New Year and New Goals

Yes, I know we are well into the new year and I haven't updated my blog in several months. I did mail in all the hats I'd knitted, but then the holidays came followed by the beginning of a very hectic school semester and working part-time and then I came down with that horrible sinus/cough/throat thing that everyone else seems to be suffering with as well. I've only managed to finish two baby hats which will be my start for a donation to DeWitt Army Community Hospital in June.

Now it's time to start over with more realistic goals. I have one sock almost finished and I've begun two children's hats in wool. I'll try to finish one hat --it's a very simple stockinette one--by the end of the month and get a photo up. That sounds like a reasonable goal to me. Well, we'll see.

Three More Hats for the Knit-A-Thon

Four More Stiped Hats

These are all for the knit-a-thon.

Baby Cable Hat

This hat is for the knit-a-thon.

Doernbecher Children's Hospital NICU

These are the items I've mailed to Doernbecher Children's Hospital NICU. This is where my youngest son, Hugh,stayed when he was a baby. He's all grown up and healthy now.



And this is the card I sent along with it, thanking the NICU nurses for taking such good care of the babies.

Teal Hat with Red Stripe and Matching Booties

I made this set for the preemie knit-a-thon.

Purple Hat With Olive Green Stripe

This little hat was made for Doernbecher Hospital.

Two More Hats for the Knit-A-Thon!

Apple Hat

By changing the shade of green I made Sarah's tomato hat into an apple hat.

Three Little Striped Hats for Sarah's Preemie Knit-A-Thon Contest

I'm going to keep the hats I make for Sarah's Preemie Knit-A-Thon Contest, which I'm sending to Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital in Louisiana and the ones I make for Doernbecher separate. I keep track of the items I'm making for different places in the sidebar.

I love this simple and easy pattern and plan to make more of these.

OSU Hat for Doernbecher Hospital

This little orange hat with the black stripes might be for Halloween, but the colors are also Oregon State University's colors. As there are many fans around the state, I made one for Doernbecher.

Go Beavs!

Sarah's Preemie Knit-A-Thon Contest

Join Sarah's Preemie Knit-a-thon Contest! ! Just click on the link to her blog and post a comment. The contest is open until November 29th.

I will be knitting hats specifically for this project and I'll identify them as such when I post photographs. These hats will be going to Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital in Louisiana (which just happens to be the state where Sarah lives).

And More Hats!

Three More Hats

Here are three more of the little hats I've knit recently.

Three Little Hats

These are three of the little hats that I've knit in the past few weeks.

Striped Hat and Booties Set

I love this little set and am now planning sets in a variety of different color combinations. Fun!

P.S. I've been spending quite a bit of time the past few weeks in waiting rooms and have used my time productively knitting hats. Now I just have to take photos of them and put them on the blog!

My New Knitting Bag

I've wanted a new knitting bag for some time but the ones I saw for sale on line either weren't what I wanted or were outrageously expensive. I finally found one at a thrift store with a price tag of $6.95 and snapped it up! It's 18 inches across and 12 inches high and has all the features I want--it's lightweight, made of canvas, has shoulder straps,and an inside zipper pocket. Perfect!

Basic Pattern for Two Needle Child's Mittens

Worsted weight yarn and Size 4 straight needles.

Cast on 34 sts.
Ribbing K2, P2, across or use seed stitch. Continue for 20 rows. Increase to 38 sts, by adding 4sts, evenly spaced.

Work st st for 6 rows.

Place marker between middle two stitches. (18 & 19th st) add two stitches, place another marker, Work in st st increasing 2 sts every other Row between marks untilyou have 14 stitches. Put these 14 on a holder for working thumb later.

Continue working st st adding 2 stitch under thumb once.
Work in st st until total lengthen mitten is 8.5 inches or up to top of pinky finger.

Decrease as follows:
Row 1: *K 2 tog, knit 8*, rep * across.
Row 2 and all-even rows. Purl across even.
Row 3: *K 2 tog, knit 7*, rep * across.
Row 5: *K2 tog, knit 6*, rep * across.
Row 7: *K2 tog, knit 5*, rep * across.
Row 9: *K2 tog, knit 4*, rep * across.
Row 11: * K2 tog, knit 3*, rep * across.
Row 13: Knit 2 together across.

Weave yarn through stitches leaving a tail for sewing side seam later.

Thumb:
Pick up the 14 stitch plus cast on 2.
Work the 16 stitches for 8 rows in st st.
Next Row: knit 2 tog across.
Weave yarn through stitches and leave tail for sewing thumb seam.

Wool Hat

Two More Hats