knitting Archives • Jessica Smith Creates

February 5, 2020March 6, 2022

Rust Bucket

Late last year I made my quickest sweater ever.

I mean, if we’re counting, it’s my third knitted sweater, and fourth sweater overall (after 2 crochet ones), so it’s not like this is a huge track record to beat.

But oh boy was it quick!

Two weeks.

Feel free to laugh, but I’ll be the one laughing in an incredibly warm and squooshy alpaca sweater.

Also this sweater cost 20 dollars. And time.

Since I moved to New England in early fall, I needed to get a new driver’s license. The closest DMV to me is between 30 and 45 minutes away depending on whether I’m functionally awake, whether it’s precipitating, and how far (not) over the speed limit I want to drive on unfamiliar roads. Luckily this DMV had Saturday hours, but only until noon.

Have I ever told you that I’m not a morning person?

So the way I convinced myself to go to the DMV was to treat myself to yarn afterwards! And it was such a great store. Yarn piled taller than me, an excellent sale rack, and such nice employees! I think I spent an hour just checking out what they had!

While perusing the sale section I found a bag of multiple skeins of alpaca yarn marked at $10 in browns and greys. Then I found some coordinating rust alpaca and got 2 skeins for $5 each. So the brown is Mirasol Sulka, the rust is Mirasol K’acha, and sure the grey is Araucania Coliumo.

And then I set out to make a sweater that did not require five billion skeins when I had six. I started out using the Chunky Knit Fisherman’s Rib Sweater by Handy Little Me before getting to the end of the first ball and realizing that I would never ever make it to the end of the sweater. So I ripped some back and started freestyling and knitted and knitted and knitted.

The real winner here is finding the Fisherman’s Rib. I love the very squish that it makes! So stretchy too, and very plush.

I ended up with something like kimono sleeves with a tiny eyelet detail and a round neck. In the pics I’m wearing it over my first Sew Over It Vintage Shirtdress.

And it’s warm and it’s comfy, and it’s cropped in a good way! I’ve got a few more knits for the blog, so I suppose that’ll be the plan for the next post! See you next time!

May 17, 2019January 1, 2020

Aqua Butterflies

So this story begins in my favorite “second hand” store, the Scrap Exchange in Durham NC. (Second hand is in quotes because most of the materials are new, just pre-owned).

Okay guys, this is too far away to see detail…

I introduced my parents to the space a couple visits back, and now it’s always on the agenda when they come down (Hi Mom and Dad!), and they visited back in January. So naturally we visited the store.

: Too close, you can see the focus issue…

Checking out the yarn bins, I hit gold in the greens bin with this Malabrigo sock yarn for $5. It had never been caked, and it still had the original $18 price tag. I snapped it up, and I got super excited.

: I guess it’ll do. Dear Reader, please do not try to zoom in!

I should mention that the ‘rents were visiting to help me move. So when I was unpacking I obviously wasn’t originally interested in finding my swift and winder, but still somehow I managed to cake it up within the first two weeks or so of moving, and then looked for a shawl pattern to match it with.

spread

On Ravelry I found the beautiful Dancing Butterflies shawl, by Carfield Ma, and it felt like a match.The pattern is well written, and working it up was great! I did have to alter it near the border since I only had the one skein available. I played multiple games of yarn chicken before finally finishing it maybe 10 rows before expected.

Then came blocking, where I was able to block it to a rather huge size, but it did show me that I was not loose enough binding off, so I got curly edges. Not that it matters, because I now have Butterfly Wings!

folded — I take all my photos with a camera and tripod, and this is one shoot where I should’ve asked a passerby to stand in for focusing… Lessons hopefully learned!

I love this shawl, but I’ve found myself only reaching for it when I’m wearing blue or green. Good thing that makes up so much of my wardrobe!

April 25, 2019January 1, 2020

Movie Socks

socks on

I’m definitely an impulse knitter. Unlike sewing where I’ll plan and mostly execute, with knitting I’ll get started on a project and let it simmer for altogether too long until I marathon to the finish.

These socks were started the night I saw Deadpool for the first time, probably a week after it’d been released in theaters (prime knitting in an empty theater time).

The first one has a bump, or rather a pattern miscalculation, near the toe from an unfortunate incident with a movie called “How to Be Single.” I was there for a friend’s birthday, but I couldn’t stand the movie, so I was the weirdo who pulled out spiky sock knitting during a friend’s birthday outing to a chick flick and then cupcakes (RIP Sugarland). These socks are old enough that the cupcake place has since closed.

sockblock

I would tinker with these at various movies, watching TV, passenger in long car trips for a while. Definitely some Star Wars was input. Possibly Spiderman Homecoming.

And at some point I finished the first sock. I should note here that I was basically making this pattern up as I went. I knew I wanted a small twist up the front, and a larger twist up the back leg, so that’s what I aimed to design. With mixed, but overall good success.

sockprogress

I had taken moderately good notes on my self directed pattern, but second sock syndrome hit me hard. When I finally did start working on the second, I had accidentally deleted part of the notes… Whoops.

So the second sock is definitely more sister than twin, but I think that’s okay… Because it’s done!

FINISHEDSOCKS!!!

Over the holidays in 2018 I finished the sock during the super long drive.

socks watercolor.jpg

Victory! Till the next round of procrastination, at least.

November 7, 2018November 7, 2018

Mustard Knit Wrap Sweater

front

I’ve been wanting a “ballet sweater” for awhile… I’m not a ballet dancer, nor do babydoll styles seem to flatter me (meaning they don’t tend to make me feel great about my appearance), but I love the idea of a wrap sweater.

The idea was on my back burner for a long while.

2017 January saw me in Seattle for a conference, and I picked up two skeins of this lovely Royal Alpaca from Aslan Trends in a mustard gold color on sale. It’s supposed to be worsted, but it felt like a bit more than that as I knitted it up.

sleeve

I scoured Ravelry and discovered that none of the patterns fit my specifications (I guess I’m super picky?). So I knitted up a small swatch to get an approximate gauge, and then calculated out some general plans, then kind of threw them out the window and did it as I wanted. I know that I made the edging on purpose, and I made the i-cord edging first or concurrently to the making, and I went with kimono sleeves since they’re easy, and basically knit pretty much until I ran out of yarn.

back

The yarn did shed on me so much (and everyone was so nice to not point out that it was shedding all over my black shirts…), and it still does to a (marginally) lesser degree, which I’ve seen from my google searches happens a lot.

front2

What I do know is that this sweater is warm! For a very open weave it is very cozy, so it’s going to make an excellent sweater in cool weather, which **fingers crossed** its going to stay now. I was getting cross with the 85*F October days.

October 20, 2017August 22, 2022

NOLA Shawl

A while ago I told you about my fabric I bought in Seattle, and how that was going to be a thing when I traveled.

I’ve not yet done anything with the Seattle yarn, but I was lucky enough to go on a road trip with some friends last March and bought some lovely tencel yarn in a gorgeous colorway.

We visited four cities on this epic road trip, but New Orleans was the one that hooked me on the trip. I study hurricanes in my real life, so I am fascinated in part because of the geological conditions, but the fact that I hear a lot about it from my favorite food blogger who moved there, and see pieces of it (even if they might be fake) in shows like NCIS NOLA, I was pretty interested. So even though this colorway is not quite indicative of the NOLA people know, it is definitely more my style and wearable in my life. Though I did waffle over some Mardi Gras colorways.

This is not the first time I fell in love with these particular colors together. A few years ago when I was beading as much as I breathed I bought a bunch of beads in that colorway with the intention of making a necklace for myself, which has still not come to pass. Maybe soon? But I consider this colorway Van Gogh colors, since they really remind me of Van Gogh’s sunflower painting.

Officially this is yarn from the brand Prism, and its called Delicato, 100% Tencel, and this is the colorway named Sierra.

Back to the shawl.

The yarn was so soft and I was looking for a low key distraction at the time, so I decided to use it right away. I looked at a bunch of patterns, and ultimately decided on the Good Day Sunshine shawlette pattern from Knitty by Amanda Bjørge.

I really liked the pattern. I didn’t take notes as I went (story of my life), but I seem to remember having to fudge some parts of rows to get it lined up, but I don’t know if that was a careless mistake on my part or if it was the pattern (probably the former). Overall, easy to knit up and the lace kept things interesting!

And then I knit for a month or two. I finished the shawl just before a wedding I attended in early March, but because I had made an outfit with sleeves for that I didn’t need a shawl that night. Until a week or two ago, I haven’t really worn it, but that is not without precedent.

A few years ago I made the Knitty Wavedeck shawl from Kate Atherly which gets worn occasionally, but not enough to be called often. It doesn’t help that with the DK yarn weight it feels more like winter, but we haven’t gotten much winter weather, and that it ended up being more of a shawlette. And shawls are less conducive as scarfs when biking when they need to be attached to something to prevent them from falling off. I’m debating keeping safety pins with the Wavedeck shawl so I can pin it to my clothes before I start bike riding.

With this fingering weight one it’ll get more fall and spring wear, and has already proven so! I wore it three times this week, which was great. I wish the weather agreed with me wearing it though…

Shawls are so pretty, but I need to get more in the practice of wearing them. Especially since I love knitting them!

This was finished in very early summer, and other than a project I started knitting and abandoned for time, I haven’t really been knitting. I got a little bit of a start when I saw Blade Runner 2049 (so pretty) with these socks that I’ve been knitting since I saw Deadpool in theaters. I think I’m calling them my movie socks, since they’ve seen me through about 6 movies, both ugh and awesome!

What are you all knitting up right now?

February 5, 2016August 19, 2018

Warmth, in this incredibly Warm Winter

So after the large winter storm passed by here, it got warm.

Like really warm. There were some people wearing shorts. Winter, even around here, should not be that warm.

So its a fitting time to be knitting with wool, right?

In reality, both of these projects were conceived earlier in the month/last year.

Knowing that its supposed to be winter, I had decided that I needed a warm hat. I’m not a hat person, really, but I walked home (about 2 miles) one night when it was near freezing, and I only had a thin scarf and my “fall” coat (because its lighter than my winter coat, but still normally warm enough), and I’m pretty sure that I nearly died. It took me about 45 minutes to warm up enough to function like a human being, and then another hour past that to eat and drink enough hot stuff to warm up enough to fall asleep.

The next day I started this hat. I had this orphan skein that I got on sale when I was looking for sock yarn. I couldn’t find any on-sale sock yarn, but even with my full-price sock yarn, this still fit into my hobby budget. It may have been 4 dollars, and I’ve got a couple of yards left.

So the pattern is Helios, free on Ravelry. It’s a pretty good pattern, though I stuck with the size 7 needles throughout, since I don’t have a slightly bigger needle. It makes it more of a globbular slouchy hat, instead of a beret/tam kind of slouchy hat. The one thing I’m afraid of is blocking it, since it’s a tad big, and I don’t want to stretch it out any. My other green knit hat was too small, so I gave it away to my cousin, so I guess I overcompensated with this one, and made it too big.

Oops! Its still wearable, which is perfect. Because I was not going to admit defeat and try again.

And the second knit project is this pair of socks! This project can be described in three words:

Second Sock Syndrome.

Yes, this time I fell prey to SSS hard. Really hard. There was a thought in the back of my head that I should somehow work both socks together, and my circular needle collection does not include a skinny enough needle with a long enough connection. So I planned it that once I got to the ankle of the first sock, I’d put it on stitch holders, and start the second. Which worked perfectly.

Yarn-wise this is an alpaca merino blend that I intended to use for socks for my dad… last year. Meaning 2014. Sorry dad. It’s also not machine washable, so perhaps its best that I made them for me, since I’ll be more likely to remember that…

The pattern is ish-designed by me. Meaning, I used this book I got, Socks a La Carte 2 Toes Up to plan it out, with a rotating rib leg, technically a double picot cuff that I’m too lazy to fold over and seam. But once I made the toes of the first sock, I realized that I would get super bored doing a simple stockinette for the foot, so I found this.

To be honest, I’m not sure where I found it, but I think it was on a Russian stitch pattern website, and since this was before I started the sock, so I never anticipated needing to cite the source. If you know who’s this is, please let me know! Because its a beautiful lace pattern, and I’d definitely suggest it!

So after finishing both feet of the socks, I started in on the rotating rib of one of the socks, and I got a long way through when I realized that I should weigh out the yarn so I could maximize the height of the sock. Once I double checked that, I ribbed until I got to the cuff, made the double picot cuff, bound off, and then the socks sat there. For months. And months.

What I haven’t told you yet, is that these socks were started over the summer. July or August.

Oh yes.

These took me about 6 months.

When I went home for the holidays I brought these with me, and didn’t even make it a row. So once I got back I vowed that I would finish before the semester started. Which also didn’t happen. I made progress, but didn’t finish it.

It was during the first week of the semester, and I told myself that I couldn’t start any new projects until I finished these. Trust me. These got finished really quick after that. I even took them with me to the movie theater when I saw Star Wars the second time. I had the whole row to myself, so I didn’t even feel (too) self conscious about KIPing. There are some advantages to itsy bitsy theaters.

And then I started on the hat! So a happy ending finally. Plus, the hat got done in less than a week. All that pent up knitting energy I guess!

Got any SSS, or longtime knitting projects?

August 13, 2014August 19, 2018

Stashbusting Kree!

So I may be on a bit of a Stargate kick, but who can say no to Teal’c? And don’t forget the apostrophe.

In other news, after my sock-high I was interested in doing some stashbusting. After all, those sock cost about twelve bucks, and the cowl an additional 6, which I’m totally not regretting, but there’s something about the subject of free that I love.

Granted, free means I’ve had this yarn for so long that although I know exactly where I got it, there’s no way of knowing how much it cost. It may have ended up a birthday gift. I’m a picky gift-receiver, which my family knows well, so I tend to end up picking out gifts knowing I’ll receive them all trussed up for a “surprise” a few months later.

In this case, the deep blue yarn, Sirdar Snuggly Domino DK, was bought at a Superbowl Sunday sale about 6 years ago. Maybe even 7… I think I even deigned to watch 10 minutes of the game, before I gave up and ran downstairs to hide out until the snacks were served.

The Schachenmayr nomotta Baros, otherwise known as the aqua yarn, was bought in Germany on my second trip to visit family there. It was on sale, which was good because I had a limited number of euros to spend. Souvenir yarn is often too difficult to part with, so this was stashed for 5 years.

Definitely high time to make something. On both counts.

Both of these projects had basis in a one skein book, 101 Yarn Shop Favorites.

My new hat is technically the Aran Tam. I say technically… I should have followed directions and knit the beginning on smaller straight needles, but I was confused, and it was my second go, having tried a bulky yarn first which would have made a monster sized hat. So I trudged ahead. Then I moved on, and managed to get some kind of counting wrong, resulting in a messed up pattern. You can’t tell with the surprisingly busy yarn, but I think I’ll have another go at some point. Also, the band is too wide, due to the aforementioned needle issue, so I’m considering threading some elastic through the ribbing. Still have another ball… Now what to make? Maybe some wristlets…

The wristband had basis in the Cabled Headband. I say had basis… I took the starting point and just knitted without increases or decreases until I made it tightly around my wrist. Sewed it up with my handy knitpicker, and I got a lovely wristband! Handy when my wrists decide they hate knitting. Or typing. Or cooking. Or moving. Darn that violin playing from an early age! Messing up my wrists forevermore.

The wristband yarn is soon to be finished in a yoke for a shirt capacity… I misplaced a piece, and once I locate it, you’ll hear about it!

August 8, 2014May 11, 2020

Deep Forest Cowl

So I had a good amount of yarn left after my socks were completed. This wasn’t surprising, as I have rather tiny feet, but because it was the most expensive yarn I had ever purchased I wanted to use it for something special.

When I was abroad, I found myself wearing scarves all the time, all day long. I carried this with me when I returned stateside.

But what is more handy for a full day of neck-covering goodness? A cowl… It doesn’t fall off your neck… Always a plus.

So I was looking through the Knitty archives looking for a hat pattern, but when I saw this cowl I just couldn’t resist. It was everything I wanted: lacy, pretty, a cowl, and not requiring oodles of yarn.

It is… the Eleanor cowl. The one, the only, the lovely.

It was a quicker knit than the socks, if only because it was less repetitive and therefore easier to get interested in working the pattern.

I blocked it, my first successful blocking if we’re being honest, but it quickly snapped back a day later. No matter, it’s still comfy and will certainly serve its purpose well!

I still couldn’t find a yarn needle, though, so I ended up using this knitpicker thing to sew up the seam. An effective but time consuming method. Kinda like using a needle threader for every stitch.

Now if only cooler temperatures would appear, then I could get to wearing some of the stuff I’ve been making!

July 15, 2014August 19, 2018

Socks in Four Parts

I finished just under the wire of my deadline! At 4PM I was the new proud owner of wool and silk socks!

They’re so pretty and comfy and though it’s regularly in the 90s here, I’ve barely taken them off. I determined, though, that they weren’t suitable wear for going to the library… That involves going outside where it is quite hot, and I didn’t think my feet could handle it.

But since then, I’ve continually worn them… They’re so comfy!

But I should tell you, this isn’t my first foray into sock making, just the first time I ended up with two socks. Behold the tube sock of doom!!! It was made of a variety of worsted weight acrylic yarn, and it’s not comfy and doesn’t smell nice after a while. I think I made it in middle school or early high school, and I only wore it once, when I had this massive blister on my foot, and had to remove some of the callous on my heel and my entire foot felt odd.

Well that wraps up my sock escapade!

July 14, 2014August 19, 2018

Sock Progress – Part 3

Here it is, Monday.

Didn’t check in yesterday, mostly because I slept in and forgot…

But I thought it fitting to give you a morning update, even though today it is an exercise in phone frustration. Darn multitasking.

I’m through the gauntlet, err the gusset. I’m about halfway down the foot.

And since I don’t normally go to the library until five or so, I’ll still have all day to work on it… hopefully I won’t need it all…