FO Monday – Beaded Hitchhiker

On August 8, 2016August 8, 2016 By FogKnitsIn FO Friday, Scarf22 Comments

In the ramp up to the Ravellenic Games, I finished my Unicorn Fart Hitchhiker with beads! You get to see it today because I’m saving Friday for my Ravellenic sweater! Oh yes, the games started last Friday and the goal of the Sweater Triathlon is to knit a sweater in 17 days. That seems like such a long time though. I’m thinking of this more like a Sweater Sprint! (obviously, I chose the chunky yarn on size 11 needles!) But enough about that…

The base pattern here is the Hitchhiker. I assume we’re all familiar with it’s awesomeness. I’m a big fan, this is my 10th Hitchhiker. As such, I’ve got a string of fun modifications up my sleeve. This iteration employs the eyelet row mod and takes it a step further by adding beads.

It’s a ton of beads. I hadn’t thought of the weight it would add. Ultimately, I enjoy the extra weight. In addition to beautiful drape, it really helps the garment stay put. A happy accident, indeed!

The beads –the rainbow beads!– alone don’t make this scarf though. No, this is about the double rainbow. The yarn is rainbow as well…Unicorn Farts!

YES! and, to make it just a little more special, it’s not just fun rainbow yarn, it’s fun rainbow yarn that my Mom dyed for me! Naturally, I’d been saving it for something special.

Mission accomplished! I’m pleased with this one!

(Of course, I’d still make one small change next time. I used Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off. I think maybe it’s a little too much, next time I’ll be K2Tog tbl. I think that’ll give me a nice edge without that little bit of flare. Or perhaps the Icelandic Bind Off, another bind off that has give without flare. I’m not Type A enough to redo this one though. Plus, I’ve got more pressing issues…like knitting an entire sweater in 7 days! Check back for the unveiling later this week!!)

WIP Wednesday – Current Favs

On August 3, 2016August 3, 2016 By FogKnitsIn Scarf, Shawl, WIP16 Comments

The reality of 10 WIPs at once is most of them are actually being ignored. The proverbial time out corner. The back of the chair is the stuff that will most likely get finished. The green project bags are my favorite to carry, so you’re likely to find my most active projects in them. Today is no exception!

beaded hitchhiker knitting unicorn fart yarn rainbow yarn rainbow beads eyelet hitchhiker

First, my beaded Hitchhiker…nearing the end! The beads are an interesting modification to a classic design. The workflow suits me, 6 mindless garter rows, a (yo, k2tog) row and then one row of focused attention adding the beads. It’s been more of a go-to project than I expected. I’m up to 32 teeth and I haven’t run out of beads yet. I’m currently betting the yarn will run out first. The end is in sight, either way!

The other project getting love this week, my Rockefeller. It was on a bit of a hiatus but it’s happily back in business!

addi rocket sylph jade sapphire rockefeller westknits mkal knitting

beach knitting rockefeller in progress westknits mkal sylph linen cashmere knitting at the beach places where you can knit

icord bind off rockefeller beach knitting intarsia stripes sylph jade sapphire san francisco bay

I’m currently slogging away on the 300+ stitch i-cord bind off. Worth the effort but worthy of a little gripe too! An hour at the beach the other day, an hour at knit night, an hour this morning…persistance is paying off. I WILL get there. And the next section tapers into a point…no bind off! So I’m just getting the obligatory complaint out now :) (don’t worry, I’m still saving the ‘oy! look at all these ends to weave complaint’ for later! ) The yarn is Sylph from Jade Sapphire, a cashmere-linen blend! There will be no complaints when I’m finally wearing this one!

The Ravellenic Games (aka the knitting olympics) begin Friday, I’m fairly certain I can make it until then without casting on something new. :)

Rebirth

On July 13, 2016July 13, 2016 By FogKnitsIn Scarf, Uncategorized, WIP9 Comments

I couldn’t resist, once I frogged the unfortunate project, the yarn just jumped back on the needles!

And so, a new Hitchhiker was born! There are almost 25,000 Hitchhikers on Ravelry?!? That’s a lot of garter stitch! This is my 10th Hitchhiker, so obviously, I get the fandom! The Hitchhiker is certainly worthy of all it’s praise.

That said, I still love discovering new ways to modify the pattern. My last Hitchhiker incorporated a row of eyelets on row 8. I’m taking that modification one step further this time. I’m beading each K2tog from row 8 on row 1.

Rainbow on rainbow action! I’m loving it! Of course, I’m still setting myself up for problems down the line. I’m most certainly going to run out of beads before I run out of yarn. Oh well. I can’t get more so I’m knowingly accepting this problem.

I’ve also created a right side and a wrong side–or at least a beaded side and a side with no beads. I’m okay with that too. In the end, anything is better than curling stockinette.