It has been a minute since we last chatted. Truthfully, I have missed you and been feeling very guilty for not showing up. I have also been feeling a little burnt out and overwhelmed. Not just with my own life but with everything that is happening in the world lately.
Now… I have very little control over what happens in the world. This is on a level that anyone would ever notice. Yet, I do have some control over my own life. I choose to show up every day, making my corner of the world better with each interaction I have with another human.
I would love to share what I have been working on, in my spare/free time…
Travel Knitting
Back in February, my Sister and I traveled to Las Vegas. We went to meet up with our Brother and Father. We had a lovely week all together. It also offered me plenty of travel knitting time on the flights. There wasn’t much downtime. This is a gift for someone, so it is slightly under-wraps. At this stage, I have restarted it several times. Now, I have the pattern correct. 😉
- Pattern: secret…for now
- #10 crochet thread
- #1 needles
Quack-Quack Mittens
For Christmas 2024, by suggestion, I had made some “Goose” mittens for Granddaughter. They had white “bodies” with orange “beaks” and black “eyes”, made with black yarn. They turned out cute and she loved them…of course I forgot to get pics.
My friend’s granddaughter needed mittens. The weather was still pretty chilly in her part of South Carolina in February. Her favorite slippers were shaped like ducks feet. They were affectionately referred to as “quack-quacks.” So, her mittens simply had to resemble ducks!
- Yarns used: Red Heart super saver in colors Pumpkin & Bright Yellow
- Pattern: “Children’s Gloves And Mittens” by KrohshayAndSuch through Etsy. (But…KrohshayAndSuch is not now selling on Etsy. I couldn’t link to the pattern)
- (I forgot to take note of the needle size)
New Family Member
Meet Adso our newest addition to the family. He is very skilled at “helping” to knit… just ask him.
18th Century Men’s Linen Shirt
Some time ago, I bravely made an effort to create Bernadette Banner’s “Pirate shirt” from her YouTube video. I carefully took all the measurements required. Then, I cut out the linen that I had ordered specifically for this project. The shirt fit really well… but there was a small problem. My son was incapable of raise his arms! I tried several different solutions, but wasn’t really sure what was going wrong. Being unable to fix it, I ended up ordering a pattern from the Townsend site. I ordered more than one pattern and some extra fabric but that’s for a future post.
Wanting to re-use as much of the original shirt as possible, so I carefully took apart the original failed shirt. . I was very surprised. I was confused. The pieces from the first shirt were essentially the same size as the new pattern pieces! There were a few differences. These included the collar and the cuffs. Nevertheless, nothing should have made the difference of being capable of raise one’s arms or not. After getting the new shirt all put together, my son tried it on. He was capable of raise his arms successfully. Again… I have no idea what I did different this time, but it works.
- fabric: tan linen
- pattern: JC Ryan 18th Century Men’s Shirt Pattern from Burnley & Trowbridge
Purple & Pink Velvet Knit ~ Baby Blanket
I received an announcement from a friend. She was going to be a grandma again! I knew this baby needed a blanket of her own. The baby’s momma liked lavender and soft pink for the nursery. I have used this velvet yarn before for baby blankets and find that it turns out super soft and beautiful. I was very happy with how this turned out!
- yarn used: Bernat Velvet yarns in colors Purple Pansy & Potpourri.
- pattern: garter stitch. Starting with 3 cast on stitches, increase one stitch each row, using yarn overs, until 1/2 way through. Then decrease one stitch each row, using K2tog, until there are 3 stitches remaining. Then Cast off.
Lori Holt ~ Zippered Bags
What do you typically do when you have way too many projects already started? If you’re anything like me, you start another “quick” project! While at a monthly quilt club meeting, I saw the latest Lori Holt panel. It makes 8 zippered pouch bags: 4 large and 4 small. They are lined and are really quick to put together. Yet, after finishing the first 4 large bags, I ran out of the lining fabric. The store is in the next town over. I purchased more fabric the next month. Still, I haven’t gotten back to finishing the remaining smaller bags. Does this thing ever happen to you?
Redwood National Park Hat
Friend Lyn had donated this book to our weekly stitching group. It had the perfect hat pattern to make for another friend that is now going through cancer treatment. The hat inspired by the Redwoods National park.
- yarns : Berroco Ultra Alpaca (50% super fine Alpaca/ 50% Peruvian wool) in colors #6277 & #6280. Purchased at Teaselwick Wools at the Historica Mission Woolen Mill in Salem, Oregon.
Sage & Soft Pink ~ Baby Blanket
Finding out that a co-worker was out on maternity leave, I offered to make something for her baby. She asked for a pink and sage baby blanket. I had an idea in my mind that I wanted to make a “checkerboard” blanket. There was no pattern, only an idea. I didn’t want to have floats on the back, like would be in other color work. I ended up knitting a strip, alternating colors every 6 rows. Then I knit the second strip, attaching the strips together as I went.
- Yarns: Baby Bee Snugs & Kisses in colors Vanilla Bean, Baby Jade, & Cozy Rosy
- Knitting Needles: Size 11/ 8.0mm
- Crochet Hook: size I/9
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