Gloria!!

Well, what do you think? This is the first of two community afghans made by some of the folks who came to the Sit & Knit.

Marilyn put them all together and came up with this. Now, to be fair, out of the 30 squares in this afghan I can count at least a dozen that I made - I tend to get into a square phase when I know we are going to need a lot of them for projects like this. But it doesn't mean folks didn't make a lot of squares cuz they did. But it means we can make two afghans instead of one. There will be a lot of my squares in the other one as well but it will mostly be those folks who gave up their time to come and sit on the veranda of a mansion and knit for the Community Care Hospice.

I'm almost ready for the trip! I just have to pack my project bag and I should be all set. The camera is ready to go as well and I hope to take lots of photos for more than one post. I may even break down and buy some hoity-toity yarn! Hahahahahahahaha - I couldn't even write that without cracking up. Y'all know I ain't gonna do that!
(Please pray that the client who owes me the 1K will pay it - I am running out of money!!)

Sugar, Sugar

Seriously, any cuter and we'd have to put a warning label to diabetics on it. I don't think the plan was to make one so small, but it was just so cute I let it go through. Sometimes you have to take the path in front of you not the one you made.

This would make such a cute bag for a little girl with the bracelet handles and the fun fur edge. I have the thought of a grown up version that would incorporate the fur and it can be a Mommy and Me purse set.


I will have to take it upstairs to do the glam shots for the shop but that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

In the meantime, the scarf that must be made is coming along quite nicely. I was telling it I thought it would be nice as a neck warmer, small and cozy and it told me it was going to be a long scarf with fu-fu fur on both ends. Long....as in 80 inches total. Well, I guess it told me. It is well on the way to becoming 80 inches long. I suppose the silver lining is that it will use up the Caron by the Pound. It's always good to be able to show the hubby that not only can I buy yarn but I can actually use it up. Hard point to make when I still have some of the yarn from my very first yarn buy still in the house. Hey, I'll use it eventually.

Our Second Annual Sit and Knit is this Saturday and I will be putting together the goody bags and I have to design a brochure, get it to and from the printers by this weekend - but there's no pressure! We have about 40 folks who have RSVP'd and that will be about a 20% increase over the folks who came last year so I am feeling grateful and excited that we might actually have something started. I will post photos as I don't expect to be saddled behind a registration table this year. I'm looking forward to it!!

The Second Annual Sit and Knit

The moment you become a knitter, you become a more generous person. There really is very little choice in the matter. There are many reasons to knit, but the end result is something gets made. Almost every time you knit something is being made. In the end you will have something. And then something has to be done with the something you've made.

I suppose you could actually keep all 583 scarves you make, but space will become an issue. So when you knit (or crochet) somewhere during the knitting of scarf number 168 you say to yourself: "What am I going to do with all this stuff?"

That's when you create the 'knit list.' That is the group of people to whom you will give something you've created. Now mind you, they never asked to be placed on this list and it hardly matters if they don't because they will be receiving an item from you because you don't have room for any more in your own house which means others have to take the inventory.

And though most of them will graciously accept your treasure and some will actually request items (those are the ones who will have a special place in our wills) eventually, you will run out of people on the knit list. (No, Beverly, I really cannot use that computer cozy!)

Unfortunately, there are people in the world who can use your bounty. It is wonderful to have someone to knit for. It is a gift that catches us by surprise. It started out as (and continues to be) fun, but there is a mission out there and it never ends. The fortunate part is that there are so many of us who have felt the need and will pull out the needles to answer the call.

The Second Annual Sit and Knit will take place April 25 from 9am to 4pm again at Pleasant Home in Oak Park. Last year 30 knitters got together and made baby hats and squares which were donated to area hospitals. This year, we will make squares to be turned into lap blankets to be given to Compassionate Care Hospice - a new facility in Morton Grove. We were asked by Chaplain Elisse if we would consider donating items and I can't think of a better way to provide comfort to those who are there in this new facility.

The event is absolutely free - we'll even provide the yarn and patterns but you are free to bring your own. There will be door prizes and we are allowing groups to have display tables so we can see what other knitting groups are doing. You can find more information here and on President Obama's service website, usaservice.org. We hope to double the number of knitters who participate and spend a few hours in each other's company feeling the good time vibe and that special gabfest knitters have with each other.

If you can't make it to the event, please pray for a great turnout so we can help the hospice provide care for their clients and families. Hope to see as many of you out there as can make it!

Photos from the Sit & Knit - Part 1

A bum knee and the registering knitters kept me in the lobby where Marilyn made this beautiful set up of the yarn. Knitters were free to come and browse through whatever skeins they wanted to take and there was more yarns in the boxes off to the right.
Hats and squares were the order of the day and this cute little pom-pom was a favorite. We think the pom-pom is bigger than the hat, but someone will be able to use it and they will look very cute in it!
This little hat is especially important to us because Sherry made it - it is her very first project EVER. She did not know how to knit when she walked in the door. This was actually a sampler to teach her how to knit and purl and we were able to turn it into a hat for a very small preemie.
Here are a bunch of preemie hats. You can see the subtle differences in the hats. Everyone was free to put their own spin on the hats and they did. They're cute in the pictures - you should see them in person!

These two were top favorites!
We had a great time! The Pleasant Home staff was great and everyone wanted to do it again. And so we shall...planning for the 2009 Sit & Knit at Pleasant Home has already begun!

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.

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.

A Shawl from Vogue

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

Knitting on the Go is a great little book from Vogue for making shawls - that's all it has (it even has a crocheted shawl)

This shawl, (sun splattered in the photo) is one of the shawls in the book. It's made with size 8 needles, worsted weight yarn (Caron by the Pound, of course) and it took a few days to make.

It will get softer and somewhat bigger when i block it and it will probably be donated to a church member who is house bound or in the hospital. This is a very easy pattern for beginners because it's stockinette stitch with two yarn overs on the right side row. Not a decrease in sight.

Sit & Knit - Pattern 4 - Adult/Child Hat

Information and registration for the Sit & Knit is here.

The knitted hat we recommend for adult/children can be found on the Lion Brand website.
This hat is easy (all garter stitch) and it can be unisex and made with or without the pom-pom on top. Adjust the stitches to below 70 for a child's head, keeping the gauge in mind.

Also, if you are interested in knitting for charity and want to find groups where you can knit with others, or want to find a group that could help out folks in need, check out their Charity Connection.
It's a great place to source for groups doing good work in the world!

For the Love of Yarn Baby Blanket

Information and registration forms for the Sit & Knit are here.

So, I guess it took me a little less than a week to make the little blankie. Considering it has all those cables, I guess that's not such a bad time.
This little cutie came from the For The Love of Yarn website. It's not yet blocked and the yarn, Caron By The Pound in jonquil, says that no blocking is needed.
While I'm famous for not blocking, this item could actually benefit from it because the ribs between the cables are a little poofy and can stand to be flattened a little.

It took about half (or 8 oz.) to make it using size seven circulars. It's incredibly soft and the color is very intense. Put this in the stroller and you'll be able to spot the baby from down the block!

Sit & Knit - Pattern 3 - Squares

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

Make squares to be sewn together
You may use whatever stitch pattern you like (I do caution against doing an open weave kind of pattern however, these afghans will get plenty of use and need to be practical.)

The squares should be about 10 inches, eh, square of course. Do not leave a tail, please knit or weave them in. We will have folks doing nothing but sewing them together to make afghans and blankets. You may bring some already done as long as they are the required size. Most of these in the photo will be going over to the Sit & Knit to get the seamers started.

It would be nice if we can get a few hundred squares done (is that a lot?!) each blanket will be about 60" square so will need 60 squares for each one.

It is ambitious - but what's a Heaven for?

Triple Wave Afghan

Information and registration for the Sit & Knit is here.


The Triple Wave Afghan

I think it was size 13 needles. I know it was made with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. I was afraid to drop it on a child - it's so heavy! It will certainly keep someone warm and it's large enough to go on a bed and will certainly keep someone cozy while watching the t and v.

The "recipe" came from The Little Box of Knitted Throws.

It requires about 11 skeins of yarn, though you will need to buy 12 to make it. They don't give you a warning of how cumbersome and heavy the afghan will become so let me warn you: it's gonna get cumbersome and heavy. It is worth every minute of the nine days it took to make it - maybe I should call this one the nine day afghan.

This particular afghan will be on sale at the May 3rd Pancake Breakfast, Bake Sale and Bazaar at First United Methodist of Oak Park.

Sit & Knit Pattern 2: Crochet Hats

These patterns came from Bev's County Cottage (no relation!) Her site is full of patterns intended to be used for mission knitting and since we are doing a Sit & Knit, we qualify.

We will use the patterns for the adult/teen hat and bev's scrap hat. Visit the website for the actual patterns and pictures. I don't crochet (I know how, I just don't) and these seem easy enough for beginners on up.

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

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Sit & Knit - Pattern 1 - The Preemie Hat

Information and registration for Pleasant Home/UMW Sit & Knit are here.

Thanks to Stitches From the Heart for this pattern that I saw on Knitty Gritty. This is the pattern we will use to create the preemie hats to be donated to hospitals with neo-natal centers.

You will need size 6 needles and worsted weight yarn. Visit the website for the actual pattern. These hats work up fairly quickly. (I did one while sitting in a meeting - don't tell anyone!) You can also do them on dpn's and avoid the seaming.