Well, my projects are rolling along.  I restarted Lauren's socks and the baby blanket for my daughter's sil is coming right along.  I have not had to rip that back. I have a couple of hats ready for seaming already and I'm working on a couple more.  I really need more hands or I need to be able to prioritize my list of things to do.  I still haven't finished my Aran Square Afghan that I started about three years ago.  I need to take time to work on that.  maybe after my darling daughter and grandson move into their own place so that I can count and follow the charts in peace.  I won't say it's more fun, but it's a "not going to last very long" kind of fun to sit and play blocks or read to him. He'll be a big boy soon and I won't be at the top of his list so sometimes the knitting just needs to wait. 

 I had the fun time of running into a rattlesnake in my backyard the other day.  Luckily I was on the stairs and he was on the ground and I startled him enough that he rattled and well... I ran back up the stairs.  Flip flops, shorts and snakes are just not a good combination.  My dear son in law came and shot the snake for me and got rid of it. 

I'll post pics of my socks and Lauren's just as soon as I finish hers.

projects galore - where's the time

I've been home from Retreat for a little over a week now and I have several projects lined up.  I'm working on socks by hand for my granddaughter, a blanket, booties, sweater, and hat for my daughter's sil who is expecting a new baby girl in a few months; also by hand.  I'm going to do three sideways Hoodies for my three grandchildren from a Mary-Anne Oger pattern ( a class I took at retreat) and a blues scrap afghan for Project Linus. I also have a lace stole in waiting and yarn for a couple more sweaters for the grandbabies.  I'm also planning to start early on hats for Caps for Kids which will be turned in (in person I hope) at the next Iwannaknit Retreat next June.  I had 60 this year and I plan to have more for next year.  At least twice as many I think.  Now where to find the time for all this knitting when I also have to keep up the house and the yard and I have other commitments as well.  Oh and my scrapbooking that I need to get a handle on.

It's cloudy out today so maybe we will get some more rain.  We need it.  It's hot and humid here and will be until at least October.  At least the garden is producing. Time to go out and pick some fresh veggies.

Tags: projects, garden

home from retreat

Well, I've been home from Retreat and vacation long enough to get laundry done and start contemplating my next knitting project.  I also have some roman shades on tap for my bedroom and painting and flooring to do in my daughter's room when she moves.  Looks to be a busy summer.  I also want to change my tables in my knitting room.  I'd like to have room to have all my machines set up or at least have room to set up my sewing machine in the quiet room.

Retreat was everything I expected it to be.  There was knitting by hand and machine (of course), good food, shopping, and lots of laughter and hugs going around.  Two of my daughters called me during Retreat and both would have sworn I wasn't at a knitting retreat.  I just laughed and told them that knitters get rowdy when together.  It's especially true when we don't see each other on a regular basis.  I'm so far away from everyone else that it's the only time I get to see them.  I'm going to try to add pictures of some of us at retreat.  I couldn't get them to go through to the forum so I'll post them here instead and just link.  I had so much fun.  The only down side was when the truck broke down, but it's in the shop and being fixed so life goes on.

Tags: home again, knitting,

Life and knitting

It's quiet here today, so far at least.  It's my anniversary and I will spend it alone since DH has to work and is working out of town.  We're counting down the days til vacation though.  Two weeks together with no kids and hopefully no worries.  Of course since we live in hurricane alley as we affectionately call it, we will be watching the weather.  Kids (who aren't really kids anymore) will be watching over the house and the plants.

I have completed almost 60 hats for my Caps for Kids project.  I'm working on socks by hand and they are coming right along.  I have several dishcloths complete and I'm thinking about what to do with the Eros Extreme that I bought because I was seduced.  It's a wide ribbon yarn that will make a gorgeous scarf or maybe a lacy vest to wear over something.  We'll see what finally comes of it.

Mostly right now I'm thinking about what I'm going to do with my redecorating/remodeling project.  I have to replace my carpet and I'm leaning toward laminate flooring because I like the look.  Youngest daughter is looking for a place so I may start in that room and see how it goes.  New paint throughout and maybe new cabinets and appliances  in the kitchen.  We'll see how that goes.

Tags: ramble

hat pattern

I got permission from Susan to post the pattern that she designed that I use for making hats for Caps for Kids. So here it is.  Thanks Susan.  Please everyone note that the copyright is Susans.  Please do not post etc. without permission.

This is the hat pattern that was developed several years ago and posted to the Bond List several years ago by Susan Sarwinski.  She said that she made hundreds of hats for charity with it and used it to teach a lot of beginners as a first project.

Susan’s Hat

This hat will fit a child to an adult.  I added 4 more stitches when making a hat for my husband because he has a slightly larger hat size.

This is also a good pattern for charity as there are four layers of knit over the ears.

ISM/USM knitting machine

Keyplate 3

~4ozs. Worsted weight yarn (MC)

Optional: several ounces of one or more contrast colors (CC) of worsted weight yarn

Gauge 4 sts/inch

With waste yarn open cast on 80 stitches and knit 6 rows.

Row 1 – 60 Knit with main color (MC) yarn.

Make the hats hem by bringing the open cast row up and placing these stitches on the needles so there are now 2 stitches on each needle.

Knit this row carefully (Row 61)

Rows 62 – 98 Knit.

Move every other stitch to the stitch next to it so you have 2 stitches on each needle with an empty needle between each working needle. Move the empty needles to NWP.

Row 99 – 100 Knit.

Leaving a long yarn tail, cut the yarn. Thread a yarn needle and run this through the open stitches.  Remove from the knitting machine and tightly gather the top of the hat.  Use the rest of the yarn tail to sew the side seam.

You can add stripes, cables, intarsia and fairisle to your hat.

My favorite variation is:

MC=main color

<PCLASS=MSONORMAL style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt">CC= contrast color

Row 16 MC

        17 MC

Row 18 CC

        19 CC

         20 CC

         21 CC

Row 22 MC

         23 MC

Row 24 CC

         25 CC

         26 CC

         27 CC

Row 28 MC

        29 MC

I also like to add stripes to rows 70 through 85. Have fun with this.

 

Tags: hat pattern

current project

Wow, didn't realize how long it had been since I posted.  I'm still working on my caps for kids project.  I think I'm at about 50.  Other than that I have started a pair of socks on one circular using the Magic Loop method.  Not really far enough along for pictures.  

I'm getting ready for my classes at the Iwannaknit Retreat. I'm really looking forward to it.  I wasn't able to go last year because I had a new grand baby due at the same time. Some things are more important.

Our local yarn store will re-open this next week.  They have been down since Katrina.  They did re-open in a temporary place with the needlework supplies, but now they will be back with the knitting and crochet supplies too.  I've missed them being open.  I'd just found them not long before the storm hit.

I bought some Eros Extreme to make a top from.  Now, will I actually be able to wear said top.... who knows.  It may end up being an expensive swimsuit cover-up.  We'll see.

Tags: socks, caps, ramble

Caps for kids update

I was asked if there was a pattern online for the hats I've been making and I just don't know anymore.  It's a pattern that one of the ladies on the Bond list shared several years ago and I don't know if it's online any more or not since the list has gone through several incarnations since then.  I will ask her if i can share when I talk to her.  I need to check in with her soon anyway.

I'm up to 39 complete hats now and I'm going to work on some more.  I work them up on the machine and then do the seaming when I'm sitting watching my favorite shows two or three nights a week.  I can seam two or three even if I get caught up in what's on the screen