Things I knit in Crowsnest Pass

We just got back home to Medicine Hat, after spending pretty much all of February in Crowsnest Pass. And while I was unpacking today I thought both: hey I finished a fair number of knits there and yeep I didn't knit half of what I brought with me.

The problem of course being the presence of a lovely little yarn shop in CNP, A Nest of Needles.

Some tiny Patons Kroy Socks.

My Carbeth of course.

This little Boy Sweater.

A hat for Kevin for Valentines Day.

A gift hat that turned out too small.

I finished my Flock Colourwork Sweater.

And a second hat, much larger, but I forgot to take a FO picture (probably because I cast it off the morning we left. Which meant I blocked it and dried it real quick on a heating vent).

Two sleeves and the start on the body for my Hearthstone sweater.

Plus a sock and a half for Kevin (no picture).

Oh... and somehow, this followed me home as well:

It's going to be a Carbeth Cardigan.... once I finish my thesis.

Let's try this again.

The rather beautiful home we have been occupying this past week and a half belongs to a family with a 5 year old boy.

So of course I decided I would knit him a hat.

I was inspired by the pile of hats the Yarn Harlot knit at Christmas this year.

Pattern is Tiny Lumberjack by Fiona Alice, available on Ravelry.

So I popped into our LYS (A Nest Of Needles in Blairmore, AB) and grabbed myself three skeins of Cascade 220 superwash.

Colours, I believe (as I tossed the ball bands straight away), are silver grey, aran and really red.

However, I had it in my head that I wanted to knit the Antler Hat (by Tin Can Knits) only Tiny Lumberjack style. Particularly because the Tiny Lumberjack is knit with sport weight and sized only for babies, whereas the Antler Hat, like all Tin Can Knits patterns is sized from newborn to adult.

So I picked the child size, cast on 84 stitches with the recommended 4mm needles and switched to 5mm needles after knitting the brim.

And poof, hat. Don't mind the crown decreases there, about half way through them I noticed I had gone off pattern so I just winged it. 

But two problems with this hat.

1) the fabric is knit at too loose of a gauge, cascade 220 superwash doesn't really like 5mm needles for hats, and after washing and blocking the whole hat is way too drapey. Plus the 1 by 1 rib brim is really opening up too much for my liking.

2) the size, well let's just say it barely fits my 20 month olds, and would be way too small for a 5 year old.

So let's try this again.

This time I'll knit the brim on 3.5mm and the hat on 4.5mm, and I've cast on 106 rather than 84. I'll do a couple extra repeats of the cables as well.

And the first hat, well plenty of people around me keep having babies, it'll make it's way to warm a tiny head some time soon.

Today I'm 30, and maybe I'm finally learning a thing or two

Well it's the big 30 for me. And to be honest, I'm not sure I feel all that different. I think I really aged out of my 20s back when we found out we were expecting twins.

But today I did make one decision already, influence by my older and supposedly wiser self.

I did not cast on my So Faded Sweater.

Here's my beautiful fade of Hedgehog Fibres Sock yarn, in Typewriter, Boombox, Oracle and Graphite. I have it with me here in Crowsnest Pass (that's where we've been for all of February by the way), all caked up and with the intention of casting it on as a birthday present.

I learnt lessons from my Tegna, and knit a pair of swatches.

Decided on a tighter than recommended gauge on a 3.5 mm needle and did all the math I need to knit the size that will fit me. Heck I even measured myself rather than go with the size I am in my head.

Problem is, it's all written down on the printed out pattern... which I currently can't quite find (I'm fairly certain I packed it).

I almost cast it on anyways.

But I realized my 3.5 mm tips are currently knitting this project.

My Hearthstone by Ysolda Teague.

And I just have way too many WIPs on the needles right now (20, which is where I am supposed to draw the limit).

And so I made a mature choice, guided by age and wisdom, and decided to knit on this instead.

A long running sweater design project that is some number of inches away from the hem (I just can't seem to find my measuring tape.... maybe as a 30 year old I will be more organized than I was in my twenties? one can hope!)

I'm a sucker for a good KAL

My friends, I have a problem, and I can admit it.

I am a sucker for a good knit along (KAL).

I just can't resist.

Mason Dixon Knitting and Fringe and Friends are running a Log-Along..... so of course I joined in.

I don't know if it's because I don't have a local knitting group. Or because I don't want to miss out on the fun. Or maybe I just like to drink the cool aide. But none of these things stopped me from caking up 4 skeins of yarn to cast on a Hearthstone (pattern by Ysolda Teague from the Heart on My Sleeve Collection) for the Tin Can Knits Heartfelt KAL .... although I haven't cast it on yet.

I'm not sure how many sweaters I think I am knitting this February (my 30th birthday month btw) but I am currently working on 4 adult ones, 1 toddler sized one, and have yarn caked up for 2 more.

So when Kate Davis and Mason Dixon Knitting announced a February, Bang Out a Carbeth KAL, I initially said, oh no, I can wait. Besides we're in Crowsnest Pass all month, I should just knit the yarn I brought with me.

But have you seen the Carbeth sweater?

I mean, maybe it's Kate's husband Tom's amazing photography (check out her blog for more increadible photos), but how could you not want to knit this sweater.

Plus, knit at a big gauge (bulky weight on 6.5 mm needles) you can fly through the 700 or so yards in half a minute.

So I said, no Sara, you don't need to knit this sweater right now. Work on the projects you have.

Which is why I'm not sitting here next to two skeins of Cascade Ecological Wool in Chocolate.

Thank you Nest Of Needles Wool Shop (in Blairmore, AB), I know what I am doing this weekend! What KAL's are you joining in on? Maybe I need another one?