Just four of us for a quiet afternoon

We four were the only ones who didn't have conflicting schedules this week. And without Barbara B there were no sourdough treats to snack on either. But we had a lively conversation about current events and the local wildlife. It seems with the warmer temps we have had an influx of carpenter bees in the neighborhood. I've heard the males are aggressively intimidating but they can't sting. They'll just hover and stare at you until you give up and leave.We all have had our share of experiences with critters like skunks, mice, and squirrels. And since the woods about 3/4 of a mile down the road have been cleared for new housing construction, we have added annual visits from the bears and deer too.

I visited my daughter in Pennsylvania last week to attend the academic awards ceremony for my high school graduating grandson and his friends. My husband and I had a lovely time and felt encouraged seeing the bright minds who will one day be leading and caring for us. I also came home with a huge bag of yarn and UFOs that my daughter hasn't had time to finish and doesn't want it to go to waste. Let me just say, PLEASE PLEASE don't try to knit from a hank of yarn without winding it into a cake first! This is after an hour and a half of untying tangles and I still have a long way to go. My daughter started an asymmetrical shawl with this lace weight yarn which looks like she was using two strands together. Try as I might, I had to surrender and cut the project away from the tangles to concentrate on winding the yarn. Once it looks manageable, I will decide what to do with the UFO. She also included some really pretty shawls which are in the early stages of her creativity without a written pattern. My daughter is a very talented designer who doesn't write down her process because, like her mother, she thinks she will remember how she made it. I had to dissect one to figure out the pattern and will enjoy knitting it into a FO!

One of the UFOs is a pretty purple shawl she started that alternates stockinette background with a simple K2tog, YO pattern bordered with garter ridges. Jan liked it and offered to work on it in her spare time. 

Jan's current project is the Reverb Shawl. She wanted to knit the portion of the shawl with the smallest section so she could use the black yarn for the least amount of time. But when it didn't look like the picture, we discovered together that it was not a bottom up pattern and so the black yarn will actually be at the widest section which will result in using the black yarn for a longer time. Oh well, she might frog it and start over.

Maureen made an adorable baby blanket for a wee one who will be coming into the world soon. She used Cascade 220 superwash and just found out another baby in another family is on his way so she might be making another one. The vehicles are knitted in relief using knits and purls to create the pattern. She told us about the app, Knit Companion, which she uses to keep her on track with the graph to create the design. She highly recommends it for those who prefer using a digital tracker for their knitting.

The Bankhead Hat she has been working on these past few weeks has been completed. It can be worn slightly slouchy or with the cuff folded up.

Maureen continues to work on her cowl which matches...

the hat she completed some weeks ago.

I decided to spice up the 1898 Hat with a horizontal braid dividing the ear flaps from the crown. I just reached the 5" mark and will begin decreasing the crown to close the top.

Barbara K started a hat but is open to what pattern she will use. I love that my Chicks let the wind take them where the design goddesses lead! They are not afraid to be creative!

Well, all those UFOs are not going to knit themselves. Where is Rumplestiltskin when you need him! Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!