FO: Lutz Jump hat

January 30, 2016 by Leave a Comment

First I want to say thanks for all the kind comments and shares of my recent Thai Crochet Cowl pattern release, I’m super happy people like it!

In another recent post I mentioned my current WIPs; well, I finished one!  It’s the knitted Lutz Jump hat by Monika Sirna, and it comes in an e-book of 3 very similar hat patterns for $6.50 (US).  It’s quick to make (when you don’t take long breaks in the middle of projects like I do), it’s easy but interesting, and it’s comfy.

Lutz Jump knit hat - Not Your Average Crochet

It used slightly over half a skein of KnitPicks Brava (100% acrylic) in the Fig colorway, minus the recommended pom-pom.  I know pom-poms are popular right now, particularly fur-looking ones, but I might give this as a gift next Christmas (not sure to whom yet) so I’ll just hold off on that.  If I make one it’ll be in another color.  I have a spare brown pom-pom that was originally for my Fuego hat (which I didn’t really like as much as I’d hoped), maybe I’ll use that.

Lutz Jump knit hat - Not Your Average Crochet

This is #6 of my project goal of 25 for this year.  I’m whizzing along!  Hope that doesn’t lead to burnout later, but the important part is just enjoying it, which I am!  Part of that I think is not worrying so much about a schedule for my posts or taking perfect pictures of my FOs against pristine white backgrounds, like I tried to do last year (I’ll try to do those things still this year but I won’t be so strict about it).  I’ve still got a blog/project calendar but it really just helps me keep track of what I’ve posted or what I need to be working on, etc.

Well, that’s all for today!  I’ll keep working on my 7 WIPs & maybe start some more, and I’ll see you soon.  😉  Thanks for stopping by!

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WIP update

January 27, 2016 by 21 Comments

Soooooooo many WIPs!  Please tell me you do this too.

I’ve frogged the Sugarfrost scarf:

Sugarfrost scarf begin

I got about 5x farther but it was still so slow…

Too much tiny knitting and it would take WAY too long for my patience (which gets tried plenty at work).  Not sure what to make with the yarn, though.  Still working slowly but surely on the Fino cowl:

stockinette cowl

I’ve gotten about 60% done now though

 

Also started a cool looking cabled hat but it called for small needles and chunky yarn and just hurt my hands too much so I frogged it, too; maybe I’ll start over in a worsted weight yarn instead.  My Harry Potter knit scarves are still the same, kinda hibernating, but whenever I get to it I’ll post the pattern.  I’ve just resigned myself to laziness for this:

Harry Potter knit scarf

My Citrus Stripe Blanket is also hibernating, although it’s looking pretty cool:

citrus stripe blanket

Dunno if I ever even got around to sharing my Wolf River sweater I started a few months ago.  It’s cool but the yarn I ordered was the yarn the pattern called for and it’s not near as soft as I would like.  Stalled out on my Lutz Jump hat, too.  And the Venetian Carnival cowl I didn’t share because it was originally gonna be a Christmas gift got replaced with another knitted gift and is now sitting around, almost done, waiting for me to put buttons on it and block it (it was a cool make but it would’ve been cooler if I’d doubled the length so it could be wrapped around twice, but then I wouldn’t have had the yarn to start the Fino cowl mentioned above).  A couple of other things are hibernating, too (my Paulie cardigan & my Weasley sweater)…

I’m also working on two versions of two individual patterns I’m writing (4 items total), which I’ve super been into as evidenced by the Anthropologie Inspired Hat, the Not Your Granny’s Granny Square Clutch, and the Thai Crochet Cowl, all of which are pretty recent releases.  The new patterns are also crocheted cowls (cowls are THE BEST) but that’s all I’ll say for now.  I’ve got ideas for more patterns to write, too, after those, so it should be a fun year.

The things I’m actually working on actively now are the Aspen blanket and my Chunky Circle Scarf #5:

IMG_5233

Heaping them on my ottoman keeps them in view so I’m constantly reminded to work on them, but they’re super fun so it’s not like it’s a chore.  I’m gonna start a Chunky Circle Scarf #6 soon, too — both 5 and 6 are for coworkers who’ve requested them (so I’m still not really breaking my resolutions because they’re paying for the yarn).

Whew!  That was a bit of an eye opener, just typing that all up.  How many WIPs do you have going right now?

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giganto blanket: begin!

January 12, 2016 by 4 Comments

So far I’m keeping to my resolutions: I haven’t bought any more yarn, I’ve been working on those crochet patterns, and I’ve got a few projects going.  I’d like to share one in particular with you, my ASPEN Blanket by Go-Girl Knitting (which I’m affectionately calling The Blanket Everyone Wants, because ecru/cream colored chunky-knit cabled blankets are EVERYWHERE right now, everyone really does seem to want one)!  Here’s what I’ve got so far:

IMG_5116

It’s probably going to be about 60″ wide (hard to tell yet) and I’ve got 17 balls of Garnstudio DROPS Andes in 0100 Ecru (Super Bulky, 65% wool, 35% alpaca) so I’ll keep going until I run out!

I’m loving my progress so far and I know I’ll love the blanket when I’m done, but I’ve got a couple of qualms.  Let me make you a list!

  • The pattern is $6 but it turns out to be a really simple pattern that repeats, and it all fits on a plain 1 pg PDF.  A little expensive for what you get, methinks, especially considering the next 2 points…
  • The pattern calls for US 50 needles but many of the projects already made on Ravelry used US 35/36 needles because the 50s made the blanket too loose (even though the yarn is held double throughout).  I therefore started with my US 36 needles but it was STILL too loose, so I frogged and went down to a US 19.
  • Because of the needle size changes I made, I also had to adjust the pattern to keep the width of the blanket about the same, so I added 2 of the pattern repeats, making the CO jump from 72 to 106.

On the positive side, it’s working up fairly quickly and it’s still soft and plushy!  I used the long-tailed cast-on for a neat-looking but stretchy bottom edge, I’m slipping the 1st st of each row purl-wise for neater side edges, and I think I’m going to try to make the yarn joins as invisible as possible by “spit-splicing,” which I learned about via YouTube video (yes, it is what it sounds like it is).

So far I’m really enjoying it, and I’ll probably update with photos on Instagram in between updates here, if you’re interested in finding me there!

Well, that’s all for now, thanks for stopping by!

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first FO of 2016 & some yarny resolutions!

January 4, 2016 by 14 Comments

Happy happy new year!  I hope you all had a great holiday season and are off to a great start in 2016!

The FO:

It took less than a month to complete this (but still longer than I thought).  It’s Purl Soho’s No-Purl Ribbed Scarf, which was really fun to make, and as you can guess by the title there are no purl stitches!  I used 3 whole skeins of Malabrigo Rios (worsted, 100% merino) in the 850 Archangel colorway:

IMG_5047

The scarf is over 6″ long and SUPER cushy, thanks to the luxurious yarn in combination with the textured stitch.

Question though.  This looks like brioche knitting, which I haven’t tried before.  I know it’s not, but how can you tell the difference just by looking?

The yarny resolutions:

  • I will try REALLY really hard not to buy more yarn until I basically run out (or unless someone asks me to make something specific for them that I don’t already have yarn for); my stash is ridiculously huge and there’s more yarn on the way from online post-Christmas sales.  Chris is concerned that I’ll need another piece of furniture to hold it all, and I’m already taking up a small desk and the bottom of a small hutch.  Maybe I should resolve to find a cheap large secondhand dresser or armoire…  Anyone know of a good place to look?  Maybe Ikea…
  • I’m going to create & write up some crochet patterns (ideas include a convertible hat, more zippered clutches, 3 different kinds of cowls, a pillow in the shape of a beloved anime character, and one idea that nobody’s ever made before as far as I know; I can’t wait to share with you)!
  • I want to make more FOs this year than my 24 of 2015, even if it’s just by 1!
  • This year I’ll make Christmas projects GALORE.  For realizes, all my family & friends will be getting some cool crocheted items, and I’m gonna start as early as seems reasonable… maybe August?  Ugh, that already seems to early…

Did you make any crafty resolutions?  What are yours?

Thanks for stopping by, see you soon!

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a look back on 2015

December 31, 2015 by 7 Comments

2015 was a much more productive year for me than 2014 was, so that’s already awesome!  Here’s a recap of the [finished] projects from this year!

And there are a couple items I forgot to post about. I knitted a Fuego hat with some spare Berroco Vintage:

image_medium2

And then there’s a secret project that I made as a Christmas gift for someone, but they might see it here so I’ve left it out and I haven’t been able to give it to them yet, so a photo will have to come later!

All in all that’s 13 crocheted projects (counting the Christmas gift) and 11 knitted projects.  Well now that I’ve totaled it up it doesn’t seem like so much, but it’s still better than 2014.

2 of those projects were my own patterns that I released, and I guess I’ve got the bug because there are SO many ideas I’ve got all of a sudden — there are definitely going to be more pattern releases in 2016!  I’ve already got the yarn and everything for almost all of my ideas, and can’t wait to get started!

Also of course there were some big life events this year!  I started working on my LPC licensure (to be a super-fancy licensed counselor) and, best of all, I got married!

I hope that 2015 was a good year for you, too, and of course I wish you the happiest of New Years and a great 2016!

Thanks for stopping by, see you soon!

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