Deadline

My self-imposed deadline to complete and mail items to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is February 27 (next Friday).

I only have the thumbs left to knit on the Sandy Heather mittens and I will try to knit at least a couple of more pairs in the time left.

We are having almost spring like weather here in Oregon with clear skies and highs in the upper 50's in the valley, but in North Dakota they are still in deep winter.

This is the weather forecast for today at the reserve.

Rest Of Today...Breezy. Areas of blowing snow late in the morning. Mostly cloudy with snow likely. Snow accumulation around 1 inch. Highs in the mid 30s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the north 15 to 25 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight...Mostly cloudy in the evening then clearing. Lows around 11. North winds 10 to 20 mph becoming northwest up to 10 mph after midnight. Wind chill readings 4 below to 6 above zero.

I'm knitting as fast as I can.

Child's Hat with Pompom

A simple fair-isle hat knit in cream and pistachio (M-184).

Finished Projects

Brief Update

I am unhappy with how the mittens are turning out and have frogged them. I think to make fair-isle style mittens, I'll need to use smaller yarn--perhaps DK--and a pattern with more stitches to make this work. For now, I'm going back to making plain one-color mittens using Lamb's Pride.

I've begun working on an Ireland Mists Hat using Lamb's Pride Orchid Thistle (M102).

Next Projects

I am finishing up the garter stitch afghan square in gold. My next projects are a pair of mittens knitted in black and white yarns using various stitches and patterns which I hope to then translate into another pair in colors. I also want to knit one of these hats. The pattern can be found here. Or I might start with this one here. The photo is from Ravelry.

Child's Hat/Black with Red Stripe

This hat is made with Lamb's Pride Black (M05) with stripes of Red Hot Passion (M97). I used a very basic hat pattern:

Basic Hat
Size: Child
Materials: worsted yarn, #8 16” circular needle, yarn needle

Cast on 70 stitches on size 7 dpns or a 16 inch circular needle.
Work in k1p1 rib for 2.5 inches.
Work in stockinette st for 4.5 inches. I added two rows of red to brighten it up.

Decreases:
R 1: K2 tog, k8 around.
R 2: Knit.
R 3: K2 tog, k7 around.
R 4: Knit.
Continue decreases in above manner until K2 tog around. Cut yarn, pull remaining stitches.

Gold Child's Hat

This hat is knit from Lamb's Pride Sunburst Gold (M-14). The pattern I used can be found here. It's sized 3-12 months and I added an I-cord topper. I've also begun adding small labels which include the size and, on the reverse, the fiber content. These labels will also be useful to keep pairs, such as socks and mittens, together.

On the Needles

I am working on ribbing for both these hats. The black one will have red stripes included in it. The gold one will have a twisted rib pattern.

Pink and White Mittens

In the next six weeks or so, I hope to knit several more pairs of mittens. I'm developing a formula using a generic mitten pattern. I'll be using Lamb's Pride Worsted for all the mittens, changing the sizes by changing the size of the double point needles I use (size 6 for children 4-6, size 7 for children 7-9 and size 8 for children 10-12).

I would like to make each pair unique, using different colors and pattern stitches.

My generic pattern begins with casting on 28 stitches divided on three dp needles (divided on the three needles thus: 10-8-10).The cuff can be anywhere from 10-14 rounds or more. This is my first opportunity for pattern and color variations.

Then there are four rounds: in the first I increase 2 sts evenly spaced leaving me with 30 sts (10-10-10), followed by 3 knit rounds. Here is another opportunity for a color change.

Now the thumb gusset as follows:
Round 1: K3, place marker, m1, K2, m1, place marker, knit around (4 sts between markers).
Round 2: K around.
Continue until there are 10 sts between markers.
Remove thumb stitches: K3, place 10 sts between markers on a holder, cast on 2, and continue around.
This is my third opportunity for a color change.

Now the fun part! K 16 (19) rounds. Here I can do a variety of color changes and stitch patterns.

And lastly, I shape the end:

*K4, K2 tog* around.
K 1 round.
*K3, K2 tog* around.
K 1 round.
*K2, K2 tog* around.
K 1 round.
*K1, K2 tog* around.
K2 tog all the way around.
Thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight.

More opportunities for color changes here in these 8 rounds.

Lastly, I knit the thumbs, my last opportunity for a color change.

Pick up 10 sts from the holder, putting 5 on needle 1 and 5 on needle 2.
Pick up 4 stitches from the thumb opening; the 2 cast on plus one from either side.
Starting with needle 1, K 9 sts, K sts 10 and 11 together, K2, K st 12 together with stitch 1 of next round for a total of 12 thumb stitches.
K around on 12 sts for 10 rounds.
K 2 tog all the way around 6 sts.
Break yarn leaving an 8-inch end.
Draw through 6 remaining stitches and pull tight.

There are also dozens of free mitten patterns online. Here's a good place to start.

Mitten Books

I checked out two mitten books from the library yesterday. I may use some of the patterns the way they're written, but I'm looking at them primarily for inspiration.

First Preemie Hat for 2009

I've been working on items for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation as my self-imposed due date for the first batch is the end of February. But I did put aside an hour of knitting time to knit this little hat, the first of what I hope will be many hats going to Doernbecher Hospital in June.

Introducing....Mouton Rouge

Sarah, my wonderful and very talented daughter-in-law, gave me this delightful little ram she knitted for Christmas. I thought he looked very French and named him Mouton. When I told my husband I was thinking of knitting a jaunty scarf for him (for Mouton, not for my husband), he suggested I knit one in red wool and change Mouton's name to Mouton Rouge.

And that's exactly what I did.

Red Mittens

These mittens are also for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Hats and Socks

These items will be sent to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation at the end of February. They were knit in honor of Dewey as part of the Dewey knit-a-long .


I added a few rounds of garter stitch to this plain hat. It would fit someone 6-8 years old. I used Brown Sheep Lamb Pride's Worsted Weight (15% mohair and 85% wool) for the hats. The color for this one is Winter Blue (M51).


This spiral rib hat that would fit someone 6-8. The yarn is Jack's Plum (M59).



This baby hat is for a child 6-12 months old. The color is Oatmeal (M115).

This little hat is made from Manos del Uruguay 100% wool and would fit a baby 12-18 months old.



The toddler socks are from a pattern on Ravelry and are made of Koigu yarn.

(Almost) Finished Items

I've finished or almost finished a number of projects--four hats (three still need pom-poms), three six-inch squares, an almost done baby sock, the start of a mitten. Once they are done and there is some decent ambient light (it's a rainy, gray day in Oregon), I'll photograph them and write a little about them. Maybe Friday? We'll see.

Recipients and Mailing Dates for 2009

I will be sending preemie items made for Doernbecher Children's Hospital in June and to the Madigan Army Medical Center in December. I'll be mailing knitted wool hats and mittens (and perhaps socks)to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation at the end of February and again in September. I will be knitting six-inch squares to be made into lap blankets, also for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. I will be knitting these of wool and mailing them in batches of 36, along with a bit of money to help with mailing costs.

Here is the information for making the squares:

The Pine Ridge Reservation is the poorest spot in the USA. The average life expectancy for residents is only 47 for males and early 50s for women. The unemployment rate is 90% and the teen suicide rate is four times the national average. Basics such as running water, heat and food are scarce for many residents let alone jobs and health care. These challenges are particularly difficult to deal with given the geographical isolation of the Rez and the incredibly harsh climate.

We accept blanket squares of all sizes and fibers. No square goes unloved or unused. The squares are sent to Pam, a Lakota woman and seamer-extraordinaire, in Louisiana.
After seaming, she sends the finished afghans to Pine Ridge Reservation social service agencies or individual families who request them.

This group is a “sister” group to Pam’s Yahoo group which she created five years ago. You can visit and/or join that group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loveafghans4prr/

Please send your squares to:

AS4PRR - Pam Wingard
1756 Starboard Drive
Apt #2
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
70820-8045

New Year

I've been mulling over whether or not to make any New Year resolutions or goals for my knitting. I have a tendency to be overly-ambitious and then compulsive. I knit to relax and enjoy the process and if I start making deadlines for myself I ruin it all.

My resolution, then, will be not to make a resolution. I won't require myself to knit a certain number of items in a a certain amount of time or spend a minimum amount of time knitting every day. I'll just knit.

Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit, either. When I say properly practiced, I mean executed in a relaxed manner, without anxiety, strain, or tension, but with confidence, inventiveness, pleasure, and ultimate pride. ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

2009

I am finishing up as many of the projects I began but didn't finish this past year that I can in the next few days--socks, hats, mittens, baby sweaters--and on December 31st mail all the preemie items to DeWitt Army Community Hospital and all the children and adult ones to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

I want to begin 2009 fresh with new projects, new recipients, and maybe even some goals for the year.

Two More Preemie Hats

Now that I am finished with library school and things are beginning to quiet down a bit (well, except for the holidays), I hope to begin knitting more of these little hats. I also hope to knit booties and little sweaters as well as mittens and socks.

Pumpkin Hat and Booties Set

Here is a little set for Sarah's Preemie Knit-a-thon.