I stayed up WAYYYYY too late last night. I HAD TO FINISH my giant Randclaw Blanket. I was so close, that I just wanted to have it done. Yeah, I wove in the ends and sewed them down to secure them. Me from last night had no respect for me of this morning. See our kids are completely incapable of “sleeping in”. I’m not talking about a 10 am wake up, no. My kids are completely INCAPABLE (seemingly) of sleeping until 7 am- ANY DAY OF THE WEEK (and the later they stay up the earlier they wake up). I’m tired today. Not exhausted, but impatient and easily annoyed.
Batman and LOL doll for scale.
There are too many toys on the living room floor for me to spread out this monstrously huge blanket to measure it properly. Its so fluffy that it doesn’t fold neatly. When I hung if over the banister in the world’s tiniest “foyer”, it cascaded down the handrail. It weighs about 5.5 pounds (2-ishKG). My best guess, using myself as the measuring tool, that its 67″ by 63″ (not having done the conversion I’m guessing its 1.8 x 1.7 m give or take .25 m).
The Blanket
This blanket is a variation of my Randclaw Blanket, a rather giant version of it. I chained 100 stitches, then followed the pattern from there. I used 7 total balls (1540 yards) of Bernat Blanket Yarn. 5 of the Baby Blanket Stripes in Mulberry Bush (discontinued) and 2 in Vintage White. I brought out my trusty P/10mm Furls Streamline Hook for the job.
This stitch made a super dense, highly textured, snuggly warm blanket. It would look equally great in a solid, short repeat varigated, or striped yarn. You could substitute the Bernat Blanket for Lion Brand I Wanna Make a Blankie, you would need to purchase 4 balls. A “t-shirt” tape yarn of the same weight and equal yardage could also look good, but it will be REALLY heavy!
How to Modify for Different Dimensions
The chain can be any even number. Easy, right?? Now you know the secret to modifying the Randclaw Blanket.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate marketing liks. I make a small commission for purchases made from links contained herein at no cost to you.
The year was 1999. I was a college freshman. It was Fall. I needed a chair. I went to Ikea, picked out an inexpensive chair and a coordinating cover. The cover was a pale pea green. It moved from apartment to apartment. My first, second, third. A brief move back in with my parents. My next apartment. Then out of state, to two more apartments. I dyed the cover Purple in my bathtub. I was afraid to use dye in my apartment’s tiny stacked washing machine- it was strictly prohibited in my lease (to use dye in the machine). 7 years ago it made a move into our current home. It has been in my office (RIP). The (finished) basement. My bedroom. In 2015 we purchased a new undyed cover and proceeded to dye it orange. It matched my daughter’s room perfectly. Once she moved from a toddler bed to a twin a few years later, the chair moved into the living room. Where it has become my favorite spot to sit. Its still comfortable, after 20 years of heavy use. The legs are a touch wobbly, but as long as you don’t plop or scoot the chair, you would never suspect.
Just knitting a sock and drinking some tea- Like I do.
Lately I’ve been thinking about replacing it. I’m not sure how many years it still has in it. There is a part of me that wants to just run it into the ground. How many years will that take? 3? 5? 17 additional years? Just HOW LONG can I use this chair? Before it gives out. Honestly, I throw a leg over the side. I can sit cross-legged (criss-cross-applesauce-style). BUUUUT, its looking a bit frumpy these days. I’ve been eyeing $2000 leather armchairs from West Elm and Joybird. But I just can’t bring myself to make that purchase. Like somehow I’m not adult enough to own an expensive piece of furniture. I abuse this chair, could I let myself sit comfortably with a cup of tea in a chair that’s 10x the cost?? I’ve also thought about replacing it with the same chair from Ikea, but new. I will be disappointed if I don’t get AT LEAST 20 years from my next chair, regardless of how much I pay for it!
Fiber Related Content:
I’m “approaching” the heel placement row of my “Say Yes to Pie” socks in 24 +/- rows ! I can’t wait to get this pattern released! Its so much easier to write a sock pattern than a sweater pattern- much less grading involved! My contrast color has enough remaining to become at least one additional pair of socks! Talk about getting great mileage from a couple of skeins of sock yarn!
If you asked me 12 hours ago what I expected to be doing this morning, my answer would be going hiking with my kids. Apparently my kids just want to stay in the house all day- because despite my requests to get dressed, they remain in the jammies.
I know its been over a week without project updates or equipment musings. Have no fear, things here are pretty normal. I took some time to go visit my Grandmother for her birthday. My plans to go visit her back in March were thwarted by COVID-19. Even though we are still in the midst of the first wave (part 2), I took into account that we have been really good about following isolation protocol. I haven’t been around any groups of people, all activities have been designated as very low risk, I mask up when leaving the house, and I wash my hands frequently.
Faire Stripe Sweater
Its off the needles!! Blocking and ends remain.
Its done! I finished on July 3rd. I haven’t wove in the ends yet, but its in the 90 (above 32 C). It will be MONTHS before I can actually wear the piece. I have the pattern grading to do, then its testing. So we are looking at a late August release.
I LOVE this finished piece. This yarn (Alien Worsted) was so awesome to work with! It is plush and soft and the beautiful colors just GLOW. Terri at AT Haynes House Yarns is a fiber magician! I honestly can’t say enough nice things about her or her work! Not only does she do beautiful work, she is really committed to engaging with the fiber community. She does frequent live feeds via Instagram.
The full chest measurement of this sweater is 46″ pre-blocking: about 1-2″ of positive ease at the chest and 10″ at the waist. Its comfy and not at all fitted in the body. I like relaxed fit sweaters a lot more now that I’m post-kids and quickly approaching 40. If you like a sweater with waist shaping, it would be really easy to add some. I used virtually ALL of my 4 skeins.
All that remains.
Say Yes to Pie Socks
Progress through yesterday morning
I started my second pair of Say Yes to Pie socks on Saturday (before I left my Grandma’s house to come home). I put in the heel marker (I’m doing an afterthought heel variation called the Peasant Heel) and am currently working on the short leg before the ribbing. If things continue to progress as quick as they’ve been, I’ll finish this sock, sans heel, tomorrow and cast-on the next. I’m absolutely going to have this pair finished before July 15th, a “deadline” for a Ravelry Challenge I decided to participate in. Pattern release scheduled for Late July, STAY TUNED!!
Giant Randclaw Blanket
Its monstrously huge!
This blanket is SOOOOO big! The 5 balls of Blanket didn’t yield a blanket as large as I thought I wanted to make. And with the striped yarn being discontinued, I decided to go with an off-white. It looks cool. IT IS ENORMOUS. I’ll capture pictures and measure it once I finish it. With the P/10mm hook it goes SUPER fast! I have an intended recipient- I’m not sure if I’m going to wait to give it in-person or mail it. I seriously don’t know if I have a box large enough to ship this huge thing!!
Up Next….
Yarns, patiently waiting for use. Left: Handspun Cowl, Right:Scheepjes Whirl for crochet shawl, Center: AT Haynes House “Its Nobody’s Birthday” for the “Merry UnBirthday” hat.
As soon as I finish my socks I can start on my “Merry UnBirthday!” hat, its a knit/unslouch version of my Wintery Mix Slouch Hat. The gauge is smaller, and I’m not sure I’ll be adding a pom-pom. I also have a handspun cabled cowl, that will also be suitable for commercially available yarn (such as Spin Cycle). Also in the queue, a crochet Skull shawl or Virus shawl out of Scheepjes Whirl- I haven’t decided which pattern I’m using.
I also have some projects for the Lost Knits File to finish. They are a bit of a low priority, but I still want to get them completed so I have more space to organize my supplies.
Yesterday I was telling you how excited I am for my new Stanwood Winder. Well, ITS HERE! I took the opportunity to take it out of the box and use it straight away! I only wound 5 skeins, because the progeny were getting TOO interested in what I was doing.
The box was smaller than I expected, but the winder itself is HUGE. I had a couple pieces that I needed to attach, the instructions were helpful.
Unfortunately, this winder doesn’t fit on my dining room table either. I’m still using my ratchet set-up for now: an old stool and an unstable tv table. Maiden voyage yarn: AT Haynes House Yarns Haynesville Fingering (100% Superwash Merino, 415 yards) in VKL Exclusive Colorway: It’s Nobody’s Birthday. I have a hat idea that I can’t wait to work up in this yarn, for reals. The new winder makes a TIGHT cake, my only “complaint”. Once I took it off the cone, it relaxed a bit. I remember reading that you can damage your yarn if its wound too tight and stored too long.
Next, I wound 7.9 ounces (223.97 g.) of this beautiful handspun! The winder easily worked this into a nice cake. I spun it sometime between 2013 and 2018 (because I’ve barely spun in the past 18 months). Unfortunately, I don’t remember the wool type, the dyer, or the colorway. I will update if I find out the information; I’m always finding tags in with my spinning supplies. I DO know that I set it with tension, and when I wash it, its going to bloom. Right now its about 11 WPI, putting it in DK/Light Worsted territory and therefore between 400 and 500 yards. Like my modeling pics? This yarn is destined to be worn around my neck. These colors suit my skin tone, with or without purple hair.
Lastly, I wound up approximately 600 yards of a green hand-dyed. I have no idea what this is destined to be, but at least it won’t get tangled in storage.
So- my initial thoughts on the Stanwood High Capacity Winder, I like it. No major mishaps, all the inconsistencies are from where I had to stop and start again; user error as opposed to product issue. The mechanism is a bit louder, but again, it is significantly larger in size to my previous winder. I’m excited to use it again in the future. I am please I decided to upgrade my previous model to this one.
I hate waiting. When I want to do a thing, I want to do it NOW. No matter if I have procrastinated previously. Right now, I’ve got the bug to WIND ALL THE YARN. The problem, my winder. When I wound up a bunch of yarn a couple of months ago it was a HASSLE. You see, my 10-year-old trusty $20 KnitPicks winder is on its last leg. I’ve gotten my money’s worth out of it, that’s for sure. But anymore it won’t wind a good ball. I have to wind it 2-5 times to get an ALMOST-KINDA-SORTA usable center-pull ball. And even then… some parts are just barfs of yarn. Really annoying.
If I only have a singe hank of worsted, I’ll do it by hand. But I have a dozen hanks I want to get prepped. Half of it fingering. I would rather be working a project, thanks.
So the solution is to buy a new winder (my wood swift is still prime condition). Which I DID. A Stanwood Winder (affiliated link). It shipped from the company out in California within an HOUR of ordering it, back on 6/23. Now… I’m playing the waiting game. Its a 2600 mile journey across America- this package obviously did not make the journey via plane. It should be here TOMORROW. Tomorrow is SOOOO long to wait! You can be sure that Tuesday will likely be me telling you that A) I’ve wound a ton of yarn, and B) How I really feel about my new toy.
In the meanwhile, I’ve been plugging away on my “Giant Randclaw”. ANNNNND, the 5 balls of Bernat Blanket Stripes I purchased back in July 2019 isn’t going to be sufficient. I have also discovered that this version of Blanket yarn is discontinued. Whomp, whomp!! But no fear, I’m going to flank it in an off-white on either side from the same brand- I am optimistic that it’ll coordinate. I have 2 balls on order that’ll be here next week some time (they were on sale, bonus). This project has no read due date, so whenever I finish it- Cool.
After 4 balls it measures 66 x 36. I’m NOT ripping it back.
My other large project, Faire Stripes Sweater, is making reasonable progress. I’m just working on 12-14″ of body before I add the blue back to the body and work a bunch of ribbing. Then ONTO THE SLEEVES! The are going to be half sleeves. Or until I run out of yarn. I’ve 860 yards total to make this 44″ sweater. I haven’t knit a worsted weight sweater in a couple years. Its going REALLY quick!
I’ve had a busy couple of days with no real “progress” on my main projects. But its all good stuff!
Mundane Desk Coffee
I miss teaching even more than sitting in a cafe alone with a book, my knitting/crochet and a steamy hot soy chai. After 3 months of NOT teaching, I was contacted by one of my students asking if we could do a virtual group class. OF COURSE! So once we agreed on a day, time, and platform, it was time to jump into creating class samples AND our instructions! Two of my students started the year with the KAL Afghan Block-a-Month at the big box store I teach at. Because of copyrights, I won’t use the teaching materials provided by the store. So we came up with two options to work up: an easy eyelet and an intermediate cable. I adapted both stitch patterns to meet the needs of our long-term project and both stitches have instructions on how to turn the stitch into a scarf using a different weight yarn.
What kind of creator are you? Do you create for the joy of creating or do you create for the desire of a finished project?
For the longest time I was a process knitter and a project crocheter. I frequently knit to knit and crocheted when I have something specific (usually a gift) to complete with a deadline. And by knit to knit, I mean, I started a LOT of projects and abandoned them when something more interesting presented itself. Sure, I finished projects, but not as many as I started.
Since I’ve seriously started designing this year, I’ve seen myself become a project knitter as well as a project crocheter. I have project milestones for pattern design, and these require focus. Even though I’m transitioning to a project-focused creative process, its not a monogamous project situation. I need at least 2 active projects going at once. In a perfect world, I would have a knit and a crochet project going. But it all depends on what deadlines I’ve looming.
Right now I have 3 projects: My Faire Stripe Sweater (fall release??!?!?), my Currents Scarf (an old, unreleased pattern of mine that I’m re-knitting and releasing), and a giant Randclaw blanket that I started this afternoon.
Faire Stripe Sweater (in AT Haynes House Yarns Alien Worsted. Curry Goat, Brownie, The Good Ice). Ready to split the sleeves off!!
Since my knitting has changed to project focused, my yarn buying habits have changed as well. I’m still working toward minimizing my stash so I can purchase specific for design, and not have to be worried about storage. Seriously, I want ALL of my stash to fit into one area without overflow. I have ideas for MOST of my stash, sweater quantities for 3-4 (adult) sweaters, a handful of cowls and scarves, the obvious sock. I also have some mohair (not kid silk, but worsted/bulky grayish/brown stuff) to de-stash. I have NO idea what to do with it. I can’t wait to keep working through my stash (and my overflow trunk stash) and get everything stored neatly in my closet where it belongs!
As of this morning, I officially have NO active projects. Old WIPS don’t count, by the way. I finished my C2C blanket for a friend, and it looks AWESOME! The only thing left to do is wash it and mail it! Since learning the C2C technique back in April, this is my 3rd throw/blanket. It was really fun; this will definitely not be my last!
As stated above, I don’t really consider this an official pattern. More of a guide to how I worked this project. I used the yarn (DK weight) held double and a larger hook than recommended (6.0 mm) on the ballband. I included the amount of increases, straight rows, and decrease rows; literally to take the guess work out of this project for you. I had 0.8 oz , about 89 yards remaining from each ball. Your yarn mileage may vary from mine depending on how you crochet.
My Desk Chair Modeling the Finished Product
How I Made My C2C Throw (not a real pattern):
8 balls of Lion Brand Cupcake Yarn in Sea Breeze (approx 4720 yards total) Size J hook (6.0mm) Other Notions: Yarn Needle to weave in ends. Optional Notions:Stitch Markers to keep track of rows.
Dimensions: 45×57
WITH YARN HELD DOUBLE (throughout the entire project)
55 rows of C2C increase 17 rows no increase or decrease 55 rows of C2C decrease.
Weave in all ends. I recommend washing before use, big pieces like this get unwieldy and tend to pick up detritus.
Don’t know how to do C2C? No worries, I got you covered:
This is my favorite C2C tutorial: Winding Road Crochet It has text, pictures, charts, AND videos. It also has left-handed directions! Be advised, there is a LOT of information, and not necessarily in the order you will need it in for this throw. I think its increase, decrease, “straight” (no increase or decrease) This site also has instructions on how to put on a border- I thought my blanket looked fine without the border (as did my spouse). You may have different opinions for yours. A border will require additional yarn!
Using 2 balls held together really helped blend the color changes!
I KNOW. I know. Summer is not even officially upon us here in the northern hemisphere, and here I am thinking ahead to fall pattern releases! But hear me out, because I’m so excited about this project.
A sneak-peak at summer releases!
Much like any other industry, I’ve got to keep my pipeline FRESH. I have some older (unpublished) designs that I plan on re-imagining for release, some new smaller projects, and a few ambitious/large projects to keep me occupied. I’ve this 5-year plan that I’m working toward, that I’ve been dreaming about for at least 15-years!
Some projects can be imagined, drafted, crafted, written, tested, and released within a week. The stars align in those cases. And they are generally smaller projects. With larger projects, there is significantly more time involved. So, planning months ahead is really important.
But About This Sweater.
The Curry Goat colorway GLOWS. From the top: The Good Ice, Curry Goat, Brownie. #nofilter
Right now, I’m in the swatching phase! Yay. I know lots of people hate to swatch, but as a designer its important. Its the difference between a successful pattern and a failed pattern. The swatch is hyping me up for the sweater! The gold (Curry Goat) seems to GLOW from within! This yarn is SO sumptuous, soft but resilient. I am planning my next sweater in this yarn already!
The yarn is AT Haynes House Yarns Alien Worsted in The Good Ice, Brownie, and Curry Goat (100% Superwash Merino. 215 yards). AT Haynes House Yarns is one of my FAVORITE indie dye studios of ALL TIME. Not only do I LOVE the colorways, and the yarns, but honestly, I think Terri and Brian are such awesome people. Lets not kid ourselves, we buy/support PEOPLE we LIKE. I got the yarns at a trunk show at my LYS, the Knot House back in February. I even wrote about it HERE.
Sweater construction has more “moving parts” than say a scarf that need consideration- and MATH! My loose vision is a round yoke with BOLD chevron fair isle section and stripes. Half sleeves, standard length, contrast edging. And no, not like Charlie Brown’s sweater.
Trade Secrets!
Like everything I do, my final pattern is subject to completely deviate from the original plan and be 10x more amazing. I can’t wait to share my progress!
Have you ever found a pattern that you don’t get bored knitting? Usually I dislike making the same thing twice (or more) but honestly, I’ve knit this hat 4 times already. I have plans to make at least 2 more (similar to the white long brim one). The first two knits of this hat I thought I might be bias because this is my own baby. But no, after the third, I couldn’t wait to cast-on another. Now, I’m itching to make another, because they are just THAT MUCH FUN.
Why do I love this hat so much?
Let’s break it down.
Have you ever done a tubular cast-on with waste yarn? Neither had I until I made this hat. I watched THIS VIDEO from A-C Knitwear. It was informative, and it worked the first time! It takes a little additional effort than your basic backward loop or long-tail cast-on. But I ASSURE you, how stunningly polished your cast-on edge will look is worth all the effort. No lie- this is my NEW FAVORITE CAST-ON. It is definitely going to make an appearance in future knits (here’s looking at you, fall releases). The cream long-brim sample was knit with long-tail; I don’t love the edge.
I’m not going to say the long-tail cast-on is BAD. I just NOTICE it.
Next the short 1×1 option. I don’t like a ton of rib before the main event. It can be tedious. But the tubular cast-on isn’t as prone to rolling, so you don’t need to do inches if you don’t want to. Unless you like that sort of thing, then by all means: YOU DO YOU!!
Look at that little tiny ribbing section!
The body is where the love-fest continues. With most of the body unassuming (and easy) stockinette or reverse stockinette, the rows FLY off the needles. Stockinette hats can get boring and feel like a bit of a slog. But what makes the hat great fun: A cable with a little more pizzazz than a simple repetitive C4F/C4B cable. Its 22 stitches wide, so enough to be interesting, not so large that you lose all sense of your bearings if you look away. I think this would be a nice project for knitters looking to tackle slightly more complicated cables without the commitment of a whole sweater or scarf or some other item will greater than 55 rows. Yeah, the shortest version has 45 pattern rows and 10 decrease rows. SO DOABLE.
When you put all those attributes together, that’s when it comes together visually. The cable is in relief to the reverse stockinette flanking it on either side and the smooth texture stockinette fades into the background. Allowing you to focus mainly on the cable. Or someone sees the hat from behind and is all, a ho-hum hat, then BLAM a sweet cable jumps out at them when they adjust their viewing angle! I like to imagine they are speechless for a moment while they catch their breath from being so impressed.
Even in a dark color the cable is REALLY OBVIOUS.
I tested two different crowns: a basic “swirl” decrease and a quartered decrease. I found the basic swirl decrease to be a bit easier to execute with less laddering at the decrease points. I remedied the laddering by stitching closed the ladders with the waste yarn at the end.
I forgot to take a before picture of the ladders. But here all stitched up, you would never know.
Did I mention that the pattern is UNISEX? Just by changing the yarn, the length, the color, or pom-pom status you have a hat suitable for anyone you know who will wear a hat. It also looked hecka cute on my little kids- albeit extra slouchy. SO VERSATILE.
The hat even fits my kids! Sorry, the spouse won’t let me take modeling pics of him.
Let’s Talk About Yarn!
Do you have too many shawls and don’t want to stuff a $35 hand-dyed skein of cashmere blend yarn into your shoes? Now you have another option! I used less than 400 yards of fingering held double for both of the hats I made using fingering weight. If you made an extended brim AND the slouchy version, you may need upwards of 460 yards (estimated I don’t have a version with this parameter).
The fourth hat, still on the needles. I forgot to snap a finished pic! #nomakeup #nofilter #inmyjams
Don’t have any sock weight floating around? I got you covered. You can use a heavy DK or a Light Worsted too! The cream colored one is Lion Brand Wool-Ease. It worked up awesome. Lets talk about alpaca. My dark, almost black, version is a worsted weight alpaca blend, worked to a tighter than normal gauge. Alpaca has a tendency to “grow” because it lacks the springiness/bounce of wool, or rigidity of acrylic fibers. This is great for shawls- not always the best for hats. The achieved gauge is a bit on the large size- if you are a female with petite proportions, I suggest a sock or DK weight. It will fit you better and you will be more satisfied with the finished project. Conversely, if you are knitting for a man with large proportions, go ahead and use a worsted. Be sure to gauge swatch to make sure you like the finished fabric if you are not using an alpaca blend. A hat that can stand up on its own is not a comfortable hat.
WHERE CAN I GET THIS MAGIC HAT PATTERN?!?!?
I’ve release the pattern FREE on Ravelry! download now
I would LOVE to see your version! Use the hashtag #UnassumingHat on Instagram, as a project on Ravelry, are the two easiest ways to show off your work where I’ll see them!
