95* but if feels like 100*

The heat and humidity are stifling here in the Capital District. Jan, Margaret, and I had no choice but to sit inside today.

Margaret's Sightseer Cowl is starting to show the mosaic stitch color work. This is a free pattern on Ravelry. 

Jan's Irma Hat is giving her a bit of a challenge. Sometimes we all talk more than pay attention to our work and get carried away with the knitting. We all have to take a step back and make sure we are on the right track.

I bought this pattern called "Beloved" from TinCanKnits and I'm so happy I did! It was a joy to make and took very little time to finish this in a child's size.

I decided to cast on another one right away but this one will be adult size. The pattern contains all the stitch counts for sizes baby to adult. It calls for DK weight yarn or two strands of fingering weight held together so I thought I'd give it a try with the two strands.

Our weather forecast for the next few days shows nothing but rain, possible thunderstorms, and cooler temperatures. I can deal with that if it means no more heat and humidity. I'm not a summer person and tend to spend my days very close to the AC vent. I hope wherever you are, you're keeping cool. And keeping those needles clicking!

 

And the rains came down!

Last night we had a DOOZIE of a thunderstorm with lightning that hung in the sky for a few seconds making everything outside look like daylight. This 20 pound behemoth was terrified of all the noise and flashing lights so he stayed close by my side or my husband's side. But I think Fozzie is getting used to the knitting ladies visiting every Tuesday. Today he worked up the courage to walk through the kitchen where we knit around the table, with his belly hung low, hoping not to be noticed.

My current project gained a few inches since last week. It's the 2x2 ribbed hat which is so easy I actually memorized the pattern.

But after a while the beige color gets pretty boring so I spiced up the work with rainbow socks. It's a plain vanilla pattern from my head. I haven't decided whether to do an afterthought heel or a short row heel but there's still time to decide. In any case, the heels and cuffs will be in the solid green yarn.

I forgot to ask Liz if she decided this is a hat or a cowl. She's put quite a few inches into it since last week.

This cowl is a popular one. 

Margaret liked Maureen's so much she decided to cast on one also.

Maureen is at the point where she feels like her Sightseer Cowl is taking forever. I see the 

progress though.

Barbara K.'s Palindrome Scarf is showing off those beautiful cables. She has such nice tension to her knitting which adds to the beauty of the work.

Carole's Honey cowl is wider this week too. It's a good tv knitting project.

 The wind is still pretty forceful out there and it's still very overcast but I think the worst of the rain is passed. So the next few sunny days I'll be keeping those needles clicking! Will you?

Nice day on the deck

It's so nice to have such a full group again. My deck was filled with laughter and good conversation! I think even those of us who are introverted, and you'd be surprised at how many of us are, are thankful to once again be in each other's company.

Carole is making the Honey Cowl, a free pattern on Ravelry. To make the lovely pattern, a simple slip stitch creates the thick, warm fabric.

Debbie is working on the Favehat. I didn't catch where she found the pattern, but I'll bet it's on Ravelry too.

Jan has chosen the Irma Hat to use some pretty coral yarn. You can see the beginning of the pattern slowly emerging from the stockinette base.

Dorah chose to knit a hat too. Neither of us could remember the pattern name.

Janna's scarf is in the final rows.

And here it is completed! She will block it to open up the lace stitches and have a nice long scarf to wrap a few times.

Margaret is making a bulky weight cowl to match a hat she made. 

We call her Queen of the Bulky Knits! LOL!

Liz can't decide if her work will be a hat or a cowl. It's still early enough for her to make up her mind.

Maureen's Sightseer Cowl is coming along beautifully. The slip stitch pattern is very easy to knit and looks great with high contrast colors.

Barbara K. is just starting her favorite oldie but goodie, the Palindrome Scarf. It's a good pattern when you don't know if a man or woman will receive it.

For a 2x2 ribbed hat, I casted on a few more stitches than the original pattern called for because I'm using a slightly lighter weight yarn than worsted and smaller needles than the pattern recommends.

 I gave myself permission to start something new because I finished this scarf last night. It's a variation on Martina Behm's free pattern called "22.5 Degrees". I knew I wouldn't have enough yarn in the only skein I had so I did a different bind off. The original pattern calls for a scalloped edge bind off which take tons of yarn. Instead, I made a picot bind off for the first half of the scarf and a standard bind off for the other half. 

Now it can be worn with either edge facing out, depending on your mood!

I'm feeling in a sushi kind of mood and my husband, who is NOT a fan of sushi, won't be having dinner home tonight so this is my chance! Have a great week and check back to see our progress next Tuesday. And as always, keep those needles clicking!

Inside knitting today

There were 9 of us today and thanks to the 90% humidity, we opted to stay indoors with the air conditioning. 

Janna said she feels like this scarf will never end. She and Debbie were trying to figure out what the weight of the yarn. We came to the conclusion that it's a lightweight fingering so that accounts for the long time it takes to make progress.

Cinzia's shawl looks pretty with the gradual changes of color. She made up the pattern as she knits it.

Margaret and Dorah were both beginning their hats. I think Dorah is making the Declan hat. Not sure what Margaret has planned.

And Barbara B. made it past the provisional cast on for a double thick cuff on her shortie sock. Her yarn is Paton's Kroy Sock.

  

Maureen continued her Sightseer Cowl from last week. I love the black and pink combo!

And it looks like Liz is just casting on for a new hat too.

I finished up a woven scarf on my rigid heddle loom using two yarns that were a merino and cashmere blend that I bought at a garage sale last year. I can't believe how soft it is. The fringe still needs to be trimmed, twisted, and then the whole thing takes a swim for blocking or wet finishing in weaving terms.

Debbie finished up her cabled hat with lovely stitch definition.

 Everyone left just minutes before we had a doozie of a thunderstorm. All this heat must have triggered it. Things have quieted down now so it's time to finish this and get my needles clicking! Have a great week!

Wise words

 Real generosity is doing something nice for someone

Who will never find out.

~Frank A. Clark~

We celebrated Margaret's retirement

At the far left of the picture is our new retiree, Margaret! Her first activity as a retired person was to join us at Chicks today. We are so happy for her but as she says, not as happy as she is! And beside her is our Snowbird, Liz, back from Florida just in time for fuzzy season. The poplar trees have let loose their white flying seed pods and thank goodness we were surrounded by screens because they were in great abundance around here.

Jan, Maureen, and Carole joined the rest of us in congratulating Margaret on her wise choice to retire.

I can't tell you how nice it was to have such a large group today. This was taken before Barbara B. arrived. We were all enjoying Dorah's experiences in California while she visited with her daughters. She was awed by the beauty of the varieties of flowers wherever she traveled throughout the state. Together they visited the giant Sequoias, went on a wine tasting tour, and thoroughly enjoyed their surroundings.

Now for some knitting. Dorah worked on a ZickZack scarf using these two beautiful sock weight yarns.

Just look at how beautifully those two variegated yarns play together in this lovely scarf.

Liz worked on a Mistake Stitch Scarf with fat needles and bulky yarn. This will be a quick knit and make a warm scarf.

Margaret worked on a hat, also using bulky yarn and big needles. She prefers the feel of their bulkier size in her hands. Jan and I were saying that the fatter needles are uncomfortable for us to use. Oh well, variety is the spice of life!

Barbara B. worked on her Irish Eyes Baby Blanket which is a free pattern from Caron Yarns. It has the same kind of stitches you would see in one of those beautiful Irish fishermen sweaters.

Maureen worked on her two tone cowl. At least I think that's what it was. We were all so excited to be together again that the conversations were flying all over the room!

Barbara B. was getting the lowdown on all the gorgeous flowers and fruits growing everywhere Dorah turned while on her trip. The most breathtaking were the gardenias that grew like privet hedges everywhere and left their scent to perfume the air.

And as warm and sunny as it was today, Barbara B. still wore her hand knit striped socks. They are even more beautiful in person.

Last week I showed you a shawl/scarf I'm making from a pattern my daughter designed. So this week Jan started hers using this lovely yarn from Cece's Wool in Guilderland. There wasn't enough knitted yet to show you any progress but next week I'm sure you'll see more.

This is my version of Amanda's scarf/shawl which is almost finished. Just another row or two and then I'll start the bindoff.

I can't begin to put to words how nice it was to see my Chicks together once again. Every week it seems to feel a little more normal now that we've been vaccinated. We are holding off on making any donations until early fall since everything we make is more for the cooler weather. This will give us quite the inventory to organize come September. Until then, we'll be keeping our needles clicking!