Cozy as a binky ...

... but can be worn ANYWHERE (once the temp goes below 70!). VERY SIMPLE stockinette poncho and cozy-sized hood knits up quickly with Coats and Clark's Red Heart Grande.

Here's a pic where StringBean has her arms out so you can see the arm length:
We're ready for some cold weather, now!

So simple, and yet so elegant

This is just a simple, K1-P1 rib scarf -- yet it is reversible (as the purl stitches "hide" and allow the knit stitches to appear as if it's knit stitched on both sides) and so soft using Lion Brand's Cotton Ease. This one is for Lego-Maniac and took just over a skein each of "snow" and "charcoal" making this scarf approx. 45". For an adult version, I'd add 2 more repeats of the 15-row stripes and end with the snow, to make it about 60". No fringe so this can stay nice and elegant!

Now this is a CAMPING SWEATER!

This is just off the needles -- a hooded jacket/sweater for camping or just playing around !

But, which one should get it? Lego Maniac -- who thinks it's very cool -- or String Bean who doesn't care that the buttons are for a boy, she thinks she looks better ...

Kind reader, please vote ... which one of the kiddos should get this work of art?????

And here's BamBam's socks

As promised, here are BamBam's sox just off the needles -- I'm thinking I'll make the same sox for dh and then reverse the colors for a new pair of hiking sox for MOI!

Thick Mittens and Socks

There is something absolutely amazing about knitting with thick wool -- everything goes together so quickly!



Here are two pairs of mittens knitted with Dale of Norway's Hubro and size 10.5 needles ... they went together in a weekend and will be ready for dh and I when next Denver has a snow-storm (which around here, could be any day between now and June!).

And here are two pairs of socks -- the "orchid" ones for String Bean and the "charcoal" ones for Lego-Maniac. Since I can never make the same socks twice, each of these are slightly different -- note the 3x3 rib all the way to the heel flap on the orchid socks and (which is harded to see) the difference in heel flap patterns. Designing socks is fun because you can experiment on a small portion and have fun with it. And it's not a big deal to visit the "frog pond" with these socks as there are only 24 total stitches cast on. These will make great hiking/camping socks for this summer as they're very thick but tightly knit on size 8s using Lion Brand's Wool-ease Chunky (a wool/acrylic blend which is machine washable).

Bam-bam, of course, now wants a pair -- with orchid heel and toe but charcoal elsewhere. I'll post a picture when I finish the second of the pair of those. Socks are so fun to knit and with this thick yarn, I'm able to make a pair in 4 hours or so!

Another capelet ...

... this one for String Bean's First Holy Communion dress. The prettiest dress I could find for our little String Bean was sleeveless -- which will be fine for her cousin's wedding in SC in June -- but not quite appropriate for Mass (especially in April in Colorado!). So I wanted to make her something unique, pretty and that would complement her dress.



Here's what I came up:

And here's a closeup: It turned out exactly as I envisioned -- simple but sophisticated, light and airy while keeping her shoulders/upper arms warm, complementary to the dress (hits just above the attached sash). It's knit with Lion Brand's Babysoft, an acrylic that knits up beautifully and keeps a crispness to the garment (and it's machine washable -- really important around here).

What I've been working on

I haven't posted any of my own designs in awhile, so I thought I'd show you what I've done lately. I'm working on a new project and these are the first two designs -- a stuffed (with pellets from the neck down, fiberfill for the neck up) varied striped snake (complete with I-cord forked tongue) and a silly cap. Cool huh?

First FO ...

String Bean (my almost 7 yod) finished her first ever knitted project -- this lovely (I mean "cool") scarf that she gave to her brother for his 8th birthday. This was knit with one skein of Lion Brand's Thick n Quick wool-ease on US15s. You can that she started on the left (very loose and uneven) but she persevered and the right-hand side really is quite good. She's anxious to get started on her next project, knitting a scarf for WW2 veterans.

I think (and hope) she's caught the knitting bug!

Here's a priceless definition of living knitting

My almost 6 yo String Bean and I were driving to pick up Kotch.

From the back seat: "Mom, do you know how to make a boy like you?"

Mom, driving on a busy interstate: "Well, um, honey -- what do you mean?"

From the back seat: "You just knit something every year for Christmas for him. Pretty soon you'll be married."

Mom, grinning from ear-to-ear: "Oh. Well,now, do you stop knitting for him once you're married?"

From the back seat: "Oh, no! Once you're married, you can knit for him whenever you want. For his birthday, or whatever."

Well, there you go!