A. B. C. Murders!!

The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie--the read for September!  This is perfect as school is back in session--again, not one of the Agatha books I've read!

The plot contains a serial killer!  Beware--Poirot solves another!

Want to listen?  You can here and read along as well here

What to knit?  Easy--anything that contains the letters A B C!  Only to choose---

abc: alison's beginners cap--sounds perfect!  Artful yarn, beginner, cap!  My ABC's!

a knitting class in a hat*

Techniques:
- casting on
- the knit stitch
- the purl stitch
- stockinette stitch (alternating knit one row, purl one row - but when knitting in the round, knit all rounds)
- 2 x 2 ribbing (*knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches* repeated across entire row/round)
- knitting in the round (using circular needles and double-pointed needles to create a round piece of knitting)
- decreasing (knitting 2 stitches together to make knitted piece smaller)
- seaming
- weaving in ends

Materials:
- approx. 200 yds. worsted weight yarn
- 16" circular needle (US7 or US8)
- double-pointed needles in same size as above
- tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Gauge:
approx. 4 1/4 st./in.
If your gauge is a bit smaller, your hat will end up being a bit smaller. Larger gauge = larger hat.

Hat Measurements:
23" around, 7- 7 1/2 " high

Instructions:
Cast on 96 st.
Work back and forth in stockinette stitch for 5 rows (knit one row, purl one row, K 1 row, P 1 row, K 1 row). This will form a rolled edge.
Instead of turning work to continue, join the two sides to form a circle. When forming the circle be sure that 1) knitting is not twisted around the needle, and 2) that the rolled edge curls to the outside of the hat.
Now you will be knitting in the round.
Work 6 rounds in 2 x 2 ribbing (knit 2 stitches, purl 2 stitches repeated across the whole round for 6 rounds).
Continue in stockinette stitch by knitting all rounds until hat measures approximately 6 ½"-7" from rolled edge.
Begin decreasing in order to shape top of hat as follows:
*K 4 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (you should now have 80 stitches)
Knit one round normally.
Note: switch to double pointed needles when there are too few stitches to fit around the circular needle
*K 3 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (64 stitches)
Knit one round normally.
*K 2 stitches, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (48 stitches)
*K 1 stitch, K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (32 stitches)
*K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (16 stitches)
*K 2 stitches together*, repeat from * to * for the entire round. (8 stitches)
Cut yarn leaving 6" tail, thread yarn end onto tapestry needle and thread through remaining 8 stitches. Pull on thread to cinch stitches snugly together. Bring needle through the very top of the hat in order to bring remaining yarn to inside of hat for weaving in.
Sew small seam of rolled edge together.
Weave in yarn ends.
Enjoy your hat!

And for the adventurous, change colors as you like by dropping the old yarn at the end of a round and starting the new round with a different colored yarn. When weaving in ends, twist the two colors around each other once to close any hole that might have formed when changing colors and weave ends into their respective color areas.

Fiber on My Needles

Okay, I'm a sucker for mysteries!  This one is mystery to make

mittens--something fun to knit for Halloween;

simple cable knitting, lot of colorwork and optional

beads--designed by  Hanna Kytta--you can find this free

KAL on Ravelry under group "Hanna From Sheep's Alley" 

Another mystery!! Socks is this one--Designed by Heidi Nick--

This is through the group--Sock Knitters Anonymous.

The sock has optional beads

Another free knit and crochet along (above is crochet)

is with Lambtown Festival Ravelry Group, which celebrates sheep, fleece and wool in California 

Life is Cozy--knit or crochet--both are lightweight, asymmetrical shawls

Begin from the corner in the shape of a skewed triangle--fast project and stash

buster!

Those should keep your needles warm and steamy!

StarStruck!

Happy Days from Happy Quilting! begins Sept. 4 

You can create

--Wall Hanging, Baby Size, Lap Size, Picnic Size, Queen Size or King Size, just by how many borders you add on to the center design--this is a medallion--you work from the inside out!

September 4th- Intro, Fabric Requirements, and Prizes Announcement

September 18th - Cutting

September 25th - Wall Hanging Piecing

October 2nd - Baby Piecing

October 9th - Lap Piecing
October 16th - Picnic Piecing
October 23rd - Queen/King Piecing

November 13th- Starstruck Parade and Grand Prize Winners

Sounds doable to me!  Best part--it's free!  

Lone Rider--Patriotic Mystery

This is a great way to begin a new month--

Alycia of Quiltygirl  is hosting another one of her

fabulous mysteries for Quilts of Valor--

her series of mystery quilts are always outstanding

examples of red, white and blue.

This quilt will finish at 64 x 80--just the right size to present

to a veteran! 

Dark 1 – Navy Plaid in my Case :  7/8 yard

Dark 2 – Red Plaid – 1 ¼ yard

Light 1 – 3 ½ yards

Other Colorways to try or give you ideas:

Dark 1: Cream

Dark 2: Navy Blue

Light: Light Blue

Or:

Dark 1: Hot Pink or Red

Dark 2: Cream

Light:  Navy

Or

Dark 1: Dark Blue

Dark 2: Light Blue

Light:  Light Grey

Labor Day--Summer's End!

Here comes the end of summer----no more wearing white pants or shoes or carrying a white purse (The Rule 'No White After Labor Day' Has Historical Roots. One of the most time-honored fashion traditions is to retire your white clothes after Labor Day. Historians think this maxim stems from class divisions at the turn of the century when lightweight clothes were a symbol of the leisure classes.)  Heaven forbid, that I think I'm elite--no white after Labor Day is sure a Southern thing!  Anyway, let's celebrate the last days of summer--certainly fall is just around the corner--let's BBQ, swim, do picnics, be with family, just enjoy this last hurray for end of those hot, humid, dreary days of summer!

Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social contributions of workers to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country. In the United States, Labor Day is a federal holiday observed on the first Monday of September.

In the United States, Labor Day is customarily viewed as the end of the summer vacation season, although school starting times now may vary.

Labor Day has its origins in the labor union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest. In the United States the first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country. Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday on February 21, 1887. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor Day.

To Do List

My To Do List just gets longer and longer!

Here comes some fun things though!

If you like to do some wool work--jump on this bandwagon!

This is block #1--join "The Little Red Hen's Wooly Mystery" 

group on Facebook--this one is called "The Case of the Battered

Snowman"-

Love Blues?  Here is another adventure into the world of quilts.

My Quilty World is hosting this Blue mystery--

Introduction is on the website--pull out those blue fabrics!

first clue goes live September 1 

And while working on these projects, listen to podcast

Craftlit--great literature read to you by Heather Ordover--

"Treasure Island" is the book for now--you can also

find past episodes if this one doesn't interest you!

Used Bookstores and LIbrary Finds

For many years, I would browse through used bookstores--

I could lose myself in the aisles of musty old paperbacks.

You could always find a bargain in those racks or

an author that is hard to find anyway else.

Now days, it's hard to find a used bookstore--

For a time, I used Paperback Swap--

it was a way to trade books with other readers--

lately, there are more "post" than "order" books

that I would like to read; still an option to begin there

on occasion. It's free to join and the sender pays the postage.

Recently, I walked into a local bookshop to look--just look.

I came across more from Mike Blakely.  My husband snatched

the latest from Mike

"A Sinister Splendor" out of my hands after we met the author;

he finished the book quickly--and recently spoke with Mike

about this book--I'm anxious to begin the journey through

the Mexican-America War-Mike does extensive research and

has won Spur Award several times.  He is also an excellent

songwriter and musician 

These three books I found at a library used book sale--

I enjoy John Sandford's characters; don't know anything

about "The Dress Lodger" but sounds interesting 

And one of my favorite authors, Nicholas Evans with

"The Divide"--maybe, it's a tear jerker? 

Happy reading!