My latest yarn creations

Wow, I haven't done a double post in a long time.  I decided that today being a feriada or holiday, was a good day to take some pictures of some of the things I've been knitting and crocheting since Christmas.

The missionary sisters have been working on baby blankets and knit caps for newborns as a humanitarian service.  These will go to a local hospital which has many poor patients.  New mothers will have hats and blankets made with love to take their babies home in this winter!

Gorritas - knit caps for newborns

I've been trying different patterns.  I still think I like the two in the middle.  They are in a mock cable stitch where you only cross two stitches.

I have made maybe 20 or so before this latest batch, many in that mock cable stitch.  I like it because I don't have to use a cable needle to do it.  I can just knit one stitch before the other and then slide them both off at once and have the crossover. The caps were made with a size 6 circular needle very short connecting cable. I made some starting on a 4 to do the ribbing and then switching to the 6 for the pattern, but frankly I can't see much of a difference, so I just went to using the 6 (4mm)

Crocheted baby blankets and knit caps

Here's the two baby blankets I've made with the matching caps.  The blankets are just a simple Granny square, but made with two colors.  The trick is to tie the second color in only once.  Then each row you crochet around the color you aren't going to use on the next row as you do the first chain 3.  That way it is hidden from view and waiting for you to switch colors at the end of the row as you start the next.  No loose ends to weave in, except at the very beginning and the very end!  The yellow and white one I ran out of yellow yarn, but it looks okay. Used an H hook. Not sure what size that is here.

I had some leftover yarn from the hacky-sacks I made for Christmas so I made some washcloths.  The top one is crocheted, but I've decided I like the knit ones better.  I start in one corner with three stitches and knit each row increasing once stitch each row at the beginning.  When the side is eight inches....20cm (see I am learning metric!) I keep knitting but decrease on the second stitch of every row until I get to the last three stitches , then cast off.  I crocheted around some of them, but I like the blue one best of all and it is simply knit.  They are cotton so they wash well.  I used a size 8 needle. That's a 5mm down here.