WIP it Wednesday

On August 8, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Casting On, Shawl, WIP9 Comments

Happy WIP Wednesday! That’s so much better than thinking of it as Hump Day, especially when there’s new WIPs involved!

This week I’m all about new travel knitting. Easy stitches and simple patterns are the name of the game. And of course, a bit of stash busting. I just love a pile of half balls.

First up, a quick mitered square baby blanket. It’ll be done before I know it (largely because I don’t have enough yarn, I’m ignoring that though.)

I weighed the yarn I did have and divided it up into four equal portions, one for each mitered square. I’ve got almost 3 squares finished! Gotta love size 7 needles. These squares are practically knitting themselves.

It’s really just a palate cleanser while I pondered my next shawl, which started with a pile of oddballs. At first it’s just throwing yarn in a pile.

Over the course of a few days, it gradually figures out a color scheme.

And then the fine tuning begins. Colors are added and subtracted. More stash is pulled out from the depths. I start to wind up new skeins.

I really love where these colors ended up! I think I’ve found the perfect progression for a fade! It’s a bit of a dragon in my mind. A splash of green for the tail, then fading purple through the body, up into a grey head. I love it!!

Yes, this is going to be fun and it’s garter stitch! Wooo! The pattern is Match & Move from Martina Behm (of Hitchhiker fame). The ultimate result is a triangle, worked sideways. I’m excited to really get this one under way!

And then, there’s the crochet…

On August 7, 2018August 7, 2018 By FogKnitsIn WIP4 Comments

As I continue to finish things up and clear off my needles, my on-going, crochet blanket project has become a go-to. Despite it’s size, I’m still carrying it around…

Like this foggy day, I went for a spot of crochet at the Japantown Peace Plaza but forgot to bring an extra ball of yarn. D’oh.

At least I got to spread it out and take a look. I’m closing in on the end…only 2 more balls of yarn to go!

Y’all Thready for This?

On August 1, 2018August 1, 2018 By FogKnitsIn cross stitch, Scarf, WIP6 Comments

As promised, I’ve got knitting pictures today! Woo!

I took a swing through Pacifica recently, hitting all my favorite spots. The Royal Bee yarn shop, the Tripp Distillery and a foggy beach, a perfect trifecta!

I did a bit of unnecessary yarn shopping. Those colors though! Irresistible! I’m calling this a nephew sweater. I’ve used that kid as an excuse for a lot of yarn shopping this year. He may get a sweater out of this yet. It’s Swans Island Sport, a new to me yarn…another justification.

Once my Pebble Beach scarf is finished, I’ll be ready for a new cast on! Assuming, of course, I win at yarn chicken. The pattern calls for a picot bind off and I suspect that needs to be modified. I just need to find some time to get out the scale. I’ll weigh my yarn, knit a bit, weigh the yarn again and then do some math to make a more educated guess about yarn chicken status. Current prediction: I’m losing.

I really want to get to the blocking stage phase of this project though. I also picked up a set of knit blockers at the Royal Bee.

They get universally good reviews, so I’m assuming I’ll love them too. I love them for looking like toothy little monsters. We’re off to a good start!

Also, as promised…I watched the premier episode of Making It! It’s a lot of fun. The makers are a fun group of crafters with lots of different interests…fiber, fabric, paper, wood. And Nick and Amy are great, of course. Not only did Nick demonstrate his ability identify different woods by smell, they had a great pun off! I definitely stole ‘Y’all thready for this?’ from them. So, check it out! It gets two needles up from me!

It was a perfect backdrop as I finished my Ron Swanson inspired phone case. LOL! I wish the old design hadn’t stained the plastic case. I washed, scrubbed and soaked it to no avail.

I’m hoping it’ll fade with use. If not, it’ll just linger as proof that I’m recycling my phone case and clearly not a rich woman :)

5 Weeks

On July 23, 2018July 23, 2018 By FogKnitsIn cross stitch, WIP6 Comments

5 Weeks.

That’s how long it’s been since I’ve had finished knitting to share. There are just. so. many. summer. distractions.

Museums to see…

Knitting machines to pedal…

And whatever was going on here…

I really have been trying though. I’m dutifully carrying my Pebble Beach Scarf with me on all my adventures. It comes out of the bag a lot.

Man, those rows have gotten long though.

And then, of course, there’s the big news. My nephew has arrived! Everyone is happy and healthy. He’s adorable and perfect! It’ll be some time before I get to meet him but the baby knitting has ramped up again.

The blanket is getting very close.

I just need to come with a top & bottom border.

I’m working on turning some cat toys into baby rattles.

It’s a Purl Soho pattern, super fun! I can’t wait until the kid figures out how his hands work!

I couldn’t resist making him a cross stitch birth announcement.

And, oh yeah, a couple other cross stitches I’ve been working on. Despite all the crafty goings on, my poor knitting is definitely being neglected.

I think I’ll finish 3 or 4 projects this week though. Critical mass has been reached in so many places. Stick around, it’s bound to be exciting one of these days!

Gang’s All Here

On June 28, 2018June 28, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Shawl, Sweater, WIP8 Comments

For a minute there, I was heading towards monogamous knitting. I’m not sure what came over me but I’m feeling much better now. I’ve got WIPs everywhere I look! Finally! and they’re all lovely. Nobody is misbehaving. It’s a small slice of happy place, in a world going mad.

My honeycomb baby blanket is nearing completion (so is the baby!! Wooo! Any day now…I think some baby leg warmers will hit the needles next. Chubby baby legs in cute stripes? Yes, Please!)

My sweater is nearing the sleeve divide! I joked when I cast this on, what can I do faster…knit a sweater or get a job. It’s that time, work needs to become a daily reality for me, soon. It’s not really a joke anymore…in the meantime, it’s sleeve divide Thursday here at FogKnits HQ! No one’s paying me for it, but I’ll certainly feel productive.

My Hitchhiker still has a long way to go…plenty of knitting in public left here! Between World Cup knitting and summer blockbuster movie knitting, I’ve got plenty of excuses to knit in public. This will definitely be ready for Halloween!

And my newest cast on is making delightful progress. It’s the Pebble Beach shawl, in a yarn my Mom dyed for me. I’ve cast it on and frogged this yarn a couple times. I think I’ve finally found the winning combination though! Third times the charm!

Yes, this is a big pile of happy place. Beautiful colors and textures. Yarn from Mom. A little knit along with a friend. Hours of calming work thinking about my hopes and dreams for my new Nephew. A new sweater means no trip to the mall, no spending money on fast fashion (which is, surely, giving money to the wrong people). The benefits of knitting are truly immeasurable. I appreciate it more everyday.

WIP Wednesday

On June 6, 2018June 6, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Casting On, cross stitch, WIP3 Comments

My funemployment craftcation is rolling along nicely. No chance of boredom setting in here.

I recently finished yet another cross stitch hoop and a little fob thingy, maybe it’ll be a luggage tag. I always feel weird about monograms. I did it anyhow. Sometimes you feel like a nut… I’m pleased with the results.

I’m quite chuffed with the latest bit of knitting as well. My textures are all playing nicely with my colors. One would almost think I planned it that way. Almost! It’s great advocacy for the planning department, actually.

I try to plan. It’s so boring though. Remember this?

I planned my “next” sweater, way back in March. I have the pattern. I picked out the yarn. The yarn the pattern calls for, no less. I decided on my colors. I was good to go.

That sweater is still not on the needles, though. No, instead, I’m staring this pile down.

The well-planned but never-executed Lopi sweater, the brioche shawl I want to frog and enough yarn for only 80% of a sweater I want to knit. Two hot messes or a plan that just needs basic execution. I still don’t wanna do it.

Following a plan sounds like torture. UGH.

I really want to get a sweater on the needles though. It’s a real quandary. I have a feeling I’m going to make a hot mess decision. I’ll keep you posted! :)

Me Made May

On May 28, 2018May 28, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Shawl, Sweater, WIP5 Comments

Now that the month is nearly over, let’s talk about ‘Me Made May’.

The idea is to encourage people to wear their handmade wardrobes proudly. Turns out, I’m good in that department. I live in a place that is sweater weather, year round. I haven’t bought, or really, even worn any jackets, hoodies, fleece or other miscellaneous outerwear in a decade. I like wearing sweaters. I wear my sweaters constantly. I love the sweaters I’ve made. I am definitely not deficient in wearing my handmade wardrobe proudly.

I did get me thinking about the usefulness of my knitting though. What would it look like if I were to sort all my knits into two piles, the pile I wear and the pile I don’t? I couldn’t bring myself to start a project of that magnitude but I did take stock of my sweater collection.

I’m happy to say, most of them fall into the useful category. Even novelty pieces like the Bill Murray sweater and the Cassette Tape vest, while gimmicks, do get worn out of the house. So, the moral of the story is…knit more sweaters.

Which brings me to my weekend dilemma.

The Askews Me? shawl. It’s a beauty but it’s not going to be a useful garment. It’s going to be huge and bulky. That’s the stuff that falls into the never worn pile. Even if I trim the size back, there’s no way around the bulk of it. I like looking at the pretty colors. I love the brioche squishiness it’s got going on. I don’t even mind knitting it. I’m just a bit hung up on this question of usefulness, at the moment.

I’m stuck on the idea of frogging it?!? Fortunately, I had a small moment of clarity. I realized I was talking crazy talk and I put it away. Getting it out of sight was a good first step.

Step two: distract myself with new USEFUL knitting.

Aaaahhhhhh! That’s so much better! This is yarn I’ve been sitting on for years. I’m not sure why I’ve put this project off for so long. It’s MadelineTosh Pashmina, in colors Deep and Cosmic Wonder Dust. The pattern is the WestKnits’ Batad. I love the two Batads I’ve already got. It’s a no brainer! This is destined for greatness.

I’m still kind of thinking about that frogging though?!?! I’m not sure. How do you decide when to frog?