Cold weather and crocheting.

It's been very cold here the past few days.  The high on Saturday, January 7, was 23F.  The low was 6F.

My chickens have been weathering the cold fairly well.  Freezing water seemed to be the biggest issue.  Everyone but Ginger has finished molting and gotten all their feathers back.  Ginger's back is still bare.  She seems to receive a lot of grief from the other girls,  I'm thinking about moving Sissy back in the large enclosure and giving Ginger some space of her own.  Poor girl looks sad.

Ginger is the red hen is the back...

We haven't had any more water issues.  Thanks goodness.

I've been working on an afghan for my niece's daughter. My great-niece??  I think that's right.  It seems she never got a baby blanket.  I'm not sure why.  John said I did make & send one.  Not sure what happened to it.  She picked out the pattern she wanted & the colorway.  I think it came out very well.  Now to crochet some slippers that will fit her feet.

Nevaeh's blanket

Closeup of the stitches

The pattern for the slippers Dragon Scale Slippers.  I really like the look of these. I'll be using the same yarn I used in the blanket.

There's really not much else going on here the past week or so.  It's been to cold to go outside, except as absolutely necessary.

Knitting for the family

Every year, I stress my self out trying to knit or crochet something special for the members of my extended family.  I really believe Christmas is for the kids. The little ones are the ones I try to focus on.

My nieces and nephews are all grown up now.  My step kids are too.  My granddaughter, Ariel, turns 14 today.  WOW!  That doesn't seem possible.  My niece, Tricia, has 2 little girls; Nevaeh and Revan.  I'm crocheting slippers for them right now.

I made Ariel some special socks, 1 pair just because, and 1 for her birthday.  I'm working for a pair of socks for Tammy (my step daughter), for Christmas.  I will also try to get a pair of socks made for Tammy's partner Rickie.

I also knit hats on my knitting looms, which I send to Children's Hospital in Little Rock.  I really love sending hats of all sizes.  All those sick little ones need a nice warm hat.  A good hat in cold weather makes everyone feel better.

I knitted several hats and a scarf before I went to PA this month.... I recently finished a huge crocheted afghan, Mandala Madness, which I am keeping for myself.  I rarely keep anything I make, I like giving my handmade items to people I love.

Mandala Madness

I track most of my projects with Ravelry.  My username is PennyTeem.  You can check out what I'm working on, if you're interested.

I am still weaving dishtowels with the pattern Ariel used over the summer.  I finished and passed out 4 all ready.  I have 4 more on the loom, and will probably have enough warp for 3 more.

Ariel weaving on a jack loom for the first time

I knitted/crocheted Nevaeh & Revan some stuffed animals earlier in the year.  They really love them. Revan will not sleep without her giraffe.

Nevaeh's hippo

Revan's giraffe

Circle Dance Afghan

I finished the Circle Dance Afghan and sent it off in the mail to my step-daughter Tammy.  She was thrilled to receive it.

I sent the yarn leftovers with the afghan.  I explained to Tammy and to granddaughter Ariel that the knots in the stitching which joins the blocks together willl eventually come undone and someone will need to keep repairing it.  That's what the yarn is for.  Ariel told me she would make sure it doesn't come apart.

Here's how the afghan looked when completed.
Circle Dance project page on Ravelry