by Kristin Longacre on December 28, 2010
Over Thanksgiving weekend I set out to knit three pairs of felted clogs… I managed to finish two out of three. Now that one of the two gifting pairs has been gifted, I can finally talk about them here.
Both pairs were made out of Cascade 220 (blue) and Patons Merino Wool using size 13 needles. The first pair was knit in 6 hours on Thanksgiving. The second took a little bit longer as I didn’t have as much time to sit and knit them straight through.
Fiber Trends Felted Clogs Pair 1
Fiber Trends Felted Clogs Pair 2
Pair 1 has not been given yet. It is for a birthday in January. Pair two was gifted as a semi-late Christmas present tonight.
Unfortunately the third pair remains un-knit. I got slightly distracted and will come back to them after the new year. No worries though, they are going to be knit to replace my current pair I keep at work. They’ve seen better days.
I will stand by the fact that the Fiber Trends Felted Clogs is my favorite knitting pattern ever written. I’ve knit a number of pairs over the last 4 years and would recommend them to anyone looking for a slipper pattern. They aren’t too hard of a knit and can be knit in a weekend if you have the time. I think they make for great gifts and are always needed (especially in this cold midwest weather) throughout the winter months.
by Kristin Longacre on December 27, 2010
Okay, so maybe I was a little obsessed. When I mentioned the Canopy socks the other day, I had no intention of finishing them before the end of the year. I thought it was a good project to kick off a year of knitting for myself… or for at least January.
On Christmas morning I started knitting on the foot of the first sock, that evening I kitchenered the toe of the first sock and cast on the second. Last night as we watched Toledo lose in the last minute of the game I knit through the four pattern repeats and through the heel turn.
When I left knitting tonight I had one pattern repeat and a half plus a toe left to go. I’ll admit it, I’m in love with these socks. They were such a fast knit and the colorway is AMAZING. Out of all of the club colors this is the first one that has made me want to order 15 more skeins of it online… I don’t know what it was but I just love it! Don’t get me wrong, I love all of the colorways, but for some reason, this colorway has me just obsessed…
Canopy Socks - Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin Sock Club - November 2010
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock – Lightweight
Colorway: The Skein With No Name
Needles: Signature Double Points 2.75mm (US 2)
Pattern: Canopy
Have I mentioned that I love these socks? I plan on casting on Devon from the Cookie A book next… but for now there’s some blue chunky alpaca and a scarf pattern that’s calling my name…
by Kristin Longacre on December 25, 2010
Last year just before Christmas I was looking for a darning egg to learn how to darn socks. My mom called my uncle to see what he still had left of my grandma’s knitting stuff. On Christmas in 2009 my Uncle and Aunt brought a pile of Grandma’s knitting stuff which included some UFO’s. One of those UFO’s was a blanket that only had about a foot completed.
I dug a little bit and found that the yarn was Lion Brand Jiffy in the colorway Fishermen. The pattern was a diamond afghan pattern and the copyright on it was 1992. I’m not exactly sure when or who the blanket was started for, but I knew who I was going to finish it for.
There wasn’t nearly enough yarn, so I went online and found that Lion Brand still has the Fishermen colorway. So I ordered a few more skeins and set a goal of finishing the blanket before Thanksgiving.
The blanket has it’s imperfections… including spots where I wasn’t sure where my grandma left off. You can only tell if you look closely
Not to mention the dye lot changes. Again, you can only tell if it’s in the right light.
The blanket is completed and was wrapped and put under the Christmas tree just after Thanksgiving. This morning Santa gave the blanket to mom for Christmas.
Merry Christmas everyone!
by Kristin Longacre on December 22, 2010
At the start of this year, I made a new years resolution. I was going to knit for myself this year and finish a bulk of UFO’s that have been sitting in my pile of knitting. I moved to a new house in May, a friend got engaged, other friends had babies, and then it was time for Christmas… Looking back at the list, I didn’t get very far.
| July 2009 Rockin Sock Club
Blues and Purples Blanket
March 2009 Rockin Socks
Frosted Flowers
Big Purple Blanket
Elmo |
Italian Shawl
2009 Socks
Pretty Colors Blanket
Leftover Sock Quilt
Fair Isle Scarf
Grandma’s Afghan |
Whoops! Someone once said that January is selfish knitting month. I like that idea and I may have started a little bit early, since my Christmas present knitting is done. There is one “post Christmas present” that needs to be knit but as far as the rest of the knitting… it’s done.
I have been working on the Breakfast at Tiffany’s sweater on and off since Stitches Midwest in August. I finished the back a few weeks ago when I was taking a break from the Snow on the Swingset socks. I originally wanted to have it done before Christmas as the colors are green and blue in the sweater.
Needless to say, that isn’t going to happen. The November Rockin’ Sock Club shipment came in the mail and last week after I finished the Snow on the Swingset socks… I caved and cast on the Canopy Socks in the colorway “the skein with no name”.
Aren’t they amazing? I’m in love with the colors in this yarn. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of the yarns from Blue Moon Fiber Arts. This is by far my favorite that I’ve ever received. I’m enjoying knitting for myself while working on these socks… so who knows…
Maybe next year will be the year I knit for myself.
by Kristin Longacre on December 14, 2010
I love the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin Sock Club… I love opening each package and not knowing what comes next. In May I was surprised by the almost all white skein of yarn but at the same time I loved both patterns that came with it! Both patterns fit very well with the yarn and I opted to do the “Swing Set Socks”. At the time I was swamped with Wedding and Baby knitting as well as getting a few of my own things done so the socks sat still for a long time.
Over the Thanksgiving weekend I cast on for the first sock and knit the cuff. It was definitely not your everyday sock cuff. My favorite part about the Rockin’ Sock Club is that it gives you the option to try a pattern and a yarn that you might not choose on your own. The first sock took me about two weeks to knit, mainly because I was busy with a few other things.
This past weekend we had a snowy drive from Ohio to Indiana and I decided to start the second cuff Sunday morning for the drive. Last night I cast off the toe of the second sock and I LOVE these socks. I thought it was appropriate to name these the “Snow on the Swing Set Socks” since it was a pretty snowy weekend for most of the sock knitting.
I did the woman’s large because I was a little confused by the pattern options but it only came out a little big. My normal sock is 64 – 68 stitches on a size 2 (2.75mm) and this took it up to 70 so it wasn’t too bad.
The yarn is: Sweat Pea in Socks that Rock Lightweight
Knit on: US Size 2 (2.75mm) Signature Double Points
Pattern: Swing Set – May 2010 Rockin Sock Club
I’ve already cast on for the November shipment… and I can’t wait until next year!
by Kristin Longacre on December 12, 2010
Last year I talked about the Christmas stocking tradition I decided to carry on for my family. This year we have three new “official” additions to the family, so I’ve decided to continue on the tradition! 
Mandy is going to be officially married into the family come next year and her stocking was knit out of Red Heart Red, White, and Green:
Jeremy married into the family last year and his stocking is also knit out of Red Heart Red, White, and Green:
Colton received some of the little baby hats I wrote about a few months ago and he got his first Christmas stocking as well!
We celebrated yesterday and everyone has their stockings now! Next year who knows what will come!
What are your Christmas traditions you’ve carried on with knitting?
