Warm heads

I needed a quick knit last week because I was bored excited about trying something new. Kathleen made this headband earwarmer last week and I was fascinated with the cables, not having done them in a long time. I tried doing them without a cable needle but finally decided it would go much faster if I just broke down and used the thing! For those of you who are Ravelry members you can get the pattern for the Julia Cabled Headband for free.

This is Carole's hat that she worked on last week. All finished and looking handsome! I think she said it was a Tin Can Knits pattern with the antler stitch for the design.

And Beth finished the hat she worked on last week too.

This week Beth started a striped hat. We can't figure out if it's a bumblebee or a Pittsburgh Steelers hat.

Carole worked on the beginning of a baby sweater. It's a top-down cardigan using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino... so soft!

Dorah's Wingspan has grown quickly. I saw it when she started it on Saturday and it has grown considerably since then. At this rate she will have it finished in no time.

She is almost finished with her hat too. I think the yarn has some baby alpaca fiber because it is as soft as a cloud.

Our weather here in the Northeast has been frigid lately...

 but my orchids didn't seem to get that memo. So here are some pretty pictures to brighten your day.

This is why I love having orchids. Even on the coldest winter day I have beautiful blossoms to remind me spring is not too far away!

Finished Freebies

Last Tuesday I started this cowl from a free pattern on Ravelry. It's called Colour Cowl and I used three skeins of Jojoland Rhythm for a total of 330 yards of yarn. It's a simple 2X2 ribbing so it was a good TV knit.

Barbara is just about finished with her baby blanket/lap robe. She used two Plymouth yarns that both look like a tweed. It's very cozy.

Kathleen finished a bunch of items this week. From the upper left corner going clockwise: a scarf and matching mittens, a cozy pair of slipper socks, the crocodile stitch crocheted headband/neck warmer, and a beautifully cabled headband. The free pattern is available on Ravelry.

Today Kathleen started a man's hat. At one point she stopped to calculate that the top alone has over 1,000 stitches. I try to avoid counting how many stitches will make an item. It gets a bit discouraging when you figure you're making fabric one single stitch at a time! LOL!

Dorah started this hat tonight. No more long, endless scarves in her future!

Carole finished the hat she started last week....

And this week started this one.

I am sure it will be here next week finished and looking great.

I hope you have a great week and a happy Valentine's Day on Thursday. Wishing you love!

Four down, more to go

We have some pretty nice FO's to show off tonight. Carole's infinity scarf looks lacy since she blocked it. 

 Now she is working on a man's hat to add to this current inventory. We are all inspired to knit frilly or lacy women's items but it isn't as easy to be inspired to knit men's items. It's a trap I fall into all the time.

 Dorah finished her never-ending blue scarf and it is beautiful!

 We all had a good laugh at Beth's glass head! She found it at Pier 1 and bought it for a Christmas gift that she shares with her daughter. Her idea was to use it to block hats she knitted.

 It works very well! Now we have to think of a name for her. We should make her our mascot! LOL!

 I started the Mistake Stitch scarf at the end of last week's group and finished it tonight. It's about five feet long and will serve as a gender neutral scarf. The pattern is very easy. Cast on a number of stitches which are a multiple of four and add one at the end. Knit 2, purl 2 to the last stitch and then knit 1. Turn and continue this row to desired length. It's a great TV project which doesn't require your undivided attention.

 Maureen started another project tonight but it's now the start of her busy season at work (she's an accountant) so we won't be seeing her on Tuesday nights until after April 15th.

I hate to wish my days away but I hope the time flies. We're going to miss you Maureen. You'll have to read the blog to keep up with us!

There will be warmth

Kathleen finished the set on which you saw her progress over the last few weeks. This will make a nice warm ensemble to keep cozy.

Carole's neck warmer looks warm too! The yarn is soft and not at all itchy which is a number one requirement for all of us. We like to test it by the "cheek test". If it scratches our face it just won't work! 

Dorah finished a stranded neck warmer and now has to block it. We discussed the issue of the edges curling and hoped a good blocking will solve the ruffled effect. Dorah did a beautiful job of knitting this. I don't think I have the energy to concentrate on a chart to do that.

 Beth started a man's hat. The stitch definition in that yarn is really nice.

 And Carole also finished a pair of fingerless mitts with a pretty lace pattern.

 Dorah is coming down to home plate on her blue scarf! A big button added to one end will make it a nice neck warmer option too.

 Maureen put the finishing stitches on another pair of slipper socks for the inventory.

 I was only a week late finishing up a scarf for my son's birthday. The reversible stripes are fascinating and the pattern is free if you are a member of Ravelry.

We will be wrapping up this quarter's projects in the month of February and can't wait to start the next project. Tune in soon for some info about the fun we will be having.

It's cold here in the Capital District of NY

This is the time of year I love the best. My favorite days are the brisk, cold and sunny days of January when the sky is a glorious blue and the air would freeze a tear drop.

It's my favorite time to take a walk, as long as I am prepared. And last Friday I was as prepared as one can get. There wasn't a part of me that wasn't toasty warm. The only problem I encountered was every time I exhaled my glasses would fog up. But I had an invigorating walk! 

I started a Moebius scarf last week. It's the first time I've made one and the cast on is a curious technique.

There were over 200 stitches on the needle and it seemed like an endless, boring knit.

So I think I probably won't make another but this turned out nicely. Who knows? Maybe there will be another in the future.

This cowl took only a few hours to knit. The bulky weight yarn and fat needles made for quick work.

These mittens will go with the hat and scarf from a couple of weeks back.

My sister's birthday is coming up in February and I found this Baby Alpaca Grande yarn in my stash and quickly made the Eyelet Cowl from Plymouth Yarn.

This too took only 3 hours or so to whip up. That's good to know when you need a gift in a hurry.

Another quick knit with bulky yarn and fat needles is Totally Biased. I used the four row version for this neck warmer.

My son celebrated his birthday recently and here is the hat I made for him. There is a matching reversible stripes scarf still on the needles that I am trying to hurry up and finish for him. I would love to show you what I made for my daughter for her birthday the week before but she reads this and I don't want to spoil the surprise for her. As soon as I give it to her I'll post pics for you to see.

I happened to browse through YouTube the other day and noticed a video tutorial for the crocodile stitch in crochet. I haven't crocheted in a long time but even so this was very easy to make.

I made it 12 scallops wide by 5 scallops high and it automatically makes buttonholes. After hunting through my Nana's button box I found the perfect buttons. Now it can be worn on the neck or as a headband. The yarn is Noro Silk Garden. This pattern works best with a long color changing yarn. Short color bursts are too busy for the scallops to show up best.

Kathleen made another pair of slipper socks...

And now she is making a scarf to go with last week's hat.

Barbara finished this cheery blue hat this week.

And here are the fingerless mitts she made to match last week's hat.

Now she is making this afghan using a solid brown and a tweedy brown yarn together. I thought I had a photo but I accidentally deleted it. Oh well, you'll see it in a few weeks.

Maureen blocked the Wingspan. It looked very nice. It's amazing what a good blocking will do to improve the garment.

Those slipper socks that Maureen was working on last week are finished. Now her daughter's friend will have warm toes!

Beth worked on another cloche hat. She bought a stylish button from Trumpet Hill Yarn Shop.

And by the end of the evening she had a finished hat!

My Chicks are so productive! Thank you ladies for all your hard work.