Odds and Ends and Some Good Knitting Links

Some quick updates for today. I know many of you are stuck inside with piles of snow outside. But what an opportunity to sit still and KNIT! Lucky people, you! Amazingly, the storm has missed up -- we have sleet but no snow. Here's a photo of Julia in her new "mommy-made" for this season Quarters Cap. The pattern is available here on my shop page for PDF download.


When I was at Stitches East in October, I ran into Marlene from CT. Marlene thanked me for this Quarters Cap PDF Downloadable Pattern. She said she had made this hat so many times, she gave up counting. I told her I too loved the pattern because it is easily memorized. It is great for using up odds and ends of yarn. I wrote the pattern for many sizes - from toddlers to adults making it a quick go-to pattern for gifting. Because the cap is worked in 4 parts, when I sit down to knit, I tell myself I AM GOING TO FINISH ONE SECTION of the cap. Then I can figure out how long it takes to knit a total cap.

Tell me everyone.... Do you do that? Time your knitting so you can figure out how long it takes to knit a row or a cable or color repeat? I find it really helpful when knitting on deadline so I can carve out a chunk of time to be finished with a project on time? What about you? It's a good thing to do with holiday knitting deadlines looming!

I asked Marlene for a quote about the Quarters Cap and here is what she sent to me..... "Kristin's Quarters Cap is so much fun to make and goes very quickly. Each one I have made is unique because of the color choices. And this pattern is very addicting! Every man that has tried this on has loved it - and most have “suggested” that they would like one. My teenage grandson reacted when I asked him to try it on so that I could check the size. He rolled his eyes, but did put it on - and then smiled! Soon after he said “if you make one for me, it will need to be in dark colors”!"

This photo gives you a look at the top of the cap. It does a cute little twirl and almost resembles a chocolate kiss. Click here to see how many of these darn caps I have made and gifted not counting the others I never got photos of!

Back in early October I designed a pair of slipper socks for The Boye Needle Company to be featured in an ad for their new SLIPPER SOCK BOTTOMS. Check out their website here - there are tons of sizes.

Here's the finished project in a photo I snapped before they left our farmhouse. I love how they turned out.

I haven't seen the ad yet but I can give you the link to the FREE pattern on the web..... Here's a close-up of the colorwork border showing the French Knots added.

That's it for today. Stay warm everyone! Happy Birthday to my sister Nancy (even though she doesn't read this blog!)