Knitting 2016

Plimouth Hat

This hat I made for my dad for Father’s Day.  I bought the yarn because it was so soft and made in Maine.  I really loved that the pattern had another New England reference. 

Yarn: Swan’s Island Natural Worsted

Pattern: Plimouth Hat by Alicia Plummer

Saroyan

Pattern: Saroyan by Liz Abinante

Yarn: North Light Fibers Worsted in Ocean Mist – I bought this yarn at the North Light Fibers Knitting retreat in 2015 on Block Island. 

Needles: Size 9

Lancelot

During the Sumer Olympics this year I made the following sweater for Munchkin.  He chose the yarn and pattern.

Yarn: Munchkin chose the yarn from a ice cream shop near my parents house in Mass.  A local woman made the yarn.

Needle: Size 7

Pattern: Lancelot by Solenn Couix-Loarer

Fleur Bleue

During the Summer Olympics I was able to start and get a pretty good dent into a sweater for Pearl this year. 

Pattern: Fleur Bleue by Christelle Nihoul

Yarn: Queensland Collection Joey’s Baby SilkA

Needle: Size 4

Cat Hat

Pearl loved her cat hat.  So I made her another one just a little larger this year. 

Yarn & Pattern: Top This! by DMC

Needles: Size 9

I also made this butterfly one for Pearl. 

Blueberry Hat

A kit from Euro Baby made for a co-workers baby.

Needle: Size 6

Teachers Gifts

The below are gifts I made for the kids teachers for the holidays

Perfect Topping for Pearl’s Teacher

Pattern: The Perfect Topping – Euro Yarn Design

Needle: 10

Perfect Topping for Munchkin’s Teacher Assistant

Beret for Pearl’s Teacher

Pattern: Purl Beret by Purl Soho

Needles: Size 2

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Lightweight

Wurm for Munchkin’s Teacher

Pattern: Wurm by Katharina Nopp

Mitts for our Sitter

The kids love the woman who watches them after school.  She was Pearl’s teacher last year.  We are so lucky to have her. 

Pattern: Susie Rogers’ Reading Mitts by Susie Rogers

Needles: Size 2

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Soft Rock in Watermelon Tourmaline

The P*ssy Hat

For the march in DC January 21st there is a group encouraging pink cat hats are made to represent women empowerment.  I made one for my neighbor and her sister who is going to the march.  https://www.pussyhatproject.com/

Harrisville & Squam

The first weekend in June I left on Wed. and drove up to Squam Lake.  I stopped off at Harrisville along the way.  I had read a book on Harrisville and wanted to visit for years.  I met my friend there and we met at the shop to take a tour of the factory.  The factory was pretty large.

Here is the fiber already died.  They combine the pre-died fibers to make multiple colors. 

This is the machine they put fiber in to clean out. 

This is the machine they use to combine and comb the fiber.

This is the output of the combing machine.  This machine takes up most of the building.

Then just one strand comes out.

These get twisted and combined into yarn. 

Wednesday night I finally made it up to camp.  It was a knitters/crafters paradise.  I took a rug hooking class and a sock class.  Both were good.  I took yoga classes twice.  I ended up being in a cabin with 4 other awesome ladies.  We had a nice and relaxing time together.  It was amazing.  The whole atmosphere was just so nice, chill and organic.  I even got out on the lake to go kayaking. 

Knitting at a Snail’s Pace

For more than 6 months I haven’t has a ton of time with the kids and work, mostly work.  This is all I have knit which has to be a record for me of the least I have knit since I started knitting.  I did meet my goal of knitting for all my kids teachers though.  I wouldn’t give up on that. 

Striped Color Changing Cardi

This summer cardigan I knit for my daughter to showcase the white yarn changes color to purple in the direct sunlight.  This was the first time I had seen that type of yarn. 

Pattern: Baby Kina

Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton & Hikoo Abracadabra

Needles: Size 6

Bulky Cowl

This double wrap cowl was made for my kids baby sitter and Pearl’s teacher.  She does so much for us.  I made up the pattern using a simple seed stitch.

Yarn: Woolfolk Hygge

Needles: Size 15

Waverly Cowl

This knit was a Christmas gift for Pearls teacher Ms. Hannah.  She is such an awesome teacher.

Pattern: Waverly Weekend Cowl

Yarn: Mambo from Dancing Leaf Farm

Needles: Size 7

Lucy Hat

This hat went to Munchkin’s teacher.  I actually want to make myself one, in the exact opposite colors.

Pattern: Lucy Hat

Yarn: Birte from Spirit Trail in Plum Crazy

Needle: Size 3

Sheep Hat

Pattern: Sheep Cardigan Pattern I took the yolk and used it to make the hat. 

Yarn: Shelridge Farm Soft Touch

Cat Hat

Pattern: Top This!

Recent Knits

My time to produce knits was taken up by preparations for the First Annual Long Island Yarn Crawl.  I did manage to get a few things done recently.  I made a crown for a friends son’s 2nd birthday party.

Pattern: Circlet by Dan Sunshine

Yarn: Cascade 220

I have two friends having babies this spring.  This is the year of the sheep so I couldn’t resist making them sheep hats.  One ended up being a girl and the other is a boy that should be here any day.

Pattern: Snugly Sheep Baby Hat by Sylvia Leake

Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft DK

Pattern: Peeping Sheep Hat by K.M. Bedigan

Yarn: Shelridge Farm Soft Touch DKW

I started this project back in November but just didn’t pull it together to finish it up until fairly recently.  I LOVE the color of this yarn and just love O-Wool yarn.  I thought this would be a classic sweater that will get a lot of wear. 

Pattern: Featherweight Cardi by Hannah Fetig

Yarn: O-Wash Fingering in color Appalachian Stone

Needle: Size 5

Long Island Yarn Crawl

Two weekends ago was the first annual Long Island Yarn Crawl (http://longislandyarncrawl.com).  I organized the event with the help of a couple of friends.  It was an amazing event that performed better than anyone thought it would.  So many yarn lovers came out, it was awesome to meet so many other fiber passionate people. 

My Thurs. night Panera crew joined me on Sunday and another friend from our group joined me on Saturday.  I always love hanging with my girls.  I went out of my own Thurs. and Friday.  It was so awesome!

Here is a picture of all my purchases.  Since I was the organizer I thought I should at least buy something at each shop. 

Here is a picture of me and my friends who helped me organize the event.  They were great!  I am still digging out and cleaning up from the event. 

Fun Baby Hats

A friend of mine had her baby a wee bit early.  Early babies tend to have their heads grow about an inch every few pounds so they go through a lot of different hat sizes so I wipped up a couple hats for her baby.  I have made the berry hat before and it is cute and all, but I really love the flower hat, Clochette.  I may have to make that for my baby girl.  Congrats to my friend on her new baby!

Pattern: Clochette

Yarn: Shelridge Farm

Needles: Size 4

Pattern: Berry Baby Hat

Yarn: Shelridge Farm

Needles: Size 4

Teacher Christmas Gifts

I like to make gifts for the kids teachers so they have a super special gift from us.  The kids learn so much from their teachers and spend so much time with them that they deserve something special. 

For Pearl’s teachers I made a cowl, hat, and headband, one for each of her teachers.

Willow Cowl

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in color Muddy Autumn Rainbow

Needle Size: 5

Plum Tree Slouch

Yarn: Madeline Tosh DK

Need Size: 9

Center Row Lace Headband

Needles: Size 5

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Silk Blend

For Munchkin’s teacher she is big into reading and making the kids life long readers.  So I made her these mitts.  She is also a knitter so I knew I had to do something a little more special she wouldn’t necessarily do on her own. 

Reading Mitts

Yarn: Shelridge Farms DK Soft

Needle Size: Not sure

Hats

Baby Pearl had her winter sweaters made for her.  Now it was time to finish up some hats for her.  Her head grew a lot since last winter. 

Pattern: Baby Hat with Leaf Edging

Yarn: O-Wool Legacy DK in Grove

Needles: Size 7

Pattern: Kitty Hat

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino

Needles: Size 2

This hat is for me made from yarn my parents brought back from their trip to Alaska this year.

Pattern: Magnolia

Yarn: Oomingmak Quivit

Needle: Size 4

This hat was made for a friend who newly had her third baby. 

Pattern: Garter Ear Flap Hat

Yarn: I can’t remember, it was from my stash.

Needles: Size 7

Summer Knitting

I spent the summer knitting Baby Pearls winter sweaters.  I made her a kimono sweater and leaf sweater.  The yarn on the leaf sweater is O-Wool which I would totally buy again. 

Pattern: Temari Kimono Jacket by Kyoko Nakayoshi

Yarn: Tucker Woods Artisan Yarn & Fibers in BB Toes

Needle: Size 5

 

Pattern: Cascade by Raya Budrevich – I totally love this pattern and would love to make one for myself.

Yarn: O-Wool in Legacy DK

Needles: Size 7

Block Island Knitting Weekend

Last weekend we packed up the family and went to Block Island, RI for a knitting retreat.  We were out the door by 7:30 to drive to the end of Long Island to catch our first ferry.  We then got to CT and drove to Pt. Judith, RI to catch our second ferry of the day.  The ferry is such a nice way to travel with the kids.  As you can see from the pictures they just love walking around the boat and seeing the water.  The ferry to Block Island from Pt. Judith was a little rough because of the winds and I didn’t feel too well on it.  The trip back wasn’t as windy and totally fine. 

We got to Block Island and settled in walking around a little bit and then headed to North Light Fibers for a tour.  Munchkin thought that on Block Island there should surely be some Lego’s as those are sometimes called blocks.  The mill had a little basket of Duplo’s which were the only Lego’s we found. 

Munchkin was taught how to needle felt.  He made a lady bug and the sun. 

The tour of the mill we saw the fiber drying racks in the downstairs were they get the fiber ready and dye it. 

Upstairs they showed us where they do most of the work.  They have a closet of a room where they blow the fiber around to give it air.  Then they put it into this machine which takes the guard hairs out.  The guard hair drops to the bottom and the good fiber comes out the other side.  Munchkin was even put to work. 

They put the fiber into this machine combining different fiber types as you see here to output a cotton candy like strand of fiber. 

Those long fiber strands are combined to balance any imperfections.

They are then spun into a single strand.  Those single strands are combined to give the yarn multiple ply’s.  It was so interesting to see.  All their machines were new and modern since the mill has only been in operation for about 4 years.  They said they got all their machinery from Nova Scotia I think.  It was pretty cool to see. 

We had dinner at our hotel with the rest of the group.  Our room was large with a view of the ocean and perfect. 

Saturday we woke up to have breakfast and since I didn’t have class we went off to explore more of the island going to the playground, beach and downtown. 

In the afternoon after lunch we went to the South Lighthouse for a tour.  The boys went up to the top of the lighthouse while Pearl napped in her stroller at the bottom with me.  You will see Munchkin wearing this red sweatshirt a lot.  It says Block Island Rescue Team with a cross on it, so of course he had to have it. 

After the lighthouse tour the owner of the animal farm gave us a tour of all the animals including some that were in his barn.  Munchkin got to pet a kangaroo.  It was really neat.  Munchkin was convinced one of the lighter alpaca liked him as it tried to kiss him a ton.  When people asked if you could pet the alpaca he went right up and pet this one alpaca like he was a champ. 

Saturday night Munchkin and I went to dinner and brought it back for Nithin because Pearl’s cold had gotten a lot worse and she just needed to rest.  Between teething and having a cold she has been having a tough time the past few weeks. 

On Monday I had classes all day with Gundrun Johnston.  In the morning we did seemless sleeves which was super interesting.  In the afternoon I did Shetland lace.  She was an awesome teacher and an all around great lady.  Here we are in my shawl by her with my friend.  While we were in class our boys and Pearl were getting lobsta rolls and frozen lemonades.  Munchkin got himself a 3-in-1 push pop which he thought was so cool. 

At the end of the day Sunday we headed to the beach to have a little sand play and walk on the jetty.  Pearl loved to dig and wouldn’t look up for any picture except this one. 

Our last morning on Tues. Munchkin and I woke up early and caught this amazing sun rise.  Pearl and Nithin were already out in the car for a ride since she was up an hour earlier. 

Tuesday morning I did a Fair Isle class with Mary Jane Mucklestone.  She was very nice and I really enjoyed her banter about various topics around her travels and Shetland. 

I wanted to go to this retreat in part for the teachers but to also see Block Island where my friend summered as a child and talked about a lot.  It was a great time all around.