"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

12/31/21

Finished Knitting for 2021

 These are the completed knitting projects for 2021


Click on the title links on each project to take you to the blog post that has all the information on it.



Started: November 20, 2020
Finished: January1, 2021


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Layette Set #50 For KnitWits

Started: January 6, 2021
Finished: March 1, 2021

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Started: December 9, 2020
Finished: March 6, 2021

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Started: March 2, 2021
Finished: March 11, 2021

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Started: March 18, 2021
Finished: March 26, 2021

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Started: March 21, 2021
Finished: April 18, 2021

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Layette Set #53 For KnitWits

Started: April 7, 2021
Finished: May 3, 2021

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Norwegian Mittens For KnitWits

Started: April 26, 2021
Finished: May 13, 2021
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Layette Set #54 For KnitWits

Started: May 9, 2021
Finished: June 12, 2021

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Layette Set #55 For KnitWits

Started: July 7, 2021
Finished: July 31, 2021


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Norwegian Mittens For KnitWits

Started: May 15, 2021
Finished: October 1, 2021
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Started: August 3, 2021
Completed: September 29, 2021

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Little Garter Check Mittens For KnitWits

Started: October 5, 2021
Finished: October 18, 2021

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Herringbone Socks

Started: October 25, 2021
Finished: November 28, 2021
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Started: November 30, 2021
Finished: December 16, 2021
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Thank you for looking.









12/21/21

Winter Solstice

 Happy Solstice day!



This is my favorite day of the year. For me, it means the daylight is returning, and life is coming back. It's a remembrance that winter isn't forever and there will be spring. The colors of life are on their way. So, happy Solstice day to you and yours.

Live long and prosper. \\//

12/18/21

Kitty Cat Socks

 As soon as I was done with the Herringbone socks, I cast on the Kitty socks. By now, my brain was adjusting to the Gabapentin so it went much quicker.

Kitty Cat Socks for Sarah



PatternKittycats / Kissimirrit by Lumi Karmitsa

Size: Ladies Medium

Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot
Content: 60% washable wool/25% Mohair/15% Nylon, fingering weight
Colors: Peppergrass

Yarn: Valley Yarns Charlemont
Content: 60% Merino wool/20% Bombyx/20% Nylon, fingering weight
Colors: Natural

Yarn: Unknown brand
Content: 100 % Acrylic, somewhere between fingering and lace.
Colors: Medium Teal

Needles: Circular size 1, 2, and 3

Started: November 30, 2021
Finished: December 16, 2021

I found it interesting that I had to use a larger needle for the cat and fairisle. Fairisle knits tighter than stockinet stitch, and the designer took that into consideration. I used size 1 for the cuff ribbing because I wanted it to be a bit tighter.

Close up of cat. I am kind of surprised that the cats are on the side of the socks instead of on the front and back which is the usual way to do it.



Foot pattern. The diamond pattern was super easy. 



I did a sole gusset instead of the complicated gusset in the pattern. So much easier.


I also re-enforced the cuff, heel, and toes with a strand of acrylic knitting machine yarn.

The pattern for this sock is in a book. The link above will take you to it.

Christmas knitting is officially over. I'm taking a week off to let my sore hands recover.

Live long and prosper. \\//

12/17/21

Herringbone Socks

 At last! Time to blog. I have been working on socks almost every day since my last post. I can't believe how long it took to make them. I am so relieved to have everything done and on its way to my daughters house. I took the box to the post office today. It will get there before Christmas. 

I finished Franks socks first. 

Franks Herringbone Socks


Pattern: Didn't actually use one but the pattern Herringbone From Kiel by Stephanie Van Der Linden is very similar.

Size: Mens Medium

Yarn: Mayflower 1 Class Socks from Hobbii Yarns
Content: 75% Washable Wool/25% Nylon, fingering weight
Color: Black

Yarn: Popcycle by HiKoo® by Skacel
Content: 50% Rayon from Bamboo/50% Polyester, fingering weight
Color: 3001 Joy

Needles: Circular size 1, 2, and 3

Started: October 25, 2021
Finished: November 28, 2021

Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would take me several weeks to knit these socks. The Gabapentin I've been taking has been interfering with my brain. I have had days when I couldn't knit correctly if my life depended on it! It's been rather frustrating. Anyway, here's a close up of the stitch pattern. Oh my gosh, I love knitting Herringbone! It's fun! I used the Herringbone chart from a pattern called Red Herring by Cookie A. I don't care for her sock design, but the chart came in mighty handy.



As I said in my last post, these socks taught me something new. Sole gussets. The tiny triangle at the bottom left of the heel flap in the below picture is what I'm talking about.



Here's what it looks like on the bottom of the sock.


That tiny little triangle with the checkered pattern. So easy to do compared to the traditional gusset. Great if you want to continue a colorwork pattern all around the foot too because you don't have to figure out how to adjust the stitch pattern to fit with gusset decreases on the sides. I want to say "Where have you been all my life?" That's how much I love this gusset.

There is a tutorial available on Ravelry that teaches how to do sole gussets. I think I paid a buck 42 for it. Very reasonable price for something so magnificent.


I want to thank Becky Van Ryzin Piette for posting the picture of her socks in the Facebook group for Fairisle knitters and being so kind in answering my questions. Seeing that picture was the inspiration to get this project done.

We had fairly moderate weather for the month of November. A couple snow storms that melted soon afterward. Had quite a bit of rain, instead of snow, and some days when it was warm enough to not wear a coat. December, however, is different. We have about 5 inches of snow on the ground now, and it's been much colder. It was only 5F degrees when I got up this morning. Winter is getting serious.

I stopped coughing for 2 1/2 weeks in the middle of November. The Gabapentin started to work. It was so awesome! I felt so good, and then it started up again. Not as bad as before, but still annoying.

People keep asking me what I want for Christmas. The answer is for my cough to go away once and forever. (And a Prius. I want a Prius so bad. It doesn't have to be new. I'd take a used one.)

Live long and prosper. \\//