Baby Blankets

I do not like knitting blankets, but everyone in the Yahoo group Mittens for Akkhol was knitting blankets for the babies.  The size needed was only 20x30" and I had various amounts of odds and ends of hand-spun yarns; so, of course, I had to join in. Here are the products of this co-dependent behavior with the enabler being the members of the Group.

and this one

The oddments were some of the earliest hand-spun and hand-dyed yarns which my in-house spinner, aka daughter, produced.

Knit on, merrily!

Message to Lori Pall

Since Blogger is not allowing me to post to my own blog, here is the answer to your question.  The doggie is a Rat Terrier, variously called Pepe Le Pew, Pepe or Sir Rat.  I found him In July 2000 on a prison yard where I worked; one of his legs was injured.  It looked like he had been caught in a trap and worked himself loose.  He usually pretends to be an attachment to my left hip when I sit in my recliner and always wants to be covered up. He is now between 12 and 13 years old and is getting gray hair. He's also spoiled rotten.  And just because I love him, here is another photo of him, one of his previous "brothers" who is now dead, and the Siamese when he was a baby.

Renate

Summer around Michigan

Rather than taking a vacation in another State this year, we have been exploring closer to home. There are many nooks and crannies in Northern Michigan that we have never visited although we have lived in this part of the State for 11 years.  During the unbearable heat wave in July, we booked ourselves into a nearby hotel. Taking a drive around the area we ended up in Rogers City, Michigan and found homes built with field stones gathered from the fields many years ago. I have only seen these homes in Michigan although I understand they can also be found in New York State. I find these buildings fascinating. So here are a few photos of such buildings collected over the past few years.

 Rogers City, Michigan



  Rogers City, Michigan

 East Jordan Michigan - El-Jirah Farmhouse

East Jordan, Michigan - El-Jirah Barn 

 Private Home on the way to West Branch, Michigan

    St. John's Church, East Jordan, Michigan

Built in the early 19th Century by Czechoslovakian Immigrants

Back to knitting.    

Socks No. 24 for 2011

Another pair of socks is labeled and waiting to be shipped later in the year to Mittens-for-Akkhol.  The pattern's designer is Regina Satta from Germany.  You can see her designs here.  She has a number of free designs.  Patterns can be downloaded in both English and German.  This is an alternative to "Stinos", simple to knit but looks quite dressy.  A pattern that is unisex and would look just as good in a solid colored sock yarn.  The pattern's name is "Jeck."  I don't know if the word means anything.  Regina is originally from Berlin and I lived 49 years ago in the Northern Black Forest.  Two different times and dialects. The yarn is ONLine Supersocke Butterfly Color, 4 ply.  I bought it at Little Knits from Seattle, Wash. at a very, very good price.

Knit on Merrily!

Socks: Pairs 22 and 23

I can't believe it but I haven't posted since the middle of July.  The extreme heat in July caused us to spend a few days in a Motel.  My daughter's asthma and heart problems said thank you as did my arthritis.  The dog was pretty pleased as well and felt at home as you can see from the photo. 

During that time I did get two pairs of socks finished, one with ONLine Wellness II and one from an in-house hand-dyed ball of commercial sock yarn. As  always, these socks are for the orphanages in Kazakhstan.  If you have some time and the inkling to knit something for these kids go and visit the Mitten's for Akkhol group on Yahoo.  All kinds of knitted articles  are needed.

 Mock Cable - ONLine Wellness II

Herringbone - Hand-dyed commercial sock yarn

Knit on merrily!