Yarn bombing all around town

Today was Yarn Bombing Day in Albany, New York. We Chicks have been preparing for this since June. We scattered 108 items in parks and bus stops around downtown. At Academy Park the late Lewis Swyer, a beloved philanthropist and business man, looked cold until we covered him in scarves and a hat. 

 Down on Broadway Barbara and I made sure the late Mayor Whelan and his faithful Golden Retriever were properly garbed against the cold and wind.

 That ought to keep them toasty warm!

 The globe behind the Mayor was a great place to hang scarves.

 Carole scouted out some good spots to leave our warm woolies.

 She made sure they were securely attached so they wouldn't blow away.

 Passersby checked us out as we tied our goods to the benches but were reluctant to see what we were doing. That's okay, they can take what they need after we leave.

Then they can see the tags which read, "I am not lost. If you are stuck out in the cold, please take me to keep warm and remind you that someone cares."

 The tree in the little park on North Pearl Street was a perfect place to hang the mittens. Can you see them behind Barbara and me?

 It was a wonderful experience and the glow stayed with us even in the cold.

Back home, Cinzia brought us the hat she started last week. The boucle yarn worked out beautifully for the brim.

Her daughter, Sophia, finished a pair of boot toppers with pretty cables.

Beth worked on Christmas stocking stuffers. She made teeny weeny mittens and stockings.

The patterns were from her book from which she gets her ideas for her beautiful Christmas stockings.

Here are some of the collection. Aren't they precious?!

Maureen better knit quickly. Soon it will be tax prep season and we will not see her for the first quarter of the year. That's the life of an accountant!

And Dorah is still working on her scarf. I told you they take forever! She commented tonight that her next project is going to be a small hat. LOL!

Well, it's been a busy day and this is the third time I've written this post due to my computer having hiccups. So I'm going to turn in so I can start fresh in the morning on our next project.

I wish you all a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!

A quick getaway

Last week DH and I took a trip to Daytona Beach for some sunshine and warm temps. We spent three days on the beach enjoying the wildlife. I had never seen so many pelicans in one place!

I am always amazed to watch them fly. They look like pterodactyls to me!

The first two days the beach was littered with jellyfish. You couldn't walk more than a foot without having to detour around one. They ranged in size from very small to very large. This one was about twelve to fifteen inches in diameter. Monday night there was a fierce rain storm and by the next day there wasn't a jellyfish to be found anywhere!

 The egrets kept their distance from the sea gulls and the sandpipers. At least I think they were sandpipers. They scrambled across the sand, stopping every few inches to jam their beaks into the sand for a snack. When the waves rushed in they all ran for the hills! It was such a funny sight!

On our way inland to visit family in central Florida we stopped at an orchid farm and were greeted by an emu and donkey. They seemed to just tolerate each other.

 We flew back home by way of Pennsylvania so we could spend some time with the grands. Leo is getting so big that he no longer needs help on the playground.

 And Moose is a real daredevil! 

 Sunday night Poppop and the boys "vegged out" together while I knitted. A day filled with activities wore them out.

Now on to our knitting. Let me introduce you to a new Chick. This is Geri Gill. We met her indirectly through Liz's daughter-in-law. She crochets but we promised we wouldn't hold that against her, LOL! 

 On her very first day she showed up with three pairs of mittens! She's going to fit right in!!!

 Geri has already begun a scarf for our next donation.

 Kathleen wanted to try out the Brioche stitch and decided to make a length of fabric and whenever she tires of knitting she'll decide if it will be a scarf or cowl. I think the cowl is winning. The yarn is Plymouth Encore, a wool and acrylic blend that is machine washable.

Barbara bound off ? Binded off? Well, however you say it, she finished her stash buster scarf.

 Elaine started another hat because she added...

 three to our inventory today.

 Cinzia blocked her slipped stitch scarf and her daughter's crocheted scarf and added them to the inventory as well.

 I worked on a Hitchhiker Scarf while on vacation. As it grows wider, each row gets longer and takes longer to knit too. I like the subtle color changes of the Jojoland yarn.

 Carole wore her Crackerjack scarf to show us how nice it looks. Unfortunately, it is scratchy so she'll have to wear it over a turtleneck. I love the placement of the stripes that look so planned. It was perfectly random.

 Now she is knitting the Honeycomb cowl with pretty purples. This is an easy pattern that uses slipped stitches in the pattern.

 Maureen finished her blue hat with the nice cabling and now....

 she's on to another hat.

 Beth was showing Carole her Wickerwork hat, a free pattern on Ravelry.

 We were having a bit of trouble envisioning the pattern but maybe because she hasn't knitted too far into the design yet.

 I'm sure once it's blocked it will be fine.

 Beth brought in a sock she and her daughter are knitting together for a family member. Beth knits the red yarn and her daughter knits the beer steins using the Intarsia method.

 Dorah's Mistake Stitch scarf is steadily growing. Scarves seem to take forever and then BAM! They're finished.

Well, if I keep dilly dallying I'll never finish my scarf so I better say good night.

A generous gift

An email found its way to me last week in which we Chicks were offered a bunch of hats that were hand knitted by a lady who lives in town and wanted to donate them to someone in need. There were more than 20 hats in the bag! And each one was colorful or original with cute pompoms and stripes and patterns. Thank you Barbara Pascalides for your most generous gift. We will see to their distribution where they are most needed.

Cinzia finished her original design scarf where she finished off the edges with a crochet stitch. All it needs is a thorough blocking. Since the yarn is a nylon and acrylic blend it will have to be covered with a cloth and steamed to within an inch of its life!

 Elaine finished the hat for her granddaughter and now her daughter-in-law and granddaughter can match!

 The flower is knitted very easily and the colors look darling!

 Beth finished the hat she frogged last week and now it will fit a little one.

 Her September Circle cowl is finished and just needs a blocking. Beth deliberated over whether to knit one more row but...

 she made the decision to bind off knowing this much yarn would never stretch to finish another row.

 Tonight she cast on for a hat with Patons Classic Wool in a cheerful red.

 Maureen's cabled hat is growing...

 as it Dorah's scarf. She couldn't work on it much during the week because she was just too stressed out while watching her beloved Mets!

 My ZickZack scarf grew a little over the week. I have so many projects on needles that each one grows just a little at a time.

 Carole finished her cowl and matching hat and they look great.  Notice the leftover Halloween candy beside them. I was surprised at how few Trick or Treaters we had this year. So we have to eat it! Yeah, we HAVE to! LOL!

 Carole's Cushy Cowl is growing nicely. It is a quick pattern to knit and as I said before the pattern doesn't really show up until you've knitted a few inches of fabric.

Well, I guess I had better get to a few of those multiple projects I have in progress. It would be nice if I had at least one finished one to show you next time!