Getting ready for winter

I love cowls for the winter. I call them mufflers since they "muffle" the boy's voice . Cowls don't drag on the ground or get all mucky. There is no end to grab and choke. They are the perfect winter accessory. I really needed to do a new cowl for Poquito this winter and found Windschief- perfect!
I did the smallest size and used yarn I reclaimed from KnitBoss's ex-boyfriend sweater. (it was not just the sweater curse. The guy was a jerk) Anyway, the yarn is great, Karabella Luna, a discontinued superwash in the perfect little boy blue.I didn't do the Windschief hat yet since Poquito wears baseball hats all year round, but really wanted some nice mittens to match. Something with a flip top that he can use at the bus stop or recess and Laura Nelkin's Flip Top mittens were the ticket !Actually the pattern calls for a fingering weight yarn and I was using a worsted but a quick swatch on 5's gave me 6spi which worked perfect for knitting the smallest size mittens. I needed no other mods. I love her patterns. Seriously well written.
Here he is modeling both, just waiting for the colder weather.

I'll do some regular mittens next and use the same yarn & numbers. Now fingers crossed we actually get some snow this year and it does not all go north again!

Not dead yet

Seriously, I cannot believe its been so long since I posted. But I have been "Twittering" (much fun) so anyone who was checking would not be worried with my blog silence.

Things are crazy as usual. DH working from home a lot (and hogging the pc, really does he need his pc AND mine when he's working?), preschool, personal assisting, babysitting and contract knitting. Plus the twins- Here is a pic of Paladin hanging out on the toy bench. Not even 5 months old yet and he's 50 lbs. Shea is not far behind at about 46 lbs now. (her pics are too blury, she will not stay still) He still gets up at 5am EVERY DAY. This puppy will be the end of me.
Noolie, my totally awesome friend up in Maine sent me this:

a cup holder for my Ladybug spinning wheel!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so totally thrilled, I've spent a bunch of extra time at the wheel JUST SO I CAN USE THE HOLDER. Yes, I'm easliy amused and completely geeking out. She is a totally rockin friend, what else can I say?

I finished another neck cozy with leftover Fleece Artist yarn from my Monkey socks. I'll just link to my Ravelry deets.

Hedwig socks with my Opal Harry Potter yarn-

5 lucky penny holders from Mom-mom. She likes to give them to the ladies at work for birdal showers and stuff.... I didn't even put these in Ravelry-

And the Thrummed Mittens for Little Cat D

Add to that eleventy million dental visits that started with me JUST getting the old fillings replaced and ended with 2 crowns and root canal and there you have it. Do you know how much it costs to get a root canal? In DE it costs $1195. That's JUST the endodontics (root canal guy). And my dental is already maxed out for the year with the crowns and replacement fillings.
sigh.

I may be destashing sooner rather than later.

I think all this is a pretty good excuse for not posting in over a month? right?

Puppy Paws

I was surfing the Morehouse Farm site, minding my own business when a little voice pipes up from beside me" Mommy! Are those paw mittens? I would really like some paw mittens!". Sigh. Helpless when he asks for handknits, I complied. Really the best part is the Morehouse wool. So soft and squishy and great to knit with. But rotten for seaming (must add a bit more twist before seaming to keep the yarn together)

He loves them! I think next time I'd have a bit more "thumb" to the mittens, but he will wear them and have fun so its worth it.

Still trying to catch a nap....

Blue & Red, Red & Blue

Mom-mom has a friend who has grandaughters who are pregnant and expecting around the same time. (got that?) She asked me to knit baby items for the little cousins and this is what I came up with: Kyle's Kap in Plymouth Encore and matching mittens, all in 6-18 month size, size 7 needles.The mitten pattern is my own, cobbled together from the Knitters Handy Book of Patterns and an idea. See the big thumb? Makes it easier to get the mitten on wiggley hands!

And of course The Mayor, upon seeing me knit the mittens, asks if they are for him..... Uh, no. "oh, I think I would like some mittens for my cold hands." Whoot! he is asking for handknits! Now let's see if he actually wears them! He picked the blue cuff and red hand, I chose to to a pesant thumb and rounded top so they go on either hand. Again, pattern my own. (aren't I getting clever? I only had to rip 2xs!) The picture looks like they are 2 different sizes, but really they match just fine.

Now I'm finishing up a project for a friend... she started socks and has been recently told she is not allowend to knit for an undetermined amount of time (arthritis and other problems). I'm not sure if I'll blog them or not...

Oh and I got another batt from Amanda's Etsy shop! I should be finished spindle spinning that soon. Its called "Goth Princess"- heh!

The Hottest Day of the Year...

The Mayor and I stopped by yesterday to give Scooter her birthday gift. It was the FREAKING HOTTEST DAY of the summer. Really. Hot + Humid= me melting.

So what did we give her? On the hottest freaking day of the summer? Oh just a pair of THRUMMED MITTENS.
Yes. Really.
The warmest mittens known to mankind I gifted to a person I like on the hottest day of the summer. Go figure.

"Ohhh they are so pretty!" "How did you get the fleece in there?"
(she might not be happy with the photos, but tough. When she gets her own blog, she can post pics of me to get even. )

Really though, Scooter has freakishly cold hands especially in winter. I expect these to get lots of good use.

Specs: Cascade 220 1 skein, color 9404. Thrums: BFL from The Flying Ewe (love her! In fact I ordered one of my first spindles from her)

Needles: Denise 5's and 6's

Pattern: My Own - really, I cobbled it together from about 5 different sources but if you want good information on what IS a thrum and how to actually put them in mittens go here.

I caught up with Amanda this week and she gifted ME with 2 rockin' awesome batts- I have pics and will post soon. I spun one batt up already and wait till you see the neato yarn it became....

Stay cool!

*** note added 7/28 She just saw the post and is NOT HAPPY about the pictures. Really, she is a beautiful woman whose petite figure I envy every time I see her! She in no way resembles a young Roz Russell. It was all my bad photography!

OK? *******