Purple Bulky Mitts

The Spring Bug is still with me. I need it to be warm...er.

Our MN weather can't make up its mind. 35 degrees on day, 65 the next, then back down to 40...

LAME.

A few weeks ago I took some time to test out some new (to me) yarn bases.

The blend of colors when speckling and smooshing is SO rewarding! 

You never really know what is going to happen in the steamer. Its like MAGIC.

The skeins were pretty small, only 75yds, so I didn't want to risk an unfinished hat.

These knit up in about an hour a piece on size 8 DPNs. 

The creamy vanilla color pooled in one palm,

and the dark purple pooled in the other.

I've worn them a couple times at work to keep my hands warm while typing. The warmth factor is unmatched. The mitts are thick, but flexible and forgiving.

The 1Ply base blooms and I can tell they will shed and pill quite a bit, but there were no separations in either skein and it absorbed the dye easily.

I will keep it on my 'maybe' list for adding to the shop later in the year. I don't anticipate selling much bulky weight yarn this time of year.

Let me know what you think. I don't knit many things with bulky yarn so I'm interested in everyone's opinion. Should I look for longer base skeins? What yardage is preferred? What do bulky-yarn-knitters look for? Dark colors, muted, brights, etc?

Linking up with Nicole's KCCO and Ginny's Yarn Along this week. I can't wait so see your stuff!

Later!

Melissa

Spring Hats

Happy Tuesday everyone! 

We've enjoyed a few warm days here in the Midwest, but it was short lived. This week brings cooler temps and lots of rain. A Negative Nancy by nature, I do my best to stay positive and remind myself of how GREEN things will become very soon! 

I have a couple cute little Spring hats to share with you. 

Close up pictures of other knitters' work are my favorite (macro ?). The green needles are Knit Picks Caspian Interchangeables. My new favorite needles. The transitions are smooth and the cables are soft, flexible, and forgiving.

The yarn is Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light held double on size US6 circular needles.

This is the first time I've knit a hat on a circular needle magic loop style.

Soooo much easier! 

I had plenty of yarn left to make a loose pom pom for each hat. The loose, informality of it feels very sweet & old fashioned.

I am very fair skinned so the yellow hat washes me out.

The pink one I LOVE. I knit it a little shorter than the yellow one so it fits more like a beanie.
 

If you've followed my blog you know I've been burnt by 1-Ply yarns. This time I had a very different experience These skeins of Tosh Merino Light were a pleasure to knit with, no knots or joins, and just enough twist to it to keep it together.

These were a gift, but I definitely won't hesitate to buy more in the future.

Lovely, just lovely.

I look forward to our weekly link-up updates. I actually have time tomorrow to peruse through everyone's projects! Yay me!

Ginny's Yarn Along & Nicole's KCCO, ready or not, here I come!

Later!

Melissa 

Girly Socks

It was 60+ degrees here in MN today! Sooooo nice to be outside!

I have a bug to knit Spring-y colored things. Bad.

The first of these Murano Socks is finished. 

This is Hedgehog Fibers Sock in the Holly Jolly colorway.

In the pre-Thanksgiving shipment from my Mom there was also two skeins of one-ply fingering.
 

With the first skein (Madelintosh Merino Light) I started a hat on US6 circular needles, magic loop style, pulling from both ends of the skein.

I'm keeping it in this adorable vintage fabric Spud & Chloe bag.

The fabric is just lovely. It reminds me of my Grandmother's hand made pillow cases. I'm not thrilled with the string tie though. Thinking I will replace it with some ribbon. I think even my well-loved measuring tape would be cute. 
 

I'm loving how the hat is coming out. It will be great for Spring evening walks.

Reading: Yay! As a Kindle owner, I seldom read a book with ACTUAL PAGES! What a treat!

Pacing myself through the stories of Clara Parkes's, Knitlandia was a good idea. Now that my son has started spring golf practice I have a little alone time at home after work each day. I treat myself to ONE story & some peace before my husband comes home and we start making supper. 

Linking up with Nicole's KCCO & Ginny's Yarn Along this week. I can't wai to see what y'all have goin' on!

Later!

Melissa



 

Lightening Speed

This skein of self-striping goodness from SSYC was yet another gift from my Mom.

At first I wasn't too excited about the color combo as it had been re-skeined, so I knit a few other things from the shipment first.

This is Poste Yarn from SSYC in the Ghost Town colorway.

Once this yarn was on the needles I coun't knit them fast enough.

You know, when you have a little contest with yourself inside your head; "Just one more stripe and I'll start the laundry."

Yep. That's me.

I knit them OAAT but still managed to get the striping pretty darn close.

That same gifted-shipment from my Mom contained this skein of Hedgehog Sock in the Holly Jolly colorway.

The temps jumped to over 50 degF last weekend in the Twin Cities and I needed a little Spring pick-me-up.

 

The twisted rib cuff is very, very pretty. Just not sure I like how they look on my leg :/ I'm not a fan of purl stitches on the right side of my projects. Plus, The color washes me out.

And, yes again, my reading glasses. I need them for almost everything 'up close' right now. Perhaps its time for a visit to the eye doctor.

As Wedensday approaches, I once again look so forward to what everyone has going on!

Linking with Nicole's KCCO today & Ginny's Yarn Along tomorrow!

Later!

Melissa

Sassy Pants

Whenever I'm feeling relatively awesome, as if I could conquer the world, something humbling happens and I am forced to come back down to earth.

That SOMETHING would be these socks.

My Mom gifted me these skeins of Turtle Purl yarn last fall. 

I'm not a fan of yarn with stellina so I had not planned on keeping them.

I cast them on a US1 circular, two at a time, 60 sts each sock.

Like a boss.

Like I do this ALL THE TIME.
 

Or so I thought...

When I began to reduce stitches for the toe the stitch count was off.

One side of one sock was SHORT 4 STITCHES....really?!?

So I closed the toes, picked up the heel stitches, and closed the heels, and moved on. Socks...done.

They fit fine, I will keep them, and I like them (sparkly/twinkly yarn and all).

No one will ever know, right?

I have moved on and am currently obsessed with this colorway from SSYC's house brand, Poste Yarn. The colorway is...Ghost Town, I believe.

I'm beyond this photo and am almost to the toe on the second sock. 

I can't knit them fast enough.

This little gem arrived in my mailbox this afternoon. I enjoyed a little Amaretto and some quiet time after work with the first story.

I will need to pace myself, maybe one story per day, otherwise I'll stay up all night and read it in one sitting!

Linking up with Nicole's KCCO and Ginny's Yarn Along!

Later!

Melissa
 

Fuscia Charade Socks

I'm not such a prolific knitter that I'm able to complete a project every week. That would be silly. 

I merely have so many works in progress that it could be years before they are all complete. Tee Hee.

These Fuscia Charade Socks are in my own hand dyed, knit magic loop style on US1 circulars.

It was an experiment in how to use saturated colors with a 'tonal' skein concept. 

I'm loving how they turned out!

 I knew without a slip stitch or something similar this skein would either pool or stripe. So...they kinda stripe and kinda don't.

Today is Valentines Day in the U.S.. I made Red Velvet Waffles for my family this morning that weren't a total failure, but no flowering success either.

I short-cutted a waffle mix with Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix, added a few extra egg whites, and went for it.

They tasted great, but fell flat (literally), not crunchy on the outside like we (our family) prefer our waffles. Once plated they looked like a red cupcake you stomped on with a boot. 

BUT, it was the thought that counts, my family appreciated my efforts, we all laughed it off and shared a lovely breakfast. Thank goodness I raised children with a sense of humor.

The next pair of socks on my needles are Turtle Purl Glitter& Stripes in the 'What Does it Mean?' colorway.

These are once again magic loop style, 2 at a time, on US1 circulars.
 

Snacking and watching movies with my Sweetie this afternoon.
 

I'm hoping to find some extra time this week to see what everyone is working on.

Linking up with Nicole's KCCO on Tuesday & Ginny's Yarn Along on Wednesday.

Later!

Melissa
 
 

Hat completion

Welcome back. I am always so grateful for those who visit but especially the feedback I get from my fellow knitters/crafters. Your opinions are important to me. Thank You!

I finished a couple of hats this weekend and can't wait to show you.

This first hat is Dream On! by Hanna Maciejewska. My Mom gifted me this project last December. I clean her apartment every 2-3 weeks and she usually "pays" me in yarn.

Its a combination of cables and loose K1P1 ribbing. It was my first slouchy style hat and my first time using a K1b stich (knit one in the row below). 
 

The hat itself is super comfy to wear, a nice combination of not too tight and pretty to look at.
 

I've had a bad experience with Jilly yarn before so I was pretty ambivalent about even starting this project. 

I LOVED the yarn. Super soft and smooth, and no knots in the skein. (I am soooo sick of finding knots in my high-end yarns). Knitting with silk blends is a dream. I knit slippery yarns with bamboo needles to help maintain control and consistency in my stitches.

I'm getting used to the closure of this hat   :/

Is it typical for slouchy hats to be closed with 50-60 stitches still on the needles? 

My teenage son commented on what this looks like - NOT something you want on your head. We'll leave it at that, Ok? 

My Favorite Five Year Old is still wearing the pumpkin hat I mad him last November. He needs a new one.

I'm a huge fan of Libby Jonson, TrulyMyrtle on IG and YouTube. She just released a men's beanie pattern called Maximus (and offered a coupon!).

I have some green yarn on hand that I thought would look great, but Nolan wanted grey, like the guy in the picture.

The grey yarn I had on hand was a skein of Berrocco Vintage DK. The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn and US7 needles. I used US6 needles, the DK weight yarn, and knit the largest of the three hat sizes. Should fit him just fine for a few years.

I even have enough left over yarn to make on for his Dad if he likes it too.

We (my husband and I) are getting ready to belly up to some home made Super Bowl treats and preparing for yet another burst of snow later today. 

As always, I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone is up to this week. Linking up with Ginny's Yarn Along on Wednesday and Nicole's KCCO on Tuesday.

Later,

Melissa