I hate being sick...

Being sick is the pits and it cuts into my knitting time. Luckily, two days of laying on the couch gave me a little bit of knitting time (once my pounding headache went away). I have been on a hat craze lately, I'm stocking up for Christmas. Seems everyone wants nice, warm, wool hats this year. Do you think they are anticipating a cold winter? I sure hope not. Along with making some baby hats for charity, I have finished two "gift" hats to start my stash. The first is The Amanda Hat found at http://www.yogagardennh.com/Patterns/AmandaHat.pdf. I used some yarn I picked up on clearance from Southwest Trading Company called Saphira. It's a super wash wool in a beautiful colorway but I'm not sure I like knitting with it. It seems to split and snag on me and it's not as soft as I thought it would be. Maybe after it is washed and blocked it will be better. Some yarns do feel better after washing them. I have one more skein of this yarn so I'll see if it does the same on my next project. The second one is called the Rib-A-Roni hat found at http://knitjaneknit.blogspot.com/2007/12/holiday-half-time-and-rib-roni-hat.html. I wanted to make this hat in Seahawk colors and found some Cascade 22o in blue and green in my stash. I was happy to be able to use up some of my stash. I will probably be able to get two more hats out of my yarn too. Both patterns can also be found on Ravelry, they are both free downloads.

The last picture is my beautiful needle case purchased from http://www.lisaellisdesigns.com/. You can also find her at http://www.lisaellisdesigns.etsy.com/. All her needle cases are made with TOP quality, designer material and they are absolutely beautiful. Pick one up for yourself or your favorite knitter this Christmas, you won't be disappointed.

Adding to the pile...

Candy corn hat... I just love Halloween. This was a fun project and quick too. Wish I could sneak into the maternity ward and get some pictures of the little ones wearing their hats. On to making one for Hailey, after all, candy corn is her favorite!

Made the hat out of a yarn I saw at Artco yesterday. Yes, the yarn snob bought yarn at a craft store and, yikes, it's part acrylic too (and cotton). The colors were so pretty and it actually felt pretty nice too. I'm happy with how it knit up, hopefully it holds up OK to hospital washing machines. The yarn is called Little Grins. I think I have enough to make quite a few hats. Watch for Christmas hats coming soon... can't wait to make those. Oh, I almost forgot, the pattern is free on www.ravelry.com, just type in "candy corn hat" and it will come up (and pumpkin hats too).

Knitting again...

Summer is coming to an end, school is back in session and my knitting group has started up again... thank goodness, I was beginning to go through withdrawls! Plus, I was told my blog was suffering from a busy summer schedule (thanks Sue :) Ok, Ok... I really was getting desperate to get back to my knitting! I started out this week making a quick ribbed beanie for my son. He finally got his long hair cut short and was saying his head was now cold. So, out came the needles and some Debbie Bliss donegal chunky tweed for a hat that knit up in a matter of hours (thanks Lisa for recommending this yarn, it was perfect). He was happy!

Next came another quick project for charity knitting... a cute little Halloween pumpkin hat. I just love these hats and, since it is for an infant, it also knit up in a matter of hours. I've already started my second one in Dale Baby ULL (purchased at Yorkshire Yarns in Lakewood). These hats will be for the maternity ward at Madigan Army Hospital. Next I think I will tackle some hats for our local cancer center. Can you tell I've really been into making hats lately? I just love that they are quick and fun projects. Quick is always good with me since I have the attention span of, say, maybe a 5 year old! If a project is too big, in the zzzzz or frog bin it goes. I need QUICK, I crave QUICK! My stress level (and blood pressure) can't take complicated these days! Oh ya, that cable sweater I started? Already in the "frog" bin. Darn it, maybe I just need some good pills to overcome my lack of follow through on a project, LOL!

Must get back to knitting now... Oh, by the way, what a good Mom I am :) take a look at the great poster I made my daughter from the Jonas Brothers concert back in June. Did it through Costco and, guess what? It was QUICK and it was EASY... my new motto. I framed it and hung it in her room before she got home from school. She gave me the biggest hug I've ever had, that sure brightened my day! Have a great night!

Life is crazy...

Life has been a little crazy lately and knitting has not been at the top of my list. This month has been a whirlwind... at least one person in my family has been sick for the last, oh, 5 weeks or so, my parents have been in and out of town and Hailey's 9th birthday was thrown in there too along with back to school and PTA stuff...crazy, crazy. Luckily everyone is healthy now so we took a camping trip last week to Leavenworth. It was a lot of fun, the kids got to swim everyday, I got to work on my socks a little and we even floated down the river which was a first. I also got to visit The Wooly Bully yarn shop in Leavenworth where I picked up some pretty sock yarn and slipper bottoms for my felted slippers. The shop owner was there knitting away, it was a cute little shop. I'm amazed at all the yarn that they fit in such a small space but yet it didn't feel overcrowded. She was very nice and they had a pretty good selection. I was bummed though... after we got home I found out that there was also a yarn shop in Cashmere and I missed it. We were there too, guess I need to remember to do my research before I go anywhere. It's fun to hit shops you have never been to.

School starts next week so our knitting group should be back in full swing. Hopefully I'll get some new projects started or pick up on some old ones. Hope you all have a wonderful week.

Peace out...

Here are a few pictures of Hailey's birthday party. It was a "hippie/peace" theme with costumes and everything. We had a really great time, the party even turned into a sleepover. I didn't get pictures of everyone's tie-dye t-shirts but here are a few with my kids. Also, the blue hat Hailey has on is the other Meret (Mystery Beret) that I made. I'm really loving this hat and I'm now on my third one. Peace out...

Knitting again...

After shopping at the mall with my mom and niece, my niece inspired me to make a hat. She was trying on some really cute hats in a store and I thought "I can make that". So, yesterday I got out the needles and surfed Ravelry for a pattern. Found a cute one called Meret, it was similar to what my niece was trying on at the store. I found that this pattern was really easy to follow and was so quick to knit (one day) that I also made my daughter one (after I made her beg a little). I'll have to post pictures later when I can get her outside in the sun to take one. It was really nice to be able to finish a project in a day and it gave me a nice little break from party planning for Hailey's birthday. Hailey will be 9 on Wednesday and we are having a few friends and family over. I made her invitations again this year and they turned out pretty darn cute. She had decided she wanted a "peace sign" party so we settled on a hippie theme. We are having a "best dressed hippie" contest, going to tie-dye t-shirts and paint our fingernails and toes in funky colors. A friend of mine is even making a peace sign cake. I think it will be a fun little party. I may even have to make myself some "special" brownies for later... LOL!

Amazing wool wedding dress...

Ever wonder what it would have been like to have a "non-traditional" wedding dress? A friend sent me this link, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1205007/Shepherdess-bride-marries-stunning-dress-wool-flock.html, check it out. What an amazing dress, not sure if I would have worn it but it is definitely different. Pretty amazing. Thanks for sharing Jen.