George models his new hat

I hear that George liked his hat a bunch! (I didn't see him as DH left at some horrible pre-5 a.m. hour to meet him for their snow-shoeing adventures.) Here's a pic of him--I want to block those ear flaps and flatten them out for him. (Note to self: one k stitch at each end of the row is NOT enough to stop curling of stockinette stitch.) I'm pretty proud of the I-cord ties and their ends, which I twisted and knotted just like the book told me to. I think I'm getting pretty good at this stuff.


I am still working on the last rows of that baby blanket, but I'm also in the middle of the last part (handle I-cords) for a felted purse I'm going to give to my friend Deanna, and I started the "Same But Different" tank in The Yarn Girls' Guide to Beyond the Basics, which my DM gave me for my birthday LAST year. Guess it takes me a bit longer to move beyond the basics to the point of trying a real sweater. But I'm excited--the bottom edge is done in a simple lace stitch that I have previously been to intimidated to try. But the model version was so pretty that I stretched myself and found after frogging it four times that I could do it, and I wasn't even fazed by the need to start over four times! I'm using Katrina (Paton's) and found that it's been discontinued, so I'm now scrambling for one more skein (found 1-1/2 on Destash--luckily) and realizing that the days of buying a few skeins of something to use "someday" are probably gone. I need to purchase yarn with a specific project/pattern in mind now.


















Ain't that lacy stitch purdy? Katrina is a bit stretchy, made mostly of rayon, so it has a lovely sheen.

I'm going to make DD3 a kitty hat which she has requested, but I can't remember where I saw/had the pattern for this--pretty simple--hat. I remember that it is a rectangle, basically, with ears. If anyone knows, I'd love to hear your source for this cute quick project.

Happy knitting!
~Stacie

Here's the hat!

Here's the hat I made for my friend George. He and DH are going snow-shoeing tomorrow.















DD3 is very sleepy but agreed to model it for me, with ear flaps added. It's been a long day, and knitting has left my fingers achy. But in a good way. ;^)

Updates

I received a kind thank-you letter from Kathy and Kathryn at the Interim House (to acknowledge receipt of my yarn contribution--I had found a bunch of great yarn from someone's stash at Goodwill, skeins of alpaca, mohair, and wool, not moth-eaten, and with "vintage" labels--what a find!) and I also have checked the latest on their website. This yarn is going to a great cause, people! and the knitting gospel is being spread far and wide, among all kinds of people with all sorts of occupations, interests, and hobbies. I think I'd better stop before I start the "come-to-Jesus" speech. :^}

I also was contacted by our winner, Lis, whose email had gone to my spam folder. Talk about overkill! I had 500 spam emails, of which one was a REAL letter, and it had to be Lis's. Geez. Murphy never rests. Anyway, Lis turns out to be a fairly recent convert to knitting, which is so exciting. I'm mailing off the prizes on Monday, and they will make it virtually impossible for Lis to say, "Honey, I need to head to Joann's for a darning needle" or etc. because she will have ALL the accoutrements. Sorry Lis, you can probably think up another excuse--"Honey, I'm headed over to Joann's because I need yarn." It will take him a few months to realize that this is hilariously out of whack with the reality of your stash. However, speaking of stash, Lis will have a bit more now, because part of her prize package includes some skeins of PeaceFleece, a few interesting navy skeins flecked with primary colors, and some things I have in green, her favorite color.

I'd like to have posted my latest work on the baby blanket (it's almost ready to sew to the backing and finish up) and a hat I'm making for my friend George in SWS "natural earth" but the camera is NOT OPERATIONAL due to DD2 not having put the batteries in the charger. Ahem! But I have to forgive DD2 because in a few hours, I am going to see her perform in the Battle of the Bands, with her band Pizookies, and she's singing "I Want You Back." How could I be annoyed with someone so cool that she recognizes a Jackson Five song as perfect for her band???