It May Have Been Rainy All Day

 but, we are knitters so what should we do?

Bring out the Spring/Summer knits and put them on a finishing time line.  So, whats on tap, at least for today and going forward with these knits?

My first up project is the Wave Sweater from last Summer's Laine magazine.  I have been wanting to cast it on for a bit, and although, I have a couple of other sweaters to concentrate on, I really wanted to just see what the two colors look like together in person.  Once I get to that point, I'll sit it aside and finish a couple of others.

This is one of those other sweaters on the needles, the Daily Pullover from Purl Soho, and once I get a hat done, I'll concentrate on this for my public knitting, since it is a pretty easy knit for now.

And for a bit of a palette cleanser, I took a skein of gift yarn to start a simple scarf, Fluff, to go with a top I have.  It is another in public knit, so I am hoping to knit on it too, during t.v/podcast watching.

There is another test knit in the mix, but for now, not much to show, so I'll show it to you all down the road.

Have a good weekend!!

Feeling Good In My New Sweater

I recently finished a test knit for Beth MacDonald Stone, the Bermy Basic 28.  Even before I started test knitting it, I knew it was a great sweater design Beth had come up with.  I had been following her other Bermy Basics in other gauges, thinking what a fantastic idea to do all the math for us blind followers and collectors of yarn in our PYS (penny's or personal yarn shop) aka your stash of sweater quantities.

When she did a call out on her podcast for test knitters for the next round of Bermy Basics, I told myself why not, and sent off an email for any of the next three gauges she was doing, and also told her I was not afraid of finger weight yarn and what size I would like to knit.  She said yes, and so the hunt was on for yarn in pys and a design to ramp my Bermy Basic up and make it a bit different than just a plain one.  Let me just interject here, Beth was totally on board with all of the test knitters taking liberties with the design, add colorwork, add lace, add design elements, add texture!  The goal is to showcase that the knitter could take the design and make it their own.

My first problem was I really didn't have a sweater's quantity in my PYS that was going to fit the bill.  The second problem is that I knew I did not want to just knit a plain sweater in a variegate or tonal and have to helical knit.  

I want to my local yarn shop, The Fiber Universe, and she had two Malabrigo Sock yarns next to each other that I thought totally went well together, and started feeling a possible stripe vibe.

The consensus of knitters there at the time was they would look good together striped.  I was thinking of a Super Summer Sweater striping effect, but the more I thought about it, the less I liked duplicating a sweater I already had.  Then Fibonacci method came into my mind and after a little of googling settled on using that method for my stripes, and voila, my Bermy Basic started coming to life.

I won't bore you with all the details again, but finally finished it last week and got some photos yesterday.

I love it!  It feels good on and it fits.  

I was a tad worried as I knit it, wondering if it would fit, as others kept asking me if it would and the neck was an issue for other knitters as they thought it was going to be too close.  After a nice blocking, it fit perfectly, just right.  And the neck, while it is not a Summer sweater, it stays just where I want it to and doesn't fall down around the shoulders.

I made the sleeves bracelet length on purpose and was very purposeful about making sure the stripes came across the body and onto the sleeves just right.

When I went to take pics yesterday, I remembered a jean jacket that I had slated for the donate pile, as I didn't wear it much and only had one thing to go with it and that was a Summer tank, which just wasn't the thing to wear under it, so I popped it over my sweater and voila, I was in love with the whole ensemble especially for right now!

And that is the end of this test knit!  I am 100% in love with the pattern, the yarn, the fit and it just feels so good.  Check all of Beth's Bermy Basics out there now and those coming down the pike soon.  You won't be disappointed!! 

Finally Finished Friday!

 The Friday Tee from Petite Knit has had several starts and finishes in several ways over quite a span of time.

You can catch some of the details over on my podcast, PJKnits on You Tube, Episode 115.

Or check out my project page on Ravelry.  Friday Tee Project Page

Or over on Instagram, I'm pjknits there.

Although, it took me forever to have a finally finished, I am loving it so much!  Putting it on a list to knit again, changing up some of the mods that I made to mine to get a better fit!

Have a great weekend!  And Happy Birthday to my boys!

Episode 115 Is Up On You Tube

 

Watch it by clicking here

A Little Something Is Happening in July

 

I've Been A Bit Busy

 Hi Everyone!  It has been a bit busy here at Chez PJKnits since my last post.  

I made two visits to Iowa, last weekend for my oldest grandson's First Communion~

Today, a quick visit for Grandparent's Day for my oldest granddaughter.  This is the first time I have gotten to do Grandparent's Day, because of work, then Covid lockdown, husband's illness and then a colonoscopy last year.  This time I wanted to make sure I went, and don't regret the quick one day trip!

And in another week, I am heading back to watch the grands for the weekend!

I've been knitting on a test knit for Beth MacDonald Stone pretty monogamously!  I am onto the sleeves and really loving Bermy Basic 28.  If you haven't checked out her Bermy Basic Sweaters on Ravelry, you really should!  It is the perfect group of patterns for all kinds of weights of yarns from souvenir yarns to your stash.

I am such a fan of Beth so I am also going to be test knitting another of her designs.  Swatched a possible this morning.

And finally, I blocked the Friday Tee from last year, I'll share pics when I get the ends woven in.  In the meantime, have a good weekend!

Before The Rain Came

 We had some Spring!

And a moment to sit and knit on the porch for a bit!

For tonight, is back inside where I am dry and have touched my three knits that I am trying to concentrate on for right now~ a test knit for Beth Macdonald Stone

2 rows of decreases every day on my Hansel Hap.

A pair of socks, where I am testing out 9" circulars. Not sure they are going to replace my double points, the jury is still out on them.

And finally, had Easter lunch with this cutie yesterday!  Talk about love him!

Happy Easter

 

A Very Big Announcement

If you want you can watch it here

Read about it here

My friend Kendra and I are hosting a Makers Meetup the last weekend in July at the Hilton Garden Inn in Hoffman Estates.  The meetup is no cost to you except for your hotel, food and any shopping you may do at local shops.

Check out my podcast or the pjknits Ravelry group for all the info and for fun discussions before the meetup!  Hope you can come!

Test Knit

 I'm doing a test knit for Beth Macdonald Stone for her Bermy Basic 28 that will be coming out the first of May!  I am super excited about this pattern and am a fan of Beth for sure.  She is designing the Bermy Basic in lots of gauges which is so cool!  Be sure and check them out on Ravelry.

I tried really hard to knit out of PYS for it, but after a couple of starts, decided to go to my local yarn shop, The Fiber Universe and see if anything grabbed me.  I came up with these two that were sitting together on the rack, and after some deliberation, thought I would give them a try.

I didn't know what or how I was going to incorporate them together in the sweater, I wanted something different than everyone else was doing.  I had thought of just big blocks of stripes ala another sweater I knit a couple of years back, but still wanted something a bit different.  I really didn't know what until I was finished with the neck rib.

Then, it sort of hit me!  How about different size stripes?  Hmmm, how about Fibonacci?!  I had a bit about it some years back, but never really delved into it at all.  I knew it was a Math thing, and I really intensely dislike Math (even though I use it all the time in knitting), and have ever since grade school when the new Math came out and I remember crying that I would never get it!!!  And high school Algebra wasn't much better!

So, I went to the handy dandy internet and came up with a site that I could understand and voila!

I am having so much fun with this knit, I don't want to put it down!!  

Have a good weekend!!!

Mail Call Friday

 Well, the yarn buying just for Advent next year has come to an end.

I've bought some yarn for a Test Knit that I am doing and I will share it with you tomorrow, along with the project that has been so much fun for the last couple of days.

For now, here is the latest yarn purchase/mail call ( I also bought a skein for the Advent, but not showing here in case some of the participants read this).

There are some coffee socks that I want to knit for myself, and this one came across my feed on Instagram, and it is the perfect color way for coffee socks, don't cha think?

The yarn is from Arcane and so appropriately named My Happy Place.  The sock pattern is Coffee Break by Stoneknits and you can see what it looks like by clicking here

I'm not sure what brown I will use for the actual cup, but that will come, I may even have some in PYS to use.  That will come later, as I told myself, I cannot cast on a new sock til this WIP is complete.

Have a good Friday, hope it involves sunshine, ours has went MIA.

We Had Spring For A Moment

 Today is officially the first day of Spring and the sunshine did not dissappoint.  

That is just the way it is in Illinois!  Last week, we had some beautiful days where I actually got to sit out on the porch and knit for a bit.

And the buds in my yard and on the magnolia trees started to come out and are gorgeous, however, today after a couple of days of a drop in temps, the tree buds weee looking a little sorrier, but hopefully will not be done.

It's just about a month too early for them, same thing happened last year too!

On the knitting side of things, I am finally on the last sleeve of my Friday Tee and hoping to finish it up in the next couple of days and get it blocked. (I've got another new project I am itching to tell you all about and cast on for, but I have to finish the Friday one too)

I'm trying super hard to turn over a new leaf and work every morning on my hap with my coffee.  So far this week, I've made it one day.  LOL.

Happy First Day of Spring, Knitters!  Lets cheer it on!

Happy St Patrick’s Day

 

Mail Call Books!

 The last week or so has brought some special books in the mail!

Arctic Knits by The Petite  was first.

Along with some un expected goodies!

I can’t wait to delve into it and all the colorwork possibilities. Where to start? Sweater, hat, mittens?

And I learned so much about living in the Arctic.

Next up in the mail was today, Shetland Fine Lace Knitting.  

This is one I’m going to enjoy reading and taking my time with, but also, reminds me of my epic lace project that got stalled a couple of years back when our friend and fellow knit camper Heidi passed away. 

It may be time to bring the project back out and revive the art of lace knitting.

I do love a good mail call, don’t you?!