aluminumneedles

[aluminumneedles]

It's taken me a while but I've finished it. Handknit from handspun yarn. All spun from BFL wool top dyed by Sealy MacWheely

[aluminumneedles]

Give me the wisdom to frog projects I know I’m not going to finish, the strength to frog projects I know I’m not going to finish, and the power to frog projects I know I’m not going to finish.

[aluminumneedles]

Got new needles for crimmus and immediately started making a shawl ive wanted to try for forever

[aluminumneedles]

17 rows left on this blanket, my very last Christmas gift, and 12 hours to knit, block, and wrap it before we open gifts.

I'm gonna smash this 💅🏾

[aluminumneedles]

My best friend got me a whole set of dpns and a selection of yarn to start knitting socks for my birthday and I am OBSESSED. Although I hope they block well because this is an adult medium size 😂 it's so baby

[aluminumneedles]

*points* I made this

Bumble sweater pattern from tincanknits, started in August and finished with a few days to spare for Christmas. second time using this pattern. I didn't follow it exactly because sometimes it's nighttime and you go emptyhead freestyle

[aluminumneedles]

Finished my rewatch of The Two Towers yesterday and just as the end credits roll...

I had a sock! I looove the colours

Already cast on the second one so that I will not fall victim to the second sock syndrome. Hope to finish the second one soon. Like... first January week?

Then back to the blue ones with the neon accent and Then i'll be allowed to statt sth new

[aluminumneedles]

I know it might sound silly, but I'm so happy that I started learning how to knit recently.

I've been working on my first big project, a sweater, and it's given me something to be excited about each day. I look forward to getting out of bed so I can work on it, I've been taking more time offline and just listening to music while I knit and it feels almost therapeutic.

It helps distract me a little from the pain and fatigue I'm experiencing, and it's also given me something to feel proud of and accomplished in!

Maybe once it's finished I'll post a picture of it here :3

[aluminumneedles]

Look at the socks I just made for my little sister!!!!!

[aluminumneedles]

After discovering a mistake more than 10 rows below I put this project in hibernation because I didn't feel like frogging or knitting back. Yesterday I took it up again and fiinally corrected the mistake. So, now I can finish this second prototype of this hat knitting pattern.

[aluminumneedles]

This picture was taken from the floor where I am currently lying after attempting to coerce 9 blocking mats into doing an 18-mat job

the most important thing to me, ultimately, was squaring the edges and stretching it out to be about 72" long. I think I've mostly managed both.

Since the yarn is 100% acrylic and this is my first time really blocking anything (other than my other christmas knits), I washed it and let it dry for about 7 minutes on medium heat--which pretty much dried it all the way--before pinning. Not sure if that was the best call but I'm also not sure I'm getting off the floor for the rest of the day, so. On the bright side, the fabric softener worked wonders and also made it smell sooo yummy! So I am excited to give it, even though I have misgivings about the ultimate success of this blocking experiment.

I might add fringe/tassels even though the pattern doesn't call for it, or I might just let this be enough. I'll decide when it's all dry tomorrow.

Also it might be permanently discolored from an unfortunate interaction with Alfredo sauce that the washing machine failed to rectify but that is not the point!! The point is that THREE. OUT. OF. FOUR. GIFTS. ARE. OFF. THE. NEEDLES.

okay bye for now

The Great Knitted Christmas Gifts Bonanza of 2024

(Working title)

Besties and beloved mutuals, welcome to the chaos.

This will be wacky. Zany. Incredibly boring at times and possibly excessively dramatic for no reason at all except my (and hopefully your) amusement. We will laugh! I will cry! We will perhaps commiserate over things and also I will aggravate my carpal tunnel! I will ask for advice on things I don't know how to do! I will make polls because audience participation is enrichment for me! Good shit good shit let's get started

At the time of writing it is September 18, 2024, also known as 98 days before Christmas Eve, which will heretofore be known as The Deadline™️. I have, at present, four family members for whom I am making gifts. Now you may be thinking "Kay, that's only four people. That does not warrant a big post." But I'm making one anyway so here we goooo

PERSON #1

Mom. I already decided on my mom's gift, she's getting a shawl. It's my first shawl and I'm kinda geeked about it. It's the Cosmos Textured Knit Wrap from Mama in a Stitch

(photo taken from Mama in a Stitch's website I hope that's ok??)

Yarn is Red Heart worsted weight acrylic in Royal. Now here's the situation: I haven't made a wearable with acrylic yarn in awhile and I wasn't a huge fan of how it felt last time. But I know people do it literally every day, so: when the time comes I will be soliciting advice on how to make it soft and comfy. Plus I hate blocking and I'm gonna have to block this so yay growth!!

PERSON #2

My sister. Adorable, likes a pastel, super long hair, so I was thinking...scrunchies? And then I was thinking scrunchies are not necessarily on the level of gift I was aiming for so I thought...scrunchies + matching leg warmers (babydoll goes to the gym sometimes so i thought it would be cute)? And then. AND THEN. Was scrolling Pinterest instead of sleeping and I found these!!!

Now there are pros and cons

Pros:

I have been wanting to knit lace

I have been wanting to knit socks

Cons:

I have no experience knitting lace or socks

Oh well f*ck it we ball! Will still try to match the scrunchies to the socks. Send thoughts/prayers/advice/yarn recs, because idk what I am doingggg

PERSON #3

My brother. So, at the first of the year I started knitting a blanket kind of just because--I really liked the pattern and I wanted the feeling of starting something new in the new year. In April I decided it would be a gift for my boyfriend at the time, in May it became too hot to knit with wool, and in July the relationship ended. My brother has expressed interest in a blanket from the same pattern and has offered to take this one off my hands. I'm about 3/4 of the way done. Should be an easy gift, right? Maybe I'll throw in a matching pillow?

However, I once promised to make him this sweater:

(image snagged from the MomentsinTwine Etsy shop)

I bought the pattern, I bought the yarn, and I never delivered. (I started it and frogged it twice because my gauge was so so off.)

So uhhh PLEASE do the poll I need help deciding. Yarn would probably be a golden yellow wool blend, because that is the color he wanted 3 years ago and if I ask for an updated color choice he'll know what I'm working on 😭

PERSON #4

My dad.

Y'all.

I have no idea what to do for this man. He is a very classic "I don't want anything" person, and I am a classic "Must. Give. Gift." person. So already, times are tough!! What am I supposed to knit this man???

So I was thinking slippers-- I found a pattern for Woodland Loafers on Ravelry (pattern by Claire Slade) and I thought they were adorable. But then I was thinking why not make a whole, like, cozy care package? So I thought slippers, mug rug + mug cozy, maybe something else? He likes music, he likes to relax and watch his lil shows, he likes M*rvel?? Open to so many suggestions babes.

So...yeah. That's the show. I'll update as I go along, and if you're ever curious about how things are going or want to bully me about not making progress, please nudge me!! Sorry this was so long okay bye

[aluminumneedles]

OH! Just realized I can add fringe :) I mean I've never done it but may as well learn now

that will give the illusion of length without the pain of an extra 38 rows :)

really and truly and genuinely considering making this wrap shorter than I wanted it to be just to spare myself 10 dreaded rows of a 38-row pattern repeat

[aluminumneedles]

OH! Just realized I can add fringe :) I mean I've never done it but may as well learn now

that will give the illusion of length without the pain of an extra 38 rows :)

really and truly and genuinely considering making this wrap shorter than I wanted it to be just to spare myself 10 dreaded rows of a 38-row pattern repeat

[aluminumneedles]

Okay I did an extra pattern repeat but I fear if I do another one it will actually break my spirit!! So we're gonna hope and pray that it will stretch out with blocking

really and truly and genuinely considering making this wrap shorter than I wanted it to be just to spare myself 10 dreaded rows of a 38-row pattern repeat

[aluminumneedles]

Embroidery is another option for embellishing your knits. You can use any type of stitch. One type of stitch, however, is peculiar to knitting: the duplicate stitch, which mimics the knit stitch.

To embroider a stitch, bring up the tapestry needle from the back at the base of the stitch you want to cover. Then follow the path of the stitch and bring the needle down again through the same hole. Bring the needle up again at the base of the next stitch you want to cover. Try to cover the original stitch as much as possible.

Work in one direction and when you get to the end of a row of duplicate stitches, turn your project upside down to work the next row in the opposite direction.

[aluminumneedles]

there are some questions it's really just not appropriate to ask a lady.

questions like "how much yarn do you already have" and "don't you already have three projects" or "where would we store a blowtorch"

[aluminumneedles]

Christmas is one week from today so uhhh that is something

The Great Knitted Christmas Gifts Bonanza of 2024

(Working title)

Besties and beloved mutuals, welcome to the chaos.

This will be wacky. Zany. Incredibly boring at times and possibly excessively dramatic for no reason at all except my (and hopefully your) amusement. We will laugh! I will cry! We will perhaps commiserate over things and also I will aggravate my carpal tunnel! I will ask for advice on things I don't know how to do! I will make polls because audience participation is enrichment for me! Good shit good shit let's get started

At the time of writing it is September 18, 2024, also known as 98 days before Christmas Eve, which will heretofore be known as The Deadline™️. I have, at present, four family members for whom I am making gifts. Now you may be thinking "Kay, that's only four people. That does not warrant a big post." But I'm making one anyway so here we goooo

PERSON #1

Mom. I already decided on my mom's gift, she's getting a shawl. It's my first shawl and I'm kinda geeked about it. It's the Cosmos Textured Knit Wrap from Mama in a Stitch

(photo taken from Mama in a Stitch's website I hope that's ok??)

Yarn is Red Heart worsted weight acrylic in Royal. Now here's the situation: I haven't made a wearable with acrylic yarn in awhile and I wasn't a huge fan of how it felt last time. But I know people do it literally every day, so: when the time comes I will be soliciting advice on how to make it soft and comfy. Plus I hate blocking and I'm gonna have to block this so yay growth!!

PERSON #2

My sister. Adorable, likes a pastel, super long hair, so I was thinking...scrunchies? And then I was thinking scrunchies are not necessarily on the level of gift I was aiming for so I thought...scrunchies + matching leg warmers (babydoll goes to the gym sometimes so i thought it would be cute)? And then. AND THEN. Was scrolling Pinterest instead of sleeping and I found these!!!

Now there are pros and cons

Pros:

I have been wanting to knit lace

I have been wanting to knit socks

Cons:

I have no experience knitting lace or socks

Oh well f*ck it we ball! Will still try to match the scrunchies to the socks. Send thoughts/prayers/advice/yarn recs, because idk what I am doingggg

PERSON #3

My brother. So, at the first of the year I started knitting a blanket kind of just because--I really liked the pattern and I wanted the feeling of starting something new in the new year. In April I decided it would be a gift for my boyfriend at the time, in May it became too hot to knit with wool, and in July the relationship ended. My brother has expressed interest in a blanket from the same pattern and has offered to take this one off my hands. I'm about 3/4 of the way done. Should be an easy gift, right? Maybe I'll throw in a matching pillow?

However, I once promised to make him this sweater:

(image snagged from the MomentsinTwine Etsy shop)

I bought the pattern, I bought the yarn, and I never delivered. (I started it and frogged it twice because my gauge was so so off.)

So uhhh PLEASE do the poll I need help deciding. Yarn would probably be a golden yellow wool blend, because that is the color he wanted 3 years ago and if I ask for an updated color choice he'll know what I'm working on 😭

PERSON #4

My dad.

Y'all.

I have no idea what to do for this man. He is a very classic "I don't want anything" person, and I am a classic "Must. Give. Gift." person. So already, times are tough!! What am I supposed to knit this man???

So I was thinking slippers-- I found a pattern for Woodland Loafers on Ravelry (pattern by Claire Slade) and I thought they were adorable. But then I was thinking why not make a whole, like, cozy care package? So I thought slippers, mug rug + mug cozy, maybe something else? He likes music, he likes to relax and watch his lil shows, he likes M*rvel?? Open to so many suggestions babes.

So...yeah. That's the show. I'll update as I go along, and if you're ever curious about how things are going or want to bully me about not making progress, please nudge me!! Sorry this was so long okay bye