May Stats

This has been my most productive knitting month all year.

I used up 6.5 skeins of yarn/ 1,578 yards.

I finished a dress, a scarf, two pairs of socks, and a stole.

FO Friday: Cluaranach

 Pattern: Cluaranach Stole designed by Knitspot

Size: Petite - Only 5 repeats of the Thistle Leaf section on each side

Yarn: Bare Naked Wools Breakfast Blend in Sugar N Cream

Needles: US Size 7

Started on: March 19th

Finished on: May 23rd

Comments: This is my second time knitting this pattern. The first time I knit it for Knitspot as a sample for their trunk show. It turned out so beautiful, that I decided I needed to make one for myself to keep. I think this pattern looks best in white.

This also counts as one more item finished from my Basket Dash!

WIP Wednesday

Springtime Bandit - The next oldest stash I have is Cascade 220 in purple. I have 8 skeins of this yarn. So it will take a few projects before I use it up. I have knitted this pattern before in a different color way of Cascade 220. I really like this yarn and pattern combo, so decided to knit it again. I'm really enjoying this knit.

Garter Rib Blanket - I knit this pattern at the end of last year in the Neeley's Knits Elsa color way. This time I'm knitting it in Neeley's Knits Anna color way. It's fitting because the last blanket was for DD # 1 and this one is for DD # 2.

Irving Park Socks

Pattern: None

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Irving Park

Needles: US Size 3

Started On: May 19th

Finished On: May 25th

Comments: I really enjoy knitting these worsted weight socks. They work up so quickly because of the thicker yarn. And it's mindless because it's my own made up pattern. This pair will be gifted to my Mom. Another one of my oldest yarns (from 2006) all knitted up and out of stash!

Black Purl socks

 Pattern: None

Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted in Black Purl

Needles: US Size 3

Started On: May 16th

Finished On: May 18th

Comments: I didn't follow a pattern for this. I cast on 40 stitches and just knit plain socks. This is one of my favorite color ways from Lorna's Laces. This is in the collection of my oldest yarns from 2006, and it was time for me to use it up. I've been saving it for the perfect pattern, but in the end I decided on socks, because I know I'll wear them. I have one more ball of this yarn in this colorway in my stash (also from 2006). I think that will be the next project I work on.

WIP Wednesday

I'm working on my Cluaranach stole. I put it aside after finishing the first half to work on other knitting projects. Now that I've picked it up again, it's moving along faster. Funny how that works. It's just the convincing myself to work on it that took time.

Now that I'm more than halfway done, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm now getting into a rhythm and keeping at it, I think it can be finished soon.

Darwinia

Pattern: Darwinia designed by Georgie Hallam

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Wellwater

Size: 18 month old baby doll style

Needles: US Size 3 and US Size 6

Started on: April 25th

Finished on: May 15th

Comments: This counts as my third item finished for basket dash. This was my second time knitting this pattern. (Third if you count the Dolly Darwinia.) I really enjoy Georgie Hallam patterns because they are well written. It's easy for me to follow and understand, which is important because I'm not an experienced garment knitter. I appreciate the clever construction that allows the garment to be seamless. I really enjoy working with this yarn. It's so soft and squishy, but can be splitty at times. I really love this colorway. The blue has so much depth.

Breast Cancer Awareness Scarf

Pattern: Breast Cancer Awareness Scarf

Yarn: Rowan Wool Cotton in Burgundy

Needles: US Size 5

Started on: May 3rd

Finished on: May 11th

Comments: I used up one of my oldest yarns from 2006. So happy it's gone and out of stash. This knit up very quickly. Once I finished the lace hem it was a two row repeat that was easily memorized. I think the yarn and pattern go well together. The yarn was lovely to work with. It's a bit splitty, but was also lovely because it was soft yet sturdy.

WIP Wednesday

Back to my WIPs. I decided to start working on my Darwinia dress again. This is my third time making this dress. This time I'm using a beautiful blue color in Madelinetosh Tosh DK. I think this one will knit up quickly as it's a smaller size than the first Darwinia I made.

Square 1 & 2

I got excited and actually finished 2 squares this weekend. They turned out to be quicker than I thought. This makes for great TV knitting as it doesn't really take any attention at all. I really like the way they turned out. They aren't exactly the same size, but I haven't blocked them yet.

The Plan

I decided I want to start a blanket, it's been awhile since I made one. Of course this thought occurs to me in May when it's almost summer and makes no sense to work on a wool blanket in hot weather. I searched and searched and finally decided that Log Cabin is the way to go. I'm not really in love with the traditional log cabin blanket. I found the Paintbox Log Cabin pattern which is based on the original one with a slight twist. It's made of squares and then has a border.

I don't really know how much yarn or how big it's going to be, but I know I have the perfect yarn in my stash. Dream in Color Classy 4 skeins of each of the 5 colors I plan on using. Although I did purchase some black yarn for the border (color # 6), as I didn't have that in my stash already.

To start I'm going to make 20 squares. I even drew up a plan. I think the goal will be to try to knit a square a week.

WIP Wednesday

I realize I've gotten off track. It's time to re-commit to knitting down my oldest yarns. My oldest yarns are from 2006, that was 9 years ago!

I started the Breast Cancer Awareness scarf with Rowan Wool Cotton. I didn't really know what to do with this yarn, so I looked it up on Rav. And this seemed to be a good pattern to match to this yarn. I really like it so far. It has the added bonus of being mindless (once you get past the lace hem section). This yarn is DK weight, so it's knitting up quite quickly. I think this one will be done in no time.