Ending the year with some FOs

Jan A. wanted to be sure I had her finished objects before she hibernates for the winter so she dropped them by this morning.

Her Bella Shawl was made with DK weight 100% alpaca from Frog Tree. It’s the softest, cuddliest shawl you’ve ever felt.

These hats from upper left, going clockwise are Squarshy hat, Espina Cap, Trio of Hats, and Knotted Rib Hat.

The Sampler Cowl is a good one for wrapping twice around your neck.

This pattern is the Helmet Liner which I made years ago and decided to revisit it and I’m glad I did. Once I learned how to count correctly, I was able to get a decent head covering.

This is the top of a different hat I started which was going to be the helmet liner but the knitting goddesses decided to play a little game with me. I counted my stitches four times to be sure and when the time came for me to divide for the face opening, I was suddenly short by 20 some odd stitches. Rather than frog 6 inches of knitting I went with Plan B, folded the fabric and sewed the cast on edge to the live stitches so it had a double thick brim, and then completed a slouchy cap with a four square decrease which shows here in the photo.

The most aggravating thing is, I had the 84 stitches that were required for the helmet liner so somewhere I goofed with my count. Oh well, no harm done! I got two warm hats instead of one!

 Wishing you all a very happy and healthy new year! And keep those needles clicking!

Post Thanksgiving gathering

We have all recovered from eating too much turkey and too many desserts. What better way to celebrate than to eat another pie while we knit?!?! My dinner guests all decided to bring dessert so I had one apple pie left over for the Chicks.

That white tube in the foreground of the picture is a crocheted hood/cowl combo I found in a YouTube video. I'm writing the directions as I watch it. It's going quickly so it should be done by next week. But it takes a TON of yarn! It's a good thing I had five skeins of this white Lion Brand Wool-Ease in the stash.

Barbara B. found a "recipe" for magic loop, two at a time, toe up socks which require you to do some math for finding out size and number of stitches to cast on, etc. She got as far as the gusset and became so confused she has decided to rip back to before the short rows and make an afterthought heel. You know my motto, "If it's not fun don't do it!" Boy! Has that come back to haunt me a few times when I was still raising my family! LOL!

Carole decided to use up some small scraps of yarn to make a delightfully striped slouchy hat. Perfect for our recipients, Knit the Rainbow.

Dorah's Easy Scarf is coming along beautifully in spite of the fact that she hates knitting with such a fine lace weight yarn.

Margaret wanted to try her hand at the Flax Sweater in a child's size. Confident that she had enough yarn with the two skeins in her stash, she wasn't aware that the second skein was a different dye lot so now she has to go to Plan B. We all convinced her to make the sleeves and the bottom ribbing in a contrasting color since there's no guarantee that she would even be able to find another skein in the same dye lot to purchase.

Barbara B. put the socks in her project bag to work on a cute slouchy hat.

The Fresco Simply Slouchy hat is a free pattern on Ravelry.

Jan P. had a good bulky weight yarn suitable for her Squarshy Hat, also free on Ravelry. Just be forewarned, the pattern language is a bit ummm...spicy, shall we say.

Jan A. had this pattern next in her queue but she worked on...

her Bella Shawl today. This will be a beauty with a little blocking to enhance the lace.

And Cinzia worked on hers as well. With a gradient yarn, it has a whole different look.

Now for some FO's. I completed the knotted headband earwarmer, thanks to Barbara B's help. I was so befuddled by the directions for sewing the ends together that I couldn't figure out how it was going to work. But Barbara cleared it up for me.

Margaret made her 1898 hat using small amounts of yarn left over from other projects. It's good practice for not wasting yarn.

Dorah did the same with leftovers to make this lovely striped hat. The colors blend so well that you'd never know it was ends from other projects.

Dorah also added this infinity scarf to the inventory but I didn't catch the name of the pattern.

And we have another Helix Hat to add to the inventory too. This pattern is so fascinating to knit since the stripes never hit a jog where the colors change.

I had to show you something Cinzia crocheted for my other charity knitting group, The Delaware Avenue Stitch Angels, at our local library. She's going to share the pattern with us so I'm sure you'll be seeing more of these adorable critters in the future.

                                          

That's all for this week. Stay warm, stay healthy, keep those needles clicking!