Our customers are loving the Coziest Ever Infinity Scarf designed by our Lakewood local, Heidi of Stitch Cleveland. Rachel has been wearing her very brilliant version made of Lambs Pride Bulky and I have been trying to wear my grey version made of Rowan Cocoon. I say trying because I'm having to do battle with my Kelsey to keep it for my own(shhh xmas is coming there might be something on the needles for her!). Anyway, we thought you might enjoy taking a gander at ways to wear the scarf. One version is just a couple wraps around your neck to keep out the cold,the other version encourages the hood look. The hood is perfect to take off the chill and not mess with your hair too much. Anyway it goes, our cutomers see them being worn and want to make them too! The pattern is perfect for a long weekend at home and enjoying the knitting process.

The hardest part about blogging is the picture taking. I wanted to update you on my December winds entry....the finished projects turned out awesome. I actually did everything I said I was going to, it may have taken a day or two longer than expected but I have decreased the number of bags with started projects. My pictures started out kinda boring and then my girls started to help me out. That is when the fun started. We started the photo shoot and making the accessories come to life.
I love the end results of each of these projects and just wanted to share them with you. The gloves and scarf(Urbana from the Stephen West collection) are patterns that need to be purchased. The hat is one I will share with you. It is dedicated to a promising young knitter that requested an earflap hat.

The River Colors Bulky Earflap Hat
1 Hank of Cascade Magnum
50 yards of Contrast yarn(overestimate)
16' circular size 15 needles
double point needles
stitch marker
gauge 8sts = 4 inches

earflaps
cast on 3 stitches and purl back
knit one, make one left, knit one, make one right,knit one
purl back
knit one, make one left, knit 3, make one right, knit one
purl back
continue with the increases on the 2nd and 2nd to last stitch, working the stitches in between until there are 11 stitches
purl back and cut yarn and leave on the cord

start earflap number 2 and follow the directions for the first one BUT DO NOT CUT THE YARN. purl back and cable cast on 8 stitches, purl across the other flap.
turn and knit across all stitches, pm, cable cast on 10 stitches and join.(40 stitches total).
purl one row, knit one row for 11 rounds total(end with a purl row)
continue just knitting until the length from the beginning is 6 inches.
begin decreases:
knit 6, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 5, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 4, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 3, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 2, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 1, knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker
knit 2 together...repeat until you get to the marker

cut the yarn so there is around 6 inches left and thread back through the live stitches. weave in the ends.

I will add the rest of the info later.

Oh young knitter that I promised the ear flap hat pattern to ....I have not forgotten you!
i have the hat all knitted and just need to write the details of the pattern...check in again Thursday PLEASE!

This morning I woke up very early to the December winds of Cleveland. I tried to make myself go back to sleep but then decided to approach the day with a purpose. Today is going to be the day I eliminate some of the bags that I carry back and forth to the shop and every day. In other words I am going to finish some of the projects that I have on the needles.
My list for the day includes.
1. work on Stephen West's Urbana. I shared the beginning stages with you but then put it on the back burner. One of our customers shared her finished Stephen West's Daybreak with me and I want to start one myself....but not until Urbana is done.
2. put the thumbs and buttons on my Noro Retro fingerless gloves
3. create and knit a pattern for an earflap hat using my Cascade Magnum that I will be recycling.
4. put a button on my Malabrio Rasta vest that is hanging at the store. Once I put the button on I can actually wear it!

I think I should be able to do these things today....they are not crazy unrealistic like my usual lists. Look for the update by the end of the day.

I was wearing my Maine Mitts in the studio the other day....there was a chill in the air and the warmth on my wrists always helps take that chill off. The customer I was helping was making the Noro necklet and thoroughly enjoying it....she asked "do you have any other cute fast projects like this?. I usually am pretty good at answering questions like that but that day I waas a little off. I was slow to answer and then she gave me the prompt; "are those gloves that you are wearing hard to make?". Well that was history. We got the pattern out for her, picked out some Noro Kureyon and off she went very excited about her new project(by the way she has come back and made a couple pairs. I am terribly grateful to her for reminding me that an old project to me may be a new project to someone else. Kind of like the old "make new friends but keep the old" lyric from my Girl Scout days.

Well the good thing about yarn is that it can be recycled. As much as we hate when a project doesn't turn out, it is not the end of the world! Here you see a wonderful hat that I believe the jolly green giant or Shrek could wear. It is indeed very cute...just huge. I can't blame it on the stitch gauge, that came out right on. There was not a row gauge given so who would have thought? I had such high hopes for this hat.....I spent the afternoon working on it yesterday because I wanted to share it with you as a fast and easy.....don't do it, that is unless you know very large, giant like people that would like it. I was all set to embellish it with the contrast yarn you see pictured.....sooooo beautiful except for the fact that it is not really usable. I wanted to share it with you before I ripped because I want you to know....we all rip and the recycle. Maybe you don't launch into the new project right away....maybe it takes some time to heal from the failed project but we all do it. The beauty of crocheting and knitting is that we can recycle...think of how painful it would be if you just had to throw the yarn away because the project didn't work. Look for my recycled yarn in future postings!

I have to confess I love the way these arm warmers look and they are so now. They are classic and contemporary in their style. What I mean is that if you have wonderful smooth skin, or a sexy little tattoo that peeks out from under these warmers you are going to look great(besides being wonderfully warm thanks to those cute little alpacas. Blue Sky alpaca pattern designs are almost always this way, edgy yet classic. So that being said, these warmers can easily be converted into hand warmers by leaving off the length of the arm. You start at the point closest to your fingers and then knit length on so you can stop whenever you want.
Recently I was using mine as a sample to describe a technique of creating the thumb hole without creating a gusset and I received alot of ooohing and aahhing from the other people in the shop. I didn't expect such a wonderful reception so I decided I better share them with you! Rachel and I put together some color suggestions that we thought you might enjoy.

The colors choices are as follows top to bottom
You need 2 hanks of the main color and one hank of the contrast

Melange 806 & 815
Melange 802 & 813
Sport 503 & 504
Sport 519 & 525

How cute is this crochet bowl? I have been walking around humming the melody of Oh Christmas Tree and playing with this bowl. I can't help myself, the dandy little thing is just so cute! First I put paper clips in it, then rubber bands and finally peppermint xmas candy balls. That is how the bowl has made me most happy. I have it out at the store filled with candy. It's funny though, I never see anyone eating the candy.....but the bowl keeps on emptying out.....hmmmm somone else out there must like it as a candy dish! By the way we are offering it as a class on December 11th. If you know how to single and double crochet this class is for you. You will learn how to crochet in the round and sculpt your yarn into this spiffy bowl. By the time you are done with the class you will also know how to crochet a hat in the round. Let me tell you as well that we have a wonderful collection of colors to chose from in our Small Ball Collection. Let me also add that the bowls go quickly and will make great gifts for teachers, gift exchanges and presents for someone that has everything.

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