The Chicks Get-Together at Panera

We Chicks met on Sunday at Panera for a treat and a chance for the afternoon ladies to meet with the evening ladies. We had a lovely visit with each other and some tasty treats too.

The ladies talked me into sitting with Beth for a picture since I seldom get in a photo. Someone has to be the photograher!

Today we started with a little conversation and show and tell.

Liz tried on her Mistake Rib Scarf to see if it was long enough. She's going to make a matching hat.

Barbara finished the cable ribbed hat and has started matching mittens.

Deeva is almost finished with her burgundy scarf.

And Kathleen started a cotton and wool blend scarf that feels cozy warm.

She finished a Shawl Collared Cowl using Lion Brand Homespun. All it needs is buttons.

She also finished the white baby blanket from last week.

Such a sweet simple pattern.

Beth finished her mittens and started a matching hat tonight.

And Maureen is back to the reversible stripes scarf.

I finished a scarf for a friend who is battling cancer. It's going out in the mail tomorrow.

(What's with the underline? I can't make it go away!)

We have a profusion of freshly opened orchids around here today. I love the soft pink with the contrasting center of this one. She's such a feminine little pixie, only about two inches wide.

The tall one in the back is my son's plant. It's a Brassia Hybrid which an orchid expert told him he would never be able to get to bloom. Surprise!

It's called a spider something or other.
And it has a softly sweet perfume that reminds me of a florist shop.
I have a few more orchids in bud so in the next few weeks we'll be seeing more blossoms.

A Day on the Deck

Barbara finished the cardigan and had to switch to DP's for the end of the sleeves. Remember a couple of weeks ago she was knitting both sleeves at the same time using a magic loop technique. But as the sleeves grew in length, the yarn tangled furiously so she had to move to DP's to preserve sanity.

The sweater turned out great and will be appropriate for either a boy or a girl.

Now she's working on a cable hat. Kathleen admired the texture of the fabric.

Every four rows there are cables all around the hat. It's really cute.

Liz finished off her sweater with I-cord ties.

A perfect alternative for buttons.

Deeva is working on a lady's hat.

Karin is almost finished with a cardigan for a boy. Tonight she was taking a vote on what neckline to make. There was an overwhelming vote for the crew neck.

Maureen's joint project with her daughter Cate is almost finished. Sailboats and rope, so cute.

Beth is in the home stretch of her Daybreak Shawl and almost out of yarn. I think she will just squeak by to the end.

She finished this cute striped hat and already made a mitten tonight.

The twins are a result of my friend Dorah's and my knitting.

But can you tell me why buttons come only 2 to a card when you need 3 and 4 to a card when you need 5?

Happy Father's Day!

Blessings on all the fathers who have been a positive and loving influence on their children.

My Daddy knows I love him and that he is special.

I am lucky to be able to still tell him.

There's a new Chick in town!

Today was a special day. We welcomed Deeva Rosenzweig into the flock. Her daughter, Dorah, was the knitter featured with the Flirtatious shawl last week and the week before. We are very happy to have another knitter to help with our inventory building.

Barbara finished the red and grey cardigan but it needs buttons so maybe we'll see it next week. She will be working on a pretty cabled hat for the next project but first check out the pattern for supplies.

Kathleen is about three quarters through the white baby blanket and will probably have it finished by next week.

Beth dropped off a cute pair of booties last week to add to the inventory for the USCRI, the organization which helps refugees and imigrants settle into their new home.

Also going into inventory are three sweaters I finished a little while ago but they finally got their buttons. This first sweater used two skeins, about 400 yards of sock yarn and there was plenty left for the hat.

The red buttons matched the yarn perfectly.

This sweater was made with an alpaca and bamboo blend yarn that practically floats on its own. It's so soft!

Don't you just love these buttons? Robena has the best buttons!

This little jacket was made in modular sections which are sewn together. It is also made using sock yarn.

Robena's buttons again.

And this last project will never see the light of day. I decided to make myself a top down summer sweater using a bamboo and acrylic blend yarn. I love top down sweaters because you can try them on as you go along and know that the finished product is going to fit. And this was perfect....the first time. The second time I thought it seemed as though I might have lost weight. Am I seeing things? Every other piece of clothing I own fit the same. Well, much to my dismay, the sweater was stretching like Silly Putty every time I put it on! Needless to say, it got frogged and the yarn is in exile until I'm darn good and ready to forgive it. It might become a scarf or something.

That will teach me to buy cheap yarn!

Would you like to take a knitting class?

Robena of Trumpet Hill has asked me to teach a class.

It will be the "Flirtatious" shawl.

So if you plan on being in the Albany, New York area on Saturday, June 25....

make sure you call right away to sign up for the 10:30 to 12:30 class and buy your supplies from Robena. She carries Karin's yarns which were used in the samples.
Maybe I'll see you there!

Dorah's Flirtatious

Last night was knit night at the local Panera restaurant. A bunch of my knitting friends meet monthly to grab the only long table in the place and delightfully knit away for a couple of hours. It's fun to watch the other patrons steal glances our way as all our needles fly through the air, catching yarn on the way to make beautiful fabrics and garments. Sometimes a brave soul will venture over to ask about the group and admire our handiwork. Last night the manager wanted to know if we could knit him a set of golf club covers! LOL! I think after years of hanging out there once a month he is getting to know us. Maybe we should knit him something. Hmmm...

Anyway, another one of my original design shawls made her debut. This one was knitted by my friend Dorah. She used Karin's Periwinkle Sheep hand dyed yarn in a pretty soft blue that would look great with jeans.

It's such fun to see her in different yarns. I hear another is finished and will make her debut next month, maybe.

Dorah donated this pattern to the Chicks' library....

And the finished cowl! It just needs some buttons and it will be ready to go into inventory. I'm so excited to add this to our inventory because our next recipient will be the Guardian House in Ballston Spa, New York. It is a newly established home for returning female veterans who find themselves homeless. It will have a maximum of eleven residents at one time and we get to knit for them!

Thank you Dorah for getting the ball rolling with our first donation to the brave heroines who protect us all!

"Lotsa" Sweaters!

Barbara's magic sleeves are growing as we speak and might be finished by next week's session. As I mentioned last time, she is knitting two sleeves, in the round on one needle, at the same time. Don't ask! My head hurts just thinking about that one! But it's working!

Remember that cute little Baby Sophisticate sweater Kathleen finished last week?

She found the best buttons for it! They are so cute.

Now Kathleen is working on a baby blanket with a fine weight yarn.

A simple pattern with pretty results.

Liz put the finishing touches on the cardigan she was knitting last week.

Necessity being the mother of invention gave birth to the contrasting skirt of this sweater. It's amazing how my Chicks can be so creative when they run out of yarn. LOL!

This little cap reminds me of "Waldo" in different colors.

My latest finished projects are this Garter Yoke Baby Cardigan which is a free pattern to Ravelry members. It's blocking now and then I have to go on the hunt for some buttons.

This little number is from the book "Sock Yarn, One Skein Wonders" . Instead of buttons and buttonholes it has a tie front, which I will tend to after the blocking process is finished. I adjusted the length of the sleeves because they were so short in the original pattern, but I think if I make it again I will make the sleeves even longer.

It's supposed to be very hot and humid here today so I just might stay in the AC to work on my projects.