Preparing to Make the Most of Summer

Hey Everyone!

Over the weekend I finished up knitting the pair of Rouge KnitPicks Palette socks I had had been working on. They are currently sitting in my to be washed basket, as I really didn’t feel like washing them today because I am waiting until I have more socks knit up before I wash socks. Beings that it is only still May, and we still have all summer ahead of us, I don’t have to use every 80+ degree day we get at the moment, as we still have all summer to be able to wash socks and have the hot weather to put them out on the line.

I had knit a 20 round cuff for these socks plus a 50 round leg. The 50 round leg is a bit shorter than the leg I have switched most of my socks to now. I had made the legs of these socks a bit shorter than I am making my other socks now because of having to split one of the balls of yarn in the winding process. Beings that I was working with a solid color I didn’t want to have to tie on any yarn in the knitting process. I like having it all be one strand without any knots or tie-ons when I am working with solid colors.

My longer legged socks, I am making the length of the sock blockers that I have so the cuffs will sit along the angled part at the top where I have yarn strung through to be able to hang the blockers from the clothesline outside. I am liking the longer socks because they give more protection and coverage. They help keep my legs and feet warmer in the colder months and also help protect against blisters in more areas while wearing my hiking boots.

Once I finished up the Rouge socks I had been working on, I cast on a pair of Finnley Heather Palette socks, which you can see to the left. I am loving how these socks are turning out. I have definitely fallen in love with the Heather yarns. I love the variation in the colors. While the variation is not so obvious in the ball, it becomes very obvious when you are working with it. I love how it looks, and how unlike stripes or true variegated yarns, the variations are within the same color shade and are just lighter/darker of itself, but doesn’t change from one color to a completely different color.

Here in Portland, we have already had quite a few days over 80 degrees, several close to 90 degrees, and a couple at or above 90 degrees already this month, and summer doesn’t officially start for another month. So if this summer is going to be as hot as I am thinking it is going to be, I need to be pumping out the socks so I can get them washed this summer, and put away. I am kind of tired of having a ton of sock yarn sitting around and feeling like I am not really making any progress on knitting through it. It doesn’t help that I have kept adding to it for a while. Now I am in stash busting mode and trying to knit up as much of my yarn as possible. I would like to go back to knitting sweaters for kids in need, but I have way too much sock and shawl yarn sitting around to get knit up first.

Spring is Coming!!!!

Hey Everyone!

I finished the pair of socks I had been working on in my previous post.

I had used Stroll Tweed in Marine Heather from KnitPicks for this particular pair of socks.

I came to the conclusion I have more than enough KnitPicks yarn for socks and shawls, and I really need to knit up what I already have. I really want to see my stash of sock yarn and shawl yarn decrease and my finished personal projects increase.

With that being said I did pick up some yarn yesterday at My local Joann fabric and craft superstore, for a project I am going to be working on once I get the projects I have in the works complete.

I am also wanting to get back to working on projects for babies and children in need. I have taken more than a year off already to work on personal projects, that I want to finish up using the yarn I have out that I purchased for personal projects and get back to making things for little ones who need warm clothes. It may be a bit before I start another sweater, but it is definitely still a project that is near and dear to my heart.

I started another pair of socks this morning, I am using one of the pink Stroll yarns I had ordered during the month of February beings that it was on sale.

Beings that Spring is right around the corner, we are starting to get the periodic nice day, which I am looking forward to. I have a couple pairs of socks that I would like to get washed and hang out on the line to dry.

Final Measurements

Hey Everyone!

While I was working on the first sock of my regal pair of socks, I had remembered something I had learned while working at the studio. 

This tip is: let the garment/item you are knitting shrink up before taking final measurements. 

I.E. the sock I am working on needs to be 5.25 inches from the heel flap to where I will start the toe. Once it measures 5.25 inches while knitting, I let it sit until the next day, then measure it again (it is typically a bit shorter than it was while I was working on it the day before), and then I knit up the remainder I need, before knitting the toe. I make sure it is the right length once it has shrunk to final size (as it is looser while knitting), before moving on. 

While I was working at the studio, we had to check the pieces against the final dimensions and against the other pieces of the same size to ensure consistency. 

Last Knit for Kids Sweater of 2016

Hey Everyone!

Over the weekend and just before the new year started I completed my last sweater for 2016. 

I had been working on this sweater, among other projects for a couple of months and wanted to get it done before the end of the year, so I did. 

I made a size 6 sweater, and the yarn I had used was red heart super saver yarn in Coffee, Carrot, and Fall. 

It was a simple sweater to knit up especially since most of the body, and sleeves were the fall yarn. There were a few ends to tuck in, but it was no where near as bad as some of the other sweaters I have done. 

I really enjoy working on these little, or not so little in the case of the size 10’s, sweaters. I like having something to work on that goes to a child in need. 

Winter Time Projects

Hey Everyone!

This is my favorite time of year to be working on knitting projects, when the weather is cold, and it gets dark early. There is something about  curling up with a good movie or tv show, a cup of hot tea and my knitting that I just love. 

I know I am crazy since I have four projects going, three of which are scarves and one is a knit for kids Sweater, which I am trying to get done before the end of the year. 

Even crazier, well to non needle crafters is having a knitpicks order on its way, which I will blog about when I get it in. 

One of the scarves I am working on, I am using acrylic yarn. I honestly don’t know why I am using acrylic other than that I had it, and I plan to use the scarf as more of a utility / work scarf when I go outside to work or am going to be doing something where I don’t want to wear one of my nice woolen ones, as I tend to do more elaborate designs in them. Yes I am fully aware that back in the olden days people made everything out of wool and when it wore out they made another one. I guess my generation is showing a bit, but at the same time it’s not. I was taught that when you have something nice you take extra care of it to help make it last longer since nice things cost money and money doesn’t grow on trees. 

I am also trying to spend less time attached to my phone and computer and spend more time knitting or reading books. I love reading, but the last few months I have spent way to much time wasting time on my phone and computer. Due to that waste of time I am now trying to spend more time doing what I love, getting projects completed and working through my plastic tubs of yarn. I would love to be able to use up all the yarn I have in my acrylic – for sweaters tub. All the kids that could get a nice warm sweater from the yarn would be amazing. 

While I was looking for work a few years ago, there was a year in which I had knit up 17 sweaters. I am still amazed that I made that many, yet at the same time I am not. I was bored, jobs were (and still are) scarce, and needed something productive to do. I really enjoy working on projects for kids in need. 

Completed Sweater

Hey Everyone!

I have been working on a size of sweater for the past few months. I finally got it done. 

For this sweater, I used red heart super saver yarn in Gold, Carrot, Tea Leaf and Coffee. 

Completed Sweater

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Today I sewed up the size four sweater I just finished knitting earlier in the week. 

This is a size 4 sweater and I used red heart yarn in Aruba Sea and Calliope. 

This sweater the second of my set that I am working on. I had finally got to having equal numbers knit up of each size so now I am working on sets. 

Over the past few years knitting sweaters for children in need has been a passion of mine. Knitting sweaters for these children is just of the ways I am trying to give back and make a difference. It feels like a small thing compared to going I missions trips to impoverished areas or serving in the peace corps or Doctors Without Borders. Then I remind myself that each sweater helps keep a child warm. 

It feels good to get a sweater done. Most days I don’t stop to think that the sweaters and hats I make are really going to children in need. They are real children with real needs. 

Finished #70th Sweater

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Today I finally finished the sweater I started last year. 

I finished this size 8 sweater in which I used a Caron one pound skein of yarn in deep violet as well as some sunflower of the same brand. 

 

This sweater is special I many ways, it is the 70th sweater that I have completed. It also is the last sweater I needed to get 14 sweaters of each of the 5 sizes. I am excited that I now have even numbers of each size, and can start knitting up sets of sweaters.  

Finally made some progress

Hey Everyone!

It’s been a while since I have done a sweater update. I have been so busy since Thanksgiving that my current world vision knit for kids sweater has seriously been sitting for months, and barely been touched. 

Today I was helping one of the other ladies from church who has recently started knitting sweaters with her current sweater. It reminded me why I knit sweaters for children and what I am passionate about, which is helping others. Whether that is helping children in need or helping someone learn to do something I know how to do, and being able to sit down with them and walk through the process with them so they understand it. 

I had gone for a drive out in the country yesterday, and anyone who knows me can tell you, for most of the past decade all I have wanted is to live in a small town in the middle of nowhere yet I ended up back in the big city after college. While I was out driving, God was dealing with me. That for now anyway my purpose and mission is here in this city that I have spent most of my life not being able to stand. I began to understand the role I am to play here, and the life I am supposed to lead. That includes helping people and building relationships with people. 

I spent some time this afternoon after I got back from church working on my sweater, and I have made a fair amount of progress. I am definitely ready to get it done, so I don’t have it sitting for more months. I am also really trying to get back to having only two knitting projects in the works, I currently have 4 in progress. 

  

2015 Knit For Kids Sweaters

Hi Everybody!

I am finally getting around to writing this post!

2015 was a busy year for me, outside of knitting. I only completed 4 sweaters in 2015. 2015 was also the first full year of work I have had since I graduated from university in 2010. That in itself was a big deal for me. That being said knitting and sweaters had to take a back burner last year. 

That being said I have also been working on other projects and I could only do so much. 

I know 4 is better than 0, and I know I can only do so much when working a full time just that isn’t knitting related. I am not one who gives up on something they love, and knitting sweaters for kids in need is something I love. 

These are the sweaters I completed last year.