UhlissaKnits

  Tree Farm Socks by Natalie Sheldon Cast on: 10/17/2020 Cast off: 9/7/21 Yarn: Leading Men Fiber Arts Show Stealer in Spritely Endeavors (226 yds) Kim Dyes Yarn Sourdough Sock in Murky Pond (156 yds)  I am not good at colorwork. I like to think I'm getting better, and this project definitely helped. Despite my uneven tension, I'm absolutely thrilled about these socks. I knew I had to make them for my mom the moment I saw them. They're too small for me to try on, so hopefully they'll fit her. Generally, if I can't get handknit socks on, I send them to her, so it should be ok. The yarns were great, the pattern was wonderful, and I want to make sooo many pairs of stranded socks now. I'm absolutely obsessed with the pattern on the bottom of the feet.  Excuse the terrible picture. They are too small for me to model! Curling Mist Socks by Helen Stewart Cast on: 2/10/21 Cast off: 10/13/21 Yarn: Birch Hollow Fibers Sylvia Sock in V...

 I think my biggest knitting accomplishment of the last few months was actually finishing Birdwatcher. After the hem, it was endless stockinette and I couldn't focus at all. Fortunately, i took it with me on a trip that involved quite  a bit of time in a car. It was perfect car knitting! I got so much done on that trip, that I was able to finish it up pretty quickly. It is now one of my favorite articles of clothing to wear and I can't believe I let myself take so long to make it! Birdwatcher by Casapinka Cast on: 6/6/21 Cast off: 10/5/21 Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy 2-ply in In The Meadow. 2.65 skeins (1058 yds) Maybe by most ambitious project of the year, Wolf River is not something I would have thought to make without the Yarnathon . I know I've mentioned it a bunch this year, but this competition, put on by a LYS in Georgia that I stumbled upon online last year has really been an amazing influence in my knitting this year. For the fourth quater, the focus was on chunk...

I tell myself constantly that I'll eventually keep up with the blog,  but somehow life keeps getting in the way. I promise I've been knitting and  I'm hoping to spend the next few days catching up and sharing some of what I've been working on.  I don't necessarily love cowls, but I think I could.  They're quick projects and seem pretty ideal for Oklahoma winters.  I knit my first ever early this year, and now I've made a few more. It's just now getting cool here, so I'm interested to see how they work out.    Cross Stitch Cowl  by Laura Chau Cast On: 9/4/21 Cast off: 9/6/21 Yarn/usage: Mrs. Crosby Steamer Trunk in Scarlet Ibis. 281 yds (1.71 skeins) Notes: I mostly knit this  to meet some Yarnathon goals. It turned out to be a simple,  easy to memorize repeat and was the perfect project to work on by the lake, drinking beer over Labor Day.  Lush Brioche Cowl by   Cassondra Rizzardi Cast On: 11/6/21...

  GAP-tastic Cowl by  Jen Geigley Cast on: 8/8/21 Cast off: 8/28/21 Yarn : Malabrigo Mecha in Mostaza. Just about every inch of 3 skeins (384 yds)  It's kind of a disaster, but it's done. I don't know if I would have ever picked this pattern to knit, but the Yarnathon keeps motivating me to try new and different things. The yarn was more green than the golden color I was hoping for, but otherwise it's dreamy. I always thought the pattern looked more interesting, but just turned out to be 15" of seed stitch. At least the bulky yarn made it go quickly. I managed to twist the cast on and not notice for six inches. Based on the deadline, and my general dislike of the project, I just kept going. It turned out to be some sort of weird mobious, but it wraps around my neck twice and is very soft and squishy. I'm contemplating frogging and re-doing it, but I doubt I'd ever actually re-knit it, so I think it will stay as-is and we'll see if it gets ...

  Dimbala  by Laura Chau Cast On: 7/3/21 Cast off: 8/27/21 Yarn/usage: Dream in Color Classy in Velvet Port. 1071 yds (4.28 skeins) Notes: My first sweater in a very long time. I loved the yarn, and enjoyed how quick it felt compared to my usual lighter weight projects. There were a few spots in the pattern that weren't immaculately clear, but overall, I found it very well written. I learned I'm not very good at picking up stitches (for the buttonband and collar) and that sewing in sleeves is not my favorite activity. I lengthened the body by three inches, and shorted the sleeves by about three as well. My gauge was a little off, so I picked the smaller of the two sizes I was considering, and I think the fit turned out perfectly. This sweater had been in my queue for 7 years, but I'm not sure I would have ever made it if it weren't for the Yarnathon 3rd Quarter Craft A Long. I can't wait to wear it, and I'm looking forward to knitting more sweaters.

  Pattern: Colour Twist  by  Corinne Fourcade Cast on: 6/20/21 Cast off: 6/26/21 Yarn:  Farmer's Daughter Fibers Rocky Mountain Purls in Strawberry Shortcake (108 yds) Hedgehog Fibres Sock in Rosewood (31 yds) Spun Right Round Classic Sock in Spaced Out (70 yds) I needed a quick sock project to reach some yarnathon goals. Throwing some leftovers together, this is what I ended up with. I'm pretty happy with my first real pair of shorty socks and have been enjoying wearing them.  

Wookiee Socks  by Natalie Sheldon Cast on: 4/5/21 Cast off: 6/20/21 Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Horror Hostess (277 yds) Dream in Color Smooshy in Charli au lait (162 yds)  These might be my favorite socks ever. They were challenging, but fun and addictive to knit. As they were a gift for my SO, who has giant flipper feet, I had to use larger needles than called for, and luckily they turned out pretty perfectly. They need a good blocking, and I need to practice more colorwork, but I am thrilled with the end result. xo uhlissa

I'm pretty happy with how these turned out despite not particularly enjoying the process.  Hermione's Everyday Socks  are obviously a fan favorite, with a bazillion projects on Ravelry. The pattern is a simple repeat, and easy to memorize, but I found them fairly tedious. Cast on: 5/31/21 Cast off: 6/12/21 Yarn: Spun Right Round Classic Sock in Spaced Out (298 yds used) 

Raspberry Cordial by Lisa Ross  Cast on:5/17/21 Cast off:5/29/21 Hedgehog Fibers Sock in Rosewood (71 grams, 310 yds) I think these are my favorite of the Socks of Green Gables .  They were designed for sport weight yarn, but I knit them in fingering, following directions for the Large size.  I knit TAAT toe-up on 2.75mm until the cuff,  where I used smaller needles.  I decided to try Jeny's Super Stretchy Bind off for the first time,  and I'm pretty happy with it, but not sure if I would like it better if I hadn't bound off in the ribbed pattern.  Either way,  they're gorgeous and seem comfy so far.   All four pairs of Socks of Green Gables  I'm not sure what my knitting plan is for the next few days,  but hopefully I'll have some pretty new things to share next week.  Xo uhlissa 

 Powder Wrap by Casapinka Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Starry Night Mix (3.3 skeins - 725 yds) Cast on: 3/28/21 Cast off: 5/9/21 After discovering how much I love worsted weight shawls and watching a ton of people in Casapinka's facebook group knitting this, when I needed a break from socks, it was an easy choice.  I made the biggest "design element" of my knitting career on this project. Half way through the cables, I picked this up one day, and pretty much forgot the difference between right and left. I swapped the direction of allllll of the cables, and didn't notice for a few rows. I decided to go with it and am surprisingly happy with the way they turned out. I did switch back to the correct direction for the last cable row to make the transition to the ribbing a little neater, but it was a nice feeling to embrace my mistake and turn it into a feature that makes my wrap unique.  This has taken me so long to post because blocking an...

  Lady Cordelia by Lisa K. Ross madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Rocinante (304 yds) Cast on: 5/2/21 Cast off: 5/16/21 As I watched these come together, I kept thinking they might be the prettiest socks I've ever made. I wasn't sure about the smocked cuff until I was done with it, and then I was totally smitten. The cables made this feel like a very slow project, but the end result was definitely worth it. I made them a little short in the leg, substituted a short row heel, and I probably should have knit a few more rounds before the toe, but overall they fit pretty well. I was also amazed how much yarn the cables took. I knit longer legs on the first two pairs from Socks of Green Gables , but these took 25-30 more yards than either of those.  Xo uhlissa 

I'm way behind on posting these, but taking decent pictures proved to be rather challenging. They clearly need to be blocked,  but I never block socks and don't intend to start now.  Green Gables by Lisa K Ross Northbound Knitting Merino/Nylon Fingering in Saltwater (272 yds) Cast on: 4/7/21 Cast off: 4/18/21 I love everything about this pair of socks except for the lace on the toe. I love it in other people's pictures and in theory, but I do not love the way the toes look on my feet. I have not tried to actually wear them yet, so maybe I'll change my mind and realize it doesn't bother me so much.  I should have knit the yo's through the back loop to make smaller eyelets, but of course I didn't think about that until I was done. 

  I think this is the fastest I've ever knit a pair of socks.  Kindred Spirits  by Lisa K. Ross Farmer's Daughter Fibers Rocky Mountain Purls in Strawberry Shortcake (196 yds) Northbound Knitting Merino/Nylon Sock in Velvet Underground (78 yds) Cast on: 4/1/21 cast off : 4/5/21   I was not overwhelmed with excitement for this pattern,  but I wanted to fully participate in the KAL . I think my color choices played a large part in the enjoyment I got out of this knit after a fairly reluctant start. I realized last year after several less than impressive color selections for big projects,  that color is definitely not my strength. I've started paying more attention to what works in other people's projects and am feeling much more confident.   I cast on separately and knit past the toe and friendship rings before I moved both socks onto the same cable. I knit TAAT past the heel and up the leg and then separated them ag...

Pattern: Impossibly Possible by Lisa K. Ross Yarn; Manos del Uruguay Alegria in Antigua (107 yds) and Natural (196 yds).  Cast on: 3/7/21 Cast Off: 3/27/21 This was quite the learning experience. These were my first ever pair of toe-up socks. I had always been so intimidated by the technique, but after several attempts at Judy's Magic Cast-On, I finally got it, and I might be a convert. This video was a big help! I usually prefer to read instructions, or look at pictures, but this video made the difference between actually getting these socks started or giving up and finding a new project. I'm incredibly happy with the results, and you'll be seeing more of  Lisa's patterns in my WIPs soon. 

Finished the second sock today! I had taken a break after I finished the first one and worked on other projects.  Last weekend, I circled back and cast on the second sock.  I worked on it a little every night,  and then managed to commit some time this afternoon to get it finished.   I'm honestly not super thrilled with the results,  but so far they seem pretty comfortable,  and you can never have too many socks. The cuff and heel are both a little loose,  but that's definitely a result of my habit of using larger needles than called for since my feet usually fall pretty squarely between sizes.  Anyway,   Pucker  is definitely not a bad pattern and I'd been excited to knit it, but I don't think I'll do it again. Mostly because my sock pattern queue has pretty much quadrupled in the past few weeks.   Cast on 2/7/21 Cast off 3/20/21 Size medium on 2.75mm. Sweetgeorgia tough love sock in Saffron (...

After months of neglect,  I finally focused and finished this gorgeous,  squishy shawl.   Pattern:  Hoarfrost  by Andrea Mowry  Started November 14, 2020 and finished February 28, 2021 663 of Knit Picks Preciosa Tonal Worsted in Purple Haze, using US 8 needles.  I had never knit a worsted weight shawl,  but I plan to make more. It's a nice break from the tiny needles of sock knitting and the fabric is decadent.  This was also my first Andrea Mowry pattern,  but it definitely won't be my last.  I like a lot of her aesthetic,  and this pattern was very well written.   Xo uhlissa 

The fun (and sometimes anxiety) of MKALs is not knowing what's coming up next.  This one advertised a two color mosaic shawl in an asymmetrical triangle shape.  That could go literally a million ways. But, here is how it actually went: Clue 1 Clue 2 Clue 3: Clue 4 Clue 5 Clue 6 Clue 7 Clue 8 Clue 9 Clue 10 Clue 11  And then it was done! Pre blocking  The finished shawl got me to venture out into the snow I've been avoiding all week Though I didn't keep up the entire time, I enjoyed the length and frequency of these clues. It was a managable amount of knitting, released every Friday and Monday. I've participated in some MKALs where the clues were each so much knitting it felt overwhelming.  Knit on my favorite Chiagoo Red US 4 needles, I used about 386 yds of the main color  - Madelinetosh Merino Light in Copper Pi...