The Castoffs met on a snowy, cold afternoon at Deb’s house. We were met at the door by Deb’s Yorkie, Izzy, who loved all the strange smells that we brought in.
The view of Deb's snow-covered neighborhood from her deck.
Girls just want to have fun.
Leslie finally finished her rug for her downstairs bathroom and it looks great! She knitted pointy embellishments on the short ends and we were all very impressed. Looks like double rows of dragon’s teeth, only orange and green. Who knows, maybe dragons had green teeth?!
A splash of color in Deb's foyer.
Closeup of the Dragon's Teeth.
To recap, Leslie knitted blocks of color using a ballband pattern. I think it turned out great – a fun use of a traditional dishcloth pattern. Now Leslie is knitting some felted slippers for herself. She has just begun, but she gave us a preview of what and where.
The slipper WILL cover more of Leslie's foot...eventually
All of the Castoffs have been very busy in the two weeks since we saw each other’s projects. I tried at one point to count all the works-in-progress, but I ran out of fingers and toes. Dang. I do know that everyone was working on at least two, often three, different projects. Michelle finished her soft mohair sweater and wore it to show us. It turned out so pretty!
So PROUD of you, Michelle!
Now Michelle is knitting a rat scarf – yup – Rat Scarf – for her daughter for Christmas. I love this pattern from a link called Morehouse Farms. They have other scarf patterns of critters, but the rats are sublime.
Rat bastard!
The rats hold each other by the tails except for the last rat, whose tail hangs down in front of the lucky person who will wear the scarf. Here is a closeup of the little rat head.
Eek!
Michelle also knit a hat for her husband, Joel. I was happy to model it. It made me feel like yodeling.
Just call me Heidi
Marylane brought the finished pieces of her fabulous sweater to get some help in sewing them together. It’s a beautiful sweater and we can’t wait until it’s all put together (especially Marylane!).
Just a heap of yarn...right now.
Starting to take shape now.
I hear that Marylane is knitting the button plackets now, so every week, it will have more resemblance to an actual sweater. Very exciting, when you consider that the last sweater Marylane attempted ended up at the charity shop in pieces. Hmm. Not going to happen to this one, ML.
Mary has been a busy little bee. She brought three hats and a dishcloth to show us. To think that she used to be afraid to do scarves!! Can socks be next, Mary?
Go, Mary, go!
Francy is only a sleeve away from the completion of the sweater that she’s knitting for her son-in-law. It’s a top-down henley made from Paton’s Classic Wool. Love that pattern!
AIEEE! Where's my other arm???
Deb is a real hatmeister lately too. She is finishing up a second hat to go with the earflap hat for her husband, Glen. I hope this one is for her! Looking good, Deb!
Tada! Stripey hats galore!
Speaking of hats, I finished a really fun pattern for my friend’s Christmas present. It has a lot of ins and outs, yarnovers and K2tgs, but it worked up fast and easy. Fluffy yarn tops it off. I’m planning to make another one for my sis-in-law and maybe one for me. Who knows?
Hey, it matches my scarf. Maybe I should keep it for myself.
I’m also still working on my gray sweater vest, but I had to pause to finish some Christmas gifts. ‘Tis the season!
Marsha's two WIPs
Julie is knitting a pillow using a super-chunky yarn, coincidentally, the same yarn I used on my husband’s earflap hat from last week. Now I know what to do with that extra skein that I have leftover. Love the fat cables in this pillow.
Love the cables!
Carol rushed straight from the eye doctor to show us her finished Huckleberry hat for her grandson. She is planning one for her little granddaughter, Mabel, too.
Carol Orbison knits!
Linda is starting a hat like the ribbed ones that I made for my son and brother-in-law, but first she’s finishing a cool scarf. It uses short rows to twist around itself. Great look. I think it’s for her daughter, right Linda?
A real twisted sista.
Next week we’ll meet at Julie’s house. Christmas is creeping up on us so I’m sure the Castoffs will be diligently working on gifts. Before I sign off, I’d like to share a photo of Francy’s granddaughter, Grace, in her MSU Bobcats shirt. She was watching the ‘Cats beat the Griz. Too bad the Bobcats lost in the first round of the championships, Grace.
Go 'Cats!
Carol sent me a photo of a VERY happy Waylan, unconcerned about football, for now. He is her Numero Uno grandson. So cute.
What's the joke, Waylan?
I’ll leave you with a musing from Groucho Marx, “I wonder if babies have as much fun in infancy as adults have in adultery?”
Until next time at Julie’s house, keep those needles blazing! Christmas is coming!
