FO's and WIP's abound

Topics of conversation were all over the place today. Babies, dentistry, health insurance were just a few of the discussions bouncing around the room. Eventually, we talked about what to make with the yarns from our trip to WEBS last week. They were spread across the table for inspiration.

One of the patterns we took into consideration was the Phazelia's Mitered Baby Sweater which I made 

in 2017. It looks best if knitted with a self striping yarn to highlight the angles of the rows. But we won't be making baby clothes until September. 

For now we are still knitting for The Falcon Boutique at Albany High School. Carole finished a Bias Scarf to use up the last of the James C. Brett Marble Chunky yarn. The pattern is only two rows and very easy to memorize. Choose your yarn and appropriate sized needle, cast on enough stitches to achieve your desired width, then every right side row, K1, knit into the front and back of the next stitch, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, K1. Wrong side rows are knit only across the whole row. Nothing could be easier! Just remember you won't see the shape until you're a good 3 or 4 inches in. Make sure your needle is a little larger gauge than what the label recommends so the resulting fabric is drapey.

She also completed a Squarshy Slouchy Hat. When a friend commented on how large it was, she explained it is for people with lots of hair to tuck in. The younger crowd likes this style and someone has already requested one from Carole.

Dorah completed her Helix Hat from last week. She has chosen more yarn for another already from the new yarns recently purchased.

Carole had another FO, the Royal Icing Headband which was part of our recent KAL.

Maureen finished her Olive You Baby Sweater for a friend's baby and found the cutest buttons!

She used a Malabrigo yarn, one of her favorites for it's colors and the lovely fabric it creates.

Dorah liked Carole's bias scarf so she immediately cast on to make one using...

a beautiful gradient yarn from Noro.

Tina is still working off that huge ball of yarn which seems not to have diminished in size at all.

She's knitting the Owlie Sleep Sack for our other knitter's group. I think Tina is one of those knitters who works on one project until it's finished. Gee! I wonder what that feels like. 😁

Margaret is in love with the single row, jogless technique for a helix striped hat.

Jan has a Helix Hat started on her needles too. It's such a fun pattern to make and uses scraps of yarn not otherwise in large enough quantities for a whole project.

Maureen had just enough of the Malabrigo yarn left over from the baby sweater to knit the Bankhead Beanie. It starts out with a twisted rib stitch for the cuff which gives it a unique look.

She finished last week's hat and started a cowl to match using the basic design from the Swirl Hat pattern for the body of the cowl.

Nancy started a Helix too! That gradient yarn is going to be a stunner!

Carole was going to knit a cowl but decided to go with 

Stephanie Pearl McPhee's One Row Handspun Scarf.

The yarn, she felt, was too scratchy for a cowl which might be worn against the skin. A scarf can be worn over the coat so it wouldn't matter as much.

I had some Valley Yarns Valley Superwash Sport in a pale blue. Having watched a YouTube video tutorial originating in Turkey for the stitch pattern, I was inspired to write up the project to knit a cowl.

Well, I'm going to start dinner, a cottage cheese and egg concoction that bakes in a souffle dish. I tried it a couple of weeks ago and liked it so tonight I'm going to put different additions in it. Gotta use up a fresh tomato before it goes bad. Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!

I hope this works!

My email decided not to allow me to download to my laptop the pictures I took today so I am trying to work things out on my IPad. Keep your fingers crossed that it works! We had a full house and had to add one more chair when…

Cinzia arrived. It’s a good thing this is a long table! Maureen was admiring the sweet little bonnet that she finished for the Friday knitting group.
 

Cinzia’s project for the Chicks’ donation is the Celtic Cable Neckwarmer, a freebie on Ravelry.https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/celtic-cable-neckwarmer

She brought a show and tell cowl that we are thinking about as a KAL. The Mixed Wave Cowl is something she made for herself a while ago so Margaret was checking it out.https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mixed-wave-cowl

Margaret is working on a Helix Hat. She just cast on stitches for the brim and has started the striped section.

Barbara B. finished the Grace Gardens Cap in a day! https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/grace-gardens-cap

And she started another hat called Bullseye Diamond Hat. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bullseye-diamonds-hat Because the yarn is dark blue she had to use her neck lamp to reduce eye strain.

I started a single stripe helix hat too, trying to use up left overs. I apologize for the mishmash of pictures jumping all over the place. Hopefully, you’ll get the idea of how our afternoon went.

Cinzia finished a couple of more Royal Icing Headbands using a pretty gradient yarn.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/royal-icing-headband

And Maureen’s hat is a little bigger than it was last week.

I snuck a candid shot of Barbara K’s scarf. She doesn’t like to show the same thing each week but I think it’s important to show that our projects don’t happen overnight!

Jan’s scarf is also labor intensive!

Tina started a newborn hat for the Friday knitting group.

The cuff is knitted and now it’s on to the cables.

Dorah completed another colorful LOSY hat.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/losy-hat

And now she’s finishing up her Helix hat.

She brought in her personal project to show us how it’s coming along. The Brickless uses a DK weight yarn from Miss Babs collection.https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/brickless

Nancy is making progress on the 2x2 ribbed cap using two strands held together of contrasting yarns.

And last but certainly not least, we have the treat of the day, sourdough chocolate crinkle cookies. I used to make the regular non-sourdough version of these every Christmas but haven’t in a long time. Barbara’s version were much better, more chewy than crunchy.

I might have to consult with my IT professional, aka my son, to find out why the pictures didn’t work this week. Luckily, I have the IPad to fall back on.

Hope you have a great week and keep those needles clicking!

Knitting for the Falcons

We continue to make a variety of items for the Falcon Boutique at the Albany High School which provides students with whatever they need, free of charge.

Last week I showed you Jan's Reverb Shawl which she said wasn't turning out the way she expected. So she frogged it and is now knitting the Easy Goes It Shawl which is making her so much happier. It's what I always say, if it's not fun, don't do it!

I decided to take on a mindless project as my level of tranquility has been tested too much lately. I am knitting the Soldiers' Hat, a simple 2x2 ribbed beanie that involves no thinking at all. I am making an effort to knit men's items which is a stretch for me. 

Knitting women's and children's clothing just seems easier. It isn't necessarily but maybe the patterns are more interesting to me.

I finished my own design headband which is sort of non-specific gender-wise. If the knot is worn in front it has a more feminine look as opposed to keeping the knot at the back of the head.

Maureen finished a Helix Hat and a Royal Icing Headband and has started another in blue. This pattern is an easy introduction into learning the Brioche Stitch.

Dorah added more rounds to her LOSY Hat. I just love the colors! She blended a solid blue sock weight yarn with the pastel variegated yarn and they are beautiful together!

Barbara B started another Hoodola in a smaller size. This weekend Laura Nelkin, the designer of Hoodola, released an update to the pattern to include sizes from baby adult so it fits a much wider range of sizes.

Nancy finished her KAL Royal Icing Headband in a vibrant teal blue. 

Her stitch tension is nice and even.

Her next project is the Decision Tree Toque.

Carole and I admired her choice of color (it's a favorite of both of ours). The solid yarn perfectly shows the beauty of the stitch design.

Carole is working on her 2x2 hat and decided to make it a slouchy.

And don't let me forget to show you Barbara B's contribution to our calorie count this week! These sourdough brownies were out of this world!!! 

It's that time of the year that even when the sun is shining a bit, there is a dampness in the air that chills me to the bone. And as much as I love a cold, crisp, sunny winter day in the 20's, these days when the snow starts to melt and the ground is soggy make me want to climb under a blanket. So I'm going to brew myself a hot cup of tea and get back to work. 

Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!