• Home
    • Latest Episodes
    • 2024 Vlogmas
    • 2024 Vlogtober
    • 2023 Vlogmas
    • 2023 Vlogtober
    • 2022 Vlogmas
    • Beer Knits Extras
    • Reviews
  • Blog
  • Knitability
  • About
  • Patterns
  • Shop
  • Ravelry
Menu

Jenn Likes Yarn

  • Home
  • Podcast
    • Latest Episodes
    • 2024 Vlogmas
    • 2024 Vlogtober
    • 2023 Vlogmas
    • 2023 Vlogtober
    • 2022 Vlogmas
    • Beer Knits Extras
    • Reviews
  • Blog
  • Knitability
  • About
  • Patterns
  • Shop
  • Ravelry

[FINISHED] Jack and Sally Socks

May 8, 2022

Hello, friends. I write to you today from the confines of The Westin in downtown Seattle, overlooking the Spheres after having just landed from one of the worst United flights I’ve ever taken (many, many things were terrible about it, but just to give you an idea of my favorite worst thing, my luggage is currently in Chicago because our plane was overweight).

There’s a reason my go-to airline is Alaska.

Whatever. I took my anxiety meds and am now scheduled to attempt picking up my bag from another flight out of O’Hare later tonight, which is causing me to miss dinner with a group of friends and I’m super bummed. I figured I’d regale you with a recently finished project while I drown in my Americano and prepare for day one at my new job tomorrow (hence the reason I, like, need my clothes).

So enough moaning.

Behold my Jack and Sally sock set. When I saw this yarn posted to Always Be Kind Yarn’s instagram late last summer, I knew I had to have it. Y’all know that Scott and I are super into spooky season, especially when said spooky season includes anything Nightmare Before Christmas-adjacent, so when the opportunity arose for me to make us coordinating socks, I knew I had to dive in.

The yarn is great to work with and I love that I was able to make pairs for both of us using what came in the set (Scott has big feet, so it was a little touch-and-go for a hot minute there). Of course I did a contrasting heel and cuff, both for effect and the fact I needed as much of the main color yarn as possible.

That said, I’m really bored of the FLK heel. I haven’t been able to fit them right lately, which I know is my fault because I’m too lazy to measure things properly, but it’s also not as durable as your standard square heel and turn. It’s perfect for self-striping yarn, though, because it doesn’t disrupt the pattern. And yet…

I also worked these using magic loop and I can’t remember why. Magic loop used to be my favorite method for knitting socks and I’m just not in love with it anymore; I much prefer my DPNs these days. Since I started these last fall, it was weird to go back to that method and kind of hate everything about it just to get them off my needles. I’m sure there will come a day where I go back to that technique, but today is not that day. In fact, i have a pair of Kay’s Prom Queen socks on some DPNs in my carry on (which actually made it to Seattle).

Anyway, if you haven’t heard about Laura and her yarns, you need to check her out. For one, she now features my Jack and Sally photo in her instagram shop, which is kind of amazing and I’m really flattered. For two, her yarns are truly beautiful. She focuses on rainbow-colored designs that help bring joy to the world, all inspired by her late daughter (who loved Nightmare Before Christmas!) and raising awareness for suicide prevention. She even has a “You Matter” colorway that I picked up for Suicide Prevention Month back in September; they’re really pretty!

Okay, I’ve officially been here long enough to stalk my bag’s solo trip around the country and confirm it’s on its way to Seattle, so I think I’ll sit on the bed and maybe stare at a wall before writing a strongly worded letter to United about how their $50 compensation doesn’t cover the cost of my cab rides to and from the airport since they refuse to deliver them to me #imnotbitter

In finished Tags knitting, socks

[FINISHED] Askews Me Shawl

March 9, 2022
Jenn DiMaria Keeler holding her finished Askews Me shawl by Stephen West

I’ve been on a “finish all the things” kick since the new year, which is why I once again picked up the Askews Me Shawl I started over the summer in January.

Admittedly, this project was a beer-induced brain child, as I convinced Scott to stop at Conversational Threads after getting our engagement photos done and stopping at Funk Brewing for few drinks. It was a nice day, my hair and makeup were done, and I’d rented a dress, so it seemed like a waste to not go out and do something about it.

But I’d also made the decision (at the time because haha I’m obviously not doing it anymore) to only buy new yarn if I had a project in mind for it, so I immediately took to Ravelry to figure out what I could make from the yarn I was drawn to, which happened to be DK weight.

Now, I don’t usually knit with DK weights, typically defaulting to fingering because it’s applicable to so many projects I like to make (namely socks and shawls). But I really loved a purple DK weight yarn I found and knew I had to have it.

The Askews Me fit the bill for a number of reasons, namely that it’s designed by Stephen West and seemed like a pretty mindless brioche project that didn’t require too much yarn, so I picked out a contrasting teal and called it a day.

I ended up using the teal as the main color, which was kind of a mistake because I like the pastel purple side so much more. That said, it doesn’t really matter because the beautiful thing about brioche is that it’s usually 100% reversible.

This shawl saved me from freezing to death on our recent trip to Vermont, where Burlington served us daily highs of 10 degrees. While my fingering weight shawls end up being warm because they’re usually pretty ginormous, it was nice to have something to act like a wall between me and the negative wind chills. Best idea for something to knit ever.

Project Info

  • Pattern: Askews Me Shawl by Stephen West

  • Yarn #1: Wonderland Yarns & Frabjous Fibers Mad Hatter, Pigments Of Imagination

  • Yarn #2: Spun Right Round Sport, Happy Holi (note: I’m not actually sure about the base on this one, as the sport version I found on Ravelry has a different twist than what I used)

View on Ravelery

In the meantime, I’m also:

  • Reading: We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry (Feminist Book Club’s February selection; the 80s, field hockey, witches, and Salem - my vibe!)

  • Watching: Bel Air (I really thought this serious take on “Fresh Prince” would be bad and almost quit after the first two episodes, but I kept going and now I like it)

In finished Tags knitting, brioche knitting

[FINISHED] Shawlography

January 26, 2022

I really can’t stop finishing projects, which would be great for busting my stash if I could stop buying more yarn (seriously, these indie dyers need to stop being so amazing at their jobs).

One of those amazing dyers is my girl Lauren from lolodidit. If you subscribe to Knitability (a Bakery Bears publication that I’m the editor of, NBD), then you’ll have read my interview with her last year, which was absolutely enchanting. I’ve been a big fan for years and used to drop entire (okay, maybe 30%) paychecks on her colorways, going so far as to make chunky hats for everyone I know with her bulky yarns one Christmas.

Anyway - and I promise these thoughts are connected - I was on the fence about joining 2021’s WestKnits MKAL, which is a Mystery Knit-A-Long where we get a “clue” (ie: new pattern section) every week for four weeks - and we have no idea what the finished product will look like. I never complete these shawls within the month because that’s usually right around when I start my Christmas knitting. Plus, this time around, I also did this little thing called “getting married” that required a bit of a time investment. So… I straight-up was going to skip this round and worry about it in the spring if it looked cool.

Until I saw Lauren’s kits. Oh. My. Stars. I knew I was in trouble even before I clicked the link in her email announcing the kits and might as well have just thrown money at my screen. But I mean… look at it and tell me it wasn’t worth it, right?

Also, I’m just saying, there are still Shawlography kits available on her website. Yup. Just saying.

Well, I finished the first section and a significant chunk of section two before the wedding, then picked it up here and there on our honeymoon because 18 hours in a car and endless hanging out at breweries will do that to you. But I didn’t finish it until earlier this week and honestly, that’s such a feat for me. I usually shove these things away come November to focus on other things and don’t pick them up again until it’s almost time for the next MKAL, but this time, I finished it within a quarter. I’m a superhero.

…if you ignore the fact some people finish each section in like a day, but whatever.

I really really really love this thing, despite having doubts. As Stephen West says in literally every tutorial video, “Just. Trust.” And I’m glad I did cuz those loops were throwing me for a - wait for it - loop and I wasn’t sure where this was headed.

I’m not sure what it is about WestKnits shawls specifically, but I’m a moth to a flame whenever a new one is released. In fact, I have another kit from Teal Torch Knits sitting around waiting for my job to stop asking me to do the jobbing and have time to knit all the things. They can feel tedious at some points, especially when you’re toward the end and a single row takes 45 minutes to knit across because there are 2,000 stitches on your needles… but oh, boy. Once those million-and-one ends are woven in and you go to take a picture, these shawls might as well be works of art and I can’t wait to sport mine for the rest of winter.

View On Ravelry
In finished Tags knitting

[FINISHED] Moon Catcher Hat by Dragon Hoard Yarn

January 24, 2022

It turns out that 2022 (or, at least, January of 2022) is destined for productivity, as evidenced by the fact I’ve got FOs rolling off my needles like chocolates from a conveyor belt.

My latest finished object is this Moon Catcher hat designed by Trysten from Dragon Hoard Yarn and sold as a kit. I bought it so I could a) wear it during our trip to Vermont over Valentine’s Day and b) knit it on the six-hour car ride, but I couldn’t wait to cast it on and, instead, wound up finishing the ribbing while we enjoyed drinks at a local brewery on Friday night. The rest of the pattern moved just as quickly and before I knew it, I was snapping the pompom on top and setting up a photoshoot before work today.

While I can’t speak highly enough of this pattern (and maybe that’s because I’ve been on a cabling kick lately), I legit can’t stop DROOLING over the yarn. It was so dreamy to knit with and I absolutely need to add more to my stash… without letting Scott see it because I think he’s ready to scream at my recent stash enhancements. Our bartender on Friday even loved the yarn so much that I talked up DHY and sent her to the website to buy her own.

I chose the Feyre Darling colorway because… reasons. ACOTAR has been one of my favorite book series for a few years now, and I’d already purchased Trysten’s Rhysand-themed Knit and Sip box for February, so I felt like I needed something for Feyre, too. I also loved the peachy-pink undertone and wanted something neutral so I could sport the hat with pretty much any coat. Suffice it to say, this hat spoke to me on many levels.

If you want to make your own, more kits are available in a rainbow of colorways, but make sure to grab them quickly because they sell out fast.

Project Info:

  • Pattern: Moon Catcher

  • Yarn: Adventure Aran by Dragon Hoard Yarn

  • Colorway: Feyre Darling

View My Project on Ravelry
In finished Tags knitting
2022 The Cozy Knitter Striped Advent Socks

[FINISHED] 2022 Advent Stripe Socks

January 19, 2022
2022 The Cozy Knitter Striped Advent Socks

Happy new year, friends, and welcome back to me trying to be a legitimate blogger. I swear, there was a time where I was good at pumping out this content, but I seem to have fallen off the wagon as work and life blew up into chaos. And, to be honest, there were a couple years where I wasn’t knitting much because my mental health was in the toilet while I slogged through some stuff - I’m glad that’s changed!

I know that, as a Gemini, this creative spurt is going to be short-lived, so I’m embracing it while I can and getting all the projects off my needles (and hooks). Unfortunately, I also keep buying supplies to put even more projects back on them.

But one of the projects I managed to get off my needles was my annual Cozy Knitter Advent Socks. If you’re unfamiliar, this self-striping yarn comes ready to knit with 24 stripes and is different every year. Ideally, you’d knit a stripe per day, but I never do because I’m usually bogged down with gift-making, so I got myself in the Christmas spirit by starting these the week before Christmas and finishing them a few days after.

With the standard end-of-year insanity that we all try to avoid, I knew I’d want a simple pattern that would be relaxing, but I was tired of the vanilla self-striping patterns I’d knit in recent years, so I took to Ravelry and found the Easy Pattern For Self Striping Socks by Frida Åberg. I barely had to read the pattern to memorize it and I was off.

I made a few changes, namely using the Fish Lips Kiss heel (so I didn’t have to worry about uneven striping) and an Umbrella Toe. And since I’d used green for last year’s contrast color, I decided to use red this year. Which means I’m quickly running out of options for coming years, lol.

These socks are so festive and make me happy and you can bet your bottom dollar I’ll be making another pair in 2022.

Project Info

  • Yarn: 2021 Advent Stripe by The Cozy Knitter

  • Pattern: Easy Pattern For Self Striping Socks by Frida Åberg

In finished Tags knitting
Older Posts →

Subscribe

Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

We respect your privacy.

Thank you!

Fair Isle Mittens - Beautiful Designs Including Super Comfy Linings

Shop Darn Good Yarn