Quick Knit for the Win

Pattern:  Argyle Cuff by Lee Meredith

Yarn: Cascade 220 - 801

Needle: US 7 (4.5mm)

Date: Feb 14, 2010

@rav

Last weekend, I wanted to cast on to something new and the Quick Knits Club came to the rescue. One of February’s patterns, the Argyle Cuff, looked fun so I dug up some scrap yarn and got started. The 2 stitch cable made it a fun project that was finished in an afternoon but the finishing took a bit longer. Blocking was definitely required and the cuff seemed to take forever to dry. The wait was worth it though. The cables really popped and the width was perfect. Once I sewed on two orange buttons, it was perfect and quite cozy. 

February's Quick Knits Club

My love affair with the Leethal Quick Knits Club continues. Being February, this month’s theme is Valentine’s Day but it’s really about the act of giving as an act of love. The patterns and yarn are geared to a multitude of people but aren’t boring or bland like one might expect. Both patterns are for wrist cuffs which,through some strange coincidence, I’ve been thinking about a lot. The first offering. the Argyle Cuff (@rav), is a buttoned band done up with small cables in an argyle motif. Bolt (@rav), the second pattern, looks like a bolt of lighting tied to your wrist and it seems like a pretty fun project.

The yarn for these cuffs really grabbed me and I really wish I had a few more yards of both. The dyed yarn stripes red, blue and green and has a slight halo that I find irresistible. Also irresistible - the matching buttons. Anyway, the spun yarn is 100% cotton and a combination of grey, blue, purple, and yellow. It has a wonderful barber pole look and it’s hard to resist hanging the skein up as a piece of art. I think I’m going to put both of the skeins aside for a special project because, as I’ve been thinking about cuffs, I don’t wear them often and would rather use the yarn for something I’d really enjoy. 

I’m also really enjoying the goodies this month - a dinosaur card, nice paper, some fun foam stickers, and even a double sided crayon. I think the dinosaur card and the octopus sticker are going to stay with me but I can’t wait to do some crafty things with the rest of it for gifts.

On the whole, I’m going to have a lot of fun with this package and I can’t wait for March’s fun to show up in my mailbox. 

Winter Leaves

I had just completed the heel flap and was working on the cuff when I felt Second Sock Syndrome sneaking up on me. In order to evade this dreaded enemy, I needed something cute and quick to save me. Enter the Winter Leaves pattern from this month's Quick Knits Club.

The pattern was indeed cute, quick and fun too. From one night's worth of knitting, I got 5 leaves out of 15 yds of yarn but only barely. Come Christmas, these leaves will be put to use as ornaments but I still haven't decided if they need ribbon loops. At the moment though, I'm having fun stacking and arranging them in fun patterns. They're too cute to put away until it's time to hang them.

These leaves worked wonderfully well as a defense against Second Sock Syndrome. I only have a few inches left on the sock and I should finish it in the next few days. If SSS sneaks up again though, I've always got this cute little project in the wings too.

November's Quick Knits Club *spoilers*

I first found out about The Quick Knits Club a few months ago and I kicked myself for not signing up when it started. The previous months have included such fun patterns, yarns, and goodies with a unique aesthetic that I could resist it no longer. In October, the projects were a knitted mustache and a superhero/villain mask. Cute goodies like monster finger puppets and repurposed sock wristlets just sealed the deal. Signing up for November was a forgone conclusion.

While October focused on costumes, November is all about gift giving. The Wee Gift Bag is horrendously cute and I love the halo of the accompanying yarn. Hopefully, there will be time for me to make a couple for the tiny gifts I'm sending out this year. The other project, Winter Leaves, is a cute little project(s) that can be used as an ornament or an off the wall necklace. Mine are going to end up as ornaments. Maybe I'll even finish them in time to put them on the tree this year. Blasted ever growing Christmas knitting list...

The goodies this month don't disappoint either. I love the vibrancy and color of the photos. Eventually, they're going to be part of a large yarny mosaic. A mix CD, I wanna be buried in snow, rounded out the package. It's already become my soundtrack for the season. Most of the songs and artists are new to me and that makes this mix even better. My personal favorites are White Flower Hymnal by Fleet Foxes and This Year by The Mountain Goats. I've already bought the Fleet Foxes  EP, Sun Giant, and I can't decide which Mountain Goats album to get. Dilemmas, dilemmas...

Anyway, I'm really happy I signed up for this club. It's a monthly shot of creativity and fun and who doesn't need that?