My Adventures in Knitting, truly my Yarn-escape!

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Apple Pie and Will's Hat





     I'm going to keep this short because there's an apple pie to bake and other Thanksgiving preparations.  This year I need to figure out a Gluten-Free version to an apple pie for my husband's sake; which is a bummer since I do make an awesome pie with a Pate Brisee recipe handed down from my Mom.  She added a Tbl. of apple cider vinegar and used a Tbl. sugar (the real trick is to handle it quickly and lightly and use cold butter and chill afterward).  So I'll try the same recipe with rice flour.  My Mom's apple pie was always amazing, a Tbl. of cinnamon being a trick and dotted butter on the top under the crust.  Since GF crust will not handle well with a rolled-out top I'm going to try Chocolate Covered Katie's Apple Pie topping, it should be good.

     


     As for knitting, I'm making progress on Will's Hat - "A Zappy Tall Hat for Will" in Malabrigo Rios, color Volcan.  The brim came out beautifully with a simple 2 x 2 rib.  And the stitch is easy to memorize.  It should finish up quickly.  I just need to estimate how long the bind off is, so I can get around an 11" length and have some leftover yarn for a good pom-pom.




     I'm still reading The Golden Hour and still loving and savoring it.




Come on by and check out our Ravelry group Ravelry Resistance Knitters where we do Craftivism to help make a change and/or simply to help!




     We are currently doing Hats, Cowls, and Scarves for Asylum Seekers in Asylum Cities in the Northeast, but also some hats have been delivered across the border to Migrants by some courageous people.  All of our creations are sent to a private address of the head of Suenos Sin Fronteras, a relief organization.  She is a knitter herself and a member of our group and lovingly distributes our creations.  An incredibly direct approach to helping the Migrants.




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Wednesday, November 20, 2019

A Zappy Tall Hat for Will




     I've just started a hat for my future son-in-law Will for Christmas.  What better way to gift to a future member of the family but knit something useful?  After all most appreciate a warm head, especially a Southern guy transplanted to Upstate New York where I know from experience it is terrifyingly cold!  So I went with many questions to ascertain what he'd like.  No guessing here and making him live with a future mother-in-law monstrosity to be hidden in the back of the closet!


© Kelbourne Woolens

       The hat request was something tall, you know that sporty look with a large pom pom on top.  I found the September Hat, which seems so perfect.  I'm going to make it a little longer.  He wants it 11 inches long.  The September Hat is a part of a year-long parade of free hats from Kelbourne Woolens (Year of Hats).

All Free Patterns!

      I've ripped it out several times trying to get Will's size head, 23 3/8's.  The first time following instructions seemed too tight for my 23" head and stiff, and I'm using # 7 needles.  While the design in the brim is so beautiful it made the brim stiffer and tighter than I liked.  So the second time I cast on 5 more stitches and did a 1 x 1 rib.  Softer with this rib, but too big now that I changed stitches.  When I got far enough to put on waste yarn it seemed too loose.  So the fancy rib pattern also made the brim tighter.  So, I'm back to 100 stitches on my needle and I'm trying a K2 X P2 rib which gives me an even amount of stitches on the needles.  I think this will do the trick.  After all my hat, The Simple Hat starts with 100 stitches on #7's to get a good fit for 23', so I ought to be good.




     Will requested Fall colors, browns, orange, red.  I love Malabrigo and found a color called Volcan.  A perfect choice of yarn in worsted, Rios.  Soft.  And I love the play of warm colors.  I hand wrapped the ball of Malabrigo Rios Yarn in Volcan from its hank and enjoyed the process of really looking at the colors.  Oranges, brown shaded in, subtle russets and red and a logan green.  Really warm and the simple pattern should display the yarn well.






     With my husband, I started Timeline by Michael Creighton on Audio.  My eldest Elisabeth had just finished it and said it was good.  We've both read the book (and seen the movie) but it's been decades and so far it's tremendous fun to do an audio book with my husband.  An adventure for sure, since he's almost deaf, but with new hearing aids he seems to be hearing it just fine.  And more knitting time for me!


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Thursday, November 7, 2019

When Knitting Is Your Place of Peace





     When life gets complicated and stress and disappointments arise knitting is my refuge.  It's a steadying point.  A place where I feel no matter what that I've returned home and I settle inside and find peace.  Daily adding to my Quick & Thick Scarf.  An easy knit, mindless and satisfyingly fast (even if I'm too busy to knit a lot, I see results).  It's free on Ravelry.




Come on by to our knitting group on Ravelry

 Ravelry Resistance Knitters.

We are currently working on a KAL for Cowls & Scarves for Asylum Seekers!!!


Contests for those that post they are in the KAL! First drawing Saturday, November  8th.

We have a direct connection to the head of Suenos Sin Fronteras who will personally see our knitted creations get to Asylum Seekers in Northeast Asylum Cities.  Brrr, it's getting cold, please remember our newest arrivals with kindness and ways to get them warm in body, soul, and heart!


     



     Still reading The Golden Hour, which I got through the Book of the Month club.  It's a really great book and being in BOTM has opened up so many books and authors, and genres I would of not normally know about and read. 




     At nights in bed and during my break at work I read "The Music Shop" on my kindle.  It's such a beautiful book.  Really nice to savor.  I love the words, the descriptions of music.  I just wished that I knew more about music and recognized all the musicians and musical pieces, but it's an inspiration to learn.  The story revolves around a music shop down a worn-down street in a city where all the shops are closing down.  Frank the music store owner only sells vinyl records, even in the face of new CDs.  He has the gift of selecting music for people and their emotional needs, but he is alone.  Then one day a mysterious woman walks in, who never listens to music, and Frank embarks on teaching her.  Very sweet and an amazing book.  Relishing it one chapter at a time.



Come Join Us at Unraveled Wednesday

On a Thursday!




 




Friday, November 1, 2019

Quick & Thick Scarf

   


Thick & Quick Scarf

Pattern link at bottom
Ravelry Pattern - Quick & Thick Scarf


     It’s Colorado and the snow is falling in October! Great inspiration for a white woolly scarf.  That’s how this scarf started this week. I’ve adapted a simpler version of the Fisherman’s Rib called the Half Fisherman’s Rib. Essentially the original stitch produces a very thick, too thick scarf and after brainstorming a bit I thought certainly one can do a rib on one side and reduce the bulk? Turned out perfect! And then I found this less know stitch had a name. More details on the Half Fisherman’s Rib - How to knit the half Fisherman’s rib and Knit Below One (YouTube). It’s super simple and makes the knitting go so much faster than the original Fisherman’s Rib.  Pictures of this stitch say there’s a difference to the two sides, I can’t really see it. Both are beautiful to me.





  I’ve done this scarf up in Lion’s Wool-Ease Thick & Quick but I imagine it would be lovely if done in pure soft wool. Please share your experiences with this pattern on Ravelry.  The length is up to you! A manly short scarf or a really long one to wrap several times around your head. I really think this is a winner scarf and bound to make some lovely gifts during the holidays.


Pattern Link - Quick & Thick Scarf