Queen Bee Knits

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

WIP Wednesday … another FO with a few mistakes

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

Today’s been a really pretty day and I’ve had only one meeting which means lots of time to knit and to do a bit more planning for the workshop I’m having in April at the (yarn) shop where I work. It’s been almost a year since I’ve done one … life is so wonderfully busy and I count my blessings every day.

Before my meeting I worked on my second sock for a little bit. I’ve put them aside for several days and it’s time to get them off my needles. I’ll be focusing on them and the sweater I’m knitting for my college roommate for the next few days. I’ve neglected the sweater for a couple of days while I finished Noah the Horse (click for the magic link). Anywhooooo …

Two-Color Brioche is a different colorwork stitch. Two colors of yarn are used to make a super squishy thick fabric that almost looks like it’s got horizontal stripes. And it’s reversible (if done right.) Brioche is two rounds combining to make a double fabric. A pattern of slipped stitches with a yarn over “shawl” and then a knitted or purled stitch, knitting the former round’s shawl stitch and it’s slipped partner as one. The main color (white in my sample) is the more prominent colorway. The first brioche round is made by knitting the slipped stitch and it’s shawl and then with the yarn forward, slipping the next stitch and making a yarn over “shawl”. The following round is worked with the the contrast color and slipping the stitch with the yarn over and to the front and then purling the paired slipped/shawl stitches as one. The stitches and their shawls are always counted as one stitch. The pattern that I’m going to recommend to my students is Easy Brioche Hat for Beginners … two colors of worsted weight yarn and the pattern I followed for my sample OR Beginner Brioche Slouch hat with two DK weight yarns.

I finished the hat for my workshop sample … and to help me remember how to knit 2-color brioche. I don’t knit a lot of it and I needed a refresher. I have made a couple of “mistakes” or mis-stitches but over all, I’m happy with it – the pattern and the knitter. I am choosing to present the sample to the class with the reminder that even as the teacher, I still make mistakes and mis-stitches. I have no idea how I missed them, but I did. It’s all good – it just isn’t reversible. And it may be the medium size but it fits on my giant noggin. (You can see the two mistake stitches … likely that I missed a “shawl” (yarn over) somewhere, somehow. Can you see me shrugging my shoulders. It’s all good. And I will re-do it in good time. Luckily there is enough yarn left over for a second hat (I think. I need to weigh it to be sure.)

I’ve used my ChiaoGoo shorties two days in a row to finish both this hat and Noah the Horse. I’ve not used them a lot because I didn’t think I liked the super short needle tips, in particular. However, I have discovered that I like them when a sixteen inch needle is too long. I was happy to have them both times and I’m now thinking that the next pair of socks that I knit will be made on shorties! Why not try something new?

This evening I’ll be pulling out the Vanilla Sweater for my college roommate and getting going on it. I’m using Rauma Finull Garn which is the same yarn that the sweater was designed with and I love knitting with it – it’s reasonably priced, 100% wool, blooms like crazy when it’s blocked, and comes in a bunch of great colors. She chose a really lovely heathered lavender colorway.

The snow is melting in the sunshine. This morning I took my photograph a little bit late and it is starting to feel like coffee on the porch season. I can hardly wait.

Gone knitting.

Monday, Monday

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

Whew! All day yesterday it snowed. Tiny flakes for an entire day … and left us with about 4 inches of snow. Hopefully the last of the season. You won’t hear me complaining, though, because the snow means that we’ll have water in our well this year. I’m so grateful to have the snow because it means we’ve had a winter and spring will come (even though it’s technically spring already.)

Yesterday was the perfect excuse to spend the day in my atelier knitting! And, for the most part, that’s what I did. I wrote a newsletter for the store (work) in the early morning and had breakfast with my hubby but the rest of the day was dedicated to being in my studio – catching up with calendar details, bill paying, flight booking and knitting.

I spent the majority of the day working on these little (and I mean little) overalls. These are part of a gift that I’m knitting for a very special person and glad that I am nearing completion. Today the overalls are blocked and drying, pocket and all. I’ll begin (and hope to finish) a little shirt to go under them today. Once this project is done, I’ll start another one. I just haven’t decided if I want to finish another UFO or start a new one. You’ll find out when I do!

I also started a sample hat in brioche stitch that I am considering for a workshop at the store. I spoke to the boss about it on Saturday and she’s good with me doing it (and just about anything.) I had a very successful stranded colorwork workshop and she’d really like me to repeat that but I’d rather do something different and I think a 2-hour, one time workshop based on a technique like Brioche will be a good one. This particular hat is a 2-color brioche but the technique is basically the same whether it’s one- or two-color.

Two-Color Brioche hat for a future workshop

My Friday morning class is interested in doing the colorwork cup cosy that I taught in the other workshop so I will offer it to them and will maybe do it again one day but … it’s time to learn something new, right? I’m knitting for the first time with Malabrigo Worsted and it’s lovely to work with and very soft. I’m not sure how the hat will fit me but it’s really meant to be a sample for the workshop and the store, too. Hats are such a manageable project and a good palate cleanser, too.

Today I need to get a few tasks done around the house … bake up a batch of banana bread (in muffin form) to use up the overripe bananas and the laundry is overflowing once again. While the hubby digs us out, hopefully for the last time, I’ll be in the kitchen. I may also roast a bunch of veggies for lunches this week. I love roasted veggies with some couscous or soba noodles for lunch – hot or cold depending on the day. Tomorrow I’m back to meetings and preparation for a big event at Maine Arts Academy in early May … my role as board chair is nearly over and it’ll be fun to hand the reins to another board member and become “past chair!”

Gone knitting.

Stockholm Slipover Report

Posted on February 15, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

It’s another beautiful sunny day on the lake. We have lots of tracks on the far side of the boathouse and if we’d gone out the day we noticed them, we’d maybe know what they’re from. But we didn’t so the mystery remains. It’s kind of fun to wonder what it is.

I thought I’d report on my Stockholm Slipover end result. I can wear it but I’m not sure I’ll knit it again and I’m not sure why it ended up SOOOO big/wide. I quite literally could have made it without any underarm increases and it would have been a better fit (and a lot less knitting.)

When I blocked the slipover (wow! This photo looks crazy!) I thought it looked pretty good but when I tried it on the underarm stitches, almost four inches of them, were sticking out and made the vest look way too big. I pondered the situation for a bit, wore the vest for a day, and then decided that I wasn’t going to wear it if it didn’t fit better. So I pulled out my trusty needle and yarn and zipped up a seam using the blanket stitch method. The seam is invisible but now there is a tube of fabric inside the armpit. It’s not awful but I’m considering taking it one step further and sewing the seam once more on my sewing machine with a straight stitch and then a zigzag stitch to hold all the ends together and then cutting the extra fabric away. It may take me another month to decide what I want to do … meanwhile, I’m wearing it.

Yesterday was a warmer day than we’ve had in a while and we took a roadtrip (I posted about the trip yesterday). What I didn’t write about is that I wore a sweater that I’d kind of decided that I didn’t love and was ready to give away. In wearing it I decided that I’m going to put it into rotation again. It’s a bit itchy because it’s Icelandic wool but it should soften up with wear and washing. And it fits like a dream. And I really like the colors.

The pattern is Daytripper by MaryJane Mucklestone and I knit it in Lettlopi. I had originally said that I’d knit it differently next time (if there is a next time) but I’m not sure about that now. I like the length and I like the sleeve length, too. I just wish it was a little bit less itchy.

I wore it with my down vest and I was plenty warm … I could probably just have worn the sweater, frankly. I guess this one is staying and there are others I need to try again now to decide whether they stay or go. The ones that are going will be given to my students or to the homeless shelter. There’s nothing wrong with them other than I don’t love them and I want to keep making sweaters. So, some have to go – especially if I’m not wearing them! Someone else might love to wear them. Right?

My sweet hubby made us Eggs Benedict this morning for brunch. He made the hollandaise from scratch without so much as one curse word. It was delicious and I’d have liked to lick the plate. We don’t have this often but when we do … yum!

Thistle on the Moor Vest in Berroco Lanas Light

I cast on the Thistle on the Moor vest yesterday in the car. I got as far as starting the left shoulder last night. I have messaged the designer today asking for a schematic … I love a good schematic when starting a new project and as I go. I am concerned that the vest is going to be too narrow in the shoulders and across the back. I have wide shoulders (17″ is my shoulder to shoulder back measurement) and this is only measuring 14″. I know I need to add ribbing and it may block a bit wider but it would really be nice to know what the measurement is supposed to be – and I’ve measured my gauge and I’m good. The Lanas Light yarn is wonderful to work with and feels super soft in my hands. I hope I’ll hear from her soon.

Meanwhile, I’ll swatch for my daughter’s sweater, the Levitate Wrap by My Favorite Things in Patagonia and a lace weight mohair, Aerial. If I get gauge, I’ll have to wait for my mohair to arrive as we only had 3 balls in the store and I think I need six (150 grams). I can work on the second Rose City Roller, too.

Gone knitting.

Oops! I did it again.

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy Galentine’s Day! Happy Palentine’s Day! Whatever way you choose to celebrate it, I hope you’re having a wonderful Saturday. My hubby and I have gotten to the place where we don’t do gifts on Valentine’s Day but we will exchange cards and we will find something to do together. This morning we had our coffee together (and a leftover donut from my class Valentine’s celebration) and then we went for a drive. I brought my knitting, of course!

We stopped first at Wild Oats market in Brunswick. I had thought it would be like a grocery store. Not at all. Lots of gifts and books and kitchen-y stuff and prepared foods. We looked around twice and then we chose a frozen lasagna, a turkey tetrazzini and a chicken tiki masala. Each of these will feed us at least one dinner. If we make a salad, we can probably make it four meals. And we had to try their desserts, right? he chose a (mini) chocolate peanut butter pie and I chose a key lime pie (also mini.) Their Iciardi Mini Print Vending Machine was right between the cashier and the dining room. You didn’t have to buy anything to access the machine. I started collecting these wonderful little prints from their mini print vending machines last year in August. We’ve found vending machines in four states so far and we’ve only started to visit the machines in Maine. Today we hit two locations and we took the back roads as much as we could. It was a beautiful day for a drive and we had fun.

Our second stop was at the Maine Beer Company in Freeport. We collected a few more mini prints there and we saw a couple of beautiful Golden Retrievers, too. I told hubby we could stop and he could try their beer flight but he wasn’t eager. So … off we went prints in hand. We have just started talking about what we want to do with the prints and we’ll probably frame some of our favorites for the kitchen, and I’d like to display some in my atelier. I’ve given a few away already and have another one to give to someone special this week. We have a couple of duplicates but they make me (us) happy as is their mission. We’ll be going out to collect more one day soon.

I cast on a new project in the car on the way down. I’ll be making the Thistle on the Moor Vest in Berroco Lanas Light, 100% wool. I bought a tweedy-lavendery-rosey-grey-ish color # 78117. I’ll be making the fourth size. I’m doing this while waiting for some lace weight mohair from Berroco in the charcoal colorway for my daughter’s sweater. I have one ball here that I’ll be swatching with. Needless to say, I’ve brought home two sweaters worth of yarn this week. I brought home some clearance yarn for another Ranunculus, too. I hope I have enough but yardage-wise, it’s the same as the first one I made and it’s a worsted. I’ll play with it later, probably.

After I finished my Ranunculus and my Paper socks, I cast on a pair of Rose City Rollers shorties in an unknown, deeply stashed sock yarn. I quite literally have no idea when or where I bought this yarn. It’s not a color that I think I would have fallen in love with. But it’s here so it’s getting knitted up and the Rose City Rollers is a free pattern on Ravelry. If you’re new to knitting shorties or socks in general, except for the needle size (they’re made on a US1) this is a good beginner pattern and the designer explains her process very well. I’ve finished my first sock and started the second one last night. Yay, me!

The fit is good and the pattern is great. I’ll be making more of these for sure. AND they’re quick to knit. I’m letting my Good Trouble yarn rest a bit in time out while I decide what it wants to be. LOL. Next up on my needles are the vest I cast on today, a sweater for my daugther and a sweater for me. I’m considering a shawl cast on but I’m hesitating because I haven’t been wearing shawls this winter. I’ve been wearing more “scarves” that are long and narrow. I have two in particular that I am loving … one is Brambling by Bristol Ivy and the other is Dangling Conversation in Good Karma Farm yarn. Brambling was part of one of my Year of Techniques classes and featured Fiber Spates yarn and an Intarsia technique. It was fun to knit and I loved the yarn. It just so happens that I found some new colors of the same Fiber Spates yarn to make a second one at a Marden’s clearance sale from a yarn shop. I will knit another one and I’m sure I’ll love it just as well.

On another note, I pulled out my Jelly Roll Blanket again this week when I had a zoom meeting to attend and didn’t have to run the meeting. I just had to listen so I reminded myself what I chose to do for this blanket (the project that will likely last forever and a day) and knitted about a foot more on it. I still have a HUGE basket of leftover balls of sock yarn and it grows every time I finish another pair of socks. I may be crazy but I think this blanket will not use up all of my sock yarn leftovers. I may need another idea … maybe Rose City Rollers for my granddaughter and grandson! I don’t think they’ll care if they match and they can choose the pretty colors by themselves!

I baked a batch of my “famous” granola this week, too. Baking also soothes my soul. This recipe was in a magazine back in the 1980s and I’ve been making it and tweaking it ever since. I’ll never share the recipe. I change it up on the regular. And I have finally learned how to make the raisins and cranberries turn to rocks after they’re added. Yay! Hubby and I will enjoy this for breakfast or lunch with some yogurt or milk. We both love it and it’s so good for us!

Gone knitting.

It Fits! And a Knitting Fail

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

The landscape is a study of grey and white this morning. We got about four inches of new snow overnight and it’s been flurrying this morning. We’re all shoveled (snow blowed?) out and I may have to run into town to get some ink for my printer. It’s out again! This morning I baked some of my “world famous” granola for my lunch for the next couple of days and to have on hand, too. It’s yummy!

While I was getting dressed I decided to toss on my Ranunculus to see how it was going to fit (I feared it was going to be too short and I’d have to lengthen the body) but it’s a perfect fit! I’m delighted! I used up a sweater’s worth of deeply stashed yarn and made a sweater that I am going to love in the spring and summertime.

Ranunculus In Shibui Heichi (discontinued)

AND I have a sad story about a knitting fail. Last night I got to the half-way point on le Bandana by Aimee Gillee in Lola Bean Yarn Company’s “good trouble” colorway sport weight yarn. I don’t like the fabric and I’ve already gone up a needle size (or two). I don’t think the bandana that results will be anything that I want to wear because it’s too “short” in length and won’t wrap around my neck enough to stay put on my shoulders. So … I am going to frog it and make something else because I really love the yarn. Phooey but if I have learned anything in my 40 years of knitting it’s that I won’t wear something I don’t love. So, despite all the time spent, it’s not worth going any further because I don’t like it!

Last but not least, I finished my “paper” socks last night and I’m wearing them today. The fit is perfect. The second heel isn’t as perfect as the first but I made them for me and perfection isn’t my expectation when knitting for myself. They’ll keep my feet warm and they’re awfully cute! I may even wear one paper and one pencil sock one of these days! I knitted a plain vanilla sock for the yarn’s benefit based on Yankee Knitter #29 and used a slightly modified Eye of Partridge heel that I found on the Crazy Sock Lady’s pattern – Hermione’s Everyday Sock. I never block my socks but they get washed and hung to dry in our laundry/heater/utility room and they’ll be “blocked” when they’re dry.

Two meetings have turned into virtual meetings today after the snow and I’m delighted. That means I can stay home and knit more. … as if that’s a problem for me most days. Ha! Ha!

Gone knitting.

A Tale of Two Hats

Posted on February 9, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

It is a gorgeous day today! The sun has remained out all day and there’s not a cloud in the sky. I’ve been sitting in a virtual meeting and watching a pair of Bald Eagles out of my office window. This is the second day that I’ve been able to watch an eagle show while sitting in my atelier – and I am hoping for many more. They must be up to something … this is a lot of repeated and long-lasting views of a mature pair and an immature pair and an adult. It takes the eagles a long time to get their mature feathers so I am hoping they’re finding a nesting place near our house. There was an eagle’s nest a little ways south of our house years ago but it was blown down. It’d be great to know we have more than one nesting pair on our lake.

Meanwhile, last night while I was watching the Super Bowl and Bad Bunny I finished my second Melt the Ice red hat. This one I made in a “reject” cake of red Malabrigo something that was given to me because it was returned or rejected by a customer and it was already caked up. So, I set it aside with the knowledge that one day I would have a perfect project. That day has come. I know the yarn isn’t Rios because I made the first Melt the Ice hat in Rios. This yarn is heavier and less smooth. I am thinking Worsted or Washted? As soon as I can get to the shop, I will know what it is. BUT I loved knitting with it and the hat is a much better size for adult heads than the first one was. I made the first one according to the pattern exactly. It was small. Small for me and even small for my husband. This hat I made on a US 8 needle and I did 7 inches of ribbing and a few rounds of stockinette before the decreases. It’s a much better size.

Both hats are lovely but the little one would fit my 3-year-old granddaughter, I think. I can wear the newer one. I still have some red Rios and I think I’ll knit a third hat for my hubby on larger needles and with some extra ribbing again. Maybe six inches of ribbing and then a couple inches of stockinette? I don’t know but the ribbing is endless at six inches!

I’ve also made a dent in the Paper socks. I got the first sock completed and the second sock started … and some good progress on the leg. Once this pair is finished, I think I need to do some shorty socks and see how they go – there are a couple of pairs I’d like to try … Rose City Rollers and Laura Nelkin’s Larch Peds. And then I’m going to move over to some colorwork socks that appear in Summer Lee’s books. I just bought the second book Sock Obsession. There are some fun ones and I have quite a sock yarn collection. Ha! Ha!

I’m using a blend of the Yankee Knitter sock pattern and the heel from The Crazy Sock Lady’s Hermione’s Everyday Socks. I love the heel. It’s a little bit different texture and the garter stitches make a nice easy way to pick up the gusset. She say’s it’s a modified Eye of Partridge heel. I say, I love it!

This afternoon I’ll be working on my Le Bandana in my Good Trouble yarn. It’s coming along. I’m finding the pattern a little bit boring but it’s not bad for watching the Olympics at the end of the day. I like the yarn … I’m just a little bit wishing that I’d chosen Andrea Mowry’s Traveler Cowl. I’ve even thought about frogging and starting over … but my daughter’s Levitate Wrap yarn should be available by the end of the week and I want to start working on her sweater. I’d love to have it done and send it to her before Easter. Think that’s possible? I also have two sweaters and a vest that are making my fingers itch … my black Knitting for Olive Wilson sweater is one and I found a bag of yarn in my cupboard that I have carried with me for ages … the mohair that matches it perfectly has been ordered and I have more than enough for a sweater for me. I’m thinking the Harlow V Neck Sweater. I purchased gorgeous green linen yarn for the Broadgate Tabbard which I started and put aside because I don’t have the bandwidth right now to knit something super complicated but I’d love to have that completed before spring and summer. We’ll see.

I am forever enjoying the learning process that knitting puts in front of me. I love exploring the different patterns and yarns and I love getting to know myself and what I can and can’t do when my heart and soul are in that fight or flight mode and anxiety. My knitting calms me and brings me to a safe place where I can breathe and create.

Gone knitting.

Snow Washing

Posted on January 27, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

It was a glorious sunny morning this morning. We are very fortunate, wish we had planned it this way, to have a full passive solar benefit in our living room in the winter. The sun streams in and, bonus, reflects off the snow, making our living room toasty warm. Sometimes it’s so warm that we take off our sweaters or extra shirts (hubby may even take off all his shirts.) Today was one of those days.

When it’s sunny like this my attitude is brighter, too. I woke up late (have been ever since my flu bout) and was making my protein drink when my son called to confirm the name of our granddaughter’s school. They had her overnight and were taking her to school this morning. That’s a whole other long story that I won’t go into here. I always love hearing from my son even when it’s just a two minute call. Hubby did all the snow blowing as I had a cup of coffee, showered and got dressed for my morning dental appointment. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t the whole new crown that I was expecting. I had a broken “overlay” and she fixed it with a filling. There was enough tooth that she thinks it’ll stick. If not we’ll go back to the original plan. I’m happy – 30 minutes and I was out of the office and my tooth is working well so far.

Since the snow is “perfect” I decided to attempt to snow wash my hubby’s three pullovers that really needed some attention. Mine are really in good shape. I hope we have another snow like this in a couple of months! I may take some out tomorrow just for fun. ANYway, the hubby’s sweaters were put out on the snow and covered with a bit of the light fluff. I left them out for about an hour and then went to check on them. One was looking good. It’s also his least soiled. The other two I scrubbed a couple of spots with some new snow and left them out for another hour. They’re drying now after a good shake and then I’ll de-pill them and take a photo or two so we can all compare. It sure was an easy process … I hope it works.

Here’s the before … the blue one has been worn as a work sweater, I think. It’s the worst.

Here’s the during …

The first shot is all three sweaters under snow. The subsequent photos are of the two dirtiest.

The sweaters are slightly damp after being out for nearly two hours. I gave them all a really good shake and then hung them up inside to dry. Once dry I will get my tools out to de-pill them all.

Meanwhile, I worked on two projects yesterday. I started a little crochet project. The pattern I found on instagram and it was such a cute idea. I’ve pulled two shades of similar cotton yarns and have begun the body of the creature … in blue. I have a peachy color for its mouth. I’ll have to buy safety eyes or sew on tiny buttons. The pattern is Softloop Sausage Mouth Car Key Case by Softloop. I hope I can make it come out as cute as the photo in the pattern. I’ll show it to you as soon as it’s finished. Here’s where I am today …

And I got the six inches of 1×1 rib for my Norwegian resistance hat done. I started with the decreases at the top and quickly realized that there were two around the hat not four and had to frog back a bit and re-start but that was handled pretty quickly. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I make my best mistakes when I think I know what I’m doing and don’t read the instructions. LOL. You’d think I’d learn, right? (See me shaking my head?) Anyway, I should be able to get the first one finished today. AND I really do intend to finish my hubby’s Christmas socks. This is the perfect weather for him to wear them under the big snow boots.

And here are two of the three sweaters, all done. They look pretty good, I think. I’m quite happy with the results. The yarn is soft, feels clean (it didn’t before) and they look good! I could probably spend more time pulling pills off but I want to knit! Geesh, it’s almost 4pm and I’ve not knitted a stitch today.

Gone knitting.

Because I can … I will

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

So, last night my yarn quantity for the Harlow Sweater V Neck was bothering me. I was knitting along the back of the garment as I should and I love the super soft hand of the Katia Cotton-Merino yarn. BUT I kept thinking that I didn’t have enough yarn because I was already into my second 50g ball and I hadn’t even finished the back yet. Never mind, the garment is supposed to be oversized and it has sleeves! So, I put down my knitting and went back to the original pattern description and took a look at the yarn requirements.

I must have been really sick when I decided that this yarn would work! LOL. It won’t work … well, it would work if I had half again as much yarn. The original pattern calls for 450 grams for the XL size (fifth size). And the description on the Ravelry pattern page says:

“Approximately 300, (325), 350, (400), 450, (500), 500, (550), 550 grams of BC Garn “Semilla Pura”, 100 grams = 350 meters / 382 yards, featured in color 03”

In this instance, duh, the yarn is 382 yards to 100 grams. MY yarn is 115 yards to 50 grams or 230 yards to 100 grams. Oops! Too little yarn by 1792-1035= 937 yards. That’s a big difference! So, do I try to order more yarn to use up some stashed yarn or just frog it and find a different yarn to make this sweater in? I chose to frog it and return it to the stash. Today, if I have the energy, I will go through some of my stashed yarn and see if there is something in it that I’d like to use instead. I need a worsted weight or a sport held double with a lace to make a worsted. I like the idea of holding the two yarns together but there’s something that I like about just knitting with one strand of a worsted weight.

Flu brains are not always functioning. I feel like I should know better than this. BUT I will blame it on being sick and move on. I credit knitting for helping me to see that this is not a failure but another learning opportunity. I think my gut kept telling me that it wasn’t going to work but I wasn’t listening to my gut. When I did my “homework” I accepted the pivot, frogged the project and didn’t judge or shame myself. Self-talk is what tells me that I have grown as a human being. I didn’t call myself names this time. That’s progress.

Gone knitting.

Musselburgh in Pink and Charcoal

Posted on January 4, 2026 by Queen Bee Knits

This is the first time I’ve “written” 2026! Happy New Year! I’ve ushered the New Year in with a cold kindly gifted to me by my hubby. I’ve been feeling pretty zapped energetically and haven’t done much other than knit. (Is that a good thing or a bad thing?)

I’ve been working on three WIPs and specifically wanted to write about my Musselburgh which has been a yarn challenge. I started off with a pink yarn, Hu Made Twist fingering weight in the Sakura Petals colorway that I bought in New York City last winter. I matched it with a strand of Berroco Aerial silk mohair in the Strawberry colorway. It’s a wonderful blend. BUT despite thinking I’d make the entire hat in the pink, I ran a bit short and had to figure out a second color to finish the hat. I went to my stash and chose a charcoal gray alpaca blend and started to knit. About an inch or two in, I thought I should have added a strand of mohair to this as well … but I didn’t have any dark gray or black … at least I didn’t find any for a bit. So I worked on my Gansey Afghan.

AND then I found some black mohair when I was cleaning up a little bit. It was left over from my sparkly City Lights Hat and hidden away under my needles. So, I added the mohair in and started knitting again. I had about two inches of charcoal alone and a line where the black mohair began but I was ok with that. The hat is for me AND the brim of the hat will be folded over hiding the gray. But last night I ran out of black mohair. Now I have some choices to make. I either buy a new ball of black mohair and continue knitting OR I knit a bit with what’s left of the pink and then finish with gray alone (or buy mohair and knit with 2 strands at the end.) I’m bummed because I really wanted to get this hat finished this weekend and should be able to if I had the right yarns in my stash. This is where knitters get in trouble.

My other choice is to frog back and take the black mohair OUT of the hat and reknit in the gray only. I’m thinking this is what I am leaning toward. One of my goals is to move yarn OUT of my stash and not add to it this year. Little bits and bobs are not what I want hanging around in my atelier. The lazy me wants to just keep knitting but the knitter me is not happy with the piecemeal method of making this hat work. And, frankly, it’s not really working. And, more honesty, I am also not happy with the gray at all. I’d rather be working with a brown or rusty brown yarn because that’s what the flecks in the pink yarn are. So, I think my first job today will be to frog the gray – at least back to the beginning of the black mohair – and see what happens.

I put all of my stitches on a barber cord and used my needle to pick up the right leg of every stitch all the way around just a row or two above the “line” where the black mohair meets the gray alpaca and then frog all the stitches back. and Ta! Da! I’m back at the spot that I THINK I want to knit from again … that is if I decide to keep knitting in gray.

And just so you know, I’ve finished the first of my hubby’s Christmas socks and it fits! That’s always a very good thing. Today the plan is to cast on the second sock today. So, for now I’m going. to set the hat aside and work on the sock … or the afghan. I’m trying really really hard NOT to cast on something new until I finish just one thing. I need a first FO for 2026!

Gone knitting.

End of Year Knitting Review

Posted on December 29, 2025 by Queen Bee Knits

With only a few days left of 2025 I thought I could take some time on this miserably wet, cold, damp, icy, dreary Maine day to review my knits for 2025. I got quite a bit done this year and I am really happy with most of the things that I made. And I made some great knits for very knit-worthy people in my life.

I finished Dolores and made two of her outfits for her. She had been hanging around in my WIPs since 2018! She is now finished and I love her. I really need to create a space for her now … perhaps in my IKEA storage piece in my sewing room. She’ll need a whole cube to herself.

I knitted a couple of Love and Light hearts and they’re such fun to give away! My grandchildren both have one in their rooms and there’s one in Sylvie’s “special” room here at Yaya and Poppy’s house. I made a linen Anker’s Summer Shirt that I really love and have worn already several times. It’s a great color – especially with white jeans! I knitted a bunch of hats but my favorite by far was the Alpine Bloom hat I made for myself. It fits my big Rockwell head and I just loved knitting it. I knit a fun Musselburgh for Sylvie that she seems to love (she bragged about it at school) and another adorable hat for Mac.

I finally finished the mitts for my daughter to replace her old ones. She’s really happy with them and her boyfriend is a knitter and he’s also intrigued with them. I bought my first sweater kit from the Wooly Thistle and knitted up a Vanilla Sweater in Rauma Finull Garn and I love, love, love the color! My college roommate has asked me to make one for her. And I made a bunch of little sweaters for Sylvie, Mac, a new client from Louisiana and a few for myself.

I participated in the “bang out a sweater” with MDK twice this year and made my Cardoon sweater that I love, and my Bolin sweater, too. I also love my orange poncho and I can’t wait to wear my new Stockholm Slipover. One of my favorite knits was the Little Tern baby blanket that I made for our little Denver nugget, our grandson. This was the second time I’ve knit the blanket and I loved it just as much this time!

My records say that I have finished 65 things so far this year. I hope I can finish one more Musselburgh and hubby’s Christmas socks but I won’t fret if I don’t. I am satisfied with my 2025 number. 10 pairs of socks (some little ones), 17 hats and four headbands, 5 adult sweaters and one vest, 7 children’s/baby’s sweaters. And then add in a few baby blankets, mitts and mittens and a few other miscellaneous things. It’s been a good knitting year. I have exceeded my 2024 number by two! I guess I’m pretty consistent year-to-year.

I bought a pair of new Bullet Journals this year (one for this year and one for next year) and I’ve moved over all my important information into the new lavender book. 2025 has been a busy, full year and my gratitude practice has improved. I’ve taken good care of my body, seen my doctor for an annual check-up, made some changes in diet and lost some weight, volunteered in my community, spent quality time with almost all of our kids, and we really appreciate my kids for helping to get our guest cottage painted and hubby got the bathroom renovated. We spent a week at the beach with my kids, almost a week in Denver with hubby’s youngest and a long weekend with his eldest. We hope for more time together with our kids in 2026.

2026 goals: be kind. Listen more. Give myself more time to “do nothing” and I am going to take the first step to becoming a Master Knitter and enroll in the TKGA Master Knitter (part1) program. It could take me a year to finish the requirements and it’s a commitment for sure! I’m saving my pennies this year for a trip to Scotland in 2027 and we are going to attempt to rent our guest cabin here on the lake. How blessed we are to have such a full, creative life.

Gone knitting. (Actually, I’m heading to the kitchen to bake banana bread. We had some really ripe bananas.)