Knitting my T-shirt

I bought a funny T-shirt on Amazon that all you knitters out there can probably appreciate.

But after wearing it a few times, I decided that I wanted to try knitting the instructions printed on the shirt to see what it would look like. 

I studied the instructions and decided that the design was worked over multiples of 4 plus 3. So I cast on 35 stitches for my sample and started knitting.

Here's how it knits up. To me it looks like a reversible faux ribbing created by the twisted slip stitches. This stitch sequence could make a very nice scarf. Fun!

Crochet two-color i-cord

Here's a nifty technique I just saw for crocheting a two-color i-cord. It's super fast and easy and looks really cool, too. 

@theknottyboss Two color i-cord - hook by @lovestitchesall #crochetersoftiktok #crochettiktok #crochetstitch #crochethack #crochettutorial #yarntok #yarnlovers #crocheting #crochethook #handmade #amigurumi #crochetdesigner🧶 #hooking #crochetaddiction #crochettip ♬ Stefania (Kalush Orchestra) - KALUSH

Mosu Japanese Knot Bag

This was my covid isolation project. It is the Mosu Bag by Sweet Softies. They offer a free version of the pattern on their website. I made mine with the Taupe colorway of Big Twist Value yarn and a 5mm crochet hook, and I finished it with a vegan leather Chicago tag by Angie + Britt that says "Bee kind."

Actually, I worked most of the bag all in the first two days, because after that I felt way too sick to have the energy for doing anything at all during the next 10 days or so. Some time after that I started feeling better enough to finish crocheting the straps.

The pattern is very easy and quick to make and would lend itself to lots of creative interpretation. It makes a nice size handbag. 

Making the It's Shawl Good cardigan

Back in 2018, I had four skeins of this beautiful Lion Brand Amazing yarn in the Violets colorway and tried to use them to make the It's Shawl Good Cardigan by Ashlea Konecny of Heart Hook Home. But these four small skeins just weren't enough to get very far on the project, and the colorway had apparently been discontinued. I tried looking to buy more skeins online, but they were mostly being offered for resale at around $25 each, which was WAY more than the retail price I paid for the ones I had, and I really had no intention of spending upwards of $300 just to acquire enough additional skeins that I would need to finish this shawligan project.

So the project languished in my WIP basket for several years. But that yarn was simply too lovely to just sit around like that, so I finally decided to frog the shawligan project and reuse the yarn in this machine-knit pocket scarf.

After doing that, I decided to start again to crochet the It's Shawl Good Cardigan using a different yarn and a larger hook: Big Twist Solids in the Taupe colorway and a 6.5mm hook.

Ashley and I seem to have a similar design aesthetic, so I really enjoy her patterns and the concepts she invents. 

I finished my It's Shawl Good cardigan by adding the pockets from the Lazy Diamond Boho Pocket Shawl. The pockets are about 10 inches square, so they're nice and roomy for keeping hands warm.

Taking the cake

I wanted a crocheted carrier for transporting cakes inside my cake-taker, so I whipped this up using some cotton yarn scraps. 

Didn't use a pattern, but the stitch I used for the base resembles the boho stitch used in the It's Shawl Good Cardigan paid pattern by Ashlea Konecny. The sides/handles are made with a traditional chain-loop/SC mesh.