Knitting

I have been knitting up a storm in 2013.  Of course spending six weeks in Arizona allowed for a lot of knitting time.  We would go sightseeing so I would knit while riding around and there were some rainy days sitting in the trailer so I was never bored.  While there I produced:

Slippers –  Stacy, Laura, Becky and me – Grandma’s slipper pattern - love this pattern.  I had already made all the granddaughters slippers before I left.  The pattern is so easy and the slippers are warm and comfortable.  Since returning I made Izzy a replacement pair since she lost one.  :)  (I blame the cat)

Hats – Izzy scull hat, Jessica very complicated four color scull hat, blue lacy hat with yarn I bought at Mesa Market I gave Becky, pink and white hat and a purple hat.

Scarves – crocheted and mailed a green and white scarf for an organization collecting scarves to give to the Sandy Hook residents.  Green and white are the colors for the school where the children were shot just before Christmas.  Three ruffled scarves made with Red Heart Sashay yarn, gave one to Nancy and two to Cheri, and one blue ruffle scarf out of yarn similar to Sashay bought down there somewhere – maybe JoAnns.  Really didn't like working with it but it came out pretty.

Two washcloths of soft cotton  yarn that I love – called I Love This Cotton – from Hobby Lobby

Two dishcloths out of new cotton yarn that I didn’t love because the red bled also bought at Hobby Lobby but don’t remember the brand.

 I also worked on a cape for myself.  It was a very cool pattern - you start with 92 stitches then increase in an interesting way every right side row until you have 492 stitches. Then you do ribbing.  I finished it after we got home

Also after I got home I made the girls' vest from a pattern on Ravelry called Entrechat.  I think this is probably my favorite knit pattern I have done.  It is interesting and fun to do plus comes out darling.  I have enough yarn to make another one and plan to make one to enter in the fair.  I found butterfly buttons to use that set off the angles of the vest perfectly.  Audrey told me she wanted pink but Izzy and Lily had a hard time deciding what color they wanted so I took them to Twist yarn shop and let them pick out their yarn.  Lily went with red and Izzy picked out a goldish brown.  That was a fun shopping trip as the girls got to watch Shelly, the owner, use the swifter to wind the balls of yarn. The girls were amazed!

Inbetween projects I have been making hats for the NICU or to give to other charities such as the cancer society or one to give to homeless.  I love making hats and found that knitting purple during KState games seems to help them win.  Well, not really but there are quite a few of us on Twitter that think our knitting helps.  :)

The black and gold hat in the middle is for WSU fans in the NICU.  I knitted on one during the basketball games and they made it to the final four!  I have some bright red, blue and purple yarn ordered through Twist to make some preemie hats in all the Kansas college colors.   Hats are such easy projects to work on so I have one started all the time. 

I also have a new crochet project started that is not going well at all.  So far I have ripped it out three times and if I didn't have so much yarn bought for it I would give up.  I rarely do complicated crochet projects - that is my total relaxing hobby for when I am stressed or recuperating from a surgery.  Crocheting is supposed to be mindless - this is not!  But now it has me mad and I am bound and determined to win.  When I finish I will post a picture.  Of course the thought of it being finished makes me laugh at this point.

I took up knitting six years ago about now.  It was just after my dad passed away and the girls were born but were in the NICU and it was a very stressful time.  I had always wanted to learn to knit and had tried three times before but giving up. So this time I got a book, yarn and needles and every night for weeks I would try.  I would usually rip it out by the end of the evening but the next night would try again.  I finally got a dishcloth made and the rest, as they say, is history.  Since then I have made many projects and taught others how to knit.   I am so glad I stuck with it.