Let's try this again

This has been a crazy summer...first I hurt my back and then I had a doozy of a head cold that put me totally out of commission. I am praying it's all over and I can get back on track with my Chicks.

We start this week with show and tell of many nice items finished for our new recipient, The Military Courtesy Room at the Albany International Airport. We will be knitting items to stock the room for military personnel and their families who are traveling through Albany. Our first hat is from the needles of Elaine. A warm woolly hat will be needed during the winters around here.

Next up is the Polish cap I made with Cascade 220 yarn. This was a free pattern which was written in Polish with a Youtube video tutorial link. I watched the video multiple times until I could write down the details so I could make the hat. I offered the designer my English translation but she thanked me and never followed up. Oh well... I have it if anyone wants it.

Liz added a bright blue cowl to the collection, also a warm wool fabric.

Beth's daughter had some finished pieces which were in storage and she no longer had a use for them so she donated to our cause. The lovely round lap robe is crocheted and the two pairs of socks are knitted.

Also in the group of giveaways was this bright pink cowl. This will be a fashionable addition to someone's wardrobe.

Another Squarshy hat....

and another. Can you tell the Chicks really like this pattern? LOL!

Here is another from Beth's daughter. I'll bet this didn't take long to knit with this bulky weight yarn.

We had a full house this afternoon. Cinzia is back from all her summer travels. She would have finished this vest before she went away, however, the instructions were about as clear as mud! I did a little investigating on the page notes of other Ravelry knitters who also made this vest and discovered that the pattern was written in such a manner that many knitters were confused. So it wasn't just us! One of the knitters contacted the designer and put the correction and clarification in her notes which helped Cinzia continue with the project. Thank goodness for Ravelry!!!

Elaine is making another hat with this nice neutral color.

Liz was knitting a top down baby cardigan and put it down for just enough time to forget how to continue with it. So between the six of us, we figured it out and got her back on track.

Barbara continues to knit on her Country Rows shawl. Those bright colors are sure to bring cheer.

Debbie picked out some pretty red tweed yarn to make a hat and had to search through Ravelry for a pattern so she could get started.

I found a video on Youtube about Helix knitting and decided to give it a go. I took three colors that wouldn't necessarily go together but it's turning out quite nice. My imagination sees a stocking cap with a long point, ending with a small red pompom. Time will tell.

Joules kept the seat warm for the evening knitters. Yes, she is still here but I got a text from her Daddy last night which said her vacation with us might soon be ending as the home renovations are almost complete. She and I had a good long cry after reading that.

Margaret just cast on for a hat. And Dorah was about to make...

this lovely hat but she chose a self striping yarn which might interfere with the knitted design so...

Plan B will be a 2X2 ribbed hat, quick and easy.

Beth is completing a shawl which her daughter started and put into time out then decided to donate to the Chicks. The yarn is a deep charcoal color with a silver thread. It would make a nice wrap for a fancy affair or if you just feel like dressing up!

It feels good to be back and I hope I stay in the swing of things. Enjoy your week and

keep those needles clicking!

See you next week

A fierce summer cold has put me out of commission for almost two weeks but I’m on the mend now. The blog will be back next week.

Another hot day for knitting

It was another miserably hot day here today so we opted to stay indoors where the AC keeps us comfortable.

Barbara and Debbie were my only Chicks this afternoon but they were busy. Barbara's Country Rows scarf has grown by leaps and bounds and the ball of yarn is showing signs of shrinking. Debbie learned a new cast on technique for the hat she is knitting and here she had to refer back to the YouTube video to make sure she performed the steps correctly.

 Maureen's Squarshy Hat is a few inches longer than last week.

 Margaret started another Squarshy hat because....

 she finished the one she was working on last week.

 Beth is back from her vacation to Scotland and a day at Wimbledon (which she said was wonderful). She brought a few finished objects with her tonight. This lovely stranded cowl is as soft as a cloud.

 Her socks are self striping yarn. I love the pattern they make.

 She also added a reversible stripes scarf...vertical stripes on one side and horizontal on the other.

 Beth started a baby soft alpaca hat, also the Squarshy hat.

 I'm almost finished with a Fisherman's Rib cowl using a reversible brioche stitch. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Rialto, a soft, superwash merino.

 Because it's superwash yarn it won't felt which makes it difficult join a new ball of yarn. So I had to separate the end of the strand into equal parts and braid one strand from the old ball of yarn to the separated two strands of the new ball of yarn. It makes a very neat join which is the same thickness as the original yarn. I'm still confused about how that happens but hey! It works!

See you next week. In the meantime, keep those needles clicking.

*FO's to show (*finished objects)

Debbie was proud to show us her finished self-striping scarf. She said it's as tall as she is but it will be a long time before she is ready to knit another scarf. Something so time consuming just takes the wind out of your sails. I think she's smart to begin a smaller project next.

 Liz started a seed stitch cowl with a 100% wool yarn so it will be nice and warm.

 I finished my Baltic Summer scarf. I had intended to knit all the way to the end of the ball of yarn but I found a mistake which threw off the chevron pattern something awful. So after 3 attempts to fix it which required tinking back many, many stitches, I decided the knitting goddesses were sending me a message to bind off already! So I did. It needs a thorough blocking which will make it a bit longer but it's done!

 Maureen finished her Squarshy hat and immediately...

cast on stitches to make another one. 

And Margaret finished her Squarshy hat and ...

did the same thing. I think these ladies like this pattern!

 I wish all of you a safe July 4th celebration and will meet you back here next week.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Miss Joules the kitty is still presiding over our knitting sessions. It was a lovely, breezy, cool day on the deck this week, so she spent all her time outside where she can nap or watch the local critters from the safety behind the screen.

Elaine started a hat last week and this week it has stripes. The cream and grey combination is very attractive.

Debbie continued to work on her never-ending scarf. It takes real dedication to knit a scarf. Maybe that's why I have 8 projects going at once. I can't be faithful to one project for that long a period of time.

More of Barbara's Country Rows shawlette is showing off the eyelet pattern.

I started a 2X2 ribbed hat from a free pattern on Ravelry. The yarn is Cascade 220 in a heather greyish blue. 

It was so pleasant outside today that no one wanted to leave.

Even hubby joined in on the relaxing atmosphere.

The evening ladies had a nice relaxing time too. Margaret finished her 1898 hat and...

so did Carole. Weaving in those last few ends makes a professional finish to the project.

Margaret immediately cast on a Squarshy hat in a bulky, purple Knit Picks wool.

Dorah cast on stitches for this hat. Sorry I didn't get the name of it!

But it will be nice in that lovely green.

Enjoy the cool air while we can. It's supposed to get into the 90's by the end of the week. Looks like it will be good weather for staying in the AC and knitting. ;) So keep those needles clicking!

I'm back!

Sorry for the long absence! I had back trouble which not only prevented me from meeting with my Chicks, it also prevented me from knitting! About the only thing I could do for a few weeks was switch from an ice pack to a heat pack! I'm glad that's over. As long as I remember to take it easy, it seems I'm on the upswing again. 

So after a long absence the afternoon ladies met on the deck today. Debbie gave a thumbs up because she is back to knitting too since her issues with her thumb have been resolved.

 She tried to catch up on her scarf but was slowed down by some yarn barf which had to be untangled.

 Elaine picked up on a new hat and...

 Liz decided to do her own thing and make a baby blanket.

 Barbara's Country Rows scarf is growing and showing off her colors nicely.

 Elaine added a hat to our inventory.

 And Liz added a cowl. The seed stitch gives it a nice texture and a bit extra thermal protection against the cold.

 Margaret had to frog the first try on her 1898 hat but she finished the first part tonight and will be grafting the ends to enclose the ear band. Then on to step 2 and picking up stitches for the crown of the hat.

 This is what Carole worked on tonight. She used a crochet hook to snatch the stitch and work it through so she could put it on the needle. We all love this 1898 hat pattern. Once you get the hang of it, it just flies off the needles.

 Maureen's Squarshy hat is practically finished. A few more rows and she'll be at the decreasing portion and it's a race to the finish after that.

 Since I haven't been able to knit for a few weeks I'm still working on Baltic Summer. The yarn makes it interesting so I don't mind that it's taking me so long to finish.

 And yes, the grandkitty is still visiting. It's been so long that she thinks she lives here now.

Confidentially, so do I! But don't tell her Daddy that. ;) 

It feels good to be back working with my Chicks again and listening to the clicking of those knitting needles. Have a great week and keep yourself in stitches!