The Black Lace Knit Scarf Is Finished

   I finished the scarf this morning before work.  It's a little over six feet long and it took about 1.5 skeins of Vanna's Choice yarn,  I love this.  It will join others in my wardrobe.  I made one in white, blue, and grey this year.  I will be making more in different colors.  It's an easy pattern and it is really nice doubled up when I wear it.

The Scarf I Couldn't Finish Is Done.

   I had an awful time knitting this scarf.  I started knitting this back in late May.  I have been trying to finish the scarf since then but I kept making ugly mistakes and having to rip it out and start over.  I started over about five time.  It was completely worth it to get it right because it's done now and I'm super happy with it.  This was knit with KnitPicks Brava worsted yarn in the denim colorway.  It's approximately six feet long and it took about 1.25 balls of yarn.  I knit this on size 11 knitting needles and the lacy fabric is very drapey and pretty.

White Lacey Scarf - Finished.

   I finished my white lacey scarf.  I love this scarf.  It's about 6 feet long.

 I'm starting a new one right now with the same size 11 knitting needles and a skein of KnitPicks Brava Worsted yarn in Denim colorway. 

Another Lacey Scarf Started

   I had to take my car in for service today.  I always wait for my car when it's just an oil change and tire rotation so I needed a easy knitting project.  I decided to start a new scarf ("One Row Lace Scarf") so I could knit while I waited for my car.  To make this project I'm using white Red Heart yarn that I found in my stash and a pair of size 11 - 29" bamboo circular needles (I think they were made by Boye) which were perfect for this yarn and this pattern.  I'm loving how this scarf is knitting up.

Finished Lace Scarf and Starting A Hat

   Finishing this scarf makes me want to make a bunch of these in lots of colors.  Love the simplicity of the pattern and the finished scarf.

    This is not a flattering picture but I was trying to get the full length in the picture.  I think I stopped knitting at just over 6 feet in length.   I did not use the full skein of the second skein that I started, so I have leftover yarn, but I still love the scarf.  This scarf fits doubled around the neck perfectly.

   And this is close up of the stitches and how pretty they are.

I started another knitting project with a yarn I have had for at least two years when I bought six skeins of it because I loved it so much.  I made a couple of items with it in 2016.  I made a knitted neck warmer and a crocheted scarf with it and now I need a hat to complete the set.  This is Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable yarn in the Cappuccino colorway.  It's so soft and pretty.  To use up this yarn I decided to make my go to hat pattern "The Boyfriend Hat" by Stephanie Nicole.  The pattern link is here.  I'm going to use up the last four skeins of this yarn on this hat so I'm knitting this with double strands and I will knit this hat until it's gone so this will be a stocking cap style hat.

Knitting Project and Confession

    I've been enjoying my knitting lately and thinking about sock knitting.  My One Row Lace Scarf is coming along nicely.  It's 5 feet long now and I want it to measure 6 feet.  This scarf is being knit with KnitPicks Brava Worsted in Silver colorway on size 10 circular needles.  I knit one ball of this yarn and got a little over four feet of scarf with one ball which is great to know.  A one skein scarf would make a nice handmade gift. 

   

  Here is the knitting confession portion.  I started to knit a sock last year, I think it was February.  And this is how far I got before I put it up and promptly forgot about it until a few weeks ago.  This is KnitPicks Stroll Fingering yarn in the Make Believe Hand Painted colorway on KnitPicks US size 1 (2.5mm) nickel plated circular needles with a 40" cord.

 

    I've been trying to figure out why I didn't continue with knitting this sock.  I have decided that this yarn is too dark and I can't see my stitches.  Whenever I knit a round I can't see if I'm knitting the ribbing right and I feel like my stitches are all messed up.  I will be taking this cuff off these needles and try again, but with a lighter color yarn.  I just ordered some bright yellow sock yarn and I'm hoping that will help with getting me through knitting a pair of socks.  I also bought two books to help me with my sock knitting. 

     I already have "Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks" by Melissa Morgan-Oakes and I love this book.  I made a sample pair of socks two at a time with this book and they turned out pretty good, but I want to explore all the different ways to make socks.      

Everyone Needs A Simple Knitted Lacy Scarf

    I definitely need one.

     I have made myself a few crocheted scarfs over the last few years, but I really like this scarf and the pattern is so easy.  I found this free pattern on Ravelry several years ago and I've made two of these for gifts.  The pattern is called the One Row Lace Scarf by Turvid.  It's very pretty and very easy to knit, which is good for me because I'm not the most accomplished knitter.  You don't have to be a Ravelry member to get the pattern.  Here is the link to the blog with the pattern.   Link here.

    This would make an awesome travel knitting project because it's a simple pattern to memorize and it makes such a pretty fabric.  It's almost as small to carry as a sock.

   I'm making my scarf with size ten Sunstruck (by Knit Picks) circular needles (larger size needles are suggested to show off the lacy stitches and I think the 10 is perfect) with a 24 inch cord.  I tried a 16 inch cord would but it was too short for me.  I would rather have too much cord than not enough.   This is a back and forth project so you can certainly knit this on straight needles but I like the circulars for keeping my project secure. 

    I'm using Knit Picks Brava worsted in the silver colorway.  This yarn is acrylic, which I like.  It's soft and indestructible.  I like that I don't have to worry about bugs eating it and it's washable.  The pattern writer used alpaca yarn to make hers, so feel free to use a natural fiber.  There was also the perfect amount of yardage in a skein of this yarn.  The pattern calls for 175 yards of yarn and this yarn comes with 218 yards.  I'm using two skeins on this scarf because I want this one to be extra long, but one skein of this yarn would be enough for a scarf according to the pattern.

  Here's a picture of my pretty progress so far.

      I bought a lot of Knit Picks Brava in different colors (there are lots of beautiful colors) earlier this year and I think all of it would be great in this pattern.  I picked the grey because, well, it's grey.  I like grey.  I will probably make more of these in some of the other colors, like currant (burgundy) Dublin (dark green), solstice heather (bright navy blue), and white.     

    Knit Picks also has a worsted weight yarn called Mighty Stitch which is a 80% acrylic and 20% super wash wool.  I bought a few skeins of this as well in January to try it out.  I like a good acrylic/natural fiber blend.   The Mighty Stitch comes lots of colors and is a 208 yard skein.

   This blog post turned into a complete Knit Picks commercial.  Sorry about that.  I just like Knit Picks.  I buy a lot of their products and I use them.  

Time For Crochet

   While I'm waiting for my backing/binding fabric to come for the scrappy string quilt top, I decided I needed a crochet project to work on.  I don't have a lacy accent scarf and I wanted to make one with some of the cotton crochet thread I have hanging around.

   I found a free pattern for an easy headband/necklace, link here.  I doubled the foundation chains to make it a little wider and I will tea stain it when it's finished.  I'm using a size U.S. 00/2.7 mm steel crochet hook with my Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread Classic 10.  I like the fabric that the hook and thread are making, so I'm calling this a winner.

   Here's what I've done today (about 18 inches).

   This is a closer shot of the scarf.