So what else have I been up to...

besides going to see the Yarn Harlot? Just a couple of things. I finished my three week stint at summer school a week or so ago. During that time, I managed to finish up a couple of projects.
I signed up with Charmed Knits which was created by Alison Hansel, the author of "Charmed Knits". Alison also writes The Blue Blog, one of my favorite blogs. (See my link under favorite blogs). I, like millions of others, am a major Harry Potter fan! I have really enjoyed the references to knitting throughout all of the Potter books. (JK Rowling secretly knits socks in her spare time in Scotland, is my suspicion.) Alison obviously felt the same, so she created a book full of Potter-esque knits. She also started the knit-along to create "House Hats" for Warm Woolies, a charity that collects and distributes warm knitwear to orphanages in Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and China as well as Indian reservatioins of Pine Ridge and Rosebud.

Here is one of the hats that I finished for the knit-along:


I am also working on the beret version done in the same Gryffindor House stripe pattern. I may even bring myself to make a few Slytherin versions as well. It is quite fun to be reading Harry Potter books, seeing Potter movies, and kitting Potter Knits! I am in Hogwarts Heaven! (My kids think that I am a major geek!)

Besides the "House Hats" , I have been making Toe Cast Socks for my LYS and our local hospital. They had been collecting baby hats, but found that they were overloaded at this time with them...apparently more hats than babies. They did tell the shop owner, however, that what they could use desperately was a sock to go over the top of the foot, or toes, of someone in a leg cast. Because it has to stretch quite a bit and be washable, we are doing them in washable worsted weight yarns. They work up really fast and remind me of golf club covers. It is a great way to use up bits of yarn and the orthopedic unit of our local hospital is very grateful.

Here is few of them that I have made: