‘Tis the Season for Charity Knitting & Crochet
27 Aug 2009 Leave a Comment
I know it’s still warm/hot out, but this is the time of year when a knitter’s & crocheter’s thoughts turn to the colder months ahead. I know that a lot of us make holiday gifts as well, but I’d like to make a plea for a charity that’s near and dear to my heart: The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.
The Lakota people living on the reservation have an 85-95% unemployment rate. They deal with grinding poverty. In fact, two of the three poorest counties in the U.S. are located on the reservation. Medical services are substandard and subject to very lengthy waiting periods. Families are often crowded 20 or more people to a very small house with little heat or running water.
The good news is, there is something we as knitters & crocheters can do about this. There are many excellent organizations that help the Lakota help themselves, especially children and the elderly, and quite a few of them accept donations of hand made hats, scarves, mittens, blankets, sweaters, shawls and toys.
I’d like to ask all of you who are so inclined to check out the links below and learn more about the organizations and the Lakota themselves. I’ve donated my handmade warm snuggly things to the reservation for close to 10 years now, and I hope that many of you will join me.
Basic info on the Res: http://www.nativevillage.org/Messages%20from%20the%20People/Hidden%20Away%20in%20the%20Land%20of%20Plenty.htm
Love Afghans For Pine Ridge – A Yahoo group of knitters & crocheters who make squares for blankets for the rez: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loveafghans4prr/
And finally, Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation. This organization has mailing addresses to send your donations to, current needs and emergencies, etc. Even if you can’t knit or crochet a stitch, there are drives for school supplies, books and such: http://friendsofpineridgereservation.org/ They also have a Yahoo group that you can join to learn about the latest drives and needs:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FriendsofPineRidgeReservation/
Thanks for reading this and thanks to all who decide to lend a helping hook or needle!
-Knit Wit
Check out my new toy!
27 Aug 2009 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: spinning, spinning wheel
Well…new to me, anyhow! See, I had this Ashford Traveller wheel and while I loved it, it hurt me to spin with it. The bottom of the wheel was to narrow, the angle was wrong for my back, etc….So it just sat in my living room, making us both sad.
Then a friend from a knitting meetup and my spinning guild said that she had an Ashford Traditional, and she wanted a double treadle wheel. They’re almost exactly the same age, price, etc. We decided to meet this morning, introduce our wheels and see if a trade would work out for us. It did – I loved her wheel, and she loved mine! Here is my new wheel (Squeeeeee!):
And the Lazy Kate:
Close up of the flyer:
Close up of the wheel:
I am SO happy! It is SO much more comfortable for me to spin with! Now I need to buy some new fiber to go with the new wheel!
Peace, Knitwit
To boldly go where many knitters have gone before
26 Aug 2009 6 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: cable, cables, cabling, coffee, knitting, ravelry, supplies, technique, youtube
A while back, I saw an ad on Facebook for a knitted coffee sleeve that had a cable running down the side. Being a knitter, my first response was not “where can I buy that?”, it was “I wonder if the pattern’s on Ravelry?” Surely enough, the pattern was on Ravelry, (actual pattern link here) and for free. The only problem was, I had no idea how to cable. Has that ever stopped me? No. That’s how I knit: find a pattern I like, then learn the techniques out of necessity with help of my mother, Ravelry, and YouTube.
I didn’t have a fancy cable needle, so I found a tiny enough DPN and went to town. It came out great, and since then I’ve knit quite a few for myself and friends for a yarn replacement donation (and latte fund donation) of $5 (drop me a line if you don’t want to make on yourself, I’m always down with making these). My mother and I even co-designed our own pattern, which is still up for sale (see Hugs and Kisses or order the pattern here). I later tried a cable needle and found that it was really difficult compared to the double point needle. I later learned that some people don’t even use a cable needle at all!!
While I’ve read how to cable without a cable needle or DPN, I don’t want to try it. Not because it sounds difficult, but I am scared to death of dropping stitches, and to me the anxiety caused by the free floating stitches while you are rearranging them is not worth the extra second or two I save.
The source of my anxiety, click for the blog it was taken from
I’ve learned from my knitting group and others that pretty much everyone has their own method of cabling and prefers their method to others. I like using a DPN, but some people have complained that stitches slide off too easily. I find this is easily fixed by resting the other end(s) of the needle(s) on my leg, or by knitting tight enough for the stitches to stay on.
What do you think, fellow knitters? What do you use to cable with, and why do you like that way? Do cables look better/worse without a cable needle? Inquiring minds want to know!
xoxo, Purl Girl
You know you’re a knitaholic when…
25 Aug 2009 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: FO, knitting, patterns, ravelry, sock, yarn
…you are starting college and don’t feel ready until you complete a back-to-school project! After 3 years in the Navy, I am finally starting college, and it is awesome. I was getting ready and had all my books and supplies, but wanted to knit something, but if anyone has been to the UH Manoa campus, you would know that most knitted garments would be very impractical. So I started looking through Ravelry’s “Other” section (login needed) and came across this beauty: Chug, a re-usable water bottle cover made from sock yarn. I thought the idea was brilliant because whenever I fill my water bottle with ice-cold water it sweats like I do in the heat, so I can now toss it in my bag with no worries (in case anyone’s interested, I use a Sigg aluminum bottle).
It’s basically a tube sock. Which is great, since I am sock-knitting impaired, so I was happy to get to use size 2′s and sock yarn. I used 9″ bamboo Hiya Hiyas, which handled 60 stitches in the round no problem, and Austermann Step in Trio. I’m particularly proud of the decreases on the bottom and the i-cord drawstring, because I hadn’t knitted i-cord before (here’s how).
And without further ado: my water bottle cozy!
And the super cool decreases (pom-poms were made by my husband):
-Purl Girl
Oh Baby!
23 Aug 2009 2 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: baby, FO, gift, knitting, pinwheel blanket
Here’s my latest FO – a baby set! A friend of mine is expecting a grandson this winter and she’s asked me to make a set for him. Here’s the result!
First, the blankie:
The details:
Pattern: Round or Pinwheel Baby Blanket
Yarn: Oh My! by Plymouth Yarns, color #1
Needles: Size 9 (5.5 mm)
Next, the sweater set:
The details:
Pattern: 5 Hour Baby Sweater, Baby Boy Variation, Cap to Match 5 Hour Sweater & “toes-ty” baby socks.
Yarn: Joann Sensations Rainbow Classic, color unknown.
Needles: Size 10.5 (6.5 mm)
Peace, KnitWit
Featured Fiber Artist: Jen Hintz
21 Aug 2009 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: dyeing, etsy, fiber, fibromyalgia, FMS, interview, knitting, ravelry, roving, spinning, yarn
Both Knit Wit and I have to struggle every day with a disease called Fibromyalgia. In addition to dealing with the actual disease, we have to deal with people’s misconceptions about the disease, such as it doesn’t exist, we don’t look sick so we can’t be sick, we’re just depressed, etc. Through Ravelry, I have found many support groups for fiber artists with Fibromyalgia, as well as an absolutely wonderful person, Jen Hintz. She runs an Etsy shop called FibroFibers which donates proceeds from each sale to a Fibromyalgia charity. She is truly an inspiration for all of us who use fiber arts to help cope with chronic illness.
Gorgeous yarn, and it goes to a good cause! Click to shop your heart out!
1. Tell us a little about yourself, when you started knitting and spinning, and anything else you want the world to know!
I started knitting several years ago just out of curiosity, and perhaps a year later tried out crochet as well. I was instantly drawn in, and my fiber obsession has snowballed from there. I soon started dyeing my own yarns, and this week I’m getting my own spinning wheel! I already have a little voice in the back of my head chattering about a drum carder, but I know I need to get established with spinning first.
2. Your shop (FibroFibers) donates money from each sale to a Fibromyalgia research charity. What inspired you to do this?
I myself have fibromyalgia, and for me yarn and fibromyalgia are linked because I started knitting shortly after I had to quit my last job due to illness. At that point I had not yet been diagnosed, and knitting provided me with a productive distraction. If I hadn’t stopped working I might never have tried knitting, so it’s a bit of a silver lining. I decided to donate money to the NFRA (National Fibromyalgia Research Association) because to this day I’m shocked at how little most people (including healthcare providers) know about fibro, and the deeply-held false ideas many have about what this disease is and how to treat it. I chose the NFRA in particular because they are a small but totally independent organization with no ties to the big pharmaceutical companies; this makes me more comfortable trusting them to be unbiased.
3. You run an Etsy shop and have your own website. Do you spin full time or have a job to supplement your income? Any advice to hopeful fiber dealers?
I do not work another job. Being a one-person company means that if something is going to get done, I have to be the one to do it. It’s not easy, but I love what I do and can adjust my schedule to suit my abilities moment to moment. I’m not getting rich by any means, but after just under 2 years in business I’m doing better than I expected and am continually growing the business. The only advice I can offer others is to just dive in and try things, and don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice. I’ve found that the fiber-arts subculture is generally an extremely friendly and generous one.
4. Your yarn and roving are gorgeous! Any insight to your spinning/dyeing techniques?
I work “fast and loose”. If I’m in a blue and green mood, I splash that on and see what happens. I really should take notes when I’m dyeing so that I can more easily replicate colorways, but at the same time there’s a certain appeal in knowing that every skein of yarn or bump of roving is absolutely unique.
5. As a spinner of your own yarn, what’s your opinion of acrylic? Avoid it like the plague or use it for when you need a very washable item?
Acrylic absolutely has its place in the world. In my other shop I sell crocheted shopping bags, and acrylic really is the best material for them. Cotton is good too, but for strength and durability you just can’t beat the acrylics. The huge range of colors available is also nice, as it allows me to appeal to just about any customer’s tastes.
Acrylic- saving the environment and looking good!
6. Many fiber artists struggle with FMS or other chronic illnesses. Does knitting/spinning help you? How does having a flare-up affect your work?
On my worst days when I don’t feel well enough to do anything, I can still do some simple knitting or crochet. It provides me a distraction while also giving me some validation; I may feel like hell, but I still accomplished something. Flares can hamper my work especially with regards to dyeing because it requires being on my feet, lifting things, working carefully with heat and chemicals, etc., but I’ve been able to tweak some parts of the process to allow myself some time to sit and rest between steps. The good thing about working in several different aspects of fiber art is that if I’m not feeling up to one thing, I can usually manage another.
7. What’s your weirdest, wackiest, or most unbelievable fiber-related experience?
There’s always a moment of giddiness when I take a pan of yarn out of the oven and take the lid off. No matter how carefully I plan, the colors always do their own thing and surprise me. It’s almost always a pleasant surprise!
Thank you Jen for the interview and good luck with your business!
-Purl Girl
What I’ve been doing lately.
19 Aug 2009 4 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: FO, knitting, noro, scarf
A knitting blog isn’t complete without update’s on the authors’ works in progress (WIP’s) or finished objects (FO’s). So here we go!
I went on a very long plane trip recently, and needed a project that was simple enough to fly without a pattern, but interesting enough to keep me, well, interested! Thankfully Ravelry came to a rescue, and after a forum post (Ravelry login required), I decided on the notorious Striped Noro Scarf, written up by BrooklynTweed himself.
Four skeins of Noro Kureyon (colors 226, 229, and 40) and many hours later, I was done and despite naysayers I proudly wear it in Hawai’i, where I live. Some photos (I apologize for the harshness of some of the stripes, I promise it’s not like that in real life)
This scarf worked up like a dream, and I had no problems taken my knitting on the plane, having done my best to comply with TSA regulations. I used size 8 bamboo circulars, and didn’t bring any scissors or other sharp implements. In fact the only grief I got were from fellow passengers, who tried to convince me that I wouldn’t need a wool scarf in Hawai’i (on a plane to the east coast).
-Purl Girl
Ia, Ryleh! Or, how a Cthulhu hat was born
19 Aug 2009 3 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: Cthulhu, designing, fair isle, hat, knitting, Lovecraft, technique
“I have harnessed the shadows that stride from world to world to sow death and madness…”
-H.P. Lovecraft, “From Beyond”
My friend asked me to knit him an awesome hat, as he was planning on going to a dog sled race this winter and had nothing to keep his head warm. I sent him a number of options, including Jayne from Firefly’s hat and a Chain Chomp (from Super Mario Bros.) hat, but being a hard core Lovecraft fan, he settled on a fair isle Cthulhu beanie.
If you’re not familiar with the Lovecraftian mythos, Cthulhu is basically the biggest and baddest of the Elder Gods whose visage will drive you mad with the slightest of glimpses. He looks kind of like Davey Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean with a lion’s body. See previous posts for a crochet version.
Of course, I knew all this before I started. I didn’t think however, that a fair isle image would drive me mad. I was so, so wrong. The fair isle, surprisingly, didn’t provide that many problems the first time, but I had never made an adult-sized hat before, and made it waaaaay to small, paired with a very silly looking decrease. Your win this round Cthulhu.
Cthulhu Hat- Round One
Round 2 proved to be a little better, except for having to tink (knit backwards) for a good round and a half because I was distracted and started putting tentacles where there weren’t supposed to be any. I even sketched out my plans beforehand (using notes from another person’s project, Ravelry login required) and learned a great formula for decreasing thanks to CrazyAuntPurl.
Hat sketch that looks suspiciously like a cheeseburger
It fits nicely, and poses for artistic “I’m among rotting fruit because I’m dark and brooding” shots without a fuss.
Final Cthulhu Hat- Artsy Shot
My sanity intact, I breathed a sigh of relief until I received a phone call. It was my friend who had commissioned the hat. ”Can you make me cuffs and a scarf to match?” ”Sure!” I said, eager to make a badass Cthulhu scarf. I set out to make the cuffs first, thinking I could bust those out quickly. I was so, so wrong. I still haven’t knit those, having charted out so many possibilities and finally figuring out something but then making a mistake and giving up in frustration. Luckily the dog sled race isn’t until January, so I have some time.
-Purl Girl
What’s (in) your bag, baby?
18 Aug 2009 1 Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: iPhone apps, knitting, ravelry, supplies, travel
When I was in the Navy and wanted to knit my husband a scarf, I had no idea what to do. I hadn’t knitted in quite awhile (my last project was one baby sock before boot camp) and had to re-teach myself how to purl. I asked my mom for an easy scarf pattern, went to the store and bought myself the needles it called for and a skein of Red Heart. I sat down to begin and said, what do I do now? What do I do when it’s done? How do I know when to stop? What if I drop a stitch?
Thankfully, my mother, who is one of my personal knitting gurus, predicted these questions, and more that I didn’t even think of. A few days later, a package arrived with the kit to end all kits. It came with point protectors, stitch markers, a crochet hook, a really cute tape measure shaped like a sheep, all in a hand-knitted bag (or at least I think it did, it was awhile ago).
Now that I am a little farther along in knitting, and people have started asking me advice (which still astounds me) I thought I’d put together a list of items I have deemed “essential” for a knitter’s bag. Most of the items are things that I have forgot at knitting meet-ups and swore heavily that I forgot them.
Things you need:
- Stitch markers or waste yarn: I often find a contrasting piece of yarn works great as a stitch marker since I don’t have to move it when I’m knitting in the round, but that can easily be replaced with the safety-pin type markers. Many people, myself included, think they’re too good for stitch markers, but they are necessary for knitting in the round and dang useful when you need to keep track of hundreds of stitches.
- Crochet hook- very handy for picking up a dropped stitch, crocheting a border, or weaving in ends, although I prefer using…
- A yarn needle
- Tape measure
- Stitch holders if you are knitting socks, mitts, etc.
- Some form of row counter, either physical or an iPhone app
- Scissors
(A note on iPhone apps: there are a few knitting apps, but if you’re already on Ravelry, the only thing you really need is a glorified calculator. A good free app like this is StitchMinder, or its sister, KnitMinder Lite.)
Of course, if you don’t want all those things floating loose in your bag (or a little compartment), you can buy the handy dandy (and TSA approved) Knit Kit! I haven’t been able to buy one yet, but it would have made knitting while I was flying easier.
Also, this is not everything you’ll need while knitting, just while on the go. That’s a different list for a different post.
Did I miss anything? Comment with things you can’t go without when you’re knitting on the go.
-Purl Girl
Knitting vs. Crochet- it’s on like Donkey Kong!
15 Aug 2009 6 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: amigurumi, crochet, knitting, needles, technique
It seems like it is time for Purl Girl to lay down a rebuttal!
1 and 2) It’s much more portable! … No worries about getting to your destination to find 28 stitchess have fallen off the needles… And need I mention jabbing yourself, your seat mate or small animals with those luscious Addi Turbo lace lancets-er needles?…You can stop and start much easier with crochet! Doorbell? Telephone? No problem – just yank up a good sized loop, drop the whole thing and go do…whatevah! When you come back, barring interference from catnip crazed felines, (do not ask me how I know this) your project is good to go!
Two words. Point protectors. I took my knitting on a cross-continent plane flight with a layover and had no troubles- when I needed to stop, I yanked the knitting down to the cable on my circulars, popped on the point protectors, and was good to go. I also think that crochet’s more likely to unravel- I’ve seen no hook protectors and even big loops magically unravel themselves, cats or no.
3) Thread! Yes, you *can* knit with thread but oh, the psychosis inducing fun of getting it started and then keeping the stitches on the fecking needles… Bedspreads, tablecloths, even bridal gowns are possible in thread crochet. Heirloom lace with a minimum of fuss!
This is true. you win this one, crochet!
4) Amigurumi! Again – you *can* knit tiny little critters, BUT it requires you to “pet the procupine”, i.e. wrangle 4 or 5 double pointed needles with sometimes as few as 1 or 2 stitches on each one. Not MY idea of fun – give me a crochet hook and some yarn and I’m off to octopus land or even, dare I mention,Cthulhu! Besides, I think amigurumi just plain old *looks* better in crochet [bold added for emphasis]
I disagree here. As for the porcupine petting, that may be necessary for very tiny critters, but 12″ Addi Turbos are very useful for small-circumference knitting. As for aesthetics, let’s compare octopi.
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- Knit Octopus http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5162135
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- Crochet Octopus http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/70588AD.html
To be fair, I picked the worst example of a crocheted octopus to make my argument look better. Here’s a decent crocheted octopus:
Decent Crochet Octopus
There are also beautiful things you can do with knitting, such as cables, fair isle, etc. There is also the stockinette stitch, a beautiful canvas that can not be attained with crochet. I’d like to see someone crochet this!
Minimissimi Coat- Click to purchase pattern
Knitting FTW!!
<3 Purl Girl
