Winter wonderland

We don't get much snow in these parts but when we do it's beautiful...I could really live without the cold part of it lol but must admit it great for wearing my knit items :D

Ribbed Hat
Size 8 US dps needles or cable
Gauge 6 rows by 4 ½ stitches per 1 inch
Adult size
165 yards worsted weight

Pattern stitch
K1, k f/b, knit to last 2 stitches on needle, k f/b, k1 repeat for each needle. It may help to place stitch markers by increases, after a bit I increased to 8 dpns to keep stitches from sliding off needles.

Knit next round all needles
k = knit
k f/b = knit into the front and back of the next stitch
k2tog = knit 2 stitches together
1 by 1 ribbing = knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch, repeat always purling the purl stitches and knitting the knit stitches. Continue in this manner


Cast on 8 stitches

k f/b all stitches placing evenly on 4 dpns, join in the round

knit round

k1, k f/b x 2, k1

knit round

Start pattern stitch

Repeat until you have a total of 136 stitches ending with a knit round

k2tog repeat to end of round

knit round

1 by 1 ribbing for 2 1/2 inches

Bind off in 1 by 1. Weave in ends, using tail to close gap in top of hat.

1 by 1’s fingerless gloves

The larger needle size makes these very quick and easy,great for last minute gift. The ribbing gives them enough stretch to fit a wide range of hand sizes. Beads add a bit of flare but are optional. 

 

1 by 1’s fingerless gloves 

Both gloves are made the same
Size 10 US dpns needles
Gauge 4.5 stitches by 5.5 rows per inch 
50 yards of sport weight yarn ( for both )
26 size 11 clear seed beads
k = knit
m1 = make new stitch by picking up bar between stitches and knit through the back loop
p = purl
1 by 1 ribbing = knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch, repeat. Always purling the purl stitches and knitting the knit stitches. Continue in this manner
** repeat instructions to end of round

Cast on 26 stitches using alternating knit one purl one long tail method after placing 13 beads on thumb side off cast on tail sliding beads in place with the purl stitches, join in the round

1 - 7 ) *1 by 1*

8 ) k1, m1, p1, *1 by 1*

9 ) *1 by 1*

10 - 13 ) repeat rows 8 and 9 twice more

14 - 16 ) *1 by 1*

17 ) Bind off 6 stitches in 1 by 1, *1 by 1* turn ( next few rows are knit flat )

18 ) *1 by 1* turn

19 ) *1 by 1* rejoin in the round knitting

20 - 26 ) *1 by 1*

Bind off in 1 by 1, weave in ends.

Phoebe's quick knit sweater

Phoebe lost some weight this year, her last sweater is huge on her.
 It wasn’t the easiest to put on anyhow  she didn’t like me buttoning it up, took too long lol. So this years model is taking in account all of the new and old dislikes ;)

No buttons

No sleeves or anything between her front legs at all

Not too warm

No fun fur around the neck

I went totally basic and easy with this one.. nothing more that a tube with a hole in it lol
I didn't get the gauge or yardage so this is more of a pattern idea....

Size 11 Us needles

Cast on 38 sts using 2 strands of worsted weight yarn, join in the round

1 by 1 ( knit one, purl one repeat to end of row ) for 6 inches

Bind off in pattern 10 stitches

Knitting flat 1 by 1 ( knitting all knit stitches and purling all purls ) for 4 inches

Make 10 stitches rejoin in the round

1 by 1 for 4 1/2 inches

Bind off, weave in ends.

　

 

Cloth # 18

　

Cloth # 18

Size 8 US needles

8 ½ inches by 8 ½ inches
Exact gauge is not essential to this project
62 yards of 100% cotton worsted weight

k = knit
k tbl = knit stitch through back loop
p = purl
p tbl = purl stitch through back loop
yo = yarn over needle making new stitch

( )x = repeat instructions between as many times as indicated

Cast on 38 stitches

1 -5 ) knit

6 ) k5, ( p1, k tbl, p1, k2 )x5, p1, k tbl, p1, k5

7 ) k6, p tbl, k1 ( p2, k1, p tbl, k1 )x5, k5

8 ) k5 ( p1, k tbl, p1 k1, yo, k1 )x5, p1, k tbl, p1, k5

9 ) k6, p tbl, k1,( p3, k1, p tbl, k1 )x5, k5

10 ) k5 ( p1, k tbl, p1, k3, pass 3^rd stitch on right needle over center 2 stitches )x5, p1, k tbl, p1, k5

Repeat rows 6 - 10 eight more times for a total of nine repeats



Knit 5 rows bind off, weave in ends.

My quest for easy to peel fresh boiled eggs comes to an end

It worked WOO HOO easy to peel fresh boiled eggs :D

Room temp water to start add salt, boil... while boiling eggs get a bowl of ice cold water ready to place eggs in...
move eggs from the pot straight to the cold water, adding more ice as needed to keep really cold.. 
 we never have an on hand supply of ice so I used frozen water bottles ( took 3 of them to keep the water cold )
I've tried the ice thing before but guessing I didn't keep the water cold enough long enough... I got busy and left them in about 30 minutes.... worked great :D

Black Cat seed bead earrings with free chart

little ones

We have wanted Jersey Giants from the start of our chicken keeping...

 

a few weeks ago hubby sent the guys and I to get layer feed thinking it was safe as they haven't had any chicks for awhile now...
well he would have been right if someone hadn't placed a special order that the owner added a few extra to just in case..
         we were at the right place at the right time :D





meet our new pullets :D







Just before this happened two of our hens went broody
our game hen and one of our production reds
after fighting them for a few days I gave up thinking they would give up themselves as they have before
not this time...the game hen was clearly stealing eggs from some of the other hens.. we found brown and green eggs under her ....still not sure how she pulled that off....lol

After a few days with less eggs in the other nesting area we went looking under the red...some of the other reds were laying along side of her and she just took care of them....we found 41 eggs in the nest with her...we pulled 31 and marked the ones we left thinking we could tell the new ones from the old...all the other eggs we placed in the incubator...I couldn't just leave them to die..it worked for a few days...but the markings came off...at about this time we found a chick by the game hen...she wanted nothing to do with it...into another brooder area for it as it was too small to go in with the others...the next day one hatched in the incubator...cool it wasn't alone.. such a sweetie needed a friend...while we were working inside with that one another was hatched in the coop...well almost hatched...the game hen sat on it poor little guy...at this point I got tired of not getting any eggs to eat ( what can I say I'm hooked ) we pulled all of the eggs under both of them...the red had managed to get another 20 or so eggs under her.. plus the 10 we left...
We removed the rooster weeks before this as he was getting really ugly...thinking it was a pure waste of eggs we wanted it over with....not knowing what ones were old or new coupled with being out of time and no batteries for the flashlight we just put all of them in the incubator.....without candling them

these 2 hatched earlier today  

 

these two are now out of the shell drying

 

 

 

soon to be put in by these guys

so far we have 16 not counting the two who didn't make it out of the shell....with more peeping going on...they are so cute and sweet even though daddy was mean. They look like him he was an australorp although some have red around their combs....

free seed bead earring charts 7 across brick stitch

earring charts for 9 across brick stitch