Dulaan Video

If you ever wondered why I so enjoy knitting for charity this video pretty much sums it up. It shows kids receiving knit items from the Dulaan project in Mongolia. Aren't they just adorable. And it breaks my heart to see these kids with no socks or warm clothes.

I have one sock finished for the Afghans4Afghans project. Yippeee!! And I have cast on the other one so it will get done (no second sock syndrom for me -- yet).

Hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday afternoon!

Socks

For the last couple of months I have wanted to knit another pair of socks. I don't know why but I am fascinated with them. Having only knit one pair I can't say that I am really knowledgeable but I want to knit more. So I was excited when I received an email from Afghans4Afghans on Saturday asking sock knitters to knit wool socks. I even cast on that very day and have one sock 3/4s done.

The wool is Briggs&Little Tuffy sock yarn, 2ply and quite heavy and not very soft. I bought this untouched from Ram's Wool and probably wouldn't have bought it if I had actually touched it beforehand. The pattern is from Briggs&Little but I have modified it to use 2 circular needles and make the socks a little smaller. The pattern is for size large which to me was too big! I cast on 48 stitches and the sock will fit my leg and foot.

Do you want to knit some socks for Afghans4Afghans? Here are the guidelines:
- yarn must be at least 80%wool
- avoid white and very light colours
- size must fit a child 7 - 18 years old
- must have a heel and cover the lower leg
- must be knit and not crocheted
- received by March 7th (find address on their website)

Happy sock knitting :-)

More Knitting, Less Quilting

I am not sure what is inspiring me to knit more than quilt these days .... my poor sewing machine is becoming lonely and the quilt tops are crying out to be finished. It must be something in the air since I know of at least two others that are experiencing the same thing!

I finished the sweater I started a week ago. It turned out very cute even though it is not in baby colours. Pink and grey. I love it and am pretty sure there are moms out there who don't really like the soft pastels and will enjoy something different (I am hoping anyway). Yarn is Marble by James C. Brett in the heather colourway. I used a pattern by Carole Barenys which used to be posted on Knitting On The Net but isn't there anymore. It is similar to the 5 hour baby sweater and is knit from the top down in one piece.

So what happened to finishing a couple of UFOs and starting and finishing one new item. I guess I fell off the wagon already. I cast on for a baby blanket after knitting up a dishcloth in a very pretty faux cable pattern. I am sure there is a proper name for the pattern ... if you know what it is could you let me know .... Definitely baby colours. My husband said it looks like spumoni ice cream! Guess that's a compliment (not sure though). Yarn is old, old, old stuff that was donated to me. I am guessing it is from the 70's .... Honeyspun, Caron's Dazzle Aire, and Super Yarn Mart. Fibre content says orlon and dacron and it's not very soft but should be fine for a blanket.

News Items:
Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims are teaming up to start a new online tv broadcast. It looks like their website TheQuiltShow will have lots of fun stuff that is free but will be charging $16.95 in order to watch their tv shows online. You can blog and chat for free though. Go check it out!

The DIY network and Knitty Gritty are hosting Super Knit Sunday on February 4th to benefit Warm Up America. Participants are asked to knit/crochet rectangles that are 7" x 9" to make afghans. Vicky Howell will have a live blog from 5 to 11pm ET where you can share ideas, ask questions and have fun! There's information on where to send your rectangles, strips or completed afghans at the bottom of the knit in website.

Bev from Bev's Country Cottage posted some pictures of knit items being distributed in Afghanistan by Steve. I am amazed at all the donations pictured on the tables. What an awesome project. Thanks Bev for the opportunity to help!!

Not Another Snow Day

Yup! We are now on day 8 of days missed from school. Who knows when the kids will make them up. There are rumours of going to school on Saturdays, missing winter break and/or adding days at the end of the year (we are now into July). The kids were sure happy about the day off and keep asking if there is school tomorrow!

It was a very productive day for me. I started a fair isle hat yesterday and completed it today. I thought it would fit me but I was waaaaayyyyy off with my gauge. It doesn't even fit my 7yo so it is going to the Dulaan project. I found the pattern in an old Vogue Knitting magazine - Winter 94/95. The hat did look a little small on the model and that should have clued me in. It was very fun to knit and I really enjoyed using the different colours. The yarn is Elann's highland wool. They sell it at such a great price ... $2.25 for 100m.

Next up I finally finished the prayer shawl I have been working on forever. I added a few more rows, cast off and added fringe. I love how soft it turned out and will be going to Children's Hospital in Seattle.

And I finally made a pompom for the top of the spiral hat I had knit a few months ago. Nothing like procrastinating!!

My goal is to finish a couple of items and then start something new. So what have I started ... of course I couldn't not start something so I had some James Brett Marble yarn that I have been wanting to try out and cast on for a top down, seamless baby sweater. I need some buttons for it so will go out tomorrow (weather permitting) to the LYS to pick something out. Who knows what I will come home with ...

More Knitting Done

I have gotten off to a good start on my 100 items for charity this year. I received the book Knitting on the Edge by Nicky Epstein for Christmas and have been using some of the stitch patterns out of it to make my knitting more interesting. The hat and bootie set used the bobble garter edging on page 142. I like how it turned out (though some people do not like bobbles).
This is a newborn size set knit with Paton's Astra variegated yarn (I know, I know yucky acrylic but it's for babies who may have allergies to wool).

Another item completed is the sweater I was knitting for the Dulaan Project. I again used some patterns from Nicky Epsteins book. The cabled rib pattern that is used is found on page 39 and I carried two of the cables down the front. I used Rhythym DK yarn doubled and 5.5mm needles. It turned out to fit my 7 (almost 8) year old daughter and is knit all in one piece - yeah - no seaming (that's the best).

Heavenly Angels In Need has posted their January Newsletter which is a good read. They are doing some wonderful things this year and Mary included one of her patterns for a very beautiful hat and bootie set on page 11. Thanks Mary!! I can't wait to try it out.

Note: Nothing like living in the past ... the January Newsletter I linked to is from 2006 but there is still a really nice pattern in there from Mary! 2007 Newsletter is coming soon!

It's snowing again! For the one hour I have been up it started with no snow on the ground and now has about 1" with very large flakes coming down. Sounds like a good day to stay home and knit/sew. Have a very blessed day whatever you do!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone. My prayer is that anyone who reads this blog would be blessed more than they could ever imagine by God this year!

Do you have any New Years goals? I have a couple that are crafting related. One is to finish all the blocks for my Women Of The Bible quilt. In the past year I have completed half of them so I don't think it is unrealistic to think I can finish the rest. Maybe even the applique for the middle of the quilt. This quilt consists of 53 - 6" quilt blocks and an applique border. I am laying my quilt out a bit differently than how Carol did and will have an applique center on point with blocks around the outside.

Another goal for 2007 is to complete 100 craft items for charity. I participated in Bev's Charity Challenge last year and made 135 items ... more than I had expected. So this year I will keep the pledge at 100 and see if I can surpass it again.

Before Christmas I was looking for a pattern (free of course) that would show how to add an edging to fleece blankets. I don't really like the cut fringe edges for baby blankets but had heard that you could crochet and edge. The Crafty Chic website had just what I was looking for. You punch holes in the edge of the fleece and then use your crochet hook to pull the yarn through and do a single crochet edge. There are some really great pictures on the Crafty Chic website on how to do this. She suggests using a large needle in your sewing machine and sewing around the edge to make the holes. I didn't have a large needle but did have a hole punch used for card making. The punch makes tiny holes but big enough for the crochet hook to go through. It worked really well. I made a hat out of the same yarn I edged the fleece with. Both Newborns In Need and Heavenly Angels In Need are in great need of blankets and I find I can make these much quicker than knit or quilted blankets (a knit hat and/or booties adds a nice touch too).