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!

A quiet evening with my Chicks

Even though Cinzia has not been able to join us on Tuesdays for this semester, she has been busy knitting and finished two lovely items for the inventory. First up is this cute little pullover for the next time we donate to babies. The patterned section is magically knitted by the use of slipped stitches so you never use more than one color per row.

 This Mixed Wave cowl was filled with short rows to create the undulating effect between colors. The I-cord edges make a nice neat finish too.

 I watched a few Youtube video tutorials and learned the figure 8 cast on for two-at-a-time, toe up socks and the afterthought heel. These were a gift for a new baby in the family. I enjoyed making these and will probably use this as my go-to method of sock knitting. 

 Carole found a beautiful Madelinetosh fingering superwash yarn in the stash so she can start...

the Wolkig cowl. After casting on 200 stitches she is finally on her way through the first row.

The colors in this yarn are gorgeous!

Joules is still visiting but she didn't hang around long. She had to catch up on her napping in her favorite spot.

Margaret found a mistake and had to frog her hat from last week but she is back on track now.

I'm hoping to have my Wolkig cowl finished by next week so I can cast on something new. I wonder what I should knit next...

I think Rumplestiltskin is real!

Margaret started off the evening with her completed cowl, The Cool Side of Warm. It has a little slit at the neck opening so it can fit over your shoulder. The Cascade 220 yarn makes it a warm fabric just right to keep out the cold winter air.

 Then Margaret had to wind two new colors to start a stranded hat pattern.

 Her choice of cream and chartreuse will look very nice.

 This is what it will look like when it's finished.

 Barbara is almost finished with her Cushy Cowl. That tonal red yarn is beautiful!

 Carole added some length to her Birthday Cowl. It will be completed soon too.

 Dorah had an oops evening. The Wolkig cowl she was making had an accident and needed to be frogged so I got a picture of the darling stitch markers she is using to keep her place.

 And lastly is my Wolkig cowl which seems to be taking me forever to knit. I think there are yarn gremlins who sneak out at night to add to my ball of yarn so it never runs out.

Hey Gremlins! Go back to Rumplestiltskin where you belong!