Keepn' Cool in the Summer Topic Question 1

So for this week's topic, make a post on your own blog sharing YOUR favorite pattern(s) with us! Don't have a favorite site? That's fine! Show us a photo of one of the cloths you have made and really loved, even if it was just a made up pattern!

I like to experiment with dishcloths.  So far I have not knitted the same one twice.  My daughter is a big fan of this oneI am pretty proud of this one I just finished

Someday I would like to make the Garterlac cloth and the vortex dishcloth.

Thought for Monday's Drive to work

Hats Hats and More Hats

Okay, I will admit it, I can not stop making cute baby hats. At this point, as the mother of a 10 month old baby it is not such a bad thing, however, I do need to get some other projects finished! Namely, some socks I started in this lovely lilac bamboo yarn. I think part of the problem with the socks is my trigger finger, the yarn is very slippery and it gets very difficult and uncomfortable for my finger. For this reason, I have been switching projects, but I would really like to get these socks done! Maybe after my surgery on the 16th things will be easier.

I have finished two really cute hats recently. My cousin Becky is having a baby in November so I have already finished the Bunny Tails hat. Kennedy is modeling it and since it is made for a new born it is slightly small.


I have also finished my part of William's Birthday cake hat, in this picture it is not quite complete but my model is sleeping and the other is at school, so I will display the work in progress picture. My Mom is going to add the crocheted blue icing edging to the hat. It was very easy, knit in a day or so and I am pretty pleased with the way it turned out. I am too nervous to screw it up with trying out my crochet technique, so I am deferring to my Mother's experience so as not to ruin the hat for William's special day in June!

Finally, a picture of my Katie wearing her newly acquired snorkel gear! I threw in the picture not because it has anything to do with knitting, (more about not being able to knit:) but becuase she would not be happy if I only had pictures of her sister!

Dogs on Thursday-Late

Please check out Magnus on the Dogs on Thursday page!  It is Magnus' Day!  He is a great dog and he deserves it!

Keen' Cool in the Summer Dishcloth Exchange

 1.Do you Knit or Crochet? For how long? Knit for about 10 years

2. Do you enjoy using metal, wooden, or some other kind of needle\hook? wooden/ circulars, love my knit picks!

3. What are your favorite types of yarn? Any you just can't stand?I love cotton blends, they are easy to wash with kids!  

4. When it comes to cotton, are there any brands you'd love to try and haven't? The organics but sooo expensive!

5. When you make Dishcloths, do you use them yourself, or tend to give them as gifts?  Both, My Mom does not use them but my MIL really seems to like them!

6. Do you have a favorite color? Any that you dislike?  I like pinks and greens Softer ones Not Neon's:)  Browns, most colors .

7. What color(s) (if any!) are your kitchen and bath decorated in?My kitchen when we paint it in a few weeks will be a light sage green.  My Master bath is going to be a sea colored bluish turquoise.

8. What are your favorite scents around the house? I love vanilla

9. What is your very favorite thing about summer? Long days, My whole family is home (teachers)

10. What is your least favorite thing about summer? Electric bills and sticky humid days

11. Do you use soap or body wash in the shower? both

12. What scents do you enjoy in the bath? Vanilla, nothing to florally

13. What is your favorite dishcloth pattern? whatever one I am working on at the moment:)

14. What sort of treats do you enjoy? Sweet or Salty? Salty

15. Imagine today is one of the hottest days of the year - what do you do to keep cool? Or are you one of those folks who loves the hot weather?  In a perfect world I would be on the beach in the water

16. What sorts of hobbies do you enjoy besides knitting or crocheting? reading, taking pictures, 

17. Do you collect anything (besides yarn!) Books- which makes my husband crazy!  

18. Are you on Ravelry? If so, share your ID! twoaugustgirls

19. Do you have any allergies? Pine

20. Do you have any pets? 2 dogs- Labs- Magnus & Blue

Itty Bitty Hats

How many times and ways can I say how much I love Itty Bitty Hats One of my best birthday gifts! Seriously!  I love to make things from it and when I am feeling uninspired I love to open it up and peruse through it  the pictures are gorgeous.  I treat it as a coffee table book as well a a pattern book!  I am not kidding. I can not recommend it enough for your knitting library.

Anyway, my nephew William's Birthday is coming up in June and since it is the weekend after my hand surgery I decided to get started making his gifts. I have made the sailboat hat and this is one of my first times applying knitted objects to a knitted item. I was surprised how well it went. I think I may redo the masts but overall I am very pleased. I choose the color of the hat because it matches his eyes exactly

I have also visitedSusan B Anderson's blog, author of little bitty hats and she has two more adorable hat patterns for sale and another one on the way. I am planning on making this one (photo has been lifted from her personal blog but I wanted everyone to get the full effect!)  

I am also going to make this one (also lifted from Susan's blog)for my cousins Karen and Becky who are having babies in late November.
You can see what I mean about these hats! They are adorable and addicting. I am off to start on William's Birthday cake hat!

Dogs on Thursday- Blue addition

We have two dogs, and they are pretty great ( most of the time).  Blue, as  she is known(really AKC is Deacon Blues) is the newest member of our family.  After we lost Blake in 2006, our other dog went crazy with grief!  Seriously, he was only happy if he was with me all day, I had to take  him to school with me and he hung out in the back of my excursion. ( I knew that car was a good buy:)  

However, in order to get back to normal and help Magnus we had to get a new dog!  Along came Blue, and she has been the sweetest and smallest Lab addition to our home!  I know many times my husband wished she was bigger, but as the one who takes care of the dogs, kids, home, and works, I am glad she is smaller and easier for my 5 year old to help me feed, and walk.  I have included some pics of the dogs.

Dogs on Thursday

My dog Magnus, thinks he is a lap dog at 98lbs.  However, he is a very gentle animal and has put up with kids climbing him and pulling at him with never a sound.  He even does not min it when Kennedy moves him out of the way of his food to play in it! Gross!!!  The biggest issue with Magnus is his attachment.  He can not stand it when we leave him.  When Blake died, I had to take him to work daily till we got a new dog.  He tore a part our laundry room and garage, he was trying to claw thriough the door and wall.  So you can see that he does not like to be alone.  He has been known to sit here when I leave and not move till I caome home.  Apparently he know has a little buddy to hang out with him.

Damn You, PIcot Edging!

Well, I have this great paperbag hat I made for Kennedy. I love the colors and the style, it also turned out pretty well if I do say so myself.  However it is supposed to have this cute picot edging on it.  I tried to do it myself, went online to get more instructions, googled it and  I also contacted my blogging friend down under(HEY Sue!) to see how she did it.  Alas, I have given up.  This is not Sue's fault her directions impeccable, so much so I even think I know how I am doing it wrong, I just can not figure out how to do it right!

Luckily my Mom will be here this weekend and she can teach me how to do it! YEAH MOM!

I also finished her Mother's Day gift in time for  her visit as well.  I got extra time because she was not going to be here till a week after Mother's Day!

Here they are:

Trigger Finger...BANG BANG

Well, I have not been as busy knitting as I should be, however I am managing on knitting a pair of socks for Mom and the Sock of the month knit along for May.  My right hand has been acting funny, the ring finger.  I saw an Orthopedic doctor last week and now I have to have surgery for it.  I am putting it off till June 16th for the end of the school so my husband will not need to take time off work.  I have something commonly called trigger finger.  It has been bothering me for awhile but last year I though it was just a result of being pregnant.  That is not it, it is fairly common, easy to diagnose and is only a 5-10 minute surgical procedure.  However, it does take about 4-6 weeks to get back to normal.  I am not sure how this will effect my knitting:(

Now for the socks.....I am not quite done but I think they are coming along nicely.  I am using a worsted weight yarn for my Mom's socks.  Actually, she gave me the yarn.  It is from the sweater she had been knitting for my father to wear when he suddenly died.  She has finally gotten to the point that she could frog the knitted portion and be able to use it for other projects.  I decided she should have something from my dad's sweater as well...and that is how I decided to make her the socks.  I have been back and forth trying to name them for my ravelry queue and I believe I have come up with a  name (drum roll please)  Rays' sweater socks.