About that Stash…

On February 28, 2018March 1, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Crochet, WIP, Yarn11 Comments

Sometime yesterday afternoon, I had a moment of panic. I realized some of my new Stitches yarn was missing from this picture.

PANIC! What happened to it? I hope I didn’t lose it at the hotel? Could I recall seeing it at home? Was it in any of the pictures I’d taken? Did it fall out of the bag in the car? OMG WHERE IS IT?

Thankfully my panic only lasted about 30 seconds. One of the benefits of a tiny studio apartment…nothing is ever far away! I found them exactly where I had left them…with all the other speckles. D’oh!

It’s amazing how much emotion can be packed into such a short span. These beauties will be central to my speckle fade cardigan plan. The thought of losing them, while fleeting, was sad. They’re just so gorgeous!!

The two on the left are Savannah from Baah, a lovely soft MCN. The one on the right is Tosh Merino Light in the Foliage colorway.

I frequently tell people to stop buying Tosh. There are so many other great yarns to try, no need for pigeon holing. That color though!! I could not resist. I saw it from a distance and once I had it in my hand, there was no putting it down. I love the bright fun speckles but the dark green is what sold it! It’s a completely grounded and wearable color but it also satisfies my need for rainbow clown barf. It is my absolute definition of irresistible. I would have been very sad to lose it. And so, this is why Tosh remains a favorite. Maybe one day I’ll learn, resistance is futile.

Similarly, in the maybe-one-day-I’ll-learn category…

I started a new project yesterday. The more I say I’m not going to do something…the more likely I am to do it. (see: buy yarn as another example.) I definitely thought I was good on WIPs when I left you yesterday. I didn’t expect this to happen either! I’m pleading the Crochet Loophole on this one. It’s totally reasonable to allow myself one little crochet project, along with all the knit WIPs.

And by little, I mean 3200 yards of KnitPicks fingering weight Chroma! Wooo!

A very generous knitter asked me at Stitches, do you like Chroma? Why, yes. Yes, I do. She said she was destashing and she’ll bring it for me. Well, Monday knit night rolled around and she was serious about this destash. So, here I am with a giant bag of unexpected yarn! It’s amazing! And Rainbow! And Stripey!

Just about 11 pm last night, my resolve broke and here I am with my newest WIP…a crochet blanket, log cabin style! I’m going with a big hook and a loose stitch in the hopes that this will be a big, squishy rainbow hug! It’s gonna be so good!

Can’t Win ‘Em All

On July 3, 2017July 3, 2017 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday, Shawl10 Comments

I’ve created a monster and for once, I’m NOT talking about the cat. No, I’m talking about that big, weird splat behind him. I was foolishly optimistic that blocking would improve my latest FO, the Vee Vee shawl.

It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever knit but it’s certainly not the best. It has some good parts.

But, it’s got some wonky parts too.

It’s also got some green splotchy parts. Thanks KnitPicks. <- sarcasm.

The yarn is KnitPicks Chroma Worsted and it bled. Green. Ugh. I’d care, if this thing wasn’t such a monstrosity already.

I’m kinda over it. Oh well. You learn just as much from failed experiments as you do successful ones. The lesson here: Good intention isn’t enough. Sometimes, planning things in advance actually helps.

And so, for my next trick, I’ll knit a sweater from a pattern! Hard to believe but so far, I’m mostly on pattern with this one.

Cat Sweater #1 is nearing completion! This one is for my sister, who’s a smaller size than I am. I couldn’t resist trying it on anyhow. I think it’s going to be perfect! I can’t wait to start mine. I think instead of making a larger size, I may just go up a couple needle sizes for myself. (because while I can follow a pattern, I can’t do it for long!)

Change of Plans

On June 18, 2017June 18, 2017 By FogKnitsIn Shawl, WIP3 Comments

The latest shawl, Vee Vee, was nearing completion yesterday. With half a row plus the bind off to go, a loss seemed imminent. I wasn’t too worried though. I had a second ball of the white yarn I could borrow a few yards from.

Then it occurred to me that I could use the whole ball. It was just stash, not being saved for anything in particular. Annnnnd, I have wanted to do some more loopy Esjan inspired shawl borders. Problem solved and enhancements made! Yay! I love when a new plan seems like it should have been the original plan all along! As usual, I was congratulating myself,

Until…

I read the yarn label. The spare ball of yarn was worsted, not fingering like I was using. In the fingering weight department I had black.

Not stoked about that. The color is a bit too harsh, and thrown on the edge like that, it will scream afterthought. Maybe rip back that last white section and replace it with black and white stripes? That will provide at least a little consistency. Okay. New, new plan not as great but could work.

I surprise myself all the time. Like, why, seriously, do I have black fingering weight yarn in my stash?? What the heck was I thinking. Every time I try to use it, after a fit of profanity, it goes back into the stash. So, perhaps it was just waiting for today!

Except I compared the two yarns and they were definitely not the same? Bizarre. After a bit of sleuthing, (aka reading the knitpicks invoice in my email), I decided, I was, in fact, using worsted weight all along.

D’oh!

Suddenly it all made sense. I was very short on my yardage, which I’m used to because of my loose gauge. The knitting flew though, I worked through one ball in just a couple days. I made the usual adjustments to account for what I thought was a typical scenario.

No, turns out, I’d just forgotten what yarn I was actually using. Dumbass.

So, back to the original new plan! Two balls of white yarn! and in a surprise find, half a ball of grey yarn!

I can do the stripey bit! I can do the loopy bit! I can do extra stripey, loopy bits! The new modified original plan is even better than ever!

I even get to play yarn chicken all over again! I can hardly wait!

FO Friday – Fuck Cancer

On February 16, 2017February 16, 2017 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday, Hat6 Comments

If there’s one thing I like as much as knitting, it’s profanity. I just love that four little letters can be so naughty. The whole thing is just ridiculous.

‘Don’t say that word, it’s unbecoming of a lady’

Fuck that!

The jolt of joy that comes from uttering one little taboo word is more than enough to keep me going back. I’m like that rat that keeps pressing the button for more food!

Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck Fuck

Even as I type that, I’m giggling. I see nothing wrong with it. It’s a victimless crime. I refuse to deny myself the pleasure.

And that’s before the whole cancer thing.

Fuck THAT!

Cancer stinks. A dear friend, often referred to as a fucker, (Yes, even my favorite term of endearment towards my friends is profane. there’s no stopping now. I’m all in with the F-word.), is undergoing chemo at the moment. The prognosis is good but still, fuck cancer.

In reality, I know too many people dealing with cancer at the moment. There will be more of these in the near future.

Check out my Ravelry page for details!

Pattern: F*ck Cancer Hat

Yarn: Knitpicks Chroma