Call for Pattern Testers and Oh So Nikki Socks

I finished my Oh So Nikki Socks (here is a link to the free pattern). Although this was not my favorite pattern to work with, I love these socks. I made them as a gift, but I have to make another pair for myself when I have some free time.

Here’s what they ended up looking like as well as pictures of my progress.

I’m also working on developing a new pattern for socks and will be looking for some pattern testers. I will release details sometime late next week as well as some pictures. If you are interested in being a pattern tester, please let me know.

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The Droid You Are Looking for and More Socks

I made this little guy for a professor who was injured in a car accident. There are so many R2D2 crochet patterns out there, but I was really happy with this one from Trifles & Treasures.

I’m a much more avid knitter than I am a crocheter and I am always amazed when I can crochet things that look good! I was so impressed with this guy that I had a hard time giving him away as a gift (it probably doesn’t help that R2D2 is my favorite droid!)

I also recently completed these socks from GarnStudio.

It was a fun pattern, but I don’t think the variegated yarn worked well for it. I wish I had used a single color yarn or a variegated yarn with less variation.

I’ve been going sock crazy lately though. They are super fun to knit and I find that I want to spend whole days making socks. The problem that I have is finding good sock yarn. What are some good sock yarn brands out there?

Oh So Nikki Socks

I am now working on a pair of Oh So Nikki socks (pattern by Judy Sumner) for a professor of mine who particularly loves socks.

I can’t wait to finish them! I’m loving the way the pattern is looking, but am hating slipping yarnovers so many times – I’m realizing I’m a really tight knitter and it makes it difficult!

I’ve finished the leg on the first sock and they are looking great. Such fun colors, too.

Hermione’s Everyday Socks

I just completed a pair of Hermione’s Everyday Socks (pattern by Erica Lueder – her blog is pretty cool and it’s worth checking out) and was so happy with the result.

First, look at this gorgeous yarn I found for them at The Black Squirrel in Berkeley and hand-dyed by SpunRightRound.

Gorgeous, right?

Here are some progress photos I took along the way.

Leading up to a party of sewing up all the loose threads on recently completed socks.

And, finally, the finished product!

These were such great socks to make and such a fun pattern to work with. I highly recommend this pattern to sock knitters of all levels.

I made this double crocheted infinity scarf using Loops and Threads Charisma in Passion.

Another Pussy Hat

Sorry for my brief hiatus, but I am back and have lots of crochet and knitting projects to share.

First of all though, I made another pussy hat. If you didn’t hear, us nasty women knitters caused a pink yarn shortage. I made this hat in purple for a friend of a friend. For those of you that marched or supported the march, I thank you.

Here is my purple pussy hat, made with the basic pattern from The Pussyhat Project:

More Chunky Knits

In an earlier post, I talked about how much I love chunky knitting and that I was playing around with size US 50 needles. I decided to mess around with them even more this week and finished another cowl.

Using Lion Brand Hometown USA in Chicago Gray, I cast on 16 and did a 2×2 rib through the end of the skein.

I’m also currently playing around with chunky knitting, but with smaller, size 15 needles. Here is one scarf (another one with 2×2 ribbing) that I am working on with Loops and Threads Facets Yarn:

With another pair of size 15 needles, I am playing around with different stitches and am making a linen stitch cowl with Loops and Threads Charisma in Mulberry Bush.

I am still trying to find a pattern that I love for bulkier yarns that I love. If anyone has any patterns or ideas that work really well for them, please send them my way.

Crochet Projects: Messy Bun Hat and a Scarf

I wanted to make one of these messy bun hats that have been spamming my pinterest page, so, I set out on a mission to do so. I figured using a variegated yarn would make it super fun, so, I pulled out my skein of Red Heart Super Saver in Blacklight.

I used a slightly modified version of Joyful Girl’s “Crochet Messy Bun Hat,” which was a great pattern for my first messy bun hat. The only thing that I changed with this hat was the ribbed bottom. The weight on my yarn was different and my hat was already the desired length and looked fine without the ribbing.

Now, I just need to grow my hair out so thatI can actually have a messy bun instead of my grown-out pageboy cut poof that you can see below.

This hat was super easy to pull my hair through at the top, but, in the future, I really want to try one of the patterns that has the hair-tie built into the hat. Maybe just for the hope that I will grow out my hair.

Also, I made a simple double crochet scarf. I am stll quite new to crochet (as I mentioned here) and am still trying to get technique down, but I am happy with how this turned out.

 

Chunky Knitting

I got a pair of size 50 needles for Christmas and have been playing around with how to use them. I have been super into chunky knits this year and the second closest size needle that I had was size US 17, which does give a nice, chunky effect, but not quite as chunky as I’d like it to.

I also had a couple skeins of Loops & Threads Charisma in Mountain Majesty (two is all it took for the length I achieved) and I decided to double the yarn and make a scarf out of it with my size 50 needles.

I played around with 1×1 ribbing and 2×2 ribbing before deciding on 1×1. I like the effect with this size and this yarn so much better.

The thing I really have to work on with these size needles are the edges. I had to play around with them forever to get them to look better than they initially did (pictured below).

I was super happy with the ultimate result though. I think it came out wonderful and had the chunky knit effect that I wanted.

I ended up making it an infinity scarf and I am super in love with it.

You can also wear this scarf many ways, making it super versatile. You can wear it single or double as a great scarf or triple it as a cowl for those cold weather days.

Yarn Resolutions

Now that it is a new year, I’ve taken some time to think about the yarn goals I have for 2017. My top ten:

1. Finally finish knitting the sweater I have been working on forever. I have only ever finished baby sweaters, but I have always had the intentions of knitting one for myself.
2. Get my Etsy shop up and running.
3. Build up inventory for that Etsy shop which is what I am currently doing.
4. Learn how to weave.
5. Maye beautiful woven pieces.
6. Clean up my Ravelry/Pinterest Knitting/Crochet/Etc. folders. They are ridiculously out of hand.
7. Make it through a good chunk of the yarn I own before buying more yarn. (Stop laughing).
8. Get better at crochet. I am doing pretty OK with it, but would like to be better.
9. Finally master intricate lace knitting. I always seem to drop a stitch and I am fairly certain it is all psychological at this point.
10. Finish all of the projects that I start.