A snowy afternoon with my Chicks

 The snow stopped long enough for the Chicks to walk down the driveway on the path that my husband rushed out to clear for "The Girls". Once everyone was settled in, the snow started again. So now there is a clean coat everywhere, looking so pretty and pristine.

Our treat today was a sourdough chocolate chip banana bread, two of my favorites combined! And I have a doggie bag for later 😉

Barbara B finished her Alter Eco Welt Beanie which was a WIP last week. Her knitting skills really highlight the stitch definition of the pattern beautifully! 

I forgot to show you my FO last week of the scrappy hat that was in progress two weeks ago. I hate to see yarn ends go to waste so it's easy to incorporate them into a small project like a hat. There is no pattern as I made it up as I knitted along.

Right after last week's session I completed the Celtic Feather Cap. This pattern gave me plenty of opportunity to master cabling without a cable needle.

I had just a tiny bit of red yarn left and couldn't bring myself to toss it so I made a teeny weeny Melt the Ice Hat. Carole said it would fit a Lego figure so I gave it to her for her grandchildren to use during playtime.

I found some worsted weight red yarn in the stash and decided Fozzie needed a Resistance Hat too. I followed this pattern to knit it in one evening.

I'm not sure Fozzie agrees with me though. He was very tolerant and humored me just long enough to take a picture. I wonder if I can do this again with Ron and me wearing our hats too. I better wait until Fozzie recovers from this trauma before I try taking pics for our annual Christmas card. Can't you just hear him saying, "What I tolerate for food!"

Jan spent last week learning how to knit magic loop technique so she can knit a pair of socks. So far she's doing an excellent job! It definitely is a learning curve but it's doable.

After a few rows she needed a project that required less attention so she went back to her pretty shawl.

Barbara B is knitting the February Socks for herself. The original pattern is for shortie socks but she has extended the cuff to fit above the ankle.

I started a pair of mittens using Claudia Krisniski's pattern for Mittens for Children and Adults. It's very easy to follow and easily adapts to multiple sizes.

Nancy is making a Benjamin Matthews hat called Flight Formation Beanie. She said the pattern reminded her of fir trees so she picked out a nice evergreen colored yarn.

Margaret started a Mosaic Stitch Beanie using her favorite weight yarn, bulky!

 I think this is the pattern for it.

By the time we were ready to call it a day, she was on to the second color.

This is the hat she worked on last week but she said it required a bit more attention than she could give it while still being sociable. It's the Dupont Street hat.

Carole searched her stash and found some discontinued, one of a kind Periwinkle Sheep yarn to knit the Squarshy Hat.

She is also working on rainbow hats for her grandsons. They told her they didn't like ribbed cuffs or rolled cuffs because they are for "babies". So she is going to fold the edge and sew it to make a stockinette cuff.

The snow is still falling but I understand the temps are supposed to be in the mid 40s tomorrow so it won't last long. I'm not a summer type person so I will miss the cold temps and the opportunity to wear my hand knits. But it will be nice to see flowers and green grass soon. 

Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!

Learning a new cast on

Jan is back from her winter break. She spent some time in the Caribbean, some time in the Southwest, and finished up visiting her grands in California. She said all her knitting while away was a disaster so she didn't get much done. That's the trouble when your yarn doesn't want to be what you picked out and you're not near your stash to pick out something different. But she had a lovely time in spite of uncooperative yarn and some rainy days. It's good to have her back in the flock! 

Barbara B made sourdough "Blondies" for our treat today. I'm running out of adjectives to describe how tasty her treats are. These rank way up on the scale of tastiness!

She brought some FOs that she's been working on since last week. This is the Equinox hat she knitted for herself that was a WIP last Tuesday. The colors are stunning! She better be careful it doesn't suddenly go "missing" one day. 😁

This is the prototype of the Minecraft hat she made for donation. Then she made...

two more for her grandsons.

She picked higher contrasting colors and was pleased with the final results. If you ever question if the yarn colors will be a good pairing for a pattern, take a black and white photo of them side by side and if they both look gray then you know it won't be enough of a contrast in the knitted garment. Look for a definite dark and light contrast.

Today we learned a new to us cast on technique for a tubular cast on. A short reel popped up on my Facebook page and I just had to try it! It took me a week to figure it out but now I will probably use it for all my hat cast ons. If you want to watch the long version of Carrie Craftgeek's technique, be forewarned, she talks a lot before she actually gets to the demonstration.

Tina picked it up pretty quickly so she was helping Margaret get the hang of it. It does take repetition to learn it. Ask me how I know! I gave up counting after 20 something tries! And I still get confused just orienting the yarn over my fingers on the first try.

Margaret wants to use the tubular cast on for this pattern, the Dupont Street Hat. It's a freebie on Ravelry. She wanted to try her hand at mosaic knitting and this pattern has those slipped stitches which make a design without all the floats and bobbins of Fair Isle knitting.

It took her a few tries and she will have to practice at home when her attention isn't drawn into conversations around her.

 

I used the tubular cast on in 1x1 ribbing for the Celtic Feather Cap. I'm also cabling without a cable needle which I'm finding to be easy over 3 stitches. I am working on a project for my other knitting group which called for a 2x2 ribbing and figured out I could use the same tubular cast on method by picking up 2 knit stitches and 2 purl stitches in the set up row.

Nancy is working on her third Melt the Ice Hat and says she will take a break after this one. She followed my modifications to the original pattern to get a pointy top.

Barbara B used the 2x2 tubular cast on for the Alter Eco Welt Beanie.

It's coming along beautifully! Her stitch definition is perfect to highlight the basket weave motif.

Tina is working on the Throwback Pixie Hood. This pattern was discontinued on Ravelry but there are a couple of other versions that are very similar.

Jan picked up her Be Simple Variations Shawl again. It's a perfect canvas for this lovely yarn.

This wraps up another week with the Chicks. We will all be practicing our new tubular cast on so by next time we'll be able to knit them in our sleep! LOL! 

Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!

Two Treats This Week!

Barbara B made individual Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread loaves for all the Chicks as a Valentine gift. That is so sweet of her!!! I can't wait to have a slice warmed up and slathered in butter!

Our finger food for the afternoon was sourdough cinnamon sticks. Just sweet enough to hit the spot!

It was a full house today with lively conversation that kept everyone laughing. Unfortunately, we can't share the topic in polite company. 

Let's just say it all started over the discussion of the tv show "The Pitt".

 

Margaret completed the 3x1 ribbed hat that was in progress last week. She started it with a provisional cast on so it would have a nice thick brim.

Carole is using up the last of the James C. Brett marled yarn for her scarf. She loves the colors but the splitty yarn is not her favorite.

Dorah's LOSY hat is almost finished. She used two leftover sock yarns (that's where we get LOSY) that were from a shawl she knitted for her daughter.

Barbara B is working on a Minecraft Hat. This is the prototype to see if she likes it. Then she plans on making another to gift.

Tina's honeycomb scarf is still in progress. It is going to be a cozy wrap when it's finished.

Barbara K's striped scarf has just a little bit more to be knitted. 

The tiny ball of yarn is all that is left.

Margaret is nearing the decreasing portion on her Helix Hat.

Nancy is beginning the decrease portion of her Melt the Ice Toque using my notes to complete it. There have been many variations posted since its original introduction so if you make one from a free pattern, it would be nice if you could make a donation to a fund that helps those who have been affected by recent events in Minneapolis.

After the first batch I knitted were sold, I made another bunch of tiny hats to wear on a lapel when you can't wear a hat. They are being sold at Cece's Wool in Guilderland to help support those affected by ICE terrorists.

Right now I'm using up some scraps of left overs to make a hat that I'm making up as I go along.

Well, it looks like I'm being paged. 

Too bad he doesn't understand he won't be getting his dinner until 5PM!

Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!

We are all working on hats again

The Chicks' official photographer (aka my husband) had a meeting today so I had to improvise a group shot with my short arms. You know what I look like anyway. LOL!

Last week I mentioned that Barbara K finished her Mini Melt Ice Brooch but I hadn't taken a picture to show you. Well, luckily, I bumped into her that evening when we both showed up for the annual school project vote and I managed to get her smiling face proudly wearing her new badge.

This afternoon she started another one using the pattern I wrote up and offered for free on Ravelry.

 (see link above)

I finished the Crosscut Beanie by Benjamin Matthews, our favorite hat designer. It's knitted with Plymouth Encore Worsted Weight and used less than 200 yards.

   

Barbara B finished her Photographer Hat and added a few stripes for interest.

She made another Norwegian Resistance Hat, (The Red Beanie as a Symbol of Adventure | Red Hat Factory) adjusting the size to better fit her head. She used Cece's Wool merino in the colorway, appropriately called "Resistance Red". The pattern is Nisse Hue Resistance Hat but I'm having trouble finding a link for you. Maybe Barbara will chime in later. Edit: I told you she'd come through. It's here

I had more sock yarn in the leftovers bag so I made three more mini hats using my pattern and

 this method for a tubular cast on.

Dorah is down to the decreasing portion of her Melt Ice Norwegian hat, using a rich, deep red wool. She is using the pattern I wrote with my modifications.

And I started another using Cece's Wool Superwash merino. 

I am just beginning the decrease portion too.

Barbara B's needles are currently working on the Equinox Reversible Hat by Berry Meadow. One side has a solid background with two zigzag stripes and the reverse side has a zigzag lace. The second version has just stripes. All those versions are included in the pattern.

Margaret made another design of her own, this time making a double thick brim which she started with a provisional cast on. The body of the hat is a 3x1 ribbing.

Nancy started the Voyageur Toque using Valley Yarns merino from WEBS. 

I was so busy knitting and talking that I didn't stop long enough to taste today's treat, sourdough coffee cake. Don't worry! Barbara let me take a couple for my after dinner snack. But I understand it was delicious! Why am I not surprised?!?!

There's a light flurry of snow falling now so I think I won't wait until after dinner. A cup of hot tea and a piece of this cake sounds like it will hit the spot until Ron comes home with takeout tonight. Wonder what he'll bring. 

Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!