Sharing the Knitted Love

Hi Knitters!

I knitted a quick hat and scarf set for my dear publicist, Danielle. She's gone and left me for a different job at Workman but I still love her anyway. She took good care of me and I want to share a little knitted love with her for her upcoming birthday.

I used 3 skeins of Manos in the Wildflower colorway #113 and size 11 needles for the scarf. I used Stephanie Pearl-Mcphee's One Row Scarf pattern, it's awesome and easy! I used my hat pattern in itty-bitty for the Simple Baby Cap 3, only I cast on 80 stitches to start with. This makes a 20 inch hat, which is perfect for an average size woman's head. I knitted to 7 inches before I started the decrease sequence. Oh yeah, I used size 9 sixteen inch circular and dpns for the hat and I used the one row scarf pattern modified for working in the round for about 4 rounds to start the hat off.

For the edge of the scarf I used 2 size 7 dpns to make 3 inch i-cords, 5 for each edge. Next I sewed the ends of the i-cord together to form little rings. I stitched these onto the ends to add a finishing touch. I am so over fringe lately, it just doesn't appeal to me right now. It may come back, who knows.
To add a bit of flare to the simple cap, I made 3 more rings and sewed them to the front side of the hat. This makes a swingy, warm set for a cute, young New York girl running to catch the train at the end of the day! I can just see it.
I had to include a shot of the beautiful amaryllis flowers that have taken bloom in my kitchen. There are 8 enormous candy cane blossoms that are enough to make your heart stop. It's the best in the dead of winter to have these flowers in my house.

Quickly I have to mention a blog that is driving me crazy with happiness. It is a very popular blog known as the blue blog and it is at www.alison.knitsmiths.us. Alison is a joyous mother of two boys who is expecting her first girl very soon. She is knitting itty bitty hats like mad and is loving every minute of it. So far she has knitted cherry-o!, upside down daisy, cotton stria stripes (check out the matching sock yarn) and best of all her knitting group knitted all of the roses for the rosebud wreath hat for her. She may have done more hats I am not sure. Her fun outlook on knitting and excitement for this new baby girl are so contagious.

Alison's knitting group, the knitsmiths, gave her the knittiest baby shower I have ever seen. They strung up a clothesline and filled it up by hanging knitted booties in all different styles and colors across the room. So cute! Anyway, Alison is a fantastic knitter, check out her finished projects and you will be impressed. Hats off to Alison who makes even me, the overworked mother of four, want to have another baby!

Last and probably least, I picked up this fun artist's model at barnes and noble. I keep thinking about dressing it up in knitted goods, at least a hat. I plan on using this for some sketching and painting! I'll keep you posted.

best, susie