Two holidays down, on to the next

The time from Halloween to Christmas seems to go by faster and faster every year! We just put the summer clothes away yesterday, didn't we? I had a houseful of family for Thanksgiving this year. There is so much for which I am grateful, not the least of whom are my Chicks. My son texted me this morning to find out if I could make two sets of hat, mittens, and scarf for a needy family of a nine year old boy and two year old girl. My Chicks, God bless them, stepped right up to the plate and we've got it covered. Barbara said she had enough red yarn to make the boy's ensemble so she, Debbie, and Elaine are going to make his set and I dove into my stash and found a periwinkle blue and soft pink superwash wool I had stashed away for a baby sweater (which I never made) and I've knitted the Scallo-pie scarf for the little girl up to the point where I want to start the scallops in the pink. I'll need some quiet along time to tackle the instructions though.

                                        

Barbara and Debbie worked on their chemo donations projects until they can get the red yarn. Barbara is working on a scarf to match a lovely spiral hat she made. Sorry that I forgot to get a photo!

Elaine casted on for a soft pink chunky knit hat. We'll see more of it next week I'm sure.

Cinzia liked Barbara's spiral hat so much she decided to start one in the lovely burgundy angora blend yarn. The pattern is free on Ravelry.

Cinzia made a beautiful cowl out of some donated yarn. It must be merino wool because it is so soft.

Elaine added to our inventory too. This hat...

and a hat and scarf set went into storage for our next delivery a few months from now.

Carole actually finished her Handbrake cowl before she left tonight. It's lovely. And it didn't even need blocking!

Maureen finished her Lotus hat too! Look at that stitch definition! Just beautiful Maureen!

This will be her next project. She will make it with black yarn and gray kitties.

Here is the start. Can't wait to see it finished!

I better get back to my knitting. I have until the 18th to finish the set and I still haven't finished my own Christmas knitting! I just wish I could knit in my sleep!!!

Different POV

Another point of view of the Chicks' yarn bombing on Tuesday.

http://wnyt.com/news/yarn-bomb-albany-chicks-with-sticks/4320197/

News coverage of Yarn Bombing Day

The Chicks made the local news yesterday as we decorated downtown Albany, NY with warm woolies, free for the taking. I hope the gesture becomes contagious and spreads to other communities.

http://www.twcnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2016/11/15/chicks-with-sticks-knit-clothing-to-benefit-less-fortunate.html

Now more than ever we need to spread love and tolerance into every corner of our country!

Rain, rain, go away!

Today was Yarn Bombing Day in downtown Albany, NY. Just before we were to leave the house, the skies opened up and the rain pelted down. I asked Mother Nature if she could rethink this weather pattern but she had other ideas.

We had nine bags filled with hats, scarves, cowls, and a few pairs of mittens too.

We had to squeeze them into the car trunk and could barely close the top! There were almost 400 items for us to distribute on a cold, rainy day. 

 Carole, Barbara, Cinzia, Debbie and I went in all different directions scattering our hand knits throughout Academy Park, in the bus kiosks on State Street and Pearl Street, and in the Greyhound Bus Station. 

 Barbara, Cinzia, and Carole had to get back to work and home so Debbie and I finished off the last few items.

 There was one bag left which we dropped off at the City Mission before we left for home.

But first we stopped off at Cider Belly Donuts for some hot spiced apple cider and a donut for a reward for wandering in the cold and rain.

In an hour and a half all the hats and scarves which were in the above bus stops were gone!

Someone will be warm tonight! 

Now we will take a couple of weeks off to enjoy Thanksgiving with our families. We are truly blessed and I am especially blessed to have such wonderful knitters I can call my friends. 

Thank you Chicks for all that you do and for facing the crummy weather today in order to make someone else's day a little warmer and brighter.

There's a new Chick in town

Last week you may have noticed a new face in the group. We have a new afternoon Chick. Debbie has been knitting for about 3 years. Even though she knitted with her sister when they were teens, she didn't become serious about it until recently. She retired from the Office of Mental Health for NY and also from teaching biology. She has a son, a daughter and a granddaughter. Oh, and don't let me forget her furbaby, a mini dachshund. We welcome her to our flock and hope she enjoys us as much as we enjoy having her in our little group.

She and Barbara are checking out hat patterns for our next project, The Romero Center, a chemo center in Latham, NY.

Right now Debbie is working on a shawl with a pretty purple yarn that already has sequins in it for added bling!

Barbara started her cast on for the Spiral Hat by Aimee Pelletier. It's a freebie on Ravelry if you want to cast on and start one. It's one of those easy patterns that keep repeating the same stitches around and around.

And look who came to visit while her Daddy is away. Joules came right up to the room where the Chicks knit and made herself comfortable while we chatted.

Maureen's Lotus hat is gorgeous! Look at that stitch definition! Perfection!

Carole's HandBrake cowl is just starting to show the pattern. If you look closely you can see the diagonal lines forming upwards to the left.

I couldn't help myself from starting a new project! My friend Karin of Periwinkle Sheep gave me a skein of this year's Rhinebeck 2016 color. It's hard to tell here but it is a gorgeous steely blue/gray and I think it will make a beautiful Miss Winkle scarf. I think I might have to keep her for myself.

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Well, I made history today and went out early to vote. Did you? Whatever the outcome, I pray our country heals from all the vicious attacks and terrible behavior to which we have been exposed over these last months. I am going to sleep and wake up to a new president tomorrow! Have a good night.

WOW! Look at all those hats!

Today was labeling day for all our "Yarn Bombing" items. The afternoon ladies labeled and ...

 The evening ladies took inventory. And what an inventory it was!

 We had 93 hats! And that's thanks mostly to Barbara Pascalides who isn't even a Chick! She had heard about our group and wanted to help out and so she donated a whole herd of hats! LOL! Thank you Barbara P.!

 There were also scarves, and hats, and cowls, and mittens. We had a grand total of 135 items for the yarn bombing. Which by the way, will be on Tuesday, November 15 around midday in downtown Albany, just like last year. If you would like to join in the fun, meet us around Academy Park or Pearl Street. Some of us should be wandering around. Make sure you attach a tag to you items that says,

"I am not lost. If you are cold, take me to keep warm and know that someone cares about you."

We'd love to have you join in the fun and maybe we can gather afterwards for a hot cocoa.

 Small gathering tonight as Dorah wasn't feeling well and Beth ...

Had to welcome her new grandson! Jackson arrived a little early but he is as beautiful as can be. His Daddy looks pleased as punch with his new little bundle of love! Look at those precious cheeks! I'm sure Beth is busy knitting clothes for him as we speak.

Carole cast on for her Hand Brake cowl in a pretty purple yarn.

And Maureen continues to add stitches to her Lotus hat.

I was feeling a bit slowed down by some long knitting projects so I put them aside for some quick knits. The Bamboo Pop yarn became the Wasabi hat. The yarn is a pretty lilac, although you'd never know it in this picture. The yarn is a cotton and bamboo blend which makes it very soft and will be perfect for our next recipients, the Romero Chemo Center.

Then I received an announcement in the mail from my cousin in Switzerland who became a grandfather for the third time so I worked up a pair of toe-up, two-at-a-time, magic loop socks. I didn't want to make them newborn size and have them fit for a whole two minutes so I opted for toddler size. Maybe they'll last a week instead! LOL!

My hairdresser is having a baby girl at the end of this month so I thought she could use a cute bonnet. Actually, this is the same yarn as the Wasabi hat above. Now that's the color is truly is!

My grandkitty is coming for another visit next week and she didn't have many toys to play with last time so I whipped up a mouse for her. I wanted to give it ears but I thought they might be a choking hazard so I left them off.

Well, that's all for this week. Remember if you want to help out with your own knitted hats and scarves, Tuesday, November 15 will be yarn bombing day. Hope to see you then!