To The Knit Knack Blog’s readers and friends:
You too may be feeling a dash of strain sprinkled with sleep deprivation, and sometime fist-shaking. On a surprisingly mild December day that is also quiet enough for thinking, I have some admin good news & project successes to share. First the…
Good admin news
In a series of steps this year we have moved more surely towards continuing to create the blog in 2019. The latest step is to keep working with the photography mostly in Flickr for now. We were a free member with over 1,000 photos. Imagine the chill on reading:
Free members with more than 1,000 photos or videos uploaded to Flickr will no longer be able to upload new content after Tuesday, January 8, 2019 unless they upgrade to Pro. After February 5, 2019, free accounts that contain over 1,000 photos or videos will have content deleted — starting from oldest to newest date uploaded — to meet the new limit.
Did I want the grief of meeting the new limit? Dear readers, I did not. We upgraded and I am calling it a Christmas present to myself & my 1,422 all rights reserved photos. Not a final decision by any means but rather a step into the new year.
We have a big anniversary coming… this next March, TKK turns 10 years old! Possibly the only thing that has not changed about TKK since 2009 is the intention. It’s simple really, I build posts on work done. A tidy idea with no room for affiliates, sponsors or senders of swag. Just right here in the scary & unpaid open, I put out what’s the most compelling.
TKK is a blog about adult learning that I started as a very unlikely, very new knitter. In some ways it has come full circle – I do know my way around & am less of a novice even with weaving but find myself at home in the same way that I used to be at paid employment… with less community than I would like, and frankly, stressed.
This morning, I started listening to the latest “On Being” Podcast show. Krista Tippett interviews her friend, Dr. Pauline Boss who floored me when she said:
The treatment of sadness is connection.
Dr. Boss’ area of work is ambiguous loss, and I will be going back eagerly to hear the rest of the uncut interview. The admin news does allow TKK to go forward with the idea of connecting outside the walled craft gardens. Let’s see where it takes us.
Pulling-up my handspun socks!
What a good feeling to have finished the Strie Cheviot wool socks this Sunday! The designer is Lara Neel.

Ever so snug!
These socks were knit pretty evenly split between 2 months this fall. The foot soles are knit through the back loop (i.e. crossing the knit stitches). The 2-ply Cheviot yarn is Z-twist direction, and was slightly loose knit through the front loop.

Points out where I briefly knit as usual in the first sock
For a few rounds on the first sock, I forgot the ktbl plan. That band shows clearly in the sock – do you see the slight pucker?

So, so good! That new sock feeling
Closing the Fell
Nothing is uncomplicated about weaving a week before family visits for Christmas. If you are going to do that in the guest room then this a good kind of project to choose.

Ever so sweet baby blanket
The sage 8/4 cotton is 2 ends x 2 picks plain weave, and the Monte Cristo cotton bouclé is 2 x 2 common basket weave.
After pausing to water the orchids, yesterday morning, I sat at the loom bench as much as possible. The short warp is finished!

Wow that was quick – hemmed-stitching!
The basket weave took-up more than I expected over the 2.5 yard warp, and it will be a smaller size baby blanket. Good thing I am sending it home for the newborn phase!
As I threw the shuttles, I had time to think both about weaving & a knitted olive branch that I mailed mid-week.

Happy birthday
This is a 20″ circumference (small) Téamh hat designed by Jennifer Tepper Heverly for a turning-six-this-week girl. As Jennifer explains in her pattern, “téamh” is Irish Gaelic for “warming.” It’s been sent in an icing of relations, and is not her first FO off my needles. The yarn here is Cascade 220 Heathers, knit on 3.5 mm needles.
One hat led to another!

For a very happy kiddo
Both versions modified the pattern from a garter texture to the traditional reverse stockinette. I also kept the same needle-size for a snug fit.

Ears are covered!
The yarn is “Glittering Caves” MCN worsted by Sheepy Time Knits. Now that this hat has T’s enthusiastic up-take, I have learned more about what’s important in a hat for him:
- Covers the ears;
- Warm but not with a folded brim because those are weird;
- Dyed-in-the-wool colour; and super-importantly
- Pom-pom is awesome.
Who knew?!?

Also meets with T’s approval – handspun Monster
This mid-September start on a Lloyd the Tall Monster by Rebecca Danger (“Knit a Monster Nursery”, p. 57) sat in pieces for oh, a month. The yarn is my handspun BFLxShetland 3-ply knit on 3.25 mm double point needles.
With craft gifts almost all given, I am hoping to work up a garment for me soon. As I sat at my loom this week, I weighed a thought. Be it resolved to weave more in 2019? That is the question. Carving time for weaving = sacrificing other more established patterns. It may well be time to do that because weaving feels like a barrel of potential.