The Touques {and an Afghan}

I found this pattern for a knitted hat on Pinterest (where else? 😀). I knitted the first four in a solid colour. The pattern was easy to follow and they were turning out well, so then I decided to get creative. Stripes!! The remainder of the hats all have a stripe or two or many in them. They are knit in the round. If you are a knitter and have knit using round needles, you know that knitting in the round will put your stripes off kilter (think of a giant spiral) each time you start a new colour row. I even learned how to fix that! I am becoming a little addicted to wool. I made an afghan for Peach, have one started for Beans, and one planned for our master bedroom.

These belong to the four youngest. The pink ones being the three youngest.

Next was Nathanael and his girlfriend's.

Then came the bumblebee hats as I called them. These were for Peach and two of her high school friends who ended up at the same university and in the same dorm. These are their dorm colours.

Next were the ones for Beans and her boyfriend.

Then I knit this and and crocheted a neck warmer for me. I think I wore it once with the coat I planned it for and then the zipper broke on the coat. I do not fix zippers, so I had to get a new coat because it was COLD out. My new coat is black so...

I made myself and the Engineer matchy hats. His is the one with the stripe.

During the holidays, I made this one just for fun. I call it the accordion hat. 😊 Beans just thinks it is ugly. Oh well!! I think it is fun. I don't know who is going to wear it, so for now it goes in the bag of random-hats-I-made-just-because.

Last, but not least is the afghan I crocheted for Peach. The wool comes in a mixed yarn ball that you see in the background. These photos were taken when it was not quite completed. It was already dog approved however. 😃

There were a few other knitting and crocheting projects I completed, but they are currently not around for photographing, so they will have to wait for another day.

I have switched from knitting to crocheting for now because I can take most crocheting anywhere and not worry about dropping stitches.

Knitting

In my severe blogging absence, I did find time to do some things. They were simple knitting or crochet projects that I could pick up and put down without worrying about counting or markers or any other such thing that detail projects take. I am still horrible when it comes to gauge. I didn't think it would matter too much with hats, but as I discovered the other night when the hat I knit myself once again slid up my head and fell off without me knowing, gauge is even important for hats.  I realized that I really really need to take the time to figure this whole gauge thing out!

Anyways, here's the crazy assortment of hats I made:

 Some of the ones at the top were on the loom. I'm pretty sure my girls made those -- and not me.

 These three all have a pretty good shape, and I like the stripey ones.

 I'm pretty sure on these ones, I didn't have my decreasing figured out properly.

 These are the most recent ones. Their shape looks good, but they are just too loose to stay on most heads.

For the wee ones. They need warm heads too!

The Ladies' Auxillary in our church did a knitted hat drive for somewhere (I forget where), so I donated these.In the meantime, I have mastered crocheting a granny square, and actually making my dishcloths square when crocheting.

Some More Finished Projects

Here are some more projects that I have finished over the past month and a half or so.

 Two different infinity neck scarves. The wool is the same, but they fit differently.

 Some hot pads, and two dish rags.

 This was a denim skirt that was too short for anyone here's liking. It's now a cute purse.

 I haven't quite on to the knack of crocheting. This neck warmer gradually worked its way wider from top to bottom, so I made it into a shawl for peanut.

 

 A birthday present for a sweet friend of Bean's even though Squirt is modelling it.

 

 A birthday present for a sweet friend of Squirt's even though Beans is modelling it. :o)

 

A loom knit hat. These are fun because one can be made in a few hours.

 

 My first ever circle skirt! This is flowey, bouncy fabric. It twirls beautifully!

 

Make up removal pads for the girls. I'm getting tired of forking out $$ for the disposable kind and want to be kinder to the landfill.

 I still don't feel I posses any major talent in one area over another, but it keeps my hands busy and my mind working, which makes me happy.

Holiday Creativity

I know, here we are almost half way into January already and I'm still talking about Christmas. The holidays for us was a true break from the daily running that we do year round. When you have seven children from a high school senior down to a kindergarten student, the interests of the children is bound to vary just a little. So between school activities, extra curricular activities, church activities, appointments, and just keeping everyone fed and clothed, the Engineer and I are on the road a LOT! I get most of my reading done while waiting for children, but the creative side wanes a little (okay, greatly).

We were thankful for little to no commitments during the holidays. It felt so good to sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast, and have a day of nothing ahead. I got in my craft room and finally got it cleaned up again. Of course, once that was done, I had to sit at the sewing machine for a bit. I'm not going to admit to how many of these sewing projects have been laying around only partially completed.

First up. A hat. It didn't have a matching fleece for it. When I was cleaning up though and saw it, I thought of the remnant of green fleece that I had. It matched nicely so, some snipping, pinning, and stitching later, it was completed. It's not a really warm one as it doesn't cover Squirt's ears, but it's cute!

Then I "free quilted" a little quilt for the girls' dolls. Quilting is still a bit of a mystery to me. This one was easy. Two pieces of fabric, some batting in between, free stitch all over it, add a binding, and it was done. Believe me though. You do not want to look too closely. It took me most of the quilt to get the hang of free quilting.

This next project was sooo easy, I'm not sure why I never finished it. It's for storing my lettuce from the garden in the summer time. I can pick it, wash it, and toss it in the bag to drain, and then put it in the keeper in the fridge. All this is, is a tea towel folded in half and stitched up two sides. Then a ribbon is sewn on part way down so the bag can be tied off.  It looks pretty now, but I can imagine what a summer of use is going to do to it. I wonder if they make dark coloured tea towels...

This  next project was the big fail. It was going to be for the Engineer's great nephew, but the little guy is now almost a year old. It didn't turn out remotely as I had envisioned it in my head and I know why. I finished it so that I have it as a reminder of how not to make it. I loved the idea, the flannel fabric, the colours, and the ribbons, so I will likely make one again, but it won't look like this one. :o)

Next up is a hat completed on a round knitting loom. I love the loom because the projects are super fast, but I need to start getting a little more creative with them. This hat turned out so baggy that I sewed some fleece into it in the ear area. It now stays nicely on the girls' heads and has the added bonus of keeping their ears warmer.

This is one of my favorite projects to date. One is Bub's and the other belongs to Beans's favorite boy.

Beans did all the sewing and stuffing of this one --except the applique part. It's a little challenging even for me, and I didn't want her getting all frustrated. In case you're wondering what dog breed that is, it's a Neopolitan mastiff. For some reason, I always think of ice cream when I hear that name. I wonder why? ;o)

I did this one. Bub loves wolves! Yes, the fleece is the exact same. It just shows how different lighting can make the same thing look very different. Ever wonder why you look so yucky in public restrooms? Yes, it's the lighting. Really, who wants to linger in the restroom? But just in case! Okay, back on topic. Bub chose the silhouette of a howling wolf. That was going to be my choice too, but he didn't know that. :o)

I have some more projects that I will show soon, but I have to finish getting my floors clean just in time for children to walk through the door.

Happy Monday!

 

Yarn Along

We are finally having some spring-like days here and I have been able to enjoy knitting a quick row or two in the sunshine. :o) Perhaps it's the sunshine coloured wool I am using that has encouraged the sunshine here this week. It's raining again now, but that's okay because I was totally able to enjoy the sunshine today as I dug around in my flower beds. As for the book. I am having a very hard time getting through the beginning of it. I've just heard so many things about it that I'm still not sure that I need/want to read it. Oh well, I will keep plugging away at it. I am curious about Mack's visit back to the shack.

 

When completed, the project on the needles will be a little shawl for Beans. She has a bright yellow dress that will go perfect with this wool.

Finally, here are two knitting projects that I completed last week. The infinity scarf was claimed by Squirt, even though Peach is wearing it in this photo. She was the only one at home at the time I was ready to take a photo.

The peppermint hat. It fits Peach the best, but she already has a couple hats that she loves, so this one will  go with my collection of Christmas hats.

Would you like to share your projects? Join us at Ginny's blog Small Things. I so enjoy seeing all the talent out there!

Yarn Along

I'm back at the hats. Spring just doesn't want to break forth here and I'm still feeling chilly, so I'm making more hats.

I call this one my Candy Cane hat. It's been decreased to the point of needing my double pointed needles, but I have to really concentrate when I move to the double points, so I will have to wait for a quiet moment to finish it up.

As for the book, I found it at the thrift store two weeks ago. I love anything by Max Lucado. His writing just speaks to me in ways that encourage and inspire. I actually came home with eleven books that night. Crazy, but I just can't pass up an inexpensive good book! I did manage to put four away for presents for my children without them seeing them. I'm always a little shocked at how many books end up at thrift stores that haven't even been opened! I've always thought that books make great gifts, but it seems some people don't even read the books they've been given. Kinda sad really.

If you'd like to join us in the yarn along, pop by Ginny's blog Small Things and share with us what you're making and reading.

 

Yarn Along

On the needles this week. Something that is supposed to come out as a narrow wrap, but I have a strong suspicion I will run out of wool before it is any decent length. Then what I'll do, I have no idea yet. That's what I get for not finding and following a pattern.

I picked up Little Bee at a thrift store awhile back and put it in my must read soon pile. After finishing two books last week, I was ready to pick this one up and begin. So far it's an interesting read. There's a real aura of mystery to the two main character's stories. I have yet to discover how and why their lives connect and I want to know!

That's the trouble with some books, I have a very hard time leaving them alone and doing what I know I should be doing first. Do you have this problem too? If you do, please share with me how you manage to get done the must to's before the want to's. I'd love some help!

For more projects and books, join us at Ginny's blog Small Things.

I'm Joining Yarn Along

If you read my blog frequently, you know that I am a pretty avid reader. I am also one who will read multiple books at a time. I typically have no less than three on the go and might have up to six on the go at one time. No matter how many I am reading though, if there is more than one novel on the go, the plots of the novels will be entirely different so as not to be confused with one another because the sad reality is I confuse easily.

I am about as bad with knitting as with reading. My knitting is by no means works of art, but I do enjoy simple projects such as hats, dishcloths, and the occasional neck warmer or pair of gloves. At least with these, if my gauge is off, the projects are small enough that it usually isn't noticeable. Currently I have three hats, one infinity scarf, a wrap, and a scrap project on the go. The magenta hat is the one nearest completion, so it's the one that gets the spotlight today. It's soft, it's warm, and I love the colour. It's for a sweet girl who has a birthday this week, so I have to get it finished before Friday!! I learned to knit in the round last year and love it! Someday when I don't have lots of interruptions, I will move on to something more complicated, but for now I'm having fun.

Now back to the book.

I read copious amounts of books on adoption before the girls came home. I was pretty much sick of the topic by the time we purchased Adopted for Life by Russel D. Moore. I knew it wasn't a must read before the girls came home because it is also about our role as Christian families and churches in the world of adoption. It's a pretty powerful and convicting read. It does cover the typical stuff for those who are considering adoption, but it's the stuff about our involvement as Christians that has been the meat of this book for me.  I'm really moved by how Moore explains that it's not just adoptive families that play a role in changing children's lives, but Christians at large as well. He goes on to explain that adoption one of the best forms of evangelism -- to see us living out our role to take care of the least of these. It actually really expands well on this post I did a few weeks ago.

Are you reading anything these days? How about a yarn project? Do tell! I love knowing what others are enjoying! If you're both a yarner :o) and a reader, stop by and share with others at Ginny's blog Small Things.