Looking back on last year’s knitting I realized – sometimes I start something just to see if I can.  I plot and calculate, determine yarn amounts and placement.  Knit a bit.  And then stop.

I’ve finally admitted that sometimes this is just what I need – and those projects are never really meant to see an FO state.

That’s a big step for me – to admit that sometimes I’ll NEVER complete a certain project.  Or maybe better put, that completing a project might not leave it in an FO state.

Coming to that realization has freed me with my knitting – and if you’ve noticed I’ve already finished more projects this year than last.

So you’ll likely see some process posts around here that are all about some kind of challenge – how to make a yarn work, how to calculate for an in-between size, how to knit a funky stitch – something that makes the project a puzzle.  And when I figure out that puzzle I may just put it aside or even frog it.

Here are a few puzzles I’ve started recently (clockwise from 2 o’clock)…

Echo Flowers (in blue TML)

I’ve been wanting to try Estonian Lace for quite some time.  I needed to see what all the fuss was about those flowers.  I’m pretty sure I won’t be going ahead with this one though – I don’t see having many opportunities to wear it and it doesn’t feel like a good use of my time.

Budleigh (in teal Miss Babs Windsor)

The asymmetry or the twisted sts and cables got me and I love the color.  But I haven’t picked it up in a month.  Still undecided on this one too.

Fossil & Bone (in peach TML)

This is a double whammy – I didn’t know what to do with this shade of yarn and I wanted to tackle those nupps.  Now that I got through a full repeat I really like it and may keep going.

I’ve enjoyed what I’ve done on each of these and learned something new in the process.  Time will tell if you see these pop up again.

Do you ever do that?  Start a project just to see if you can?

I’ll catch you on the purl side…

I’ve been looking at accessories.  Fun to make, fun to wear, quick(er) to knit up.  And since it’s SO FREAKING COLD right now, keeping myself insulated is a priority.  Bonus points if I can wear them at work or at home too.

So riddle me this…what’s the difference between a cowl, a capelet, a cape, a poncho and a shawl.  Think you know?  I thought so too until I started browsing Rav.

I’ve decided there’s not a damned thing separating these.  Case in point.

• Seashore Cowl
• Sweetgum (cowl)
• Kansas City Cowl

I thought a cowl was more of a neck warmer?

Ok…next set

• Cabled Capelet
• Progression Cowl – doesn’t this look strikingly similar to the capelet to the left?
• Quatrain (cape) – ok I think I figured it out.  A cape is longer.  No, it’s the same length as the left one.  A cape has a turtleneck.  Damn that left again.

I’m starting to lose steam here.  Let’s look at another set.

• Appia (cowl) – maybe it’s a cowl because she’s not wearing it pulled down over her shoulders?
• Winter Capelet – I love this one but I can’t make sense of it.  Winter but it has a wide neck and lace.  I give up.
• Soft Shoulder Cowl/Shawl – this designer just gave up with the name.  Funny thing is this is what I think of when I think capelet – not cowl nor shawl.

Regardless of the names I love this accessory.  Or is it garment.  Maybe outerwear?

I’ll catch you on the purl side…

Another first of the month means another check in…

Goals – 2015

Knitting

• Knit 6 pairs of Mystery KAL socks – I’m on schedule – I’ve knit one sock from my first pair.  The mystery is definitely helping – I’ve had this yarn in my stash for several years but I keep passing it up.

• Knit 3 things from stash for the Stash Down KAL – I finished my Weigh It Shawl a couple weeks back – 1 done, 2 more to go.

• Finish Paul’s Chicago Bears socks – they were his 2013 socks and I never even started his 2014 socks.  I’m a bad, bad wife.  No progress on that one yet.

• Finish Paul’s Pismo hat – he loved his last one and he deserves a new one.  I guess I’m not too terrible of a wife because the whole hat is k1tbl, p1 ribbing.  Oy.  No progress on this one either – but it’s sure been cold enough to wear.
• Finish Raspberry Tart – I’m less than a full sleeve away. You guessed it – nothing on this one either.

• Add other colors to my knitting – yellow and maybe some blue or green.  I did branch out with the Lucy Cowl.

Blog

• Post twice a week for the next 3 months –  January is a tough month to start because I need to plan photography on the weekends – but I’m working my way up.
• Post more recipes and nutrition info – I did exactly zero in January.  I said my goal was 2 per month, but I’m going to pull that down and start with one.
• Make 20 comments per week on other blogs – I started off the month strong but then work intervened. 

Personal

• FitBit – Um, it’s still in the package.
• Eat Well – I’m not doing the Gluten Free any more – I just didn’t feel any different.  And let’s face it – GF is HARD.  I still need to eat better but I’m getting back into the swing of things…slowly.
• Lose 8 pounds – I lost .8 pounds this month.  Not great, but at least it’s in the right direction

Goals – throughout the year

• Check in each month – assess, acknowledge and adjust.  Doing it right now.
• Make an editorial calendar – Nada (yet).

So, for January I’d say I did decent.  I’m happy to have an FO to show for it, and happy to use some stash sock yarn.

February Goals

• Make Sock #2 for the Mystery KAL
• Knit another FO out of stash yarn – this month’s challenge is Warm the Soul for the KAL.  I have about 20 ideas..
• Work on 2 UFOs
• Write the damn Editorial Calendar
• Get that freaking FitBit out of the box and on my waistband.
• Lose 2 pounds – this might be too much since we’re going away for a long weekend.  So I’m putting it on my list but I’m not feeling sold on this one.

How are your goals going?  Feeling good?  Need to adjust?  Hitting them out of the park?

The colors are awesome and I love the way it twirls at the bottom.  This is my favorite way to wear it so the ends aren’t too long and get in the way of everything.

Specs:

• Susan B. Anderson‘s Yowza Weigh It Shawl
• Miss Babs Yowza Whatta Skein in Perfectly Wreckless
• US #9 needles
• A kitchen scale

Garter stitch and wildly variegated handdyed go together so well.  I of course have been stalking ravelry for more ideas as well as the Miss Babs site.  I’ve held strong so far.

I only made one mod – instead of kfb for the ruffle increases I did a YO and then I knit the YOs tbl on the next row.  I just didn’t feel like doing all those kfb’s.

I did the plain BO because I didn’t think you’d notice the picot BO with this yarn and let’s face it – picot BOs take FOR. EVER.  600 sts of picot bind off?  No thank you.

Once done I washed it in the machine on delicate and tossed it in the dryer on low temp for 15 or 20 minutes.  It came out perfectly and I love that I can easily wash it to freshen it up.

I end up wearing it this way a fair amount of the time because it’s quick – just put around my neck, tie it and go.

And here you can see the colors up close as well as that pretty BO.  I just did a regular BO – the prettiness is all in the yarn.

I got this coat in the late summer because I thought I’d be able to wear more accessories with it.  So glad I got the black!

I’ll catch you on the purl side…

There’s so much to love about Curls: Versatile, Wearable Wraps to Knit at Any Gauge

Overview

• Auto-pilot with flair – once you get going you’re repeating the same basic set of charts but the end result is stunning
• Small cast ons – cast on counts range from 7 to 16 but most are in the 8-10 stitch range.  This does mean the stretchy bind off will be your friend – you’ll have a lot of stitches to bind off.  Hunter recommends Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off
• Yarn flexibility – The designs are worked in yarns from laceweight to worsted.  Or use any weight yarn you like.  If you substitute a different weight you’ll need to determine the quantity.  See my recommendation below about a scale.
• Stitch variety – simple textured stitches, eyelets, twisted stitches, lace and cables.  Lots of options depending on your mood.
• Great shape – I envision new curl patterns popping up all over Ravelry.
• Awesome value – 14 curls for $19.95 (eBook) or currently $16.67 for the print book from Amazon
• Tells you the important tidbits – no guessing here about which slipped stitch edge to work and since the shape is new to a lot of us, she shows you how each shawl grows so you know what to expect.  Lots of other info too.  Hunter has you covered.
• Nice options for hand dyeds – even though she hasn’t worked up the samples in multi-shaded yarns, some of the patterns will look good in them as well
• Lovely overview of the new shape – Hunter goes over what makes a Curl a Curl – explaining the main components and giving us enough info in case we want to adjust the size for our yarn.

Recommendations

• Yarn (Food) Scale – you need to get yourself a scale that weighs in grams.  This one from Amazon is a nice choice at under 15 bucks and Amazon Prime – Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale, Elegant Black. You’ll thank me later.
• Gauge – If you’re unsure about changing gauges, do up a curl in the recommended weight and needle size first.  People will start posting projects to Ravelry with different weights so you can learn from them.
• Helpful pages– read the pages on Hints, Gauge, Needles, Sizing, Charts and Blocking.  I know the last thing you want to do is read when you buy a knitting book but she’s included some great info.
• Styling – Hunter has included several pics with different styling options.  Even if you’re not interested in all the Curls, take a look at the ways she’s styled them.  They’re surprisingly versatile and she shows them draped, tied, knotted and with a shawl pin.
• Stitch Maps – Hunter has included Stitch Maps for many of the projects and she has a chart for every project – making it a great opportunity to learn stitch maps with the accompanying chart.  If charts aren’t for you, give Stitch Maps a try.  And even if you’re a chart-lover like me, click on to the site – there are over 1,500 patterns there for you to get familiar with Stitch Maps.

Final Thoughts

I’m so jazzed about this book – the shape and the stitch patterns look like fun to knit and to wear.  Definitely give it a browse!

I’ll catch you on the purl side…

• Designers choose up to 20 designs to offer at 25% off – look at all of them
• The sale goes from Thursday Nov 13 – Friday Nov 21
• After that, the KAL goes until Dec 31st.  Knit ANY pattern from a participating designer to qualify.
• There are TONS of prizes – take a look
• More questions?  There’s a group on Ravelry for the GAL.

I spent some time yesterday going through the thread of participating designers – all TWELVE pages of them.  Lots of designers – many I recognize and some that are new to me as well.

Here are some of my faves.

Newsboy Hat Hannah, Tangerine Trees, Jamison Square, Ricochet, Lonely Road and Skipperling

October sunrise, Zippety, Colophon, Bluet, Sea Dragon Shawl and Red Robin Shawl

Antiquity, The Vampyre, Cycles Reversible Scarf or Wrap, Wickershanks, Phi and Biellese

Lichen, Lawsonia, Trilinear, Piewhacket and Rendezvous

23 designs – mostly smaller items like mitts and cowls but with a couple pullovers and larger shawls thrown in as well.

I couldn’t possibly knit these all in the GAL but I do plan to buy a few of the patterns later this week.  A couple have been in my faves for a while so why not save a couple bucks and support indie designers?  A win-win in my book.

What are you considering?  With so many designers I’m sure I missed a few.

I’ll catch you on the purl side.

I can’t believe I’m writing that I finished Collinear – I knitted it in less than three weeks.  That’s gotta be a record for me.

It was a perfect storm of great pattern, gorgeous yarns and fabulous colors.

Pattern: Collinear by Paulina Popiolek

Yarns: Neighborhood Fiber Company Rustic Fingering in Charles Village and Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Citrus

Needles: 32″ 4.0 mm (US#6) Chiaogoo Lace Circulars

Mods: None!

KAL: My Sister’s Knitter Sock Yarn KAL

My project on Ravelry

The size and shape are great.  I haven’t made a triangle shawl that’s so long and shallow – it’s a great shape for a short person.  I can wrap it easily around my shoulders and it’s still shallow enough to not be too long at my back.  This might be the perfect shape.

Although the yarn is substantial enough, once I blocked it the shawl became light and easy to knot and hug my shoulders.

And because it’s so light I can even drape it around my neck like a cowl.

Or bandit-style under a jacket.  Love those serrated teeth.

The pics for this FO were tough to get right – and I’m still not totally happy with them.  The vivid colors made it hard to capture them correctly.  They either glowed or darkened.  I took pics in four locations and at three different times and finally found that the area near our potting shed at 6:30 am was the best.

I had picked out the best location earlier in the week but it required that I be in the pics.  When I got up yesterday morning I had no interest in doing my hair and makeup or walking downtown for a photo shoot.  So you get pics on the mannequin instead.

This project is full of “it won’t be the last time I do” this, including:

• Knit a Paulina Popiolek pattern – I bought the pattern very soon after it came out.  I thought there might have been a small error so I PMd Paulina.  She got back to me right away, confirmed it was an error and within 30 minutes she had sent out an update to everyone.  That’s awesome pattern support.
• Speaking of Paulina, she worked in several smart ways to knit the pattern.  I love it when a designer is both talented and gets the technical too.
• Knit more shawls with a single – I love how light and airy the shawl is, and the subtle color variation is gorgeous.

Now I just need to come up with *the* right outfit to wear with this.  And of course I want to wear it tomorrow to the office.  It’s supposed to be in the 90s again and that means deep freeze AC.

I’ll catch you on the purl side.

I finally found some at Webs last Saturday and scooped up a skein as soon as I saw it.

My plan was to cast on Fragile Heart on my birthday as a little gift to myself, but this weekend I realized that I might be able to finish it in time for a wedding on April 26th if I started right away.

The vivid blue with bits of green and purple are so gorgeous.

I cast on yesterday and have the tiniest crescent knit up so far.

You have options with this shawl – garter or stockinette body, number of repeats of the lace transition (including zero) and then the last border with or without beads.   My plan is to do no lace transition and lots of iridescent blue/purple beads on the edging.

I don’t yet have a dress but I’m thinking something simple, sleeveless and in black.

So to sum it up…Wedding in 4 weeks with no dress yet and the tiniest of a crescent of the shawl knitted up.   No problem, right?

I’ll catch you on the purl side.