Deck weather and a quick getaway

Today was our first day of outdoor knitting for the season. And it was lovely weather for it. Cool breezes and comfortable temperatures made for a relaxing afternoon.

Barbara worked on her Spiral Hat using a self striping slow changing yarn.

 Cinzia came back today after a long semester of teaching. She picked this vest pattern and some...

 Noro Yarn to knit it. The colors change all through the skein of yarn so it will be fun to see what comes up next.

 Liz was back today too after a long winter away in Florida. She brough a bag filled with knitted goodness. She made a baby blanket and matching hat. She said by the time she got to the blanket she was so sick of the yarn she decided to use two strands and make it go quicker! We've all done that once or twice!

 She also added 3 lovely scarves and ...

 2 pretty cowls. The novelty yarn in the center of the black cowl looks really pretty as it stands out from the deep background.

 It was SRO at the evening group (the empty chair was mine). 

Beth worked on a pair of top-down, magic loop, two-at-a-time socks. Try to say that quickly 3 times! 

 Dorah was finishing off the headband she's working on and will be sewing the ends together soon.

 Carole worked a provisional cast on so she could start her 1898 hat. By 9PM she already had a good 4 inches knitted on it.

 Maureen started this hat with...

 a pretty lavender Lamb's Pride bulky wool.

 And here is Carole's Wolkig completed. This Madelinetosh yarn is heavenly soft.

 Beth completed her Fair Isle cowl with great results.

 Carole added another hat too. It's the Squarshy pattern that Maureen started tonight.

 Margaret added a cream and green creation that looks so cozy and warm.

 And my 22.5 Degrees scarf by Martina Behm doesn't look like much until you get to the finishing rows when the scallops take shape and add a feminine touch.

 Last week Dear Husband and I took a trip to Arizona with our good friends from Pennsylvania.

Upon Carole's recommendation, our first stop before we even left Phoenix for Sedona was Jessica Knits, a lovely yarn store in Scottsdale. This yarn dyer produces colors inspired by nature and the yarn that my friend and I bought was inspired by the Havasu Falls in the southwest corner of the Grand Canyon. I'm not sure what I will make with my yarn but I'm going to make the Rickroll Wrap for my friend. I just need to go shopping for two tonal yarns to compliment this beautiful fiber.

 We arrived Thursday in Sedona and on Friday drove to see the Grand Canyon. On the trip up we were followed by the snowy peaks of the San Francisco Mountains. You know they had to be high if it was 80+ degrees where we were driving and there was still snow on the summits.

 Now if you know me well, you know I'm not fond of heights. As I exited the car at the Canyon I immediately panicked and melted into tears. But my husband, the dear that he is, grabbed me tight and whispered to me until I could breathe and relax. After all, I came all this way to get some good photos. No one was going to let me fall off!!!

 The elk were everywhere and more than once the rangers had to tell people to back away from them. Some people are so ignorant! Good thing I had a telephoto lens!

 More than 6,000 feet deep, the Canyon in all it's glory! At one point the falls are so far away you can't tell that it's a 3 story drop.

 On Saturday we hiked the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon. Most of it was in shade so it was cool and refreshing. Although I must admit, the weather was very pleasant. The hottest it got was high 80's and as the old saying goes, "It was a dry heat."

 To show you a little perspective, that's me in the center admiring God's handiwork.

 Later that day we went on a search for one of the many vortices which are around Sedona. A vortex according to https://visitsedona.com/spiritual-wellness/what-is-a-vortex/ is a swirling center of energy that is conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration. These are places where the earth seems especially alive with energy. People say they feel inspired, recharged or uplifted after visiting a vortex. Needless to say, we didn't find one this day but we marveled at the beauty of the landscape.

 Here and there we encountered vivid colors.

 On Sunday morning I wanted to see how far I could climb Bell Rock without breaking a hip so while Ron and our friends waited in a cool shady spot, I broke out on my own to find the vortex. This was another one of the many around the area. If you look at the spot where the tree cluster stops that is about as far as I got and it was pretty high even though it still felt like the base. But since I was alone I felt it was a better idea not to try climbing the huge expanse before me. I did, however, remove my shoes and stand barefoot on the cool rock surface to ground myself. Looking out at the panorama that surrounded me brought me to tears and filled my heart with song.

 Later that morning we drove to the Chapel of the Holy Cross. It is a magnificent structure which can be seen from a great distance. It's really an awe inspiring place that overlooks the red rocks of Sedona. It happens to be another spot on a vortex.

 But all too soon it was time to pack up and go home. So after a relaxing stroll through Tlaquepaque Plaza filled with art galleries and shops, we kissed the frog goodbye and made our way home.

It was a wonderful vacation with wonderful friends. And believe it or not, I didn't get a chance to knit at all. NOT. ONE. STITCH! You know it was a good vacation if I didn't knit.

Keep those needles clicking!

Warm heads and necks

The 1898 Hat is a self-knitting hat. This is my third so far and it's a pleasure to make. The pattern calls for 180 yards of yarn so Cascade 220, which is 220 yards, or Plymouth Encore, which is 200 yards, are perfect for this project. The earflap section is knitted flat and then folded, the edge from which stitches are then picked up and knitted in the round to the decreasing portion of the crown. Seriously, if I didn't do anything but knit I could make it in a day and a half. Unfortunately, I do have to get up and move every once in a while if I want to stay healthy. Man! I hate when life gets in the way of my hobbies! 😉

 Elaine is working on a double cuffed hat too. The 1x1 ribbing will be folded up after she works the cable design. This hat uses worsted weight yarn too.

 Barbara is making a 2x2 ribbed hat with the Shields of Garnet yarn from Periwinkle Sheep. All three of us were lamenting the fact that we might run out of yarn before we reach the end of our hats so we brainstormed a solution. Make it a ponytail hat! You know, those hats with the hole in the top so you can pull your ponytail through?

 Margaret finished her lovely Fair Isle hat for which she designed the pattern herself. Her original written pattern was a freebie but after starting it three times and finding an error in the chart of the design, she decided to make up her own Fair Isle pattern. It turned out lovely!

 Carole added a few things to the inventory tonight. She loves the Birthday Cowl, a simple repeating pattern which is good for mindless knitting.

 A friend of hers made this pretty cowl and decided to donate to our cause. Thank you Carole's friend!!!

 Carole's Wolkig is growing and soon may be finished. We compared it to my completed cowl and she has a few more inches to go or until she's bored.

 Beth worked on her Fair Isle cowl which is knitted in the round. That yellow yarn at the edge is for the provisional cast on so she can graft the two ends together and you'll never know where it starts or ends.

 She also added to our inventory with a pair of cozy, thick, bed socks. They were her first attempt at toe up socks, proving to Beth that she prefers cuff down. That's ok, you never know until you try.

We're still waiting for spring to arrive here in the Capital District of NY. Someone said we even had snow flurries this morning. Even I am getting annoyed at Mother Nature and I LOVE winter! Come June we'll probably all be complaining of the heat and humidity. So I guess I better enjoy the cool air while I can. 

Warm hats and cozy cowls

My afternoon Chicks are back! Well, some of them are anyway. Debbie is back from her winter break to warmer weather and she returned with a lovely rose colored hat. 

 The stitching gives a lovely texture which will make it warmer for the wearer.

 Barbara finished her Cushy Cowl using Shields of Garnet color of Periwinkle Sheep yarn. The texture of this cowl is also very insulating against the cold.

 Beth is back from her winter sabbatical too. She added this Noro yarn cowl. Lovely colors!

 And also this Fair Isle knitted tube which is grafted together so it's one continuous double thick cowl.

 

 She immediately cast on for another using the same yarns in the opposite stitching.

Beth's daughter visited tonight. That's her on the right. Gretchen knitted a lovely persimmon colored sweater for herself.

 Carole added a few more inches to her Wolkig cowl. With each row it's getting to look less and less like an octopus and more like a cowl.

 Dorah finished her Copy Cat Beanie and had enough yarn left to start a headband.

I finished the 1898 hat last week. It was a two day project which was an interesting knit.

I enjoyed making it so much I started another one today. I have to graft the ends together and pick up stitches for the crown and then I'll have another to add to the inventory.

At this rate I could knit a couple of hats a week in between my other projects. Oh wait... I have to eat and sleep too. Never mind! ;)

Starting over

Margaret's hat pattern seemed to have an error in stitch count so she frogged it back from last week's progress and decided to make up her own pattern. So far, so good!

 Carole's Wolkig cowl looks like an octopus right now but soon it will look like...

 the one I finally finished this week. The placement of decreasing stitches and increasing stitches makes it look like it's smocked. This merino/silk blend yarn is lightweight but warm.

 Dorah made 3 attempts to knit the Wolkig also but her yarn wasn't cooperating. We give a project 3 chances and if it is still giving us a hard time, it's time to move one. So she did! Now she's knitting the Copy Cat Hat in a lovely purple Patons yarn.

 This is what it will look like. I've seen this hat all around town this winter and we have 2 in our inventory so it will be nice to add another one!

Today was supposed to be the first day of spring but with temps in the low 30's and some snow still on the ground, it doesn't quite feel it. Maybe by next week Mother Nature will be in a better mood and start sending warmer days and some green sprouts to cheer us up. Keep your fingers crossed and your knitting needles clicking!