[FINISHED] The Weekender

Last summer, Lehigh Valley temperatures reached their standard 100-degrees, accompanied by approximately 1,000% humidity. In my overheated delusion, I, of course, decided that would be a great time to start knitting a worsted weight sweater. Out of wool.

It wasn’t a good plan.

To be fair, I holed myself up in my office with the window A/C unit cranked up to 11 and two fans blowing on me, so the majority of knitting wasn’t terrible. But I finished one sleeve and had a wedding to plan, so it wasn’t long before I shoved this to the bottom of a project bag and didn’t look at it until a couple weeks ago.

That’s when sweater weather finally hit the area again and my fingers got itchy for a bigger project while I waited for this year’s WestKnits MKAL to spin up. I figured The Weekender would be a quick win since I’d already abandoned it on sleeve island and didn’t have much more to go to just call it a day.

I was right, but oh boy, knitting sleeves really does suck. 10/10 would not recommend, even though they’re well worth the result. They’re just so… boring. Around and around and around we go on the small circumference stockinette train with occasional decreases here and there for shaping.

No thank you.

But like I said, it’s worth it, and part of the reason I didn’t want to get back to it was because I’d taken a risk on the fit and was worried it would be funky. The sweater is supposed to have 10” of positive ease, but for lack of better phrasing, my boobies are huge and I thought that would look ridiculous. I’d rather risk making it too small than accidentally channel a circus tent. So yeah, I sized down to the size below what was recommended and figured the length would figure itself out in blocking.

I was right. I do think I should’ve added maybe another 2” to the length, but it doesn’t look bad - I just have an annoyingly long torso. Overall, though, I’m happy with the shape and am glad I took the risk.

Project Info

• Pattern: The Weekender by Andrea Mowry

• Yarn: Cascade 220 Merino

• Colorway: 62

I’m also:

• Watching: “A League of Their Own” on Prime

• Knitting: Moss Eccles socks for #sockoween2022

[FINISHED] Prom Queen Socks

I find it interesting that I started these socks as a plane project when I started my new job back in May by flying to Seattle, and finished them before leaving for a team off-site in San Francisco’s Bay Area. Indeed, these socks seem to be attached to travel and I can’t tell whether or not I’m a bit traumatized by it from all the airport shenanigans.

(Honestly, the flights weren’t that bad - we actually left on time and Newark/United shockingly didn’t cancel anything, which means I’ve used up all my luck for the rest of the year).

These lovely socks were designed by Kay F Jones (of Bakery Bears fame) for her daughter’s prom and they’re lovely beyond measure. I wanted something that would enhance the colorway and I felt like this simple lace pattern would do it justice. It consists of two rows that require a bit of concentration and then four rest rows that make them absolutely fly by.

Okay, I say “absolutely fly by” as if they didn’t take three months to finish, but to be fair, I tossed them aside while I participated in Summer Sock Camp, which required me to cast on new socks to qualify.

I got the yarn in one of my Souther Skeins sock boxes (you can watch the unboxing here) and it was a joy to knit with. The main skein and contrast skein work really well together and, despite not typically knitting with that color blue, I found myself drawn to it. I suppose that’s one of the things I like most about sock boxes and mystery kits: I’ve fallen in love with colors and bases that are outside my comfort zone and I feel like a more well-rounded knitter because of that.

And with that, we’ve officially headed into the fall season, which I plan to fill with loads of warm purples, oranges, and - dare I say - browns? #Sockoween2022 is about to kick off, as well, so stay tuned for what I end up knitting for that!

Project Information

• Pattern: Prom Queen Socks by Kay F Jones

• Colorway(s): Southern Skeins Southern Sock in Garden Party and Reflecting Pool

I’m also

• Watching: Becoming Elizabeth

• Knitting: Professor Meow Pullover

[FINISHED] Botanica Socks

Like pretty much everyone else, I was completely obsessed with “that scene” of Stranger Things this summer, featuring one of my favorite artists, Kate Bush, and her song “Running Up That Hill,” which is always an insta-fave to anyone who has a decent taste in music.

(Sidebar: apparently, people are gatekeeping Kate Bush and mad that it took people watching Stranger Things to “discover” her - what? Let’s bring Kate Bush back by any means possible cuz today’s music succcccccccks).

And, as usual, Trysten over at Dragon Hoard Yarn decided to make a colorway featuring yet another fandom I enjoy. As soon as her “Running Up That Hill” sock set was available, I just happened to wander on over to her website and buy it. Probably within seconds because reasons.

I was in the mood to knit something a little less vanilla, but I also wanted to show off the yarn’s gorgeous colors. This tends to be a very real struggle for a lot of knitters, so I try to avoid patterns overwhelming the yarn (and vice versa) as much as possible.

That’s when I found the Botanica Socks. They’re an easy-to-follow lace chart that can be worked up or down and I thought it would do fun things with the colorway. And boy did it.

Honestly, the final result looks a bit like Vecna’s skin - for better or worse - and I love how it came out. Plus, with the vanilla knitting on the back, you get the best of both worlds: some plain and some lace (it also helps the knitting go faster while still giving the socks a punch).

After a quick couple weeks, I was able to cast these bad boys off, thus sadly ending my Summer Sock Camp experience. They’re going to be so fun to wear into fall and are so gorgeous that I couldn’t wait for the Bakery Bears Sockoween KAL.

Project Info

• Pattern: Botanica Socks by Paula Wiśniewska

• Yarn: “Running Up That Kill” sock set in Myth Fingering by Dragon Hoard Yarn

In the meantime, I’m also…

• Reading: The Witching Hour by Anne Rice (we’re heading to New Orleans next month, so I’m getting in the mood)

• Cross Stitching: Caroling Cross Stitch Kit Mill Hill 2008 Buttons & Beads Winter

• Watching: Cobra Kai

Summer Sock Camp Halfway Point

Pattern: Sock Camp Picnic using new stash from Tippy Tree Yarns

It seems like just yesterday that we were at the lake for Memorial Day and I excitedly cast on my first pair of DK weight socks for Summer Sock Camp - yet here we are, halfway through July, and summer is just flying by.

Hosted by Kay from The Crazy Sock Lady, Summer Sock Camp is a major event for those of us who are obsessed with sock knitting. The goal? Knit as many socks as you can before the end of August and post your finished objects to maybe win some prizes.

Each knitter picks a “cabin” to knit for based on how you knit your socks (ex: DPNs, magic loop, etc) and, while you’re allowed to bounce around cabins or just do a free-for-all, I’ve chosen to stay in my beloved DPN cabin for the entire time. You can pry these four tiny needles out of my cold, dead hands.

I’m happy to say I’ve been plowing through camp, finishing six socks and starting a seventh since the end of May, and including at least one Christmas gift. To be fair, three pairs of those socks were with DK weight yarn, which I’m completely obsessed with because they just FLY off the needles. Get yourself a cute-but-mindless pattern (this one’s been my go-to), the prettiest speckled yarn you can find, and some size US3 needles and you’ve got yourself some perfectly portable potato chip knitting.

This “challenge” is even getting me to use up stash that’s been languishing in my moth-ridden craft room (we discussed this on a recent Patron Only Podcast over on the Bakery Bears Patreon, and I’m thrilled that the combination of cedar blocks and moth traps appear to be working, but I’m still a wee bit nervous). I finally whipped out last year’s sparkly Christmas ball of West Yorkshire Spinners that I’ve been chomping at the bit to make and just never got a chance to. In fact, I’m hoping I can use this opportunity to make all the Christmas socks I plan for every holiday season and never get to because I’m busy making gifts and crying about it.

If you’re also hanging out at camp, let me know and show me what you’re working on. I’m meeting up a friend of mine for coffee tomorrow to work through my Christmas socks, so hopefully I’ll have more FOs to share soon.

Want to check out all the socks I’ve finished so far? Click here to visit my Ravelry page!

[FINISHED] Happy Spring (Dog Edition)

If you know me at all, then you’ll know I’m obsessed with the adorable designs that The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery pumps out. I buy their patterns and kits like I don’t need the expendable income. Most recently, I signed up for their “Under the Sea” SAL that I’m miraculously keeping up with, having completed Clue 2 during my week of FUNemployment between jobs.

They also have a super cute seasonal collection featuring cats, so when they announced they were going to release a similar collection with dogs, I couldn’t pass up the chance to flush more money down the proverbial toilet.

The first pattern in their new series is called “Happy Spring” and includes a rain hat-bedecked pup who’s trying to avoid April showers. It’s so colorful and happy that there’s no way you can make this and not feel happy. In fact, I started it the night before Easter so I’d have something springy to work on while visiting family for the day.

The original design is stitched on white fabric, but I really like this blue hand-dyed linen I bought from Dove Stitch that I’m hoping to use for each pattern in the series, which will continue to be released throughout the year.

I had to make a few color substitutions since I don’t have a full DMC collection, although I’m working diligently on making that a thing, but I think it looks good regardless. For example, I think the rain drops are supposed to be a bit bluer than what I ended up with, but I like them as-is.

Let me know what you think and if you’ve stitched any TFPS patterns in the past!