knitting

Exercise In Patience

Nicky4 Comments

I could give all the reasons why I’m back in this space, but I’m not going to bore you with them. The short version is that this blog has long provided me with the space to document and share my makes (even if no one else is reading) and primary of all the reasons is that social media platforms have gone the way of misinformation and just all out greed. The interest I had in sharing on those platforms is all but dead. Crafting is slow and I refuse to continue to feed an algorithm and AI training designed for the benefit of the 1%.

I’m not going to confine my self to pledges of a consistent posting schedule but I will be posting here more than I have for the past couple of years.

That said, I haven’t done much knitting so far this year. Well … handknitting that is. I’ve finally cranked up my Addi Circular Machine for charity hat knitting (post about that coming soon) but other than that, knitting has been on the downward turn for me. To get myself back in the groove, I decided to work on a shawl pattern. I’m not a shawl knitter per se, but I love them. The larger, the better! I also like quick projects so large shawls using fingering weight yarn was not an appealing combo. I find large shawls to be an exercise in patience, and sometimes, I don’t have that! LOL!

As I began to limit my social media intake and activity, I decided to push myself. Why not pursue this exercise in patience? Why not slow down, take my time and remind myself what it feels like to make for the sheer joy of it and not so I could have something to post on Instagram? I went through my patterns and found the Chateau Rouge shawl by Madame Tricote. The pattern was posted on Ravelry but the designer no longer designs or provides pattern support so you can’t purchase it there anymore. However, I have to thank my past “print all the patterns I like” self because I found a printed copy in a folder of “potential knits” patterns I made more than 6 years ago.

The pattern is not difficult but as the rows become longer (close to 200 stitches now) and I’m only 1/3 way, it’ll be interesting to see if I learn to exercise patience, embrace the slow and finish it.

Pattern Details

  • Name: Chateau Rouge
  • Designer: Madame Tricote
  • Colorways used:
    • Tough Titty — Stitch Together (Pink )
    • Dowager Countess Downton Abbey — Canon Hand Dyes (Purple)
    • Boysenberry — Blue Moon Fiber Arts (Magenta)

My progress so far:

I’ve been very much enjoying watching the sections move to completion but I want to start my holiday makes this week so I’ll be diverting a tad from this project. I aim to keep some level of consistency and not let it fall by the wayside.

Until we chat again, I hope you’re all well despite the dumpster fire that the world is right now. Be good to yourselves always.

It’s All Pumpkin Spice!

Nicky21 Comments

It’s been a few weeks since I did my YOP post and for good reason. Deadlines at work which had me working on the weekends (being a 1 person department can do that to you) and working on a craft article deadline — more on that in the future. Let’s just say with all that, I was pretty swamped. Things are beginning to calm down now, Friday was my birthday so this is technically my birthday weekend and I figured a great time to get a post up. Although I’ve not posted for some weeks, I’ve still been getting crafting in when I could. Mostly spinning (until both my wheels needed replacement parts — I told you the weeks were eventful, LOL) but some knitting too. Let me get into that knitting story …

One night in late Sept I had a crazy headache. So much so I couldn’t sleep. What does this girl do for relief? She decided that she needs to complete her first adult sweater! Notice I said complete because over the years, I’ve started and just never had to urge to finish. Sure, I’ve knitted baby sweaters/cardigans, but those are quick, cute, adorable so what’s not to finish! But the adult ones just seems to go on forever then I get bored and chuck them to the side. I know … the shame! LOL!

Not so with the current make — cue angels singing! I’ve been blazing through the Fast Fashion Sweater by Safiyyah Talley (aka Drunk Knitter) like a wildfire. The first night, I finished the neck and the first part of the yoke. Within a few days I’m at the bottom band. Once the band is done, it’s off to what I hear knitters call “sleeve island” … let’s see if I get stuck there.

I understand now what knitters mean when they say that patterns speak to them. I haven’t been able to put this knit down and am thoroughly enjoying myself. So much so, I bought two sweater sized project bags AND I’ve already lined up about 7 more projects — 1 cardigan, 4 sweaters and 2 ponchos. The fourth make on this list is a bottom up sweater so I can see which method I like best between top down and bottom up.

I wasn’t sure how much I’d like making this adult sweater much more finishing it so I used acrylic yarn for it. It’s Lionbrand’s Pound of Love in Pumpkin Spice. And boy is this sweater turning out to be just that — pumpkin spice and everything nice!

Happy Fall, Autumn, Spring depending on where in the world you live! Happy Sunday and I’m so looking forward to catching up with your makes.