Our Third Sit & Knit Sponsor - Yet Unknown

Information for the Sit & Knit is here.


So, I received an email from the administrative assistant saying we received several boxes of yarn to be used for StitchCraft. Now, I was expecting donations from Chix with Stix and maybe some more from the Economy Shop so since Marilyn was going to the church, I asked her to check it out.

Seven boxes. SEVEN BOXES stuffed full of good yarn. Marilyn also said there are some granny squares - lots of granny squares.

We don't know who sent them - it certainly doesn't seem to have come from any expected source. So we offer our sincere thanks to whomever sent the yarn to the attention of StitchCraft. The AA said there was no note saying who sent it but only that it was just for us.

We are going to use it at the Sit & Knit on May 31 and should we have any left over (and we hope we don't) we will use it for our projects.

Thank you for giving us the yarn - we appreciate your kindness.

Cropped Top from Jil Eaton

Information and registration for the Sit & Knit is here.

Seriously, how cute is this little crop top? I didn't make it with the chenille yarn they suggested because I didn't have enough. I do have some in my stash, but I am determined not to buy any more yarn until I at least make a dent in what I have.

Anyway, this top was designed by Jil Eaton in her book 'After Dark: Uncommon Knits for Night Time.' I saw the book in the clearance box at the grocery store for $2 or $3. I did look through it before I bought it and didn't think I would make anything out of it, but it was only a few bucks and there is this cute little cape for a girl that I thought I might manage one day.

But here's the thing: this top isn't what I started out making. I actually made a sweater from a magazine - I mean I made the whole thing: front, back, two sleeves. I sewed it together and it just didn't come out right. So, the next book on the shelf was After Dark and the first item was this crop top and I thought I could just do an unravel and do the top. It didn't take as much yarn as the first one - so now i have a sleeve that can be waste yarn or used in something else.

Speaking of yarn: this is Caron's By the Pound (Quelle surprise!) on size nine needles. The original pattern called for chenille and I don't think I would have used it even if I had it. Chenille has a tendency to pill and shed. So, it was worsted weight acrylic for me. I'm just glad my first adult top came out ok. (Ok, it came out a little short, but I haven't blocked it yet and it can block out that extra inch.)

This little cutie is going to be on sale at the UMW Bazaar sale May 3 at First United Methodist Church of Oak Park.

Marilyn's Afghan

Information for the Sit & Knit is here.

So, the co-founder of StitchCraft, Marilyn, made this fabulous afghan. Believe it or not, this is actually made of four diamonds that are sewn together.

This was one of those patterns she had been looking over for some time before deciding to tackle it and she says it was surprisingly easy. My phone rang last Sunday and Marilyn was all excited because she had knit the diamonds together and it came out looking like what you see here. I immediately told her I was coming over to take a look at it and I brought my camera cuz I thought it would make a great entry. (And to prove that not only my finished projects needed to be on the blog!)

Also, it used only 10 balls of yarn. The yarn for this is Lion Brand Wool-Ease. I don't know what the needle size is and I don't have a link for the pattern (bad, bad blog mistress) but I am sure once Marilyn reads this, she will give me the 411 and I will give it to you.

If you happen to be in the Chicago area, you can purchase this afghan at the Pancake Breakfast and Bazaar May 3rd at First United Methodist Church of Oak Park. Marilyn would be pleased to see it go to a good home.

Hand Dyed Yarn

Information and registration for the Sit & Knit is here.

Ok, so this is my first attempt at dyeing yarn. It didn't come out as nice as some people's I've seen on the web. But in person, I find it quite nice. Also, the picture shows variations I didn't even know where there and couldn't see.

I used Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool and Kool-Aid. I used vinegar on two of them and went without on the last one. I don't think it made a difference. For these, they are all orange color based so I will use them in making something like a small lapghan or a hat and scarf set. Something like that.

I still need to do some more studying - I have two more skeins to go and about 30 packets of Kool-Aid left. I also used some food dye in the one on the right. It's all orange Kook-Aid, but I dropped some red food dye in and went over the yarn again.

Because spring has finally come, I dried them all outside (out of direct sunlight.)

The next time I try it, I will use more Kool-Aid in the six ounces of water, start with a darker base color and try and lighten up the variations. I'm not real interested in making solid colored skeins because there are many solid colors out there. I have a problem finding nice variegated yarn and this is my way of getting just what I want. Plus, since I can find the wool yarn at a discount, it is really an economical way of making yarn. It does save money and I get exactly what I am looking for - this could be the start of something really fun and really good!

Sit & Knit Partner - Chix with Stix

Information and registration for the Sit & Knit is here.
If you want some quality price yarn in a friendly setting, you should visit Chix with Stix. In fact, if you go and tell them you're knitting at the Sit & Knit, you'll get 10% off your purchase.

I am on their mailing list. I have gone into their store when I've discovered I forgot or lost a knitting needle. (If you go to the back of the store, they have bamboo needles for a steal!)


I've purchased knitting books there and let's not even mention the yarn! They have oodles of yarns that just scream to be touched. They have classes, and two nice sitting areas where you can just....sit & knit.

Chix with Stix is located at 7316 W. Madison St Forest Park, IL 60130 Phone: 708-366-6300. See their website for hours. (An added bonus, they are located near an ice cream shop so you can get both kinds of goodies in a single swoop!)

Sit & Knit Partner - Unique Freaque

Information and Registration for the Sit & Knit is here.

We LOVE Unique Freaque!

We loved them even before they decided to promote the Sit & Knit on their blog and in their shop.

The shop is located at 121 N Kenilworth Ave in Oak Park, right across the street from the Post Office.

The shop offers original art and handcrafted items (hence the unique) and their work is breathtaking. Visit the store and be prepared to fall in love.
If you visit the store on the day of the Sit & Knit and mention that you attended the event, you get 10% off your total purchase. (Now, that's freaquy!)

We thank the Unique Freaque for their support of the Sit & Knit and look forward to having visit us and them on May 31st.

The Thick & Quick Cable Comfort Afghan

Information about the Sit & Knit is here.

This lapghan is headed to the May 3 United Methodist Women Bazaar and Bake Sale.

Because I didn't learn my lesson the last time I made an afghan with Thick & Quick, I decided to make another one. I had these eight balls of Lion Brand Thick & Quick yarn and nothing to do with them so in the hunt for my latest project, I came across the pattern for this one. No, I grant you, the pattern on the website is a solid color. But I didn't have nine balls of one color, I had eight balls of three different colors. So I decided to do it anyway. All I had to do was buy one ball in the fisherman and I was set. As it turns out, I didn't need nine balls. I used only seven. I had a pumpkin and a cranberry left over (but I think that was because Marilyn gave me the extra ball of cranberry she had from a project she was doing.)

In any case, it's very soft and plush, and the cables were very easy to do. (You only cable in one row out of an 18 row pattern) and I have this HUGE cable needle that I love. For this project, I used the hook cable needle and the bow needle - I preferred the hook needle - the yarn is so thick and the hook held on to it better than the bow.

I still have a thing or two to learn about stitching, but it will come. The final lapghan is about 48 inches square. It's not blocked, nor is it likely to be because that will make for a very heavy lapghan, but it is machine washable, so it will be bigger once that's done.

And remember...don't be thrown by cables - it's nothing more than knitting stitches out of order (on purpose!)

So, You Can't Make it to the Sit & Knit

Information and registration for the Sit & Knit is here.

Ahhhh, you can't make it to the Sit & Knit. I'm so sorry, I wanted to see everyone there. We would like to see every inch of Pleasant Home filled with knitters and crafters. (That's a photo of the foyer.)

But if you cannot make it to the event and you would still like to participate, there's nothing stopping you from knitting or crocheting a square or preemie hat and sending it to us if you don't live close enough to drop it off.

Just send the completed item to the address on the registration form and we will add it to the rest of the items to be blessed and distributed. Don't forget to send us your contact info so we can confirm receipt of it. (An email would be great!)

But if you can come, then by all means join us. It promises to be a lot of fun.

Our First Sit & Knit Sponsor - The Economy Shop

Information and Registration for the Sit & Knit is here.

We give our thanks to The Economy Shop located at 103 S. Grove in Oak Park. They are our first sponsor for the Pleasant Home/UMW Sit & Knit.

The Economy Shop is located in a home in one of the historic parts of Oak Park. It is a virtual shopping mall with clothing, antiques, craft items; 15 departments spread out over 3 stories.

Walking in the shop is like walking into one of the quaint New England type places - you know like Mrs. Kim's shop from the Gilmore Girls but not nearly as cluttered.

The shop gets inventory from donations from all across the area so the store is never the same and the things you find are one of a kind and unique. We asked them if they would be so kind as to donate yarn to the Sit & Knit and we stopped by today and got a nice, big batch that will make dozens of squares or preemie hats.

The prices in the shop are phenomenal! The staff is extremely helpful and friendly and the store is one of those feel good places. You just like being in there.

Check out the website. They are not open every day so you need to watch for their sales. And if you happen to have something to donate, the website will tell you the days and times they will take your items. Proceeds from the shop goes to support seven area charities serving children, the mentally ill, and even animals.

We are honored they chose to be a part of the Sit & Knit!

We appreciate the Economy Shop donating their yarn

Earth Hour - What Did You Do in the Dark?

Information and registration to the Sit & Knit can be found here.

I informed the hubby we were going to celebrate earth hour and turn off all the lights in the house from 8pm to 9pm.

And we did.

It was a very fast hour. He was waiting for the bread he was baking to rise and I was sitting on the love seat with knitting needles in hand watching Celtic Woman - A new Journey that i had recorded on the cable box. There was enough light from the set and i am using big size 13 needles, that i could knit in solitude and comfort. I am working on a lapghan using Lion Brand Thick and Quick. It will be a small project, but it will be warm!

I did put down the needles and go look out the front window up and down the street to see if we had all joined in - i didn't see a light on in any of the houses down the street, though there was a t and v screen or two. i felt a rather nice kinship with my neighbors, whom i did not discuss earth hour with, that we were all participating in it. or maybe everyone was at a party i didn't get invited to - either way it worked.