You know how you forget something? But you can't remember what it is?

Blogging is what I have been forgetting. 

It's been practically a year since I've been active here but I still can't let this show go on without me. 

I could talk about each project but - but I think I'm just going to start anew. This past year was mostly hats (for charity), shawls (for friends and family), Christmas stockings (for kids) and mittens (for general consumption) - but I already have plans for 2018.

I think it's going to be a deep dive year. I'm planning to use up some very old stash and complete some of my oldest projects and patterns. Time to make up for lost time!

Arms and dimples

 

Well, the Giant Sweater of Gloom has two attached sleeves and the start of a drastically reducing yoke. Elizabeth Zimmerman designed this Hurry Up Sweater to be finished in a month, even taking time out for holiday preparation, but I am woefully behind.

 

Part of its charm, however, is the sloping yoke, with decreases every round at the armpits of the Sweater. Six episodes of a Korean drama under your belt and you have a finished sweater!

Years ago, a blogger by the name of Mr. Wynne, was making a sweater on his knitting blog. He was looking for a name for his sweater and included some photos of his sleeves.

Gosh, he had the best decreases! They looked like evenly spaced dimples! I mentioned this and he ended up calling the sweater "Dimples!"

Well, this view of decreases is barely visible but I'm liking the pattern of divots.

 

Well, onward to glory. I don't often wish for cold weather in April but this sweater deserves it.

Another inch in the wall, er, sweater

 

After regular breaks in my knitting time (this bulky yarn and size 13 knitting needles is killing my wrists!) - I'm officially up to the arm pit area of my Hurry Up Sweater. 15 inches in the front and 17 inches on the back, thanks to the short rows I added in. 

 

I decided to mark everything in order to keep track - Elizabeth Zimmerman's directions are usually very short and concise.

One of the other knitters doing this project - there's kind of a Knitalong group at Lila and Claudine's Yarn Shop in Mahtomedi -  was counting back to her increase markers for the same reason!

 

She's already pretty far ahead of me!

Looking ahead - I'll be at the Minnesota Knitters' Guild Annual Retreat again this weekend. I'm taking both gray projects as well as a ball of hand spun and a new hat pattern I just bought, the Whiskey Highball hat by Thea Coleman. It was just published this week and I snapped it up, her patterns are just that good!

 

Hopefully, I'll be through to the sleeves of both sweaters by the time I'm back!

Two shades of gray

Although one of my New Years resolutions was to wear less gray, I'm starting off my winter knitting with two gray projects.

 

The first is a Hurry Up Sweater from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Almanac. I'm part of a group knitting this project at Lila and Claudine's Yarn and Gifts in Mahtomedhi.

It's a hefty project, knitting at 2.5 stitches per inch with size 13 needles. I'm using a very vintage looking Briggs&Little super bulky yarn in deep gray.

 

I'm liking the devil-may-care EZ style - but the yarn in pretty tiring to work with.

My second gray project is actually a do-over. I began this Islay cardigan and got practically to the sleeves before I had to set it down. It's not a hard pattern at all but I wasn't careful enough with my bodice lace patterns and pretty soon - I decided it was better to just rip it back and do it correctly. Why finish something you aren't going to like?

And for days when I don't want to work with gray - I'm breaking away to navy blue. I'm working on a navy blue Berocco Vintage Pine Tree Blanket - only done as a shawl.

 

 This uses the Gull Wing Lace pattern made famous by Elizabeth Zimmerman's February Baby Sweater. It's easily memorizable and easy to take places.

Finished! Otherwise known as . . .

Third time was a charm!

The Going for Gold hat is actually very easy if you read the instructions.

Repeat projects - bring them on!

Sometimes, it takes more than one try to get a project completed.

I'm currently in a knitting swap. Actually, late for a knitting swap! I started this hat before Christmas on a ski trip. Ski, ski - no knitting.

Following the trip, my family came down with the flu - 1, 2, 3. So, not much knitting then. Then, some happier pre-Christmas evenings with drinks and knitting. 

The end result was a very short hat (not pictured!)

So I knit it again with worsted weight yarn.

Not too bad in this photo - but the original was still too short. Well, guess what? I'd missed one 16 row repeat on both hats!

So I tripped both hats back and re-knit them both. Then, I looked at the pattern photo. Hmm - still not right . . . 

 

What I had been reading as three purl repeats turned out to be a three stitch Cluster Stitch. (I'd  make a rude joke here but my mom might read it!)

So, if the knitting doesn't work out, try, try, try again. This swap package is going out on Tuesday with three variations on the same hat and my apologies.

My quarterly visit from Outer Space!

Okay, that's a lie. I originally started this post back in October 2016 but since then, due to some cloud setting issues and a lack of being able to import photos onto my laptop, I put this off. 

Today, I actually logged in to write a good-bye post but I started reading some long-ago posts and I began to change my mind. 

After all, this blog is largely for me and my knitting. Sometimes, a few online friends stop by (and sometimes those robotic pigs try to burst in as well!) but it's really just for me. 

So, today I searched for a better solution and found an app that allows me to blog from my phone (where all my photos are!) 

And it so happens, that I have a few pictures of my recent knitting to be able to share which means -  

I'm back!

Southern Comfort Ravellenic Cowl

I'm a big fan of designer Thea Coleman over at https://babycocktails.blogspot.com. Her cable designs are all lovely and she is one fun lady. I made this cowl in the summer for the Ravellenic 2016 Games.

Now, having made one last baby step on my laptop - I'm moving over to my phone. Wish me luck!

Way back machine malfunctions!

So, way back in March, I bought some of this lovely red Sweet Georgia Yarns' Trinity Worsted for an Adama Cowl.

Well, then it sat. And sat. Until May when I picked it up again for a travel project.

Finally, I finished it. This cowl is higher in the back of the neckline - basically like a sweetheart neckline? - but you can wear the high part in the front or in the back.

Just in time for June

While the yarn was luscious, it is a little tightly wrapped for this pattern. I think I'll make it again with a fuzzier yarn - something a little more soft. In the skein, the yarn is deceptively fuzzy . . .

And now that I have a bit more free time on my hands (***clears my throat, uhm, wedding!), I'm back to the neutrals I love so well. I've started an Islay cardigan from Gudrun Johnston in some pearl gray Imperial Yarn Tracie Too that I bought years ago in Maryland. 

So far, I'm loving the yarn's soft hand and the pattern's traditional style.

Knit on!

Oh, I was so mistaken . . .

There were far more than eight hexipuffs needed. Right now, I'm working on sets of particular colors to  finish up some sets of ten. Yeah, I'm getting a little tired of these but at least the end is in sight.

Outside of hexipuffs, I'm getting started on a Nordic Lights cowl using some lovely Ultra Alpaca.

I'm also working on some cute little items out of sock yarn leftovers for a contest at the Minnesota Knitters' Guild.

Outside of knitting, we were experimenting with a new summer drink - barley tea.

It's pretty simple - roasted barley (and roasted corn, too) steeped like tea,

and then drained and sweetened.

It doesn't have any caffeine but we can all do with less of that, right?

Until next month - Happy Spring!

Proof of life, er, Hexipuff

Yes, I'm still hexipuffing my way on a slow boat to China a Beekeeper's Quilt. About 10 more, I think.

In the meantime, I'm catching up on a favorite YouTube personality - Fangirl Musings. She's one funny social and media commentator. Not totally safe for all situations but very, very witty.

Oh, no. She did it again.

Yep - that last post was September - 2015! I obviously did not have that strong talk with myself about putting things off.

Since this blog has really just turned into a place to record my thoughts on knitting for myself - I thought I should refresh my memory of the last five months.

Christmas came and went with the traditional demand for last minute gifts. This Blue Leaf Headband knit in Malabrigo worsted weight took very little time.

Cozy ears at the bus stop!

I have a daughter who will be getting married soon so she requested a Christmas stocking for the lucky guy. I've made this pattern several times - it's the Cascade Yarns' Christmas stocking - but it's always different because you can pick and choose patterns.

Tangerines added in for scale.

I also made a quick Antler Hat for a certain gentleman of the family. Mr. Daisy always asks so nicely!

If only this model would smile.

I changed the button bands on my Tin Can Knits baby cardigan and added some green glass buttons instead. I think this looks much sleeker than the pink buttons I originally bought.

These cabled mitts were a quick present for a friend. I'm going to make them for myself as well.

I also finished up this Ribbon Candy Cowl. I was going to give it as a holiday gift but I let it go a little too long. Now, it's mine!

Unblocked and with ends yet to be sewn in.

And, finally, the good news! I think I'm about eight more hexipuffs for my Beekeeper's Quilt. Then, all that will be left is the sewing up!

Of course, I'm procrastinating by working on some Owl Mittens for my son. I'm hoping he'll still have some affection for Harry Potter by the time I"m finished!

Whew! That was an exhausting quick spin around my knitting bag! Here's hoping update more regularly! Here's to more regular updates.

Five months later - they found her knitting.

Yes, it's been roughly five months since my last post. But, since it's mostly just me hanging out here, all I can do is give myself a strong talking to. And then promise myself to not do it again.

Since last April, I've been having fun running in local races.

We'll run anywhere for a brat and a beer!

Traveling for happy occasions . . .

She graduated!

and sad ones. 

My lovely dad died in June.

Cleaning up around here . . .

so I have room for new gear.

Yep, that's me.

Learning to skate has been a total eye opener for me!

More traveling - this time for fun and relaxation.

Beautiful sunset on Lake Chautauqua.

The Minnesota State Fair is not complete without a pickle hat.

And, of course, knitting.

A Color Affection Shawl.

A Playdate baby cardigan.

A Sagano Shawl.

But, still no purple sweater for Boy X! And I don't think he wants the cardigan, the shawl or the other (prayer shawl) on my needles, either. Oh, well, Maybe for Christmas. 

Blue

Even if you love winter, it's just hanging on too long.

So I decided to break out some of my ways to beat the blues.

Hexi puffs galore. 

Although, I did find out that I can't knit them in the car any more.  Bumpy roads + little needles =  car sickness. 

Now, back to your regularly scheduled gray, damp spring.

Introducing Boy X

Youngest Child has been a knitting model for a long time. Well, he recently turned twelve and I thought it was time to give him his own Knitting Superhero name. 

Today is the unveiling of Boy X*.

Boy X in Wee Balaclava

For some reason, I don't have a picture of him wearing his own adorable first baby sweater - an Elizabeth Zimmerman February Baby sweater and leggings - but he was my first child born since I was began knitting. The others all had babyhoods without - sob - hand knit items.

Gull Wing Lace sweater and leggings - aka February Baby Sweater

Sometimes he wore items knitted for other people's children.

Boy X modeling a gift sweater for Fabulous Baby Boy Melicious B.

Sometimes, he modeled his choice of knit wear.

The unbearable yet cute Hans Lopi Sweater

Even the itchy sweater his mother knit for him.

He's worn lots of hats over the years - some for him and some for other people. Boy X is truly a good sport.

My one and only crocheted hat.

Hello Mr. Potter!

A hot day for a wool hat.

Slouchy hat #1

                                                                             

Slouchy Hat #2

An elfen Quarters Cap - after he learned about Bad Elves

Sometimes, he even modeled creations that weren't quite  human.

So, why the knitting lovefest? Several years ago, Boy X asked for a sweater - a purple sweater. Well, I think it's time to create one for him. Unfortunately, the one I thought I'd make for him, Caherciveen

by Carol Feller in Contemporary Irish Knits (I own a copy and love it!), only goes up to size 10 and Boy X is now a size 14.

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be exploring ways to turn this great vest pattern into something suitable for Boy X. And with purple.

Thanks again, Boy X, for learning to love knit wear!

*Boy-X is also fabulous song by the Korean band Nell. Check out a video for it here.