There's a hole, there's a hole

I haven't ridden a bike in years but this weekend I was spinning my wheels so to speak. I knitted one sweater sleeve almost 3 times. Each failure was due to operator error.

The first time I didn't bother to swatch and was more then 2/3's through when I realized the sizing wasn't right for the stage I was approaching. The second time gauge was right but I forgot to start the ribbing on a smaller size needle. I finally succeeded on the third try. I made the sleeve longer and now it looks that I may have made it too long and thus there's the possibility of more frogging.

I was straightening up in the craft room and came across the Koolhass hat and a knitters worst nightmare. A hole!


Some critter had eaten a hole in my hat. An unrepairable hole. I've haven't been able to locate any critters nor damage to any other goods so I'm hoping this is an isolated incident.

That wasn't the only hole I found. I put on my Cherry Tree Hill Champlain Sunset socks after taking them out of the dryer and felt a draft in the heel. There is a hole. A big ass hole in the heel!!!


I haven't committed myself to repairing it just yet. I'm hoping it will be easy to graft it with some of the leftover yarn I have. This is only the second sock I've knitted that has developed a hole. The first one was in the toe of a pair of mom's socks and it was so bad that I had to reknit the entire toe. This should be a lot simpler but it's also the reason I am hesitant to get rid of my leftovers.

I also came across my oldest ufo in the craft room this past weekend. The Diagonal Kimono from Jamieson's Shetland Knitting Book. I no longer remember when I started this particular project.



I do know the back was knitted first and the left front was done in a different year. The right front has been started. It's the endless rows of garter stitch that drive me crazy in this project. I'm doing everything in my power to convince myself to finish it this year. I think mom has been waiting plenty long enough and I can get my behind in gear and get this thing finished.

Christmas Quik-E

While browsing for gift ideas last Thursday I came across two excellent suggestions.

1. Koolhaas from the Interweave Knits Holiday special. I put this on my to do list the minute I saw it on the Brooklyn Tweed blog and it's the main reason I purchased this issue. I subscribe to IK but don't usually purchase the specials.


I used Brown Cascade 220 wool. This hat can be easily made in a day or less.

2. 86-10 Drops Headband in Alaska attributed to someone else as Panta.

I knitted the headbands using the Noro Silver Thaw leftovers from Rosedale and the EZ Percentage Jacket I knitted for my mom. I still have enough to do another headband in the Rosedale colorway and will make one for me.




All of my current projects involve keeping accurate counts of stitches and rows so these provided a quick much needed mindless knitting break. I'll be on the look out for more quick knits for Christmas gifts but for now it's time to get back to the grind.