I just finished a simple ribbed red scarf for World AIDS Day. 24sts, 5mm. 89gr.

I think this was the sweater I unravelled. I have 8 scarves ready to go. Lower than my goal, but actually, on track for previous years.

The other finished item is another ribbed chunky hat. One strand Sirdar Country Style DK...or Snuggly DK? And one strand Pingouin "Poudreuse". Is Pingouin still in business? This yarn is 80% acrylic, 10% wool and 10% mohair. The hat weighs 70grams. 

I got all the hats out just to see how many I have. There's 27 in this pile. I should go back and see if I have already donated ribbed hats. I did take in the ones I made on the LK150, but I'm not sure if I took in any of the ribbed ones. 

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:  159gr + 7322gr = 7481gr

Balance:  4011gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

Two More Ribbed Hats

 This first ribbed hat, I had planned to use another yarn with it, but the suggested gauge was with 8mm needles, so I just did it alone. I did 56st, or maybe 52st because I assume it'll be for a younger person. It's Morocco Fashion, by Loops & Threads. I only had one ball, which also contributed to my decision to make it smaller. I did end up with 24 grams left, so I probably could have made it a row or two longer.  It weighs 61gr.

This next one went super quick. I used two balls of Sirdar Country Style DK. One in a dark heather blue, one in a solid lighter blue, sort of a mid tone, along with two strands of Patons' "Lace".

The "Lace" gives it a nice fluffiness without being too crazy. I ran out of the lighter blue part way through, but with the brim up, you can't tell.

With the brim down, you can sort of tell that the top of the hat is darker (I added a second end of the heathery blue after the lighter blue ran out).  The "Lace" really helps with the illusion, because it ranges from white to dark blue, and having two strands meant there was lots of colour changes.

It weighs in at 102 gr. It's a hefty one!

I think I might start making newborn hats for our roadtrip next week. I don't have a complicated pattern to work on in the evenings, but I'll have a red scarf (maybe that should be the complicated one), and a new pair of plain socks. I like to have a variety, but also, don't want to over pack LOL. There is a crochet tank top pattern I want to work on... (No, not the "All About That Drape" one, a totally new one!).

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:  7159gr + 163gr = 7322gr

Balance:  3852gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

Ribbed Hat with a Unique Feature

 I'm still knitting ribbed chunky hats for charity. Getting low on worsted weight yarns I can double, so I went for the chunky yarns. The main yarn for this is Loops & Threads "Charisma" in Electric Blue. The reflective yarn is Red Heart, I believe. 

I wanted to make the fold up brim have more of the reflective yarn, but it's hard to know exactly how high someone will turn back the brim. 

The reflective yarn is slightly thinner, but overall, it doesn't really show. I wasn't holding them double. I used 56st and 9mm needles. 92 grams total.

Yarn In:  3470gr

Yarn Out:   6982gr + 92gr = 7074gr

Balance:  3604gr more OUT than in

Costs: $243.78

Coastal Stripe Socks for a Coastal Road Trip

 For years, I over packed knitting projects on trips. I was overly optimistic, and delusional at the same time. Then I smartened up, and started knitting dishcloths on trips. I'd buy one of those huge "Handicrafter" balls that reflected the mood/location of the trip, and knit corner to corner dishcloths, not even cutting between them until I had a few made. 

However, now I have dishcloths waiting to be used still. Last year, I made a bunch of hats for donation, and I still knit hats to donate, but the yarn requirements to fulfill almost two weeks of knitting was going to be too much to pack. I do have a simple red scarf on the needles that was perfect for this trip.

One day I was looking at the sock yarn in the Mary Maxim catalogue. I don't wear my wool socks much anymore, for a few reasons, but I looked at the names of the Kroy sock yarns, and one was "Northern Lights". Both of our summer road trips could result in seeing the Northern Lights (although sometimes we see them here!).   This would be perfect!  It was out of stock though. I went to two different Michaels, and neither had it. It was way too expensive on Amazon. I picked out Coastal Stripes instead, and also Woodsie (which I did need to order on Amazon). For our trip to northern Ontario, I used Coastal Stripes. 

I did toe up, but I cast on one at a time until I was past the toes, then put them on a spare needle and started the second one. I cast on (2.7mm)  8st (x2), increased every row until 16sts (x2), then every other row until 56 or 58? No, I think 56....this caused a lot of issues when I went to do the Fleegle heel. I was getting so mixed up in my numbers and what was half of that and then add two.... 

I then did a 2x2 rib, switching to a 3mm needle towards the top.  I tried to switch to a 3.25mm after a bit but couldn't find one handy.  Then casted off using the Russian Lace Cast Off. 

I was almost done when we got home from the trip, but the socks were mid-stripe pattern and I wanted to complete the pattern, so I kept knitting for another day. I love the fraternal twin look, though I talked about my disappointment with the heel colours on my YouTube video. 

These may not be Lake Superior rocks, but I think they still suit the theme! The big blue sky, the blue lakes, the grey gravel roads.

I can't wait to wear them (it did cool down here, but not enough for tall wool socks). I'm pretty sure I'll be able to wear them on our next trip, when I work on another pair of socks in the "Woodsie" colourway. We never did see the Northern Lights on our trip. I have a new star map to try out too. It stayed too light, too late for us LOL. And then, there was wildfire smoke and haze so we couldn't even see the sky on the way back!

Yarn In: 100gr + 3370gr = 3470gr

Yarn Out:   6397gr + 85gr = 6482gr

Balance:  3012gr more OUT than in

Costs: $229.79 + $13.99 = $243.78

Random Hats

 I have a fair bit of Patons "Decor" in my stash. However, there's not much that goes together. I had two balls of this periwinkle, but I didn't want to do a solid colour. I found two balls of grey worsted that were very similar, but not quite identical. I cast on a ribbed chunky hat (PassionKnit Kelsey pattern), and changed the grey every row. 

I weighs in at 112gr. 

I also have a fair bit of this rustic wool, Condon's Yarns, from PEI. The label is faded, but I think it says 2 ply. This is the type of wool that gives wool a bad name. It does soften up with washing but it's still not merino.

I used 3 strands--tan, pewter, and cream. 

Knit up, it was kind of floppy, and very rustic. I washed it pretty aggressively. It's for donation, and I doubt it'll get handwashed by the recipient. 

Pre-wash, the yarns are very tightly spun and the three strands are quite separate from each other.

The yarn really fluffed up. It's a large hat, though not too stretchy now. It will be very warm! It took 154gr.

Yarn In: 1720gr

Yarn Out:  4823gr + 112gr + 154gr = 5099gr

Balance:  3379gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $104.37

Just Keep Ribbing

 What can I say? I have a lot of stash, and ribbed chunky hats (adapted from PassioKnit Kelsie) is a simple pattern. I made a few changes, which I've mentioned elsewhere, like my tutorial for a different type of cast on that works really well with ribbing. 

This was one strand of the yarn left over from the dog sweater in the previous post, and one strand (3 colours) of a Moda Dea "Washable Wool". It's a little bit thicker, and has a different texture because it's three plies of two ply strands. 

Weighs in at a whopping 130gr.

Yarn In: 800gr

Yarn Out:  130gr + 4432gr =  4562gr

Balance:  3762 gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $29.37

Update on Jacket Disaster

 I posted earlier in May about taking apart a baby jacket to harvest the yarn, and having it turn into a million little balls of yarn. I even made a Short about it! Have you checked out my revitalized YouTube channel? 

I got one hat finished, weighed the remaining yarn, and made another one.

There's all the yarn that's left. Of course, I did keep it. I don't remember which of the two I already showed, but I'm going to say this one weighed the same. 

Yarn In: 800gr

Yarn Out:  93gr + 4169gr = 4262gr

Balance:  3462gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $29.37

I'm Sorry, More Ribbed Hats

 I can't help myself. I just keep making these! 

I found this baby jacket in my bins. I remember making it, it was from a free leaflet from Bernat. You know how they had those "peel one off" type of patterns hanging on the shelves at Michaels? Simple garter stitch. I used James Brett "Marble DK".  Somehow, the proportions ended up strange. Probably because I followed the stitch counts but for the length, used the measurements.

I had done a great job, grafting in garter stitch. All it needed was buttons, but it all looked wrong so I never did the buttons.

I decided to unravel it and use the yarn for something else. I don't think I had determined it would be a ribbed hat, but I quickly learned, I wouldn't have many options.

This is how it ended up. OMG. It wasn't even easy to unravel, but I only cut the yarn once. I think I had done this so the stripes on the sleeves, and the two front pieces would match the back for the striping. 

I used two ends of the Marble, and one end of Patons "Lace" which also changes colour. I started with one of the big balls, and a mid-sized ball. I had a lot of ends to work in!

93 grams

This one was a quick one. Loops & Threads "Charisma". I can't remember if I used 7 or 8mm.

It took 90gr, and this ball has about 70gr left. I think I have some others though. 

This one was a bunch of random blues, mainly mohairs, from the stash.

I'm going to make one more with the Marble, and then hopefully pause while I work on red scarves!

Yarn In: 800gr

Yarn Out:  287gr + 3883gr = 4169gr

Balance:  3369 gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $29.37

Cozy Sweater on the LK150

 I don't wear sweaters a lot anymore--mainly cardigans--but I still like a cozy sweater. After the successful crochet sweater, I decided to take its measurements and make a sweater on the LK150, using some Paton's "Lace" that I had been hoarding for quite a while. First step was to swatch.

I decided on T4, 21st and 29 rows for four inches (5.25st, 7.25rows per inch) for the body, and T7 for the sleeves, 16sts and 22 rows for 4" (4st, 5.5 rows per inch). I liked the idea of looser gauge on the sleeves, to maybe help not get too hot. I didn't want the body too sheer so I can wear it to work.

Here is what I did. It didn't work out entirely, but this was my starting point and I'll get to the issues after.

Back:

Cast on 116 for the back, using waste yarn. 

Over 58 rows, decreased 5 sts on both edge:  every 10th row, dec 1 each edge; on 58th row, dec 1 each edge. 

On rows 66, 76, 68, 96, 106 and 111 (?) (so, you actually do the decrease on the row before, then knit the row to complete the decrease). Knit 1 row RC 112.

Cast off 5 sts on each edge for underarm.

Knit 47 rows. 

Take off centre 30sts for neck. Knit 12 rows on either side of the neck, decreasing 4 sts on neck edge over those 12 rows.  There should be 34 sts for each shoulder.

Short row two times for each shoulder (1/2 the stitches each time). Take off each shoulder on waste yarn.

Front:

Cast on 120st with waste yarn. Knit 1 row with main yarn.

Short row to add 1" (8 rows): notes are confusing, but it seems to be 3sts on each side for 7 times (maybe 4 on the first short row, then 3).

Reset RC000.

Decrease each edge every 10th row (do the decrease on rows ending with 9), and then row 58. 

Starting on row 66, increase on both edge, as for back. At same time: 

On RC80: short row as on the bottom. 

Between Rows 84 and 107 (keep doing the edge increases), decrease at midpoint of each side of centre, every 4th row.

On row 107, start neck decreases:

Decrease 19st each edge over 43 rows (aprox 1 stitch each side every other row).

At same time: when RC112, cast off 5 stitches at each edge for armhole.

Knit straight after neck decreases for 22 rows. There should be 34sts for each shoulder. Short row as for back. 

Sleeve:

T7, cast on 44sts with waste yarn.

Increase each edge every 10th row for 4 increases, then every 6th row for 8 increases. There should be 68sts. 

Knit to RC99 and cast off with waste yarn. 

When I took the front of the machine, I thought the neckline was huge. Putting it up against me, and it looked scandalous. I considered knitting a lace panel, like the crochet sweater, then remembered I had some lace in the light brown that I could sew in. I decided to wait until it had rested and assembled all the pieces for a more accurate look at the fit.

The sweater was too long. Way too long. I removed the waste yarn, and unravelled the bottom short rows on the front. This is NOT easy to do as it doesn't unravel the same as it does from the top. 

I cast off loosely, after unravelling two rows stitch by stitch and putting it on needles, to make sure it was all the same row. Then I counted up 8 or 10 rows, and used a blocking wire to mark that row. Then I pinned down the cast off row, and loosely stitched it to the front body. I also did this for the back. It didn't have short rows, but I needed to equal it up to the front piece.

Tip--steam well, but take the blocking wire out first! I didn't do that one time when I was doing a custom Christmas stocking, and it heated up the wire and it left a mark on the yarn.

I grafted the shoulders and examined the neck. The back neck was too low! It was weird! I grabbed a pair of needles I had nearby, picked up the stitches at the bottom edge, and knit a panel, attaching at the sides as I knit upwards. I didn't go all the way to the shoulders. I do think the needles were a smidge on the small size, but really, my hair will usually cover this.

The front neck was next. It wasn't as bad once the shoulders were attached. I had liked how the edges were sort of self-edged, slightly curled under from the decreases. I decided a small ribbed band would help snug it up and fill in the bit that was a bit low.

Unfortunately, there wasn't a centre stitch to match up with the centre knit column of ribbing. I thought I might go back and snug up the stitches on the right to try to make it look more centred. I haven't yet.

This was enough to finish the neckline perfectly!

I grafted the sleeves on next.

Take your time, and ensure you are attaching at the same point. See the nice column of knit stitches on the body? A full stitch.

I hadn't decided what to do with the sleeve hems. They were a bit long, but I just cast off loosely. I thought I might hem them, but I was done. I wore it to work, just to see how it would act. The sleeves did roll a bit, but they weren't too long, and I could push them up easily.

I dressed it up with some faux leather pants I haven't been able to wear for a long time, for a night to the big city and the symphony for Rob's birthday. It was very warm!

It was nice and cozy at work, though a little warm when we were active!!

Perfect neckline, school appropriate!!

Waiting for Lucy in the lobby of her office building. 

Obviously, this pattern isn't finished, but I think I have enough info to use some more Paton's "Lace" that I have. Knitting the pieces was quick although I spread it out over four days during March Break. It did take me a bit of time to assemble, but it still wasn't too bad, as I wore it to work on April 9. Now, do I do the next one now, or wait until the fall?

I'll be putting together a video of this sweater, in particular, the hem fixes. Another "how not to ...." type video LOL.

There was a LOT of waste yarn I unraveled from the sweater--not the waste yarn to cast on and off, but the parts of the sweater I unraveled. I didn't weigh all that, but I rounded up the total for the sweater.

Yarn In: 800gr

Yarn Out: 200gr + 3682gr = 3882gr

Balance:  3082gr more OUT than in

Costs:  $29.37