Category Archives: wip

Work in Progress Wednesday: My Sister’s Cowl or Scarf

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My sister just recently had knee surgery and will be at home for the next few weeks.  She’s staying at a place without Internet access.  She told me that she was feeling a bit stir-crazy so I volunteered to teach her how to knit.  She was happy & immediately asked if she could make a “circle scarf”, similar to the one that I had made for her for Christmas one year.  At first, I told her that might not be good for a beginner but then I found a pattern that suggested how I could make the project either a scarf or a cowl at the end.  I figured a project that would be close to what she wants to do would be a project that she would finish.  Finishing a project, no matter how large or small, is so critical when you’re first learning how to knit.

I visited with her the next day and showed her how to knit & purl.  I selected this project because I thought it would be beginner friendly.  It has enough changes to keep a beginner interested, while enforcing knitting foundations: repetitions of the knit & purl stitch.

I’ve found that beginners really just want to get going without much in the way of discouragement, and I remembered how hard it was for me to get past a cast-on and the first initial rows of knitting when I was first learning how to knit. I also figured that someone in a ton of pain from surgery might not want to spend much time fiddling with a cast-on, which is something she would end up forgetting anyway.  She’d have to learn it again for her next project. & there’s plenty of time for that.

To this end, I decided to knit the first repeat of the pattern for her so that she would have something to begin with right away, and so that she could get an idea of what things might end up looking like.  Here it is:

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This made me start thinking more about the therapeutic power that knitting has – I’m sure, if she ends up enjoying knitting, that it will prove to be a fine, productive distraction for her as she recovers from her surgery.

Get the pattern here: Beginner Friendly Cowl or Scarf

Work in Progress Wednesday: Of Feathers & Fans, part 2

Posted in charity, hospice, knitting, wip by

With my completion of the Project Peace 2016 Cowl, I was able to return to my second blanket for a large hospice organization, the Feather & Fan Afghan:

This project is swimming along! I think I’ll do about 2-3 more color repeats and then measure it at least to see how the length is looking for a lap afghan.

The feather & fan pattern is always a lovely one. It’s a 4-row pattern and the row of lace is just enough to keep you a bit more interested to move on to the next repeat. Great project for anyone just starting out with lace knitting. Once you’ve caught on, it makes for excellent TV watching.

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Here is the pattern if you’re interested in grabbing it: Sweet Stitchin’ Betties Group Feather and Fan

 

Work In Progress Wednesday: Project Peace Cowl 2016 Cowl, part 3

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With parts 2 and 1, I started off with the confidence of this being a project that I’d definitely have finished by 2017 with all the knitting time that I was hoping to have over the course of my vacation.  However, this didn’t turn out to be the case.  I was far too busy with the holidays being what they were & between that and time spent dealing with some family matters over there, I found myself with little time to knit once I arrived to my destination.

Still, I got to get some knitting in while spending time on the porch with my grandmother:

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Love how these colors look.

I’m very happy with how this color-way is turning out with this project!

Work in Progress Wednesday: Owl Mitts

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I recently misplaced my last pair of fingerless gloves.  I use them mainly at work so that I can keep my hands warm while I type.  I sit in a very cold area so having the mitts on helps me stay productive.  I decided that misplacing these gave me an opportunity to work out a quick project that I hadn’t worked on in a while: fingerless gloves.  I love these because with worsted weight yarn it’s very possible to finish this project quickly.

I wasn’t sure about the owl pattern at first. I thought they weren’t really for me but for a younger version of me.   However, I’d always wanted to make these when I was younger and just starting out with knitting. The girl who wrote the pattern was a bit of a knitting idol for me at the time.  She worked at my LYS & was a knitting fiend.  So I picked this pattern out, thinking I could try it & give myself a new pair of gloves.  It would also be a good way for me to see if it would make a good gift for someone else. Either way, I wanted a pattern that would keep it interesting.

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So far, I like how they’re turning out!  I also love that I got the opportunity to dig out the Punta Yarns Merisoft Solid, a skein that’s been sitting in my stash for years.  100% merino? Yes, please.  Knitting up nicely.  So delicious. Looking forward to wearing them.

Get the pattern here: Owl Mitts by Sandy Ruppert

Work in Progress Wednesday: Project Peace 2016 Cowl, take 2

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In our first installment, I’d just started on this cowl. I’m about a day or two behind where I’m supposed to be in the knit-a-long but have made plenty of progress since that time.

The pattern was a good choice for the yarn. It’s always a toss up with the variegated types of yarn but over time, I’ve gotten much better at figuring out if a pattern is a good choice for that type of yarn.

Waiting for my train to take me home. The cowl has grown quite a bit!

I had to tink back a row. It was painful. I did not want to rip back 318 stitches of fingering weight yarn but it had to be done. In case you’re curious: I didn’t rip the row back while drinking. I’ve learned that drinking and correcting knitting mistakes are best left alone for me. I can do one or the other but not both unless I don’t care about what the results look like later.

I LOVE how this colorway is turning out with the waffle stitch pattern!

The stitch definition looks great. I’m very satisfied with it.

Looking forward to finishing it later this month. There’s a good chance I’ll be finishing this on a plane.

Work in Progress Wednesday: Project Peace 2016 Cowl

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Here’s my current work-in-progress for the Project Peace knit-a-long cowl with a waffle stitch pattern:

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The yarn I’m working with is a skein that I received from a yarn swap: Nina Hand Dyed Yarns Tweed Sock in the Fire colorway.  It’s been a part of my stash for several years.  I love variegated yarns but my experience has been mixed with them. I try to be careful with the pattern I pick for them.  However, I’m happy with this skein as it seems to work with the pattern well. I’m in love with how the reds, oranges, and browns look with the yarn.

Work in Progress Wednesday: Of Feathers and Fans

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This is the start of a second blanket for Compassionate Care Hospice:

I’m quite pleased with it! It’s a classic feather and fan pattern and is knitting up quite nicely:

I hope it will keep a patient warm this winter!

Interested in the pattern? Grab it from Ravelry: Sweet Stitchin Betties Group Feather and Fan