Mitts, cables, fences and slippers … oh my!

I finished off the top after all and made it straight across.  These cables are pretty, but boy do you have to be careful.  I have started the second mitt and have had to pull back several rows several times!  Get one cable off and it really messes it up.  Am trying to be more careful, but it proves to me that I should crochet without the TV on to distract me!

Putting up yet another fence. This is on the West side of the house.  It will have a 48 inch gate and the fencing will be like the rest that is around the back part of the property….6' tall cedar.

This is he East side of the house where the gate will be about 10' or more.  I am on septic and need for the truck to make it through to the back once every two years to pump it out. Once this is finished I will have four separately fenced areas in my yard.  Eventually I may take out the chain line which is around a smaller area directly in back…but that is in the distant future.

I am thinking I will be getting back to the slippers for my niece after I complete the mitts.  I think I have one finished, but will have to check…maybe only to what is shown in the photo.  I think because I don't love the yarn I am not loving the project, which keeps me dragging my feet.

Plus I do have the afghan I started early last year that needs to be finished.  I think the dog/pup is about settled enough for me to work on it while sitting on the couch.

Head Band finished…New Gauntlet Fingerless Mitt's started

I put a pony tail band at the bottom for stretch.

It is a silver blue but could not get the right blue to show up!

Started the fingerless mitt's for my niece.  I finished one mitt….but think I might go back and put-up the band at the top. Don't like the dip.  These are the same pattern as the purple one's (for her mom).

Palm of the mitts.

Starting Ear Warmer for Pam

I started this ear warmer from part of a pattern for a shawl I found in an Interweave Crochet magazine.  The pattern can be purchased separately in the Ravelry Pattern Store.

It is Solas Caomh by Jodi Euchner.  I have to say it isn't easy…mostly post stitches really, but you have to be on the ball to make sure you are getting the right stitches for each row.  Lots of ripping out for me until I got the hang of it…and I am still having a little problem here and there.

Worth the effort though! Using Cascade Yarns Heritage Silk (really merino wool with a small bit of silk) in a silver blue color.  I really love it! Will try one later on in a heavier weight yarn.

Fingerless Mitt's finished!

They are probably more like gauntlets…I got carried away on the length. However, in my defense, I was not sure about how long her hands were and felt that if I made them shorter they might not quite cover right.  The above color is correct.  The photos below are too bright….could be somewhat in-between.

I used Malabrigo sock yarn in Dewberry.  I really love working with Malabrigo…I use to scoff at people who "just have to have" Malabrigo but now understand why.

The pattern for these is Palm Fingerless Mitt's on Ravelry but wait before you go running off an purchasing it.  I think she must not have had testers for it as there were quite a few…well, not errors…but she didn't add counts when her counts would be different from mine. She did small and I was doing medium…only the small counts were there in about 1/2 of the rounds.  You can figure it out (four up from what she had for each size) but better to wait as she told me she is going to up date it.

The mitts are very snuggly and warm, and you would be wise to make a pair! Gift or keep.  The cable part takes a bit to feel comfy, but if you pay attention it is fine.  

These go to my sister-in-law.  I just finished a pair of fingerless mitts for me. The are just all fpdc (except here and there) from a pattern that had a lovely design but I didn't do the design. I just wanted the snuggly part!  More later.

Happy President's Day! 

Personally I think we ought to go back to celebrating Lincoln and Washington's birthdays separately.  When I lived in SC and GA they did not celebrate Lincoln's birthday (no surprise there, right).  I think that is why they put the two together.  Now is the time we go back to it as celebrating Martin Luther King's birthday is the same, and they do celebrate it in the South now. 

Besides….it gives us that extra holiday in winter to help keep people off the roads in blizzards!

Stay safe.

Finished the Cowl & Starting New Fingerless Mitt's!

I don't love the cowl like I thought I would, but it is fine to wear when it is misty or raining, and will cover my head.  I think my disappointment came when I realized I wasn't going to look like a beautiful Hollywood Star! ;-(  It is just ME under that red hood...

This is the beginning of one bit.  I am almost to the place where the thumb will be started.  I just love the way this is crocheting up into the cabled look!  The pattern calls for beads, but I have never used beads in crocheting and did not want to start on something that is a new pattern of me.

Palm Fingerless Mitts by Tina Rodriguez 

The yarn is Malabrigo Sock in Dewberry.  It's just such a joy to use!

And not to be outdone, my sweetest DSD made fingerless mitts for ME!!!  These are the cutest things! This is a pattern by Amy Bahrt.  Cat-Motif Mitts on Ravelry.