Baby knits

OK, knitting for babies is fun! The stuff is little and you can actually finish something within a reasonable length of time. Amazing. The latest is a hat for my soon to be born nephew and it is purple. The pattern was the Apple Hat pattern but I had purple yarn on hand and so made a grape instead of an apple. It was such an enjoyable knit that I am now doing one in yellow.


Since it is knitting and no yo, k2tog until toward the end, I am now starting a pattern search for something a bit more challenging to do as well. I need to check my Que on Ravelry as the list is really long.

Added to the challenge is trying to find a pattern that uses something from my stash. I really, really need to stop buying yarn for a while. The stash is beginning to take over the house. (Everyone knows yarn multiplies at night since you couldn't have possibly purchased that much yarn.)

Update later in July: Baby arrived and Mother, Father and baby are doing great. Can't wait to see pictures. So now I have a deadline to get the pictures posted and hats in the mail. I function so much better with a deadline.

The Oak

I see such strength in this oak. It lives next to the parking lot of the Hospice where I volunteer. I love to drive up and see it there. It's a reminder that life goes on and there is a power greater than we are. I find comfort from that oak and what it represents to me. When I have finished making my calls and offering what help I can to grieving individuals, that oak is waiting for me. I always feel as if I could rest quietly under that oak and be at peace.

It reminds me that God is our strength and He shelters us even during the most difficult of times. There are so many reminders all around to let us know we are not alone.

In the past 2 weeks, I've lost 2 friends. One of them died way before his time and the other was 93 and it was still too soon for her. Although they were so different there were many similarities. Both had people around them who loved them. Both enjoyed a good laugh. Both gave great hugs. Both had a strong faith in God. Both will be greatly missed.

Knitting in the heat

Well sometimes setting records is a wonderful thing. Sometimes, it's not. This is one of those times. Record heat day after day gets really old. Throw into the mix every bit of pollen imaginable and you have a wonderful excuse for staying inside and knitting like a woman possessed.


I have put the Dr. Who scarf aside for a bit as sitting under that thing and running the a/c full blast seems sort of counter productive. Instead I am working on cotton cowls. I just finished a purple and gold one of mercerized cotton (Sassy Skein) and am working on a turquoise one (King Tut mercerized cotton). Although the King Tut was a better bargin (more yardage for your money when on sale) I find I prefer the Sassy Skein as it doesn't "untwist" when using it.




The purple and gold one is from a pattern on Rav and the King Tut pattern is out of my head. I started out using a pattern from Rav but got totally frustrated following it and after it had been ripped out 3 times, I decided to wing it. Nothing particularly wrong with the pattern but I wasn't in the mood to k6, k2tog,yo and then the next row k5, k2tog, yo, k1, etc. I kept forgetting to add on the last knit stitches. (Brain has probably melted from the heat.)

My pattern is more of a yo, k2tog, k6 but with one row "sliding" into the next one so there isn't a definitive pattern. Row 2 is yo,k2tog, k5, etc. I work down from 6 knit stitches to 2 between the (yo,k2tog) groups and then back up from 2 to 6. Yes, I know, it's a wonderful thing that I don't write patterns. The erratta pages would fill a notebook.

My project for tomorrow is acquiring a Furminator. Several of us tried one out on a couple of cats and a friend experimented on her lab. Talk about harvesting hair!!! Can't wait to see that the Shelties think of it. Talk about making dust bunnies.



This is the finished prayer shawl for the mother of the fallen soldier. I'll get a better picture before I mail it to the family. This is such a pleasure to knit. Check out Prayer Shawls for Fallen Soldiers on Google if you are interested. You sign in with the group and as shawls are needed you are contacted if they are in your area. If you are busy and don't have a shawl available at that time, there isn't any pressure but if you can, you may want to give it a try.