Hats, Scarves & Mittens, oh my!

I just received an email from the woman that I help to run our Church knitting group. A team of people just returned from Turkey recently where they visited a school of children that had NO winter clothes. The group is going to buy the kids each a coat and they asked if we would be able to knit them each a hat, scarf and mittens. They need to be done by December 1 to be mailed.

There aren't many of us in our knitting group so I'm a little nervous. Add to that the fact that my pinky and ring finger on my left hand have been numb for most of today and my back is in spasms in between my shoulder blades. The spasms aren't new, been down this road before but the numbness... That's a different story. I have had numbness at night for YEARS but NEVER during the day. Who knows. I just hope it doesn't keep me from knitting.

I'm trying to find a good (read easy) pattern for a set of all three. I'll keep looking and hopefully there is something out there. Send good wishes my way and hopefully I can help make a difference.

Knitting Projects...

I have been knitting. It's hard to find time lately but I know I'm much more relaxed when I knit then when I don't. I was suppose to have a class today but it was cancelled. Kind of a bummer but life goes on, right?

This is the stocking, not quite finished. I have to be in just the right mood to do the Kitchener stitch, ya know?



I used Reynolds Lopi and really enjoyed the project. I'm not usually one to add a lot of color so it was interesting for me. The pattern called for the "leg" to be knit flat and then begin knitting in the round just before the heel flap. I didn't see the point so I just did the whole thing on DPNs. You get the funny little jog at color changes but it's not really noticalbe. All in all I'm happy with it and considering doing some for Christmas gifts.

I've also been doing mittens. I am suppose to do a class and I thought I should get a little more experience. This is the pair that I did with two strands of mohair, 1 strand of a loopy type mohair and another novelty.



It's hard to see the different yarns from the picture but I do like how they turned out. These were knit flat and then sewn. The pattern says "one size fits all" but I think NOT! I had to add 4 extra rows durning decreases and probably could have done a couple more. I'm not crazy about the seam on the inside and at the thumb. May have to modify this for knitting in the round.

My last mitten is still without a partner. I did like this pattern but I'm trying to decide on the color. Can you say, "SANTA?"



For this one I had to put the thumb stitches on waste yarn and then later pull it out and pick up the stitches. I'm sure that's the normal way to do it but I have not done it. Little scary. Easier than I thought. Hard to not have holes even with a couple of extra stitches picked up. In the end I used my beginning tail to do some cosmetic surgery and all was well.

I just plain suck...

Yes, that's right, I said it... I'm terrible. I have thought about writing a hundred times in the last month but yet I haven't. So here we are again. Me apologizing for not posting and you saying, "Whatever!" I make no promises but I will try to do better, again.

The last month has been busy to say the least. I've been getting some samples knit up for classes at my LYS and just finished a sock class today. I've got a Christmas Stocking class starting next weekend with one person signed up. I'm not sure about this teaching thing, I'm pretty good at one on one but get kind of thrown off in groups. I'm thinking that with practice it will get easier so I'll stick with it and hope for the best.

So, I know this isn't much but time is running out. I'll check back in later. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!