# Alaskan knitter



## nearsie (Feb 23, 2011)

I've been knitting for quite a while, I guess I'd say I'm intermediate. These long Alaskan winters provide a long dark day to knit. I'm an AK Sourdough (42 years up here). We have a saying here "I'm sour on Alaska, but don't have enough dough to leave" LOL I just keep busy knitting and shoveling snow. I've attached a few of my projects I've finished this winter and have more on the way.


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## babsip (Jan 25, 2011)

Hi nearsie and welcome to the club.
I have a son in law from alska and one day i will visit alska - i;m a big fan. I live in florida know.- ans love knitting.
Kind regards to alaska 
Babsip


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## KnitterMama (Jan 17, 2011)

Welcome to the forum


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## Kichi (Jan 22, 2011)

Hi Nearsie, I have a brother-in-law in Eagle River He loves it there. Is quite a geologist there and well known, so..... It is a bit cold for me. The long nights would not bother me but the cold sure would.. Someday I might even get up there and visit this man. Have a terrific time knitting, you are probably far beyond what you say as for knowledge (modest I think). Hope to hear from you again.


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## CraftyJan (Feb 24, 2011)

Hello! We were stationed @ Eielson fro '99 to '05 and miss it terribly. The boys were born there and still say they want to go back, even though they were not quite 4 when we left. We would have stayed longer but Uncle Sam said we had been there long enough and moved us to Arkansas. What part of AK?


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## CraftyJan (Feb 24, 2011)

Love the sweater!


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## none (Feb 20, 2011)

HI. Welcome. Is the bunting the same as a cocoon or papoose? I have been trying to find a free pattern and no matter where I go they are not there or I don't know how to open them. If so, could you send me the pattern? I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks, bjc


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## kneonknitter (Feb 10, 2011)

Sourdough...lolololol. That is a great saying. Love your work.


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## Tanya Sanderson (Feb 7, 2011)

I love the sweater. I'm looking for a sweater pattern with
a draped front. What pattern did you use?


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## hokodah (Feb 23, 2011)

Welcome, I've only belonged a few days. My dream trip is to go to Alaska and visit all knit and quilt shops I can find! haha
I really like the way your sweater drapes and also the cacoon. Can you share where you got both patterns. I live in hot FL with a cabin in N.C. - which is where I would rather stay.
Nice to have you with the group.
Betty


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## tbbrown12369 (Jan 21, 2011)

Neasie,
Its good to hear from you. Welcome aboard.
Tammy


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## babsip (Jan 25, 2011)

Hi Betty, 
were in florida are you living???
I,m new here too
have a nice day
Babsip


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## Tennessee (Feb 1, 2011)

Hi, I'm from Tennessee & we went to Alaska last August. We loved Alaska, really hope to go back there. Welcome to the site. I started a few weeks ago. I love to look at what other people have made. You really do a beautiful job on your projects.


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## jjkinfb (Jan 25, 2011)

Welcome to the forum- I'm your northern neighbor up in Fairbanks.


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## spydr716 (Feb 24, 2011)

Hi
I'm new here...oldie in reality! Could I have the pattern you used for the baby bunting, please? It's adorable!! Thanks, Jo


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## nearsie (Feb 23, 2011)

oh, Fairbanks huh? Little too severe in the winter for me. I have a friend there that always calls in July and brags about how hot it is there in FBX and I always say "hey, call me in February and we'll exchange temperatures then" haha 

My Dad was in the Air Force at Elmendorf and that's why we came up in 1969, I'm the only one in the family left up here and am ready for a change - just gotta talk my husband into it. I'm thinkin Tucson in the winter and traveling back to AK in the summers. Best of both worlds.


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## jjkinfb (Jan 25, 2011)

nearsie said:


> oh, Fairbanks huh? Little too severe in the winter for me. I have a friend there that always calls in July and brags about how hot it is there in FBX and I always say "hey, call me in February and we'll exchange temperatures then" haha
> 
> My Dad was in the Air Force at Elmendorf and that's why we came up in 1969, I'm the only one in the family left up here and am ready for a change - just gotta talk my husband into it. I'm thinkin Tucson in the winter and traveling back to AK in the summers. Best of both worlds.


We came up in 1961 when my dad got a job at Clear Air Force Base- Tuscon and Ak does sound like the best of both worlds. My younger brothers were born and raised up here and moved to Mesa AZ years ago. It is cold here but people complain more if it snows too much or if it rains in the summer than about the cold. I say people in Fairbanks are like cats- we don't like to get wet. lol


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

none (bjc): If you are having problems opening items and links, the security settings on your browser may be set too "high." I have mine turned off and still I get a few .pdf patterns that IE doesn't like to open. Look at the top of your screen for a yellow bar that you can "click" to allow whatever is being blocked. You may get taken back to the search page but if you click the link again, it should open. If you have a different browser than IE, it will probably have something similar that will allow you to over-ride whatever is being blocked. There is a happy medium between being "safe" and blocking viruses. I rely on my antivirus program to save me instead of allowing my browser to dictate the choice of sites I can access. It's worth checking to see if it is your browser that is keeping you from accessing pattern links.


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## jaykayone (Feb 20, 2011)

nearsie said:


> Welcome !! new here too.. like the projects alot


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## LyndaO (Feb 24, 2011)

Love the sweater! Looks like you are more like advanced


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## nittergma (Jan 27, 2011)

Nice!! I love the bright colors I bet it helps if you get the winter blahs!


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## Rae (Feb 6, 2011)

I love the baby bunting!!!
How could I get the pattern??


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

Nearsie: I love your work and you have plenty of opportunities to wear what you make. If you head south for the winters, stay in Alaska long enough to get some wear out of your gorgeous sweater and mittens. I'm from central and south Florida and there were years when we couldn't wear a sweater unless we were ready to sweat, which I can assure you we did. It's sometimes worth a littel sweat to get to wear your pretty winter clothes.


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## djsheets225 (Feb 24, 2011)

I also love your draped sweater and would like to know if you can share the pattern!


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## evelyn2 (Feb 12, 2011)

hi welcome to the forum , i just joined also and picked up knitting again , will post items soon , love your sweater and knitted items , Alaska is a beautiful state , i live in florida and plan on knitting thru summer hot months , and put on movies with lots of snow in them , thanks for showing your items ,


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## peace (Jan 24, 2011)

Welcome, 
I am pretty new also but really have enjoyed belonging to this knitting group. You certainly know how to knit well. I would love your baby bunting and mitten pattern. I knit for the retarded adults and maybe could get some mittens done if the pattern is easy. I used to go to Eagle River, WI a lot to see family in the summer months but not anymore. My brother passed away four years ago so I don't visit anymore.
I know you will enjoy all the knitters.
Pat


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## Gweniepooh (Jan 29, 2011)

Love the sweater. If you can share the pattern or where you got it please do!


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## sjannah (Feb 23, 2011)

Should have learned to knit when I lived on the Island of Adak AK for 2 years, it was an experience. Alaska is a beautiful place.

Trying to teach myself, using books, net etc. so far so good I really do like it I just have not gotten to far with the purl stitch but I am working on it, over and over again.


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## DebMax (Jan 14, 2011)

Hi
And welcome, love your stuff, and hope to visit up in Alaska one day. I live down here in Florida. It is finally starting to warm up down here after the cold spell we had down here.
Debbie


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## glnwhi (Jan 19, 2011)

Lovely work glad that you joined us.


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## rockinrobbin57 (Jan 21, 2011)

Welcome, I was just thinking the other day that I hadn't seen anyone on here from Alaska. I hear it's a beautiful place, in the summer of course. I had a friend when I lived in Dallas from Anchorage and she said it was as close to heaven that you get on earth, in the summer, lol. I too would love the pattern for the cocoon if you can and would love to hear from you again. I live in Pennsylvania.


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## Zacharysgrammy (Feb 21, 2011)

Hello from Oklahoma. I am new here as well but am enjoying the pictures, patterns and company!! Might as well add my request for the cocoon pattern. I have a brand new (5wk old) grandson.


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## katm13 (Jan 22, 2011)

BJC

Good morning, I saw your pleas for patterns for buntings
I wondered if your a member of RAVELY? There are tons of free patterns with pictures.

It does take a few days to apply and be accepted into the site but well worth it.
I just did a cocoon for a new baby and it was a big hit.
Good luck finding what your looking for

Kat M


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## Zacharysgrammy (Feb 21, 2011)

Actually I am. I just need to look I guess. I liked the one that is shown. Maybe I can find it there... lol


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## nearsie (Feb 23, 2011)

here are some sites for free baby cocoon patterns I saw someone else on here list:

http://www.hipknitized.com/2009/10/baby-stork-sack-cocoon.html
http://rhythmofthehome.com/archives/winter-2009/newborn-cocoon/
http://mrsmissymuffet.blogspot.com/2010/02/laurel-love-cocoon.html
http://twincitiesknitties.blogspot.com/2009/05/baby-cocoon-knitting-pattern.html
http://********************************/2011/01/picot-knot-sleep-sack.ht


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## nearsie (Feb 23, 2011)

here's a bunch of free pattern sites for the baby bunting:

http://www.hipknitized.com/2009/10/baby-stork-sack-cocoon.html
http://rhythmofthehome.com/archives/winter-2009/newborn-cocoon/
http://mrsmissymuffet.blogspot.com/2010/02/laurel-love-cocoon.html
http://twincitiesknitties.blogspot.com/2009/05/baby-cocoon-knitting-pattern.html
http://********************************/2011/01/picot-knot-sleep-sack.ht


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

Bernat has two free patterns listed:
http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=4858
http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=5098

I posted the links listed above and I just noticed the last one is incorrect. The "ml" is missing from "html" and the link wont work without it. This is the corrected link:
http://********************************/2011/01/picot-knot-sleep-sack.html

Someone else in another discussion posted 3 or 4 links for baby cocoons also. I don't know if any are the same as I posted or not, and I cannot remember the name of the discussion or I'd post the link to it. However, should anyone wish to search, somewhere, there is another list of baby cocoons posted by someone else. I posted this list to one more discussion and initiated a discussion titled "baby cocoon patterns" so more people would see it. I just updated it to show the correction and to include the Bernat cocoon patterns.


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

Hi, one more cocoon pattern.
This one is 6.49 but it us downloadable so you can save postage: 
http://www.anniesattic.com/knitting/detail.html?prod_id=76715&cat_id=1048


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## Kichi (Jan 22, 2011)

Oh my gosh, I have been making these for my Chihuahuas for years. I also make them out of suede and line with lambs wool. I am amazed they have them for babies! If you want extra warm make two and join them, also reversible. I have been calling them snuggies. Small world, huh? Needless to say I have no need for the caps. I often find two dogs in one snuggie. They have favorite colors too.


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

Kichi: I've seen cocoon, papoose and baby sack as some of the names for the same item, but other, different items also have those names. It sure makes it difficult to find things. You've now added one more name under which to search, but I think I'm done. I grew up in Florida and raised my kids there. No need for snuggies, cocoons, etc. in the Sunshile State. Although, I've seen more than on chihuahua shivering in Florida so they'd probably appreciate them.


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## none (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks from Bev to all of you that gave informations for cocoons. I finally can figure out what to do.


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## Kichi (Jan 22, 2011)

MaryE, I too live where it is supposed to be warm ( sunny Southern California) but convince my babies its not cold. Never mind them convince me. It's been 58 high and 34 low for several weeks now. I am not used to it. I have had bronchitis for a couple weeks now and not easy cuz I have asthma.. Oh well, I am here enjoying you folks so I guess I will make it. I have 17 Chihuahuas ( 5 are 3 weeks now). The males seem to fend better in this cold. Wonder why? I can make some of the cocoons for hospital...thanks!


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## kgardenseed (Feb 18, 2011)

Hi Nearsie. I am in Louisiana - born and raised! One of my dreams is to visit Alaska. Maybe one day I will get to make it up there. I love the draped sweater. Can you share the pattern with me?
God bless and Happy Knitting!
Kathy


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## MaryE. (Feb 16, 2011)

Bev: glad you can now make your cocoon. They seem to mostly be like large hats. Someone on the forum, in another discussion, posted photos of one or two she made with a placket and buttons at the top, rather like a polo shirt without a collar. They were very cute. Everyone on that discussion was asking for cocoon patterns too. 

Kichi: I live in north-eastern Kansas now, and weather is a whole different experience here. I can appreciate needing a cocoon for a baby. The first winter I was here, we were having breakfast in a restaurant and the people at the next table were getting ready to leave. They had a baby in a carrier and the mom placed a small quilt over the baby's face. I almost had cardiac arrest at the mom trying to smother her baby. Then, it dawned on me, she was only protecting her baby from the bad weather outside. Still, it's taken me more than a few years to not react to mothers putting quilts and blankets over their babies faces.


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## Capva (Jan 24, 2011)

Hi and welcome everyone. I am new here also and love this site.

My dream was for my husband and I to take a Alaskan cruise but it unfortunatley never happened. Guess we waited too long. My husband passed away. Don't think I will ever make it there but that's ok. Have heard it's beautiful.

Happy knitting and crocheting.
Capva


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## mcrunk (Feb 17, 2011)

Welcome!

Myra in Alabama


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## kgardenseed (Feb 18, 2011)

Do you have the draped sweater pattern? It looks so pretty on you.


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## Kichi (Jan 22, 2011)

Mary, I believe that would freak me out too. Over the face? Why? Was it tight or just laid over? Kids today have a whole different way of doing with their kids. Not sure it is so good either. I see far too many having tantrums everywhere. Parents just walk away. The new laws account for alot, not allowed to touch your kids now. My kids were under a strict rule but didn't have to hit them, just started very young and saved all the trouble later. I did the counting thing, if didn't work a priveledge was taken or the time out thing. Worked for me.


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## kgardenseed (Feb 18, 2011)

Do any of you ever crochet around a plastic tube-type clothes hanger so you can hang your sweaters or delicates on it and the bump at the shoulders won't show when you wear the article? If you do, I would love to know just how you do it. I tried once and it is ridiculous looking!!!!
Any help is more than appreciated. Believe me, I need lots of help in every way.....teehee.


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## Gweniepooh (Jan 29, 2011)

I also would love to have the draped sweater pattern.


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## kgardenseed (Feb 18, 2011)

Hi Nearsie. How about the draped sweater pattern? Can you share it with us?


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## trammyjane (Mar 20, 2011)

hi to all from alaska good to hear knitting live and flourishing in ur county as i am a scots lass hoping to move to the anchora area very soon with my husband to b who is from there


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## nittergma (Jan 27, 2011)

Welcome! I have a friend near the Fairbanks area, cold! but beautiful! She uses this beautiful blue in her quilts the color of the ice. I wonder if you can get yarn that color.


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