When it rains…

On August 9, 2018August 9, 2018 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday, Hat3 Comments

It’s raining FO’s here at the FogKnits headquarters. After many finish free weeks, I’m suddenly finishing everything I touch.

If you recall, back in May, I started this hat but ripped it out because the ‘apple green’ mohair I was carrying as my second strand was reading yellow and I don’t like yellow.

Ugh. Yellow? I really wanted green so I ripped it out and changed my mohair strand. Instead I used a lovely purple that became this hat. These are happy dance colors!

Purple is soooooo much better. And, now that I’m looking at this photo again, I can say with a high degree of certainty, I’ve had this color palate on my mind for a while. LOL.

Completely unintentional and yet, certainly, not?

Anyhow. Back to yellow. Yuck. Nothing good comes of yellow but I had yarn left over so, begrudgingly, why not knit the second hat. Some people don’t find yellow to be offensive. Some people even like yellow? Weirdos, to be sure but they are out there.

So, as I was running out the door to a music festival, I needed some easy knitting. This hat fit the bill perfectly for a small project, with easy stitches, no fuss, just do it. It was the no-brainer I needed and it turned out to be right choice (in spite of all that yellowness).

I cast on early in the day while I watched the Black Sheep Brass Band. And they had super cute stickers.

Meant to be, clearly. And by the end of the evening, I had a finished hat.

Giving this hat an interesting distinction, it was knit almost entirely standing up. I’ve knit hats entirely on buses, while riding in cars and even on airplanes. Always seated. This is the first FO that was mostly standing. I did sit for a bit to finish the last six rows, so maybe that was 5-10%. Still, close enough for me!

And, there’s still an FO (or two) left for tomorrow! Woo! When it rains, it pours! :)

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 :)

A Friday Finish!

On July 27, 2018July 27, 2018 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday, Scarf, Uncategorized12 Comments

I finally finished knitting something! It’s a Hitchhiker.

I could tell you (again) how the Hitchhiker is the best scarf pattern ever. I could tell you I love the color. I could tell you about manually striping a solid and variegated yarn to break up the pooling even more.

I could tell you how happy I am to have frogged this yarn from a different project to reclaim it for one. I could sing the praises of neon green. I could tell you it’s perfect timing because Fogust is arriving in style, it’s super foggy this week.

I could tell you it took me 15 movies to knit this. I could even give you reviews of those movies.

Unfortunately, I’m short on time, heading to another movie. With no knitting?!? For my next trick, I will be crocheting in the dark! I’ll let you know how it goes!

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!

Day One: The Twisted Skein

On April 11, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Misc12 Comments

Road Trip ’18 is under way!

I did pretty good considering I-5 is generally regarded as a road no one wants to drive and Bakersfield, my destination, is a place no one wants to visit.

It was a beautiful day for a drive and I was headed to a yarn shop. No complaints from me!

The Twisted Skein is a great shop! It gets two thumbs up from me! They hit all the things I look for in a yarn shop…speckles, hand dyes, local yarns, gradients. They’ve got a selection of Berroco yarns as well, for the budget conscious.

It was spacious and uncluttered. The staff was friendly (and all male?!) They had a classroom and space to sit & knit, along with Ravelry corner (<-awesome!!)

I picked out a handful of mini skeins from Stitch Together, an indie dyer from Iowa. Not sure what they’ll be. I didn’t bring enough yarn for the trip so I’ll be busting into these beauties soon! And, adding to the pile when I get to Vegas. Sin City Yarns should be a yarn tour highlight!

The cherry on top of my day was dinner at Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace.

It’s a tourist trap but whatever! They have live music! It was a free show…apparently this dude is the last American Idol winner. He was perfectly pleasant knitting music.

Overall, not a bad start to Road Trip ’18. Now, on to Vegas…

WIP: Dotted Grays

On January 18, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Shawl, WIP3 Comments

My neighbor went to Vogue Knitting Live in NY and all I got was this awesome ‘Resting Knit Face’ tote signed by Stephen West!! I have the best neighbor!

It even matches my latest cast on, a shades of gray Dotted Rays. This is another skein from Gauge Dye Works. The base is an 80/20 merino/nylon blend with high twist in colorway, Fade to Black.

Garter stitch is my go-to when I’m leaving the house, so I’ve made lots of progress on this one. It’s been knit almost entirely on city buses and in dark movie theaters (which makes up for the complete lack of color)!

I have a feeling I’m going to like this one, despite it’s lack of color. There’s a first time for everything, right?

WIP Wednesday – Hydrogen Shawl

On October 4, 2017October 4, 2017 By FogKnitsIn Shawl, WIP4 Comments

There’s a certain set of people who want you to buy their shit emblazoned with the slogan ‘I knit so I don’t kill people’. Perhaps you’ve seen it on tote bags and buttons, mugs and t-shirts. I am absolutely against it. It’s the kind of hyperbole that is just idiotic. I’ve never killed anyone and I’m not going to start just because someone took my knitting away.

That said, in these turbulent times, I do look to my knitting for a bit of therapy. I enjoy the process, the repetition, the quiet state of calm my mind slips into as my hands take over and fabric just appears.

Not just any knitting will do though. It’s got to be the right knitting. For me, comfort knitting is simple stitches. Garter stitch is good. Stockinette works too.

Of course, not any stockinette will do. As a reformed process knitter, I look to the final product to be useful and attractive too. With my latest cast on, I’ve truly hit the comfort knitting jackpot. (Just in time for the world to go to hell.)

It starts with the yarn. Caterpillar Green Yarns (former name)/Gauge Dye Works (current name) Self Striping yarn in in the Concrete and Tulips colorway.

It’s a self striping yarn where the stripes are not the same length. They call this ‘shawl stripes’ because it’s dyed so you’ve got short stripes at the beginning of the skein. As your project progresses the stripes get progressively longer. The end result is a striped shawl with evenly spaced stripes throughout. It seems complicated because it takes a lot of words to describe. The pictures really say it all.

I’m absolutely loving this. It’s so amazing. Those stripes are perfect and yet they are also one continuous piece of yarn! This project will have exactly 2 ends to weave. The icing on my comfort knitting cake.

And of course, it’s highly portable. All the best knitting is.

The real news here: I am knitting exactly the same thing as everyone else who’s used this yarn. The stripes work with any top down shawl pattern. You could even work bottom up, if you wanted. For me though, I chose the most common pattern, The Hydrogen Shawl.

It’s the pattern written for this yarn by the dyer. I’ve got two more skeins, in different colors. I’ll definitely try more adventurous designs with those but for now, it’s a lovely, soft (it’s an MCN!), soothing escape from reality.

aaahhhhhhhhh.

Just looking at it and thinking about my next chance to pick it up releases a nice warm dose of endorphins!

Mission Accomplished!

Happy Hump Day!

FO Friday – Jury Duty Sucks

On August 25, 2017August 25, 2017 By FogKnitsIn Cowl, FO Friday, Scarf11 Comments

I’ve had jury duty this week. I started the week thinking I enjoyed the process and I was not opposed to being on a jury. And then, reality set in. Four days of being called to the courthouse, four days of zero progress, four days of bullshit from lawyers.

Despite the knitting time provided by constant waiting, I’m still rather hostile. Especially because it’s not over and I have to return on Monday. UGH. Not happy.

Instead of focusing on the bullshit that makes me hostile, I’ll focus on the knitting. I was able to knit an entire bulky brioche cowl, so there’s that.

This is two balls of the yarn that shall not be named, in two different colorways. I wish I was knitting with something less squeaky and splitty. Nicer yarn may have improved my attitude. I wasn’t sure about security though. Might as well have it be the yarn from the time out corner get confiscated, if that was necessary. The good news of the week: courthouse security doesn’t mind knitting!

Another bright spot: the colors really look fantastic in brioche! I didn’t like either of these colorways individually. The sum of the parts is certainly greater than the whole, in this case. I’m pleased.

And it was a great way to interact with my fellow ~~hostages~~ jurors. After day one, people starting coming to check on progress at each break. It’s interesting to see relationships developing in the gallery. Crisis really does bring people together.

The cowl is generously sized so it even pulls down over the shoulders. This yarn really pains me because it’s not bad to wear…how can the process be so horrible but the garment not? I actually think this is going to get some wear.

There’s my courtroom selfies. I was trying to avoid being seen by the bailiffs. They never stopped me from knitting but they were definitely busting people with phones.

While we’re talking FOs from yarn that shall not be named, I finished this scarf a while back. It’s a ‘shawl in a ball’ yarn and this is the recommended pattern. An easy garter stitch boomerang. Again, not a fan of the yarn but the FO doesn’t necessarily reflect that. That’s just how good I am. LOL.

And now, time for work. I’m really happy to be going to work today. Perspective is everything! Happy Friday!

Actual Knitting Content

On August 22, 2017August 22, 2017 By FogKnitsIn Cowl, Hat, WIP3 Comments

One more tease before I actually have FO pics to share. This is the chevron edge of my WestKnits Fadealong Shawl, a faded Dotted Rays! It’s amazing! And you’ll always be able to find me in a crowd when I wear it! Hopefully it’ll make FO Friday this week!

As for projects on the needles, don’t worry…got plenty of those too!

Finally started a pussy hat for myself. I don’t like pink so I figured if I’m doing it, I should really do it. It’s from White Birch Fiber Arts. Her yarns are amazing but typically sock yarns. The striping definitely works best for socks so I didn’t have much reason to buy her yarns. Until…I found worsted weight at her booth during Stitches! Woot! Instant Pussy Hat Gratification here I come!

And, I’ve got the last of the horrible acrylic that shall not be named cast on too! I was summoned for jury duty yesterday. Not knowing what courthouse security would be like, I opted for the yarn I wouldn’t miss in the event of confiscation. No worries there though. I got to hurry up and wait with all the knitting I wanted!

Doing a basic brioche in the round cowl with it. I’m really loving the color play. I don’t necessarily like either of the colorways on their own but together in two color brioche, they’re really shining! So, back to the courthouse today, hopefully I can squeeze in more knitting time. The judge might want our attention though. Who does he think he is?

And here’s a couple random photos I’ve been meaning to share. There’s a large yarn bombing installation down by city hall. The goal of this civic minded project (because it’s a paid art installation, with lots of public input) is to connect the sprawling Civic Center Plaza with UN Plaza across the street. I don’t think they’ve accomplished that goal. Not to mention, if yarn bombing alleviated the problems created by homeless drug addicts leaving biological excretions on the sidewalks, San Francisco could be a much, much, cleaner city.

At any rate, before I go off on too many tangents, here’s the pictures. It’s kinda fun. They think it’s going to be there for 2 years. I think they have no idea how much maintenance it’s going to require.

It looks good for now though.

One Sock Down

On November 14, 2016November 14, 2016 By FogKnitsIn Socks, WIP5 Comments

My craft fair, this weekend, may not have been financially successful but I did manage to finish my first sock blank sock! I didn’t make it as tall as a store bought sock. Yay customization! That’s what knitting is all about…being the boss and making those big decisions! HA!

I’m already dreaming of the franken-socks I can make with the leftovers. I used 31 g of yarn for sock one. If that trend holds, I could potentially make 3 of these socks. I’m not really hung up on the concept of a pair. A trio of socks is nice too :)

But first, I’ve gotta finish #2! I’ve made it as far as the toe increases. It’s beautiful and foggy out, I might take my sock to the park for some quality knitting time today!

A couple more craft fair observations.

(L to R): Heisenberg, Cupcake, Green Booger, Tree of Life

These were the most touched hats. The one that surprises me is the Green Booger. It wasn’t in a prominent place which could be said for the others. I guess the texture just drew people in. Everyone who touched things agreed, it was all soft and lovely. I got lots of compliments on my craftsmanship.

The tag on the Green Booger says $40. I don’t think that’s an outrageous price. The Cupcake Hat is $20. I did think that one had a good chance of finding a home.

My two most touched shawls, Southern Skies and a Reyna gone wild.

The Reyna was definitely by design, so a confirmation of my instincts was nice. Blue & gold were the school colors so I made sure to hang it at the front of the booth, right where you’d want to touch it! The Southern Skies on the other hand was hung in the middle of the rack nestled in with all the other stuff. I’m guessing the color drew them in, the softness kept their interest (thank you cashmere!) and it enabled nice conversations about the design being an accurate representation of the southern hemisphere’s night sky. Everyone liked it, no one wanted to spend $400 on it. There’s lots of nice things I can’t afford either, so I understand. At least they stopped to admire it.

I’m happy I can knit things like this for myself though :) Another big change at the next event…being close to home, I’ll be able to promote my classes ! Can’t afford this? Let me teach you how to make it yourself! :) More knitters will make the world a better place. Guaranteed!