Mama to Yi Ying no Usagi Uwabaki ( 母 と 怡穎 の うさぎ 上履き)

Remember when I made a set of usagi uwabaki for my mother-in-law and my mom?  Well, my Mom's version was a little big for her so, I wanted to make her a "summer" pair using some cotton sock yarn I had in my stash.  This time around, I casted on 23 sts and did 13 ribbing rows, instead of 11 rows (to account for shrinkage) and made a modified M ears where I casted on 12 sts instead of 14 sts.

Since my niece often loves to wear my Mom's house slippers and I had leftover yarn, I thought I'd try to make a pair for her as well.  So, I casted on 15 sts, made 20 foot rows & 9 ribbing rows before binding off and making a set of S ears.

Here's what their usagi uwabakis look like:

I hope they both enjoy their new usagi uwabakis! 🥰🙂🤞

Custom Knit Phillips Dreamwear Headgear v4.1

Remember when I had made Hubby a different kind of headgear?  Well, it was working fine ... until it shrank after several washings. 😳😱🤦🤷

It went from this:

Where it was too big ... 🤔

To this: 

Where it was just right. 🙂🥳

To this:

Where it shrank and got shorter! 😳😱🤦

So, I had to figure out how to add more yarn to the bottom of the hat to lengthen it, which meant that I had to add another 15  rows. 

Now it looks like this:

(until it shrinks again!) 😳😱🤦🤷  Let's hope it doesn't shrink any further! 🤔🤞🤞🤞🍀🍀

Never Have I Ever ...

While I do buy yarn (and sometimes what I consider "a lot" of yarn), never have I ever bought so much yarn that I: 

1. Had to make a list of all the colorways in order to ensure I had purchased everything I needed. 🤦
2. It came in such a huge box! 😳😱
3. It was more yarn than I've ever purchased in one given time! 😳😱

So, back in 2021, I found this person on Instagram which led me down this rabbit hole to her Etsy site, which then led me to discover she had a book! (where I was able to borrow from my local library so I could review and determine if I really wanted it).  As I was reviewing the book (and trying out a pattern), I got stuck trying to figure something out so, I thought it would help to buy one of her (more detailed digital) patterns in hopes it would "shed more light" for me, particularly since I'm not much of a crochetier.

As I'm someone who likes to use what I have, I figured I used whatever acrylic yarn I had on hand (it was sport weight) and found that my "bug" was coming out quite large.  However, I was still stuck on a portion of the pattern (I'm trapped in the wings part) when I decided to simply put the whole thing on "hold".  

Then, one day, Hubs asked: "What happened to your bugs?"  So, I proceeded to tell him that I was just stuck on the wings and I dunno if it was because of the yarn I was using (remember, I'm not much of a crochetier, a "beginner" crochetier is putting it very mildly so maybe I couldn't tell what stitches I was supposed to go into?? as the yarn was fuzzy and didn't provide a "strong" stitch definition) or if I simply didn't know what I was doing.  He knew that I had previously contemplated on picking up one of her kits because it also came with the appropriate yarn so he said:  Why don't you just go through your book and just buy the yarn you need for it instead of just making do?  That way, at least one of the possibilities of where you could be having a hard time is taken off the table. 🤦

Following the wisdom of Hubs, I proceeded to troll through the book to figure out what I needed then the web to find the most cost effective way to go about purchasing this yarn. 

My first task:  Make a list of all the yarn needed:

Yes, this is an Excel list that I had to create and ended up with a pivot table to ensure that I accounted for everything.😳🤦

My next task:  Where could I find all this yarn?  I found a few shops on Etsy that was relativly inexpensive but, it was the shipping that really added up.  So, I ended up finding it at Jimmy Beans Wool and serendipitously, they were offering free shipping!  So, while it was a little more expensive than what I had found it for on Etsy, with the free shipping, it more than made up for the difference in price.

When my yarn finally came in, Hubs went to pick it up from our mailbox and when he came back with it, he said,"Hon - your box of yarn is pretty heavy.  I know you bought a lot of yarn but ..." 😳😱 I looked at him curiously and said, "Well, it IS a lot of yarn ..."  And then, I proceeded to open my box to account for all of my yarn.  Here's what the box looked like:

It actually was large and quite heavy! 😳😱😳😱😳😱

Then, I proceeded to take it out to "account" for it all:

Here's Hubs having fun "arranging" my yarn as I accounted for all of it!

Then, I wanted to see if it would fit in one of my larger bags ...

Nope - way too small ... 😳😱🤷🤦

But, it didn't fit even half of it so, I took out an even larger bag and ...

Nope - still too small ... 😳😱🤷🤦

In the end, this is exactly how much yarn I ended up getting:

Yes, you're not imagining it: some of them are in their own special packages and some of them are doubled up on top of itself!  There is A LOT of yarn in this pile! 😳😱😳😱😳😱

Now, there's no excuses for me.😳😱😉😁  I need to start making those bugs (especially because Hubs has other plans for me to crochet him some mini amigurumi "monsters" for his solo RPG games now)!  I wonder if I just created a(nother) big monster ... 🤔...😉😁

Reformation of Make Me Happy Socks

Remember when I had made my Make Me Happy socks?  Well, as I was wearing it, the foot seemed to have shrunk.  I had chalked it up to maybe I wasn't paying attention and it was short a row or too in the foot so, I had given it to my mother (she has tinier feet compared to my already very small feet).  My poor mother tried to use the socks but, she simply couldn't get them on her feet so, she (finally) confessed that she couldn't don them on and returned them to me.  Upon getting it back, I realized why she couldn't put it on: It had felted quite a bit and shrank quite significantly!😳😱  So, while this yarn was really nice and soft, it's actually not sock material - at least not for a whole sock.  I think if it was used for toes, heels or just small bits on the sock, it would be fine (just not for large portions of the foot, leg or bind off though due to the shrinkage and felting!)

So, I ripped it out (back to the toes) and will be reworking them as scrappy socks.  Oddly, when I ripped it out, I ended up with 46 yds from one sock and 79 yds from the other sock.  I plan on using these remnants in other socks (as toes or heels) or in other small projects.

Here's what my reformation socks look like:

Thoughts: Socks can be made up quickly but it's even quicker when you already have the toes done! 😉🥰

Serendipitous Match (aka Tabi Monogatari v47)

I loved my Short Fantasy so much, I needed more. So, using my Footsyzz, my 4" & 3" Chiaogoo Interchangeable US 0 needles, various leftover sock yarns and my Cinderella Sock pattern, 

1. Cast on a Provisional cast on with a total of 44 sts.
2. K 1 straight row on each side, then join in the round.
3. K 15 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
4. Started the toes: with 22 sts on each side, splitting it up for 8 sts for big toe, 14 sts for remaining toes.
5. Big toe:

• Row 1:
• Front: k, m1, k to the to the last st, m1, k for a total of  10 sts
• Back: k, m1, k to the to the last st, m1, k for a total of 10 sts
• Row 2-15 (14 rows): k
• Row 16:
• Front: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 8 sts
• Back: ssk, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 8 sts
• Row 17-18 (2 rows): k
• Row 19: same as row 16 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of the 6 sts on each side
• Row 20-21 (2 rows): k
• Row 22: same as row 21 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 4 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

The big toe came out to 4.5 cm (1 3/4").

6. The rest of the toes:

• Row 1:
• Front: k to the end, pick up 4 sts, for a total of 18 sts
• Back: pick up 4 sts, k to the end for a total of 18 sts
• Row 2: k
• Row 3:
  
• Front: ssk, k to the end for a total of 17 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 17 sts
• Row 4:
• Front: ssk, k to the end for a total of 16 sts
• Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 16 sts
• Row 5-6 (2 rows): k
• Row 7:
• Front: ssk, k to the end, for a total of 15 sts
• Back: k to the the last 2 sts, k2tog for a total of 15 sts
• Row 8: k
• Row 9-18: same as row 7 & 8, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 14, 13, 12, 11 & 10 sts on each side
  
• Row 19: same as row 9, for a total of 9 sts on each side
• Row 20: same as row 19, for a total of 8 sts on each side
• Row 21: k
• Row 22: ssk, k2, k2tog, k2 for a total of 6 sts on each side
• Row 23: ssk, k2tog, k2 for a total of 4 sts on each side
• Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.

The rest of the toe came out to 5 cm (2 in).

It fits like a glove.

Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the foot.

7. Row 19: pick up a st from the “front” side and put it on the “back” side; pick up a st from the “back” side, bringing it behind the st picked up from the “front” and put it on the “front” side. K these 2 sts together. Then k in the round. There should be 22 sts on each side.
8. Row 20: Pick up 1 st from below on the 1st and 2nd to the last st on each side to add 2 sts for a total of 24 sts on each side
   
9. Row 21-24 (4 rows): k, maintaining 24 sts
10. Row 25: Pick up 1 st from below on the 1st and 2nd to the last st on each side to add 2 sts for a total of 26 sts on each side
    
11. Row 26-28 (3 rows):  k, maintaining 26 sts
12. Row 29: Pick up 1 st from below and the 2nd to the last st on each side for a total of 28 sts (on each side)
    
13. Row 30-61 (35 rows): k

Including the initial 18 rows, this came out for a total of 13 cm (5 1/4").

With the foot done, I started on the heel portion using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method.  Since the method is copyrighted, here's the changes I did to make it work for me:

   14. Row 62: 

• Right side: K the "top" portion, start the heel on the "bottom" portion.
• Left side: start the heel as you're already on the "bottom" portion.

   15. Row 63-90: Follow the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method until you have 9 twin stitch 

         (ts) knits & purls sts on each side and 10 regular sts
   16. Row 91: as you "boomerang" back to the regular sts, K9, k2tog, k6, ktog then continue using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method for 9 twin sts, 8 regular sts and a total of 26 sts

   This came out to 3.5 cm (1 3/8”).  

   17. Row 92-113: Continue using the Fish Lips Kiss Heel method to turn the heel 

         until you have a total of 26 sts again. 

This came out perfect! 🙂  *yay* 🙂

Turning the heel is always magical and never gets old:

With the heel done, I finished off the a very short leg and cuff:
   18. Row 114-123 (10 rows): k in the round for a total of 27 sts for each side.
   19. Row 124-128 (5 rows): decreasing 2 sts, complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, for a total of 25 sts for each side.
   20. Bound off using a variation of the Estonian bind off, in which I picked up a stitch from the row below then used the Estonian bind off technique. 🙂

The total length of the leg and cuff was 3 cm (1 3/8 in).

Look another finished pair! 🎉 *Yay*! 🙂🙌

It fits perfectly. 🙂  And, interestingly enough, the leftover yarns had blended so well with each other that you can't even tell that they're different yarns!😱😳😁🙌👍🎉🥳  How serendipitous! 😉😁

Knit in Public Day 2022

Today is Knit in Public Day 2022 and people are just "over" the pandemic.  Now that it's summer, it's peak tourist season in my State and due to the high COVID fatigue and how a lot of people are just dying to go back to their pre-pandemic ways, my state is now considered a COVID hot spot.  As such, here's where I am knitting today on Knit in Public Day:

Enjoying some Japanese TV, looking out my lanai, enjoying the weather, and enjoying some freshly baked bread!🎉😍 🙌

Ok, so, it's not so public this year but ... I live in a high-risk household and my high-risk family member is my #! priority in keeping safe, sound and healthy.  As we rarely go out (only when absolutely necessary) and virtually see our family and friends, being in "public" is a rarity for us.  While I know that some folks would view how we live as torturous, we've actually had a very good life during the pandemic so far (in our eyes).  We have been and still are thriving from being at home all the time.  This time spent at home has really given us great insight on who we are, how we want to live and what's really important to us.  In many ways, it's given us the opportunity (& time!) to make our home much more comfortable; actually enjoy cooking significantly more (I have eaten better in these last three (3) years than I've ever eaten in my life!); and really get a taste of what life could be like when we're really old, retired and unable to travel.  As Rachel from Friends once said: It's not too shabby for [us]. 🎉😍 (I believe her actual quote is: It's not too shabby for Rachel.) 

Here's to more beautiful, stay at home knitting days!😍🎉🙌

黄色肩巾 (Ki Iro Hire)

For years now, I've always said that I would make myself a shawl I could draw over my shoulders in the morning until the cool mist burns off but, alas, I've been using a throw a dear friend of mine had given my husband ages ago.  The throw works ok but due to the length and width of it, I often need to fold it into a triangle so that I can actually wrap it around myself.  Because of that, it tends to be a little thick (& just a tad too warm) for me.  It was time for me to just give in and make myself a shawl that was long enough to cover most of me and yet wide enough to wrap around me as well.  So the search began.  I went onto Ravelry and found several options from wraps, shawls, boleros and shrugs - the options seemed endless!😱😳  I was finally able to narrow it down to the following options:

• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kathy-kelly-cabled-capelet
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kingfisher-capelet
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/amy-2
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/girls-want-to-have-fun-2
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-lace-shrug-80064ad (this is always a pattern that I'm drawn to.😍)
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/0-1351-nebula
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/turbulence-2
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-slanted-shrug
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/202-35-summer-cocoon (I really liked this pattern!😍)
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lockdown-cardigan
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chilly-church-shrug
  
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/basic-easy-shrug
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dimpsey-shawl
• https://www.ravelry.com/projects/Lenskatala/flugel-cape
• https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/embarker-cocoon-cardigan

In the end, it was a tough call; I had to decide what it was that I was exactly looking for (did I really want a shrug? a bolero? a shawl? a big blanket folded in half as sleeves?).  And, it finally boiled down to either the Flugel Cape and the Embarker Cocoon Cardigan.  Since the Embarker Cocoon Cardigan used one of my favorite stitches (moss stitch!😍🥰❤️) and it seemed like it was more along what I was looking for, I decided to try that pattern.

So, with my (leftover) Caron Simply Soft Eco in Sun Drop and my Chiaogoo's US9 (5.5mm) needles, I embarked on my Ki Iro Hire adventure and here's what I did:

1. Because I wasn't using bulky yarn (& didn't want a bulky weight sweater), I had to cast on 169 sts, instead of 89 sts, to make the cardigan wide enough.
2. Then, because it needed to have 9 cm (3.5 in) of ribbing, that came out to 19 rows before I could actually start the pattern.
3. After working the recommended 10 repeats, it was obvious that I needed to do (way) more repeats in order for it to be long enough for me (unless I wanted a very, very "cropped" bolero! 😲😱).  So, I ended up with a total of 17 repeats before finishing it off with another 19 rows of ribbing and binding off.
   

Thoughts on the pattern:  It was easy to follow and fairly easy to memorize.  However, because I practically doubled the number of stitches, it took far longer than anticipated to finished this "project". And to top it off, while I did manage to use up all of my yarn stash, I ended up playing yarn chicken and lost (yes, I actually didn't have enough yarn! 😲😱😭 😖🤦) so, I had to search the web to see if I could find one more skein to finish it off or decide to rip back to salvage what I could to finish it off.  As I couldn't find another skein in the same colour (the colour I was using was discontinued and there wasn't a comparable/similar colour (I contacted the company and asked)); so, it was either: I find someone who had some leftover stash and was willing to sell it to me;  rip it back; or add a different colour yarn.  I tried to find someone who had old stash and was willing to sell it to me but alas, no one responded to me.  I tried to match it with a different colour yarn but, I just didn't like the contrast. 😔🤷. So, all that was left to do was to rip back what I had already done (basically, that meant ripping back ten (10) rows of ribbing and another ten (10) rows of the pattern (aka 1 pattern repeat)) so that I could "match" the other side.

Thoughts on the actual FO:  I'm glad that I ripped it back to match the other side.  While it's just a tad shorter, it might actually be just the right length, especially if I account for the "drag" the sweater will have.  It was also definitely worth adding the extra repeats because it's wide & long enough to cover my arms and body.  It will definitely be nice and cozy to wear in the mornings and in cooler weather.

Here's what my finished object (FO) looks like: 

Front

Back

Back Extended

Side

Side Extended