It has been a cold and rainy and icy week here but there's a warming trend now, 54 today and 60's tomorrow and sunshine! I need it too. I have been like a slug; no energy, no motivation but tomorrow I'll go for a nice walk with the girls and hopefully that will jump start my engine again.
I started this hat for my grandson Grayson. He was named after the Irish side of the family so I chose this worsted yarn by Knitpicks called Dublin and I named the hat Dubliner. It is the ear flap pattern from Purl Soho in the child's size.
This was supposed to be a scarf for my son Benjamin who's birthday is the 18th. Why do I always try something new for a gift? It was the Herringbone stitch which I mastered but I struggled with the cable as I think it was too short. I was literally having to pick up some stitches with my fingernails to get the needle underneath the yarn! I love wooden needles but they are not very "pointy".
I finally had to frog it until I get some better needles to work with it and not have a deadline. I think I'd rather have straight needles to do a scarf anyway. As soon as I finish Grayson's hat I will cast on a hat for Ben instead. I do like the Herringbone pattern but if you mess up it REALLY throws off the pattern and it is very obvious and I'm not sure I would know how to "back out" of a mistake on this one. I'd hate to make a mistake on row 60 of the 61 rows required.
The cuff is done on the sock and now it's just knit for 6 inches but I haven't had much time with 2 gifts to get done.
All my other time has been spent setting up Outlook for my organizational tool and projects. I did organize and get up to date with my Ravelry projects and my list here on my blog....finally. I also decided not to list my books and reviews here on my blog but instead put a widget to Goodreads where I will list my books, reviews and books I want to read. No sense duplicating my efforts and Goodreads is so great for keeping track especially for my "series" books.
I hope you are all doing well, staying healthy and warming up after the "deep freeze" across the country. Happy Trails until we meet again..........
Love love love the Dubliner, I'm not sure why reading your post at the start I thought it was going to be blue, I've no idea, maybe because in sport Dublin plays in blue but I do love the green and think it's going to be a wonderful hat for Grayson and the scarf is beautiful but I can see why you'd want to do it with less of a deadline but do go back to it it's a fab pattern. I must hop over to goodreads and see are we connected I'm not sure if we are.
ReplyDeleteRandom tip about wood/bamboo needles: you can sand them to make them pointer and then do a really light coat of wax over them. I don't know how much wax, however, because I've never done it. I deal with the blunt tips :(
ReplyDeleteLots of great starts! Love the dubliner
ReplyDeleteHI Sam,
ReplyDeleteHappy new Year. Hope all is well in your world. You sure have become the crafty person. I'm knitting a hat myself, but I'm just not very good at it.
Damp and rain here, nice follow up to a Blizzard. I think I like the blizzard better, pretty to look at.
Nancy Jo
I like Goodreads for books and use the widget too. The reviews and recommendations on Goodreads are also very helpful, I find.
ReplyDeleteI only like wood needles when I've got really slippery yarn and need the grip. Otherwise it's sharp tips from metal and carbon fiber for me!
Wow, that sock yarn is really something!
Man, I love a good earflap hat. I'm excited to see more of your grandson's to develop. I'm a big fan of bamboo needles. All of my circs are Clover. If you want to blog about the books you read, Shelia of Book Journey has been running her meme of It's Monday! What are you reading? I got hooked on that from Kim of Page After Page.
ReplyDeleteThat sock looks like it is going to be fun!
ReplyDeleteI really like the herringbone pattern, looks like it is worth persevering with!! Weather is ok over here - just some rain and a few floods to contend with!
ReplyDeleteI really like the herringbone pattern, looks like it is worth persevering with!! Weather is ok over here - just some rain and a few floods to contend with!
ReplyDeleteI so agree about the lack of pointy-ness in most wooden needles! I'm going to pop over to Goodreads and add you as a friend!
ReplyDeleteI really like your hats! I tried one myself recently but failed miserably... turned out HUGE :( Maybe I'll try the purl soho pattern instead!
ReplyDelete