Visitors This Week and Interview with a Chick

Kathleen's daughter, Pat, is an honorary Chick now. She traveled a little further upstate to visit this week. She lives in Pawling, which to the city dwellers downstate is considered upstate. So the NYC residents must think we're at the North Pole! LOL! Pat is working on a reversible stripes scarf using a self striping yarn that changes colors periodically making the scarf very pretty.

Sheila has made much progress on her "Mistake Scarf" and we're all thrilled at how well she is doing with her knitting skills.
Karin, on the right, brought her neighbor Linda to visit this week. Karin made the green hat for our inventory and....
a pair of mittens using the remnants from previously finished projects. We try not to waste any yarn so these mittens are made up of three different yarns. Cute!

Judy's donation scarf was made using a bulky weight yarn so it knitted up quickly. That will keep someone toasty warm.

This week I'm starting something new which will continue each week until every Chick has had her turn. I'm going to give you a glimpse into the knitting world of each of us with a little interview. First up is Kathleen Corrigan. We joke that she is who we aspire to be when we grow up. Her bubbly personality and winning smile always light up the room when she arrives. She thought she was done knitting and gave all her needles and other knitting tools to her daughters, but when she read about the Chicks in a local newspaper the knitting bug took hold of her again. She finished a Gansey sweater that some lucky child will get to wear after our next delivery.

Interviewer: Kathleen, at what age did you learn to knit?

Kathleen: I taught myself when I was in my 20's, married and raising my five children, all under the age of 7! I can't remember how I learned though. My mother never knitted but she was an avid crocheter. She taught me how to crochet and I crocheted an afghan that lasted 50 years before it fell apart.

Interviewer: What was the first item you completed and for whom did you make it?

Kathleen: As it was so long ago, the best of my recollection is that it was probably a sweater that I made for one of my children.

Interviewer: What was you favorite item knitted?

Kathleen: Actually, my favorite handmade item was actually crocheted. It was a tablecloth with a pineapple motif which, after taking it out of storage, I found had a few stains on it. I gave it to my daughter Pat, who was able to remove the stains and restore it to it's original white and we used it for the last two Thanksgiving family gatherings. My other favorite crocheted item is a bedspread which went to Margaret, another daughter. The tablecloth and bedspread were both made while I raised the five children, under age 7 at the time.

Interviewer: What was your most challenging project?

Kathleen: That had to be the Entrelac blanket that I decided to learn how to make when I joined the Chicks. It was very challenging (added by Jody: she did a fantastic job and we're so proud of her!).

Interviewer: What took you the longest to knit?

Kathleen: I don't remember how long it took to make but the item I have knitted numerous times is a Fisherman Stitch Afghan. I have made it at least 25 or 30 times and given it away as gifts for weddings, showers, engagements, and college grads. I've made it so many times that I know the patterns by heart.

Interviewer: What do you like to knit now?

Kathleen: My favorite knits now are childrens' clothing for charity. I don't have to worry about knitting something exactly to size because since it will be donated, it will fit somebody out there. And knitting for charity interested me because I could use my skills to help out someone in need. After all, my family doesn't need any more knitted items!

Interviewer: What is your favorite fiber to knit?

Kathleen: I think my favorite fiber is wool. I like the feel of it and after watching the DVD of Elizabeth Zimmerman's "The Opinionated Knitter" I like the idea that it is a renewable resource.

Interviewer: Where is your favorite place to knit?

Kathleen: I like to sit in a cozy spot in my living room in the evening with my kitty nearby.

Thank you Kathleen for letting us into your world of knitting. Take a peek at next week's entry to see who will be the next Chick we visit.

An angel visits and a gift for you!

Last Tuesday Joyce's granddaughter joined the Chicks for a short visit. Judy brought along a good book for Ellie to read while we knitted.

Ellie found the best chair in the house for storytime.

Grandma Joyce brought along lots of finished scarves for donation.
And Grandma wasn't the only one who got to model some of the fashions.
Joyce's cozy cowl with a fashionable button was a crowd favorite.

Judy finished a cute hat and mitten set to send along with Joyce's scarves.

We had fun watching Ellie entertain herself while we knitted.

Ellie you are welcome to visit anytime!

This winter I've been on a roll with making homemade soups for those cold snowy nights. One of my favorites this season has been a variation on a Portuguese Kale soup. So I'm offering my version of the recipe if you'd like to try it. Even my DH who hates kale loved this soup.

canola oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 ribs of celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large head of kale, washed thoroughly and chopped to bite size

4 to 6 sweet Italian sausage links

1 cup brown rice

2 quarts chicken broth

Marjoram or Oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat 3 tablespoons of oil and brown the sausage on all sides. Set aside sausage and pour off fat from pot. If needed, add a little more oil and saute over medium heat the onions, celery, and carrots until translucent. Be sure to scrape all the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute, making sure not to let the garlic get brown and bitter. Meanwhile, cut the sausages into 1/2 inch slices and add back to pot with the vegetables. Add the chicken broth, rice salt, pepper, and marjoram and stir together. Bring to boil and add the kale. Let it cook down and stir occasionally, letting soup cook about an hour or until the rice is cooked. This amount will serve 6 to 8 people. I serve my family and leave the rest for lunches during the week or freeze the leftovers for another night.

Make sure you have a crusty loaf of warm Ciabatta bread to serve on the side and enjoy!

Building Inventory

Sheila is showing such progress that we convinced her to start a project for donation. She is working on a denim cotton yarn "Mistake Scarf" and is doing a great job.

Kathleen finished her reversible stripes scarf and decided to start another one.
Barbara wore her handmade poncho and the Chicks admired her handiwork. This was the redux since she wasn't happy with the first version and decided to frog it and start over.

She was very busy and brought a few finished items this week.

She's looking for buttons to make a closure for her blue shawl.

Elaine finished a windowpane hoodie....

and a nice warm hat.

I finally finished the Noro sock yarn shawl and added a pair of mittens and matching hat to the inventory.

Last minute addition was my DK weight child's hat using self patterning yarn.

On a totally unrelated note, my favorite Japanese Threadleaf Maple tree was damaged in the most recent snowstorm up here in the Capital District. I am heartbroken. This tree was a Mother's Day gift to me when my children were 3 years old and 5 months old, so that makes it almost 26 years old. The weather made the trunk split right down the middle so I'm thinking I am going to have to go tree shopping this spring.

On the bright side, at least it wasn't one of the big trees in my yard that split. That would have landed on my house! Thank God for little favors!!!

Handmade Gifts from the Heart

Last Tuesday we were discussing handmade gifts that were lovingly made for us by our friends and relatives. Sheila told us about two afghans she had and still used that were made for her and her husband, Frank.
Thirty seven years ago the grandmother of their best man hand crocheted this afghan for Sheila's and Frank's wedding gift. I'm sure it holds many happy memories...

As does this fifteen year old, hand crocheted afghan from Frank's mother. Both of these afghans have held up beautifully over the years. I think that speaks of their high quality of workmanship.
Kathleen did not arrive empty handed this week either. But then again, she never does! To add to our inventory she made a chenille scarf/wrap (depending on how one wants to use it).
She also finished the lace scarf on which she was working these last few weeks. This one uses a blend of merino, cashmere, and microfiber yarn that is soft as a cloud.

To round out the collection, Kathleen made another hat using the free pattern from our local newspaper. She said she can whip one of these out in an evening.

Sheila offered to model the last of the "free hat pattern" hats which Kathleen also made this past week. Looks good with her vest!

Elaine finished the Gansey Sweater which turned out beautiful too.

Check out the details of the pattern. Isn't that sweet?

Maureen is working on another chulo hat from the free pattern site connected to Berroco Yarns. It's called Tympany and you can find it here: http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/tympany/tympany.html

This weekend my family came up for a visit so we could celebrate my sister's birthday together. Ordinarily, DH and I would have gone to visit her but he just had knee surgery and didn't think a four hour round trip car ride would be a good idea under the circumstances. So here she is after blowing out all her candles to celebrate her "mumblemumble" birthday. Let's just say that when recently (like two weeks ago) she tried to buy a six pack, the cashier asked to see her ID and she started cracking up thinking it was a joke. She immediately found out it wasn't when the cashier called the manager to her register. My sister meanwhile is trying to impress upon this "young whippersnapper" that she's old enough to be her mother and the mother of the manager as well! Weren't they red-faced when they looked at the date on the license and found out she's more than qualified to buy her own beer. ROFL!!! Sister floated through the rest of her day!

Darwin offered to model the reversible stripes scarf I made for a warm birthday gift.

My sister loved the scarf and can't wait to confuse her friends with the stripes.

Hey! Is it Christmas already?

This week was the first time the Chicks got a chance to see all the wonderful yarn that Stephanie donated for our use. Kathleen was as giddy as a kid on Christmas morning. Ideas were really flowing about what to knit next.

Elaine was sorting through to find a favorite and Sheila checked out some lovely fibers for a possible future project. She's practicing knitting and purling in the same row for now, but as a complete novice, she is making great strides.

Kathleen finished a hat using a free pattern that she found in our local newspaper.
And Barbara, on the left, made a quilt with some scraps she had laying around from her days of quilt making. She is donating the quilt to The Linus Project and her husband helped with a Habitat for Humanity build and in return they will get to spend a day at DisneyWorld in Florida.
Maureen is thrilled to finally have finished her reversible stripes scarf.

And even finished her red neckerchief that was featured last week.

Joyce is choosing a pattern for a top down child's cardigan. Now she has to decide which yarn to use.

I finished my sister's birthday scarf and now it's back to the needles to finish some donation projects. I have already started a shawl and a scarf but had to put them aside to work on the b'day gift. But I'm free and clear to knit them now, unless I decide to knit something for Moose's birthday next month. Hmm....

A Day Out With The Ladies and NO You can't have a dog!

Yesterday, Feb. 6th was the day we Chicks used our Panera gift cards to meet for a snack and blend the two groups. I love it when the afternoon ladies can meet up with the evening group. We have such a good time catching up on news and comparing projects.

Left to right: Judy is working on a child's pullover sweater, I'm making my sister's birthday gift (better hurry, she'll be here next Saturday) Barbara is making a man's hat and Kathleen is working on a pretty peach lace scarf. We all talked so much and had so much fun that we spent as much time tinking as knitting!
Left to right: Kathleen with her scarf, Joyce with her scarf, and Sheila feeling a little overwhelmed at having to knit while she talks. Join the club Sheila! None of us can talk and knit without making mistakes.

Elaine was smart she kept checking her chart to make sure she was on the right track.

A nice customer offered to take a group photo for us. Left to right: Judy, Jody, Barbara, Kathleen, Sheila, Joyce, and Elaine.

We'll have to work in a few more of these combined group get-togethers throughout the year. It was tons of fun!

Last night I get this email from my son who was out for dinner and stopped in at the pet store to sight see. All the email said was "PLEEEEEEEZZZZEEE!"

Isn't he cute?! The dog's not bad either! LOL!

"Speedy Gonzales" better known as Kathleen has done it again! She finished the blue cardigan that was featured last week and to that added a blanket, mittens and a baby hat.

And Kathleen's daughter, Pat, came from downstate for a visit. We always love to see what Pat is up to in her knitting basket. There's that gorgeous sweater vest she made last year. She and Elaine were checking out the newest knitting book in the Chicks' library.
I'm finally catching up with Christmas gift photos. My Mom proudly sports the infinity scarf I made for her using Karin's handdyed sock yarn. Love that raspberry color!

My sister, Jamie, picked out her yarn for this Bird's Nest Smoke Ring and loved the results.

And my Dad says these mittens I made for him keep his fingers nice and warm. I used Karin's hand dyed Black Walnut sock yarn.

I'm feeling a little guilty because I went to Wool n' Word to pick up some yarn that Stephanie was gracious to donate to the Chicks stash and while there I saw a few more skeins of yarn that I just HAD to buy! On the sensible side, I am making a birthday gift with four of the skeins and a sweater set for the new baby expected in July. So see! There's no need for me to feel sad. OK! I'm over that now! LOL!