FO/Unraveled Wednesday: Cockleshells

KNITTING

It seems a while since there's been an FO in the Knitting Dept. around here! I was on a roll over the weekend and finally sewed buttons on the girls' sweaters, so today there are two:

• Ravelry Project Page: Cockleshell Cardigans
  • Size 18-24 months for Virginia, Size 6-12 months for Malina
• Pattern: Cockleshell Cardigan by Amy Christoffers
• Yarn: Cascade Yarns 128 Superwash (color: Daffodil)
  
  • 4 skeins = 2 sweaters with just a bit left over
• Needles:  US 10
• Start to Finish:  April 24 - May 28, 2018

The color is off in these photos (I blame the floor), it's really more like this:

So bright & happy!

Are they not the most adorable little sweaters? Soft & squishy, too.

Mods: The pattern called for I-cord ties but, um, Nooooo. I opted for matching buttons and crocheted a loop to close.

Mistakes: I made one on the cuff of Gin's sweater, creating an actual cuff... I didn't realize it was a mistake until I started the other half and then had myself a little time trying to recreate that particular "design element"! I also misread (or didn't actually read) the directions and did the 3-needle bind-off to the inside instead of the outside on both sweaters. These things do not bother me in the least!

The kids will be over this evening, so possibly modeled shots forthcoming!!

UPDATE TO ADD:

Oh, they are the cutest!! We had supper together and Gin wouldn't take her sweater off, so... ketchup, chocolate milk, and a little Truffle Kerfuffle later... it's already landed it in the wash! (Came through wonderfully.)

I am still working on Summer Camp! It won't be traveling with me, though, so I'm readying to cast on my first WATER hat to bring along. Check out the Baby Cocktails forum on Ravelry for more info about Water for Flint project and knit-along.

READING

Well, Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder has taken a back seat to The Thoughtful Dresser, which I've already renewed once (and may need to again) (reading has taken a back seat to almost everything else), but I'm getting into a bit more and enjoying it. Plus, there's some traveling ahead and it will be coming along.

I am listening to West Cork, which, it turns out, is actually an "Audible Audiobook - Original Recording." It's not an actual book -- never was, never will be! I think I nabbed it on a promotion or something... anyway, it says "audiobook" in the description, so I'm going with that. And it'll fill a Bingo square! I'll likely finish it on the plane tomorrow, so will be queuing up something else today!

Check out more from Kat & the Unravelers...

FO: Habu for Me!

On Sunday morning, I made my buttonholes -- literally, making a hole in my knitting where each one should be and stitching around it -- and sewed on the buttons.

• Ravelry Project Page: Habu for Me
• Pattern: Lamb Wool Linen Jacket (Kit-70) by Setsuko Torii (鳥居節子) for Habu Textiles
• Yarn: Habu Textiles A-175 1/3.3 Lamb Wool Linen
• Needles:  US 9
• Start to Finish:  April 12, 2009 - February 25, 2018

I remember the day in November 2007, running errands with Mom, and sneaking in a stop at my LYS, Iris Fine Yarns, because I knew there was a Habu Textiles trunk show happening. I knew, too, that the Habu aesthetic was right up my mother's alley and that if she found something she liked, she wouldn't be knitting it.

Sure enough, she found something... and I knit it for her! That project was started in February 2008 and finished during the 2010 Olympics!

Habu for Me was also in that stack set for finishing in 2010, but I didn't make it. The pieces had all been re-knit to the correct gauge and all that remained was the sewing up.

I gotta tell ya, after almost 9 years in the making, it feels real good to have another long-languishing project across the finish line!

Maybe there's hope for the 40 +/- WIPs I have going, according to Ravelry. There's at least one large project **cough** Alice Starmore's Cromarty since July 2004 **cough** that's not even on Ravelry! (It also feels real good to update an old blog post like that once in a while. I'm blaming bandwidth issues back in the day for all of the 1" wide photos in blog posts!)

Good grief, now there's an action plan! I'm going to be going through that list, locating & assessing every one of those projects, and making a decision and/or updating the project status! Does it stay or does it go??

Back to the FO at hand! It's lightweight, timeless (that easy, minimal Japanese style), more or less neutral in color, and will be perfect for wearing all spring!

FO: Windschief + 2017 Knitting Review

Well, I just love this little hat!

It's my first FO -- both started & finished -- of 2018!

• Ravelry Project Page: Windschief for Junah
• Pattern: Windschief by Stephen West
• Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Tweed
• Needles:  US 6 & US 7
• Start to Finish:  January 1-4, 2018

Super cute. Fun & quick to knit, with the twisted rib section adding just enough to keep it interesting. I finished at Knit Night last night, and the kids just happened to be there!

It was knit for Jün and he tried it on, but he did not want photos nor did he want to give it back! (I nabbed it later when he wasn't looking, and then Gin "volunteered" to model.)

Meanwhile, here's a snapshot of knitting accomplished in 2017:

No one is more surprised than me that I finished 24+ items last year!

• Two kittens
• Two polar bears
• Seven+ hats (some never made Ravelry)
• One beard
• Freak flags (double set)
• Three cowls
• Four shawls
• Two pairs of mitts
• One dress & two little sweaters for Gin (one of them started ages ago)
• One ornament
• One adult cardigan -- that had been in the WIP pile for almost 10 years!

(By comparison, I finished a grand total of nine items in 2016. Not my best knitting year.)

I was a fairly monogamous knitter last year, starting & completing projects in reasonable time, with focus & purpose. I think I started only three projects last year that remain unfinished: another pair of Squad Mitts, a gnome, and my Brambling Shawl. I didn't make any big plans or goals, just went with my heart... and I think I'll just stick with that!!

Unraveled Wednesday - FO: Oblique!

After nearly 10 years... it's FINALLY an FO!!

• Ravelry Project Page: Oblique
• Pattern: Oblique by Veronik Avery in Knitty, Fall 2007
• Yarn: Cascade 220, color 9458 (discontinued?)
• Needles:  US 9
• Start to Finish:  December 2007 - September 28, 2017

Originally intended for myself, I've "outgrown" it; Maddy instantly loved it and, well, isn't she adorable? Photos by Kate! And lots of 'em... because it took so long for me to finally finish, and it's a pretty great sweater!

Why so long? Good gravy, I don't know!

It was a contender for Finishing in the 2010 Olympics and I wrote, "I want this one finished most of all."

Here's how that went:

Oblique

At Opening Ceremonies:  All of the pieces were knit and blocked.  I needed to sew them up, knit the collar, attach buttons.

At Closing Ceremonies:  Sleeves are sewn in and collar is underway.  I've had several false starts on that collar, and some difficulty determining Right from Wrong -- I'm pretty sure I'd have made it if I'd been thinking more clearly.  Three-quarters of the way, I tore it out completely and started over last night.  I'll be casting off tonight and all that will remain are side and sleeve seams and the sewing on of three buttons.  I cannot wait.  I love this thing.

Um, yeah. I loved it and yet...

It looks like the buttons might be a bit wonky, and it might need a snap... but I'm not sure how much it'll actually be buttoned anyway, so we'll just see about that. I'm thrilled that it's finished and even more thrilled that there is someone else who loves it!

_ _ _ _ _

Reading: Still Life with Breadcrumbs by Anna Quindlen (pages)

Listening: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert