Tag: knitting for fun

Posted in knitting

12-03-25 Unraveled in DBQ

Posted on by Laura Kate

It’s time to share my second CuscoCozzy Kimono project with the band of faithful Unravellers. On Wednesdays, As Kat Knits provides a link for sharing – Thanks, Kat.

By Monday, I had finished knitting both halves.

The pattern calls for these to be joined at the center back using 3-needle bind-off. I tried to work this step, with no real success, giving up after about an half hour. The edges were so curly that I couldn’t pick up the stitches. It was clear to me that the pieces would need to be blocked now. Because I had only one set of drying blocks, I washed and blocked each piece separately.

First half pinned out to dry.

Two days later, after both sides had dried, I completed the maneuver: Using two long cable needles, pick up stitches at each center back edge. Align the two edges right sides facing. With a third (short) needle knit together a stitch from each needle. Repeat. Pull first stitch up and over second stitch. Do this until all stitches are worked into the bind off.

Viola:

I know, friends, the finished object is enormous. And the intended recipient is narrower than I am. (sigh) Hopefully, she will not mind being swamped. At least the sleeve length looks good.

For those who are curious, here is a link to my first kimono knit from this design. My yarn for this version is Cascade 220 in Teal and KnitPicks Chroma in Lava Party.

To see what the other Unravelers are making this week, click here.

Posted in knitting

Unraveled Wednesday Early Start

Posted on by Laura Kate

We were treated to a fabulous sunrise this morning. I took it as a sign that today would be a productive one.

So I’m starting with a post about the project on my needles today.

There is an uncanny resemblance to a sunrise in the knitting sequence, but what the heck is this object trying to be?

About three years ago I knit a sort of poncho, which was designed by mashing-up two different patterns.

I called it the CozzyCusco Kimono in reference to the patterns I used. It is knit in two halves, then joined with three-needle bind off at the center back. You can read more about this project here:

https://dailyfiberfun.com/2022/03/11/finished-object-friday-cozzy-cusco-kimono/

Having worn it out in public here, I was approached by a new friend who wanted to buy it as a gift for her mother. Not ready to part with it, I bent my rule about knitting for money. I told new friend that I would make one for her mother if she covered the cost of the yarn.

“What colors does your mother like?” “Jewel tones,” was the reply. Hm.

I’m afraid that my color choices are more fiery than jewel like. I’m hoping that friend’s mom is an extrovert. If not, wearing this fiesta-like garment will surely convert her.

Now onto reading. I’ve been enjoying access to the Carnegie library here in DBQ and have read a few novels. Recently I read one by Ashley Poston called The Seven Year Slip. It is an amusing tale of romance sprinkled with time travel about a New York publishing executive. A light read that’s a bit spicy and not something I would seek out, I enjoyed it never the less.

More along my usual lines is Turning to Birds: The power and beauty of noticing, by Lili Taylor. The author is an actor living in New York. This book is part nature study and part autobiography, with short chapters, each featuring an adventure in her newly-found passion for bird-watching. My description doesn’t do it justice, so I recommend that you read a sample to decide for yourself what is it about.

That’s all for me today. Time to get on with my day.

This post is linked up with As Kat Knits’ Unraveled Wednesday for November 5 2025

Posted in knitting

Wednesday WIP and 2025 Knitting projects in the Queue

Posted on by Laura Kate

For all my blogging knitters, this is an update. While I haven’t posted about knitting in some time, my needles have been clicking away, and my project queue is longer than ever. Let’s start with this pull-over/jumper.

I am knitting it for dear daughter, and this week I finished the body. Since she and I are roughly the same size, I knew that if it fit my body, it would fit hers. Ta da! It fits. Those interested, the gold yarn is Malabrigo Rios in colorway Frank Ochre The contrasting yarn in the yoke is from KnitPicks – Hawthorne dk in Foster Powell multi and Swish in Moss. She chose the pattern from a selection of patterns in Ravelry. It’s called Autumn Bloom , designed by Olga Putana.

So last week, I went through my project bags and my yarn closet and discovered that I have Four WIP’s and Five New Projects lined up with pattern and yarn secured. That’s way more than I thought. And yes, I am guilty of buying yarn lately. In my defense, it was All On Sale.

I won’t bore you with the WIPs today (pretty sure that I’ve written about each of them in 2024.) But here is what I am planning to knit this year, once I get WIPs done:

I know this post is light on photographs, sorry friends. It’s late and I am tired. I promise to do a charming photo shoot of all the new yarns in my stash, once the weather improves. In the meantime, remember to stay calm and keep knitting.

Posted in knitting

WIP Wednesday: Abstract Rainbow Blanket

Posted on by Laura Kate

This piece of knitting has been in the background of my life for about three months. It is going to be a lap blanket, fashioned in the style of a log cabin block and knitted out of stash skeins.

I’ve modeled my blanket after a Garn Studio Drops design called Abstract Rainbow

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/203-2-abstract-rainbow

The main difference between the actual pattern and my work is that I didn’t follow any instructions. I just improvised based on the look of the DROPS pattern.

So here I am so far:

I quickly used up all of my stash acrylics within the first four stripes. Stubbornly refusing to buy yarn, I cadged my friend into giving me some of her acrylic skeins in similar colorways. After using all the yarn she gave me, the blanket was still not big enough. I gritted my teeth and purchased one Hobby Lobby cream colored skein.

The blanket is now about 42 inches square and I am sitting here with the left-overs, pondering my next move.

My brain tells me that a crocheted border would allow all the leftovers to be worked in. But my gut is resisting this move. I can’t help myself; I have a prejudice against the craft of crochet.

Okay knitters, what would you do? And how big does a lap blanket have to be?

Posted in knitting, quilting, sewing

First Friday Finishes in 2024

Posted on by Laura Kate

I’ve spent the week productively, finishing my quilted border curtains and also a Seaglass hat. Finish 3 is the off-the-grid mitts that I gave to H at Christmas. All three projects are stashbusters ( a desirable trait likely to carry on with me in the new year.)

It’s been many years since I constructed curtains The only thing I had to buy for the project was lining fabric. The trick for this project was marrying the patchwork border with a king-size cotton sheet. I did this by attaching wide binding strips to both edges of the curtains. Was it a fun project? I would say mixed. Making that border was great fun. Wrestling with yards and yards of fabric, getting everything lined up correctly and stitching it together was not fun. But the result was very worth it. In addition to having an attractive surround for the large bedroom window, the lining I chose has insulation properties. This came in very handing with temperatures plunging. Our bedroom is now draft-free.

Henry happily received his off the grid mitts. They work beautifully for extra warmth over gloves, and, worn on their own, they keep his fingertips free to use his cellphone while wearing them. I was pleased.

At the last minute I decided to make a pom-pom for the top of the child’s Seaglass hat. Now that I have some practice with the 1 + 1 technique and understand how to work my gauge swatch, I can cast on the Seaglass sweater in confidence.

What are you working on this week? Oh, and how do you feel about it?