Winter arrived early

Everyone arrived wearing their winter coats, even Maureen who lives right across the street! We went from summer temps and dove right into winter cold! Our conversations touched on a little bit of politics to release the stress but most of it was about grandchildren and, what else? FOOD! We reminisced about some of the local restaurants that were very popular but have closed since the pandemic. And last week a new Trader Joe's opened about one mile away so we shared our favorite food items and reviewed some new ones. Apparently, the conversation was so riveting, no one was aware of their photo being taken.

Some of us finally looked up long enough to smile for the camera.

Speaking of food, Barbara B's treat for the day was Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin cookies, chewy and fruity! YUM!

Dorah is on the decreasing side of her colorful corner to corner blanket. 

It is the perfect size for a carseat.

Nancy made progress on her Helix Hat. She thought it might be a bit large but it's perfect for an older sibling of the family. In case I haven't mentioned it lately, this cycle of knitting will be going to 

Moms Start Here

Margaret started the Branta Hat, a free pattern on Ravelry.

It has a deep ribbed cuff which is folded up for a double thick fabric to keep ears warm.

Maureen thinks she might run out of yarn to finish the raglan cardigan but a suggestion was made to knit the cuffs and bottom ribbing in a contrasting color to avoid being stuck without enough yarn to complete it.

She attached the buttons on her Simple Baby Pullover so it's ready for the inventory.

She also completed her X and O hat. I'd love to link the pattern but I can't find it!

Carole started the Wavelet Beanie which also has a very deep ribbed cuff. You can buy the pattern through Ravelry.

Barbara B has made lots of progress on her Simple Pleasures Hat. That red is a stunner!!! This is a free pattern on Ravelry.

I found a video by Crazy Hands Knitting showing how to knit the Knit Kitty Toy Hat and decided to adapt it to fit an infant. I modified it by knitting a garter ridge along the neckline to make it long enough to fit a baby.

I was going to let Fozzie model it but then thought better of the situation! 

No one wants a baby hat with cat fur all over it. 😉

I finished the Teddy Bear Hat I was working on last week. While the ears were very easy to knit, sewing them on was another whole story! Maybe I'm just too much of a perfectionist, but I must have sewn each one at least three times before I was happy with how they looked.

The sun is starting to fade so I'm going to grab a sweater and make a cup of tea. Keep warm and keep those needles clicking!

Check out the new additions to the stash!

The Chicks all showed up looking beautiful in their shawls and scarves. By this time I had already removed my cowl due to overheating but you'll see it later. The buzz today was all about...

 Saturday's annual field trip to the New England Fiber Festival at the Big E in West Springfield, MA. It was Jan's first time here but Dorah, Barbara B, and I are veteran shoppers. Sunday Jan confessed that she probably won't be going again but after speaking to a friend who said she would love to attend, Jan jumped right in and offered to drive her next year! LOL! There seemed to be more vendors than in the recent past so maybe it has recovered from the COVID years now. We had a great time petting all the lovely yarns and checking out everyone's knitted garments. 

Dorah purchased such gorgeous colors. I think one of the combos will be for the Grid Gambit cowl. We all love Terri Bartosik's hand dyed yarns called Whole Knit n' Caboodle so there are a couple of those here on the far right.

Jan made wise purchases from Whole Knit n' Caboodle too. The two on the right might become the Sister Act:Twisted Sister Scarf by Lyrical Knits, a mosaic knit pattern. I've searched all over Ravelry but can't find the pattern. You might have better luck. She's still pondering what the other two colors will be.

My purchase of two DK weight yarns from Whole Knit n' Caboodle will become the Grid Gambit.

Then I found my new favorite jewelry for your knits called Jul Designs. The designer collaborates with a metal worker in Indonesia to make the most beautiful buttons and shawl pins. This is my new shawl clasp which comes apart so the two buttons can be used individually or with the leather clasp. I wore it on my Shift Cowl today which is knitted with another great color combo from Whole Knit n' Caboodle.

Tina couldn't come with us to the festival so she put me in charge of choosing a set of yarns in autumnal colors for her Grid Gambit Cowl. I was so relieved when she said she loved them! Again, a great find from Whole Knit n' Caboodle.

We got straight to work winding the skeins so she could start knitting right away.

I finished a baby beanie, no pattern, just cast on a bunch of stitches and knit until it's time to decrease. Just above the hat are two little pieces which will become teddy bear ears to sew to the hat.

Barbara K's 2X2 ribbed hat is growing longer. This hat is good to make when you don't know the exact size needed because those ribs expand or contract to whatever head it needs to fit.

We had moments of "I have a question" that made the rounds. But putting our collective knowledge together means someone always has an answer.

Jan needed to make a pompom for the hat she knitted and because Margaret uses a similar accessory to make hers, she was able to assist.

And there you have a sweet pompom for the hat.

And here's the hat! I got so busy helping that I neglected to get 

a picture of it with its new pompom though.

Nancy is working on a 1-2-3 Baby Beanie.

The border is knitted in the round in garter stitch which is done by alternating a knit round with a purl round. This leaves a little blip where the first and last stitch meet so Margaret and Nancy tried to fudge it. After trying many different methods they asked me what I do. I'm not sure they liked my answer of nothing. I just let it ride, blip and all! LOL!

Barbara B picked up this gorgeous red yarn for free at the festival on Saturday. Periwinkle Sheep was giving yarn away for free to people who had been furloughed. Barbara offered to pay for it but they wouldn't let her. She mentioned she knits for charity so it will be donated through our group. That made the people at the booth very happy. She is knitting the Simple Pleasures Hat from Purl Soho.

Speaking of Barbara B, her homemade treat today was Sourdough Date Walnut bread. I was so busy I didn't get to have any yet but my after dinner treat will be this with a cup of warm tea. 

Mmmm! I can't wait! (my husband said it was delicious!)

Mr. Fozzie spent almost the whole afternoon sitting at the head of the table and we didn't realize he was there until I got up to take photos. He's becoming quite the social butterfly!💗

But right now he's just being pesky by trying to eat the wires to my computer, my sleeve, my ankles, whatever he thinks will get me up to feed him...AGAIN! I never had a cat that was so food obsessed! So I better get going before he electrocutes himself. Have a great week and keep those needles clicking!

Reminiscing about panty hose???

My photographer was unavailable today and I forgot to take a group picture but you all come to see the treats and knitting, right? Somehow we got on the subject of hosiery. Weird! We remember our mothers buying stockings that came wrapped in tissue paper in a pretty box and our first time wearing stockings with a garter belt. OY! What a pain! Then came panty hose and we are all grateful we don't have to wear those anymore! Another perk that comes with retirement. ;)

Our cookies from Barbara B today are Molasses Ginger Sourdough Cookies. The ginger was subtle but tasty.

Barbara B finished a hat called Roll with It. It's a paid pattern on Ravelry that starts by knitting lengthwise the narrow band between the rolled sections. Then stitches are picked up on either rolled edge to knit the hat on one edge and the rolled finish on the other.

                                          

She attached the pompom using a button and bow on the inside so the pompom can be removed when the hat needs to be laundered.

Showing that clever trick led to me getting my button boxes which contain some antique buttons that my grandmother collected in the last century! 

Jan found some cute ones and some of the largest ones were shared to use with pompoms on other hats.

Barbara B also completed a sweet little baby beanie for which she uses a soccer ball for a blocking form.

Maureen also found some buttons for the pullover she completed.

I finished the Beloved hat from Tin Can Knits and had almost all of a skein of yarn left over so...

I cast on to make a basic baby beanie and I'm tossing around the idea of making teddy bear ears to attach to the top. It all depends on how much yarn is left.

Jan's Beach Colors Baby Blanket is nearing completion. The vibrant colors are stunning!

Another colorful project is Dorah's Diagonal Baby Blanket. She is almost at the center of the pattern where she will begin decreasing edges to the far corner finish.

Barbara K started a 2x2 ribbed hat before finishing her Mistake Scarf so if there is any yarn left after completing the hat she can use it for the scarf.

Tina started the Peekaboo Pullover. This freebie starts at the cuff of one sleeve, then stitches are added to each side to make the body, then bound off at the other end to reduce the width to equal the first sleeve. It involves a little bit of seaming so be forewarned.

Margaret is just starting another baby hat...

It's the Golden Pear, a current favorite of hers.

Barbara B's current project is the Harbor Beanie. I think she said she's using Malabrigo yarn, or maybe that was the Roll With It Hat. Harbor Beanie is a freebie!

In all the discussion about panty hose I forgot to get the name of Maureen's little hat project. It's got some Fair Isle knitting going on there. Nice colors!

That's about it for this week. It looks like the weather is finally turning cooler which means I really need to put the summer clothes away, especially since this weekend is the New England Fiber Festival at Eastern States Exposition, Mallory Complex in West Springfield, MA. Everyone will be sporting their warm woolies! I won't buy yarn, I won't buy yarn, I won't buy yarn....🤞🤞🤞

Keep those needles clicking!