Bonnet and Booties

Bonnet and booties

I finished knitting the little booties and bonnet with the leftover yarn from the socks.   The bonnet was from the book Homespun Handknit.  It is a pattern by Jean Scorgie.  I first wanted to knit it after reading about it in a blog by Stephanie Pearl McPhee.  Finally, someone I know is going to have a baby and I was able to try it out.  It is indeed the cutest little thing!  I loved knitting it.  Just hope I get to see it on the little one someday.  The last I heard, her name is going to be Persephone.  Her brother is Xavier.   No plain Janes in that family!

Cute as a bunny

The booties are from the book Sock Yarn One Skein Wonders.  The pattern is called "G.W.'s Bonnet and Bootees" but as you know, I didn't knit that bonnet.   The booties, too, were an interesting construction.  I really like to knit up patterns that have a different construction to them.  Process knitting.  Guess that is why I like to make up my own patterns.

Getting some fresh air

Winter is progressing through January by giving us fits of snow doused with bouts of rain.  There is still not enough snow to cover the grass.  At least the temperatures are milder these last two days and the chickens can come out for a stroll around the yard.  I was worried that they would be messed up with their laying schedule as the light bulb went out in their henhouse.  I guess because I had the light back on after only a few hours that they were able to get back on track just fine.  I had two lovely eggs this morning, per usual.

And the seed catalogs are arriving!!! I love to see them.  It fills my heart with joy to look at all the beautiful flowers and yummy veggies.  Hope springs eternally as mine never look like that!  But, maybe this year they will.

Being Busy

Frozen dawn

With the temperature at -10 this morning, Jeff and I are not too eager to be doing anything outside.  I have left the poor chickens in for two days now to spare them this bitter cold.  It is only marginally warmer in their house (9 degrees at dawn) but they are out of the wind.  They get lots of special food to keep their little bodies fat and warm.   I chose not to try and heat their coop as I read a lot of articles against it.  So far they are doing well without the extra heat, giving us four eggs on Saturday and two today.  I just keep feeding them well.
And feed us good things, too!  Right now I have a sour cream pound cake in the oven.  Am planning on having it with some strawberries from the freezer.  Gotta keep our strength up!

                                                                                

                                          I am loving this, which is keeping my moral up.

Finished these, which are keeping my feet warm.

Still working on the little green shawl but had to take some time out for baby shower knitting.  I used up the end of the yarn from these socks to make booties, and a little bonnet to match.  Will take a picture when I am done.
Being Busy.  Waiting for my snow.  But not as much as they are having in Alaska !  Just enough to play in.

January 2012

So here it is, a New Year.   We are having a very different January from last year.  No snow on the ground, and the average temperatures have been in the high 20's.  Only one day of below zero, and that was -3 degrees.  It's not that I want all the snow and bitter cold from 2011, it just is such a contrast.   It also means no snowshoeing or cross country skiing to get me outdoors and active.  Jeff has been working on the wood piles, moving some and using his chainsaw on others.  So much easier for him with no snow.  And the chickens are happy--they hate snow.

Heel that I like

But to occupy my time,  I am working on my socks.  I started them quite a while ago, but knitting for myself takes a back stage around Christmas, when knitting for other people becomes my priority.  The socks are from the book Two at a Time Toe Up Socks  by Melissa Morgan-Oakes.  The pattern is called Peppercorn and is very easy to do.  I decided I like the way she turns a heel.  These are the second pair I've knitted from this volume and when I turned the heel for the first pair, I wasn't sure I was : a. doing it right and b. that I liked it.  But I think I do.  There is no picking up of stitches, which always gives me a pain.  However, I have been listening to the podcast Cast On with Brenda Dayne,  and she talked about a method she called the Sherman Toe and Heel.  It sounds intriguing.  I followed the links she posted in her show notes, printed out the method and am going to try it on my next pair.  I love the concept but am not sure how it will work.

Bit of shawl that is in progress

I also am working on the little shawl for Annie.  It is coming right along.  Its shaping is made by short rows with wrapped stitches.   The part I am looking forward to is knitting the leaf edging.  Looks pretty cool.
The other bit of inside work I am trying to focus on concerns the bags of fleece I have lurking in the small bedroom.  My hope is that over the winter I can go through all of them and start to card them up.  I have this thought that if the fleeces were batts ready to spin, then when I have an idea, I can get right to the blending and the spinning with no delay.   It sounds like a reasonable plan!  Now if I can only find something besides taking care of the chickens to get me outside each day.   Come on snow!  Just enough for me to play in.