fault. I used the ring to knit my swatch but was having trouble learning how to use it. Much of the tee was knit with one yarn in my right hand the second in my left. This resulted in a MUCH tighter gauge. It tried on the tee (LOVE top down) and it was going to be more of a turtleneck!! In addition to the gauge being too tight, I think I need to do the increases more frequently than the pattern calls for. I’m making a smaller neck opening so I think that’s causing the need for faster increases. I’m not upset. I see the first attempt as learning how to use the ring and figuring out the neck. I’ve already recast it on and I’m finding it much easier to use the ring. I’m doing increases every 2-3 rows instead of 6 as the pattern calls for.

MORE LESSONS LEARNED 😦

Starting my 2023 plan took a one week hit as I hated the hem on hubby’s sweater so I ripped out the ribbed hem and put in a garter hem. I learned that the yarn does not “unzip” when pulled from the “bottom”. Since it was a bottom up sweater, I ripped out the cast-on and thought I’d easily be able to “unzip the ribbed rows”. A one day project. Instead I had to “unpluck” almost stitch by stitch pulling the yarn through each stitch. So ripping out 2″ of hem took a week!! I should have removed the hem from the first stripe like I did when I lengthen the sleeves. Since it took a week, this is likely a lesson I won’t forget.

A second “lesson” comes from a review of last year’s stitches per day analysis (thanks Backstage Knits). Turns out Sundays are often when I get the most knitting done. Not too surprising as I tend to knit while watching football games. Fridays on the other hand are when I get the least knitting done. Friday evenings are usually spent enjoying a pizza dinner with my son and his girlfriend followed by an evening of card playing. I will cherish these evenings for as long as they last. I don’t plan to make any changes based on this analysis. It was just interesting.

FO – HAT

WOW, what a quick knit a hat is!! Finished the rainbow hat for my son early this week. It was a very basic ribbed hat that was a free pattern on Ravelry, RibaRoni. He loves it although it’s a bit too short so it doesn’t completely cover his ears. I have enough leftover yarn to knit a second longer hat.

DOUBLE HAT WIP

This is now my “brain dead” project for social knitting and walking knitting. Similar to the Musselburgh but it starts in the center with a provisional cast-on. I haven’t done the decreases yet as I’m waiting to make sure I like the length before closing off each end. It’s Christmas stripes on one half and a “winter” stripes on the other. Not sure who is going to be the recipient. Maybe it will be stashed away for a future Advent gift.

Well, the year has had some initial stumbling but I’m happy with the changes and learning to use the yarn ring. Hubby likes his sweater much better with the garter hem. I love the projects I’m working on. I hope your 2023 is also off to a good start.

FO and 2021 Half Year in Review

June 27, 2021June 29, 2021 by knittingissofun, posted in Baby Knitting, Knitting, Knitting Hats, Knitting Plan, Sock Knitting, Sweater Knitting

Before I get to my half year review – A Finished Object!!! I have completed my second attempt at copying my friends hat made by her German cousins. You can decide for yourself how close I came. I feel it’s “close enough” and thus represents the best I can do. This photo is preblocked. With blocking I was able to make the size match.

So how am I doing on my 2021 Knitting Plans??

2021 KNITTING PLAN – PROJECTS

A WIPS – 2 out of 2

I completed both carryover WIPS. One turned out to be much bigger than planned since within 10 rows of completing the sweater, I ripped it back to the armholes!!

B SOCKS – 3ish out of 4

Satisfied with status at year midpoint. Supposed to be 3 pair with fingering weight yarns and one colorwork. The colorwork sock was converted into a pair of mitts when it turned out I had made them too tight to go over my heel. I’ll call it met. I have made 2 pair of anklets – one fingering, one is DK. I also made one sock (sample sock). So I’ll call that equal to 2 pair. That means I’m only one pair off for the year’s goal. I already have two pair of socks on needles and I really want to make the advent colorwork socks this fall. It may get postposed till ’22 as I have a pair of gift Christmas socks that have to be made first this fall. So I expect to exceed my sock making goal.

C SWEATER/TOPS – 2 out of 6

Behind but expected. I always overestimate how many tops/sweaters I can get made in a year. Having to remake most of my WIP sweater didn’t help. Plus adding a baby blanket has changed my plans. So far I’ve only finished 2 tops beyond the WIP. I’ve also decided to replace a top planned for me with a top for my son’s girlfriend. I suspect that getting 2 more made in the second half of the year is about all I’ll get done considering the socks I want to make.

D. MISC – 2 out of 1

Met. I planned to try to recreate a hat pattern of my friend. I ended up making two attempts and I’m done. Not on my plan – I’ve finished a baby blanket.

Since I generated the plan the end of December, I have added to this goal as I’d like to try making knitted ornaments. Three of my kids have gotten married in the past two years so I’d like to make them a wedding ornament. Also with a granddaughter on the way – a baby’s first Christmas ornament would be nice. We will see. I won’t be upset if I make more socks instead of ornaments. I think my advent colorwork socks will definitely be higher priority.

Other than sweaters/tops, 2021 looks to be on track!

2021 KNITTING PLAN – GOALS

In addition to projects, I have set some goals to work on in 2021. This was my list back in January.

Make something Brioche Hmm, probably next year
Track stitches per day (1000/day goal) Check. Digital calendar working well to track stitches
Make something with Continental Knitting I keep working on this with vanilla socks
Make a hat Check. Made two.
Make something with Colorwork Check. Advent mitts
Make Ravelry Queue match Knitting Plan I think I did this once but I know it’s out of whack.
Clean out Ravelry favorites Yeah right, cleaning out is not my strength.

I’m doing well at averaging 1000+ stitches per day. This past week has been really low since we are in high harvest and lawn maintenance season. I’m enjoying having knitting related goals in addition to project goals to keep me growing. I’m happy with my status on these goals.

All and all, 2021 is going well.

This is a year of projects (YOP) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog every week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like most). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts. YOP is starting it’s 11th year; I’m starting my second in the group.

YOP – Week of June 14 – 20

June 20, 2021 by knittingissofun, posted in Knitting, Knitting Hats, Social Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn

I did not get nearly as much knitting done this week as usual. It has been cherry and black raspberry picking time at our house. We got a good crop of cherries this year so I’ve been picking and pitting most everyday this past week. Monday hubby and I will make sour cherry preserves with our harvest. My son has also requested a cherry pie. My husband is an excellent pie baker. My husband makes homemade chambord with the black raspberries although I’d prefer preserves or pie.

Sunday is Father’s Day here in the US and it was our first family gathering since Christmas ’19. It was so nice to spend some time with my husband’s brother and his wife plus some nieces and their hubbies. Plus 2 of our sons.

Sock Knitting – 9″ Circulars

I’m so tickled with the yarn I’m using for my Size 0 – 9″ circular experiment. I just love the vibrant colors. I’m using a pink variegated mini to put a small stripe at the toe and then will use it at the heel and the cuff. I will also be trying an afterthought heel which will be a new technique for me. I did not make much progress on my Size 4 – 9″ circular Fixation socks since they are intended for the flight next week.

Attempt #2 at “German” Hat

I have started a second attempt to copy the hat given to my friend by her cousins in Germany. I think the yarn is not as bulky as her cousins used. It was some acrylic/wool blend that I had leftover from a sweater. I’ve finished the headband portion. Now I’m working on the cable band that gets sewn onto the headband before picking up stitches to make the crown. I’ve already realized that her cousins used slip stitches for the contrast color but oh well. I think this is as close as I’m going to come. I still can’t figure out what stitches they did along the edges of the cable. Again I think it’s some type of slip stitches. When I get this one done I’m going to have to declare close enough. There are too many other things I want to knit beside copying this hat pattern.

Getting Back to “Normal” – Social Knitting

I got to have 2 social knitting sessions this week!! My usual weekly group of knitters has been getting together on Saturdays since May. This week I also got together with a broader group on Friday. That will probably turn into a monthly. It is so nice to share tips and tricks from good podcasts to watch, to how to make an afterthought heel, to getting to use my friend’s really good ball winder to get some skeins ready for projects I’ll be starting in mid-July. I wish the monthly group that would meet at an area microbrewery would restart but I’m not sure they will. I may just have to get together with my friend that was one of the leaders on our own each month. I think I can be talked into that. 🙂

Futball

I really really like soccer!! So much so that my kids and hubby gave me season tickets to our local Major League Soccer team for 2020. We all know how that turned out. So I was able to roll them over into season tickets for this year. I finally got to go to my first game as now there are no restrictions on attendance. It was so fun even though the team lost (we are in last place). It’s a brand new stadium. I go by myself as my hubby’s health issues make it impossible for him to attend. But the people sitting by me were so friendly that it was enjoyable. I appreciate their kindness.

17 Year Cicada Update

I’m happy to report that we are definitely past the peak. It’s almost like a light stitch being turned off. One day they are everywhere and noisy, the next day it just tons of dead bugs and quiet. I so enjoyed getting to hear the birds singing again! The cidadas aren’t completely gone but they are no longer a nuisance. I don’t expect to be living here when they return in 17 years. Heck, I’ll be lucky if I’m still living on this side of the grass in 17 years.

This is a year of projects (YOP) update. YOP is a Ravelry Group – make a plan for the year ahead for all your fiber activities, then update your blog every week. Plans can be calendar year (like mine) or mid-year start (like many). Following the plan is optional and creates some of the fun of posts. YOP is in it’s 10th year although I’m in my first in the group.

YOP Wk #18 – Cicadas are coming!!

May 9, 2021 by knittingissofun, posted in Knitting, Knitting Hats, Sweater Knitting, Yarn, Yarn Advent Calendars

The year is zipping by isn’t it!! Already May. Doesn’t feel like it here. We are having an unusually cool spring. I can’t remember having a fire in the fireplace for Mother’s Day. Still can’t plant any flowers or start our garden as there is still a risk of frost this week. Fingers cross that next weekend can start planting flowers.

Course we are just in time for the 17 year cicadas to emerge this week or next. Annual cicadas are about 2 per square foot. These 17 year cicadas are about 30 per square foot. Literally everything gets covered in these big bugs and you basically can’t go outside. Their “singing” is as loud as a lawnmover so you can imagine the noise of millions of them!! They don’t bite but they do land on you. Yuck. They should all be dead by the end of June. They slice young tree and shrub branches in order to lay their eggs so I’ll have to wait till July to plant the new lilac bush I want.

Sailormoon

I did add an extra 10 rows to the make a longer lace panel. Pattern calls to bindoff after 2 repeats but I’m doing 3. That’s only an extra 2900 stitches!! I didn’t get as much done as I had hoped. I’ll get the lace done later today and should be picking up stitches for the sleeves tonight.

Barbara’s “German” Hat

I finished my first attempt to copy my friend’s hat pattern. My yarn choices were awful. The fuzzy white yarn blurs out the cable. Then I closed the top too fast so the hat barely covers my ears. Great if I want to show off my earrings while wearing the hat. I’m going to rip out the cap part and make it longer although I really can’t see the yarn to try to frog it. I suspect I’ll be cutting the yarn.

I checked my stash and I actually already had a skein of maroon Berroco Vintage Chunky leftover from a sweater I knit my daughter 2 years ago. Plus I found some tan yarn that I can use as the contrast color. I have no idea what it is or where I got it since don’t own anything with that yarn. I’m going to try again with making the hat. This time I’ll be able to see the stitches better. You got to love the instructions Barbara’s cousins gave her to knit the hat. 1) Knit first part like a headband. 2) make a narrow cable approximately 10 inches long. Sew this part horizontally to first part. 3) Edge stiches from part 2 are cast-on again and the top of the hat is finished. Uhhh – see why I’m having trouble “following the pattern”. 😜

Advent Calendar

Just a reminder, if you are interested in gifting yourself or someone else an advent calendar, many are starting their preorders now. My local knitting group has create a spreadsheet on advent calendars as we find them. I don’t really need more minis but I really want one anyway. Most are way more than I want to spend but we have found a few good “bargains”. My favorite so far is made in the UK (Vicki Brown) but I’m a bit worried about receiving it before I head back to Florida for the winter.