The Shawl that Wouldn't End

I got the correct beads in to finish the black shawl. Originally, I bound off without the picots and really didn't like it. I saw a couple with beads on the long picots and decided that's what I wanted for this shawl, but when I went back to fix it I ran out of beads. Now I have more than enough beads, but I lost at Yarn Chicken (i.e. I ran out of yarn).

Luckily I had some black laceweight left over from an earlier project. If you're looking at the edging, it's pretty obvious that there's a different yarn over 1/3 of it, but most people won't be looking too closely!

Pattern: Out of Darkness (Ravelry Mine)

Yarn: Knit One Crochet Too Cria Lace in Black

Needles: US6/4.0mm, US7/4.5mm, US8/5.0mm

Timeframe: June 1 - September 28, 2015

Mods: Extra repeat of Chart D, beads on picot points.

Problems: None!

Bead ALL The Things!

My bead problems from last time have been solved! This week, I have knit on three different beaded projects (with two planned for next month), because apparently beading is My Thing. We've got a pair of socks with beads, a mystery knit ready for the last clue.

I got better beads for the Equatorial Nights scarf, so it looks amazing now!

And I'll show off my Out of Darkness shawl next time - as soon as I finish the bindoff!

999 Problems...

...all of them beads. I ran out of beads to finish a shawl the way I wanted, so ordered more the next time I placed a Loopy Ewe order. They accidentally gave me the 6/0 instead of the 8/0 I needed, so now I'm waiting for the replacements to come in. Impatiently, I might add. The incorrect beads came in two days late after going to a random city nowhere near me, according to USPS tracking. USPS tracking also told me the replacements would arrive today. Lies!

I started another beaded project yesterday. The beads on this one are the correct size, they're just the exact same color as the yarn. It's a shiny yarn, so they don't even reflect or pop out, they just blend in completely. Oops.

There's five beads in the knit portion you can see (and a stitch marker on the left). I know where they are and even I'm having trouble locating them! The yarn is much shinier with more colors in real life. I couldn't get a good image. The beads are your classic "oil slick" colors, and match the yarn exactly, all green and purple and black and shiny.

Phoenix Mitts

Here's another one of those projects that doesn't work right the first time. Using nearly the recommended hook size (1.8mm instead of 1.75mm), the mitt was too small. I got almost to the thumb gusset before admitting defeat.

I was sad to see this one go, as it was striping so nicely! Using the next hook size up that I had (2.25mm) made it perfect size-wise and it had an even nicer striping effect:

But I ripped back again. Why? The pattern has you finish the thumb, then reattach the yarn for the palm. That would totally kill the patterning unless you spent some time figuring out exactly where in the pattern you needed to pick it up again and cutting the yarn to make it work. Instead, I put the thumb gusset on the other side of the mitt, away from the beginning of round, so I could continue with the palm. I then decided that the thumb would not have extra rounds - I tried going by the pattern, and that was too big. I tried cutting out a shell, and that was too small. The length is already fine, so that's where I'm leaving it!

Pattern: Phoenix Mitts (Ravelry mine)

Yarn: Unknown wool(?) gift

Hook: USB/2.25 mm

Timeframe: September 4 - 17, 2015

Mods: Larger hook, changed thumb placement, no further thumb rounds.

Problems: Detailed above.

Time-Out for Cauchy

This simple knit/purl sock should have been a fast knit. It's just knits and purls! I've found that these tend to be the slowest for me, mostly because they should be quick and they just plain aren't. Purling is a bit slower, and I have to actually count/pay attention because every row the pattern changes. I knit the first sock back in April. I tried to pick up the second sock last month, and only got halfway through the leg. It's given me nothing but trouble - first I forgot to mirror the leg pattern, so ripped back the first inch, careful not to undo the row that closed the folded hem, and thought that would be then end of the problems. It wasn't.

I've been trying to finish it so I can start another sock, and thought a long train ride last weekend might do it, especially when I learned their WiFi wasn't working so I couldn't do the actual work I brought with me. I got halfway through the gusset (a couple more rows than shown) when I realized that I didn't end the leg on the same row of the pattern as the first sock. It was roughly the correct length, just a half-repeat off.



Rip goes the yarn and I'm back to the leg. I got all the way back to the heel flap, and realized that the larger problem, the reason my counts seemed off, was because I screwed up the pattern on the sock the whole time, adding a couple extra rows to each pattern repeat. So for the third time, I have ripped back substantial portions of my work, and now I'm about 2.5" into the sock where I can drop down the one incorrect stitch per pattern repeat that is still wrong.

It's now sitting in time out, stitches held with scrap yarn so I can catch up on the mystery sock I was supposed to start after finishing Cauchy. Maybe it will have learned its lesson by the time I finish this next pair.

Party Penguin!

A friend of mine was having a birthday, and the minute I saw this pattern I knew I had to make it for her! Of course, I finished it last-minute so didn't get great pictures, but I love it - it's a penguin, in a skirt and crown, holding a balloon. Love it!

 

 

Pattern: Party Penguins (Ravelry Mine)

Yarn: Mostly Wool of the Andes Sport

Needles: US2.5/3.0mm

Timeframe: September 7 - 12, 2015

Mods: I did the round things (head and balloon) in the round and knit the skirt only as long as I had yarn. More mods were done on the balloon, see the Ravelry page for more info.

Problems: None!

A Touch of Crochet

While I knit a LOT more than I crochet, I know my way around a hook. This pattern intrigued me since I first saw it on Ravelry, and I finally pulled out my cotton and did it:

Yes, it's a straw cover. I love it!

Pattern: Easy Straw Cover (Ravelry mine)

Yarn: DMC Senso

Hook: USB/2.25 mm

Timeframe: September 3, 2015

Mods: Crocheted the petals onto the open front loops of the straw cover body instead of applique-ing a separate flower on top.

Problems: None!

I meant to make this next pattern as part of the mask-along that was happening in July on one of the forums I frequent. That did not happen. I finally got to it, and now have a lovely mask for any last-minute masquerade emergencies!

Pattern: Crochet Lace Masquerade Mask (Ravelry mine)

Yarn: J&P Coats Royale Metallic Crochet Thread (Size 10)

Hook: US8 steel hook/~1.5 mm

Timeframe: September 4 - 9, 2015

Mods: None.

Problems: None!