FO's and Dogs On Thursday (On Friday)

Having a week-long case of the stomach flu can actually be a good thing for a knitter, when it results in several FO's. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I discovered that I can knit while laying down and with one eye patched. This is very reassuring, because I am very intolerant of boredom, even when wishing someone would put me out of my misery. So, with the exception of one very bad day, I was able to summon enough strength to knit on through the nausea and icky feelings to start and even finish several knitted objects.

I finished the Inside-Out Chemo Hat that went to New Orleans with me. The pattern came from the HeadHuggers website, and was knitted with Trendsetter "Scoubi Du" color 674. I added the i-cord loop on top for a touch of whimsy. You had a sneak peek a couple days ago, but here is a better picture of it.


This was made for my neighbor, a young mother with a nasty, resistent cancer. I didn't know if the yarn (a cotton/acrylic blend and the bumpy texture of the seed stitch would feel comfy enough for her. I was relieved to find out she loves the hat and has been wearing it almost daily and every night to sleep in. When I heard this, I immediately cast-on another hat for her, which was finished last night during American Idol.



I modified the Blanche pattern - instead of seed stitch, I used a box stitch. Otherwise I followed the pattern for the brim and decreases. I used Berocco Comfort yarn in a luscious peachy-pink that goes by the romantic name of #9704. You have to watch your knitting a bit more carefully with this yarn because it likes to split, but it is very soft and doesn't have that icky acrylic feeling, even though it is an acrylic/nylon blend. This one hadn't been washed and blocked as of this picture.

I also knocked out 3 dishcloths - 2 for the Winter Doldrums swap, and a third as a gift. I tried out 2 new patterns, both of which I really enjoyed.

This dainty one is "Lilacs On the Veranda" from talented and prolific designer Maile Mauch.
You can tell I had a few challenges to my attention span, but I didn't think the mistakes detracted from it. This one was for one of my Winter Doldrums dishcloth swap pals (I had "twins" as my downstream pals) out of Sugar&Cream.


I liked the pattern so much, that I knit an extra one, to go into the gift stash. I used one of my favorites, Cotton Ease in the violet-blue color. It wasn't washed and blocked yet, either.

This pretty one (getting the Criquette sniff test of approval) is the "Blissful Moss Rib Dishcloth" pattern. I like the way this Sugar&Cream yarn pooled in the pattern.



I have one more dishcloth and 2 baby hats on the needles which are both 2/3's finished and should be done this weekend, if I get to watch enough TV. Meanwhile, the house critters are all experiencing their own winter doldrums, especially after we got a dusting of snow today. Last night, the weather guy said that the longest we have gone without it snowing here on the prairie since Thanksgiving is 12 days. We had just broken the record yesterday by going 13 days. This has been enough winter even for me. Where's spring?

Bitsy (aka "The Shredder"), working up the energy for her next attack

Criquette, doing Quality Assurance on the freshly dried pile of sheets

Chloe and Abbie, begging for carbs