Somehow being productive makes me feel more relaxed, knowing things are being accomplished.

Taxes.  Studying.  Knitting.

Puttering around on a nice spring (finally!) day.

I have become obsessed with socks!!!

In the last month or so I’ve knit 4 pairs (and am planning on a lot more this year):

This pattern is lovely and surely these will be done again!

for: mom

pattern: Kai-Mei . Cookie A . Sock Innovation

yarn: fuchsia . Heritage Solids . Cascade

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These are great, but honestly I picked them for the pattern name – probably won’t make another pair of knit-purl-patterned socks for a while.  I converted them to toe-up with a heel flap because the last pair I made from the other skein of this yarn used a little over one skein and I didn’t want to run out.  These were attempted two-at a time on one circular, but it was so curly that it went quite slow.  I finished them on the trip away from home and had to mail them back.

for: dad

pattern: Math Wiz . Anne Hanson . Knitspot

yarn: chimney sweep . Pearl . Woolen Rabbit

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These aren’t exactly socks, but my mom wanted something to keep her ankles warm.

for: mom

pattern: mine (k2p2 rib)

yarn: charcoal . 128 Chunky . Cascade

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This is my pattern, using a basic toe.  I wanted to find a way to use gradient yarn without ruining the color progression at the heel.  Still working on the numbers but am pretty happy with the idea and hopefully I can publish a pattern some time soon.

for: me

pattern: mine

yarn: Silk Garden . Noro

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Just because!  The yarn is so fun and I think this is my go-to pattern for socks from now on.

for: me

pattern: Toe Ups For All! . Sivia Harding . Sivia Harding Knit Design

yarn: spring tide confetti . Merino 370 . Julie Spins

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Every year he gets a scarf.

Sealed with a kiss.

pattern: mine as follows

• provisionally cast on 60 stitches leaving a long tail (varies based on yarn, gauge, taste etc.)
• knit in the round until desired length
• graft both ends shut, being careful to match the beginning of the round

yarn: charcoal . Ultra Alpaca . Berrocco

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Having an extra skein from this, I gave back and knit my benefactor a hat.

At the end I used a little of the original swatch to finish.

pattern: mine, following this recipe more or less

• cast on 120 stitches (or number to fit head – check your gauge, etc. etc.)
• k1p1 ribbing for an inch
• 1 round k
• 1 round k1p1
• repeat previous 2 rows until appropriate length
• centered double decreases 6 times each knit round

yarn: ink . Merino Worsted . Shibui Knits

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For my birthday I received two skeins of lovely yarn – I can’t believe someone ventured into Gather Here…

I somehow* ended up with 5 skeins of this now-discontinued yarn.  This took about 4 not including the swatch.

Had been dreaming of a vest for a while… this is Wellfleet without the arms. The pattern was easy to modify and the collar closure is so ingenious!

Every time I wear it, it’s like getting a hug.

*either my wheedling to make something extra-special, or his uber-generosity

pattern: Wellfleet . Cecily Glowik MacDonald . Winged Knits

yarn: ink . Merino Worsted . Shibui Knits

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A little confection for the new baby of a friend – it’s tiny, but completed within a week of the baby’s birth, so I hope she got a little use out of  it.

The momma and I love blue, even for little girls.

pattern: mine (to be written up one day)

yarn: natural & turquoise . Silky Merino . Malabrigo

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A little pouch for my hard drive – I’d intended to make four but really it was just too dull.  Maybe someday.

pattern: my own, change the numbers to fit your device and gauge.

1. cast on 7 stitches provisionally (or number for thickness of drive)
2. knit in reverse stockinette for 21 rows (or depth of drive)
3. pick up stitches along sides of strip, provisional cast-on, and other side
4. knit in the round, in stockinette for the front and back, reverse stockinette for the sides
5. cast-off loosely
6. slight negative ease preferred

yarn:  charcoal . baby merino . abuelita

It’s been such a long time…  The new job has been so busy, and given the choice I’ve spent a lot of time making and much less recording.

This is the Manu sweater by Kate Davies.  In the original form not something that I could ever wear.  But the neckline is so beautiful and then I saw this version by Ceylangul and had to make a try.

Lesson learned through the attempt: SWATCH!

I just wanted to cast on and knit it all up right away in an a-line version and all of this conspired to make an unflattering sweater if there ever was one.  The yarn is from my local yarn shop Gather Here (yes – I now have two local yarn shops, the other being Windsor Button near my work.)

There are so many things wrong with both how I envisioned the project and the execution…  It just doesn’t do justice.

pattern: (loosely based on) Manu . Kate Davies . Needled

yarn: walnut heather . 220 Sport . Cascade

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As an architect, I just had to get a skein of yarn from The Uncommon Thread in the colorway Blueprint!  I even got to knit a few rounds at my new job, around 2 in the morning when I was waiting for files to export…

I knit these toe-up two-at-a-time on one long circular, though the two balls of yarn did cause a bit of trouble getting out of the subway when they got away from me.  And once the needle bounced up and poked me in the eye.

But they are my first socks for me, and I am pretty pleased.

The pattern is with a heel flap, which seems unusual for toe-up socks.  They’re great as a basic recipe, and I can imagine adding a pattern the next time.

pattern: Toe Ups For All! . Sivia Harding . Sivia Harding Knit Design

yarn: Blueprint . Organic Merino Fingering . The Uncommon Thread

I picked up a skein of the most beautiful blue yarn from Klose Knit, a lovely yarn store with a great selection.

Of course, trying to stash-down, I had to cast on immediately.  And knit double-stranded.

This hat is super-cute, but having not had a hair cut in three months, the modeled photos were not very flattering…  I so hope with the new do it looks okay.

Still waiting on the perfect buttons.

pattern: Little Things . Veera Välimäki . Rain Knitwear Designs

yarn: Continental . Lace . Malabrigo