wip: skiff hat.

47114558152_62147bc729_c

I finally cast on (and finished!) the Skiff Hat. I used Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, as the pattern calls for, in the artifact color way. It’s a deep forest green and I love it.

Since finishing, I haven’t yet snapped it or worn it because I wonder if it’s too large for my head. Does it overtake me? Anyone else knit this and experience that? I did the watchcap version, not the beanie.

No pom for me, on this one. And I also went down two needle sizes, per some of the recommendations on ravelry, and I can’t imagine how off my gauge would have been if I knit this with the size needles the pattern suggested. The tubular cast on for this pattern was beautiful, too.

Finished snaps, soon.

wip: snoqualmie cardigan.

46443156644_c07bc256a2_c

It’s been slow going, for some reason, on my Snoqualmie Cardigan by Michelle Wang. I’ve found even though the cables are easy to memorize and not technically difficult, if I can’t concentrate, I make silly errors, or my brain can’t memorize the sequence I’m on. Maybe it’s just where I’m at right now; so despite casting on awhile ago, I’m still working on the back section.

Sigh.

46949786051_fd3d1bac1d_c

I will make progress in the coming weeks; I have to set this goal for myself.

Here are some progress shots of where I am at. I haven’t made enough of a dent in this project to know whether I’ll actually like the finished project.

46252479065_c2d26b6323_c

More to come, hopefully, on this one, in the next few weeks.

swatch: snoqualmie cardigan.

46949786141_83e326ccba_c

I finally did it. In 2019, I swatched. I swatched this gorgeous baby for my Snoqualmie Cardigan by Michelle Wang (who is a genius, imho), which has been on my list to knit forever.

And in 2019, one of my knitting goals was to swatch. And to swatch regularly for sweaters. I’m so bad about this; and I’m thrilled to be turning over a new leaf to less giving it up to chance and more the perfect fit.

This sweater is slow going because I haven’t had time to concentrate on it. But, it will get some love this weekend, I think.

I’m knitting it in Quince and Co. Osprey in the audouin color; I saw others knit it up with this yarn and I loved the drape on their garments.

Fingers crossed this seamed, robust cabled cardigan is everything I hope for this year.

snapshot: knitting journal entries.

46572358371_10a6f0949b_c

These are some winter entries in my knitting journal. A few hats–one I gifted myself, and one I gifted to a colleague with a toddler.

I knit these both in December and loved each one of them. If you don’t know about how I keep track of my makes, check out more snaps from my knitting journal here.

f.o.: galloway hat.

45848527314_455f74a7f4_c
This hat! What a dream to knit. I bought a kit to make it from Brooklyn Tweed because I liked the idea of having just the right amount of yarn for the pattern, but I ended up having some extra of the main color way because I didn’t add a pom pom.

This is a fine detail color work hat but it’s super quick to knit and comes out looking fancier than the work reflects. I gifted this one to a colleague for the holidays and I think it was a hit.

The hat is knit with the gorgeous and amazing to work with Peerie Yarn, the newest line from Brooklyn Tweed. My kit was for the “Thatch” color theme–Burnished, Sea glass, Lovat and Humpback. I have a second kit for the same hat in a different color theme awaiting my needles.

f.o.: resist hat #4.

32008801737_707f92e460_cThis one is my best yet. I think my tension was really spot on and this hat shines if you actually knit it up using the suggested yarn–Quince and Co. Finch. This one used sabine as the main color and canvas as the contrasting. The dark and light really pop! so this one, I’m keeping it for myself.

Pattern is Mild Woman’s Resist Hat. See more of my Resist hats here.

f.o.: the doc’s new striped socks.

32698765958_6f6228e233_cThese were socks I knot for the doc for his Christmas gift. Readers of the blog know how much he loves hand knit socks and I have to churn out a few pairs a year to add to his collection.

These are a simple after-thought heel sock knit using Nomadic Yarns self-striping sock yarn in the Sharknado colorway. Boy, it pops.

See more of my socks here.

wip | (yet another) resist hat.

45482613524_1557e9bb57_c

I love these Resist hats. I’ve knit four of them already–so why not a fifth? This one is knit using Quince and Co. Finch in sabine for the main color and canvas for the contrasting.

This hat knits up really quick, so if you’re looking for some handmade holiday items as we wind down, this one is it. This is the first time I’ve used Finch for this hat–and it’s so worth it; the Resist is much stronger, clearer, and more dynamic and I think it’s the yarn choice.

See more of my Resist hats, here.

 

bake | copycat levain chocolate chip walnut cookies.

31267644837_65db7aa65c_c

I did it. I went to Levain when the doc and I were in NYC this past October, and I ate one of their monster chocolate chip walnut cookies that tastes bready, almost, its so dense.

And then I went home and managed to recreate them in my own kitchen. I decided the keys were: very cold butter mixed with sugar, a dab of cornstarch, and a bit of cake flour. No vanilla. My process was very close to this one.

They were magical. I wouldn’t want these as a replacement to my own, silver dollar sized and so soft mini chip cookies, but I’d add these into rotation every now and again. It was a great experiment in the kitchen; one that paid in dividends.

reading sketchbook |eleanor.

45795920861_79b279bc65_c

I read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman about a month and a half back–I actually listened to it and the reader’s voices were incredible. The Scottish brogues really brought this story to life in ways I wouldn’t have experienced if I simply read the book.

I’m featuring this entry in my Reading Sketchbook because, for the first time in a good while, this was a read I just simply didn’t want to end.

What are you reading? What should I put on my To Be Read list?

More from my reading sketchbook here.

yarn | o-wool.

45293948625_8d9ff45e87_c

I’m really excited about this bundle of O-Wool O-wash organic merino wool in the brown bear color way, which looks slightly black and slightly brown and slightly forest green. It’s downright gorgeous.

This will be my first time knitting with O-Wool; it will likely become a Flax sweater for my partner, Sean.

Stay tuned.