Irish Hiking scarf and hat pictures

Finally have a picture of my scarf and hat that I made for my DH. He loves the hat since he can pull it down over his ears and close to his neck. He has the scarf tucked in, but he said that he loves how it will shield his face from the wind and snow while running the snowblower. BRRR :-(

Short Row Neck Warmer

I finished my neck warmer and even wore it for several nights now. It's so cold downtown Detroit with the wind coming right off the Detroit River and running between the buildings. I actually have several requests from my coworkers. I'll post a picture soon.

I followed the instructions for the XL Adult. It's tight enough for me yet not too tight. Here is the pattern:

WOOL NECK WARMER WITH NOSE COVER

If you make a neck warmer with this pattern, please consider making a helmet liner. The pattern is available at http://www.citizensam.org/html/helmetliners.html The address to mail them to is at the bottom.

Materials:

• 1 skein WOTA 100% wool Approx. 175 yards (from KnitPicks Yarn - http://www.knitpicks.com/ ) Colors allowed by the military are black, charcoal, brown, tan, olive drab.
• Size 6 - 16" circular needle, or size to get gauge
• Two stitch marker (2 different ones or color suggested)
• Yarn needle, measuring tape & scissors

Gauge: 4.5 st/in. in stockinette.

Sizes: Regular Adult (XL Adult).

Neck:
Cast on 84 (92) stitches loosely. Place marker.
Join in round and knit 2x2 rib for 5 inches.

Short Row Sequence for Nose:
Do not remove marker. Knit back and forth on 52 (56) stitches, keeping in K2, P2 rib, as follows:
short row 1: Work across 51 (55) stitches, loosely wrap and turn.
short row 2: Work 50 (54) stitches, loosely wrap and turn.
short row 3: Work 48 (52) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 4: Work 46 (50) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 5: Work 44 (48) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 6: Work 42 (46) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 7: Work 40 (44) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 8: Work 38 (42) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 9: Work 36 (40) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 10: Work 34 (38) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 11: Work 32 (36) stitches, loosely W&T.
short row 12: Work 30 (34) stitches, loosely W&T.
Place marker for new start of round.

LAST short row:
K2, P2 all the way around to the new round marker, picking up the wraps as you come to them, and knitting or purling them together with the wrapped st.

Ribbing:
Work in 2x2 ribbing (K2, P2) for 1/2 to 1 inch. You will be picking up the rest of the wraps, working them together with the wrapped stitches as you come to them.
Bind off loosely in K2, P2 ribbing and weave in tail.

Resulting neck warmer will lay nicely along the top of the shoulders and can be tucked under the coat collar. You can push it down to expose the mouth and/ or nose.

This pattern is derived from the Helmet Liner pattern. Thanks to Bonnie Evans for allowing me to post this pattern. Please consider knitting a helmet liner for a soldier. The pattern is available at http://www.citizensam.org/html/helmetliners.html Helmet liner pattern originally designed by Bonnie Long. Revised by Bonnie Evans 10/16/05.

update 2009 - The helmet liner project has been turned over to Citizen Sam. Please note this new address for shipment of helmet liners:

Citizen SAM

P O Box 10565

Peoria, Illinois

Back to Knitting

Sorry that I've been away for a while. The High Holy Days were great! And there's more fall holidays to enjoy. Sukkot and Simchat Torah are so much fun and Halloween and yum yum Thanksgiving to top it off. My birthday is November 26th so I even get presents for Thanksgiving. ;-)

Yesterday I finally had a chance to continue knitting the short row helmet liner and see that the hat part will be done soon. Then on to the face ribbing and it will be done.

I got some Chambray blue #23769 yarn from Knit Picks that really does match my winter coat. I can't wait to start the ribbing, but alas the #8 needles are in use with the short row helmet liner. When that is done I'll switch to #6 for the face ribbing. Then I can start the ribbing for my new winter hat.

Yes I could buy yet another Addi US 8 16" circular... that would make 3 of them that I have. But I really think I need to finish knitting some of these liners so I can send them out.

Linda is asking for black liners to send to the Marines. They can only wear black. I have one knitted already and will put that in the mail all by itself. I bought 8 skeins of black and that will knit up about 5 black liners. Then I got 3 skeins each of brown and Army green. So I have enough wool to knit 5 black, 2 brown, and 2 Fern (Army green).

The approved list of Knit Picks yarn is:
Knit Picks’ Wool of the Andes $1.79 for 50g ball (need 1 1/2)

Colors that I've used:
Coal 23420
Fern 23433
Tan 23773
Chocolate 23774

Other approved colors:
Snickerdoodle 23429
Chestnut 23424
Mist 23438
Evergreen 23427
Maple Syrup 23426

short rows on the helmet

I can't believe that I made the short row part of the revised helmet liner pattern. I'm testing the upsized revised (with short rows for face) pattern and I did it right !! I've only done short rows once on toe-up socks and at that time I didn't know what the heck I was doing. Now I can't wait to get them done. This is a great KAL !!

Knitting at Niagra Falls ?

Well, not exactly. I didn't take any knitting on the days we went siteseeing. I wanted to give all of my attention to G-d's beautiful gift. But, I did knit while traveling to Niagra Falls, Canada. I took my knitting with me and was lucky enough to knit in the car for the 4 hour trip there and home. I even knitting during the evening and got quite a bit of the ribbing done on each one.

I am knitting 2 helmet liners. Chocolate yarn knitted with the original pattern. The tan one is using the new short row pattern that allows for snugging up to the nose and will produce a liner that is 2" larger in circumference then the original pattern. I am the tester for this pattern and will share the results with everyone.

WOW I can't believe how much it has commercialized in the past 10 years or so. But, you know, the Falls are still fantastic. I still get dizzy when I watch the water go over the edge.

The little hotel (Cascade Inn) we stay at is still there. It's now owned by the Holiday Inn next door. The same folks that own the Skylon Tower. We got a great package for 2 nights with breakfast both days, dinner at the Skylon and dinner at Coco's steak house next door to the Hotel. I was sad to see the huge park across the street was gone and the casino in it's place. It was nice to stand on the balcony and see the American Falls.

I'm so glad I went. I think we'll go back next summer and finish seeing everything we didn't to see - the Botanical Gardens, the Floral Clock, eat at the restaurant in the end of the River, and of course, spending more time just me and my dear hubby. Even though it was cut short, I sure do recommend a get away with you and your someone special.