FO Friday – Batad

On June 15, 2018 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday, Shawl5 Comments

In a surprise twist, I’ve got an FO Friday this week. This is my new Batad. It’s unexpected because I thought I had more yarn. Turns out, I don’t. This is what happens when you let gorgeous yarn languish in the deep recesses of the stash. I completely forgot, I poached the other skein of Deep, the dark blue color, for a Doodler, way back in 2015. Fortunately, I still love that shawl lots so no knitter’s remorse here.

Of course, it also helps that the Batad was at a perfect stopping point. I was able to bind off with no ill effects whatsoever. I was only going to add one more wedge, so no harm done really.

This is one of my favorite patterns both to knit and to wear. It’s Stephen West, of course. I love it’s no fuss nature. It stays put with no fiddling and no shawl pins. I tend to wear it on one shoulder but it’s great as a sort of cape, worn to the back as well.

It doesn’t hurt that the yarn is MadTosh Pashmina…yay for merino-silk-cashmere blends! The white speckled color is Cosmic Wonder Dust, my favorite color name ever. I brought this yarn home for this specific project in 2015. I have no idea why I didn’t get to it sooner because I can tell already, it’s my new favorite.

I wore it out last night…complete with ends hanging. LOL. At least they were on the inside (unlike the Schitt’s Creek sweater!) I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who noticed. I was surprised how many people commented on it. I shouldn’t be though…I was at a drag show. Those queens know fashion when they see it!

And so, my Batad collection has grown. I still want another one though! I should probably weave the ends on this one before I wear it again.

“probably”

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?

Big Plans

On January 9, 2018January 9, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Casting On, Misc11 Comments

Have you seen the new 2018 Ravelry Project Challenge? Once again, Casey has added an absolutely brilliant feature. I never knew I needed it but shortly, I’ll be wondering how I ever lived without it?

You can find your personal challenge page on a notebook tab labeled ‘challenge’. It’s the very last tab. When you get there, you’re asked to set a personal goal (which can be modified at any time). The goal is simply the number of projects you want to complete this year.

I set my goal at 40 projects, 2 more than 2017. It was an arbitrary decision. The project challenge for me is not about metrics. I pretty much hate the word ‘metrics’. I would never judge my knitting by metrics. Quality is vastly more important to me than quantity.

I love the tracking features of the project challenge though. Here’s what my Challenge tab looks like so far.

It shows my progress to date, meaning the projects I’ve marked ‘finished’ in 2018. It also tracks my plans, meaning the items in my queue I’ve assigned a deadline too. I use my queue as a general catch-all for any pattern I may, possibly want to make. I try to keep it a manageable size, you know, only 30 pages. When I go looking for a pattern, I search my queue first. If I don’t find something I like there, then I go to the full database and look for something new. As a result, my queue isn’t a list of what’s next. The project challenge, fills that hole perfectly!

You can see, I’ve finished two projects this year. That’s 5%. I’m on my way! Unfortunately, it’s been raining so my usual spot on the fence for FO photos is too wet. I’ll have photos to share soon enough, though.

In the meantime, rainy days are perfect for winding yarn and planning new projects. I’ve set deadlines for 3 projects. Of course, they’re arbitrary. I wasn’t really convinced I liked the project challenge just yet. Once I set my deadlines though, the projects were pulled over to the challenge page and that was it. I officially love the project challenge.

And, if it’s on the list, it’s time to cast on! First pick:

Striped Asymmetry. I found it flipping through a magazine over the weekend. Imagine my surprise to discover I had the suggested yarn, Woolfolk Tynd, in my stash, in the exact quantities needed even. That’s a win requiring immediate cast on, if I’ve ever seen it!

The real draw to this project, though, is garter stitch short rows and a clever key hole. There’s a hole left on one end of the shawl to tuck the other end through. Perfect! No more lost shawl pins!

After that, it’ll be a pair of WestKnits. A pair of repeats, but you know what they say…if it ain’t broke…

The grey gradient skein is a self striping yarn from Gauge Dye Works destined to be a Dotted Rays. The yarn pair on the bottom is MadTosh Pashmina in Cosmic Wonder Dust and Deep…to become a Batad. It’ll be opposite the one in the picture…white/speckly wedges with gorgeous blue welted stripes. I’ve wanted that Batad since I brought this pashmina home, 2 and a half years ago! It’s time!

Yes, I think this should keep me busy until February! If nothing else, I’m organized! Thanks Ravelry! Definitely check out the project challenge tab if you haven’t yet! It’s awesome!