Wrapping It All Up for Unraveled Wednesday

I am joining Kat and others today for Unraveled Wednesday, but doing something a bit different.  Instead of telling you what I am knitting and reading right now, I'm going to use this post to wrap up my knitting and reading for 2020.

Here's everything that I knit during 2020:

I will say first and foremost, that I have the Covid-19 lockdown for having so much knitting to show for one year.  I have never ever had 24 total projects for one year before, and on top of that, I not only filled my Box-o-Socks, but instead of 12 pairs, I knit 13 pairs of socks - a record for me, that's for sure!

I have to say that for the most part, these were all fun, enjoyable, and rewarding knits - I learned new techniques, tried new challenges, and sometimes just enjoyed knitting with fun yarn.  My Social Distancing Sweater (bottom right) is probably the one thing I least enjoyed knitting.  I have to say the short rows really ruined it for me, and though I will wear it, it may not stay in my wardrobe for long.  Even though I finished it in the spring and put it away until cooler weather, the couple of times I've worn it, I have not really enjoying wearing it.  I'll give it a few more chances.  But everything else I knit for myself makes me very happy, and I'm pleased that I also was able to make so many gifts (though except for the ones I gave to The Tim, the others are still sitting in Florida somewhere waiting to be delivered).

Reading-wise, I read 81 books in 2020.  If you want to see the details, here is the link to the page on Goodreads where you can dig into them.  I don't know about you, but I always enjoy seeing this, and also being reminded of books I read and enjoyed, but forgot that I'd read earlier in the year.  Again, the pandemic helped with these numbers too - let's just say that a lot of my time this past year was spent knitting and reading.  I regret nothing.  😏

I can recommend a book I just finished, which is this one:

The story of two families - a family of immigrants from Cameroon and a wealthy New York family - that takes place during the 2008 financial meltdown on Wall Street.  It is interesting, heartbreaking, and frustrating, but readable the whole time.  You can read what I wrote about it on Goodreads here.

And with this post, I have been able to wrap up my activities for 2020 - a terrible year for the world, if a good year for some things.  I would prefer that Covid-19 never happened, or at a minimum, that our leadership would have done more for all of us so it would not be still rampaging worse than ever, but writing this post, I realized that this was the way I did my best to make lemonade out of the lemons that were last year.

FO Friday - The Last of 2020

I know that plenty of people have moved on from 2020 big time, but I still have a tiny bit of housekeeping to do before I can completely get into the new year.  (And frankly, it seems like it's still 2020 in lots of ways in my opinion.)  In any case, let me share with you my final FO of 2020.

Project:  Christmastime Shortie Slipper Socks (Ravelry link)

Pattern:  From my brain, based on a vanilla sock

Yarn:  Plymouth Encore Worsted (top sock = Christmas Red, and Peppermint; bottom sock = Christmas Green, and Candy Cane colorways)

Needles:  US size 5

Modifications:  I've made three pairs of these for The Tim, but the only modification I did for me was to cast on fewer stitches.

Notes:  I saw how much The Tim liked and wore the pairs like this I had made for him, and I decided to use some of my Encore stash to make a pair for myself.  I can attest to the fact that these are cozy and warm (we have hardwood floors with rugs here and there, so the floor is always cold in the winter).  They also wash up with no problem, and as a matter of fact, I just threw this pair of mine in the wash today, after wearing them all week.  I know that next year when I get them out, they will bring a smile to my face.  

If you have any interest in making shortie slipper socks, I would encourage you to do so, especially if you are using worsted weight yarn - they truly knit up so fast that you have a pair in the time it would take to knit one sock (well, at least if you are me) of a fingering weight pair.

And thus endeth my knitting for 2020.  I finished these on December 22, and decided that rather than start something else, I'd just continue working on the sweater I've been knitting through the end of the year, and start something new on New Year's Day.  The nice thing about that decision is that I made a lot of progress on the sweater!

Due to the fact that I was at home most of the past year, I did manage to get a lot of knitting accomplished, which was at least a good thing in a year where so much else went wrong.  I'm glad that I found a way to do something useful as well as enjoyable at a time when it was hard to find an outlet for so much sadness and frustration.  Not quite lemonade out of lemons - too much else happened - but a way to keep my mind from sliding too far downwards.

FO Monday : Know Your Roman Numerals Socks

I finished these about a week and a half ago, but kept forgetting to post until now.  Partly because I got involved in other things, and partly because it was hard to photograph them successfully.  But anyhow, here you go.

Project:  Know Your Roman Numerals Socks

Pattern:  I made this up and will probably write it up for myself, and for anyone else who may be interested

Yarn:  Puff the Magic Rabbit Superwash Sock in the colorway It's the Great Pumpkin, Mephistopheles

Needles:  US size 1

Modifications:  None, since I made up the pattern

Notes:  This yarn has been in my stash for while.  The dyer is a friend of mine, and sent it to me as a gift a few years back.  I finally decided it was time to knit with it, and though I had one thing in mind, I started fooling around and did something else.

It's a simple and easily memorizable pattern, and I really like the way it all turns out.  I realized not far into the knitting that it would probably show up better on a tonal or solid yarn, but I was on a roll and liked the way it looked, so I carried on.

I am really pleased with the way they turned out.  I call them Know Your Roman Numerals Socks because I regularly see/translate Roman numerals at work (it comes with being a rare book cataloger) and most people I work with have no clue what they are - and as for students, well, forget that!  Anyway, this creates a V-shape, and V = 5 as far as Roman numerals go.  I kept thinking of that while knitting these.

I'm really pleased with them, and love the yarn, both colorwise and how it feels.  Mindy's yarns come in such lovely colorways, and are always so soft!  If you want to try some yarn from an indie dyer new to you, here is her website.

They seem especially appropriate to have knitted during the end of October into November, don't you think? 

In Which There Are Many Shawl Photos

You may recall that over the summer, I took part in the Stillness Shawl MKAL organized by Helen Stewart, and knit a truly lovely (but very large) shawl.  Here is the FO post, though at the time it wasn't blocked.  I thought of, and tried, a few different possibilities, but the real problem was that I had no place where I could safely block it and leave it to dry and even more importantly, I didn't have enough blocking materials in the first place!  

Lorette mentioned in the comments that I should send it to her, and she would be happy to block it for me.  I thought that seemed really nice, but figured that I would somehow finagle something.  Long story short, I didn't.  So a few weeks ago, I checked to see if she was willing to give it a shot, and she enthusiastically said to send it to her.  I know she does lots of lace knitting, so it didn't surprise me to think she had someplace to block lace without meaning she had to move everyone out of her house to do so.  I packed it up and sent it on a visit to Washington State (a place I have always wanted to visit, but no, the shawl went instead.  Of course).  I told her there was no hurry, and whenever she had the time and inclination was find with me.

When it was returned, I could not believe how amazing it looked - and that I had actually knit it!  So I took a bunch of photos, and here they are.  I liked the shawl before, but now - WOW!

THANK YOU LORETTE!!!  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the offer of help in the first place, and then the time you clearly spent getting every part of it to look so nice.  

I love these close-ups - some of these patterns and stitches were completely new to me, and it was so exciting when they worked out!

I have no idea if I will ever join another MKAL and actually participate again, or if I'll ever tackle another project at this level.  But I learned so many new things, and enjoyed this one so much, it was worth all of the time spent figuring it out.

Look how big it is - my arms really started to hurt while The Tim was taking photos!

Here's Another FO for Monday!

We had a nice weekend.  I got my hair cut on Saturday morning, so that was the highlight for me, because not only did it feel good to get my hair under control, but I had someone to go, legitimately!  Other than that, we did the usual - meaning we stayed close to home - but the weather was nice, and we were not on anyone else's schedule.

You may remember that last week I mentioned being behind on a couple of FO posts - the first was the Yukon Cornelius socks, which you saw here, and now here's the second one.

Project:  Amir's Scrappy Hat

Pattern:  St Mungo's Simple Hat

Yarn:  The only scraps of yarns that still had bands on them were Ancient Arts Fibre Sock in the Orange Tabby colorway, and Nomadic Yarns Trusty Sock in the Slutty Pumpkin colorway.  All of the rest are either additional leftovers, or minis from an Advent calendar a couple of years ago.

Needles:  US size 6

Modifications:  None.

Notes:  This is the last of the hats I was knitting for Christmas gifts this year.  Amir is the son of one of my nieces' partners, and though I'm not sure he will care for either the hat nor the colors, it's a gift and up to him to do what he wants with or about it.

I love the way it turned out, and again was pleased that I was able to finish off so much leftover yarn.  This is the second time I've knit this pattern, and it is definitely a keeper.  It knits up quickly, and you can make the yarn(s) do the talking, or just make it plain and conservative if you prefer.

Plus, the crown of the hat is just so cool!

So now all of the gifts I need to mail are finished, and it's just a matter of getting them ready for that once things get closer.  But even more exciting to me, is that I've used up SO MUCH leftover yarn!  I still have plenty of odds and ends left, but these projects for gifts definitely took care of more than half of what existed previously.

And because I've really liked all of the scrappy projects I've made, I have an idea in my head for one I'd like to make for myself.  I don't know why I never knit any scrappy projects before, and now I'm kind of hooked on them.  😉

It's Wednesday, So How About an FO Post?

I realized the other day that I had forgotten to do an FO post for a couple of things, and needed to play catch up.  So without further ado, here you go:

They're finished at last!  Not that they took that long, but I kept getting interrupted with other things while knitting them, so I would think, "Let me get back to that pair of socks."

Project:  Yukon Cornelius Socks

Pattern:  One I made up, but that I'm also fairly sure is not unique

Yarn:  Sweet Sparrow Yarns Nuthatch Sock Yarn, in the Yukon Cornelius colorway

Needles:  US size 1

Modifications:  Well, none I guess since I made up what I was doing ...

Notes:  These were so much fun to knit!  You may recall that earlier this year, I completed my Rudolph and Clarice Socks for myself; well, this Yukon Cornelius colorway was purchased at the same time, with the intention of making a pair of socks for The Tim.  Now I've finally done that, so we can wear our companion socks for Christmas! 😊

I wanted to knit something with texture, but that wouldn't require close attention to the pattern.  I thought about another pair of waffle socks, but decided since I had recently made a pair using that pattern, I wanted something else.  So I devised a  similar but different pattern and decided to give it a try.  After a few rows, I knew I liked it, so I used it for the entire leg of the sock.  

Row 1:  Knit 1, purl one

Row 2:  Knit all stitches

Row 3:  Knit 2, purl 2

Row 4:  Knit all stitches

That's it, and you end up with a nice textured pattern that works just fine with self-striping yarns without looking too busy.  

These will be a gift for his birthday in November, so he'll have them for Christmastime.  I really like the way they turned out, and they feel like they have some stretch but will also stay up when you wear them.

And best of all - as you can see here - they are Pip approved!

When I put these down to take the photo, he immediately jumped up to sit on them.  After I snapped this, he got up, and re-positioned himself to curl up and sleep on them for a couple of hours.  Which means that they are pre-embellished with cat hair ... 😜

All the better to keep The Tim's feet warm, right?

A Quick Little FO Post

Hello on a cool and sunny morning.  I'm getting ready to head out for a Covid-19 test bright and early today.  We are required to get one before returning to work (though I have been back at work since the beginning of August, so timing??).  Fortunately, I have no symptoms, so I just need to have it checked off the list for my file.

The weekend was nice, nothing elaborate one way or another.  Our hearts are broken with the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was a heroine in this house.  And though she does belong to all of us, I really wish that her family could at least have her to themselves in death.  It was somewhat of a cloud on the weekend, but I am also grateful that any suffering she experienced is over.  I am also very grateful that I lived in a world where she lived.

In any case, I stuck to my knitting and ended up with an FO!  Granted, it was a quick knit to start, but I had not originally planned to start and finish something over the course of a single weekend.

(front)

Project:  Jan's Headband

Pattern:  Lisa Headband, by Birgitte Reiten (Ravelry link)

Needles: US size 4, 6

Yarn:  Various fingering weight yarn leftovers, held together to make DK weight 

Modifications:  I used this pattern for the basic stitch counts, and for the help with making increases/decreases that worked more seamlessly in appearance.  

Notes:  This was a really quick knit - I started it on Saturday afternoon, finished it Saturday evening, blocked it and joined the ends to finish it on Sunday.  Originally, I planned to follow the pattern as written, but it was so vague and confusing that I decided to work with the numbers only.  

(back - not perfect mattress stitch, but not too awful)

This is a Christmas gift for the daughter of a niece's partner.  She is a preteen, so she may not even be interested, but then again, I know I see lots of girls her age and older wearing these headbands instead of hats when it gets cold, so maybe she'll actually use it.  But no matter what, it pleases me to have another gift made and ready to go.

That's all for now.  Off to get my stuff together and walk over to my testing site.  I hope this week treats all of us well.  I for one, am excited that tomorrow is the first day of autumn!!

Friday FO: When Four Quarters Make One Gift

I am feeling quite pleased with myself at the moment, because I have completed a project for Christmas gifts that means one entire family is already marked off my list!

Project:  KJPO Hats (Ravelry link)

Pattern:  Olmsted Hat, by Jaclyn Salem (also a Rav link)

Needles:  Size 4US

Yarn:  See each individual project. Everything was leftovers from previous projects.  Except when I used yarn that remained from my Crazytown Cowl (which was DK yarn to being with), I used two strands together to make the DK weight needed for the pattern.

Notes/details/modifications:

K Hat - leftover sock yarn, held together to make DK weight. The whole thing uses some Hedgehog Sock yarn in the colorway Construct; the other two yarns used are Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the colorway Spats (around the brim), and Ancient Arts Fibres in the Grey Tabby colorway.   

Knit exactly as pattern indicates.  Started: August 17 ... Finished: August 24.

J Hat - leftover yarn from my Shift Cowl by Andrea Mowry; a small amount of Good Ole Pip in Plucky Sock; Orange Tabby from Ancient Arts Fibre Sock; Slutty Pumpkin from Nomadic Yarns; two random amounts from minis.  Followed pattern as written, but started the decreases at 6 inches instead of at 6.5 inches.  Started:  August 30 ... Finished: September 4.

P Hat - leftover yarn from my Shift Cowl (aka Crazytown Cowl) by Andrea Mowry.  Adapted for a kid's head. Cast on 96 stitches, and knit for 5.5 inches before starting decreases.  Started: August 25 ... Finished: August 29

O Hat - used Ancient Art Fibres sock in Grey Tabby, along with Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Peppermint Mocha; Nomadic Yarns Twisty Sock in the McGonigle and the Dumbledore colorways.  Cast on 92 stitches, and knit for 5 inches before starting decreases.  Started:  September 1 ... Finished:  September 12.

I love how each hat turned out - different but with some similarities.  After making a hat for The Tim last year using this pattern, I thought that it would be very adaptable to size, since it is a pretty versatile pattern that starts out stretchy when you follow the pattern exactly.  I adjusted sizes mainly so that none of the hats would be too slouchy, because when I tried on the one I made for The Tim, it fit me just fine, but there was a lot of extra material to be either slouchy or for a large folded over brim.  In any case, I highly recommend this pattern.  It is very clearly written, very straightforward, and knits up quickly, since the only point where you have to pay close attention is when you get to the decreases.  

So now I have some Christmas knitting completed - early enough to give me some time to decide what else I should attempt for others. 😊

******

I've been able to do a lot of knitting during the pandemic, and I have to say that not only has it given me something to keep my mind and hands busy, but it has also helped me maintain a certain degree of normalcy.  True, there have been plenty of times when the world has been too crazy and too upsetting to even consider doing anything at all that required any brain power or concentration.  But when I was able to rein in the panic, being able to read or knit or stitch meant that I wasn't constantly in a state of major anxiety.  

Unfortunately, it's not looking like things will settle down anytime soon here, at least not in the U.S., so I hope I can continue to manage my feelings with things that are only only enjoyable, but that take my thoughts in another direction and allow an escape, no matter how brief.

I have never been more grateful to have a decent sized stash, let me tell you!

******

I hope all of you have a good weekend.  It's the last weekend of summer here in the Northern Hemisphere, and in Philadelphia, there has definitely been some hints of autumn in the air.  Whereas some people find that depressing, since it takes us into the seasons of colder weather, and fewer hours of daylight, I look forward to the cozy.  

I'm especially grateful my biggest concern right now is locating some warmer things to wear; I don't have to deal with flooding from hurricanes or evacuating due to wildfires, or face the daunting fact of starting over with nothing.  

Take care, everyone.

I Have a QO to Show You!

Happy last Friday in August - though I realize it's not the same as most Augusts are.  But still time goes right along, and it seems only right to mark it.  Because I have a Zoom meeting at 1:00 today that I know will only make me angry, I thought I'd use this time to write a happy post.  That way, I can be in a good frame of mind before it starts, and spend the afternoon knitting away my anger and aggravation.  

And so, I wanted to share my QO with you.  You may think, "What in the ever-loving universe is a QO???"  My response to you is, that *this* is a QO:

Then you will say, "But Bridget, that looks like a hat, and like it's an FO."  Which means that yes, you are quite observant, but then again, not quite.  Because although this particular piece may be a Finished Object in and of itself, it is only 1/4 - a Quarter - of an overall planned project.  Hence, the term QO = Quarter Object.

This is a hat for Keith, who is married to my niece Julie.  I decided a couple of weeks ago that I am making the same hat for everyone in the family for Christmas, which then became the KJPO Hat Project.  Above you see the K hat.  I am using the Olmsted Hat pattern by Jaclyn Salem.  I have already used that pattern to make a hat for The Tim, which he really likes and wears a lot in the cold weather.  It uses DK weight yarn, so for me, it was a perfect chance to use some stash!  This one used two strands of sock yarn knit together.  I used some leftover Hedgehog Sock in the Construct colorway for all of it; the brim which looks gold and blue is leftover (and now completely used up - YAY - Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the Spats colorway; and, the bulk of the rest is Ancient Arts Fibre Crafts sock yarn in the Grey Tabby colorway.  I like how the brim turned out, though I must admit it was as much dumb luck as anything else, because I didn't really do a lot of planning - just grabbed and started knitting.  I followed the pattern exactly as written, and again have to say, it's a great pattern and makes a nice, squishy hat.

This took me about a week to knit, though in fits and spurts.  I'd get a lot done one day, and then not knit at all the next.  So this is all definitely doable.

And now?  I'm working on the next one in the group, which is the P hat.  I've adapted the stitch count for a kid's size, based on other kid-sized hat patterns I've seen.  As you know, baby and child knits go so quickly, I'm just moving right along on that one!  I want to try and get all four of them done before I move on to any other gifts for anyone else.  That way, at least one group will have handknit gifts this year. 😉

*****

I'm feeling pleased with myself this morning because I have been able to get a few things accomplished - got a flu shot and the first part of my shingles vaccine, took a LOT of old but still in good shape towels and dropped them off at the vet's office where they were much appreciated, and I'm almost finished with the laundry.  Always a good feeling to check things off the list for the day.  We have no particular plans this weekend.  Tomorrow it is supposed to rain the entire day, pretty steadily, so it will be a day of inside projects.  Sunday promises to be lovely, and so The Tim is thinking maybe we can take Hamlet to one of the large parks nearby where we can all walk around and not have to worry about crowds.  I hope we can do that, it would be a real treat.  

And that's all of the excitement from my life.  I hope all of you have a nice weekend and get in some time to do the things you really enjoy.  See you next week!

How About Another FO?

You may have noticed that I was MIA last week.  I was sick, the kind where you can't really concentrate, you have a slight fever and are miserable, and any food goes ZIP right through your system.  Ugh.  I am feeling better enough to function, and the good news is that at least right now, I do not have Covid-19, as my doctor feared; I had a test and it was negative which was a relief all the way around.  So I'll take that and just hope I feel completely better in the next few days.

I was planning to post this FO last week, but well, see above.  So you are getting one today, to start this week.

Project:  Budgie Socks

Pattern:  Blueberry Waffle Socks, by Sandy Turner**

Yarn:  Hedgehog Fibres Sock, in the colorway Budgie

Needles:  US size 1

Modification:  I only knitted the pattern on the leg, and knit the foot plain.

Notes:  I am so very happy with these socks!  I've had this yarn for a while, thinking I'd save it to make something special.  But in the end, I decided it should be socks.  I remember buying the yarn because of its name as much as the color.  I had several beloved budgies (parakeets in the US) as a kid, though they were not blue ones, and my sister had a blue budgie for quite a few years which her kids just adored.  His name - unimaginative but truthful - was Budgie.  

At first I tried to find some kind of pattern that evoked birds, or feathers, or something like that, but in the end, I decided on the old favorite, tried-and-true waffle pattern, and I couldn't be more pleased with the results.  

If you have never tried this pattern, you should because you always end up with squishy, lovely socks and the pattern is an easy (and free!) one.  I've never been disappointed in the results.

Here's a slightly more closeup photo:

Happy socks, happy me!

**this is a link to Ravelry - I wanted to let people know so that they can avoid clicking over if it causes problems for them

An FO for Friday - Not Blocked and No Longer a Secret

I'm glad that today is Friday, because this has been a rough week in so many ways, and since today (at least so far is rainy and dreary) I can just stay home and do what I want - or not do anything.

I have an FO for you today.  I almost waited to share it until it was completely finished - meaning blocked - but that will likely take a while, so you are getting an FO post anyway.

As mentioned during July, I decided to join the Stillness Shawl MKAL hosted by Helen Stewart.  To be honest, I'm not sure why, except that I'd seen the finished projects on several podcasts from previous MKALs and they were always lovely.  It could also be because at the time I was knitting a pair of socks designed by her and really enjoying it.  Anyway, I signed up.  More amazingly, I actually participated, in that I decided on yarn, wound it up, and not only downloaded the clues each week, but actually kept up with the knitting.  WHAT????

Project:  Stillness Shawl

Pattern:  Stillness Shawl MKAL, by Helen Stewart

Yarns (from left to right):  Indigodragonfly Tough Lester Sock, in the Dark Lord Bob colorway; Plucky Knitter Plucky Feet, in the colorway Good Ol' Pip; and, Sweet Swallow Yarns Nuthatch in the Shy Violets colorway

Needles:  US size 6

Modifications:  None, since I was flying blind here!

Notes:  First of all, I was pleased because I used all stash yarn for this project, and since that has been something I've been really trying to do, it was nice to use three skeins in one project.  Also, I was pleased because I got to learn two things that were new to me, which is something I have also been trying to do.  This pattern included an i-cord cast on; one of the sections was the Star Stitch, which frankly I was worried about since it looked rather complicated, but as it turns out, it's fairly simple to execute.

After finishing the first clue, I was feeling quite proud of myself, I must admit:

I think the fact that I was able to do this without [many] problems kept me motivated.  I will say now that the project is finished, that I feel confident that I can trust any pattern written by Helen Stewart to be not just well-written and understandable, but very easy to follow.  Even when I would mess up, it was my mess, not because of anything to do with the pattern.

The finished shawl is a really BIG one - so big that I do not have the space nor the pins to block it!  I mean, even before blocking, there's a whole lotta shawl here:

As a point of reference, this is across a double bed!

I do think it is pretty, and when I talked about my blocking issues on Facebook, Lorette offered to block it for me if I wanted to sent it to her.  I have to say, I'm giving that some serious consideration.  I know she does a lot of both shawl and lace knitting, so she knows much more about blocking this kind of item that I do.  I'll keep you posted.

In any case, this was actually fun to knit, and though I didn't really do a lot of the chatter, etc. type of stuff on Ravelry, I did enjoy seeing others' projects.  I think the reason that all of the planets or whatever aligned and I ended up finishing this was because at first it seemed a good distraction and a way to use stash, and then it became a personal challenge to me to keep up.  This is not to say that I'm likely to sign up for any KALs again anytime soon, but it was a good feeling to sign up and then actually *do* something!

 I guess sometimes you can still surprise yourself in a good way.  

******

Not a lot else worth reporting.  This morning I walked up to the Post Office, and finally mailed out all of the prizes for Christmas in July.  Why do I think I'll mail each one as it happens?  From here forward, if you win a prize, just assume it will go out all at one time with the others.  Geez.

I did feel bad because the woman who helped me was so apologetic, saying, "I just want to let you know that in the current situation, I can't guarantee that any of these will get there right away, or as soon as they probably should.  The Post Office is under attack, you know."  I told her that it was OK, I'm a big supporter of the P.O., and between the virus and the administration, they were getting hit everywhere.  She looked at me and smiled and I hope it made her day at least .000001% better.

Hamlet is recovering from a bad bout of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, which has really knocked him (and by extension, all of us) for a loop.  Fortunately, the vet took x-rays and it wasn't caused by any blockages, tumors, etc. - just probably from something he picked up and ate off the street.  We watch him like a hawk, but sometimes things get past us.  He is starting to seem more like his usual sweet self though, so that's good.  The cats have been very annoyed because they can't sleep on/next to him because he smells bad and that is a real inconvenience for them ...

Next weekend we had scheduled a trip to Baltimore to visit my niece and her husband (we made the plans back in April).  Now my sister and brother-in-law are planning to be there as well, which means most of the family will show up to visit also.  I had been leaning towards cancelling even if it would just be the four of us, but the addition of even more people has made me certain that I don't want us to go.  It just seems irresponsible, and though I know they are all careful people, I just think we have been so conscientious about things, why stop now?  Having to go into work two days a week has been making me anxious enough.  It is disappointing, since we haven't seen anyone for such a long time, but I'm not willing to take the chance, particularly when things are taking an uptick again.  Why can't people wear a mask? (Rhetorical, I know why and so do you.)

Anyway, it's Friday, and it's the weekend, and we have wine, and The Tim just informed me that he made some chocolate pudding!  All's well that ends well, right?  😃

Have a lovely weekend yourself, and take care.

Friday FOs - Two, Count 'Em, Two!

Before I completely melt today and lose all interest in anything, I have two finished objects for you - yes TWO.  Granted, neither one was a major undertaking, but they are still both finished, and that counts!

First up, the shortie slipper socks I knit for The Tim:

Project:  Same Mother Shortie Socks
Pattern:  Just a plain sock, turned into a shortie sock
Yarn:  Plymouth Encore Worsted Solids, in the Oatmeal, Purple, and Orange colorways
Needles:  US size 5
Notes:  As you know if you have read my blog for a few weeks at least, I knitted the first sock, and then strongly suspected that I would not have enough of the Oatmeal colored yarn to complete the second one.  For some people, that would mean they would take apart sock #1 and do some color-blocking.  I'm not those people, and because I had not thought ahead, I warned The Tim that his socks would not match and why.  He said, "Well, if you have to throw in another color, make sure it's something that pops." And I think the orange definitely pops, right??  Anyway, these were really quick to knit, and since they are just meant to be slipper socks, it didn't bother me that they wouldn't be the same.  I called them "Same Mother Shortie Socks" because they are like family members who have the same mother, and look similar but different.  😀

The best part was that when they were finished, The Tim was *thrilled* with them, so all's well that ends well.

*****

Next up, something for the kitchen:

Project:  Leftovers Kitchen Towel
Pattern:  At Your Service Knit Cloth (a free pattern)
Yarn:  Knit Picks ColLin, in the Conch colorway
Needles:  US size 7
Modifications:  None
Notes:  I had some yarn left from my Down the Shore Shawl, and decided to give this pattern a try, since we use these kinds of hanging towels in our kitchen all the time and they are not that easy to find in stores.  The pattern was overall easy and pretty quick to knit, but in my heat-addled brain, it did take me a few times to get the decreases right.  In the end, it turned out just fine, and I see many more of these in my future.  The Tim thinks they would be nice Christmas gifts, but I'm not sure that people would enjoy that kind of gift.  Then again they might.  I'll have to give it some thought.

Both of these projects were from stash yarn, and that always pleases me - the button for the kitchen towel is also from a stash of buttons that I have, so no extra money at all was spent for this project, which is even better! 

******

Before closing, I wanted to remind anyone who is interested that you have until one minute before midnight this coming Sunday, July 5, to comment on this post and be in the mix for a giveaway. 

And finally, tomorrow is Independence Day here in the U.S.  This country is far from perfect, but if we can get back on track, I really believe that things could move forward and we can be what we wanted our country to stand for.  It's still better than lots of other places.  So, if you celebrate, have a lovely day, and remember to VOTE in November!!

And for everyone, I hope you have a good weekend no matter how you decide to spend it.  See you on Monday for the announcement of the giveaway winner.

Here is a Friday FO!

Hi all - today I have a very happy FO to share with you.

My Down the Shore Shawl is finished - and it's a big one!

Project:  Down the Shore Shawl
Pattern:  Beachcomber, by Chelsea Berkompas
Yarn:  I used the yarn suggested in the pattern, but changed colorways with the blue shade.  All are Knit Picks CotLin, and the colorways are:  Linen (beige), Conch (coral), and Marina (blue).
Needles:  US size 8
Modifications:  As previously mentioned, I changed the shade of blue to Marina (more of a turquoise, a color I love) instead of Surf, which is a lovely blue, but lighter in shade.  I wanted the color to pop more, to make it seem more summery.

(folded in half)

Notes:  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this shawl and this pattern!  It is also going to be the perfect thing for cool summer evenings (if there are any), and/or when the A/C is just making it way too cool as is the case in some places.

This is a fun and easy shawl to knit - mostly garter, but the stripes keep it interesting.  And the occasional lace panel needs you to concentrate, but only shows up three times, and is very straightforward (and I am a crummy lace knitter, so that means most lace knitters would think it was easy).  It goes quickly, because other than the lace, the pattern consists of only 2 pattern rows which are easily memorizable.  I had a lot of fun knitting this one!  It took me longer than it probably should have, for a couple of reasons:  a) there was a 10-day period when I didn't knit on any of my projects, because I just wasn't feeling it, and b) the CotLin could be hard on my hands when I would knit for too long, so at times I needed to take a day off to rest.

Of course, you could knit this in another yarn, but when I saw it, I decided that yes, I wanted a shawl for the summer, and CotLin is very reasonably priced, so it was a no-brainer.

Also, it fulfilled my desire to try and learn new things, as it has a picot bind off, which was a new thing for me.  It took me a few times to get started properly, but once it all clicked in my brain, I really liked it!

When we went out into the garden to take most of these photos, Hamlet had to be sure to remind anyone reading this that he was there as well.  😊

This is a project that just "hit" me when I saw the pattern (and I don't really remember where/how/why I came across it), and I'm glad I just let myself go with the flow and even actually buy some yarn!  It was worth every penny in the end, in that it was pretty inexpensive to knit, and the end result is just how I wanted it to be.

******

Tomorrow is of course the summer solstice here in the northern hemisphere, and I came across a poem the other day that I decided to post on my other blog.  I don't write there as often as here, though I am planning to change that, but in any case I shared the poem there yesterday, because I feel that it is something worth reading, given people's concerns about body types, and particularly wearing a swimsuit.  So I hope if you read it, I hope it gives you something to consider.

Have a wonderful weekend, and if you are someplace where summer is starting, I hope you find a way to keep cool!

This Particular Monday is for an FO Post

This weekend was vastly different than last.  The protests continued, with more people and more meaning, and they were completely peaceful, which was good all the way around.  The weather was OK on Saturday, though a bit humid, but Sunday was PERFECTION. 

It was also different because I finished one of my projects!  Recently I showed you this:

I'd been working on it much longer than I'd wanted to, and though I was pleased with the result, I was annoyed that it took so long.  I've been doing pretty well with my self-imposed-in-my-brain plan to knit a pair of socks each month, and May was nearly over.  I decided that instead of switching up on my projects somewhat equally, I would give sock #2 more attention. 

Project:  Sousa Socks
Pattern:  adapted by me from the Stars and Stripes Socks, by the Sockguy (from the long ago Sockknitters listserv)
Yarn:  Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, colorways Navy and Glory Red
Needles:  US size 1
Modifications:  The whole project was a modification!  (Also, the colors in the first photo are actually closer to how they look in real life.)
Notes:  This pattern and kit was from a very long ago offering and had been in my stash since not quite 1776 ... seriously, though it has been there a LONG time.  I started following the pattern as written, and it seemed so fiddly to me that I just gave up.  But then I decided to put my own spin on it, and see what happened.  I named them the Sousa Socks because John Philip Sousa wrote "Stars and Stripes Forever," and I was still trying to go with the theme.  I kept the stitch and row counts of the original pattern, and just changed the combination so that it was much less fiddly. 

I really do like the finished socks.  The heel construction was new to me, so that was also interesting, and in some ways much quicker than the regular heel and gusset construction, though it ends up looking much the same.  The second sock, needless to say, knit up much more quickly, since I wasn't starting from scratch with what I was doing.  They will probably be way too warm to wear on July 4th, but maybe they will work for Labor Day some year??

This is only the second time I've ever knit with Lorna's Laces yarn, and this is old - when Lorna herself was still the dyer.  It is soft and lovely to work with. 

Now onto another pair.  I'm voting for plain vanilla this time.  😜

One of My Quarantine Projects - Finito!

Hooray, hooray, hooray!  Today is a very pretty, sunny day, and I have an FO to show you.  Both are equally as pleasing to me.

Here is the completed pair:

Project:  Easter Egg Scrappy Shortie Socks

Yarn:  various yarns - leftovers and some from an Advent calendar a couple of years ago

Needles:  US size 1

Pattern:  Improvised

Notes:  These were really fun to knit - the "let me do just one more color" syndrome helping me finish them pretty quickly.  If you look very very closely - and to some degree, even I can't distinguish - you'll notice that the heel flaps and heels are slightly different colors.  I ran out of the first deep red on the first sock, and used a slightly more deep brick red on the second.  And only once they were nearly finished did I realize that I had switched the shades of green after the gold-speckly stripes.  I don't care, and should anyone else mention it, my first question would be 'Why are you that close to my feet??"  But I'm including the info here in the spirit of full disclosure.  😊

For anyone interested, I will tell you how I made these.  The basic idea was to do eight rows of each color that I was using (I chose the colors but did not organize them ahead of time; I started these shortly before Easter, so had Easter egg colors on the brain).  I knew that I would use one color that would be more than eight rows for the heel flap and heel turn, so I knew that would be different.  

I cast on 60 stitches, and did 8 rows of 2 x 2 ribbing with the first color; then 4 more rows of ribbing with the second color, followed by 4 rows of stockinette with that color.  Then I started the heel flap and gusset, then continued on with 8 rows of stockinette each time.  When I got to the yellow, I decided that I would like the toes to be yellow, so I did 4 rows of stockinette, and then started the decreases for the toe.  

After making the first sock, I was out of the red used in the heel flap and turn, so I found another leftover that was close, but a little bit more of a dark brick red for the second sock.  And also on the second sock when I went to add the second green stripe, I realized I'd already used the shade I wanted.  No way was I going to rip back, and besides they are socks, and socks for me, so it was all good - I just used the other green shade.  I like to tell myself that they are like nearly identical twins, that have a couple of things allowing their families and close friends to tell them apart.

I am really pleased with how they turned out, and they just look like very happy socks to me.  Also, I'm pleased that I finished them before April was even over.  Now I just have to decide what socks and what yarn will be next ...

Kinda Sorta Tiny Needle Tuesday - An FO Post

I know that Tiny Needle Tuesday is actually about other kinds of stitching - embroidery, counted-cross stitch, etc., but since I used tiny knitting needles for this project, I'm crashing the party with this post.  :-)

Back at the end of January, my friend Andrea and I decided to have a socks KAL during March.  We decided to knit the same pattern, and see if we could do it within the month.  This is the kind of KAL I can do - informal and not involving lots of other people!  It meant that I actually knit the project, instead of losing my knitting mojo altogether.

And here are my socks, finished only three days after the end of March!

Project:  Clarkle Sparkle Socks
Pattern:  Clark  Socks, by Jaclyn Salem
Yarn:  Black Bunny Fibers Stella, colorway unknown (this yarn has been in my stash for a while, I have no idea where the ball band is ...)
Needles:  US size 1
Modifications:  None.
Comments:  I have been wanting to knit this pattern ever since it came out.  I am a big fan of cables, and I love that the main cable is in the front rather than on the sides.  There is also a small cable that runs down the back of the leg, but I could not contort myself to photograph that! 

The yarn was lovely.  The color is kinda close in the photo, but in person it's actually a celadon green shade, with an occasional wash of blue and purple; it also contains stellina, so the socks have a little bit of sparkle!

Because I was trying to follow the pattern exactly as written, I went ahead and did the short rows/wrapped stitches heel.  I am trying to learn - or at least try - new things when I come across them.  The heels don't look great, and I don't know if they will wear that well, but I did manage to get them done according to instructions.  Needless to say, if/when I make this pattern again, it will be with a heel construction of my preference.

That part aside, the pattern is fun and after the first pattern repeat, it's very memorizable.  I am a huge fan of cables, so I'm glad I got to knit a pattern that includes them!

I recommend this pattern - it's well-written and very clear, and once you get set up and started, it goes really quickly. 

Now on to an April pair - TBD!

2019 Knits and New Year's Day Cast On

Before we go much more into this year, and I have it in my brain, I thought I would share what I knit during 2019:

When I first made this mosaic, I was a little disappointed that I had not done more over the past year.  Then I realized that until the end of March, I couldn't knit at all, due to my broken wrist.  Then when I was allowed to knit, it wasn't for very long or to do very much.  When I gave that some thought, I decided that I actually did pretty well!  (Because of course if I had been able to knit the whole time, I'm sure I would have completed 12 pairs of socks for my Box o' Socks, and made about 50 other things, right???)

In any case, I'm pleased with what I accomplished.  I hope to do a little bit better this year, at least I hope I can do more socks, and maybe complete the 12 pairs!  Also - please note that I did actually complete TWO SWEATERS - a big thing for me.  Yes, I know there are people who make tons of sweaters, but I'm still relatively new to sweater knitting, so getting two of them knitted makes me really happy.  :-)

******

Did you do a Christmas Eve cast on?  I never have, mostly because I'm usually busy all day and evening on Christmas Eve, and don't want to take the time to stop and cast on a project.  Instead, I decided to do a New Year's Day cast on, so that I could begin the year with something new.

I don't know if you remember, but in 2018, I had saved up to purchase a yarn Advent calendar.  Of course, I had no idea that I would not be able to use the yarn right away, though again, I'm busy during Christmastime and would likely not have been able to open the yarn, wind it, and knit on a project for the 24 days leading up to Christmas Day.  Anyway, the broken wrist meant it wasn't happening no matter what.  I had decided a few weeks ago that last year's Advent calendar was going to be used for my New Year's Day cast on.  So I started winding the mini-skeins, and then on Wednesday, got started.  I chose the ADVENTurous Wrap by Ambah O'Brien for my project.

What a fun, addictive pattern!  This is what I had after only a few hours:

It's one of those "let me just do one more color" things, and the only frustrating thing for me was that I could not find the #5 mini-skein (the last color on the top), so I just substituted something I already had.  I also worked on it yesterday, and here you can see that I've made even more progress:

This weekend I plan to wind all of the rest of the skeins so that I don't have to interrupt any future activity because I've knit all that were ready so far.

Right now, my only other project I have going is the pair of Christmas socks I was making for myself.  I was on the foot of sock #1, and realized I'd made a major mistake that I just couldn't live with, so I ripped out everything up to the patterned part, and started again.  I'm now a bit further than I was before, so I'm moving along.  I'm going to have them be my first pair for my 2020 Box o' Socks.  I know in the "official" KAL, you can't start with a WIP, but since I'm on my own, I can do it my way.

I'm really happy with how my 2020 knitting projects are starting, and hope this is a sign that whatever else I work on this year will be a good project.

Have a good weekend!