Outlander Socks, Mittens and More Mittens!

So....it would work out that Camden has the first pair of Outlander socks, right???  That's a darn shame - something I will need to rectify at some point (maybe in a couple years, aha!).

I don't know WHY I had to make them for her, but it worked out that way - something about not liking the pooling on size 00 needles with 60 or 64 stitches...or maybe I'd tried 000 needles and hadn't like the pooling.  I can't recall at ALL, as I knit them between August and September, but I LOVE them, even though Camden is the one to enjoy them on her feet!

I just knit a vanilla sock, 56 stitches and size 00 needles, using lovely Voolenvine yarn (dyed by Kristin of the Yarngasm podcast!) on the Lush base, which she no longer carries, as she has a new version of MCN, not as high-twist.  The color is her signature Outlander colorway, and it really is so pretty, though the photos don't do it justice, of course.

I am still trying to decide how to fine-tune my sock knitting.  I have gone up from using 000 needles at this point, which is fine, but my row gauge is still pretty tight, though I love the fabric I am getting.  You can see above, also, that I did knit ribbing at the lower cuff/behind the ankle, as I like how it cinches in a bit.  I knit my heel flaps pretty long, but it is a SQUEEZE to get them up over Camden's instep.  Her last three pairs have been this way, and I don't think knitting a mile-long heel flap is the permanent answer, LOL.  They fit great, when on, so, who knows.  She wears a size 1.5 shoe at this point, and she can still squeeze into her awesome green Hue Loco socks and her pink Cyborg's Craft Room socks, though I think we're retiring the pink socks...for the first time, I accidentally machine-washed a sock (because SOME children I know leave their socks all over their beds), and it did shrink up a tiny bit, so, I need to machine-wash the other so they are the same - then squirrel them away.

As for my next two projects, they are just wee pairs of mittens for Camden and Tiberius!  I made sure to use stash scraps or whatnot.  Pictured below is what the purple yarn was used for the first time (and which is now stored away in a bag somewhere, aha).  And below that is Tiberius's Bad Bunny (I didn't use actual Gnome Acres Bad Bunny yarn, but this was close enough, and I again realize I never took any great photos of the poor bunny, as with a certain book report dress).  Anyway, I use the Stars or Stripes mitten pattern, and it has worked well for me so far!  I tend to like cuffs super long, as they are then tucked nicely away under coats and shirts, keeping their wrists warm!  I will say that because of how densely I knit them, Tiberius's pair came out with non-ideal pooling, so, I really should have sized up a needle.  I used 1.5s and 2.5s on his pair - and maybe Camden's, too.  I have a feeling I'll have to re-knit mittens for Tiberius before this winter is out.  At least they're quick!

And...days in the life!

Someone doesn't want to bring a hat or shawl, so, he steals my things...

Ahahaha!!!!

Jotting down the 12 uses of dragon's blood.  Of course.

Yes, Socks Receive Their Own Blog Post

Though socks for a child are but wee, I felt that since I knit two pairs for Camden this year (well, over the past 8 months), they get their own blog post.

I used quite lovely yarn on both pairs, which makes it totally worth it ;)

I finished the pink pair way back in June (project page)...and they were slightly long, which I planned for...and they still are - oops!  The yarn is Cyborg's Craftroom in the Assockilate base, and the color is Unicorn Rainbow Fight.  They knit up beautifully, and I kept wanting to stare at them - and the other pair - while taking photos, aha!

Here is my thing with socks:  they are tricky in that, to get gauge, I originally had to go down to a size 000 needle, and I either use metal DPNs or my Karbonz DPNs (I buy the Karbonz from Handome Fibers - you NEED to order from them!!!  They are always so fast!).  BUT...I started tensioning my yarn a bit, because of my loose gauge, and I now wonder if it's just too much.  For example, you can see that ON, the socks fit super well, but they ARE snug to get up over the gusset (and I always knit a gusset and heel flap)...even though I knit my heel flap several rows longer, to accommodate for my crazy tight row gauge.  I don't necessarily want to move back up to a size 00 needle, but I am wondering if I should give that a try on the next pair of socks for one of the kids.  I love the final product in a 000, so, I'm not sure what to do.  I wonder if maybe picking up even more gusset stitches would help.  Hmmm....

For both pairs, I used the same pattern I always use for stockinette socks (paper copy, by the way!) - the Easy Lightweight Sock Pattern by Knitting Pure and Simple.  It is pattern #245.  I use the adult version for my socks, clearly, which is a different number.  One detail to note is that I used to kitchener toes closed, but I honestly have been finding I like the fit of the gathered toe better.  I also DO like to try out different toes on socks for myself, but for the kids, I keep it simple.

The other pair is knit in Hue Loco on the Spun Sock base in the Lucky Charm color way (my project page).  The colorway is gorgeous, and the socks are really quite bright and fun!  Nicole is getting back to dyeing more yarn, after having given birth to a gorgeous baby girl, so, go snag some yarn!  She has some lovely colorways in stock, like this one!

Of course, Tiberius feels HE needs a new pair, and I'd love to cast on some on, BUT.  I really need to finish a few projects I have going - including a pair of socks for myself.

Other shenanigans we've been getting up to....or NOT.  Honestly, we truly need to escape this house.  We hit up the bouncy house a week or so ago, and Camden and her dad went ice skating a few days ago, but we've just been so cooped up.  I need to get out and simple walk.  My knitting body is dying a bit.

Squeezing in a game of Outfoxed

I try to relax in baths...but when I've read a bit, I just want to escape, aha!

When Tiberius takes charge...

Matt is working on a quilt!

He may finish his first quilt before I do!

Camden says real artists wear berets

Contemplating life over Snickers Pie

An Atwood Shawl for Camden...And a Random Post for Me

(The paragraph that has NOTHING to do with the main post)
I just crocheted a provisional cast-on onto my circular needles...then called it a night for knitting, aha!  That crochet business is some WORK!  I have no idea how to keep the tension...and I strangely feel like it was easier to do this cast-on when I knit my Homegrown sweater.  Anyhow, that sweater will be coming down the pike - finished by the end of February, I hope!  I do have a ballet sweater to knit for Camden, too, so, I clearly already need this sweater off the needles before I've even begun :O

All that nonsense aside, I DO have a finished project!  I knit the Atwood Shawl by Nicole Clark of Hue Loco (she sells yarn and project bags on both her main site and on Etsy).  Nicole also has a podcast, and I've enjoyed watching it, as she throws in tutorials every now and then, too.  I was missing a pattern for a project bag, and I watched her tutorial for bag-making...and voila!

I sent these away as gifts, of a sort!

It's super cool of her to produce these tutorials, especially as there are a million new sewists out there who love a quick and easy project.

Clearly, this lovely shawl is for Camden...no way could I pull it off as well, LOL.  I used Gnome Acres yarn in the Spugnomi colorway, on the House Gnome base.  Speaking OF GA yarn, I just won a skein of it in the This Old Knit podcast group on Ravelry, and I'm super excited!!!  Thank you so much, Nina!!!

It was convenient that I wanted to knit this shawl and that I wanted to use a fun yarn.  Because of that, I am involved in several knit-alongs (KALs) right now, and I'm glad I managed to grab photos today, because YAY for being all done!!  Granted, this was a quick, easy shawl, but man...I can sure stretch a project sometimes.  I definitely had to take it easy on knitting for a few days, as my back was trying to go out (car accident and then bike accident situations at play, and apparently, sewing and just LIVING is wrecking my back at this point).

I was worried the variegated colorway wouldn't quite work for the shawl, but it totally does!  She loves it, and it's just the right size.  House gnome is a light fingering weight base, and even though it felt like there were a million stitches on the needle by the end, it still didn't come out too large.  Also, I didn't block it aggressively; if I had, it could have turned out a wee bit bigger.

The pattern (my project page) was lovely, and I would have had only one question...but others reached that point before I did, with the same question, so, I didn't have to wait for an answer for once, aha!  Otherwise, crazy easy pattern.  I did one extra repeat of the main body, and I knit maybe two fewer rounds of the garter border, as I'm not a huge garter fan.

A sad, sad peacock??

Camden will show it off to her friends at her next community day, but for now...the week in review:

Headed out on one of our walks to fix my back!

A cheerful model!

In line for a Josh Ritter concert - yay!

Helping grandma sort buttons

Bonbon bunny is out for a ride, too!