Cross Another Off the List

The sudden change in our daily lives is meaning a lot of time at home, which isn't all that unusual for a homebody like me, but usually over the weekend we get out a bit. Obviously any plans we had before have been canceled, so now I have the perfect excuse to stay in with my knitting. Over this past weekend, that meant the perfect opportunity to finish up a project and cross another item off my 20 in 2020 list.

Pattern: Brackthaw by Faye Kennington, size medium
Yarn: Quince & Co. Finch (100% American wool) in Sage, less than one skein, and handspun Georgia "rustic wool"/silk/nylon
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm) Addi Sock Rockets, magic loop
Started/Completed: February 13/March 14

These mittens have been on my want-to-knit list for a while, and I decided that the Woolly Thistle's annual mitten KAL was the perfect opportunity to finally do it. I'd already decided that I was going to use these two yarns for the mittens, both of which were in my FibreShare package a year ago. It felt good to use stash yarn for a pattern already in my library.

So let's talk details.

This pattern was a bit of a challenge not because it was hard but because of the level of detail. It's worked at a dense gauge -- 9 stitches per inch -- and, as you can see, has a very delicate design. Faye's pattern is very well written and easy to follow, but the charts might be a challenge if your vision isn't great. My sight is generally good, but I had to be very deliberate about keeping my place in the chart. Once I got to the second mitten, however, I found that the patterning was a little more intuitive to me, and the knitting definitely got faster as a result.

I made one modification and one error (that I could easily identify) in the knitting. As I was doing the decreases at the top of the second hand, I notice -- several rounds later -- that I'd done a decrease stitch in the wrong color. I wasn't about to rip back at that point, so I just used one of my yarn tails after I finished to duplicate stitch over the offending stitch as part of weaving that end in. I felt a little smug about it, actually, and though I know exactly where it is, I'm guessing that you can't see it, even if you enlarge the photo. The modification is likewise one that's not easy to spot: I did two additional decreases at the top of each mitten, a centered double decrease on each side (the palm and the back of the hand are separated on each side by three stitches -- white/green/white -- so I just decreased each set to one stitch). This meant that each mitten ended with a small number of stitches all in green, and that was aesthetically pleasing to me.

I generally don't block colorwork too aggressively, but these were a little lumpy because the handspun was a bit inconsistent and overall just a tad thicker than the Finch. I discovered that the top of my Knit Picks sock blockers were the perfect size and shape to stick into the hand, so after the mittens got a good soak, I stuck the blockers into them while they dried. The fabric is still not as even as it could be, but I have a feeling that as these get worn and rewashed, they will even out a bit more.

I'm completely delighted with how these turned out and now have an urge to knit more colorwork mittens -- and perhaps even design a new pair myself!

How are the rest of you coping with the new reality? It's been a long time since I had a knitting group to go to, but I'm finding that it would be really great to have one right now. Would anyone be up for a virtual knitting get-together sometime soon? I'm sure I could figure out Google Hangouts or something similar, and it would be great to be able to talk to some of you in real time while knitting. Let me know!

Finishing Streak

For a while there I felt like I was in a bit of a rut with my projects, but now the stars are all starting to align and things are starting to come off my needles! For starters, I finished my handspun socks:

Pattern: Louisette Socks by Ruth Brasch
Yarn: Handspun Fibernymph Dye Works Cheviot in Beach Wedding
Needles: 40 in. US 0 (2.0 mm) Knitter's Pride SmartStix, magic loop
Started/Completed: February 7/February 27
Mods: did my own toe and subbed a Fish Lips Kiss Heel for the heel in the pattern

These were a fun knit and, once I had the pattern memorized, a fast project as well. I definitely picked up speed on the second sock once I knew what I was doing. I can still see the mistake in the first sock (it's the one on the left in the photo, and the mistake is right at the bend of the ankle), but I don't think it's very obvious to anyone else, so it's staying in. I'm very pleased with how the yarn striped, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the Cheviot holds up in socks.

This is the first thing I'd knit with these needles, and while they weren't too bad to use, I'm not terribly impressed with them. The cable was rather a bother at times, as it would curl up on me and get in the way, and the inch markings along the cable itself were rubbing off as I worked. The markings on the needle tips, though, were definitely helpful to have (and I actually remembered to use them by the time I got to the second sock!), and the tips are good and pointy. I don't think they'll replace my favorite Addi Sock Rockets for socks, but they are a much more reasonably priced alternative.

If everything goes according to plan this evening, by the time I go to bed, I'll have another project off the needles, and it's a big one -- my Darkwater.

All that's left is that little bit of sleeve, maybe 4 inches or so. I've already put Rainbow on notice that we're having a girls' evening (the Mister has a work dinner), so that means a quick dinner so that I can get to knitting and she can get to reading a library book. If I can get in a solid two hours of knitting, I should be golden.

I'm also making noticeable progress on my Brackthaw mittens, which are now my main focus during my lunch breaks. Yesterday I finished up the thumb gusset of the first mitten, and now I'm flying up the rest of the hand.

Yes, it's dark and rainy again today. Why do you ask?

I had neglected to put my tapestry needles back into my project bag, so I made do with what I had on hand to put the thumb stitches on hold: I used the string from the tag from the Quince & Co. Finch I'm using as my waste yarn and got the stitches onto it by using it as my working yarn and pulling through each stitch I used. Was it the most efficient way to get the job done? Probably not, but it worked just fine -- and I felt rather smart as an added bonus, which is always a good thing.

Pattern Release: I've Got Sunshine

Yes, I am posting on a Saturday, which is not at all typical for me, but it's for a good reason! Today I'm sharing my first pattern of 2020, a new sock pattern designed especially for the Lots of Socks KAL hosted by Lisa Ross to benefit Down Syndrome International.

Last year's KAL came together rather quickly, so my featured sock pattern was one I'd already published. For this year's KAL, however, I knew I wanted to design something new. I also reached out to an indie yarn dyer to see if she was interested in collaborating, and I was delighted when she took me up on the offer! Elizabeth of Holly Press Fibers even custom-dyed a colorway using the Down syndrome colors (blue and yellow) and named it I've Got Sunshine. I loved the colorway and the sentiment it suggested so much that I shamelessly stole it for my design.

I've Got Sunshine (the sock version) is knit cuff-down and features a meandering twisted stitch pattern that goes all the way down the leg and on top of the foot toward the outside of each sock. The sock uses a traditional heel flap and gusset construction, but with the twist: The placement of the gusset decreases are shifted toward the bottom of the sole and angle up toward the instep, resulting in a snug fit around the heel. You can see that line of decreases in the left sock here:

The tech-edited pattern has been graded to five sizes, to fit foot circumference of 6, 7 (8, 9, 10) in./ 15, 18 (20.5, 23, 25.5) cm, and has been professionally tech edited. The stitch pattern is both written and charted. And, what's more, for today only, it's on sale!

All proceeds from the sale of this pattern today, February 15, 2020, will be donated to Down Syndrome International. Additionally, if you enter the code LOTSOFSOCKS, you'll save 50% on the purchase price!

All of my sock patterns are eligible for the KAL as well, and each sock you knit is an entry for some great prizes, so I hope you'll join us!

Plans for a Three-Day Weekend

It's another wet, cold day here in Western Pennsylvania. We had a snow/rain mix yesterday and are due for more of the same today. The gloom is really depressing, but today I'm not letting it put a damper on my mood because I have a three-day weekend coming up! Rainbow's school is closed tomorrow (for a teacher in-service day) and Monday (for Presidents Day), so I've arranged to work from home tomorrow and take a vacation day on Monday. All of that translates to much more knitting time! When I work from home, I can often get away with knitting because if I don't have any actual work to do, I'm good to do whatever as long as I keep an eye on my email. That works out perfectly because I set up my laptop next to my spinning chair to keep an eye on things and can knit or spin in the meantime.

One project I really hope to make a lot of progress on is my Darkwater; as of last night, I have about five inches of body done. For as much fun as the colorwork was to knit, stockinette in the round is really the perfect thing this week, as work as been busy and my brain has been absolutely fried by the time I sit down to knit in the evening.

That project bag is my current favorite sweater bag -- it's from Amy Beth of Fat Squirrel Fibers. I have several of her bags and they are all extremely well made.

I'm still working on my Louisette Socks as well. I turned the heel and have started knitting up the leg, but they don't look much different from the last time you saw them, so I will spare you from having to see another dark photo.

Right now I'm pondering mittens, mainly because my hands have been cold lately and the warmest mittens I have are actually a bit big on me. I happen to have two mitten patterns in my 20 in 2020 pattern list: the Snow Day Mittens, which I plan to make for myself to match (sort of) the pair I made for Rainbow, and Brackthaw, for which I'm planning to use yarn I received from my FibreShare partner last year. Today marks the start of the Woolly Thistle Mitten KAL, so I might actually wind  the yarn and cast on for the latter tonight. I know they won't be super fast to knit, but given that the high tomorrow is only supposed to be in the low 20s F, I'm certainly going to be motivated to get them done quickly so that I can wear them.

Whether or not you have a three-day weekend ahead to look forward to, I hope it's a good one!