60 Scarves in 60 days event

Dee over at Crocheting with Dee, has started her annual "60 Scarves in 60 Days" for charity Event. All the details are here. Do it, it'll make you happy!

60 Scarves all Wrapped up!

I finished my second scarf for Crocheting With Dee's 60 Scarves in 60 days challenge. Go see Dee's blog for all the details. This is the finished Bernat Glacier in lavender, knitted, scarf. It curled, of course, because it is in stockinette st. I tried to de-curl it by placing a row of sc all the way around, but that did not help. It was fun, and I learned some lessons, and Threads of Compassion got a donation, so it's all good. Isn't Chickee gorgeous?

60 Scarves in 60 days

The deadline is creeping closer! I just resumed work on the Bernat Glacier knitted scarf. Everything is a learning process...right? This week I learned "tinking" or rather, I tried "tinking". Tinking is knitting backwards. When you make a mistake that is not a dropped stitch, you can un-knit by tinking. The thing is, I wasn't sure how to do it. I was working basic stockinette stitch and it came time to add a new ball. I have done this only once or twice before, but I managed to do it successfully...not this time. So I added in my new strand, but somewhere along the way, I continued knitting with the old strand that had like 12" still on it, but I wanted to switch yarns at the beginning of the row, and I didn't think 12" would make it all the way across. So halfway through the row, I run out of yarn, and I realize that I was knitting with the wrong yarn. So I try to un-knit the stitches that I just made, only I must not have put them back on the left needle correctly. I must have turned them or something. I did get it un-knit and I was able to salvage the row, and keep working, but it doesn't quite look right. A person who isn't looking might not notice the change in what? gauge? twist? orientation? but I noticed. I haven't decided if at the 40" mark I'm going to now start over on the scarf or keep going and chalk it up to a learning experience.

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted". Another one of my favorite quotes, but I've never been able to find out who said it. I say it all the time!

Here's a dog picture for you dog lovers out there. I heard some distant rumbling about the presence of "the cat" but no dogs! So here is the Neph-Dog "Corduroy" with Chief (who badly needs a haircut, Chief, not Corduroy). He's my Nephew's dog. He's a great dog. The funny thing about this dog is that when you walk into their house to visit, Corduroy won't leave you alone until you bend over and let him smell your hair! It's really funny. I guess that's how he knows who you are? At first I thought it was a little odd now I find it a little endearing. He's a 10 year old border collie.

60 Scarves in 60 days Challenge

I found a new outlet for scarves for charity. Threads of Compassion http://www.threadsofcompassion.bravehost.com/ is an organization seeking scarves, either knitted or crocheted to be a source of comfort and support for survivors of sexual abuse. First, I was simply looking for outlets for scarves to help with Dee's 60 Scarves in 60 Days challenge. http://crochetingwithdee.com/. The Threads of Compassion group offers a few free patterns and explanation of their organization. The finished scarves should be about 5" wide and around 65" long. Finished scarves should be mailed at their address in Chicago, Ill. See their site for more details. Scarves can be made by anyone. They do suggest that survivors of sexual abuse might choose to donate scarves to other survivors as part of their healing process. Donation may be made anonymously. If you are interested, check it out.


Do you know of any other charities that accept scarves?


Now let's see if I can find a cool photo for you to look at...


How about a Sneak Peek for you?
This item should be hitting the printed page sometime soon....

60 Scarves in 60 days

One Done! This one is boxed up and ready to ship to the Orphan Foundation of America! (See my previous posts for details)

This took like 2 hours. It is Lion Brand Thick and Quick http://lionbrand.com/ and I used a "P" hook. Now that's a big hook! It's just sc. I ch as long as I wanted to go with red, then made 2 rows white, 2 rows red. It's simple. I admit that I didn't really have the time to "design" something or learn a new stitch pattern. I have some other projects that are vying for my attention. I do very much appreciate Dee at http://crochetingwithdee.com/ for the challenge. It is always on my yearly goals to donate something, and I just hadn't gotten around to it yet this year. I'm still hoping that I can make a few more before Oct 31, but if I don't, at least I got one done. I'll keep you "posted".

60 Scarves update

Here's the progress on the first scarf for Dee's 60 Scarves in 60 days challenge. I'm actually further, and I've run out of yarn. Yes, it is knit, simple stockinette stitch. I barely know how to decrease and increase and haven't really learned any new combinations of stitches yet. I chose to do stockinette and not learn a new stitch pattern because I haven't knit in a few weeks, and since I'm new anyway, I figured I could use the basic practice. I like the way this super bulky yarn is working up fast on size 13 needles. Of course the sides are curling, though you can't see it in the photo. I was going to add a crocheted edging to fix the curling, but I have to hunt down some more yarn. I should have known that would happen, but I was trying to use a yarn out of my stash. People always say that knit uses so much less yarn than crocheting, I was curious how long one skein would take me.

I have other projects pending on my WIPs list, I have to:

add an edging to an afghan and add it to the pattern.

sew a pocket onto a tote bag and write the pattern.

sew a strap onto a different tote bag and tweak the pattern.

assemble a stack of motifs into a project (I can't tell you! I wish I could!)

write a different afghan pattern out from my notes (which I'm dreading)

I started a bolero jacket from Crochet Today, but I just don't know about it....

Of course make more scarves for the challenge!

And I have several things in my head to design...some sketched out, some not.

My list has been longer in the past, it has been shorter. I've got a soccer game today, so I'll take something with me. Maybe an afghan, it's getting down to a frigid 67 degrees today! Compared to our 100 degree summer, that's going to feel cold. I already have jeans on. The first jeans of the fall!

60 Scarves progress

Red Scarf Project

OFA's 2008 Red Scarf Project is officially underway. Knitters who wish to send a unique message of support for foster youth via their colorful handmade creations can send in scarves to OFA between September 1 and October 15, 2007. Visit our Red Scarf Page http://www.orphan.org/index.php?id=40 for latest information and guidelines.
RED SCARF PROJECT '08
A Great Charitable Knitting Initiative Provides Warmth and Encouragement to Foster Youth
In 2005, OFA launched a unique initiative to send warmth and encouragement to college-bound foster youth. We began taking donations of handmade red scarves to put into our Valentine's Day Care Packages.

I found this group last year, but didn't get around to it, but I remembered the group and thought, I would like to send my scarf to them... I'm talking about Crocheting With Dee's 60 Scarves in 60 Days Challenge http://crochetingwithdee.com/

I think I like this Orphan Foundation of America because they serve older kids. I tend to feel that the older kids are under served. It's easier to donate items of little kids because smaller children outgrow items quicker, they are still in good condition. The littlest ones pull at our heartstrings with their little faces. But what about the older kids? With perhaps a tough exterior, a kid who has had to endure circumstances that have made them perhaps weary, perhaps cautious, perhaps suspicious of the world. Wouldn't it be great to reach out to them and show them a little softness, a little kindness?

Yes, I think this is where I am going to send my scarf (scarves?) So, the lavender one that I started might have to go to Chickee, (I'm sure when she sees it, she'll want it anyway) and I'll go through my stash for some Red yarn and some neutrals to go with it. If you are interested, follow the link above to find all the particulars about the organization, their needs, and their specific requests for the scarves.

Note that their deadline is October 15th, I'd better get moving!