I’d planned to start a beaded scarf last night but the beads/beading tool/yarn weren’t working for me. I double checked the bead size and it was right but I’m going to have to do a little more research and see if I can figure out how I got it to work in the past. I’m almost positive I’ve used this fingering weight yarn with beads before.

I ended up starting a HitchHiker scarf. I’ve made a couple of these in the past but it’s been a while. Finn’s eyeing that yarn but while he might grab a yarn scrap if he can find one, he hasn’t messed with any of my projects but I’m careful not to leave him unattended with them.

After debating what my next yarn project would be … I chose two. I decided to abandon the crochet blanket with tension issues and restart using a shell pattern so that one’s in progress AND I decided to start another scarf. This is an easy waffle stitch pattern and it’s working up nicely in my Yowza yarn! Knitting this one is inspiring me to pull out my knitting stitch dictionary and see if I can find any other simple stitch patterns I like and make up my own rectangular scarf pattern. You can find this pattern free on Ravelry.

When I come across a free pattern on a site that has a lot of ads and ”extra” information, I like to get rid of the distractions and copy and paste the instructions into a simple document that I can use in my KnitCompanion app.

Tomorrow I’m going to start a fat quarter quilt!

I’m working on my 3rd scarf for the month right now … I’m feeling pretty lazy this week and all I want to do is sit and knit but I’m making myself work on the other stuff that needs to get done BEFORE I sit down with the knitting (some quilting, trimming, binding, piecing backings).

This waves scarf isn’t the prettiest but it’s warm so I’m hoping someone will appreciate it. I saw the Caron Big Donut yarn in Michaels and you know I just had to try it. I love knitting this pattern. I’ve made at least 3 of them and already have yarn picked out for another one.

• Waves pattern found free on Ravelry
• Needle size – 8
• Yarn – Caron Big Donut

Scarf #2 is not as warm but very pretty. I don’t have a great photo of this one but I’m not going upstairs right to drape it across a blouse. This Be Simple Variation is also a favorite pattern of mine and I’ve knit it many times.

• Pattern is Be Simple Variations found free on Ravelry
• Needle size is 6
• Yarn is Wollmeise Twin – it’s a fingering weight yarn.

Do you knit? What’s your favorite scarf pattern?

I finally wove in the last ends of this Linen Stitch blanket that I’d finished about 3 weeks ago.

• Pattern – came with a Craftsy kit
• Yarn – LionBrand Mandala Ombre
• Hook size – I
• Cast on 140
• Blanket size is about 37 x 49 and I used 4 skeins

I crochet these as the yarn comes off the skeins … I used to worry that the striping pattern wasn’t the same throughout and would try to break the yarn to start in the same place but I found that when I’d get to a knot in the skein, it would be randomly tied and the sequence wouldn’t continue as before anyway. I’d have up with lots more ends to weave in and there would still be “breaks” in the sequence so now I just work it as it comes.

I finished this hat last night. Most of the knitting was done in the car to and from Virginia.

• Pattern – Undaunted Hat found free on Ravelry
• Needle size – 6 for the brim, 8 for the body of the hat
• Yarn – LionBrand Heartland

This simple ripple blanket is done and all the ends are already woven in! That’s pretty impressive for me.

• Pattern – Easy Ripple Afghan found free on Ravelry
• Hook size – H
• Yarn – Lion Brand Basic Stitch
• Cast on 130 and crocheted in the back loop
• Blanket measures about 40 x 55

I can mark this off my list and I also donated 15 quilts today … another one of December’s goals met.

I guess I kind of like crocheting this easy blanket … I was adding it to my Ravelry project list and saw this is the 15th time I’ve made it.

Hat #35 is a variation of the Cobblestone pattern and I used up another partial skein.

• Pattern – variation of the CobbleStone pattern found free on Ravelry
  • For the body of the hat just repeat rows 1-4 and make the appropriate changes when decreasing.
• Needle size – 6 for the ribbed brim, 7 for the body
• Yarn – Knit Picks Mighty Stitch

I was tempted to cast on another hat but decided it’s time to make a blanket so I started hooking it while we watch the Lightning game.

There will be more hats knit here and there but I’m calling the hat knitting marathon finished with 35 hats made.

You might think I’m not sewing at all but I am. I finished trimming Mom’s last quilt and got the binding made, sewn on and ready for her to hand stitch. Now I’ve got one last day before I start focusing on December’s goals and that means more knitting. Hat #34 is another child size beanie made to use up a partial skein.

• Pattern – Snow Day found free on Ravelry
• Needle size – 8
• Yarn – Knit Picks Swish Tonal
• Cast on 72

Hat #33 is child size … I wish I had Mo here to try this one on to make sure the fit is OK. Using up another partial skein but could have gone slightly longer … I didn’t remember that the crown decreased so quickly and didn’t take as much yarn so I had a little left over. I do get a bit nervous about running out!

• Pattern – Sandoval Hat found free on Ravelry – see last page of the pattern for this version without the fold up brim.
• Needle size – 9
• Yarn – Paintbox Simply Aran
• Cast on 72 stitches

Hat #32 is done. No pattern with this one … just a simple beanie. I’m trying to use up some of the partial skeins before my hat knitting marathon ends. The last 3 were from leftovers and I started #4 after finishing this one. I weigh the skeins but it’s always a bit more nerve wracking as I get to the decreases wondering if I’ll run out of yarn.

Yarn is Caron Cupcake – I’ll mention again that I’m not a fan of the dye splotches that occur in this yarn and it’s not the softest … I won’t be buying more of this yarn.

I’ve found a local place to donate these too! Big Canoe is having a coat drive for those in need and I wrote the coordinator and asked if I could donate hand knit hats and scarves and she thought it was a great idea.