Fair

I was very excited with the results of the 100th Fremont County Fair held in Riverton, WY!

This picture of "Sage" won the "People's Choice" award!  She is one of our Shetland lambs born in Wyoming!  

Interestingly, if you were to take this picture to our flock it would be hard to pick her out because she has been sun bleached with all of the sunshine here in wonderful Wyoming. 

Different Socks, Same Yarn

Can you believe that both of these pairs of socks came from the same skein of yarn?

The large size sock created a zig zag pattern with the color, while the smaller sock created rings!  I have begun a third pair of socks for my third son and am curious what pattern I will get with these.  Any guesses?

Seychelles Blocking

I finished a shawl last night and decided to block it so that it could dry overnight.  I thought this might be a better idea than waiting for the morning because I was worried that the kids would get into the pins.  As it was, my youngest handed me the pins while I was blocking!

This shawl pattern and yarn was part of the Dream in Color club from December 2012.  I love the beautiful colors and yarns that Dream in Color produces.  I do plan to modify the pattern by omitting the buttons and using a shawl pin instead.

Blocking is getting a knitted or crocheted object wet, drying it in a towel, and then pinning it into the shape desired.  This seems very intimidating but it really is not hard once you try it!  I was intimidated until I got a crash course using a sampler scarf, it is all the same basic principle no matter the project.  

Chic Knits Headband

This headband is gorgeous!  I love the cable pattern and the width.  I feel that the width is great because it really keeps your ears warm!

I used Cascade Cash Vero with a Chic Knits: The Elisbeth Collection pattern.  The pattern has four different accessories: headband, hat, shaped cowl, and tube cowl.  I think that I will look for yarn that will make one of the cowls.  This was a good pattern which Chic Knits recommends for the advanced beginner; sound advice.  I have already started another headband in a dark grey.  I have another Chic Knits pattern that my sister and I are going to use as a knit-along.  I will post my progress on that project once it is started.

Zig Zag Socks

I just love the happy colors in this yarn!  I made these socks using a Schaeffer Yarn and a Knitting Pure and Simple pattern.  I was concerned that the yellow was pooling but as I progressed I was relieved to find that the yellow actually created a really cool zig zag!  Of course, the socks have not left my son's feet since they were completed!

Turn a Square Hat

This hat is simple and lovable.  It is Jared Flood's "Turn a Square" hat pattern.  The pattern is written for stripes but I have never actually used it for a striped hat.  I am a believer in letting the yarn talk for itself.  In this case, the yarn is a Tweed Cascade 220.  The flecks of white, black, and tan would be lost in a complicated pattern, but the simplicity of this hat pattern is perfect.

I use this hat pattern when teaching beginning hat classes.  It is a great way for students to learn the basics of hat construction.  This pattern is worked from the ribbing at the brim up to the crown and can be tailored for any sized head.

Hat, Mittens, and Scarf Set

I finally finished the matching hat, mittens, and scarf set for my husband!  All are made out of Green Mountain Spinnery Mountain Mohair in Alpine Shadow.  He wanted a Marsan Watchcap for the hat; however, after getting the hat mostly done he did not like the way the hat folded at the brim.  So, upon further questioning I discover the part he liked was the swirling top!  "Oh, I can do that," I exclaimed.  The swirling is caused by the decreases to the crown of the hat.  So, I modified the pattern to have the knit 2, purl 2 ribbing he wanted and then did the decreases in order to create the swirl.

The mittens are a Knitting Pure and Simple pattern.  The Scarf is just a knit 2, purl 2.  I did not block the scarf as he wanted the stretchy look.