The smoke is back and so is the humidity

The Canadian wildfire smoke is lingering in the air. That combined with the heat and humidity made it easy to stay inside to knit. Our conversation centered on grandchildren. Did you know we have three sets of fraternal twins among the grandchildren of the Chicks? Maureen has a boy and a girl, Carole and Jan each have boys. It was interesting to hear how the different ages handle conflict and comaraderie.

We also talked about each of us learning to knit and crochet. Barbara B. learned knitting and crochet at the age of 9 or 10 from a neighbor. Jan was 10 or 11 when her grandmother and mother taught her to knit. Carole was 9 or 10 when she learned to crochet and 11 when she learned knitting, taught by her mother. Maureen's neighbor taught her to crochet when she was about 7 but didn't learn to knit until as an adult when her mother-in-law taught her. Cinzia learned as a student in grade school in Italy when she was 6 or 7. And my grandmother taught me to crochet when I was about 7, a neighbor ( a sweet Norwegian lady) taught me how to knit slippers when I was about 12, and then my mother taught me more knitting skills by the time I reached high school. It's such a nice tradition to hand down to the next generations. I feel grateful to have learned by the side of family and friends.

On to our FO's! I finally finished Carol's Clever Little Shawl. It took me a few days short of 3 weeks but it felt like forever.

I used an oatmeal colored Plymouth Encore and steam blocked it to open up the lace stitches. I like it so much I might have to make one for myself in a summer weight fiber to wear with my sundresses.

Carole finished her Raven Beanie. She fiddled with the pattern so she could use a heavier weight yarn than what the pattern recommended.

And Jan finished her Swirl Hat in worsted weight yarn.

Barbara B. completed the Pussyhat in the round in 4 gauges. She liked this pattern because it didn't require some of the sewing techniques that others of the same design needed.

Maureen brought us her finished Bewind Hat. I think all these hat patterns are free on Ravelry.

Carole modeled the Hot Springs Willow Hat that Barbara B. made.

This is a paid pattern on Ravelry. Look at the beautiful design the stitches make!

Cinzia knitted the last few rows on her Saurey lace baby blanket which is a Berroco pattern and will steam block it to open those lace stitches. She was pretty sure the yarn is acrylic so we did a little experiment and set fire to a scrap of it and sure enough! It melted so it's plastic! If it was wool it would put itself out and smell like burning hair.

Jan did a lot of knitting on her Easy Scarf and is not far from the end.

Maureen is making a baby gift for a friend's granddaughter on the way. It's a kimono style sweater called Olive You Baby with a neat detail and asymmetrical front closing.

Barbara B. started the Seven of Hearts Beanie using a pretty cornflower blue yarn.

I was feeling creative after watching a YouTube video presented by a Turkish knitter. So I'm in the experimental stage of making a cowl. I suspect I might have some tinking or frogging to do as I work out the kinks. If it turns out the way I see it in my mind's eye, I'll post the pattern.

I'm expecting my personal IT technician (my son) any minute to help with some email questions so I'll leave off here. Hope it's cool where you are and keep those needles clicking!

 

It's raining, it's pouring...

When the Chicks arrived it was rainy and humid so we stayed inside today. By the time they left the sun was out again so now it's really steamy outside. Our lively topics of conversation today were hearing about Jan A's walking vacation along Hadrian's Wall in the UK, our various experiences with fear of heights, and the most animated of all, the total disregard for life and limb by drivers in our local roundabouts. I've personally witnessed a driver go the wrong way around the roundabout to take a left turn rather than drive around the circle! Unbelievable!!! 

Well, as they say, you can't fix stupid. And now the reason you are here...there are a few FO's to show off. Jan A. finished a textured hat and matching cowl which will go directly into inventory. She also finished her Close to You Shawl but it needed to be blocked so she'll bring it back next week.

This is the hat Margaret finished up on the way out last week. It's one of her made up patterns which she does very well.

And the last of the Kool Aid dyed yarn has finally been used up! This cute hat reminds me of an icy sherbet which would be a nice treat right about now with the heat and muggy air outside.

Margaret started a basket weave hat using a worsted weight yarn.

Dorah made lots of progress on her Easy Shawl this week and now..

Jan has started one as well. They are both made using a fingering weight yarn.

Maureen made progress on her Bewind Hat. There is enough yarn left over that she could make matching fingerless mitts or mittens to complete the ensemble.

And I'm working on Carol's Clever Little Shawl, inspired by a shawl from the 1800's.

Barbara B. is halfway through her Bird by Bird Hat, a paid pattern on Ravelry which was free for the first day, if you were lucky enough to snag it in time.

Cinzia is making a Saurey baby blanket for a new family member and this pattern is free on Ravelry.

As you can see, she is at the very beginning, before any of the lace shows up. The speed with which Cinzia knits, it will probably be done by next week. I wish I could knit that fast!

After the ladies left, I turned to this face staring at me as if to say, "Well, I've been waiting. Shouldn't you be feeding me about now?"

So that's what I'll be doing for the next few minutes. We wouldn't want the poor furball to waste away! Have a great week, stay cool, and keep those needles clicking!