Storms won't stop the Chicks

There was a full house this afternoon as the Chicks got right to work. I had planned on knitting outside but right before the Chicks arrived we had a torrential downpour and the temperature dropped dramatically, so we opted to stay inside.

Cinzia's Mitered Baby Jacket is almost finished. She knitted on the applied I-cord.

At the neck edge she made a little loop for a buttonhole. I can't wait to see what she chooses for a button.

Debbie put her baby sack aside to make the sleeves for a baby sweater. She was having a tough time trying to embroider the eyes on the sack so it went into time out for a break.

Elaine is down to the wire on her blanket and she STILL has enough yarn for at least two more blankets!

Liz knitted a few more inches of hat and then switched out for a scarf. I'm glad to see I'm not the only "polygamous knitter". I never knit just one project at a time from start to finish.

Sofia joined us again and showed us her progress on the second sleeve of her baby sweater.

The evening group had a full house too.

I borrowed the slipped stitch portion of the Copenhagen Calling Cowl to make a hat with some yarn scraps. I love this pattern and it's so easy to knit.

Carole finished her slouchy hat called High Woods. It has a highly textured section which adds interest without difficulty.

Beth brought us her finished Berruti hat, another highly textured design.

Beth finished a smaller hat which will fit a young child. We talked about how much we enjoy making clothes to donate because we don't have to worry about size. Our motto is, "It's going to fit somebody!"

Maureen made a lot of progress on her Zoe hat. The design is showing up nicely.

Carole just passed the midpoint on her Chinook scarf. It's knitted from end to end and the edging is worked along with the scarf. It's great when you don't have to pick up stitches!

Beth had enough yarn left from the hat to make another only with opposite stripe colors.

Dorah's Sweetie Pie hat is almost to the decreasing crown section. Those baby cables are so cute.

And Margaret's Barley Hat has great stitch definition. She brought it to work to knit in her free time and then couldn't find it when she got home. It turns out it was left on her desk at the office. Whew!

This past weekend hubby and I went to Pennsylvania to watch our daughter perform in her local theater production of "Beauty and the Beast". She is the blonde (not naturally) on the far right and she designed and made these three costumes for "The Silly Girls" who swoon over Gaston.

The show was so much fun and the people are so talented. We had a great time and enjoyed it all the more knowing it was our daughter on the stage!

Enjoying outdoor knitting

It must be summer because Sofia was able to join us today. During the school year her schedule is so busy she has no time left for knitting. It was good to see her and catch up with her.

She was able to finish the sleeve of her little jacket. One down, one to go!
She has done such a nice job!

Cinzia finished the jacket portion of her Mitered Baby Jacket and now has to knit on the applied I-cord edging in a bright orange yarn. I can't wait to see it finished. It will be beautiful.

Liz tried her hand at the Magic Loop technique and after a few stops and starts has decided it's not for her. She enjoys knitting with DP's so she'll stick with what works for her.

Elaine is still working on her baby blanket. It will be done soon.

Margaret started a hat this week because she finished.... 

a nice warm earwarmer/headband.

And Maureen worked on her hat too.

I finished a cowl using the slip stitch design from a pattern called Copenhagen Calling.

Now I'm using the left over yarn to make a hat to match.

This is my Copenhagen Calling Cowl which needs a thorough blocking but I won't need it for a few months from now so I have time. Besides I can't block and dry anything while...

                                       

Joules the kitty is visiting. My son dropped her off last week so he could go on vacation here...

This is Hallstatt, Austria. He and friends are touring Austria to visit the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Vienna, salt mines in Salzburg, and here. It's like a picture postcard.

                         

We really do live in a beautiful world!

Soft yarns and hillbilly contraptions

Debbie is working on her baby sack to give the owls eyes. She started with a soft gray yarn and it looks pretty nice. By next week maybe they will all be able to see.

 Liz worked on a cowl using two strands of worsted weight yarn held together to achieve a bulky weight look. This is a great way to bust through a bunch of yarn in a short time.

 And Elaine rounded the corner on her baby blanket. You can't see it here but that giant ball of yarn doesn't look any smaller. I think gremlins break in at night and spin more yarn to add to it!

 Barbara was looking for inspiration for this incredibly soft cashmere, merino, and microfiber blend yarn. I think she was leaning toward a baby hat.

 My "Close to You" scarf in Periwinkle Sheep Wink, colorway Ghost of Molly, is slow going because I have other projects on which I'm working too.

By closing time tonight it has shown some progress. 

 Barbara contributed two FO's today. This Ribbed Hat was knitted with the Aran weight of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. I wish you could feel it through your computer. It is so soft!

 And her Mistake Stitch Scarf was knitted with Berroco Vintage, a machine washable yarn.

 Dorah's wool hat with the baby cables made good progress this week. It's a nice peaceful green.

 And Maureen started her Zoe hat last week and has made progress into the ribbing.

 Now don't laugh but I made a DIY air conditioner for my screened in deck! It was so hot and humid today and we've had so few opportunities to sit outside so far this year that I needed to do something to make it more comfortable out there. I was browsing through Youtube (it's amazing what you can learn) and fell upon what they call a "Swamp Cooler". Awful name! I had the styrofoam cooler in the basement and a trip to Lowes and Bed Bath and Beyond got me the other two things I needed for about $11. A sharp knife was the only tool I needed and a bag of ice and VOILA! I made a makeshift air conditioner for outside! Go ahead and giggle and snort but until the ice melted it actually did make the air more comfortable. Next time I'm going to freeze a large brick of ice so it will last longer.

You can always tell when I've had a sleepless night. You never know what kind of contraption I'll build next from a Youtube video! LOL!

Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!

It finally happened!

Well, it's finally happened! After almost 12 years of working with The Chicks with Sticks I met someone who received a gift of ours. I was getting into my car (which has the Chicks with Sticks sign on the door) in the Glenmont Shopping Center and a woman called across to me, "Hey! I know you!" After seeing the confused look in my eyes she explained that a few years ago her children were recipients of one of our donations to The Bus Stop Club, an organization which gives support and provides activities to siblings of chronically ill children. Her oldest child has autism so her two younger children participated in the club at a time when we Chicks donated hand made stuffed animals and trendy items for teens. I thanked her for letting me know we made a difference in their lives. That's why we do this after all!

 And so now we continue to make items for our HATAS donation this fall.

Elaine has reached the midpoint on her baby blanket and will now start the decrease portion. We laughed at the size of the ball of yarn beside her. It doesn't even look like she made a dent in the quantity! She thinks there is enough to make 3 more afghans!

 Liz spent a few minutes untangling her yarn from 2 different projects. She regrets having put them both in the same bag, exclaiming she zigged when she should have zagged.

 Beth finished the little set for her grandson. It's so cute!!! I love the elephants.

And she finished the socks she's been working on for the last few weeks. She used a size 6 needle and worsted weight yarn so they are thick and dense, the best for warding off the cold. And the yarn is superwash so they can go in the machine and dryer.

Margaret and Dorah both started a headband and hat, respectively.

Dorah started over with the hat she worked on last week. This time her baby cables are looking perfect.

And Margaret's Christmas Headband is flying off her needles.

Margaret finished her slouchy hat. It's so soft and fits the head perfectly. 

Very styling!

As is Maureen's finished hat. She wove in the ends just in time for a photo. It's a free pattern on Ravelry.

I made an adult hat and had too much yarn left over to throw away but not enough for another adult size so... baby hat it is!

We had to knit indoors this week because it rained AGAIN! Dorah is building an ark and I think I'm growing gills and webbed fingers! I'm hoping to see sunshine soon though. I wonder if I'll recognize what it is...