Newly Knitworthy

I'm sure many knitters have felt the strong urge to outfit loved ones in hand knits. It's a little hard to explain to a non knitter, but there is a tugging at the heart and an itchy feeling in the fingers to get the knits made. Many of my friends and family have hand knits, but to my disgrace, Connor was missing his.... until now.

It was a little difficult to figure out what should be knitted first, but we decided that a hat was needed. I used the Watch Cap pattern by Michele Rose Orne. This is the third time I've used this pattern and I still really like the look of this hat. The yarn is Mythral from Stansborough, but it is a prototype that they were working on when I bought in 2010. 

Connor is pleased and has been wearing the hat everywhere. He has proven himself knitworthy. I see a matching cowl in his future.

Has anyone else got a newly knitworthy person in their life?

View Of Yourself, View Of Others - 5KCBWDAY6

Today's prompt is: Write about another knitter or crocheter that you admire. This could be someone you know or used to know.

Next, think about if anyone has ever told you how they feel about your knitting, positive or negative. 

Like some other people who have done knit/crochet blog week in the past, I noticed there was a similar prompt in 2012. I talked about my Oma. So I will talk about how someone reacted to me knitting in public instead.

Earlier this year I was with my father sorting out an issue with the internet bill at the internet company's nearby location. We drew a ticket and braced ourselves for a long wait. I wasn't worried; I had my knitting. So I pulled out my project and a man asked what I was up to. I told him knitting and he said, "I didn't know anyone did that any more." To which my Dad immediately replied, "Oh yes! There are many knitters." He then educated the man on all the neat things knitters do and how yarn has gotten better. I didn't even have to say a word.

My father with his birthday sweater

For the record, I like knitting in public and am fine with telling people what I'm up to. But I think it's pretty neat how enthusiastic my father got. He is most definitely knitworthy.

Knitworthy

Dad's birthday has come and gone, so he now has the sweater. I asked for a quick photo shoot today and we took only two pictures... total. One of the front.

And one of the back. I'm glad to have such an awesome Dad to knit for. (For the record, he is completely knit-worthy. Every knitted gift has been well used.)
The only mod I made to this pattern was to tack down the collar rather than install toggles. To help keep the tension off of one point in the collar, I tacked down both sides and across the top of where I wanted it to attach. The yarn is Naturally Mainlander Aran in color 862 and the pattern is Brownstone.

Meanwhile on the Canon Hand Dyes KAL front, I think I have finally nailed down a stockinette sock that fits. Usually my gauge is really loose. (Like a 56 stitch sock with size 0 needles loose.) I had noticed that my gauge has been tightening up recently (not sure why) so I cast on 60 stitches for the sock. I figured that would be enough ease. I knit the whole leg and turned the heel, started the gusset when I finally decided that it really was too tight, so rip, rip, rip. Then I cast on 64 stitches (much better), turned the heel, started the gusset, and decided that the stripes could match up a bit better, so rip, rip, rip. Then I put in the full gusset, and realized that I had reversed my preferred placement of the decreases. Rather than rip (because it was getting really old at this point) I dropped down and made all the k2togs into ssks and vice versa. I think I have finally got a sock that looks and fits great. Hopefully when i get to the second one, it goes a bit more smoothly. (Again, this is why I don't do two at a time socks.)

Has anyone else been ripping more than they've been knitting recently?