I love this worm scarf pattern so much that I have made several of them. I love mine and wear it all the time! That is why I gifted this scarf to a very kind friend and I hope she loves it as much as I do. I cast on double the stitches this time, however, so this particular scarf is extra-wide. It took twice as much yarn as the original pattern which makes complete sense since it’s only supposed to be 9 stitches wide. Oh well - turned out beautiful if I do say so myself. Yarn: Lumpy Bumpy by Farmhouse Yarns, 99% merino wool and 1% nylon. One of my favorite. yarns. ever.

My very favoritest scarf works up quickly and easily and is a very gratifying gift to give (and equally, if not more, gratifying to keep and wear — oh how selfish I am!). Details on The Worm Scarf, originally created by Julie Weisenberger, can be found on my Ravelry page. It works up most beautifully in Farmhouse Yarn’s Lumpy Bumpy which is a fantastic, textured wool yarn. I first became familiar with it at the Hen House in Spring, Texas, but I’m not sure if they carry that line anymore. The blue scarf pictured above, however, was worked up in a more readily available, less-expensive yarn: Lion Brand Homespun. It is so soft and pretty but I must admit that I love the Lumpy Bumpy wool better (pictured in the Cherry Pie colorway from Farmhouse Yarns).

I was going through a VERY old hard drive on my computer and ran across this batch of ideas for things to knit. This was so long ago that I have completely lost the source of the images to give them credit. I am going to share them here but, please, if you find they are yours, do let me know so I can attribute them correctly and so that many others can find their way to the actual pattern or source for some of these wonderful knitting ideas!

Knitted for Anna Prathipati’s baby girl coming in a couple of weeks. I missed the baby shower today but hope that I can still get it to her in time. I actually started a knitted dress but it is taking hours on end so I had to go back and get this white knitted blanket I had originally started for one (okay, two) of Don’s sisters and never actually got around to finishing. I decided to give it a pink crocheted camo edge and it is really, really cute. I made it at least 1 1/2 years ago and added the edge this morning. I love the Angel Fleece yarn - so soft but I must admit I still prefer wool as a natural fiber but you can’t beat the washability of something like this for babies! Here’s a link to the Ravelry page (be sure to favorite it if you like it!) and here is a link to the photos directly on our flickr account.

The CUTEST (and my first!) newborn baby boy hat and mitts. The hat is a variation of Susan B. Anderson’s “Go Team” hat published on her Spud & Chloe blog this past week. The mitts I made up but they seem to work well. I might try lining those with polarfleece so that the yarns don’t catch tiny, fragile, newborn fingers. More pics of the sweet baby wearing the goods at my Ravelry account. Even more pics at our flickr account.

I used a stretchy yarn that you have to order online (even my local yarn store had only 3 balls and it only came in this tie-dye color so I had to use it - but it turned out cute). It’s called Cascade Fixation and I. Love. This. Yarn. Once you get used to working with it, there’s no problem. This is only my second “real” crochet project ever so I am going easy on myself. The bottoms turned out a little large but when I washed them they did shrink a little bit. The hat turned out perfectly. I think I’m going to try to work it in the round next time so there’s no seam on the back. It is so stretchy and soft — perfect for fitting babies. The pattern can be found in Annie’s Attic Crochet book “Diaper Covers & Caps” #871058. Hook up with me on Ravelry (name: 10cowife) if you make any of these - I’d love to see different color combinations. And if you’ve got the flower on page 18 figured out — please let me know!!!

From the DROPS Alpaca baby bonnet pattern available for free. You can link to the pattern and other information about it at my page on Ravelry. It is such a cute pattern. Last time I worked it up in the recommended alpaca and it was very soft but this time I did it in sunny yellow cotton and I like this so much better with more distinct stitch definition - plus, I’ve had a bit of practice so it looks better all around. I haven’t finished the seams or picot edge but I wanted to try it on Megan’s cute little head - isn’t it - I mean she - adorable???

Ravelry: I have known about the site for years but I was afraid to get too deeply involved…with good reason. One could surf the project pictures and patterns indefinitely (you know, those *other* people without any self control!). I finally gave in and set up a profile - 10cowife - to document my adventures in yarn. Other than this blog, that is. Truly addicting. A great way to keep track of needles, yarn, pattern sources, etc. It’s so fun to see patterns in the many different color combinations that other Ravelry members have thunk up. Off to do a little more browsing…I’m sick in bed so it’s fully justified, right?

I’ve been busy knitting hearts for Valentine’s Day. A friend of mine is teaching crochet and I’m teaching knitting in an upcoming workshop for church.

I made the potholder pattern from Lion Brand Yarn just fine but I’m trying to alter it for a dishcloth.

JoAnn’s pattern for a heart here is a little easier but they’re all basically the same. It’s not difficult, I got it on the first try!

Two more knitting sites that I like: Veronik Avery and Skein Queen. Don’t forget Veronik has a blog and a book. Skein Queen has wonderful yarns for sale and patterns, too. Happy surfing!

I’ve been gone for so long, I feel like I need to reintroduce myself! I have been more than busy this season and I’m going to have to change that. I definitely need to rearrange some priorities. I am determined to include more knitting time. I have so many great knitting links and blogs to share that I’ll just start off with a couple and give you time to enjoy them. Then I’ll list a few more next time. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

First, check out Brooklyntweed. His name is Jared Flood and he’s on flickr, twitter, blogs and has a website. He teaches knitting but I simply enjoyed looking at his work. His technique is amazing and his color choices seem natural yet subdued and perfectly suited to the pieces he works. Love it! I wish he offered some free patterns but I couldn’t find any. I really enjoyed his circular needles version of the baby pants pictured above.

The original baby pants pattern can be found from Shibui Knits out of Portland. I couldn’t find any free patterns on there site, either, but there is enough eye candy to inspire you for sure!

I know - I get so excited over small things. Really, tiny, baby things. I just am still so new at this knitting stuff that I am amazed sometimes at what can be done. The bonnet is so cute - I made the bonnet in the post below out of pink alpaca yarn. It is so soft and so cute. I don’t have any dolls to try it on but here is how they turned out. I still need to figure out a tiny flower for the booties - or not - they look cute just how they are, I think! The booties took way longer than the hat but I think if I were to do it again (which I will for sure) that it would go faster now that I have done it before. I hope to get pictures of the cute baby to whom these will be gifted soon and I will post them then if it’s okay with her mama.

I made the booties and I’m now making this beautiful hat! It’s not super easy but it hasn’t been that bad either (but, then again, I’m not done yet!). It seems to be going faster than the booties did but I am watching general conference so perhaps that is why it’s getting done more quickly. I love the Drops Yarn that I purchased and when I went to their website, I found a ton of great patterns. Click on the picture above to visit their site! Great stuff for knitting - LOVE IT. I am becoming such a junkie.

I have found the most interesting way to knit baby booties: double knitting. Susan B. Anderson details the baby booties pictured first (and it’s her pattern), made of cotton yarn. Betz White shows her version in the 2nd picture - made of soft alpaca yarn. Even though they’re small - the stitches are also tiny and they do take awhile!

Knitty also features a double knitted Hoover Baby Blanket. The double knitting is so gratifying because it is so very thick (it creates kind of a pocket which you can seal by binding off) but it does take twice the time. The time savings comes in not having to seam two swatches together or cast on twice!

I have also been hanging on to an article from my beloved CRAFTZine detailing a Norwegian method of making large booties. These booties are fascinating - I can’t wait to try them both out! I’m almost halfway through a pair of baby booties but I have at least 6 more to make….here’s to hoping they turn out. I will keep you posted and post pictures of the final product as soon as I’ve got them completed. My hands are sore today (death grip on the needles must stop - but those baby yarns are so tiny!).

So this is my second knitted dishcloth. My arm just might fall off - not from knitting but from patting myself on the back! I’m so excited - knitting is so much fun. Thanks to a good friend for sharing the pattern. It’s so pretty I don’t know if I really want to use it but since the same good friend (thanks, Cathy K) also gave me a couple, I know they hold up really well. It’s such a great Sugar ‘n Cream pink yarn and so durable. I haven’t figured out how Cathy got the ends joined so seamlessly (I’m not generous enough to show you the back side!) but all in all this is a pretty one. I love the pink - kind of my own tribute to breast cancer as I wash the dishes every day. My first one went to a friend in Arkansas on our trip down to Texas. This one is going to my mother. I have a few more that are spoken for and then one for me. All pink, baby! Oh, and if anybody can figure out how to do this in the round on circular needles…please, email me.