Industry Pattern Giveaway Winner!

Thanks to everyone who commented on last week’s Industry giveaway post!  I love seeing old and new-ish Ravelry friends here at the blog and other places.  Using a random number generator, I drew Kathy Wallace, sassykrafty on Ravelry, as the winner.  Congrats, Kathy!  I’ll be sending you the pattern via Ravelry ASAP.

I thought I’d mention that since releasing Industry, Libby has released Rilsdale, another textural shawl, and Koru.  I had thought Reminisce would be my next Truly Myrtle knit (If you can’t tell, Libby  is one of my favorite designers and podcasters.) but now I can’t decide between it and Koru.  Both require dk weight and I have a beautiful skein of Copper corgi in dark teal that I won from a Holla Knits KAL giveaway.  Ah, all the giving in the knitting community.

Speaking of Holla Knits Summer KAL, I wrapped up both of my projects for the summer KAL last night.  I worked feverishly on a last minute Beach House re-knit.  When I say feverishly, I mean that literally.  Having a cold in the summer is a drag, but it does present unparalleled knitting time.  It’s not like when you knit with the flu and do crazy stuff like create short rows where there shouldn’t be any or knit an extra three inches on only one sleeve because you’re in a fog.  It was sick-lite.  So, while catching up on all the knitting, I also finished Twin Peaks and started re-watching some Longmire to get ready for the Netflix season.  Please, oh, please don’t ruin this show, Netflix!

I’m happy to say all of my finished projects fit great, though I may knit a second Bowdoin hat and reduce stitches from the overall tilted block pattern because I knit so loosely.  My first Bowdoin is very slouchy and Rasta.  It looks fine, but I think if I made the circumference a bit smaller, and maybe reduced the repeats, mine would be a little more fitted and better show off that stitch pattern, like the sample.  I also finished blocking my Lund or Linden? I’ll be weaving in those ends after I finish typing this.  That’s three, almost four- if you count my Morning Mist, knits off the needles in about a week.  It’s nice to have visible progress after weeks of working on things here and there.

(on ravelry, instagram, kollabora, and flickr)

After working on three knits in fingering or near fingering weight this last month, with varying success, I think it’s time I accept that I’ll never knit that weight at the same gauge as the rest of the world.  I’ll always have to knit a smaller size at a larger gauge, to get the right fit. Always, always, always, Michelle!  My swatches do lie.  I never maintain the tight knitting I use on them when I’m actually into the project.  With Bowdoin, I got gauge on my swatch, so I only reduced stitches on the ribbed brim to make sure it fit my head.  I increased back up to the pattern number before starting the tilted blocks stitch pattern.  I knew it would look fine if it was slouchier, but I should’ve just made adjustments from the start, because I know what’s going to happen.  Lesson finally and completely and forever learned!!!

So, I guess it’s time I actually fix my hair and wear something decent to take some FO photos.  Do you like my homemade afghan snuggie in the last photo?  That’s been the anchoring piece of my wardrobe this weekend.