Soooo cute!

Beautiful Fall Colors next door

Our neighbor has a Persimmon tree that is showing off its best colors.

OOOOH new yarn

Red Heart yarns, well known for the plastic yarn called Super Saver has released new yarns that are so much fun to use.
The yarns have different colors and/or textures in one skein.
Watch this video to see the yarn named "changes".
I made scarves with "cream" and "aquamarine" and really like the way they look.

CREAM

AQUAMARINE not the true colors due to the flash

The pattern by Veronica O'Neill is called Magz Bias Scarf and works really well with this yarn. A long, slinky scarf worn in many different ways.

Boye Needlemaster needles made into fixed circular needles

I have had this Boye Needlemaster set forever! Well at least for a really long time and it was always a pain to keep the needles attached to the cables no matter how much hubby tightened them.

After seeing this blog I decided it was time for hubby to make needles I could use and LIKE.

We ordered the ridged tubing from amazon and he found everything else at the hardware store. It was not an easy job for him and he has very strong hands (auto mechanic for 40 years) and questioned that a woman could do the job.

The cable lengths are around 40" because I wanted to be able to use them for two socks at a time (Yeah right!) Some day ~ maybe LOL

From this

to this

 

 

 

 

 

Life is good!

Our plan to visit the Pacific Ocean at least once a month is coming true.

We had a "Living Social" coupon for "The Beach House" and had a delicious lunch on the upstairs balcony and then a walk on the beach. 

Kaps For Kendall - knitting more hats for charities

Kaps for Kendall has a goal of 1,000 hats by December 15th. They collected 300 so far. My goal is five hats by November 15th. One done, four to go

The pattern is one of my favorites "Brandon Ribbed Beanie" a free pattern from Mindy Vasil

Hat #2 "Be Kind" pattern by Melissa Simpson, a free pattern. The yarn is Red Heart Stripes, color Posh Stripes

 

3 baby hats based on the pattern from  Carissa Browning

The yarn is Bernat Baby Sport Ombre, color Rain Drops.

Pittsburgh Steelers color beanie

The pattern is Shadow Knitting hat found here My first try at Shadow knitting.

Read more about Kaps for Kendall; Kendall Atkinson, tragically died following a bone marrow transplant for Fanconi anemia on March 14, 2004 at the age of 20.

Mittens and hacky sacks for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation children

I made three pairs of mittens and three hacky sacks for the children on the Pine Ridge Reservation

The Hacky Sack pattern can be found here I stuffed them with small beans.

Cute As A Button hats

Used up some of the Caron Simply Soft Brites yarn to knit some hats for charities.

The pattern is from Carissa Knits

A hat for Bob and more hats for others

Last year I handed out hats to the "folks" that hang-out in front of the Escondido Public Library. "Bob" gave his hat away and asked if I could make him another hat that he can pull over his ears.

So I did and I'll make more that he can hand out to others because he knows all the homeless around Escondido.

The pattern is called "Just A Beanie"  by Abby Tohline and it is free from her blog I used Vanna's Choice from Lion Brand, color Taupe Mist because Bob wanted brown.

Another hat I knitted is "The Boy Hat Pattern" from LimulusKnits
It fits really nice because of the ribbing pattern.
The yarn was in my stash without a band so I don't the name.

San Diego Chargers colors hats

 

Four  hats are done for "The Ships Project"

The project coordinator asked for hats in NFL team colors, I picked the Chargers (who else?)
The pattern for the San Diego Charger colors is Brandon hat and it is free from ravelry.com

Serene Sunset is a beige color, the link to the pattern no longer works.

If you want to help the troops keep their heads warm, click on the links for more information.

 Hi all,

I knew it! As soon as I posted what we want for the ships, someone comes along and changes that.:-) Here is a list of requests. Please keep in mind that this is a small ship, no more than 300 sailors, and most are male.

They are asking for team colors:
Seattle Seahawks
Oakland Raiders
San Diego Chargers
Boston Red Sox
Seattle Mariners
Tampa Bay Rays
NY Yankees
Oregon State
Dallas Cowboys

They said they don't have any fans for the SEC. You can Google team colors and find what you need if you are in doubt or go to the websites of each team.

The females are asking for hats in "girlie" colors but specified they want only solid colors. There aren't a lot of females aboard, so if you want to go one in "girlie colors," please do only one. None of our other current ships have asked for them, and I don't want to have them wasted. I think we'll be okay if we limit it to one per member.

We've added three ships today, including an aircraft carrier, so we may have some other surprises. I'll keep you posted.

Take Care.
Ellen

Visit Your Group
The FAQs and Getting Started Guide are available at
http://www.theshipsproject.com/MemberOnlyInfo.htm

~Mailing Dates~

We do not mail in December due to mail delays.
July 1-7, 2011
August 1-7, 2011
September 1-7, 2011

Packages should be sent to Ellen during these dates.

Label items with project labels and include item count.
Labels should read:
The Ships Project               DO NOT SEND TO THIS ADDRESS.  IT IS FOR
c/o Ellen Harpin                SAFETY ONLY.
PO Box 564
Goldenrod, FL 32733-0564
ellen32707@gmail.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ITEMS SHOULD BE SENT during the mailing dates to:
The Ships Project
c/o Ellen Harpin
1406 Tipton Road

I am knitting socks or at least that was the plan

My girlfriend Hildegard's birthday is on September 25 and she always carries socks in her purse because she often has cold feet.
On September 20th I decided to knit her a pair of socks. What could be so difficult?
I know how to knit and read directions.
I know how tink (knit backwards when I make a mistake.
I know how to frog (unravel) when I make mistakes.

Paton's Kroy Sock Stripes yarn, Bronzed Berry Stripes and the book "The Sock Knitter's Workshop" seemed like good choices.

 

Using Clover Bamboo needles size 2  double point needles I cast on 44 stitches for size 7/8 (page 20).
I should read the directions thru before starting but that hardly ever happens.
Finished the cuff for sock one and two I started the leg. Looking through the book for heels and toes I realized I cast on for a child's sock size 7/8 not for the women's sock size.
Decided to start socks with different yarn Fortissima Colori Socka Color by Schoeller & Stahl (German flag colors) and a different book "Not just more Socks" by Sandy Rosner The Ripple Sock pattern looked a great match for the stripes. Used size 1 needles this time and started knitting. The pattern repeat is easy to remember but the process of knitting the socks was much slower than I anticipated.

 
By September 25th I had two socks but now came the dreaded "Kitchener Stitch" and I messed trying to get the socks finished in a hurry.
Needless to say, Hildegard did not get her socks for her birthday. They are still unfinished (Hildegard is on vacation this month) and I hope to have them done when she returns.

Thinking I could knit and finish a pair of socks in 5 days was insane!

Rain in September in Escondido!?

We had lightening/thunder and a downpour, very unusual for us.

Knitting PINK things for Susan G Komen Knit for the Cure

I am knitting items for the Race for the Cure in November for the Susan G Comen San Diego Chapter.

Not happy with the first two. A drawstring bag made with Sidar Spree Cotton yarn

The pattern is called Jamaica Pouch and is free

The second is a bag, I used pink acrylic yarn I had in my stash. The Cancer Ribbon Bag pattern is free on ravelry.com
I knitted the ribbon pattern on both sides of the bag. I would change a few things if I made another one.

 

The yarn is Encore Worsted Marls from Plymouth Yarn, 75% acrylic and 25% wool, very soft, color 1006

The pattern is SSK, knit 2, YO, knit 2

Knit cap on head with hair

 

Cap without hair

 

Love the little point

I finished the fingerless mitts with the same Encore yarn. The pattern is Comfy Knit Wristers from Red Heart. Added ribbing on top to cover the fingers.

The Boy Hat pattern made for a girl. A free pattern from Elisabeth Heath-Heckman


You can read more about KNITTING FOR THE CURE at yarningforyou.com