[FINISHED] Cross Stitch Flowers for Mom

So, it’s summer now and it’s ungodly hot.

That’s it. That’s the post.

Oh, you came here for more. Cool cool. Okay, the elephant in the room is that it’s so hot, I can barely stand to knit anything. To add insult to injury, it’s not even just hot, but humid *cue needles squeaking whilst balking against hand sweat*. You’re welcome for the visual.

The view from my parents’ lake house, taken while I pondered test-knitting my friend’s pattern outside, rendering the finished product useless as it will have essentially been used as a hand towel for 40 hours.

Summer is usually when I maybe knit on socks because those are portable and I like to escape to my parents’ lake house (or really anywhere with a breeze), but I usually end up binging beaucoup books from my TBR shelf with the false hope of reaching my annual Goodreads goal (RIP).

Shocking exactly no one, this year is no different. I’ve finished three books, a couple pairs of socks, and even started on some Christmas gifts, but I think my summer passion for 2020 will be cross stitch. It’s small, it’s colorful, it’s kind of portable (not like I’m working on a HAED any time soon), and it’s keeping me sane in a very discombobulated world.

Or maybe I’m just so annoyed by people who think it’s scientifically possible to re-breathe your own toxins while wearing a mask that I had to stab something 10,000 times. We’ll never know.

And because I can’t just make something without showing it off, I obviously took to making a wee ickle stitch for my mom as a belated Mother’s Day gift.

I’d tell you what pattern I used, but I really don’t know. It came in a kit and I’m not even sure if it’s one I bought myself or was gifted to me by my crafty friend Erin, who bestowed a few cross stitch kits on me a few years back when I first expressed interest in yet another craft.

Seriously, I needed this hobby like a hole in my head.

The funny thing is, Scott started making this one. He’d seen me working on a Van Gogh piece for him (more on that later) and wanted to stitch a beer hop to use as a pin display. I told him he should start with something small and beginner-level to make sure he even liked it, to which he scoffed, saying it looked fun and of course he’d enjoy it. Five minutes later, once this reached my hands again because he hated his life, it didn’t take long to put a bow on it - I even enjoyed the backstitching - and now my mom has lovely new artwork that’s slightly better than the macaroni art of my youth.

I’ve got a few knitting projects on my needles, including a test knit for my aforementioned crafty friend, but I can’t stop cross stitching, either, and I think I have a major case of Start-itis, to boot. More annoyingly, I can’t stop buying hand-dyed linen from Etsy, so there goes the money I’ve been saving to pay my $4k in federal taxes. You can’t see me, but I’m crying.

I’m also watching a lot of the new Unsolved Mysteries and made the mistake of stitching on something intricate during the French episode with subtitles because of course.

In the spirit of ending this latest update on a positive note, here are some cool things I’ve discovered/have done during lockdown since my last update:

• Profs and Pints has started to do online sessions, so I’ve learned about the witch trials, cats and feminism, and the women of Hamilton. Each session is $12 and the professors are compensated for their work, which I enjoy while knitting and drinking heavily because this world and the people in it are a waking nightmare right now.

• Watched almost every video true crime podcaster Stephanie Harlowe has ever published, including 2019’s inaugural Harloween series that covered spooky mysteries. I’ve consumed so much content that I felt like she should be compensated for how much I enjoyed it, so I also backed her Patreon and pretty much nobody hears from me now.

• Took Scott and the dog to my parents’ lake house in the Poconos and paddled a boat around for an hour, so long story short, Fritzy has an inflatable life vest now and that’s hilarious.

• Turned 37. Wait a minute, this isn’t supposed to be depressing.

And in conclusion, all parties are COVID parties, so stop doing that.

[FINISHED] C2C Mandala Blanket

It finally happened. As I binge-watched the third (and final - *whine*) season of “Anne with an E”, I finished off the last block of Scott’s C2C blanket. I literally heard the angels rejoice.

I started crocheting this blanket on New Year’s Eve when we saw a bunch of marked down Lion Brand Mandala at the now-defunct ACMoore (RIP). We picked up four of the only blue cakes left because I thought that would be enough to make a decent-sized blanket.

Hahaha.

We ended up having to buy more and more cakes until finally, this thing weighed in at 12.5 cakes, total.

It’s big enough to more than cover my queen bed, so you know this thing was a labor of love. It also weighs about eleventy pounds and is really warm, perfect for the global warming-induced snowfall we received for Mother’s Day weekend (when I actually finished it).

Scott, however, is super upset because Fritzy has claimed the blanket as his own:

Mowgli is also a big fan, using it for “making biscuits” every night at bedtime. All of which means I’m probably going to be making a few repairs on this thing until it eventually falls apart in five years.

Project Details

Pattern: I didn’t really use one. C2C is really just a technique that I learned back in college -mumble mumble- years ago, but you can find a lot of tutorials online. Here’s one from Moogly on the Lion Brand YouTube channel.

Yarn: Mostly Lion Brand Mandala, but I also worked in one Caron Cake I had sitting around hoping it would be the last cake needed, but no.

[FINISHED] Boho Crochet Rainbow

As you can imagine, I’ve been spending way more time on Instagram than I’d like to. I was already addicted to it, especially when it came to looking up new knitting patterns (and staying up-to-date on all the news pouring out of my favorite hashtag = #toefluff [you’re welcome]), but lately, it’s helped brighten my days with new ideas to salivate over and happy, bright colors, too.

That’s how I found a whole slough of boho crochet rainbows people made using a pattern available over at The Stitch Foundry. They were all so colorful and I loved that it had clusters and floofs and other fun design elements that I decided to spend a Sunday night indulging in a wee ickle project for myself.

As an added bonus, the rainbow has become a) a symbol of solidarity and support for healthcare workers, as well as b) part of the #rainbowhunt (seriously, check out the hashtag if you need cheering up). It should go without saying that I legit needed a rainbow in my window.

Fast-forward, and my rainbow (with all its glorious and tedious fringe) has been featured in an article on the Better Homes & Gardens website. Make sure to check out the post to see all the rainbows people have been making out in the wild.

Project Details:

Pattern: Boho Crochet Rainbow by Sharon Murphy of The Stitch Foundry

Yarn: Literally anything I had laying around. I think most of it was stashed scraps of Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn (that I’m looking for any excuse to get rid of because, well, Hobby Lobby is what it is.

Finished: Washed Out

So you know how I’m finishing all these projects I started a year ago because a solid chunk of my 2019 was absolute hell on earth?

I hope you enjoy hearing about them cuz here’s another one.

I know I started my Washed Out a year ago because it was my pre-Adobe Summit project (for those of you not in the know, I’ve been a speaker at Summit since 2017 so this time of year is incredibly stressful but exciting for me). I remember chugging brunch mimosas at The Bayou as I knit the first lace section, wondering why my palette was purple and attributing it to Summit because our annual motto is #bleedpurple.

I also remember literally starting this at the bar in Steelgarden on St. Patrick’s Day because that’s how you celebrate as an adult, I guess.

Washed Out is similar to all the fade patterns that have been popular the past few years and the yarn (by Ramsey Yarn Company) came in a kit that lended itself well to any three-color fade. It’s almost like this pattern that had been sitting around in my library and the yarn were meant for each other. If you’re looking for a fade but don’t want to lift something off Ravelry’s front page, Washed Out is a great alternative with a few surprises thrown in. The shaping is simple, as is most of the construction, with alternating blocks of lace for a slight challenge so you won’t get bored. The most tedious part is the final lace block, which I’d consider stereotypical lace knitting, but the pattern comes with the lace section both written out and charted so you can choose whichever method is easiest for you.

I’m glad to have this done, although I enjoyed working on it so it’s not like it was a struggle; it’s just fun to finally wear it. It’s huge, too, so the fact it’s fingering weight doesn’t interfere with its warmth - perfect for this time of year. Just be prepared for blocking the end results because it will take up all your space and your cat will try to eat it.

Details:

• Pattern: Washed Out by Joji Locatelli

• Yarn: Ramsey Yarn Company in the colorways Lane, Ruth, and Gabbie

If you want to learn more, I’ve kinda sorta resurrected my Beer Knits podcast, which you can watch here:

It’s been a long time since I last podcasted (I think spring 2017 was my last video) but I’ve missed interacting with you guys and nerding out about yarn and actually feeling relevant about something I’m good at so I brought it back with a pretty milquetoast episode that will hopefully get me back in the groove.

That’s it for this post, although I considered shaming everyone into staying home until this coronovirus thing is over. People are freaking out and other people are saying it’s not a big deal and both reactions are 100% wrong. It’s not doomsday but it’s here and it’s going to spread. My advice (as a highly educated art major with an MBA who spends her days coding if/then logic so basically I know nothing) is to follow the science people. Stop reading news outlets and Facebook memes and instead check out Scientific American or one of my personal favorites, SciBabe, who will slap you in the face with facts and scoff at your anecdotes. Also, now’s a good time to start washing your hands like you just ate a bag of Cheetos before knitting with pure white yarn.

In the meantime, I’m also:

• Reading: A Discovery of Witches

• Knitting: Heel Toe Do Si Do socks

• Mourning that this year’s Adobe Summit is going virtual (thanks, COVID-19!) because I want to see my friends in Vegas and get VIP swag

Finished: Campside Shawl

Even if you haven’t had a productive year, blogging makes it feel like you did when you wait almost 365 full days to talk about it.

That’s what happened with this Campside shawl that I finished last April after having a doozy of a winter.

Let me explain. For those of you not in the know, I’m going through a divorce. My soon-to-be-ex-husband and I officially separated in May of 2018. I spent the next six months reveling in my newfound freedom and loving on my amazing friends - it was a great time. Last winter, however, reality hit; it was really hard for me because even though I know it’s all for the best, it’s still a major life adjustment. Although I won’t get into details here, I will say it’s tough feeling like you’re alone, or that divorce is shameful. It’s not something people talk about for those reasons and everyone’s “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality doesn’t help, either.

(Here’s some unsolicited advice for those of you with friends or family members going through divorce: don’t treat them like they just need to pick themselves up by the bootstraps. Because they will want to strangle you with said bootstraps.)

Anyway, I wouldn’t say I’m “fine” now but I’m much happier. Great things are happening and I firmly believe you can’t experience true happiness without acknowledging the bad, versus shoving it aside (in fact, if you’re interested, there are several articles citing the positivity movement as being… well… negative). Sometimes, you’ve gotta wallow in your crap if you ever hope to get out of it.

As a result of being happier, I’m back to being a ferociously obsessed knitter who updates her blog. Which means there’s a lot of catch-up coming my way.

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One of my finished projects that’s been longing for its own blog post is the aforementioned Campside shawl by Alicia Plummer. The pattern isn’t new at all and had been sitting around in my Ravelry queue for ages. Toward the end of last February, and while I was going through all the emotions, I decided to throw myself into the fire and finally get it done.

Details

Pattern: Campside by Alicia Plummer
Yarn: Knit Picks Capra, Magnolia Heather

Click here to view the project on Ravelry

The pattern is written clearly and easy to follow. If you’re new to shawls and basic lace, this would be a good project to practice your increases and yarn-overs. For us pros, it’s fantastic potato chip knitting. I barely had to reference the pattern after awhile so it was perfect for working on in the background during work meetings (what - it helps me concentrate) or if I wanted to escape my life through garbage TV.

I also have to talk about how fantastic this yarn is. For years, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Knit Picks. For example, I love Felici and have used it for more socks than I can shake my fists at, but I hate that it doesn’t hold up to wear and tear. In this case, however, Capra has been soft and durable. It was dreamy to knit with and blocked beautifully. You don’t get a lot of yarn in the ball and I think I ended up using six or seven for the shawl but it’s sold at a reasonable price point and is worth the investment.

I legit wear this thing all the time. The yarn used isn’t super warm but because Campside is so big, you won’t be cold. Which also makes it perfect for springtime or early fall wearing, as well, if and when you need an actual wrap.

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So in case it’s not obvious, I’m back with a vengeance. I’m connecting with old friends in the industry and continue meeting new ones along the way. I’ve been knitting or crocheting almost every day for the past few months, completely the opposite of last winter when I hoped I’d just get zapped into outer space. I took a lot of people, including myself, on a wild and whacky ride for over a year so I hope everyone involved can forgive whatever the heck that was.

PS: I’ll be rebooting my Beer Knits podcast by recording my first show since 2017 next weekend. I’ve received so many encouraging messages from my Instagram followers since getting back into the swing of things and I’ve missed waffling about yarn for 20-30 minutes on a regular basis. Stay tuned!