Several finished quarantine knits and creativity check, April 2020

My hands and needles have been relatively busy as of late. And while I usually like to grant each completed project its own post, sometimes, it makes sense to group them together. All three of these projects fall into the category of "quarantine knits," or something. There will be more items added to this category, but I will start here. In order of completion:

Tread hat, III

Details

For more details, see my ravelry project page

Yarn: Shepherd's Wool Worsted in peach

Size: Medium

Pattern: Tread by Shannon Cook

Needles: Needles: US 6 for brim, US 8 for body of hat

Specifics/modifications: Sized down needles, but otherwise, knit to pattern.

I'm so pleased with how this turned out! My sister-in-law was the recipient of the first Tread that I knit and she asked for a second version. I don't have a photo of her wearing it, but she said it fits even better than the other version, so I'm happy. (here is the second version I made).

Graham hat, II

Details

For more details, see my ravelry project page

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Eco Duo (alpaca/merino blend)

Size: adult medium

Pattern: Graham by Jennifer Adams

Needles: US 5, US 7

Specifics/modifications: Specifics/modifications: I sized down my needles (of course), and I altered the crown of the hat to make it slightly less pointed. In all honesty, I haven't blocked this yet, but I do imagine that the crown will flatten some when I do block it.

I originally knit this hat for Nicholas back in 2014 and after it disappeared into a bin with our winter coats for a few years (when we lived in TX), I pulled it out and wore it for 5 months straight. It is so warm and snuggly, and since it's neutral, it was always the hat I reached for. This version is equally snuggly and wearable. Fits just like the first version, but a bit more spring-y, since alpaca relaxes and drapes with wear. Also of note, the hat is technically designed to be worn with the wrong side out, but I prefer this side.

Garter snake cowl

Details

For more details, see my ravelry project page

Yarn: Stress Knits favorite base, in the colorway etching (grey), and madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light + Copper Glitter, in the colorway Mars Rover.

Size: one size

Pattern: Garter Snake Cowl by Lavanya Patricella

Needles: US 3

Specifics/modifications: Specifics/modifications: I did knit this slightly shorter, simply because I was ready to be done, and it is a very tall cowl, I figured there would be enough volume where I bound off, and there is.

I love this. I originally cast this on for my #christmasevecaston with this very special yarn (the Mars Rover) that I received from a dear friend for Christmas. I love two-color brioche and the rhythm I can get into with it, however, when the garter wedge started, I didn't work on it consistently enough to be able to read my knitting, so it felt slow. And truth be told, if I want a cowl with a lot of volume (and one that doesn't feel heavy, since it's knit with fingering weight yarn) there's no way to get there without a significant amount of knitting. True to form, I kept setting it aside, and then began to wonder if I would like or wear the finished object. But I am so, so glad I did finish it, because I love it. The fit, the texture, the wearability, all of it is good. I've already worn it several times.

Navy socks for Nicholas

Details

For more details, see my ravelry project page

Yarn: Schachenmayr Regia 4-fädig Color in the colorway 7709 Snowflake

Size: 68 stitches

Pattern: my own vanilla socks pattern, plus some notes taken from the Late Night Socks pattern (free)

Needles: US 1 dpns

Specifics/modifications: All the details are on my ravelry (linked above), but I knit them to fit Nicholas' foot.

Not too much to day about these socks. They're vanilla socks with a heel flap and gusset and a reinforced heel flap. What I will say is Nicholas is one of my favorite people to knit for. I had a few rows of the second toe to finish and he asked if they would be done soon, since his feet were cold. ;) and he even asked if they needed to be blocked before he could wear them (I don't bother blocking vanilla socks, usually) but I thought that was funny. He's a sweetheart and I'll happily knit him socks as long as I am able to.

Works-in-progress

• Atmen shawl in Icelandic/Faroe island wool. It is a striped shawl, but I will be knitting with plain light grey for some time. After a few repeats, I have the pattern and increase placement memorized, so it's fun. And I love how lightweight the yarn is.
• Self-patterning socks for me. This yarn has such a sweet, spring-y sequence to it, I've enjoyed seeing the oink stripes crop up. First sock is done, and I'm doing the gusset shaping on the second one.

Upcoming projects

• A simple fingering-weight Skovbær shawl, yarn TBD, following the pattern in this video (pattern only available in this format, not as a written pattern). Thinking I might use some olive-colored tweed yarn for this. But I haven't decided 100% yet.
• A small gift knit
• A sweater of some sort with yarn I have in stash. I think I've narrowed it down to Nurtured or Willow (both patterns I already own but have yet to knit).
• Another pair of Cyril socks
• Self-striping socks
• A scrappy, colorplay project. Maybe another Vertices unite, or maybe the Ebel shawl (scarf)?
• DK socks, I really love the Morrison socks pattern.

Sewing

I actually have been sewing a little bit. The last time I managed to do that was when I sewed fabric pillow cases when Cooper was tiny. I do feel like I need to be in a much more specific headspace to want to sew.

Fabric masks, using this tutorial. Since I'm not working as a nurse right now, it felt only right to help out in a way that I'm able to. I made these assembly-line style, and although it was a bit tedious, I am pleased with how they turned out. Bias tape, twill tape, elastic, etc. are all hard to come by right now, so I ordered some ribbon to use for ties on some of the masks, and that works just as well. Obviously, these are not medical-grade masks, but more suitable to wear for essential errands, like the grocery store, etc.

I'm also in-process of hemming some curtains, and I'm curious to try some Quilt As You Go (QAYG) for a small pouch, or project bag, using some favorite, special fabrics.

Whew! And that's what I've been up to creatively in the last month or so.  I'm finding, once again, that keeping my hands busy allows me to quiet my mind, or feel productive in some way.  And besides that, it brings me joy to make things by hand.