It’s the day after Labor Day and the Hummingbirds, at least the females, are still here. I don’t expect they’ll be here long because the nights are getting much cooler. Our coffee on the porch mornings require long sleeves and a (hand knit) blanket for my “Florida boy”.

Over the last few days I’ve managed to finish a few things and have several gifts ready to be mailed out and delivered. I’ve finished three baby top knot hats and fingerless mittens for three babies … one already born and two on the way. I loved working with the Lang Merino Bebe 200 yarn. It’s soft and will be fine against a new baby’s skin and the colors are amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed knitting with it. The pattern for the hat is one I picked up in the store and have adapted it because I thought it was too large for a new or new-ish baby while the mittens were small. So, I will probably be writing up the pattern and using it as a beginner knitter design. The hats were knitted on a US 2 and US 2.5 needle and the mittens on a US 3. Lots of tiny stitches! I wanted the hats to be a tighter gauge because precious itty bitty heads need to stay warm. Right?

I also finished my great-nephew’s sweater for this fall. I knitted another French Macaroon for Noah in Berroco Vintage DK which is easy care for busy parents. They won’t have to fear felting this sweater and I really do like Berroco Vintage yarn. I much prefer it to Plymouth’s Encore (fiber content is the same). I chose a couple of different colors for Noah because he’s not really a baby any longer. He’ll be two this month!

I really like this little sweater. It’s simple enough, knit flat in two pieces and, if you pay attention, it’s simple enough to seam. I spent one Friday knitting class seaming the shoulders with right sides together rather that with right sides facing me. Oops. I pulled it out and re-did it in the afternoon knitting class and got most of the seams finished, too. Just needed to weave in the ends. Now it’s been blocked (washed and laid flat to dry) and I will pack it up and send it on to Salem with a pair of the Toddler Cabled Mitts that I wrote about here. My plan is to knit one more for Sylvie, my granddaughter, but I had chosen pink and white and I think I want to change up the colors for her, too, because she’ll be two next month!

WIPs – Yesterday I got the Christmas stocking commission started. I’m waiting for measurements because the last time I knitted one of these family stockings I knitted it at the wrong gauge and it’s larger than the others. I suspect that I knitted it with a US7 needle and I’m going to hope that I can knit this one on a US6. (That’s what I’ve started it on.) With measurements, I’ll know if I’m close. With wool yarn, I can block it a bit larger or smaller if need be. I’m bummed that the last one is too big. My friend says it’s ok but I’m still bummed.

I have started a pair of socks for my brother-in-love. Last night I finished the first sock and started the second one. I should have them finished by the end of the week and that will be a good Christmas gift! I want to knit low socks for my sister-in-loves in LA and some regular socks for my MA s-i-l. I think that I will have made socks for everyone of my siblings and their “spice” (plural of spouse, right?)

I still have other WIPs on my needles that I’ve mentioned in earlier posts and I’ll try to get them finished before the end of the year. I’m really itching to start knitting animals from the book Knitted Animal Friends by Louise Crowther. I went online to order the yarn to make three of the critters in the book – the duck, the horse and the pig. I’m eager to try the recommended yarn and have seen a few of the animals knitted up. They’re really great. There may be another Octopus in my future, too. The grandchild loves sea creatures and I want to keep mine in pristine guest room bed condition.

I’ve got to stop writing and get out to run a couple of errands. Happy unofficial start of fall. I can feel the change in the air (and I love it!)

Gone knitting.