This is my made up ear flap hat for a baby. It's just a basic round cap with a ribbed brim. It was decreased in 6 sections and then finished off with a little I cord loop. Stitches were picked up around the bottom edge and worked even for several rows- then gradually stitches were bound off as each ear flap was worked individually. Finally near the bottom of the flap the edges taper from both sides and then resolve as I cord. This is the basic structure I turn to when I need to make something up in whatever gauge. The blue stitching is purely decorative.



I recieved a wonderful gift from a friend today- an old pair of overalls which were knit by "an old Italian lady" (I'll see if I can find out more about who she was)

The pants themselves don't really thrill me, they are in need of some repairs and the legs are very ample- just huge- with ribbed lower legs (think "Hammertime") but it was this detail of the front that I thought made these pants such a find- I love how the trapazoid is worked with the little edges and the garter stitch straps (they are reinforced with hand sewn grossgrain ribbon) The design is just a little duplicate stitch, and in three colors of blue. I have to do more examining yet- but it appears that the upper edge of the waist ribbing is a bound off edge- so these were knit from the bottom up. I think this little design would be beautiful worked into a jumper dress or a slightly slimmer fitted pair of pants. These have an elastic sewn in waistband and I'm not sure why- I think it would work fine without elastic- heck- it's overalls!

A clean goat!

The goat wash went fairly well, I used Dawn dishsoap to start, the worked into woolite mixed with a bluing horse shampoo, and then finished with a horse conditioner. Sadly the bluing still left some yellow stains and other spots of course turned blue- so the goat went from dingy grey to a bright pastel blue and yellow. He smells great and is so soft to touch. He looks super shiny and fancy at night. His coat is still a bit wet- 7 hours after we washed him!