ON THE NEEDLES MAY 12

I sometimes knit for our cousins, who raise alpacas.  I saved one skein of brown yarn, called Casino after the first baby born to their herd.  I wanted to try making a beaded shawlette, but had difficulty finding the correct size beads locally.

I managed to find some in an assortment of copper colours during our winter in the south.

 The mixture had matte copper beads, along with 4 different colour of glass beads with copper interiors.  I had a small crochet hook in my collection that was the perfect size to add the beads to the stitches as I knit.

It was difficult to photograph to show the beads, but it looks great in person....
See what others are knitting at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ON THE NEEDLES 21 APRIL

I've been settling back into my northern home, including my quilting area.  I'm still trying to find homes for all my new treasures, and have been continuing on my plan to use my cut strips to make room for more.  I hunted through a basket of leftover units and I've been stitching the smaller ones together into usable block.

In the evenings, I've been knitting - something I do from time to time.  I always wanted to try entrelac, and found an interesting pattern while net surfing.

I found a large ball of variegated yarn and started knitting.  These colours will go with my new winter coat that I bought in the fall.  I may have to wear it someday, so I thought I should be prepared!  I wish the colour change was a little longer, and I can't wait to get it blocked.....

Check out the knitting progress shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ON THE NEEDLES FRIDAY

I only knit occasionally, but I've made 2 sweaters and 2 winter hats for our 1 year old grandson.  This is sweater number 3 - sized for next winter.  I had finished knitting the pieces a while ago, but since I'm a bit under the weather, and I don't feel like wrestling with the king size quilt,  I prepped the pieces for blocking.

The front and back are identical.  The design is a twist stitch that looks like a small cable.  

It has set in sleeves, and the ribbing at the neckline overlaps at the centre of the shoulders.  

 The sleeves have 3 twist bands as well.

The yarn is from Premier yarns and is called Cotton Fair Multi - 52% cotton and 48% acrylic.  I'm allergic to wool, and this is one of the few yarns that I found that was the correct weight for the pattern, and machine washable - good for little people.

The pattern is from a book called "Beehive for Bairns", which belonged to my mother.  I think she used it to knit for my brothers and for me when I was a baby.  That makes it between 60-75 years old.  

I'm linking up with other knitters at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ON THE NEEDLES

I've been busy making a second sweater for my grandson.  My biggest difficulty is finding fingering weight yarn with no wool content.  I'm allergic to wool, and my grandson has a condition that makes it difficult to regulate his body temperature, and his doctor has said no wool products!  I was able to buy some acrylic baby yarn before we left home, but I wanted some non-pastel colours.  I found some cotton/acrylic mixed yarn to make the latest sweater, but with a little one, it is so much easier if the finished product can go in the washer and dryer, especially when Mom goes back to work.
I don't usually knit with variegated yarns, but I loved the colours in this one, and the surprise pooling that occurred only in the chest area!

ON THE NEEDLES

My daughter-in-law asked if I had a pattern for a "hood" for our grandson.  With the weather getting colder, she is having trouble keeping a hat on his head and keeping his ears warm.  
I hunted for a pattern, and made one with leftover baby yarn.

Please excuse the blurry picture - took it late at night before putting it in a padded envelope and mailing it north.  I've always called this a balaclava.  If it fits, I'll make another one in slightly heavier yarn for more warmth in the colder weather that I know will be coming.

Our grandson starts daycare on December 1, and our daughter-in-law returns to work in January.  She thought it would be easier on both of them to get him used to daycare before it is necessary, and she needs some time to get her wardrobe in order, and finish some final sorting around the house, to make the transition easier for the all!

Check out the link up at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times

ON THE NEEDLES

I started making a sweater for my grandson, just a day or so before our travels south.  He'll be 1 in January, and the request was for a couple of pullover sweaters - light weight, for winter days.

I  looked through my Mom's knitting books, and found a couple of  cute sweaters, size 1 with enough texture to keep me interested.  My problem finding yarn is that I'm allergic to wool, and there is very little synthetic yarn in fingering weight.  My local yarn shop up north only had baby colours, so the first sweater is light blue.

I didn't knit much on our trip down, but I've completed the front and two sleeves, and I'm part-way up the back.  The pattern is easy, just 4 rows, so easy to remember.

I'll be heading out to search for more yarn for another sweater soon.  

Check out all the items shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ON THE NEEDLES

Actually, I just cast the stitches off the needles!  This is my favourite baby sweater pattern, from an old Beehive knitting book.

I haven't stitched the sleeve seams yet, and I need to crochet across the bottom up the front, around the neck and down to the start - I left the yarn attached.  It takes 3 small buttons, so I picked up 3 cute blue elephants to finish it.  I've made this pattern many times, in a variety of colours, but this one is special as it is for our first grandchild, due in January!

ON THE NEEDLES OCTOBER 10TH 2014

This will probably be my last knitting post for a while.  I'm down to the final skein of alpaca yarn from our cousins' herd, and I'm hoping to deliver the finished items to them next week.

I've been using all the part balls, and small amounts of leftover yarn to make the final few items.  I have finished another pair of slippers and some striped mittens.

This is the first of the pair of raspberry and cream houndstooth patterned mittens.  I use an old Beehive pattern for 2 needle mitts, and this one isn't stitched together yet.  The thumb is cream, as that is the colour of the stitches in the pattern when I began the increase rows.  The stitch pattern was in an old knitting stitch book that I've had for over 40 years, and is only a 4 row pattern.  As you might guess, I get bored with plain knitting easily, and either need to play with the stitch pattern, or the colour pattern.

I'm not sure if I'll be asked to make any more items for our cousins right away, or if they'll wait until spring, when we return from the sunny south.  Of course, I'll be in full "upcoming quilt show mode" by then......

Check out all the knitting progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ON THE NEEDLES

The start of a slipper..... I'm using up all the small balls of yarn, making stripes!

 The slippers on the right are a "desert boot pattern, that takes a button on the ankle cuff.
The orange slippers are from the same pattern that I've started above.  The pattern is from a Patons knitting book of my Mom's from the 1940's.  The book also has a page of "2 needle Mitts" in many sizes....

My latest pair of mitts in the raspberry colour - all the items are knit of hand-spun 70%alpaca 30% merino yarn from our cousins' alpaca herd!

See what others are knitting at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

Another Monday with nothing to show!!!!  I'm finishing the quilting on a donation quilt, and then I'll finally get back to items on MY list!

I have been knitting - lots of mitts in various sizes

and 2 pairs of slippers, with another one in the works.

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ON THE NEEDLES

I finally decided it was time to block the finished items!

The first scarf, made in ecru alpaca/wool yarn is made using the Asherton reversible scarf pattern.










The close-up photo shows the texture provided by the stitch pattern.












 
I love knitting lacy patterns.  This one uses a pattern called Liesel.

The yarn is 100% alpaca, in natural dark brown.








Next is the "Combo Cable Scarf", pattern from Caron yarns.  Stitched with 70% alpaca 30% merino yarn, dyed in a colour called Jade - more of a greenish gray.

This shawlette is made from the pattern "198 yards of Heaven".  Stitched in raspberry 70% alpaca 30% merino yarn.

Lately I've been working on mitts and slippers - popular now the cooler weather is on the way.  We had a light frost on the roofs this morning!


 

ON THE NEEDLES

Two finishes - a "Hurricane Hat" from Ravelery  made in a 70% alpaca 30% merino yarn in a coral colour.  The second is another pair of mitts using the the greenish gray yarn.  I borrowed the design from the scarf in the same colour to decorate the back of each mitten.  I think I need to learn to knit mitts on 4 needles instead of the 2-needle version that I usually make.  Maybe I could adapt the method of knitting socks on a cable needle to mitts......

ON THE NEEDLES

I'm still knitting for our cousins.  This is another dyed 70% alpaca 30% merino yarn.  I couldn't seem to get the colour right in the photo - it is a green/gray colour.

I picture this scarf on a man, but who knows where it will end up?  We had a busy week with company staying for a few days, but I did manage to fit in a few minutes of knitting from time to time!

Check out all the knitting shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ON THE NEEDLES

Or off, as the case may be. 

This is a small shawl, using the pattern "198 yds of Heaven".  More of the cousins' alpaca yarn, but this time blended with 30% merino, and dyed.

I'm looking forward to getting the scarf and shawl blocked, but right now my blocking boards are in the garage, behind a bunch of "stuff".  A friend moved recently, and the moving company underestimated the size of the load, and there were several bulky items that didn't make it on the truck.  We offered to store it, and I'm waiting for a call to have it picked up by the same movers. For now, our small garage is full!

I'm knitting a hat to match the brown scarf that I had finished.  It is hard knitting for others when they don't give any directions to how many of each type of item they want.  Oh, well - I'll just keep knitting!

ON THE NEEDLES

I've completed 2 pairs of mitts. These were made with 70% alpaca 30% merino yarn, and the yarn was "tweeded" with 2 different shades.  I am making some various sizes of mitts this time - apparently they are big sellers for the cousins.

My next project is with 100% alpaca yarn. It is more of a fingering weight, so I decided to knit another lacy scarf.  This pattern has 16 rows, and I have to work slowly.  I can't wait so see it blocked so it can show its lovely pattern!

Visit Judy's blog, Patchwork Times to see what others are knitting today.....

ON (OR OFF) THE NEEDLES

I have finally used all 9 skeins of hand spun alpaca yarn, making items for our cousins.  The final two items are another scarf in the medium/dark brown, and a mini/shawl in the darkest colour.

I get bored doing plain knitting, so another scarf with lacy designs and cables.  It takes a little longer to make, but the constant changing pattern makes it more interesting.

 Here's a close-up of the stitches.

 For the final project, I dug out an oldie but a goodie.  This closes with 3 buttons, and is worn with the opening to the back.  It is wonderful to fill in an open neck winter coat.  I still have mine that I made many years ago, although I haven't worn it for a long time - not necessary in the south.  Some day we'll stop heading south for the winter, and then I'll enjoy wearing it again.
Check out all the knitted items shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

ON (OR OFF) THE NEEDLES

Another scarf blocked and ready to deliver.  I took the design from a hat pattern, and I love it in a scarf!
I just started another scarf in the medium brown colour yarn - my last skein of yarn being knit for our cousins!

My cold with cough is finally on the mend, but I still get tired easily.  I guess I can't expect to recuperate at the same rate I did when I was 30!

DH has been back entertaining at nursing homes and seniors' residences this week - he had to cancel several shows - didn't want to share his virus.

 

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  0 yards

Used year to date  143.25 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date  36 yards

Net used 2014  107.25 yards

Still no movement on the stash front!  I've been fighting a cold with a hacking cough all week, and I'm sleep deprived.

I've also been quilting 3 more community quilts for my guild.  It is times like this that I'd love to own a long-arm machine, but that is not in the cards.  I'd have to quilt for others to pay for it, and I find it very challenging to decide how to quilt all these quilts - often not my choice of fabric or pattern....

I did managed to block another scarf that I knitted from the cousins' alpaca yarn.  This one is in the darkest colour - brown but almost black!

Hopefully, I'll be feeling better soon, and have enough energy to return to a couple of projects that have been on the back burner.

Check out Judy's blog, Patchwork Times to see how others are doing this week. 

ON THE NEEDLES

This is actually off the needles already.

This is made with the brown shade of alpaca yarn from out cousins' herd.

I'm back knitting on the lightest colour - a caramel shade - making another scarf. 

SOME KNITTING FINISHES

I don't usually knit very often, but when we attended DH's family reunion in June, I volunteered to knit a few items for our cousins who raise alpacas.  I came home with 9 skeins of alpaca yarn, from 3 different alpacas.
I headed to Ravelry to look for some different patterns and started with "Pearl-barred Scallop Scarf"

I love the texture in this one, and I love that I can knit with alpaca yarn, as I am allergic to wool.

Next I worked with the medium colour yarn and made the "Off-Set Diamonds Scarf".  

I still had yarn left from the skein, so I made a pair of ladies mitts, using a basic pattern, and stitching them in a basketweave pattern - I love texture in mitts.

 Using the first skein of the darkest yarn, I decided to knit a hat.

I used the "Mimosa Slouchy Beanie" pattern that is free from the Caron yarn website.  I really like the texture in this hat, with its alternating cable and lacy stitch pattern.

I have a small "shawl" type scarf finished, but it is still drying after its quick wash and blocking.  I'm knitting another pair of mitts in the lightest yarn colour.  Then I'll see what other items I feel like making.

DH has been a great help, holding the skeins of yarn while I wind it into a ball.  I remember doing this with my Mother - she knit many sweaters over the years.  I love to knit, although I'm not as efficient a knitter as my Mother, but I don't often wear a sweater.  Since we head south for the winter, I don't need hats, scarves, mitts etc., so I take advantage of every excuse to knit.

We are planning to visit our DS2 and DDIL in a couple of weeks, so we plan on dropping off all the finished items to the cousins on our way.  They sell both the yarn and finished projects at local markets.  The final picture is "Casino", when he was a baby.