Meet Dijon. These are my favorite handwarmers yet. It’s my recent chunky pattern, modified a bit for even bulkier yarn, made with 100% organic cotton and after blocking they just became soft as butter. I would’ve had a hard time giving these away except they were my very first knitting sale! My beautiful friend Erikka wanted to buy a pair and then a few days later I sold a second identical pair to a friend across the country. I definitely need to work on a pricing structure and more than anything I need to find the most cost effective shipping option. I was blown away by how much it cost to ship something from WA to SC and will need to take that into account with any future long-distance sales. But any way I look at it, it makes me smile just knowing that there are folks thousands of miles away from me wearing something I put my heart and time into.

The blush pink handwarmers that I made for myself a few months back are so great, but every time I make a new pair with thumbs I keep thinking I should add some thumbs onto mine. The thumbs really make a huge difference in warmth. Any tips for adding thumbs onto the bound-off edge after the fact? I really don’t want it to look like some kind of frankenstein knitting job.

I had a vision of these handwarmers when I was initially looking through patterns a while back, but never could find exactly these handwarmers. I found a simple pattern as a starting point and made modifications until they became just the pair I was looking for. I start a new job tomorrow and will likely be busy for the next few weeks, but plan to type up the pattern soon so I can share it here (and on Ravelry).

Pattern: My own – will post soon!
Yarn: Lion Brand Nature’s Choice Organic Cotton in Mustard

My granny requested some gray handwarmers to match a gray scarf she had just recently gotten. I wanted to make them really soft for her, so I chose Cascade Yarns Baby Alpaca Chunky in gray. I love the way these turned out!

I stuck with the same pattern I’ve been using for handwarmers lately and I love the longer cuff to keep your wrists warm and the added thumbs. I’m probably going to end up adding some thumbs onto my dreamy blush handwarmers because it makes a big difference in warmth.

Here’s a pic of me and Granny from a few years ago…

She is an amazing woman. She’s hilarious and has tons of southern and old timey sayings – plus some I think she just made up. “Bull corn”, “jesus h. christ”, and “gall ding” are just a few that come to mind. My favorite memories of her involve our “super sundays” at her house, swimming in the pool, eating summer sausage and cheese. And I love spending time just talking with her. So just like with my other granny, if she wants me to knit something for her then of course I’m more than happy to! She has made probably 100 blankets in her lifetime for all of us. What’s a few hours to knit some handwarmers to keep those sweet hands warm this winter.

***Intrigued by my backdrop fabric?  Malformed horses and dogs…you must be intrigued. I have a non-knitting project in the works and I’ll be sure to share it with you when it’s finished!

Growing up, my granny used to crochet blanket after blanket for us kids. I think we had at least 10-15 blankets and afghans in the house made by her. There was a chevron afghan I especially loved. It was totally 70′s/80′s colors – browns, tans, yellows, oranges. I think my mom still has it tucked away somewhere.

Granny taught me to crochet when I was a little girl, and I think that sparked some creativity and craftiness in me that has only grown since. I really don’t know if I would have learned the craft if she had not taught me – and that is what ultimately put me on the path that led me to knitting. I am so thankful for the gift she gave me.

So when granny recently mentioned that she’d love a hat – specifically a green hat – I pretty much dropped what I was doing to start one for her. If granny wants a hat, granny gets a hat. It is the very least I can do after all she has given me.

That’s me and granny back in 1985 (or 86 ?). One of my favorite photos ever. Thank you Olan Mills.

I chose the Close Knit Waffle Hat by Leah Bandstra, and it was a very simple, quick knit that still has some personality and texture. I also love the heathered green Cascade 128 I conveniently had on hand for this. This could be a great go-to hat pattern if you needed a quick gift. One modification I would make is to add at least 1 extra repeat of the waffle pattern because it’s just a tad bit on the small side. But maybe I just have a big head.

It’s rainy and cold outside, so I think it’s about time I make my other granny’s famous “homemade soup”. I’m about to cast on some handwarmers for her in a super soft gray. It seems this is the month of knitting for the grandparents

Pattern: Waffle Hat by Leah Bandstra

Yarn: Cascade 128 Superwash in Shire

I love fall! The colors are amazing, the temperature is perfect for wearing cozy socks and sweaters, and it’s the season for some of my favorite foods and drinks – spiced apple cider, eggnog, stews, pumpkin bread – you get the picture. It’s also the time of year when knitting kicks into full gear. I’ve been staying very busy in my limited amount of knitting time. I recently finished the Kami Hat, Dimple Hat (PurlSoho), and so far I’m up to 70% of a pair of handwarmers for a friend, and about 30% of a cowl.

The dimple hat turned out lovely and it is a gift for my mom’s birthday. I think she’s going to love it. I’ve recently become obsessed with Cascade 128 Superwash and have purchased about 6 colors. It’s so soft and the colors are beautiful. I’m using it for the new brown handwarmers, the cowl, and the next few things I decide to make. I think this will be a year of handwarmers since they are relatively quick and very easy to make; they make excellent gifts. Who wouldn’t want a pair of soft mitts to keep their hands warm? I realize they are not as warm as full gloves, but I also get frustrated when I can’t use my iPod without taking them off, so they work out very well for me.

Pattern: Dimple Hat, by Purl Soho

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in Summer Sky

A little instagram preview of the dimple hat I’m working on for mom.

I’ve had one screw-up so far… I knit a whole extra round because I forgot to note where I left off when I realized I was burning dinner and put it down suddenly. When I picked it up again I re-knit that last round on accident. So far it doesn’t seem like it will be very noticeable. Really enjoying this dimple stitch. About 1/3 finished. Started on a new cowl today too, more on that later.

Fall is definitely the busy season for knitters. There are those that knit continuously throughout the year and those that lay down the needles in summer to spend time on other hobbies, but I think we can agree that fall/winter is the busiest time for knitters. Gifts to make, hands & toes & necks to keep warm, boredom to survive while you’re stuck inside during crappy weather.

I’m one of those people that just can’t keep up my knitting rhythm in summer because I’m too busy, but I’m officially back at it 100% in the last month or so. I finished the dreamy cowl and handwarmers. Then I finished the Kami hat (which I have yet to photograph). I’m hard at work on a hat for my mom’s birthday. Last night I finished 1 gray handwarmer for my granny only to find it too small (no pattern, just making it up as I go and miscalculated the size) so I frogged it. I have so many patterns lined up to cast on…but The Purl Bee has gone and done it again. They keep posting patterns that are too cute not to knit and my queue is overloaded.

Today they shared the Bandana Cowl pattern and I think they read my mind. I’m fixated on cowls right now and went through a phase where I longed to wear a bandana every day but since I only have one old worn out one it made me look a little sloppy/trashy. This knitted bandana cowl looks classy, warm, soft and I must make one. The only downside is that I don’t have a US 10.5 circular (only dpns) so I’d have to go out and buy something. I keep choosing patterns that I don’t have needles for so my needle collection is growing wildly and my wallet is dwindling. I should slow down a little on the knitting spending. I’ve already spent an ungodly amount of money on yarn/needles this year. Knitting can sometimes be an expensive craft…but isn’t this cowl great?!

photo ©Purl Soho

What are you working on? What are you daydreaming about starting next? Happy knitting!

I started my first hat last weekend. I haven’t historically worn hats very often, but since Seattle is a bit colder than southern Georgia I think I may need to add some to my wardrobe. At least knitting one myself gives me plenty of options as far as the look and fit goes. I searched Ravelry for hours favoriting and queueing all the cute hats I saw, but I didn’t really love any of them. Super fancy and detailed with cables or pompoms just isn’t my thing. I like simple and to the point, but with a hint of creativity or a unique feature to make it stand out a little.

Then I found the Kami Hat by Katie Schumm and I fell in love.

It’s very simple but has just enough detail to make it interesting. Plus it’s reversible. I’m at the point where I need to decide soon if I’m going to start the decreases early. I don’t know if I’m ready for a slouchy hat. Although this pattern isn’t a very slouchy hat – just slightly – but that still might be too much. But I suppose I won’t know until I try slouchy sometime. I’m excited to see how this turns out. I happened upon this yarn while perusing the aisles of JoAnn and it is just the color I was looking for so I thought I’d try it. It’s not my favorite yarn ever and has this strange characteristic of feeling soft and scratchy at the same time, but I think it will do fine for a hat.

I’m still trying to figure out the technical reason so I can avoid it in the future, but for some reason my photo-heavy posts don’t show up in my RSS feed. Here’s a link to the post on my latest FOs, dreamy blush cowl and handwarmers to match. I hope you enjoy!

Finally! The dreamy blush cowl is finished and I had leftover super soft yarn so I decided to make some matching handwarmers. The yarn is SO soft and was pretty darn cheap, it still makes me wish there were more “baby yarns” in non-baby colors. I’d buy this yarn in EVERY color if they weren’t pastel purple, blue and green. It’s Patons Beehive Baby Chunky and the colorway Bigger Beige is what I used for this project. In the aisle of baby yarns it stood out as a classy, subtle, soft color and I’m very happy with it.

The cowl took 5 months to finish, but only because I put it down for a long time over the summer. Once I picked it back up I finished the second half in pretty much one weekend. The only mod I made was I CO 170 instead of 220 because of the chunkier yarn and US10 needle. I wish it were a little longer so if I were to do it over again I might CO 200 or so, but I can still double it up on my neck without choking myself so I’m thrilled.

For the handwarmers, I thought I was doing myself a big favor by using up the rest of the yarn so I wouldn’t have any leftovers to clutter my small apartment. Well, I miscalculated and ended up finishing 1.5 handwarmers before the yarn ran out. I was already determined to finish them so I had to go buy a new ball of yarn to finish. Now I have more leftovers. At least I love this yarn. Any suggestions on what I should make with the rest?

My boyfriend and I took a bike ride down to Seward Park for this little photo shoot and even though it was hot outside and I was wearing handwarmers and a cowl, it was a blast! I’m glad he goes along with my knitting photo adventures.

This is the first thing I have knitted for myself and I think it’s pretty dreamy.

Patterns:
Honey Cowl, by Madeline Tosh.
75 Yard Malabrigo Fingerless Mitts, by Jeanne Stevenson

Yarn: Patons Beehive Baby Chunky in Bigger Beige

Happy Knitting!

The weather is getting cooler (a little) and I’m ready to get back in the knitting game. I think I might have too many WIP. Not sure where to start!

1. Stripey Handwarmers. I love these (even though the thumbhole is too tight on the finished mitt) and will definitely finish them, but I got burnt out on them and had to put it down for a while. Time to get back in business so I can finish them as a christmas gift.

2. Plaid Friendship Bracelet for Boyfriend. He challenged me to make a plaid friendship bracelet and damnit I was going to show him I could do it! Obviously I know how to do it now so actually finishing it has become less important somehow. But I told him I would so I will and that is that. Then the true test will be whether or not he wears it

3. Endpaper Mitts. These poor neglected mitts. I was so excited to start them, and even spent a while researching to learn how to master the Italian tubular cast-on. I started over several times to get it just right. And then shoved the whole thing in a drawer. For like a year. They are very cute and I was inspired by all the projects on Ravelry so I know I will finish them eventually. Have you made these? Please talk me into finishing them soon!

4. Dreamy Blush Cowl. I am really in love with this cowl, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it will be too short. I cast on 170 instead of 220 because of the thicker yarn and larger gauge needle…but I think I way overdid it. It is likely going to be too short and a gift to a tiny friend. But them I will need to make another for myself because the yarn is to-die-for soft! Plus the color is pretty and I was looking forward to it complimenting my fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. Sometimes I like to have subdued or neutral accessories rather than bold and intensely colorful. They tend to be overpowering on a “pale face” like me.

5. Washcloths. Ha! This set of 3 washcloths as a housewarming gift to myself are only 33% and I’ve been in my apartment for 6 months now. I think part of the reason that I’m stalling on this is that I know, deep down, that it will be hard to actually use them once they are finished. I know myself, and I know that I will say “oh no, don’t use the pretty washcloth on your face! use this old one”. So with that thought/prediction in the back of my mind I have delayed washcloth #2 and 3 indefinitely.

That is a lot of WIP for me. I don’t have a lot of room for stuff in my apartment, especially not balls of yarn and unfinished projects so I really need to get going on these and get them out of here. Not sure which one I will finish first…perhaps the cowl. This has been a busy summer and I am a little sad, but not surprised, that I didn’t do much knitting. Crocheting was always a fall/winter-only hobby for me and knitting turns out to be the same. I am enjoying my summer here in Washington and would tell anyone who has never been to the Seattle area to visit if you get the chance. Especially if you like the outdoors and hiking, water, etc. This region of the country is so beautiful, green, and full of things to do all year! One of the highlights for me this year was visiting Mt. Rainier National Park with my mom and sister. Spectacular place.

We also recently hiked Bat Caves/Oyster Dome in Bellingham.

I’ve been out and about on some fun adventures, but still love my couch time at home. It is especially enjoyable thanks to this gorgeous view from my apartment…

What have you been up to this summer, knitting or otherwise? I hope to actually have a FO for you soon.