Queen Bee Knits

Knitting, Living, Loving, Baking, Tips, Tools and Idle Chatter

WIPs and Phew!

Posted on August 15, 2021 by Queen Bee Knits

It’s been a little bit since I’ve written here and there is a LOT going on in my life. That may be why. Regardless, let me report on a few things that I”ve been up to both in the knitting world and my life in general.

I’m knitting away but I’ve also been working extra hours because my boss is in Hawaii for five weeks, and two of our colleagues are on vacation for a week or more. We’ve got a delicate balance for the four of us and we are all picking up extra hours. Personally, I’ve got a new car payment so I don’t mind too much … except for the fact that work is cutting into my knitting time.

From top to bottom, here are my WIPs and FOs (Muffin, that’s works in progress and finished objects) … I’m on sleeve island for my Fine Sand cardigan. I’m making very slow progress on this sweater despite the fact that NOW is the time I might be able to wear it. It’s knit in Juniper Moon Farm Zooey and as such is very unforgiving so my hands get really tired knitting it. And there are 20 rounds between sleeve decreases so … lots of little stitches.

Pink butterfly washcloth. I’ve got a few generic dish/washcloths made but this one is for someone special. I have a couple more to make, too.

A baby blanket that will fade from gray to white and is perfect for airplane or knitting class knitting. I don’t have to think much when working on this blanket because it’s that simple. The yarn, however, is really splitty – cotton threads loosely spun – so I have had to go back and fix the funky spots a few times.

A FO – the cotton hand towel that I made to keep my husband from his towel thievery. This is the simplest towel to make and it seems to stay put so I can find a towel when my hands are dripping wet without searching all over the kitchen or house! I believe I’ve put the pattern on my facebook page but if you want it, let me know.

The Slip Stitch hat is also finished. This is a cute hat with two yarns. One deeply stashed DK weight yarn that I bought after a yarn company closed at deep discount. The contrasting color band is a hand-spun gifted to me by my daughter. This hat is for sale or will be donated in my community since it doesn’t have a body to call its own. The two yarns in this hat are really beautiful – the main color is merino and silk and so soft – no forehead itch here!

A pair of baby socks is finished. I’ve had two baby-sized balls of sock yarn in my stash for ages and I am finally getting around to knitting them up and they’ve kept me in the sock challenge. I also got a pair of socks … well, one partially-finished sock and the yarn and needles … from a friend and former knitting student. She has eye problems and isn’t able to see her stitches anymore. So I’ve fixed and finished her sock and started the second sock for her. I’ll send them on to her to finish the cuff and I’ll probably be seeing them again to finish the heel and the second sock. (There’s no photo of these socks because I remembered too late. They’re packaged to mail.)

Last, FO! The Gallbladder Shawl for my younger daughter is off the needles, blocked, and ready to be gifted. I loved knitting this shawl – it’s such a unique design and it was fun to see it as it “grew” and then the second side was knitted and it was grafted together. I knitted this yarn in two shades of Emma’s Yarn and I am really happy with the way it turned out. I think my daughter will be able to wear it a lot this fall/winter!

I’m saving my “big trip” for another post but I’ve got to report that I am the new president of our lake association board. I’ve been serving on the board of trustees for Friends of Messalonskee for several years and have just been elected president as we are jumping off on a new (big!) project. The work that we’ve been doing, primarily mitigation of invasive milfoil by hand- and DASH harvesting and providing Courtesy Boat Inspections at our two boat launches, will be doubled as we begin a Watershed Survey. We will have volunteers walking every acre of our watershed to find sources of phosphorus runoff and then we’ll help the landowners to get financing for the repair of the problems. Passion projects for those of us that are lucky enough to live on the shores of this beautiful lake. With warming temperatures and land development, we’re seeing warmer water temps and more algae, etc. None of this is a good thing and we can repair the problems but it’s going to be a lot of work!

Keeping the view beautiful like this for generations to come!

Gone knitting!

Details for all of my knitting projects are on my Ravelry page. I’m lindar on Ravelry. Like Queen Bee Knits on Facebook and Instagram!

Hat, Hat, Spring and the Big Decision

Posted on May 26, 2019 by Queen Bee Knits

It seems that Spring has finally come to Maine!

I took a walk around the yarn this morning before I headed off to work and the flowers both wild and “domestic” (is that what you call them?) are starting to bloom! I love seeing my yard in full bloom! The rhododendrons were purchased years ago from a big box store and they were teeny tiny and nearly dead. We bought three plants to add some pretty between the guest cottage and the woodshed. One got stepped on during the construction of the new house and didn’t survive. The other two are starting to get bigger. Although they’re nowhere near enough to make a “statement”!

Trillium, Violets and (I think) forget-me-nots. I love seeing them! The Bleeding Heart and Creeping Phlox is just about to bloom, too. It’s simply gorgeous and it makes me very happy!

Happiness makes me think of yarn and knitting! (Duh!)

I’ve been working with my “lady farmer” at Winterberry Farm in Belgrade, Maine. Winterberry Farm is an organic farm and their sheep provide Mary with lovely fleeces that she has spun into yarn. I’m working with Mary to make up some knitting kits with her yarn and some simple yet fun patterns that will let her yarn shine. The first sample I knitted up for her is a hat from Tin Can Knits free patterns called “Barley Light.”

While my photograph isn’t the exact right color, it’s pretty close. I like this simple hat pattern because it lets the beautiful, lanolin-y yarn be the star of the show. A one-skein project. The “corrugation” adds just enough interest to make it interesting.

I’ve also knitted a rainbow-stripe hat for the Yardgoods Center. Joyce, who owns the shop, asked for a ribbed hat in a new yarn (to us). It’s a West Yorkshire Spinners “Colour Lab DK” yarn which is 100% British wool. I love working with this yarn. It’s stretchy and squishy soft. And the colors are fabulous! We have three or four colorways at the shop.

The pattern that I found is on Ravelry and it’s a free pattern by Chandi Agee at Expression Fiber Arts called “Boyfriend Beanie”. A 3×2 rib all the way up to the crown. when the decreases start, it becomes fully knitted. A quick knit and super fun! Since it’s ribbed, it’s stretchy and will fit any adult head.

And my big decision?

Oh, my Sunset Highway.

I’m not ok with the main body color. It’s too busy and it detracts from the beautiful colorwork. So, after discussing my options at knitting class on Friday and with the help of color expert, Marlene (Hi, Marlene!), I’ve decided to frog the body of the sweater and reknit it in a different yarn that isn’t so crazy busy. I’m not saying that I don’t love the MC. I do. But I don’t like it here on this sweater. I think the new yarn will be much better and will let the colorwork be the main attraction. So, that’s the big decision that I have made and tomorrow I will be doing the frogging and starting the body over.

I know I wasn’t settled with it and this is a good choice. I’d rather love the sweater and wear it than let it languish on a shelf in my closet. There are also the two different colorways. Strikes one and two and that’s all I need to inform my choice. I’m frogging the body.

Gone knitting!

Starting the New Year off with FOs!

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Queen Bee Knits

First finished object is the Ruche Beret by Susan B. Anderson. I love this hat and hope that the new owner will wear it through some challenges and into a lifetime of good health. I knit this for a friend from college who has a friend going through chemo treatments. I knit this in this pretty beige-y taupe-y color and it’s a dk-weight yarn, Plymouth Baby Alpaca DK. I love knitting with this yarn! It’s so soft and will feel so good on a “naked” head. The best thing about this hat is the simplicity of the design. I just love it.

Next up, the 1898 Hat. This is a free pattern on Ravelry and calls for a worsted weight yarn and US 7 needles. I started knitting with the needle as in the pattern but it was too small. So, I changed to a US 8 and the hat is lovely! I knit with the customer’s Cascade Yarns Eco Duo. Another super soft yarn and it will be so warm. The construction of the hat is a little bit different – the “cuff” is knitted in garter stitch with slipped stitches that is folded in half and grafted into a “headband”. Stitches are picked up around the cuff and the hat is completed in a more traditional manner. The customer was so happy that she’s asked me to knit another one out of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride. Stay tuned!

Last but not least, a baby blanket for my sister-in-love. They have an employee who is having a baby this month and she asked me to knit a blanket. I love stripes, so this was my suggestion. Knitted in Plymouth Encore (navy, white and bright green) to make life easier for the new mom (it’s washable and dry-able!) This is a simple knit – almost boring, actually – two rows of each color, carrying the yarn up the side. The green is an i-cord edge. I love the way the green pops! It’s blocking on my guest bed (sans sheets after Christmas) and it will be sent very soon.

Speaking of Christmas … I haven’t shown you all of the Christmas knits that were finished and given.

An eyeglass case in Berroco Comfort DK (red and green, obviously!) The pattern is Sweet Sunglasses Case by Ambah O’brien. This was a fun little something to knit for my co-worker who is super sweet. I will make more of these. The Comfort yarn is very soft and won’t scratch glasses … it could be lined but I stink at sewing.

These are really a better and brighter blue with a bit of sparkle and were sent to my adorable mentee. I met this darling girl when she was ten years old and I was her mentor at school for a couple of years before she moved about 2 hours away. She had a rough transition and I adored her so I traveled to meet her for lunch at her new school every week. Zip ahead and she’s now a beautiful teenager and I still adore her.

Pattern is Holywood Mitts and was a free pattern at our store. I knit these in Holywood by Cascade Yarns. It’s just enough sparkle. And I loved the button that I found to serve as a ring!

Wow! This is a terrible photograph! These are alpaca fingerless mitts knitted in Cascade Yarn’s Eco Alpaca in black. The pattern is Maize by Tin Can Knits. I love, love, love Tin Can Knits designs! I made the mitts a bit longer than the pattern called for because when I am driving I want to have the fabric of fingerless mitts between my hands and the freezing cold steering wheel. Most fingerless mitts are a bit too short. I hope my son-in-love loves them. I figure that they’re classic enough that they’ll go with any coat in New York City. Right?

Another questionable photograph but these are the felted slippers that I made for my step-daughter. (I don’t love that “title” and will need to think of an alternate term for my husband’s wonderful daughters.) Anyway, I made these for her for Christmas at her request. Her favorite color is blue so I chose two shades of blue Cascade 220 Heathers. The pattern is Fiber Trends Felted Clogs by Bev Galeskas. I’ve made several pairs of these for different people and they are fun to knit, interesting construction, and they’re very cozy, too.

I made several of these hats! This is another Tin Can Knits pattern called Barley. I made a trial Barley for my husband and he loved it so I made one for all the boys in the family for Christmas. This one is Plymouth Yarn’s Homestead in Brown Heather colorway. The other three, for the NYC boys were knitted in Berroco Ultra Wool in black. All city people like black. I like black, too. I love the Ultra Wool! it’s a wonderful super wash wool and I am looking forward to seeing how it holds up to the washing machine!

Two more! For my other step-daughter, a cowl made with Universal’s Bamboo Bloom in shades of pink and Wisdom Yarn’s Poems. I love the Hanassaku Cowl pattern, too! It’s fairly simple pattern is easy (-ish) to follow. I say “fairly” and “-ish” because it always seems to me that when I let myself believe that something is easy, I always make mistakes. I started this cowl twice because I assumed that I knew what I was doing and I also pretended that I could count! Needless to say, I couldn’t do either! It was better on the second try! I started my cowl with the Poems and ended with it, too. Mine is not nearly as wide as the pattern suggested. I used one skein of each and knit until it was gone. I love it and I hope she does, too.

I used a Top This! Hat “kit” to make this little crocheted lamb lovie for my dental hygienist. Well, not for her, exactly, for her new baby. I am going to visit her next week and will deliver it then. The pattern is a free pattern that I found at the shop (Yardgoods Center, my LYS). I started to knit the pattern and didn’t like the way that the fabric felt. I decided to try to crochet it instead and really had fun making my fourth (or fifth) crocheted project! I hope the baby will love it. It’s really just a great big granny square – and I love making granny squares!

I finished a pair of socks for my handsome hubby, too. I used a ball of Regia (their worsted weight sock yarn) and he’s happy as a clam. He was “nagging” me about a new pair of socks for him and I knit them at work or at knitting group so that he had no clue I was making him socks. I do love a surprise when I can keep them! I haven’t taken a photograph of them … they’re already in the laundry.

So, that was a long post full of finished objects. It feels good to see that I have gotten a lot of knitting done and gifted. I love to make gifts! More details are in my Ravelry project page. I’m “lindar” on Ravelry!

Gone knitting!

Something’s Fishy

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Queen Bee Knits

I’ve been wanting to work on so many projects that you might think I had an attention disorder. Right now on the needles I have a Girasol afghan. I’m nearly finished and the edge lace pattern is a bit boring (but it’ll be worth it!) I also have the cabled poncho for my niece (and another one for her sister) to finish by Christmas. I’ll get it done. (Them done!) And then there is a half-done pair of socks, my daughter’s Christmas cowl and the headband that I promised last winter and, of course, the lobster hat that was supposed to be last year’s partial birthday gift. I think I need a few projects finished before starting anything new.

And thus I’ve started a new project. A fish hat. I’m sure you’ve seen it on Ravelry or Facebook or somewhere. It is a Knitty pattern that has made me laugh several times. Fish Hat (Dead or Alive?) can be found as a free pattern on Ravelry or Knitty.

So, when I saw my friend Harry’s bald little head the other day and knowing winter is coming I decided to make a run to the yarn shop and buy some new yarn … My stash is all in storage, remember? I chose good old Plymouth Encore Worsted because it’s soft and washable. And when you’re knitting for children, especially boys, washable is best. My colors are “different” for me but I fell in love with the teal-y blue and had to have it. And I love charcoal gray. The coral and tweedy green were the last add-ins because I needed a bright and something to unite all the colors. I’m knitting with my trusty and well-loved Knitters Pride Dreamz interchangeable needles (US 7). Harry is hairless this winter because he is being treated for Leukemia. He has been such a good sport – he always seems to have a smile on his face despite what many would say are really rough days. Handsome Harry, I hope your fish hat makes you smile!

The hat is knitting up pretty quickly and I only have one more to knit. The second one will be for a student that I worked with at school down in Florida. He was and will always be one of my favorite students. This little guy was hit by a car at the beach when he was two. He suffered a spinal injury and is “handicapped” … unable to walk and in a wheelchair. But he’s such an “able” kid with an incredible spirit and he is smart and sassy. I hope that the fact that I made him a crazy hat will make him smile. And he will have bragging rights at school … I can hear him telling the other kids, “What!? Mrs. Rockwell made it for me!”

It makes me smile to do something for these sweet boys. Gone knitting!