Shelter in Place: Day 32

On April 17, 2020April 17, 2020 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday, Hat2 Comments

It’s FO Friday! WOOO! After a couple aimless weeks, my knitting mojo is coming back! I’ve been wearing my new shawl all week. I finished my first Tensfield hat too!

This hat is super fun…it’s a no swatch necessary, any gauge you want pattern with an incredibly unique construction. I love it. The knitting starts with the striped chevron bit as a flat triangle. You then join and through a series of short rows, create the crown shaping.

I color blocked the short row sections, for no particular reason but it gives you an idea of how the shaping is working. The green block that’s off the left side was first. Then, the large blue section across the back. Finally, the small green section at the top right. I’ll definitely be playing with this shaping more! It’s a great pattern. I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up!

I’m thinking rainbow stripes for the next one…

Pulled a few more projects out too…a scrappy pile for a shawl and some mini skeins to turn into a ‘quiet book’ for my nephew! He’s currently loving books, so time to get going on that project. I’ve been thinking about it since he was born! Of course, I’ll probably change all of these plans before Monday but at least I’m having fun making piles today!

Have a fun weekend…or don’t. No pressure. You do you. The last thing you need right now is some internet weirdo pressuring you into doing something you aren’t feeling, ya know?? :)

Shelter in Place: Day 31

On April 16, 2020 By FogKnitsIn Casting On, Hat6 Comments

Shelter in Place: Day 31

I’ve got a fun hat on the go today! A quick hit of instant gratification is just what I need. Since the beginning of quarantine, I’ve been sort of shopping around for some new yarn…nothing exciting has jumped out at me though. It’s not like I need yarn anyhow.

The urge to shop came back this week when my $1200 stimulus payment hit my bank account. Every April 15th should involve the gov’t paying me! I looked around at yarn again but still nothing. I decided to browse my Ravelry Queue…there had to be a pattern that would get me jazzed.

Enter Martina Behm! I picked a few of her patterns — she’s got a buy 3, get 10% discount so I went with two shawls (Areas and Matchmaker) and a hat (Tensfield).

Take a guess which one I cast on first?

This is the beginning of the hat! Yes, a hat, started with a big flat triangle.

From here, you join as if to work in the round, but you still just knit flat. It’s very creative.

It’s another unique design from Martina. There’s already 1200 of these hats on Ravelry so I’m late to party, obviously. I’m glad I finally got here though! This is a lot of fun to knit.

Have I mentioned it’s a no swatch, any gauge will do design as well? I love everything about this! I haven’t finished my first one yet but I can say with certainty, it won’t be my last! It was designed with self-striping yarn in mind so I added a few stripes myself. Maybe the next one will be Knit Picks Chroma, I think I’ve got a skein tucked away…

Come back for FO Friday, tomorrow! I’m pretty sure this will be done by then!

FO Friday – Dragon Fade!

On October 5, 2018October 5, 2018 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday, Shawl, Uncategorized4 Comments

My Dragon Fade shawl is finished and it’s gigantic! I love it! It’s been off the needles since Sunday. I promptly wore to the park…ends dangling and all. I don’t care. I like it anyhow.

I have managed to get about half the ends woven. Yes, I’ve continued to wear it. Fringe is in right now. I’m going with it! Of course, I really should get around to washing it and blocking it. I’d draped it across a lot of Mother Nature’s offerings this week.

Here’s a few details: The pattern is Match & Move by Martina Behm. I used 17 different yarns…no wonder there are so many ends to weave – those details (minus 1 mystery yarn) are all here on my notebook page. My only modification, aside from gauge changes and the fade, was to increase the size. I added about 10 extra rows…it’s giant. It drags on the ground, if I don’t wrap it a couple times. It’s definitely for cold & windy days.

That is not today. Today appears to be a sunny day, which is good news for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass! I’m heading to back to Golden Gate Park again so I’ll leave you with this shameless self promotion. Just did a big fall shop update! Check it out at www.FogKnits.Etsy.com!

Happy Friday and Have a great weekend!

This Week, In Review

On September 28, 2018September 28, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Cowl, Shawl, WIP8 Comments

You’d think since I spent the week blathering on about VKL instead of showing off WIPs, I’d have a lot of progress to show. My dragon fade Match & Move pretty much looks the same though. I really am closing in on the end though. I keep saying it but this time, I really do mean it! 16 rows plus the bind off. It will be finished soon and it will be gorgeous. Until then, it’s like wrestling an octopus. It’s incredibly unwieldy.

I’ve got lots of things I want to start on but I’m trying to clear the slate first. I did need a project to carry around at VKL though. Enter my 3-Color Cashmere Cowl.

It’s not done but I couldn’t resist trying it on! I don’t think I’ve been giving this project the proper presence of mind. It’s just a stashbusting, quickie. It was trivial. Until, I put it on. Now, the whole is greater than the sum of it’s parts. I really like this. Duh…there’s a reason it’s been so popular!

I’m frequently a late adopter when it comes to the hot, new pattern. The original 3-Color Cashmere Cowl was released more than 3 years ago. There’s over 6000 of these cowls on Ravelry. I shouldn’t be surprised at all. These things are always popular for a reason.

Of course, I’m not actually following the pattern. I’m using DK weight yarn instead of fingering and I’m just making up my own patterning as I go, using the original as a roadmap. So far, so good…it helps that I’m using cashmere, I did keep that part the same! 100% Noro Cashmere…it’s yummy! I can’t wait to block it and bloom the cashmere. It’s going to be amazing!

Have a great weekend! I’m hoping to squeeze all this finishing in. Woo!

Procrastiknitting

On August 29, 2018August 29, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Shawl, WIP15 Comments

The only thing worse than looking for a job, is actually finding a job that fits and going through the interview process. Ask me how I know? UGH! It’s the worst. Had a telephone interview, it was successful enough to get me an on-site interview next week.

And so this week, I shall procrastiknit. Let’s hope all that nonsense about knitting to soothe anxiety is true because positive affirmations and repeated platitudes aren’t helping!

I’m not normally an anxious person but as I get older, the magnitude of these events seems to amplify. I’ve got a fair amount of prep work to do. They expect a presentation of my work and my experience. I’ve done the work. I have the experience. I even have PowerPoint.

The only thing I need to do now: Procrastiknit. It’s all part of the master plan. Step One: a bit of quiet contemplative time to clear my head, focus my thoughts, refine my message. Step Two: Domination. That’s how it works right?

I will say, all this purple helps! I’m loving my purple fade, even as it transitions into the grey section. Sadly, no one at this job will give me bonus points for a kick ass fade.

Yesterday’s procrastiknitting happened at a beautiful garden & historic site out in the ‘burbs. It was a gorgeous, foggy day…my favorite kind.

It’s called Filoli, a name made up by the man who built the place, from the letters of his personal motto…”FIght for a just cause; LOve your fellow man; LIve a good life.”

And live the good life he did. Mr. Bourn made his money in a gold mine. That rug was bought from Queen Victoria’s Isle of Wight house. Fancy Schmancy doesn’t begin to cover it.

Of course, times change and now the property is owned and run by a historic trust, so that tapestry on the left was donated by a local needlepoint group. It’s a lovely likeness of the clocktower.

And, this glass exhibit in the reflecting pool…not a Chihuly but Chihuly inspired, no doubt. And probably for sale. We’ve all gotta pay the bills somehow…

and so with that, I will transition from procrastiblogging to procrastiknitting and maybe even a little bit of PowerPoint later on.

According to Plan.

On August 24, 2018August 24, 2018 By FogKnitsIn cross stitch, WIP6 Comments

Not much to say about this week’s knitting. It’s moving forward, slow and steady. Everything is going according to plan. I mean, that’s the whole point of having a plan, right?

Baby legwarmers, one pair done, one pair still in progress. They have me dreaming of a sweater with fun striped sleeves. The yarn is Knitpicks Felici…it’s a self-striping sock yarn, aka no good for sweaters. But, it’s available in a worsted weight as well. I can imagine a cute saddle shoulder sweater with striped arms and a solid color body.

Not that I’m looking to start another sweater. Or buy yarn. No, I’m trying to finish this beauty up…my dragon fade, as I like to think of it.

I’ve moved into the second phase of the pattern, from increase rows to body rows and I’m nearly finished with the purple section. It’s time to start fading into my selection of greys.

It’s been so fun to fade so many colors. The shawl has grown to the point of being unwieldy. It’s pretty cramped, even on a 40″ cord. There’s no chance of getting one comprehensive photo until it’s off the needles. This shawl phenomenon always helps motivate me through the end stages. I can’t wait to see what it’s actually going to look like. I’m anticipating instant elevation to favorite status!

And, I’ve even redeemed myself after the whole glitter-tulle fiasco, earlier in the week. I really had an itch to do something different with my cross stitching so out came the beads! I’m really pleased where I ended up with these two!

This first one is inspired by an annoying and ironic girl on the bus this week. As she yelled into her phone, I couldn’t help but notice the sticker that adorned her new back-to-school notebook. Yeah. So…she’s now been immortalized in cross stitch.

The whole time I worked on it, I couldn’t help but thing about candy dots! Those beads are the remainder from my beaded Hitchhiker scarf. (Check it out here.) Even back then, I remember thinking about candy dots. So, back into the bead bag I went.

This is what I ended up with. I really love how this turned out. Super fun and I’m not even too mad at the earworm. (yet.)

You can thank me for it later :) Happy Friday!

WIP Wednesday

On August 15, 2018August 15, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Shawl, WIP4 Comments

Another WIP Wednesday! My Dragon Tail (aka Martina Behm’s Match & Move) is making pretty progress! It’s nothing but purples from here so it’s only going to get better. WOOooooo!

I’ve got a quick project on the needles too…Baby leg warmers.

They’re so cute and tiny. I think I can get small, medium and large pairs from the yarn I’ve got. Once I’ve gotten my instant gratification hit, it’ll be sweater time!

Kids are going back to school. Sweater weather isn’t far behind!

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!

FO Thursday – Surprise Yellow

On March 15, 2018March 15, 2018 By FogKnitsIn Scarf9 Comments

Who’s ready for the weekend? We’re kicking things off early here at FogKnits headquarters! There’s been so much FO’ing this week, that Friday can’t contain it all.

First off the needles this week, a new Hitchhiker.

There are over 29,000 Hitchhikers on Ravelry. That’s a staggering number. Sure, 14 of them are mine. Obviously, I get the fandom with this particular scarf. Still…29,000!! That’s incredible! Imagine how big that pile would be!! Wow!

This particular Hitchhiker is special because it’s striped…

…and I only had to weave in two ends!?! Seriouesleeeeeeeee! Love that! This is another self striping skein of shawl yarn from Gauge Dye Works. And it’s a Merino-Cashmere-Nylon (MCN) blend. It’s so soft. I just want to put my face on it and take a nap.

I don’t usually go for yellow. Actually, I never go for yellow. I hate yellow. If I had an arch nemesis, it would definitely be yellow. I didn’t pick this yarn. It came to me in a swap. I reluctantly accepted it’s yellowness. I begrudgingly knit it, only because I was unable to re-trade it for a better color.

So, of course, despite all my protests, it turns out, this Hitchhiker is just exactly what my wardrobe needs. Stupid yellow.

It’s perfect for pretty much every outfit I own. Every one. A zing of yellow really peps up my sea of blues and greens so I’m giving it a try. We’ll see how it goes. I may be won over. I mean, At least it’s not pink!

Rainbow FOs

On January 13, 2018January 13, 2018 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday10 Comments

My rainbow shawls are done! Woo!

First, Match & Move by Martina Behm in Miss Babs Rainbow Polydactyl Yummy 2-Ply

Loved knitting this, garter stitch by the mile is totally my jam.

The second one, is the Hydrogen Shawl knit in Gauge Dye Works, shawl striping MCN in colorway Concrete & Tulips.

It’s an MCN (merino-cashmere-nylon blend) so it’s super soft! The best part though, only two ends to weave! The yarn is dyed in one continuous strand! It’s amazing! Only two ends to weave. Only two ends?!! TWO!! It’s incredible!

Now to block it. I’m not a fan of superwash merino. I’m a little worried about the curl at the end. Then, it’ll be perfect!