Filling up our inventory

Remember that pretty afghan Barbara was making last week? Well, she finished it and it's a beauty. Who knew stash yarn could make such a pretty finished product? Good job Barb!

We had a visitor this week. Kathleen's daughter, Pat, was in town for a visit. We always enjoy seeing what her knitting basket holds.
And she didn't disappoint us. This is the sweater she was making during her last visit a few months ago. She bought the yarn at WEBS when we all went for a field trip last spring. It turned out beautifully.

Kathleen started the hoodie sweater from the yarn she picked last week. I can't wait to see it with it's buttons.
I finished a shawl of my own design which I named "Flirtacious". Karin modeled it for me and until I saw it from a distance on someone else I couldn't fully appreciate the ruffled edge. I'm going to try to write up the pattern. Uh-oh! That means a trip through the cobwebs of my brain. Scary!!!
Since next week is Christmas week we Chicks are not sure if we'll be knitting together. So let me take this opportunity to wish you all a warm and wonderful holiday and a healthy and prosperous new year.

A Fisherman Afghan Finished and Getting to Know Judy

Barbara and Liz and the rest of us Chicks are just flabberghasted by the beauty of Kathleen's Irish Fisherman Afghan. This is the afghan she has been making since the 1970's for wedding gifts, going off to college gifts, new home gifts, etc. She has made so many of these gorgeous afghans that she has the pattern memorized.

But Kathleen is telling us she is done making this afghan. She doesn't want to make it anymore. But again I repeat, she has the pattern memorized! Can you believe that?!

She does beautiful work and even the fringe is beautiful! What a lucky couple who will be receiving this gift!

Kathleen's next project is this cute baby sweater from http://www.knittingonthenet.com/
She has already knitted a good portion of the top in this top down cardigan and has the sleeve stitches on holders.

Liz took a few minutes to check out my new knitting book which has the cutest leaf and lace patterned sweaters with matching hats and blankets.

http://www.amazon.com/Knit-Lace-Leaves-Baby-Leisure/dp/1601408374/ref=sr_1_fkmr3_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1276190780&sr=1-1-fkmr3

Karin stopped by for a quick visit while recovering from her surgery. She looked great. She and Barbara were discussing the golf club covers Barbara made.

The big driver cover is done with it's fuzzy head.
Karen finished another crocheted baby blanket and has to work in all the ends.

This crochet stitch almost looks knitted.
I finished a long sleeved sweater version of my daughter's baby shrug pattern which is for sale on Ravelry. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-ridge-baby-shrug

I searched through my stash and found these cute bunny buttons which I bought way back in the 1980's. I'm sure glad I finally found a good use for them.

Maureen finished the last panel of the sailboat afghan and is ready to assemble the panels. I started a baby sweater and hat set to give to Maureen for a friend of hers to raffle for charity. The pattern is from the aforementioned book Liz was checking out.

Judy is in the spotlight this week. She has a real flair for pairing yarns and patterns beautifully together.

Interviewer: At what age did you learn to knit?

Judy: I was about 24.

Interviewer: Who taught you to knit?

Judy: I taught myself and I think it shows.

Interviewer: What was the first item you completed and for whom did you make it?

Judy: I knitted a sweater for my boyfriend who later became my husband.

Interviewer: What was your favorite item knitted?

Judy: I made a little white baby sweater with rose bud trim and made 6 or 7 more for gifts.

Interviewer: What took you the longest to knit?

Judy: I made myself a heavily cabled sweater which took way too long to knit and was way too big when it was finished.

Interviewer: What do you like to knit now?

Judy: Sweaters

Interviewer: What is your favorite fiber to knit?

Judy: I like worsted weight wool.

Interviewer: Where is your favorite place to knit?

Judy: I like to knit while watching sports on TV or in my favorite chair in the living room late in the afternoon as the sun sets.

It's raining and damp today so I think I might throw on one of my warm afghans and cuddle up with my knitting. Keep those needles clicking!

Handmade Gifts from the Heart

Last Tuesday we were discussing handmade gifts that were lovingly made for us by our friends and relatives. Sheila told us about two afghans she had and still used that were made for her and her husband, Frank.
Thirty seven years ago the grandmother of their best man hand crocheted this afghan for Sheila's and Frank's wedding gift. I'm sure it holds many happy memories...

As does this fifteen year old, hand crocheted afghan from Frank's mother. Both of these afghans have held up beautifully over the years. I think that speaks of their high quality of workmanship.
Kathleen did not arrive empty handed this week either. But then again, she never does! To add to our inventory she made a chenille scarf/wrap (depending on how one wants to use it).
She also finished the lace scarf on which she was working these last few weeks. This one uses a blend of merino, cashmere, and microfiber yarn that is soft as a cloud.

To round out the collection, Kathleen made another hat using the free pattern from our local newspaper. She said she can whip one of these out in an evening.

Sheila offered to model the last of the "free hat pattern" hats which Kathleen also made this past week. Looks good with her vest!

Elaine finished the Gansey Sweater which turned out beautiful too.

Check out the details of the pattern. Isn't that sweet?

Maureen is working on another chulo hat from the free pattern site connected to Berroco Yarns. It's called Tympany and you can find it here: http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/tympany/tympany.html

This weekend my family came up for a visit so we could celebrate my sister's birthday together. Ordinarily, DH and I would have gone to visit her but he just had knee surgery and didn't think a four hour round trip car ride would be a good idea under the circumstances. So here she is after blowing out all her candles to celebrate her "mumblemumble" birthday. Let's just say that when recently (like two weeks ago) she tried to buy a six pack, the cashier asked to see her ID and she started cracking up thinking it was a joke. She immediately found out it wasn't when the cashier called the manager to her register. My sister meanwhile is trying to impress upon this "young whippersnapper" that she's old enough to be her mother and the mother of the manager as well! Weren't they red-faced when they looked at the date on the license and found out she's more than qualified to buy her own beer. ROFL!!! Sister floated through the rest of her day!

Darwin offered to model the reversible stripes scarf I made for a warm birthday gift.

My sister loved the scarf and can't wait to confuse her friends with the stripes.

An Update with the Chicks

Maureen finished her first Chullo Peruvian hat made with Berroco sock yarn, using the pattern called "Tympany" from the Berroco site. The colors are lovely together. Now she's all psyched up to make another.

Kathleen had an afghan that she made over the winter and didn't like the way it blocked out. She decided to frog the whole thing and make something new. She is, as are the rest of us Chicks, very happy with the resulting Feather and Fan Afghan.
Barbara and Elaine have done their gauge swatches for the helmet liners and have started knitting them. I'm feeling so inspired by them that I may have to put aside my current project and join them.
I finished the baby version of the "Tympany" and my daughter's childhood babydoll, Susan, graciously agreed to model it for a photo.

It's an exact replica of the original adult size but made to fit about a 12 month old.

I have some real pretty sock yarns in my stash so you might be seeing a few more of these hats before the year is over. Right now I'm going to go knit a swatch for gauge. Wish me luck!

Serenity

The Serenity afghan was a bridal shower gift I knitted in May for my friend's daughter. Her shower was two weeks ago and I just now remembered to show you.

I used five and a half skeins of Plymouth Encore which is a wool and acrylic blend yarn which makes it machine washable and dryable.
It took me three weeks to make and I like it so much I might make one to keep for myself.

If you are a member of Ravelry, the pattern is available for free.