Bernat – Yards of Happiness

FO: Ultimate Fan

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This is my husband. He is a super NY Giants fan.
Ready for football!
The purchases he loves for the dogs are all NY Giants gear. Cher has a coat for winter, both dogs have jerseys and Cher has a bandana because her jersey is getting too big for her. So the other day we were in Lids and my husband saw this NY Giants hat…
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And he asked me, ‘you can make this for me, right?’ It’s just a simple ribbed knit cap and I immediately thought of the free Purl Soho pattern for the ribbed cuff hat that I’d made before. Yup, I can make that. Before we went home he took me to Joann’s to get the yarn I needed to make it for him.
Super fan
This is his beloved (and I sincerely mean beloved) NY Giants hat. On Black Friday I ordered a NY Giants sew on patch to add to the front…I still haven’t gotten it yet and the company isn’t responsive. Ugh. So for now there’s no patch but that doesn’t stop him from wearing it.

It was a quick knit and I used a Deborah Norville worsted weight yarn in a bright Giants blue as the main body color. I added in some acrylic fingering weight yarn I picked up at Joann’s and I had some Cascade 200 fingering weight in the perfect shade of red to finish it off. I just held the strands double while I knitted and I got this heathered look like the original. He is so happy about this hat. I even caught him taking a selfie in the hat. LOL And that kind of happiness is why I love making stuff for the folks I love. He’ll still get a sweater but clearly this hat was more of a priority.

What’s a favorite item you’ve knit for someone you love?

December 14, 2016February 27, 2017 by IamDWJ Categories: Bernat, blue, Cascade, Cher, Color, FO: Finished Object, Hats, Jellybean, Knitting, My Dogs, neutral (black/grey/white), Premier Yarns, red, YarnTags: #yardsofhappiness, knit hat, knitting, NY Giants, Yarn 8 Comments

FO: The Rain Outside Shawl

The Rain Outside shawl
In October, one of my aunts who lives in Memphis mentioned to me how much she liked the sweater I made my Auntie Helen for her 90th. My aunt is in her 80’s and very coyly said to me, “I don’t need a sweater but I do enjoy a good shawl to throw over my shoulders.” Oh I was so tickled so I knew I had to make her something special because she’s an absolutely special lady. Plus, if you’re over the age of 70 and you’re my family you’re allowed to make special requests. It took me months to find the right pattern but as soon as I saw the Rain Outside I knew I was going to make it for my aunt.
Blue Heron yarn in Chesapeake
The main yarn is Blue Heron in a metallic colorway called Chesapeake. I bought it last year when my husband took me to the Eastern Shore for my birthday. I thought it was pretty, it represented Maryland and it had 500 yards of dk weight and I figured I’d make something out of it. I wasn’t really sure what but when I saw the Rain Outside pattern and that it was in dk weight I immediately went to that skein of yarn. I also scanned my wall of yarn for another dk weight skein that would pair nicely and this Bernat Cotton-ish yarn was a deep charcoal and matte grey, which turned out to be a great contrast to the metallic.
The Rain Outside shawl
This pattern has cool lace short rows that we easy to follow and added such a lovely detail to the shawl. It’s a dk weight and the yarn is a rayon blend so it has this absolutely lovely drape to it and it looks so delicate.

I had to include a close up of the lace panels. I want her to make more patterns incorporating this I love it so much.
The Rain Outside shawl
And then here’s the balance of the garter stitch side. Seriously this was a quick and easy shawl pattern. I already know I’m making it again for myself in green! The only thing I omitted was the edging because my yarn was so slippery and it just kept looking like it was clumping. So I bound off the normal way and called it a day – no need to fight with a project. My gauge is slightly smaller but this still draped over the shoulders nicely and for Memphis this will be a perfect little piece to wear all year.
The Rain Outside shawl
And I had to throw it on to show it off – excuse me for not having on a stitch of makeup. This was post dog walk on Saturday morning – this is me. LOL I definitely want to do more shawls to help use up some of my single skeins of yarn. I just saw this Ice Cream Shawl on my Instagram feed and I’m so in love! What other shawl patterns are your favorites? Please share!

June 22, 2016February 27, 2017 by IamDWJ Categories: Bernat, Blue Heron, Color, Cowls & Scarves, FO: Finished Object, Knitting, metallic, multi, neutral (black/grey/white), YarnTags: #yardsofhappiness, Bernat Cotton-ish yarn, Blue Heron yarn, knitting, Lace knitting, lace short rows, shawl knitting, short rows, The Rain Outside Shawl, Yarn 32 Comments

FO: Colorblocked Blankie

Baby boy Arnold's blanket
I am officially down to only needing to knit two more baby blankets this year (fingers crossed). But I think the Purl Soho Fluffy Brioche Baby Blanket might be my go to pattern for 2016. I cast on 60 stitches on size 15 needles and can finish this big squishy blanket in 3 days. I got some leftover yarn from the last two blankets and I may do a mismatched yarn version just for Cher to wrap up in on the couch. Napping is her favorite hobby.
Baby boy Arnold's blanket
My girlfriend didn’t have a color palette when we discussed blankets before and just said, “come up with something you like.” Well okay then. I decided on a lovely deep teal of the Bernat Softee Chunky that was really a twist yarn of turquoise and a brick red and since I kept seeing pops of red peaking out I decided to add a block of red to the top when I was getting close to finishing. It just gave it a nice finish to the blanket.
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Can we talk about how much of a lifesaver this jumbo ball of yarn was?! Mind you, I took this picture halfway through the blanket – so it was bigger! No weaving in ends or trying to figure out how to make adding a ball of yarn seamless. Overall I’m pretty pleased and now I just have to finish up my Teazel cardigan before I move on to another project. I’m down to knitting the hem on the body so it will just be the decorative band and sleeves left! Perhaps by Sunday evening I’ll be ready to block that baby.
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Oh and can I just mention how I made my own stamps for gift tags? I recently picked up the Silhouette Mint stamp making kit on Amazon (it’s way cheaper than if you get it at Joann’s or Michael’s) because I’ve been toying with the idea of having a custom stamp made. Now I can actually make as many stamps as I want and change things up whenever I feel like it! I didn’t take a picture of it but the back of the tag I stamped with washing instructions. I made a basic template so I could just check off what applies for washing instructions on an individual knit gift. Love it! I’m kicking myself for not thinking of getting this sooner! And also trying to stop myself from just buying the full on Silhouette machine so I can cut and make all kinds of random crafty things. Anybody else have one?Man, I’m a crafting nerd.