It’s a testament to how much else is going on right now that I actually forgot to post about my single proudest knitting accomplishment so far.

The pattern is Rock Island Shawl by Jared Flood, who’s probably my favorite knitwear designer at this point. (See also: this hat, this sweater.) The yarn is Tilli Tomas Voile de la Mer, which is 70% silk and 30% natural kelp fiber. I did not fully realize going in that choosing to knit my first major lace project in black silk was going to make things more difficult for me than they had to be… but really, why bother doing it if I’m not going to make it the way I want it? In the end, many small disasters later, it all worked out. And I’m thrilled with it!

A little something from Maine: enough Quince & Co. Osprey to make Idlewood. The colorway is called Honey. When I start dreaming of autumn, this is what I’ll be knitting.

A little something from Maine: enough Quince & Co. Osprey to make Idlewood. The colorway is called Honey. When I start dreaming of autumn, this is what I’ll be knitting.

Caitlin: MADDYYY HOW DOES THIS EVEN HAPPENMaddy: That’s what you get for knitting lace! CABLES 4EVA


Caitlin: MADDYYY HOW DOES THIS EVEN HAPPEN
Maddy: That’s what you get for knitting lace! CABLES 4EVA

Theory

My lace knitting might progress a lot faster if I didn’t stop every 30 seconds to admire it.

I can’t get enough silk these days. This is Storm Cloud Shawlette knit in Malabrigo Silky Merino (Plum Blossom). I finished blocking it just in time for the loveliest day of the year so far.

One of my (admittedly many) goals for this spring/summer is to get better at photography, so I’m proud to report that I took these pictures myself!

Here are some socks I really like. The pattern is Nutkin; the yarn is Cascade Heritage Paints in the colorway David’s Eyes. I wore them earlier this week on a cold, gray, “wintry mix” sort of day and they made it so much better. I have recently realized how very much I love hand knit socks. I feel like this is one of the landmarks on my personal path (descent?) into the knitting world; I used to be more skeptical. The payoff of socks comes slowly compared to most other projects of similar size (a pair of socks can easily take 20,000+ stitches), and is less immediately impressive (particularly to non-knitters, in my experience), lacking the size of a sweater and the quick gratification of accessories. Socks are practical, and you don’t get many opportunities to show them off in comparison to other projects. On top of that, while other knitted items have the potential to last many years or even become heirlooms, socks are expected to eventually wear out and be thrown away. I’ve found that the true payoff of sock knitting is very personal for me. I really, really love wearing them - I get far more regular use out of the few pairs I’ve knit than almost anything else I’ve made. They’ve introduced me to fun and useful techniques like short rows and grafting and a neat way to cast on for working toe-up. Their standard shaping means they lend themselves to easy experimentation: I anticipate that my first real forays into designing will involve socks. Some of the most gorgeous yarns I’ve ever seen are sock weight and I can buy on a whim knowing I’ll be able to use it (which I don’t typically do with other yarns). And, I guess, they make me feel like a Real Knitter, because what other kind of person would be spending her lunch break rhapsodizing about socks? Anyway. These are good. Other crafty stuff, since I haven’t posted in a bit: I’ve got my next pair of socks in progress now, along with a cabled sweater that I’m absolutely loving. I finished my mawata scarf but it’s not really worth posting pictures. It’s very small and wonky looking, but keeps me super warm under a coat with a high collar. I definitely intend to make these at some point… Boston locals: a brand new yarn and fabric shop, JP Knit & Stitch, is opening this Friday! I’m so excited to visit, and they say that they’re planning to have Knit Nights and knitting/sewing classes as well. The yarn shop nearest me in Brookline is a great store but I think it lacks a community feel, so I’m thrilled to have another place within walking distance that seems to prioritize that. I joined Sara’s new Tumblr project, bakingclub, and I baked the first assignment last week, though I haven’t posted yet. When I do I’ll link here. I know a bunch of other baking folks follow this, so check out the group if you could use some regular inspiration!

Here are some socks I really like. The pattern is Nutkin; the yarn is Cascade Heritage Paints in the colorway David’s Eyes. I wore them earlier this week on a cold, gray, “wintry mix” sort of day and they made it so much better.

I have recently realized how very much I love hand knit socks. I feel like this is one of the landmarks on my personal path (descent?) into the knitting world; I used to be more skeptical. The payoff of socks comes slowly compared to most other projects of similar size (a pair of socks can easily take 20,000+ stitches), and is less immediately impressive (particularly to non-knitters, in my experience), lacking the size of a sweater and the quick gratification of accessories. Socks are practical, and you don’t get many opportunities to show them off in comparison to other projects. On top of that, while other knitted items have the potential to last many years or even become heirlooms, socks are expected to eventually wear out and be thrown away.

I’ve found that the true payoff of sock knitting is very personal for me. I really, really love wearing them - I get far more regular use out of the few pairs I’ve knit than almost anything else I’ve made. They’ve introduced me to fun and useful techniques like short rows and grafting and a neat way to cast on for working toe-up. Their standard shaping means they lend themselves to easy experimentation: I anticipate that my first real forays into designing will involve socks. Some of the most gorgeous yarns I’ve ever seen are sock weight and I can buy on a whim knowing I’ll be able to use it (which I don’t typically do with other yarns). And, I guess, they make me feel like a Real Knitter, because what other kind of person would be spending her lunch break rhapsodizing about socks?

Anyway. These are good. Other crafty stuff, since I haven’t posted in a bit:

  • I’ve got my next pair of socks in progress now, along with a cabled sweater that I’m absolutely loving.
  • I finished my mawata scarf but it’s not really worth posting pictures. It’s very small and wonky looking, but keeps me super warm under a coat with a high collar. I definitely intend to make these at some point…
  • Boston locals: a brand new yarn and fabric shop, JP Knit & Stitch, is opening this Friday! I’m so excited to visit, and they say that they’re planning to have Knit Nights and knitting/sewing classes as well. The yarn shop nearest me in Brookline is a great store but I think it lacks a community feel, so I’m thrilled to have another place within walking distance that seems to prioritize that.
  • I joined Sara’s new Tumblr project, bakingclub, and I baked the first assignment last week, though I haven’t posted yet. When I do I’ll link here. I know a bunch of other baking folks follow this, so check out the group if you could use some regular inspiration!
Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I made this hat last weekend for Sara. She knits scarves and wanted to have a hat to match her latest project. It’s almost her birthday, so I said yes! I didn’t use a pattern for this, which makes me proud even though it’s about as simple as you can get. It’s nice to just know how to make a few basic things with nothing more than a little math. Side note: I made this photo my facebook picture, but I reversed it because I am neurotic and I thought it would look weird if my photo was facing away from comments I made. The next day, my mom said, “I saw your picture! If that’s the right side of your face, where’s your freckle?” MOMS KNOW ALL!

I made this hat last weekend for Sara. She knits scarves and wanted to have a hat to match her latest project. It’s almost her birthday, so I said yes!

I didn’t use a pattern for this, which makes me proud even though it’s about as simple as you can get. It’s nice to just know how to make a few basic things with nothing more than a little math.

Side note: I made this photo my facebook picture, but I reversed it because I am neurotic and I thought it would look weird if my photo was facing away from comments I made. The next day, my mom said, “I saw your picture! If that’s the right side of your face, where’s your freckle?” MOMS KNOW ALL!

There was a time when I didn’t know how to properly use my ball winder and I wound all my cakes of yarn into extremely tight messes. This is bad in general because the cakes get tangled inside and are then horribly annoying to knit with, but it’s especially bad for wool yarn because wool has a memory. This means that if it’s sitting with a lot of tension on it for a long period of time it will get stretched out, but after whatever you knit with it is washed, it will spring back to its former shape and your garment will suddenly be smaller. No good! (Part of the point of having a ball winder is to avoid this issue, since hand-wound balls can be pretty tense.) These days I have improved a great deal at winding yarn, but I still have some that I wound back in my unenlightened days. Tonight I used my swift to unwind this yarn (Malabrigo Sock in Solis) back into a hank, which is now soaking and will be hung up to dry, then re-wound into a proper cake. I thought it looked beautiful sitting in the sink.

There was a time when I didn’t know how to properly use my ball winder and I wound all my cakes of yarn into extremely tight messes. This is bad in general because the cakes get tangled inside and are then horribly annoying to knit with, but it’s especially bad for wool yarn because wool has a memory. This means that if it’s sitting with a lot of tension on it for a long period of time it will get stretched out, but after whatever you knit with it is washed, it will spring back to its former shape and your garment will suddenly be smaller. No good! (Part of the point of having a ball winder is to avoid this issue, since hand-wound balls can be pretty tense.)

These days I have improved a great deal at winding yarn, but I still have some that I wound back in my unenlightened days. Tonight I used my swift to unwind this yarn (Malabrigo Sock in Solis) back into a hank, which is now soaking and will be hung up to dry, then re-wound into a proper cake. I thought it looked beautiful sitting in the sink.

Naturally, as soon as I managed to wind a bobbin and thread my sewing machine the other day, I had to find some scrap fabric and try it out. Trying to line this bag was apparently a little ambitious and it’s far from perfect, but it’s a first try I’m happy with, and more importantly I’m getting a feel for my machine. (I’m even more happy about the knitting project inside, which is aaaalmost finished!)

Naturally, as soon as I managed to wind a bobbin and thread my sewing machine the other day, I had to find some scrap fabric and try it out. Trying to line this bag was apparently a little ambitious and it’s far from perfect, but it’s a first try I’m happy with, and more importantly I’m getting a feel for my machine.

(I’m even more happy about the knitting project inside, which is aaaalmost finished!)