There is a baby boy scheduled to arrive in the neighborhood – not at my house, but in the neighborhood.  I didn’t know how to knit when the kids were tiny and we have a full cottage here, so I love the chance to stitch up tiny things for friends who are expecting.

I made this hat for him.

baby boy hat

size 4 circular needles or dpn to start

switch to dpn when decreasing

cast on 84

Rnd 1 – *k1, p1, rep from * around

Rnd 2 – *p1, k1, rep from * around

Rnd 3 & 4 – repeat rows 1 & 2 once more

Rnd 5 – *k2, p2, rep from * around

Rnd 6 – 32 – repeat rnd 5

to decrease for crown

Rnd 33 – *k2, p2tog, rep from * around

Rnd 34 – *k2, p1, rep from * around

Rnd 35 – *ssk, p1, rep from * around

Rnd 36 – *k1, p1, rep from * around

Rnd 37 – *ssk, rep from * around

Rnd 38 – knit

Rnd 39 – *ssk, rep from * to last stitch, k1

Rnd 40 – knit one round

break yarn and weave in ends with tapestry needle

I needed something that would keep my neck warm, but wouldn’t be too bulky under my coat.

The super bulky blue sky alpacas has been hiding at the bottom of my stash basket for ages.

women’s cowl

cast on 40 stitches onto size 15 circular needles

*k2, p2* for four rounds

*k round* until of desired length (mine is 5″)

*k2, p2* for two rounds

cast off and weave in ends

I had about 5 inches left over from my one skein of yarn.

I have been meaning to make a hat for the spouse for years now.

The weather for the days surrounding Christmas was rough, so all of our plans went awry.  I started this on the morning of Christmas eve and finished it up on Christmas night.  It’s knit with 2 types of yarn held together.  The off-white is a merino wool.  The dark brown is a blend of 75% bison and 25% wool.

men’s 2×2 rib hat

cast on 84 stitches on circular needle (I used size 9). Place marker at beginning to keep track of beg/end of round.

*k2, p2* in rib pattern for 11 inches

*k2tog, p2* repeat for one round

*k1, p2* repeat for round

switch to double-pointed needles

*k1, p2tog* repeat for round

*k1, p1* repeat for round

k2tog for round

k for round

break yarn and draw through remaining stitches on needle, weaving end into stitches on wrong side of hat.

weave in tail from beginning stitches as well.

After a great Thanksgiving weekend, it’s back to the old routine again.

Today it’s lemon cupcakes…

…from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook.  I went with the lemon curd filling, so basically it’s as if I took a piece of lemon pie and wrapped it in cake.  Now I’m wondering what else I can wrap in cake.

I’m also working on a wreath made of pompoms for the front door.  It’s leaving my living room floor a bit of a wreck…

A new baby girl arrived in town.  I couldn’t resist making a mini cupcake hat for her, just for fun.  To go along with it, I also made a vine lace cap for fancier occasions.

This week the theme queen for Pip’s meme (My Place and Yours) is Pottymouthmama.  She chose bedside…

keep your friends close and your stash closer, right?

I saw this on the internet and knew Lulu would love to have one of her own. She has requested a purple one next.

The pattern knits a rectangle and then stitches it together.  I just knitted it in the round.  Next time I’m going to stop a row or two earlier so I doesn’t come to such a point at the top, and add a bigger pom at the top.

I have been trying to find just the right thing to knit for my mom.  When she mentioned the cute scarf in Living I was thrilled, but then had to find just the right yarn.  I stumbled upon this merino wool fingerling weight from Hand Jive in the color “spring grass” in a sale basket at my favorite yarn shop.  It is a mom shade for sure. 

Here are some mittens and wrist warmers for a friend -

They are the first adult size mittens I have made.  I used the Elizabeth Durand for kids but just bumped up the number of stitches.

The wrist warmers are a spiralling rib pattern in a wool soy blend.

I have been hoping for years that my dear friend would quit smoking.  When I mentioned I was making wrist warmers he lit up and said “oh, smoker’s gloves I want some”. 

I sent these to him last week and he announced he had just quit smoking.  I decided they could be cookie eating mittens instead.