Project Update (February 2024)

In which I knit until my hands fall off...

My brother-in-law kindly said the other day to my sister and me that it seems like both of us have been leveling up our knitting recently. I like this for two reasons: it’s nice whenever someone is impressed by knitting and also I have been trying to push myself to become a more knowledgeable knitter.

I feel as though the last two months I’ve been on a bit of an information course in advanced knitting. I don’t necessarily mean knitting difficult projects. Instead, I’m talking about taking in some of the huge amount of knitting content that is now available online in order to learn about this craft that I love so much and have done for so long. In the past few months, I’ve learned about different construction techniques, the behaviour of different yarns, styles and trends in knitting, and more. I’ve gone to a couple of local yarn shops, and I’m trying to learn more about the incredibly extensive world of hand-dyed British yarn made my independent vendors.

Over all, it’s been an absolute blast, and a real departure from my usual research rabbit holes, which always focus around whatever I am writing. It’s also been keeping me motivated as I now want to knit all of the things.

All of this inspiration is also making me realize that I have quite a few projects on. the go and I’d like to whittle that number down.

Finished Objects

Wearing Cardigan (with modifications)
Pattern designer: Donna Smith Designs
Yarn: Langsoond Double Knit in Clod (2020 clip)
Given to: Dad

I wrote earlier this month about making and finishing this cardigan for Dad, so I won’t say too much about this. However, I will restate how much I have enjoyed making Donna Smith Designs patterns. I have made the Brough Shawl and the Wearing Cardigan twice and I’ve found both to be incredibly well-written. I really can’t recommend her patterns enough. I actually have the yarn purchased for the Scarpigert Cardigan, however it will have to remain in my queue until the weather begins to transition from summer to autumn because the Shetland wool is such a warm knit.

Sophie Shawl
Pattern designer: PetiteKnit
Yarn: King Cole Luxury Merino DK in Cream (stash yarn) held together Rowan Kidsilk Haze in White (stash yarn)
Made for: Me

A simple but cozy (and fluffy!) shawl

My Sophie Shawl is done!

I messaged my sister the other day basically whinging about how long it takes to finish scarves. I don’t know why this ever surprises me, but it does. Every. Single. Time.

I picked this shawl up to be my mindless TV knitting and do to a little scrap busting and I really like the result. I found the garter stitch with only i-cord increases and decreases to be a very simple, satisfying knit, and the fabric that these two yarns makes held together is also a dream. I suspect I’ll be making another one of these in the future.

Current WIPS

Olive Cardigan
Pattern designer: Pernille Larsen (Knitting for Olive)
Yarn: Knitting for Olive Merino in Dusty Aqua held double with two strands of Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair in Dusty Aqua
Intended for: Me

Look at that joy that I’m halfway through sleeves!

I am so close to being done with this jumper, but sadly, as I was about 14 rounds of pattern and then cuff away from finishing my second sleeve, I ran out of mohair. I dashed to my local yarn store where I’d picked up this yarn, but despite the system saying that it was in stock, the kind LYS employee and I could not find Dusty Aqua anywhere. Instead, I wound up purchasing an extra ball online, and I will just have to pray that the dye lot will be close enough.

Some positives on this jumper, I love it. The lace is knitting up beautifully, and it’s surprisingly meditative and easy to memorize. (I was able to knit on it while at a Knit and Natter event at my local yarn shop. However, with just a handful of rounds and a cuff to go, this cardigan is at the heavy and hard to manipulate stage. I am definitely ready to be done with it and on to something else.

Hiedra Mitts
Pattern designer: Fiber Tales
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in Camel (1961) (stash yarn)
Intended for: Me

These mitts have been languishing on my needles since I decided that I wanted to try to take a completed Sophie Shawl with me on my travels. It isn’t that I’m not enjoying them. The nearly completed first mitt I’ve made is beautiful. However, as it has become warmer in the UK, I’ve found the need for them to be less and that is killing my sense of urgency.

New Projects

Cumulus Blouse
Pattern designer: PetiteKnit
Yarn: Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair in Bordeaux
Intended for: Me

As I mentioned on Monday, this is one of the two projects that I decided to take with me on my trip to New York. Although the blouse does require quite a bit of yarn, it’s incredibly light mohair so I didn’t feel bad about packing it for the flight. It turned out to be a great plane knitting companion, and I have already split for sleeves so clearly I’m getting some good downtime work on it during this trip.

Vanilla Socks
Pattern designer: Crazy Sock Lady
Yarn: Birdstreet Yarns in Longmeadow and Old No. 7
Intended for: Me

For some reason, I have never made socks before. I don’t know how this has been such a miss for me over the years, especially with a sock-mad sister, but they just have never been on my radar. However, I have been fully influenced by Instagram recently and found myself merrily playing in the land of hand-dyed British sock yarn. (More on that below in Acquisitions.)

On my sister’s advice, I decided to start with the Crazy Sock Lady’s Vanilla Socks on DPNs and I am in love. I adore how these are knitting up, and I am excited to get back to these socks.

Fixed

Sweater No. 9 Light
Pattern designer: My Favorite Things Knitwear
Yarn: Blue Sky Fibers Woolstock in Midnight Sea
Made for: Me

I wrote that I was declaring February “Fix It February,” so how did I actually do? Well, I fixed exactly one jumper on my list of things to do, but I’m going to call it a win.

After unpicking my sleeve bind-offs, I added about three inches in length and then re-bound off. This means I now have perfectly long sleeves that don’t gap and expose my wrists when I raise my arms. I cannot tell you how much I love this jumper now, and my only regret is that I won’t be able to wear it for much longer before the season changes.

Frogged/Hibernated

Oaken Shawl
Pattern designer: Tin Can Knits
Yarn: Garnstudio Drops Karisma in Wicked (stash yarn)
Intended for: Me

I wrote earlier in February about my decision to frog my Oaken Shawl so I won’t go into too much detail here except to say I’m very happy with that decision. I will be making this shawl, and my replacement wool (Malabrigo Rios in Fresco y seco from my stash) is already wound and waiting for me.

Moby Slipover
Pattern designer: PetiteKnit
Yarn: De Rerum Natura Ulysses in Pavot
Intended for: Me

This is less of a frog and give up than a frog and start over again. After digging this languishing project from my knitting basket, I decided it probably would be wise to block it and see what my gauge actually is. It turns off, I’m off by about 3 stitches over 4 inches—not a huge amount but I’m setting aside (again) until I decide whether I want to continue on or frog and start again on slightly bigger needles.

New Acquisitions

Well that was a spendy month when it comes to yarn, and given that I’m currently on trip where I am doing some yarn shopping for things I can’t get easily in the UK I expect March will be too…

Ainsworth & Prin

• 1 skein of Classic Sock in Province for Hermione’s Everyday Socks (Erica Lueder)

• 1 mini skein of Classic Sock in Opal for Hermione’s Everyday Socks (Erica Lueder)

• 2 skeins of Merino Floof in Deep Tide for a long-sleeve Ranunculus (Midori Hirose)

Birdstreet Yarns

• 1 skein of Merino 4ply in Longmeadow for Vanilla Socks (Crazy Sock Lady)

• 1 skein of Merino 4ply in Old No. 7 for Vanilla Socks (Crazy Sock Lady)

Chiagoo double pointed needle sock set (thank goodness I decided that I do, in fact, like socks)

Knitting for Olive

• 4 balls of in Navy Blue and 8 balls of Soft Silk Mohair both in Navy Blue for a Simple and Simple Sweater (Pernill Larsen for Knitting for Olive)

• 8 balls of Soft Silk Mohair in Bordeaux for a Cumulus Blouse (Petite Knit)

• 12 balls of Soft Silk Mohair in Cloud originally intended for a Waffle Sweater (Pernill Larsen for Knitting for Olive) that is going to be redirected towards a test knit for The Knit Purl Girl

Knitting for Olive: Twenty Modern Knitting Patterns for the Iconic Danish Brand (this was a birthday gift from my sister and brother-in-law)

Lightbulb pins

Plans for Next Month

I saw Bethany from Woolberry Fiber Co on Instagram talking about how she makes a pair of socks for her husband as an anniversary gift each year. While our wedding anniversary isn’t until the autumn, The Gentleman and I met in the spring so I am thinking about making him a pair of socks for our Meet-iversary. It will probably surprise no one to find out that they will likely be Vanilla Socks by the Crazy Sock Lady as she seems to have a stranglehold on the sock world. (Rightly so.)

I also clearly have ambitious plans to finally stop talking about knitting up a Ranunculus and actually doing it, as well as making the Waffle Sweater and the Simple and Simple Sweater from Knitting for Olive as I’ve purchased the yarn for them.

And then there’s whatever I’m going to make with whatever I pick up in NYC… (More on that in a future post!)