Lory Knit Pullover

This was one of my few pandemic knitting projects other than socks. I spent Christmas Eve finishing this up, motivated by the fact that I had just promised Alex another sweater this winter.

Pattern: Lory Pullover by Courtney Spainhower
Yarn: LolaBean Yarn Co. Canary Bean in Give Peas a Chance

This yarn sells out really quickly, so if you see it, you better grab it! While the online store doesn't currently have any, check your LYS or any LYS that has an online presence. They might have it.

I fell in love with this color at Black Mountain Yarn Shop, but they didn't have enough DK weight in stock to make a sweater. I was in love with the color, so Donna recommended I use the same color in sport weight and just go up a size in the pattern. I did a couple of gauge swatches to make sure I was getting the right size, and I had to adjust the pattern a little as I went to make sure the art deco design extended down the body in the right places.

Oak Tree Crochet Yarn Bomb

When the pandemic started, I was determined to bring some happiness outdoors. I also had a lot of acrylic yarn I was trying to use up, and this seemed like a good use for it.

I started out with a general plan, but the yarn bomb I imagined was a lot bigger than this one. The tree trunk was larger than I thought, and I ran out of bright-colored yarn pretty quickly. (I learned from my last yarn bomb that darker colors are not great for yarn bombs, so I didn't use any at all.)

Every now and then I see people walk by and point at the tree. They smile, and I smile. The yarn bomb is also a great landmark for giving directions to our house.

This photo was taken when I first put the yarn bomb up in the spring, and since then it has faded and stretched out quite a bit. I've performed maintenance on it since this, but it still makes me smile when I pull into the driveway.

Dad's Christmas Socks 2020

I've stopped making a lot of handmade holiday gifts, but the one constant is socks for my dad.

In the last few years, he has only asked me to repair one pair, but later I found out that he had thrown away a pair of socks that I made because they had holes. I was very mad, and I almost stopped making socks for him. I talked to him and told him I could fix the socks any time.

This year, I decided that instead of buying a new skein of yarn, I'd use scraps. I worried they'd look scrappy (ha, I know), but I think they're pretty cool.

I haven't been able to give these to him yet because of Covid life, but I look forward to the day when I can!

Pattern: My own, eye of partridge heel and cuff-down rice stitch

Yarn: Birch Dyeworks 80/20 Sock in Prismatic Indigo

Hedgehog Fibres Sock in Hurricane

Manos del Uruguay Alegría in Malvin

Knit Rizzo Vintage-Style Sweater

 I did a little bit of knitting over the summer, and this is a pattern that I'd had on my list for a while. It seemed perfect for warm weather because it is light and doesn't have big sleeves that would drape over my lap and make me sweaty. I was even able to work on this outside when it was pretty hot.

I still haven't had an opportunity to wear it, but I'm hopeful that spring will bring more outings--even if we are still stuck wearing masks.

Pattern: Rizzo by POISON GRRLS

Yarn: Emma's Practically Perfect Sock in Tealicious

I made only one modification, and that was to extend the body length. Cropped sweaters are really cute, but I just can't pull them off, and part of the reason is because my bust pulls cropped sweaters up even more. I am not comfortable in them, and in fact I usually end up extending the body length on my regular pullovers, too.