Project Update (March 2024)
What a month of knitting it’s been! My plans for the year have gone wildly off piste, but I’m not mad about it. I’ve been having a lot of fun exploring different yarns and patterns and thinking long and hard about how I can knit things that fit seamlessly into my current wardrobe of classic, high-quality staples.1
Finished Objects
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
Made for: Me
I am so, so pleased with my finished Olive Cardigan! It is beautiful and, given the cool spring we’re having so far in the UK, just the thing for this time of year. While in New York, I bought little mock mother of pearl buttons from the Brooklyn General Store because I thought I might want to put buttons on this otherwise open cardigan. After wearing it for a bit, I’ve decided that I am going to do that so expect to see some knitted outfit photos with buttons installed shortly.
Feather Sweater
Pattern designer: The Knit Purl Girl
Yarn: Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair in Cloud held triple (originally intended for a Waffle Sweater but happily repurposed for the test knit)
Made for: Me
This Feather Sweater was a test knit (my first!). I will be writing extensively about it soon, but I wanted to be sure to include it on the March project update because it made up the bulk of what I knitting on this March as soon as I got back from New York.
Vanilla Socks
Pattern designer: Crazy Sock Lady
Yarn: Birdstreet Yarns in Longmeadow and Old No. 7
Made for: Me
After finishing my Feather Sweater, I picked up my first pair of socks again. The back story is that I did a lot of work on the second sock before leaving for my New York trip last month. However, I ended up having to rip back the gusset because watching true crime documentaries the night before a big trip while knitting something still pretty unfamiliar wasn’t my best idea. However, after correcting my mistake, I zoomed ahead and now I have socks!
Two projects on the blocking mat at the same time!
Current WIPS
Cumulus Blouse
Pattern designer: PetiteKnit
Yarn: Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair in Bordeaux held double
Intended for: Me
Bringing this project with me on my NYC trip was an inspired decision because I got so. much. done. I made the decision along the way to stop knitting the body for now and pick up the sleeves so that I can make sure I have enough yarn for the sleeve length I want. I really dislike knitting sleeves single, but given that I am working with yarn held double, I decided that it was too much of a faff to knit with four balls of yarn at once. (Everyone has their limits.) Therefore, I am the beginning of my sleeve island journey and, after finishing the Feather Sweater I mentioned above, reluctant to hop back on sleeve island. However, I know that it’s inevitable if I want to wear this top so I am venturing back again with an eye to finishing this in early April.
Hiedra Mitts
Pattern designer: Fiber Tales
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in Camel (1961) (stash yarn)
Intended for: Me
I wouldn’t say these mitts are hibernating so much as waiting on a day when I have a few hours to just finish them. That’s all that’s required and yet I seem to be struggling prioritizing them. Perhaps the return of baseball season will help me get there…
New Projects
Anniversary Socks (pattern is Socks for Dad)
Pattern designer: Crazy Sock Lady
Yarn: Ainsworth & Prin Classic Sock 4ply in Don’t Tell Him Pike
Intended for: The Gentleman
I wrote in last month’s project update that, inspired by Bethany from Woolberry Fiber Co on Instagram, I was thinking about making my husband (known on social media as The Gentleman) a pair of socks for the anniversary of our first date. Well, I’ve bought the yarn so this is happening. Now I just need to see if I can make my self-imposed deadline of that actual anniversary.
Hermoine’s Everyday Socks
Pattern Designer: Erica Lueder
Yarn: Baa Yarn La Jolla in Call of the Wild
Intended for: Me
Socks socks socks! I’m feeling very motivated to make them!
New Acquisitions
Let’s be honest, I went a bit wild in NYC with yarn buying. We won’t go over that ground again as I wrote extensively about that in a different article. I also won’t go over my preorder from The Camel’s Yarn, an independent dyer based in Cornwall, showing up except to say that I am delighted by what I got but the money for that left my account in January. The logic works for me.
Softly by Sari Norlund2
Ainsworth & Prin mini classic sock 4 ply bundle in Helleboure3
1 skein of Ainsworth & Prin Classic Sock 4ply in Don’t Tell Him Pike for Vanilla Socks for The Gentleman
3 skeins of De Rerum Natura Antigone in Luna for a Roving Summer Top by Irene Lin
Stitch holder cords from The Knitting Barber
Summer Fields stitch marker set from from Bobbles & Berries
Plans for Next Month
Oaken Shawl
Pattern designer: Tin Can Knits
Yarn: Malabrigo Rio in Freso y seco (stash yarn)
Intended for: Me
All hail the return of the Oaken Shawl! If you remember, this is a shawl I frogged because I disliked the stash yarn I’d chosen and the way it was knitting up. Now I am ready to cast on again and, likely, make this my on-the-go knitting project. I do, after all, need to catch up with my sister who has already made this for our annual knit along.
Ranunculus
Pattern designer: Midori Hirosi
Yarn: Ainsworth & Prin Merino Floof in Dark Tides
Intended for: Me
I gauge swatched for this Ranunculus last month not so much because I was worried about gauge but because I’m really trying to get myself into some better habits when it comes to gauge swatching. Now I am itching to get this on my needles especially because with its composition of 70% merino 30% mohair I think it will still be suitable for wearing for a little bit longer on cooler spring days and nights.
One day I will write a much longer article about personal style and knitting.
To say I am excited to begin knitting from this book would be a vast understatement. I already have plans to make all of the socks in here, and a yarn preorder set for the Thaleai Shawl.
My sister bought the same bundle from my favorite local yarn shop, and we intend to make the Color Palette Socks or something like that.