Baby Gift complete!

I have completed another set of baby hat and booties. This set is for my boss's new son Nathan. I also made a bib from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I used Cascade Fixation for the hat/booties.... I used Rowan handknit cotton for the bib. I have some pink to make a bib as well, however next time I think I'll make the bib in reverse so I can just keep knitting until the yarn runs out. That would mean making two straps, then joining them with cast on stitches in between and knitting. I never know what to do with all those odds and ends of the different types of yarns!

When you were little - did you play Duck, Duck, Grey Duck?

I've been told that Duck, Duck, Grey Duck is purely a Minnesota thing. Evidentally the rest of the world says Duck, Duck, GOOSE! So, what did YOU say?


http://www.gray-duck.com/gray-duck/

http://www.gray-duck.com/gray-duck/minnesotaisms.html

My favorite goalie

What does my favorite goalie do after saving 82 of 84 shots on goal at the District Hockey tournament?

Second Set complete....

The girly version of the 2 baby sets for a friend at work is complete. I used some fun fur along the hat brim and it definitely put it over the girly edge. :-)

More baby booties and a hat

I was asked by a friend at work (in November) to knit 2 sets of hats and baby booties for her first 2 grandchildren - to be born in February. I'm just doing it! ARGH.

Here is the first set. The booties for set number 2 are complete as is almost 1 inch of the hat - knit, knit, knit, knit!

As usual, the pattern is Anna's Baby Booties from the Tangled Skein - the hat is Theresa Gaffey Designs (#68) Basic DK-weight Baby Hat. Yarn is Cascade Fixations.

I made the newborn sizes in both and have lots of scraps left to add to a scrappy hat.

Neck Warmer finished

DS#2 has school patrol this next week and it's going to be below zero all week. I used up the last of this neat yarn and made a neck warmer for him using the directions Dawn gave me. It's perfect! The hat is the London Beanie I made this past fall.... nice looking set. They have been playing around with it and they can have it down under their chin, up over their nose or on their head as a hat. Very versatile! :-)

It is made with Katia Tundra color 6705 that is 50% wool, 40% acrylic and 10% viscose. I did 64 stitches and did 1 x 1 rib to keep it nice and tight against their little necks. I'm really liking this yarn, I'll need to get some more!

Joke of the day

The joke of the day on my cell phone is:

How many sheep does it take to make a sweater?

None... Sheep can't knit.

iPod Cozy crazy?

Talk about a fun and fast project! The brown one is 20 stitches in K1, P1 rib on DPN until it's long enough for the iPod. Cast off and sew in the ends. I used suede like yarn - no details the ball band is long gone.

The blue one is made with Cascade Fixation with 24 stitches on straight needles (K1, P1) then seamed up the sides when I thought it was long enough. I'm going to pull it out and redo it on DPN so I only have a bottom seam. I don't really like the way the K1, P1 rib came out with the seams. I will probably use only 20 stitches as well, it's al ittle big for my taste.

These are for my 2 sons to help protect their iPod screens.

Swift and Ball Winder

Part of my wonderful Christmas gifts was this wooden swift hand made by my Dad! It's not only beautiful to look at, but it works wonderfully! With some Christmas money I purchased the ball winder and managed to wind 4 balls on the first try with no tangles or problems. Teenagers make wonderful winders. :-) I almost want to go re-wind everything in my stash just so it stacks so nicely but I must refrain... too many others things need doing around here.

What is that white stuff?

The 3 days of rain, started to turn a strange white color around 10 this morning. Then the "rain" drops got really, really large and started accumulating on the ground, cars, driveway and roads.

I have a vague memory of what it is but I can't quite remember it's been so long! I think we'll have time to remember the name of this white stuff since it's still coming down in full force

Branching out complete

I have finally finished the Branching Out scarf I started for Grandma in October. It is a project that isn't very easy to talk and knit or knit and pay attention to something else so my time was rather limited for working on it. The scarf is a pretty dusty blue - the pictures didn't turn out very well but you can at least see the pattern. She will get her belated birthday present on Christmas eve. :-) I'm very pleased with the way it turned out and will definitely make more - it won't be during hockey season however.

I used Peruvian Collection Baby Cashmere (60% Baby Alpaca, 30% Merino Wool, 10% Cashmere) in Color 1620 on size 3 needles . The scarf is 63 1/4 inches long and almost 6 inches wide.

Now - what to work on next.... there's the mitred jacket sweater for me that just needs the border.... there's the sweater for hubby that was started in February 2006 and has the back section 1/2 done (endless stockinette!).... there's the millions of projects I have printed off from the internet that I love. Such decisions. I think I'll enjoy the holiday with our families and decide later. I do have that book from the library that needs to be finished and returned.

Merry Christmas everyone - may your holiday be peaceful and filled with good memories to be!

A Gift Exchange!

It's been an absolutely rotten week at work - way too much to do, way too little time and everyone needs everything now. YUCK! I came home crabby and tired tonight and found a box addressed to me waiting on the table. It's a gift from our gift exchange! My week just turned WONDERFUL! :-)

My partner sent me 4 skeins of Cascade 220 in the gorgeous colors of mustard, purple, red and a heathery green with a pattern for felted embellishments. The colors are so rich and wonderful. I want to drop everything and start on the pattern!

She also shared 4 balls of Rowan Chunky print in the exact colors I've been eyeing at the LYS since last winter! Are you a mind reader? All that AND a handmade card! You are the best!

Thank you so much - you made my entire week!

Baby Hat and booties again

Are you sensing a theme lately? It seems there has been a sudden increase in the baby population around here. This is a set I completed in late October and didn't get the photo from the camera before now. Cascade Fixation yarn on both again - love that stuff!

Last Minute Stripes is complete!

The Last Minute Stripes sweater is complete. I made it in the sized 3-6 months. You can see my billfold next to it in the one photo. (My billfold is 7.5 inches wide.) It seems so tiny I'm not sure how itty bitty the 0-3 month size would have been!

The sweater was completed on Saturday and delivered to the new Mommie and Daddie for baby Cole who was born on November 22nd. We are hoping to have lots of time ice skating and playing with Cole and big brother Liam in the months and years ahead!

This sweater took a VERY long time to make - the sock yarn and size one needles didn't agree with the limited time I have to knit but it is gorgeous and I'm sure Cole will look dashing in it. I would like to try a sweater with the self striping sock yarn again, preferably one without all the separate pieces to seam together. :)

Now... on to finishing Grandma's Branching out scarf - it's half way done and I'm anxious to block it and see it bloom.

Some finished objects finally!

This is the finished bootie and hat for Niece #5 who arrived on November 10th. Grandpa flew them and the diaper bag sweater out to her and delivered them in person! Thanks Grandpa!

They were made with one ball of the Fixation yarn from the LYS. They are newborn sized. I even have some scraps leftover. I really need to find all my Fixation scraps and make a scrappy hat for someone.

Things have been nuts around here lately. It's amazing how far behind you get when you leave for a week - and then of course there's getting ready to host Thanksgiving. It's all good though, it's nice to have family and friends spend a day enjoying good food and wine.

Saturday - free day

Saturday, our very last full day, we really didn't have anything planned. We had a "free" harbor tour from our Wine Country tour that we hadn't used yet so used that at 10 am and then walked up and down the piers and just relaxed and wandered. Friday night we had seen this man on the sidewalk painting pictures to sell. He was using normal everyday spray cans, a spackle knife and paper - amazing. Saturday after dark, we saw him again and purchased a picture for only $5. They were so cheap and so neat. Ours has a sunset with the Golden Gate bridge and shooting stars. Watching him was absolutely the best.

We were in bed fairly early since we had to get up at 4:45 to catch our shuttle for the morning flight back to chilly Minnesota where they had received SNOW while we were gone. We arrived safely home just after 4:00 pm, just in time to dump our stuff, grab a bite to eat and head off to the rink to watch youngest son get a shutout in his hockey game.

What a fun and full week!

Welcome to the clan Niece #5

On Friday evening, my newest niece arrived! Grandma will be there soon to deliver our hugs and kisses to you!

Friday - Wine Country Tour

We were picked up at our hotel in a double decker bus and transported to the office of the tour company to join our fellow tour goers on our treck to Napa Valley. Our first stop was a visitor center where we sampled 5 different types of wine. We were then on to Kirkland Ranch Winery where we sampled another 4 wines. This is the place where Jim discovered he really does like some wines! We left there with 6 bottles of wines packed for the airplane and membership in their Wine Club which will see 2 more bottles of wine arrive at our door every 2 months. The next 2 winery stops were interesting, but we liked Kirkland best and were very pleased that we hadn't waited to purchase until the last stop of the day.

Thursday - Alcatraz

The ride out to Alcatraz was very chilly - that breeze is very cool! Once we arrived at the island, we began our walk up, up, up. Once at the top, we listed to our MP3 players and followed along on the tour they were narrating. I cannot begin to imagine being held there.

At the bookstore there, they had a former inmate in attendance selling and signing his books. It made me very uncomfortable to see the elderly gentleman sitting there being asked to be photographed with the children of people. They weren't interested in his book or his story - only to get a picture of their young children with an "inmate". I hope he wasn't as uncomfortable as we were.

Thursday - Sausalito

After the Muir Woods, we stopped for an hour or so at Sausalito. We walked down the pier by the bay and looked at the boats and houseboats. Then we shared a meatball sandwich at a sidewalk cafe and soaked up some sunshine. Some of the boats are small, some huge and some just took our breath away with their gorgeous woodwork!