Granny stripes forever... Seriously.

Hi. How ya doing? I've missed you!

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about music, about health and wellness, about writing and poetry. And, usually, these thoughts are accompanied by knitting or crochet.

That much pondering requires slow, meditative projects that don't distract my mind from the more important topics at hand. Shawls are great. Hats are wonderful. And then there's my old standby -- a granny stripe blanket/throw I began in 2018. 

Early on, my stash of yarn scraps was plenty to satisfy my craving for color and nostalgia. But as the years wore on, I started accumulating leftovers from a dear friend and her mom. Raiding my stash and (gasp) stealing a few grams from intact skeins. I even purchase a random mini-skein here and there, just because it complements the throw's eccentric color palette.  

Funny thing is, though, that no matter how much time, effort and yarn I throw at it, my granny-stripe blanket hardly seems to grow. It's like knitting sleeves... You keep working and working, thinking, "Maybe 12 more rows/stripes and it'll be big enough." Then you measure the blanket 12 rows/stripes later and it's still far from being done.

Kind of like my blog. I let it languish and assume no one's reading, then I check one day and see people are still reading. It just keeps going, as if it has a life of its own.

Don't get me wrong. I love writing, knitting, crochet, blogging and so on. But I apparently assumed no one was reading and wandered off one day... 

So my question is: Are you still reading knitting/crochet blogs? Would you be interested in a Knit*Six reboot? Because I'm thinking that, if you're willing to drop by and say hello now and then, it might be fun to reconnect and see where it takes us...

Leave me a comment to let me know... And I'd love to hear what kind of content you'd enjoy most!

Granny stripes forever... Seriously.

Blanket Weather! (Crocheted ripples and granny stripes)

Crocheted Ripple Blanket

The first blanket I ever crocheted took almost two years, off-and-on, to make. I started it when I moved back to Maryland in 2015, and wove in the final ends in 2017. 

Feeling desperate for cheerful colors at the time, I chose a basic ripple pattern and picked up a rainbow’s worth of Baby Bee Sweet Delight, a DK/sport-weight yarn from a big-box store I usually try to avoid. Honestly? The color choices offered in this line were terrific. And, for an acrylic yarn, it was surprisingly nice to work with. 

The fabric is just right for napping under on a summer afternoon, or for layering over other blankets in spring and fall. And it’s so bright and happy looking, it lifts my mood all year long.

Now, sometimes man-made fibers can turn harsh and crispy when laundered, so I chose not to wash or block the finished project right away. After many, many cat-and-dog naps, though, I just couldn't avoid it (nor did I want to). 

Nervously, I ran my blanket through the delicates cycle with a little detergent and a splash of white vinegar. Then I put it in a cool dryer for half an hour, and let it finish drying over a rack. And...the blanket stayed nice and soft! Charley gave it his seal-of-approval, so you know it feels good.

Granny Stripes Blanket

Fast forward to October 2019. Our weather is feeling really autumnal, now, and the leaves are finally starting to turn. This week, it was chilly enough indoors that I pulled out the Granny Stripes Blanket I started last year, and finished a few (long) rows. 

I just love the rhythm of crocheting swathes of colorful woolly stripes, especially since I started using Clover Amour hooks. The grips are comfortable, and the tips catch the yarn perfectly. In fact, I liked them so much that I eventually got rid of almost every non-Amour hook I owned. (I'm not an affiliate...just a fan!)

Granny Stripes patterns are a great way to use up gobs of the fingering/sock-yarn scraps I accumulated over the years, as well as a few gorgeous colors from my lovely friend Denise and her mom. You can find several variations on the theme, but I used Attic 24's for inspiration. 

Admittedly, making a blanket with lightweight yarn is a labor of love. It won't be done anytime soon, but a lot of wonderful memories have been crocheted in, and it's the perfect project to pick up when you want something simple and mindless to keep your hands busy. 

When warm weather rolls around, though, this is one project that definitely goes on hiatus. After all, who wants to climb under a pound of wool and work on a giant afghan in the infamous Mid-Atlantic heat and humidity? 

Blanket Weather! (Crocheted ripples and granny stripes)

Destash Sock Yarn and Save a Life

Save the Children and Warm Up America! are asking knitters and crocheters
across the U.S. to pick up their needles and hooks to help save
the lives of nearly four million newborn babies in the developing world.

The Caps for Good grassroots initiative will run through February, 2011. People of all ages are encouraged to join in by making one or more caps; writing to policymakers; and, if possible, donating money (a little or a lot) to provide newborn care in developing countries.

At the end of the program, all of the collected caps will be distributed to pregnant women and new moms and their babies in Save the Children's programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

For more information--and to download a Caps for Good Action Kit with free patterns and more ways to get involved--visit Save the Children's website: www.goodgoes.org/caps

(Note: I designed the little hat shown above to send to Afghans for Afghans a couple of years ago. If enough knitters show interest, I can write it up and post it for download on Ravelry. Just let me know!)

Destash Sock Yarn and Save a Life

Freesia Socks: Update about a favorite pattern

Remember the Freesia Socks?

Last year, explaining the inspiration for these socks, I wrote about a little cloister-like courtyard in my high school (in Marin Co., Calif.), where planters were filled with freesias. When the sun shone down mid-day, the entire courtyard would be thick as honey with their intoxicating fragrance. This colorway, Iris, reminds me of those flowers…

Simple as it is, this is one of my favorite designs. The colors in the yarn, the texture of the fiber, and the stitch pattern all came together to create something wonderful. They're scrunchy and squeezable (for those of us who do such things to our socks/yarns).
And they look pretty "on the foot."

I wrote the actual pattern for these socks last fall, for Shalimar Yarns. It takes only one skein of fingering-weight yarn and some US# 1.5/2.5 mm needles to knit up a pair. You can include the ribbon of your choice or opt to leave the picot hem otherwise unadorned.

I say: Enough already with the cold, snow, and ice -- It's time for spring!
So grab your favorite yarn and needles, and let's knit up a little flower power.
Happy stitching!

For more information about this pattern, you can contact Shalimar Yarns or Eleganza Yarns. Currently -- and perhaps for a limited time only -- the pattern is free when you purchase a skein of Shalimar's Zoe Sock or Superwash Sock. You can also check out the Freesia Socks pattern on Ravelry.

Freesia Socks: Update about a favorite pattern

Quiche me once, then quiche me twice...

This may well be the most delicious Quiche Lorraine I've ever baked -- or eaten, actually. There was no skimping with this baby. Real Swiss cheese, real bacon, and real (heavy) cream. My eight-inch pie pan made for a deep-dish experience. I folded the crust upward, forming a wall that held the custard in place.

My oven is funny. It runs at least 100-degrees high. At least. Things that should bake in 20 minutes frequently take 10, even when I adjust the dial for the heat difference. But my quiche would not be hurried, so I was forced to turn the oven down, down, down...250, 225, finally 200 degrees, plate-warming temperature. All the while chatting with my mom via Skype.

Toward the end, I removed the aluminum foil protecting the crust's edges, turned the oven off, and just let it sit in there for a while. When I pulled the quiche out, I was rewarded with a clean fork when inserted an inch from the center. And when Chris came home and we sliced into it -- well, it was pure heaven.

The custard was absolutely tender and light. The balance of bacon and cheese was perfect. Even the crust seemed happy . This was no average love-you-and-leave you quiche, oh no! After a slice of this baby, you might feel a lingering desire for more of its savory goodness. But the richness was deceptive, threatening to turn a blissful experience into a slightly-headachey one after just one bite too many.

No average quiche, this.

In the interest of full disclosure: I used a Pillsbury rolled-up, refrigerated pie crust. So, what did I do with the other crust? Apple turnovers...

I finished Froot Loop Sock #1 today, and immediately cast on the second one. These are for ME :-) Happily, I love, love, love this Araucania Ranco Multy sock yarn!!! Wooly and lofty, plump and delightful to work with, the colors are mesmerizing. They actually seem to change with the light. Working on this sock in direct sunlight (last fall) left me besotted.

And when I put this sock on, it hugged my foot with comforting warmth. Great pattern, perfect yarn = relaxing knitting. (FYI: I'm using a US#1.5 KnitPicks Options nickel-plated circular needle)


Talking of colors, take a look at this gorgeous roving! Meghan (host of Stitch It! Podcast), sent it to me as a prize for a contest I won last autumn (here's her Etsy shop). Just look at the saturated hues, the way the peacock blue and plum colors seem as iridescent as the feathers on a Mallard duck's neck.

I also received a lovely basket of gifts from BethanyG (that's her "Ravetar"), who came up with the contest idea and coordinated it. Tasty goodies, spicy cinnamon-scented soap and candle, pumpkin-pie scented lotion and lip balm, and a catnip toy for Katja and Charley...it was literally a cornucopia of autumn goodness for all of us :-)

And, finally, speaking of Katja and Charley, here's the ultimate cuteness: a kitty version of Yin and Yang (in more ways than one!)...

Take advice from the experts: Stay warm and cozy, snuggle with a friend, and enjoy a little time for napping, spinning, knitting, or whatever floats your boat!

Quiche me once, then quiche me twice...

Yarn Stew

Handspun Leftovers: Yarn Stew, anyone?

For the past few years, I've been collecting random bits and bobs of my handspun yarn, throwing it in a baggie with other leftovers. Recently, I pulled the baggie out and realized my collection of handspun ends makes for a pretty combination. So, I've been thinking: Randomly striped scarf? Fingerless gloves? Hat? What do you think?

Shalimar Yarns' new bulky weight yarn--soft as butter. Mmmmm...

I do want to say "Thank you" to those of you who haven't given up on me over the past few entry-less months! In August and September, a tendonitis-type injury sidelined me. No knitting for two months? Horrors! (Just ask my husband...)

For a fiber-holic like me, not being able to knit is like giving up cigarettes. I couldn't spend time around knitters, in knitting stores, or even on Ravelry--being completely unable to join in was just too painful. So I withdrew for a while.

During the past five weeks or so, however, my shoulder, neck, elbow, and wrist began to feel a better, little by little. At first I could knit for five minutes, then 20 minutes, and finally to an hour or two (max) here and there. Believe me: Taking regular rest breaks and doing a few hand and wrist stretches makes all the difference. If you feel discomfort, pay attention! The alternative is awful.

Gorgeous Zoe Sock from Shalimar Yarns in a gorgeous clover-honey color

Since my injury began improving, I've focused on much more "original knitting" (AKA: designing), and am spending a bit of time (health permitting) writing my patterns down. Soon, I hope, they'll be available via my Etsy store, and maybe someplace else, as well ;-) Stay tuned!

Shalimar Yarns Zoe Sock in a color I think of as "Country Lane."
Warm socks (new pattern) coming soon!

Happy knitting, all! See you soon...promise :-)

Oh, and yeah: GO PHILLIES!!!!!!!

Yarn Stew

Waving Lace Socks, Fab Sale Yarns, a Few UFOs, and a Free Shawl Pattern

First, some Yarn Porn
(Fleece Artist Blue-faced Leicester DK, bought from Stitches & Scones in Indianapolis)

Hi, friends and visitors! I hope you're enjoying the first days of fall. Here in DC we're not cooling off too much yet, but that's OK. Winter will be here soon enough.

I've got sooo much to tell you today, and have been working on photos and such for a few hours. I even included a free (though VERY simple and knitting-universally known) shawl pattern at the end. If you try it, I hope you enjoy it. Let me know. OK, on to business...

WAVING LACE SOCKS

Here's a photo of my Waving Lace socks, featuring my favorite shoes. They're Keens' "Calistoga" (brown), and "Barcelona" (black). Très comfortable!

I'll definitely make another pair some day, but probably with a different colorway. (This batch pooled more than I expected.) I really did love this pattern. Easy to memorize, easy to knit, easy on the eyes, and easy on the feet. All good, since they're for me :-)

FAB SALE YARNS

Fab yarn at cheap prices. Who could pass it up? Not this knitter!

Four skeins of Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk Georgette in Peony. Four skeins for $28... Not bad.

I knit a swatch while sitting outside of Starbucks at Dupont Circle yesterday. God, the weather has been gorgeous here! On US#3 Brittany birch needles, it knit into a crisp fabric with a promise of softness.

That promise was fulfilled when I washed (in Eucalan) and blocked the swatch last night. The fabric has a rich hand, lovely drape, and a luxurious halo (almost angora-like). The teensy hint of itchiness I felt in the swatch disappeared, leaving a buttery smooth surface I can't wait to feel against my skin.

This yarn is destined to become a pair of long, lacy gloves, like the ones in Veronik Avery's gorgeous new book.

And another good buy: Cascade Fixation...Four balls for $8.88. Nice!

Last Monday Chris and I went up to Stitch DC at Chevy Chase Circle. Lo and behold, they were having a sale! Well, what else could I do but pick up some $4.44 Fixation? With two of the balls, I plan to make a pair of Flame Wave socks from Favorite Socks. If they feel good on my feet, not rough against my soles, then I'll make a pair for my oh-so-tender-footed mom. Which leads me to...

A FEW UNFINISHED OBJECTS (UFOs)

Before leaving for Sacramento last month, I picked up a ball of self-patterning yarn. After all, one always needs a mindless stocking stitch sock project in one's purse, right? The changing patterns help keep me from feeling bored and, somehow, seem to make the knitting go faster (obviously, this is all in my mind).

This is a really SOFT cotton yarn, so I decided to make these socks for my mom, since Sacramento gets so hot. And because she has ultra-sensitive little piggies, I'm making a reverse stocking stitch sole--they'll be smooth against her skin :-)

Moment of truth:
While traveling, I used Brittany birch DPNs. But when I got home I switched back to my trusty Knit Picks circ so I could do the Magic Loop. I'm just so spoiled by this method of sock knitting...I want to enjoy DPNs more than ML, but to be honest, I just don't.

Here, for posterity are a few more UFOs...

Chevron Scarf
This is really a WIP, not a UFO, because I'm actively working on it.

Wow. It's really long. But it's not a bad knit. Just one of those projects you have to keep plugging away at, sometimes enjoying it more than others. The FO will be worth it, though. I love the way it feels when I scrunch it in my hands.

Tube Shawl from AlterKnits
Oh, Tube Shawl, you are kicking my arse.

Honestly, can you imagine knitting six feet of stocking stitch on US#8 circular needles with Kidsilk Haze? Agony! But I. Will. Finish. This. Project. (Can you tell my teeth are clenching?)

It's a lovely shawl, and I'll enjoy it for years. But I started it in 2005, when I was still a pretty inexperienced knitter. Now I know better. I also know you can't frog Kidsilk Haze (ask me how I know). So, onward and longward we shall go.

Grandma Six's Hand Spun Shawl
I started this shawl about a year ago, for Chris' grandma. She's the greatest, and we love her to pieces. I spun half the Finn top on Karida's Louet S10, and the other half on my Kromski Sonata (adore it!).

I'm using US#10 Addi Turbo circular needles, and knitting from the point upward. It's an easy pattern...

Grandma Six's Shawl
Yarn: Any kind. I spun up a worsted-weight singles for the shawl pictured above.
Gauge: Not important.
Needle: One or two sizes more than you'd usually use for the weight of yarn you chose. Experiment until you get a fabric you like, with plenty of drape.

Cast on 3 sts.
Row 1: K1, YO, K1, yo, K1.
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: K1, YO, K to next to last st, YO, K1.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until desired length and width.
Bind off LOOSELY.
Block as (or if!) desired.

Note: I don't claim that I invented this pattern. It's so simple and easy that it just kind of exists in the Collective Knitters' Consciousness. But I did think it might be a good idea to write it down, in case you're interested. Enjoy!

(And if you've received your Ravelry invitation, come see me: I'm "KnitSix." If you haven't, don't worry...you will get it soon, and I think you'll find it's worth the wait.)

Waving Lace Socks, Fab Sale Yarns, a Few UFOs, and a Free Shawl Pattern

On and off the needles...

Alpaca cowl (neckwarmer) made with Berroco Ultra Alpaca and some "real" 100% alpaca yarn I bought at MDSW last year:

This was a gift for my friend Elena. I hope it keeps her toasty and feels like a big hug every time she puts it on!

iPod cover made with Manos del Uruguay and Jaeger DK-weight cotton...
I know you've seen this already, but I like this picture better than the other. This is an easy project, and can be finished in about two hours total.

Plain old stocking-stitch socks made with Online summer weight sock yarn...
Currently on hold while I finish a pair of socks I'm giving as a gift.

Hope you all have a great weekend! My laptop battery's about to die, so I'll write more soon.

On and off the needles...

Feeling Pretty

Mmmmmm. Pretty colors...


I promise to talk about something else after this, but I just had to share my recent sock yarn madness. This is the stash accumulated, mostly, during the past month...Largely rewards for meeting a goal I set for myself :-)

The two "cakes" are Lorna's Laces Watercolors and Neighborhood Fiber Co. (NFC) Brightwood. The skeins, clockwise from the top are: Claudia Hand Painted Chocolate Cherry; Sundara Yarns' Cherry Blossoms; NFC's Brookland (teal and purple); a gorgeous cranberry-colored semi-solid from NFC (I forget the color's name!); and Claudia's Pink Dot.

And, to quote Basie, "once more once," before they head to the post office today--the oh-so-pretty Orchid Socks (AKA Simply Lovely Lace Socks in Koigu KPPPM)...complete with sewn-down picot edge.

Please be advised: These socks are meant for far smaller feet than mine! (As you can tell.)



Finally, because Maggie's been getting all the attention lately...

This is Katja, looking pretty and pensive. Despite her precious "Fancy Feast" appearance, she's actually a hellion--a wannabe barn cat. We love that about her.

Feeling Pretty