Lots of talk about food today

There were six Chicks today. It was a rainy day so we felt cozy around the kitchen table. We learned about food favorites like Carole's grandfather's beef stew and Dorah's tradition of chicken every Friday. And all our grandparents cooked without measuring anything. When I asked Nana how much I should add of a certain ingredient the answer was always, "Enough". Oddly, that's how I cook and it took many years to understand, but I get it now.

Last week Dorah mentioned her favorite snack was pumpkin spice flavored Goldfish crackers but no one was brave enough to try one. 

This is a hat I knitted for my youngest grandson who likes the Philadelphia Eagles and he was concerned that I knit it in the alternate green of their jersey not the teal green. My daughter assures me he will love it. I used the 2023 Soldiers Hat pattern and added stripes. I remembered hearing that when knitting 2x2 ribbing and adding stripes, to avoid the blip of color on the purl stitches, you should knit the whole round of the new color and then return to the 2x2 ribbing. You can't see the knit row unless you examine it very closely and the stripes make a perfectly smooth transition.

Carole finished two baby hats for the grandbaby who is still gestating. The hat on the right is knitted using her favorite yarn for baby clothes, something that can be tossed into the washing machine and dryer.

Do you remember Dorah's colorful Toybox Candy Cardigan? She frogged it recently because it has been sitting in time out for so long she couldn't find her place in the pattern. So she started it again but even between the two of us, we couldn't figure out stitch marker placement for the raglan section. After numerous tries she decided the yarn wants to be a blanket. She is having more success with the Diagonal Baby Blanket! And since her yarn is self striping, she won't have to fuss with changing colors and skeins of yarn!

Carole started another baby hat, this one for donation. It's just like the blue one in the photo earlier in the post called the 1-2-3 Baby Beanie.

Maureen is adding a sleeve to her Simple Baby Pullover. She is modifying the sleeves to be longer because the original pattern made the sleeves so short they would hardly keep a baby warm.

I'm waiting for Nancy to text me back with the name of this lovely pattern and yarn. Mistakenly, I thought I would remember both but... Nancy is our Queen of the Short Rows and every time I see a pattern that includes them, I think of her and send it to her. 

Her preferred method is the German Short Row. Update: Floatini Shawl with Arcane yarns

Tina started the TinCanKnits Beloved. It's a multi-size pattern for the cutest bonnet for infants to adults.

I am nearing the last few rows of the I-cord tie on my version of Beloved. It's a quick and easy project with just enough going on to keep you engaged but 

not so much that you can't be sociable while knitting it.

I like Yogi teas for the flavors but also for the inspirational quotations on the hang tags. This one was especially meaningful to me so I'd like to share it with you.

Next week we'll have a surprise visitor who pops in once a year when she's in the area. In the meantime, keep those needles clicking!

Today's treat, DONUTS!

The Chicks started the afternoon looking very serious as they concentrated on their projects and...

discussed the disrespectful comment about Albany that was made by a certain commentator at the NCAA women's basketball tournament which was held in downtown Albany this weekend. 

Then we tasted Barbara B's delicious sourdough donuts, chocolate and vanilla. 

Suddenly the mood was lightened!

Those smiles were genuinely on a sugar high. LOL!

But we had to get to work again. Dorah's baby cardigan, the Knit Baby Jacket Set, is coming along nicely after a second start.

 The yarn is an acrylic and nylon blend that is machine wash and dry and self striping.

 

Annika's baby blanket, the Eyelet Stripe Baby Blanket, is much longer than last week's progress. 

It's a good pattern for social knitting too.

Jan's baby sweater is showing her skills off nicely. She is learning new techniques and doing a great job. It's the Top Down Raglan Child's Sweater and comes in multiple sizes.

Cinzia started the same sweater the Dorah and Carole are making, the Knit Baby Jacket Set.

I completed the Tincanknits Beloved bonnet and used the same yarn to make...

the Avery's Happy Cap which was designed by a knitting friend of mine, Iryth Ferrandino. The store where I purchased the pattern is no longer in business so I'm not sure where you can get the pattern but it's a darling bonnet. I wanted to use up this yarn but I would suggest not using a short color change yarn as it eats up the lace pattern in the crown. This hat is better suited for a solid or tonal color yarn.

Carole added buttons to her Knit Baby Jacket Set cardigan.

She has one of those tins, as do many of us, which contains hundreds of stray buttons. She was lucky enough to find just what she needed to complete this adorable sweater.

And her Helix hat from last week is finished too.

Now she is working on an acrylic and cotton blend yarn that has a beautiful drape to make a circular yoke sweater in the softest mint green.

Barbara K is still plugging away on her pleated scarf with the gradient yarn of pretty colors.

Barbara B used a cable from her interchangeable needles to make a provisional cast on for the brim/cuff of this baby hat so it can be folded up and the stitches from both needles can be knitted together as one to make a double thick fabric.

It's the Grandma's Baby Hat pattern and is free on Ravelry.

Nancy is working on what I affectionately call the potato chip hat, you can't make just one! ;) She is using up odds and ends of yarn to make the Helix Hat.

Now that my knitting needles are empty I'll have to hunt through the stacks of patterns and stash of yarn to find my next inspiration. Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!