Something other than Red

 I'm taking a few sick days, and blogging is something I can manage.

These are NOT slate blue.  They are totally navy. Weird. They're Free Flat Knit Baby Socks. I used Vanna's Choice by Lion Brand taht I found in the stash. It's a "Medium 4", 16st/22rows on 5.5mm/9. I used 4.5mm. I really wouldn't want to go with a smaller needle. I casted on flat but then knit them in the round. You do end up with a fake seam at the back, but I think it looks nicer than most seams I see. I sewed the sole as per the instructions. If I do them again, I will cast on 2 less than half the stitches, then pick up in those stitches and go back to the start. On the first row, increase into each of the centre 4 stitches.  These were really quick to make, and I love how they are deep for the instep. Babies have thick feet. Like, there's no flat part on the top of their feet, they just angle up from the toes to the calf LOL.  However, there are so many baby bootie patterns out there, I like to try different patterns.  These took 42gr. I'm trying to use up the left over yarn on a hat but I just don't think I have enough. 

This is the second pair of mittens I made with the Country Style DK yarn. They're a size 4 and I remembered to do the plain rows after the ribbing before the thumb gusset! They took 47gr.  Gram by gram I am chipping away at the stash!

Yarn In:  0 grams

Yarn Out:  89gr + 592gr =    681gr

Balance:  681gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $0

New Mitten Outlet

 Winter hit Ontario. We were spoiled last year, and made up for it this February. 

We even had a true snow day--not just no buses, but schools were closed!!

The school I work at one afternoon a week noticed a need for winter gear and other school supplies for students. The principal took an unused small room/closet and created the Lion's Locker, where students can go on their own to grab mittens, a sweater, etc. I knew this would be a great place to donate my bag of mittens that I used to take to work when I was a lunch supervisor. I've added a few pairs in the last couple years as I was working at a small school, but I'm not there much anymore and they don't have kindergarten. I made another pair last week, and started a pair this week. I have so much yarn!

52grs, it's Sirdar Country Style DK weight. It's only 15% wool, but I double stranded it and knit it fairly snug. However, I didn't like the thumbs! They seem too long and thin. After, I started the next pair and I realized I misread the instructions and forgot the 4-8 plain rows before starting the thumb gusset.  Oops. The other pattern I use starts the thumb gusset right after the ribbing, but at a slower rate of increases. They'll still keep someone warm!

If you have small amounts of yarn that's a wool blend, I highly recommend making mittens to donate. Superwash wools are ideal, but even wool blends can be warm (as long as they don't get too wet). Knit slightly tighter than you would normally. You can even turn them inside out and pick up stitches at the top of the ribbing and knit a liner (I wouldn't knit the thumb on a liner, unless I made them bigger). 

Yarn In:  0 grams

Yarn Out:  52gr + 540gr = 592gr

Balance:  592gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $0

Seeing Red

 How many red scarves can I make? I can't even keep track. I have two pictures in my Google Photos that were since the last time I posted red scarves, but no actual "staged" photos.

This one was just double crochet, 20 per row. Super easy, super fast. The first one I did in DC was 18 stitches and I wanted just a bit bigger. A couple times I found out I had gone down to 19 DC, so I had to rip back. One time, it was quite a bit to rip out but it is super fast to crochet. 132 gr. 

This is another ribbed one. It was a bit narrow but I was hoping I could heavily steam it and stretch it looser. That didn't really happen but I'll throw it in anyway. It's more like 4-5" wide instead of 6". 

The school I have a small part time job at has started a "share closet" for extra supplies, donations, spare clothes etc. I'm going to donate the bag of mittens that I had from lunch supervision. Plus, I've made some in the mean time but never found anywhere to donate. I also decided to just grab some yarn and knit some tiny mittens. More on those in the next post. While looking in one of my storage ottomans for something, I found 3 felted but unstuffed mice. So I sewed them up with some catnip.

I also made two more fingerless gloves using the orange/yellow/pink yarn. I needed one to replace the too-yellow one from the last pair. Then I thought I might as well knit another to make that one into a pair, and donate those to the school. 

The too-yellow one on top, the new one at the bottom.

This is the pair I've ended up with for myself.

While I was in the ottoman, I found a fair isle ear flap hat I had made on the Singer 155 many years ago, that I wasn't totally happy with. There was a yarn tail hanging out, so I wove that in and threw it in the donation bag. Apparently I made it in 2011 and there were some issues. I don't know if I ever fixed all the issues....I sort of remember wearing it, but I've had so many hats. I'm not counting this yarn total since I really didn't even do much. I wasn't keep track of yarn back then.

Many knitters do a "Finish it February" theme, and perhaps that's what I'm doing too. I have a Christmas tree skirt pattern I think I bought in 2001 at Spinrite, in Listowel, back when it was still just Patons I think. And a mohair sweater from pre-blog....who knows what else....I have a bag of wool socks that need mending, but I rarely wear wool socks now. I have three Sofie purses from 2002/2003 that need handles (I think I have two of them, maybe even three). 

Yarn In:  0 grams

Yarn Out:  334gr + 206gr = 540gr

Balance:  540gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $0

Another Pair

 Recently, we re-organized our bins of winter accessories. We have three baskets which worked perfectly in our last house, but just have not worked well here. I found a single dark charcoal fingertipless glove. 

I took a deep dive into my blog to find the orginal. It is so old that I couldn't find the original post--I started blogging in 2006! I did find a post about a replacement pair I made.  That was 2017 and apparently they're still being used in the garage. I decided (actually, decided before I found the blog post) to make a new pair.

No modelled pictures; they seem to be in use! This time they are in Paton's Classic wool and I think Topsy Wool (the red). 

Yarn In:  0 grams

Yarn Out: 73gr + 133gr =  206gr

Balance:  206gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $0