Sunday, November 30, 2008

Keeping Hands And Necks Warm

I found this great pattern while reading one of The Lesser Known Skeins blogs.
Needles of Iron made the Eunny Jang's Spectrum Scarf with some beautiful Lambspun Prism.
I was so inspired I picked up the Crystal Palace I bought at Yarn Diva, printed out the pattern and was off.

I have so many projects I'm working on that this will be my mindless knit.
The pattern is super easy and the yarn is soft with a beautiful colorway.

My first pair of gloves are for my daughter. I found the pattern in Not Just Socks By Sandi Rosner. This is a great book for those of us who like to work with sock yarn.
I'm making them out of Jitter Bug merino wool. It's so great to work with this yarn, not only because it's so soft and squishy, as my daughter said, but the colorway is amazing!

I am getting better at joining the fingers without making a hole.

I finished the second pair of Magic Mittens.

I made the mitten top a little different and I think they came out cute.


These are gauntlets I made a while ago for my younger daughter.


The pattern is Evangeline by Michelle Szeghalmi made with Berroco Ultra Alpaca.



Last but far from least is the puppy of the house! Maggie is a shelter dog we adopted about 5 or so years ago.
She is ready for Christmas! Isn't she beautiful!!!!

She is a sweet heart with humans but has a problem with other dogs. I think she must have had many fights with dogs when she was on the streets and that is why her left ear looks that way.

Friday, November 21, 2008

A Gift Received And One Yet To Be Given

My good friend Pat gave me this knitting journal to write the details of my projects.



I have always wanted one! Thanks Patricia!


This is the scarf I went on and on about making.


Made of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk(the tan part) and Cashmerino Chunky(the light blue). Both yarns are super soft and I crocheted it in a shell stitch pattern so it should be very warm. I bought both yarns at stix-n-stitches.


It is 80in. which is long enough to fold in half and loop through.

We will put our names in a bag and the name you pull is the scarf you get. I hope the Chalk Dust Knitter that gets my scarf likes it

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Hats and mittens everywhere

This is my first pair of magical mittens.



They're made from Filatura Di Crosa 127 Print i picked up at my LYS stix-n-stitches.


The fingers still give me a little problem but I'm getting better. Us 50 somethings just need a little more time to pick things up.


So I started the second pair and made two right handed gloves! Don't ask! Yes then I made a pair of left hand gloves.


There are many ways to fasten the flap but I like the snaps. I will try to find snips that match the color of the yarn for the next pair.
They're made from Knit Picks Swish Superwash.


Here is my daughter Pepper with a hat she recently made and her new magical mittens.


Perfect match if I do say so myself.


This Flap Cap is a pattern from Mighty Mitts & Flap Caps a book by Cottage Creations,which was given to me by my friend Jackie.


I used Bazic Wool superwash by Class Elite. I'm new to fair isle and love doing it.


This was my daughter Zel's first fair isle project. The pattern is nordic-headband by Heidi Nyberg. She turned it into a very nice hat.

I am off to pick a pattern for a scarf I will make for a fellow Chalk Dust Knitters. Karen had this great idea that we make scarves for each other for Christmas.
I'm not good with deadlines but she said, "You have over a month!" I still feel pressure but it will be nice to have something made by someone in the group.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Field Trip with Lots of Pictures!

It's teachers convention time again and again I didn't go. Why break my 35 year record of never attending!

Perfect time for the Chalk Dust Knitters to hit the road.
We had a great field trip to Patricia's Yarns in Hoboken. It is a sweet yarn shop with amazing yarns. Patricia and her husband are a beautiful young couple who are very welcoming.




Here are Jackie(the field trip leader)and Karen looking at some of the many amazing projects around the shop.


This is a beautiful charity knit blanket for Hoboken Homeless Shelter Silent Auction.



Here is my daughter Zel, The Grimm Witch picking out the yarn I will use to make Tahoe from Knitty for her.





This is the shop pet Riley. He is the sweetest little Baby and full of love!



Here is Jackie holding Riley for a picture. Check out the beautiful blouse she has on!


This is a young man that is a regular or,as Jackie said,can be irregular at times.
Nice to see young men knitting.


Now time to eat!!!
We went to the Frozen Monkey Cafe just a few blocks away.
It's a retro restaurant that makes you feel like you stepped back to 1952.



I had half a Prosciutto, Fresh Mozzarella & Roasted Peppers Panini and Lentil soup. The food was fresh and simple.


Dessert was served on great plates. This is their Homemade Coconut Cheese Cake Slice.
It was awesome!


Yes that is a chart for a new project next to Karen's plate. We are never too busy to talk about knitting.


I had their Homemade Brownies w/ Tasti D-lite. You could not have made a better brownie at home!


We all came home with some beautiful yarn and a 15% discount for the group! Thanks Patricia!!!


Thanks Jacket for a great field trip!!!!

Friday my daughters and I went to another yarn store we had visited several months ago Yarn Diva. I was invited to join their Ravelry group and found out they had opened a new larger shop. It is as cute as their old shop just bigger and now they are able to carry more great yarns. As always mom and daughter are friendly and welcoming. Best of all the they have great sale yarns.
This will be the next Chalk Dust Knitter field trip.

I got this beautiful Crystal Palace Yarn for 40% off!!!!


Still have three more days. Lots of time to knit!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

I Have Been Nominated!

I would like to thank Lizzzknits for the nomination.



All recipients of this award should do the following.

First mention winning of the award on your blog.

Second add a link to the person who awarded you.

Third nominate at least 4 fellow bloggers for this award.

My nominations are:

The Grimm Witch of Jersey also known as Zelphine. An amazing young women who teaches 5th grade math in an inner city. She love to read,write,knit,crochet and make jewelry just to mention a few things. She is also my first born.

Pepper is an artist who teaches middle schoolers, in an inner city, art.
The Art Geek is where you will find her art. She loves gaming as does her husband and enjoys knitting and crocheting.
She is also my last born.

Diamonds and Purls is the mother of a daughter and fellow knitter/blogger Purls and Curls. They both work in education and are new to both knitting and blogging.

School Nurse Jackie is, as her name states, a nurse in an school. She is the mother of two awesome sons.
She is a part of the knitting group Chalk Dust Knitters as are my daughters and myself. We are blessed to know such a kind giving person. Her blog, as her life, is interesting.


LenaL is a blogger from Sweden I met through Zimmermania.
She is a proud grandmother of Alex, a lover of wine and an awesome knitter.

Forth add links to the recipients.

Fifth leave a comment so the recipients know they have received an award.

This is such a great way to find other great Blogs and so much fun!!!!