Keeping warm on a cold day in upstate NY

I thought February was supposed to bring a little thaw tease to let us feel the preview to spring. It hasn't happened so far! Woke up to 3 degrees this morning. Well, thanks to Liz, some lucky baby will be warm and in the cutest style too. Check out these little sacks she made to match the sweaters and hats. Aren't they the cutest?

These little owls just make it so sweet. I can almost see a sleepy face peeking out of the top.

Kathleen made another "Baby Sophisticate" cardigan. She puts me to shame!

Kathleen is onto her next project already, a Gansey pullover. But she was running low on yarn. Luckily, we still had a skein or two of the same dye lot.

Pat, Kathleen's daughter, came up from downstate for a visit this week. We always love to see what she has on her needles.
She is making a lace cami with the softest apple green yarn.
Sheila is making good progress on her Pelerine and is thinking about what her next project will be.
Something must have tickled Elaine's funny bone! I love how she laughs. It's so contagious!
On to the evening session....
Cathy made progress on the baby blanket she started last week.

Maureen reached the length of the instep on the sock she is knitting.

And I started the seventh skein of yarn on the ruffled scarf/shawl I'm making. I think one or two more should do it.
Beth is working on the baby sweater she also started last week. Should be done soon.

As cold as it was outside last night, we were nice and cozy by the fire.

How could you ask for a better time than that?

Delivery Day

Beth and I delivered 55 items and sets to Antoinette and Jen today for Esme's Comfort which will provide clothing and support to Birthright and Hope House for new mothers and babies in need.

We really enjoyed knitting these cute little baby clothes and...

some pretty shawls and blankets to comfort families in need.

Thank you Chicks for another job well done!
The ladies have already started to fill the inventory for our next project. Barbara made two cute little hats and notice the beautiful shawl she is wearing that she made for herself. She made it using a sock weight yarn and luckily she has turtleneck shirts in almost every color in the shawl. Very versatile!

Kathleen turned out two more Baby Sophisticate cardigans.

And Sheila offered to model a hat that Kathleen made. We had to make sure it was warm.

And it is!
Elaine cranked out some colorful hats using remnants left from other projects. Elaine hates to waste any yarn! Check out the cute teeny-tiny mittens too. Cathy started a baby blanket last night and ...

Beth started a sweater.

I'm working on a ruffled scarf but there isn't anything interesting to show yet. Maybe by next week there will be enough progress to show what it looks like.

The inventory is filling up nicely but if I want to have something to show you next week I better get back to my knitting.

Knitting for Warm Hats Not Hot Heads

Ellen and Alison have a great idea to bring civility back into our lives, starting with the leaders of our country.

http://twinset.us/?page_id=3736

http://spindyeknit.com/2011/01/warm-hats-not-hot-heads/

These are the two hats I knitted to send to my Senators Schumer and Gillibrand from New York. Well, I'm going to send them a letter and a photo of my hats since I'm sure they don't really need hats.

The hats will be donated to a charity so a needy head can be warmed. Won't you check it out and maybe make a hat or two which you can send to make a statement?

Happy Valentine's Day

Some pretty roses...

I found on the....
internet to...

wish you a very...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Finished Objects

I was very busy this week finishing up some gifts and donation projects.

My favorite booties are a free pattern which you can find here: //http://www.fuzzygalore.biz/patterns/cbbooties.shtml

They require only a bit of sock yarn which I find leftover after knitting a pair of adult socks from approximately 420 yards of fingering weight yarn. The pattern calls for ribbon ties but a three stitch I-cord works just as well.

I recently found out that a friend of mine suffered the same experience as my family. Her daughter gave birth to a stillborn girl, so I wanted to make prayer shawls for her and her daughter. I used Periwinkle Sheep Watercolors Sock Yarn ( http://www.etsy.com/shop/franknit) from my friend Karin, who hand dyes all her yarns and she dyed this one in memory of my granddaughter, Eliana. I thought it would be the perfect color to use for these prayer shawls in memory of another precious angel.

Here is Ishbel being blocked on my family room floor. No one is allowed to walk through that corner of the room when there is blocking happening. The color is true to this photo but the next few are a little washed out.

The details of the lace portion are so pretty and not too difficult to knit. All the work is done on the right side, leaving the wrong side for you to sail through nothing but purls.

The finished shawl measures about 20" X 40", just enough for a little shoulder cover.

The second shawl in "Eliana" is a pattern called "The Lazy Day Lace Shawl", another free pattern which can be found here: http://www.marykeenanknits.com/LazyDayLaceShawl2a.pdf

This is a good "TV" project as the pattern is easy enough to memorize and watch TV. And you don't even need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. LOL!

A simple geometric pattern is set off by this teeny tiny cable up the center.

This hat was a free pattern offered on Ravelry, the site for fiber artists of all kinds. If you are a member, you can find the pattern here:

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/2x2-ribbed-for-his-pleasure

I used a sock yarn, actually the same yarn that I used for the booties up above. It took me about a week to knit up. I have lots of ideas swimming around in my head for all the yarns waiting to become something warm and cozy so I must get back to my needles. Enjoy the Superbowl tonight.
I'll be knitting.

Called Off Due to Snow

Today there was a 6 inch snowfall, but tomorrow we are expecting 12 inches.

Needless to say, the Chicks did not meet at my house today for knitting.
That's two weeks in a row that we called off our meeting because of snow.
Enough already!