Too Hot!

As you can see, we are inside today because when the "feels like" temp is 89 and 65% humidity, there is no way we want to sit on the deck and handle wool! We caught up on grandchildren news and who is going where on vacation. Somehow we got on the subject of donating blood and how the snacks they give out now are crappy healthy stuff. Dorah said bring on the Oreos and Lorna Doones like the old days! We compared notes on the size of our veins and how I was asked not to come back because it was too stressful on the staff to find a vein in my arm. LOL! Think about how I feel!!!😟

We had a ton of FOs to add to the inventory. Carole started looking through her bag of completed items and found things she meant to bring ages ago but couldn't remember where they were! I think we all have gremlins that like to stir things up when we sleep.😉 So here goes! Grab something good to eat cuz we're gonna be here a while!

First up are Carole's FOs. She made up this pattern for a two color cowl so we don't have a pattern or name for it. I'm going to study it to see if I can write one up. If I am successful, I'll post a link...someday.

She brought in her Squarshy Slouch Hat which is great for someone with a lot of hair.

She couldn't remember the name of this pattern...

and she made up this cowl as she went along.

This is the One Row Handspun Scarf from Stephanie Pearl McPhee.

And we both thought this might be a Benjamin Matthews pattern, but don't hold us to it.

This cowl is a Carina Spencer design called Zuzu's Petals. It was very popular when the pattern was first published in 2012. I think we all made at least two of them.

Next up are Jan's FOs. A pretty autumn colors scarf and...

a cheerful mixed veggies colors scarf made using the pattern Simple Little Scarf.

I didn't get the name of this cowl or...

this hat.

Or this one. Now I'm thinking maybe Margaret made this and...

this. Hmmm...I thought I wrote it down. I guess not. 😐 

Jan had some yarn that needed winding so we broke out the swift and winder so she can start a new project.

She is currently working on the Skinny Scarf and was quick to tell us she is knitting it from a chart! I'm so proud of her! I personally avoid charts like the plague because, for me, it takes all the fun out of knitting. But that's just my personal opinion. Don't let me ruin it for you.

Barbara B finished her Workday Scarf. It looks beautiful. Photos don't do it justice.

 Now she's working on A String of Lights Socks. She hasn't decided to whom they will be given though.

Dorah's Workday Scarf is at the halfway mark so she'll be decreasing to the opposite end now.

She's using this Knit Picks yarn and the colors are lovely.

My son and his partner just returned from a cruise through the fjords of Norway and brought back a birthday gift for me. He said he went into a cute little yarn store in one of the many villages and the lady asked if he needed help. He told her "My mom is sort of a yarn snob so she likes only natural fibers." The lady laughed and said she TOTALLY understood and sent him to the yarn store down the block where he could find exactly what he wants. SHOCKING! She actually sent him to a competitor!!! But she was right! These are beautiful yarns and I can't wait for them to tell me what they want to be. Anybody have a good idea?

I'm still working on the Zick Zack Scarf turned infinity scarf. With a size 2 needle and sock weight yarn, this baby isn't going to be done soon!😉

Maureen is relieved to be done with her Reversible Stripes Scarf! It looks great!

Now she has started Through the Forest Hat. This is the same one Barbara B made a few weeks ago.

Cinzia arrived just minutes after "The Photographer" left to bring his car in for an oil change.

She is on the decreasing side of her Cassidy Rose Scarf with the reversible cable edge.

Dorah was sifting through her stash and found a bunch of Cloudborn skeins to share with the Chicks. Most of them had 220 yards so it's enough to make an adult hat. The only one with 130 yards will be saved for a child's hat. Thank you ladies for taking this all!

Margaret is 1/3 of the way through a Bewind Hat with its traveling lines slanting up the crown.

Carole started another One Row Handspun Scarf making a new colorway by...

holding two different colors together. It's a good way to use up yarn quickly and makes all new colorways.

Nancy is nearing the end of her Workday Scarf.

And she picked up some more yarn from Dorah to possibly make a hat. This is a Noro yarn, known for its pretty colors. However, we all have opinions about the texture and softness of this brand. 😉

Barbara K's scarf is looking lovely and warm with its gently changing gradient of color.

Whew! That was a LOT today! I hope you were able to stick with me. And I do hope I gave credit to the right knitters on the lovely FOs we collected today. Now I'm going to sit in front of the AC vent and chill. Have a great week and keep those needles clicking! 

I almost forgot to show you today's treat from Barbara B!!! She'll make sure I know it too.😉 We had a delicious zucchini bread. And I have a slice for later. YUM!

Now I can say, keep those needles clicking!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Today is my birthday, as if you couldn't guess! Barbara B equipped me with the appropriate adornments so it couldn't be missed. 😉 And Tina brought some stunning flowers to brighten the occasion.

Barbara B's treat for the celebration was an all chocolate cake with a creamy frosting which we all thoroughly enjoyed! And yes, I blew out all the candles on the first try. 

   

  I already got my wish for the best friends a girl could ask for!

I mentioned that Cinzia knitted two pairs of Norwegian style mittens while she was away. Today she brought them to explain how she made them. These first mittens were knitted from the cuff to the top and if you look closely, both sides have a pattern. These were made with a thumb gusset while simultaneously knitting the palm.

This pair was knitted top down which Cinzia said she found a bit easier since it starts with fewer stitches on the needle. But the thumb was made using a similar technique as when you knit an afterthought heel on a sock. She claims both were very easy to knit. I'll take her word for it. 

She completed the Agnes (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/s34-10-agnes-sweater) child's sweater and the details are beautiful! Since she has a boat load of this yellow yarn, she also completed...

The Through the Forest Hat. It was a freebie when first published but is now a purchase only pattern.

Her Cassidy Rose Scarf is ready for the inventory as is...

a scarf she knitted with a rayon ribbon yarn. It is very soft and has a lovely drape. This was a project that was created as she knitted without a pattern. I hope she wrote it down! It's like those recipes I create that my family loves and asks for a repeat but since I made it up on the fly, I can't duplicate it unless I write it down.😟

Dorah finished a cozy cowl that was still in progress last week. It flares gently at the bottom for a perfect fit! And she has enough yarn left over which can be used in a Helix Hat if she adds a couple of solid colors to the mix.

This week she started the Workday Scarf using a Knit Picks gradient yarn. If you look closely, you can see a bit of pink yarn peeking through the needles. I can't wait to see all the color changes!

Barbara B has started the Cozy Autumn Sock with an intricate pattern to the cuff and...

she is almost finished with her Workday Scarf. The yarn is a 400 yard skein of Lolabean so she had to weigh it and find the middle to determine when to start the decreases for the scarf.

Barbara B completed her Very Close Talking Hat. That red is even more stunning in person!

Carole was further along on her Barrel Rib Reversible Hat but during the week she put it down for a break and when she picked it back up, she accidentally started knitting it in the opposite direction! Like that hasn't happened to me (she says sarcastically). So she frogged back and now she had a little white bow to call her attention to the right side of the work so that doesn't happen again!

Jan's Avenue Scarf is almost finished. This is the souvenir yarn she bought in Newfoundland which reminds her of the colors of those adorable puffin birds.

Since Cinzia has more yellow yarn, she casted on for another Cassidy Rose Scarf. You can see the beginning of a cable at the very edge.

And I was right when I thought Tina frogged her scarf last week. She didn't like the way it was coming along and now she's happy with the results. It's cool how the cables run diagonally up the scarf!

I searched through my stash for some inspiration and found a yarn from White Birch Fiber Arts, a merino and nylon blend self-striping sock yarn and decided to try my hand at the Zick Zack Scarf. This was a very popular pattern when it was first published way back in 2014. It was also when I found out I can't count to 5! I must have started this scarf a dozen times because I was determined to make what looked like such an easy project. After so many failed attempts with my chevrons looking like they had a bit too much to drink, I decided the yarn didn't want to be that scarf! That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. 😜 But this time I think I've got the hang of it! By the way, that yellow yarn is a provisional cast on so I can graft the live stitches together at the end and make this an infinity scarf.

My husband is taking me to dinner to celebrate another spin around the sun so I need to get my stuff in gear. Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!