Too Many WIPs!

Hello my dear yarniacs! HalesBee is here with a howdy and here’s what I’m up to! I have been a bit busy with a new part time gig and some other creative exploits, but I have a few new things to show. So lets get started!

I did finish a quickie project, just to feel I have accomplished something. This is just a plain stockinette hat with a 2 by 2 ribbed brim. What makes it fun and gorgeous is my yarn from my friend Debbie of DebbieDuckYarns. This is her DK Superwash Merino in her colorway “Mood Ring.” I love it! And I have plenty left over to be able to make a matching accessory, though I have yet to decide what. I used my Hiya Hiya Sharps interchangeable needle set, and as I do everything in the round, I magic looped that baby!

I’m also making slow progress on my T-shirt design, which I love! It’s looking amazing in the Wool and the Gang Tina Tape Yarn I’m using, which is super silky and breathable and has lovely drape. I’m using my Knit Pro Zings on a size 9, so this should be a super quick knit once I have it written up. True confession: because writing knitting patterns is very involved and takes a lot of editing, I have totally been dragging my feet on this one. I could have probably knit two of these by now. Oh well! I’m going to get there and you’re all going to love it!

In my feet dragging moments, I decided I needed to cast on some new things of yarns that have been calling to me. This one is the ever popular Hitchhiker Shawl by Martina Behm, a quick garter shawlette that is just the mindless project I need! I’m using a beautiful one of a kind skein from Machete Shoppe, that I actually won in an Instagram giveaway from @countrysideknits and finally found the perfect project for! I have it in my adorable Halloween themed Japanese Knot Bag from Super Stitchy – you know, my podcast girlfriend! 🙂 I’m loving knitting this on my ChiaoGoo fixed circulars, which I do need more of!

bty

bty

I have also been needing to knit with some of my own hand dyed yarn lately. So these beauties on my PlumpleeBee Sock will soon be a Gull Beach Shawl, a brand new, first time design by Super Stitchy that she is currently test knitting. The main color is Aresenal of a Princess, available in the shop. The mini is my Aquarius colorway, included in a number of mini kits in my shop and soon to have more singles. I’m excited to knit these up!

Remember how the title is Too Many WIPs?! I have more I want to cast on! These four beauties will soon be knit into a Mesa Sweater Wrap by Rosemary Hill. My knitty friends at Downtown Knits in Apex are doing a knit along for the Mesa Wrap, and these yarns have also been calling to my from my stash! The far left is Haute Knit Yarn, the two middle are Olann Yarns, and the far right is Hey Lady Hey. I plan to buy myself some circular ChiaoGoo needles just for the pattern from Downtown Knits, but if you don’t have a local yarn shop, you can find them on Amazon, too!

The hand dyed yarns you see above are available in my Etsy Shop and you can touch them, live and in person, at Downtown Knits in Apex at the up-coming Pop-Up Market! June 23rd, Saturday from 10 to 4, come see me and some new makers!

I won’t bore you with the other WIPs for now, but I hope you have enjoyed this installment of my yarny adventure! If you click on some of the affiliate links above and make a purchase, I do make a small commission, which means you are supporting my content. For that, I thank you!

Love from HalesBee

June 9, 2018 0

Progress, Plans and Selfish Knits

Good day, friends! Welcome to another entry into the diary of HalesBee Handmade happenings. I have been slowly making progress on a couple of WIPs, and have also made a few selfish knitting plans.

28081391_1621542651228510_931438253_o — Richard’s cardigan with just buttons left to go!

My man cardigan for the hubby is nearly ready for wear! Knitted in Brava Sport Yarn from Knit Picks in Cobblestone Heather and Canary (yellow). Since last entry, I have completed the sleeves, picked up and finished the collar, complete with button holes and finished off the pockets. Now I just need to find suitable buttons and throw it in the wash! Not to worry, it’s been intentionally knitted with acrylic for easy care!

I’ve also been at work on mom’s special request: the Worsted Boxy by Joji Locatelli. This is a large, comfy fit sweater; so, I do have quite a larger number of stitches each row. Still, I am plugging away and loving the fabric I am getting! I am using my own hand dyed yarn in my Jack Frost colorway from my HalesBee Handmade shop on Etsy (affiliate link). I have also been testing out my new Knitter’s Pride interchangeable Zing needles from my Melodies of Life set I just treated myself to. I promise to review them later!

I got my Knitter’s Pride set on eBay (affiliate link), where you can find some reasonably priced sets. Brand new sets of the same Melodies of Life needles are available on Amazon also, and for very reasonable prices. Here’s an Amazon affiliate link: Knitter’s Pride Melodies Of Life “Zing” Interchangeable Needle Set-9 Pairs / 4 Cords / Accessories

Selfish socks for me! Done in my own hand dyed yarn.

I’ve also felt a need to cast on a few selfish knits. All this working on sweaters for mom and hubby, and after the holidays!? I need something for me. I went ahead and chose a couple of skeins from my shop – again! I may need to slow down using my own inventory – but I do love some of my colorways!

The sock I’ve started above is using my Pick Your Poison colorway, which will be used for the cuffs, heels and toes of the socks. The main body of the sock will be done in my Always Carry Antidote colorway. See what I did there? I know, I’m so clever 🙂 Both of these are on my TwistleBee Sock Base, a high twist sock yarn. They are both available in my HalesBee Handmade shop on Etsy (affiliate link).

More selfish knitting in my DK hand dyed yarn. Bag from KnitForBrainsDesigns on Etsy.

Last in my entry today is a bit of enabling from Instagram. I saw a knitty friend had completed the Touchstone Shawl by Laura Aylor in three colors rather than one. Loved it! Had to plan one for me! I selected a few more HalesBee Handmade DK colorways (there I go again!) and popped over to Ravelry to get the pattern. My plan is start with my Remnants, do the middle section in Coffee and Pie Oh My!, and finish out with my Chateau de Bleu colorway. I’m so excited to have a shawl for me!

Well, that’s all for this entry, folks! I had better get back to knitting if I want to have more to show later 🙂

I hope you have enjoyed this peek into the HalesBee Handmade life. If you have clicked on the links marked affiliate and made a purchase (which gives me a small commision) then I thank you from the bottom of my HalesBee heart!

Happy knitting! Love from HalesBee!

February 13, 2018 0

WIP Weekend

HalesBee diary entry: February 2, 2018. Groundhog’s Day! Well, the Grand Groundhog himself, Punxutawney Phil, has announced that we have 6 more weeks of winter knitting time. In between Snapchats with my sisters and wondering just how many incarnations Phil have come and gone over the years, I am making plans to clear some old WIPs (works in progress) and being some intended cast ons.

I will admit, as I’m sure is true for many knitters, I allowed a few projects to go to the wayside over the holiday season. As the New Year began, I then sprung into action on new endeavors and continued to ignore the mass of start ups and promised knits that remain unfinished. No more!

This weekend, among other WIPs, I desperately need to finish a cardigan for my husband, Richard. Partly due to the fact that I started it back in October of last year; but mainly because I have yet to actually complete a garment for him other than socks. This of course leads to much teasing and, in order to prove that, “Yes, I can knit you a cardigan,” I must get this long lingering project off the needles and onto the man of the house. Darn it all, it had better fit!

Progress on Richard’s Cardigan. Project bag shown is from KnitForBrainsDesigns on Etsy.

I have also promised to knit up not one, but two sweaters for my mom this winter. Just 6 weeks left according to Mr. Phil, so I had better get going. The first sweater will be the Worsted Boxy by Joji Locatelli, a simple but lovely loose fitting sweater. I have dyed up one my own colorways, Jack Frost, just for the project. And yes, you can find that colorway in my HalesBee Handmade shop on Etsy. Yay!

Boxy Pattern and some of my Jack Frost colorway caked up.

The Boxy is ready to be cast on. However, the second promised sweater is still just in the hank phase. I did get the yarn dyed up for mom’s second sweater: Lemongrass also by Joji Locatelli. Mom picked another of my popular colorways, The First Hard Freeze While I won’t cast on until I have finished mom’s Boxy, I do plan to cake up this yarn this weekend and print out the pattern. Hey, every step closer to ready makes me happy!

bty — The First Hard Freeze colorway all dyed up.

I would like to think that my super knitter powers would allow me to get more done that just these few WIPs this weekend, but I know my limits. Finish a WIP, cast on a sweater, print a pattern – that much I can do. I would get into the list of other projects that need to be gotten off the needles and dream knitting that I have in queue, but we might be here all night! No, for now that’s enough for this entry. I hope you have enjoyed this quick update and I wish you a wonderful, crafty weekend!

Love from HalesBee!

February 2, 2018 2