I was able to pick up my needles this week but quickly realized that I was going to have to find a sweet spot to appease both of my hands. This gave me the best excuse to cast on several projects, I mean, I have to keep my hands happy!
I have found that different types of needles, different needle sizes and different types of yarn are the best way to keep my hands from feeling any fatigue – also, I never get bored working on one project. Pretty awesome in my book, maybe this whole arthritis thing isn’t so bad after all! 😉 So here is my WIP run down:
Size 2US DPN – Sock Weight Yarn – Patons Jacquard & Stripe Socks #104
What a finished pair looks like. It smells like victory though!
I casted on another pair of these immediately after I finished the first, I am only on the ribbing so no picture yet, but they are fantastic to knit and easy on both hands.
Size 4 Circular Needles – Lace Weight – Fiori Autunnali Shawl
What it looks like finished – photo courtesy of teresat2 on Flickr
This pattern is from the Craftsy Class New Directions in Lace. It is an incredible early Christmas present from my Mom – and there are beads! I am still a bit daunted by how much work it is going to take to finish this beast, but it’s just so pretty I don’t care. Romi Hill creates the most beautiful work and her class is so full of information I’m surprised it didn’t cost more. If you like lace, like learning, want to try something new and work with a stellar pattern – go sign up for this class.
This is where I am in the pattern:
Yes. I am scared to take off the belly button cast on.
Size 5US Circular Needles – DK Weight Yarn – Jayashri Sweater
Jayashri Pullover from Knit Picks
This is the kalallnight that Stacy over at Musings and Motion and I are making. The pattern is available from Knit Picks and if you still feel the urge to join feel free! I have a feeling that Stacy will finish way before I do and I wouldn’t mind the company! Here is where I am so far:
Size 7US Circular and DPN – Worsted Weight – “Hat on the Brain”
I have gone on a mini design kick trying to make a bunch of different beanies. I am trying to have a very styled brim (usually combinations of stitch dictionaries) and working my way through a list of hat decreases. I just finished the one last night, the rusty orange beanie above ↑ so I will need to cast on another one today.
Size 8US Straight 7″ Needles – Worsted Weight – Looped Loop Cowl
Courtesy of Ravelry. © lavidaloca
Here is a super fun cowl by Kirsten Johnstone that I just had to cast on – despite the fact that straight needles make both my hands hurt and the pinkie on my right hand usually gets rubbed raw ( you know, since it just lays there and doesn’t move…man…that sounds super dirty ;)). Anyway, I had to give it a go and here is the progress:
Total length needs to be 44″ – still a bit to go.
Oh! For fun, here is Lucy Neatby showing the coolest provisional cast on I have ever done.
And finally….
Size 15US Straight Needles – Two Strands DK Weight – Eyelet Scarf
This was another attempt to create something out of my own noggin….and some stitch dictionaries. I am trying to combine different variations on eyelet patterns so it looks swirled. I started it before I hurt my left hand so I can only work on it maybe 20 minutes a day. The color is beautiful though so I don’t mind looking at it everyday.
So Far…
So that’s the low down on my WIPs for Wednesday. I hope you’ve enjoyed my ranting and hopefully I have given you an excellent excuse to cast on more projects – you must think of the health of your hands!
So friends and neighbors I am interested to hear, if you would like to share, how you combat both boredom and hand fatigue. I was once a fairly monogamous knitter (no more that three projects going at a time) so this is all new to me. Feel free to share – I love to listen!
All Night Knits 
interesting cast on, and that pattern you’re making looks really neat! can’t wait to see that one when it’s done!
Great plan casting on and working on what feels good!
You have some wonderful projects going on. I find in addition to having a variety of projects on the go that if I make a point to stretch out the muscles in my hands and arms it sometimes helps. (You can google knitter’s stretches and they should come up.) Best of luck on all of your designing and regular knitting as well!
Thank you, I love knitting stretches! Take care if your hands because I live reading your blog!
What a lovely lot of projects! I don’t know about the difference in hand strain between different types of knitting but lately I have been getting a pain in the base of the left hand thumb that always indicates too much crochet and was wondering if I needed to start a pair of socks or something to give my hand a rest. Trouble is I am trying so hard to finish two crochet blankets and make lots of snowflakes and another project would slow those down.
If you don’t rest your hand you won’t get anything done….trust me!
Resting an injury or a potential injury is what keeps us moving. Switch up your hand motions, you’ll be glad you did.
Wow, that looks like a lot of fun! I use circulars for everything, now: most of my projects are standard back & forth stuff, but the circulars definitely ease the strain. Love the teal lace. It’s always good to have beautiful knitting to admire.
Thank you, that’s so sweet! *blushing!*
You have lots of pretty project on the needles. I especially like your scarf design. Looking forward to watching it progress.
Thank you!
Wow – lots going on! I am sure you know that you can do that straight needle scarf on a circular if it is more comfortable, just go back and forth, don’t join it. This is what you call taking it easy on your hands, huh? 😉
It’s what passes for taking it easy on my hands in my world 🙂 I can’t help it, there was all these skeins of yarn staring at me in my brace – I couldn’t let them down!
you are so good to your yarn. 🙂
wow all your projects look amazing! I have to knit one thing at a time otherwise I would get in a right mess with them all 🙂 I love that sweater wish I had the skill to knit that 🙂
You know the sweater isn’t all that bad, and this is my first sweater! Stacy and Musings and Motion picked it out and it is going really well, it’s actually the easiest thing I have on my needles right now. You should give it a whirl – you are official enabled:)
I was just thinking about you the other day! I have been having a lot of seizures lately and they make my hands extremely weak, I was knitting on 6mm needles just a simple garter stitch one and I was getting hand fatigue and pain very quickly. I noticed though when I swapped to my 4mm “kiddy” size plastic needles to knit up a mice toy it helped a lot, maybe you could try a small knit and see if it helps, it gave me a little strength back and help with the hand fatigue 🙂 I do really like the sweater I will take a more in depth look 😉
Those socks are A-MAY-ZING!! That cast in is also super awesome.
I love having lots of things to work on to combat boredom. When my hands start going dead I have to hang up anything smaller then a US6.
Thank you, my socks are my little pride and joys right now.
You know it’s funny, I tend to go towards smaller needles when my hand hurts. Anything smaller than a 4US makes me super happy – maybe I will get loads of socks done!
You have some lovely patterns you are working on. I am afraid that i don’t have more than 2. Maybe it is something i should rectify?
YES! Consider yourself enabled to cast on loads of projects and blame it on me!
Perfect. Thanks.
Ok I love the orange color of that beanie. What yarn is that?
Don’t judge.
Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice in Rust.
Oh but that stuff is so soft, and at the end of the post it’s about both color and texture, am I right? I’ve been kind of a wool junkie, but when it comes to hats I’ve been forced to admit that a long-wearing hat – at least for me – will have to be cotton or acrylic, and acrylic makes a better, more elastic hat than cotton. So no worries, I ain’t judging you!
Thank goodness, you know how angry some people can get when you say acrylic?
I like my acrylic, especially when I am trying new things – if I muck it up I’m only out 4 or 5 bucks. And yes, my favorite hat is also an acrylic blend.
I have recently found Malabrigo though – I’m kinda in love…don’t tell 🙂
Looks like good stuff. 🙂
It’s excellent (I’m doing the Mr. Burns evil fingers with only 7 working fingers, it’s kids awesome).
I’ll have to try it, I haven’t used any homespun-style yet, but I like merino – I think it’s supposed to be washable, right? Or is that blends only?
It’s superwash, so it has to be blended with something….nylon! It is there sock weight yarn.
I am in about the same place on my KAL,and have almost as many projects going.
This is why I love knitting along with you 😉
I love that you’re able to crank out all these projects during the night while the rest of us sleep! Amazing! Everything is beautiful!
Thank you! There should be a perk to being an insomniac, I think the most sleep I have gotten this year at one time is 4 hours and 32 minutes (I keep a sleep journal for my docs to look at). That leaves lots and lots of time to dream things up.
Your projects look lovely. The sweater looks awesome but I don’t think I could deal with having such long rows and it taking so long to grow but I’ve never tried using circular needles so maybe I should! I like to have at least one knitting project and one crochet project on the go at once to combat the hand fatigue. I tought myself to crochet last year for that very reason!