My Knitting Life

This box was sent off today to The Komi Kids Yarn Project.  I had some yarn of my own, plus needles and yarn from my mom and some friends, plenty to fill a box and send it off to Sandra at Thisle Cove Farm. 

She will be putting together a shipment this Spring to send off to Russian children.  It just warms my heart to know those needles and yarn will be of use to a child so far away.

There are many places to donate yarn and needles.  Most churches and senior centers have craft or knitting groups that knit for charity.  My daughter's philanthropy organization partners with many outreach groups such as women's shelters and after-school programs for kids where they are happy to accept craft materials for their activities.

It's pretty easy to fill a box and drop it off at the post office.  I'm always so amazed at the knitters who spend their own time knitting for charity.  Hats and blankets and mittens and so on.  I did some knitting for the Dulaan project a while back and it just felt amazing to send off a few hats.  For now, I have so little time, that I look at my teaching as a form of giving.  Why is it, though, that I always feel like I got more than the students did after each class? 

My LYS launced a simple Hurricaine Relief idea.  The shop owner placed a big bin of Encore Chunky in the front of the store - help yourself to two balls and make a baby blanket for the babies and children in our adopted town.  She wrote out a simple basketweave pattern - for a 2'x3' blanket,  60 stitches on size 10 needles.  One blanket takes about 2-3 evenings - they are big enough to cover an infant, but also just the right size to comfort the bigger ones.  Some of my students are making them and the basketweave has been great learning for them to recognize the knits and purls.  My blanket, above, was adapted from an old Leisure Arts booklet, over 61 stitches.

Maddy is making this red one.  She started with 4 stitches, K2, YO, knit to the end, repeat every row until you use one ball.  Join the second ball, K1, K2TOG, YO, K2TOG, knit to the end, repeat every row.  This is her first experience with increases and decreases.  At the end of the first ball, she thought she could make it across, but she ran out.  So, on her own, she knitted back - another first!

There are already about 10 blankets in the store - basketweave, garter with a crochet edge, log cabin, crochet lace, ripples, garter stripes and so on.  It's all the best about knitting - creativity, learning, giving.

PS - Thanks to those who asked for details on the green sweater - I am very close to finishing and will post details in the next couple days...

The Dulaan Project.  How could I not follow suit?  Stephanie, Norma and Cassie got me going!  For the solid green hat, I used Stephanie's Ken's Dulaan Hat Pattern, 3 strands of Patons Rustic Wool on a size 13 needle, knit flat.  For the green stripe and solid purple, I went in-the-round, but I only had a size 11 16" needle, which created a smaller, denser hat.  I prefer the looser knit of the 13, so I went back to flat for the multi-color version. 

This little project helped heal the wounds of the blasted afghan square!  I felt no purpose to making that square.  With each little hat, I kept thinking of the little head that might be kept warm by it.  I had fun personalizing the hats - a rolled brim on the purple one, a stripe, mixing the color - and it felt good to use up some stash.  Each hat took less than an hour to make - I kid you not.  Off to post them...have a great Monday! 

(Added later - Read up on the Dulaan Project over at Mossy Cottage Knits, and check out the extensive list of suggested patterns.  I might just hold onto my hats for a little while and work on some other things to add to my contribution!) 

A couple months ago, I let a neighbor drag me to a local guild meeting.  I didn't mind the company or the night out one little bit.  But our enthusiastic leader had the brilliant idea of a group project - an afghan featured in last month's "Creative Knitting" called something like "your cozy knitted afghan".  She had gone to the trouble of creating little kits for each square - yarn (acrylic), chart, etc.  Despite a queasy feeling in my stomach telling me to NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT, I walked out with one, just like everyone else.

Of course I waited until the last minute.  You could count the HOURS until the meeting when the square was due, a full two months from that last meeting.  I cast on.  I ripped.  Cast on.  Ripped.  Cursed.  Made an angry phonecall to my friend.  Cast on.  Ripped.  Poured a glass of wine.  Cast on.  Knit "north" (as my neighbor said), despite the compounding mistakes.

My square is the right size.  That's all that matters.  What happens within the borders is up for interpretation.  HOW could I make an aran sweater one day, and be challenged by an acrylic depiction of a sweater being blocked the next?  What does this mean?

I know.  I am not a joiner.  My subconscious self was rebelling.  Knitting is really a solitary activity.  While we can knit in the COMPANY of others, our work is, and should be our own.  This reminds me of the photo of Elizabeth Zimmerman and Meg, her daughter, knitting happily in the round together.  Truely a symbiotic relationship because they are genetically related.  As it should be.  Beyond that, I prefer not to share needles.  I practice "safe knitting."

My own daughter just commented "I know you hate this square, but I think it looks pretty good!"  Well, I guess it wasn't a total waste after all. 

   

I'm in.  Red Scarf Project.

(Above scarf - two strands of mohair with some hand-spun worsted on size 13 needles, simple rib stitch.  Adapted from the Purl Scarf - Last Minute Knitted Gifts.)

Have a Great Weekend!

Afghans for Afghans

Here is what I worked up for the Mason-Dixon Community Project : Afghans for Afghans. These squares are made with scraps of Reynold's Lopi, 28 stitches on size 10 1/2 needles. I made a 4 stitch/4 row garter stitch border, and then I just made them up as I went along.