Merry Christmas

To all a very Merry Christmas!

Did you give special hand crafted gifts?   Tell me about them in the comments.  Did you intend to and not get done in time?  Tell me about these in the comments too.

Let me tell you about my gift giving fails/wins.  It's all in how you spin things sometimes.  I planned to crochet cardigans for my 7 year old twin granddaughters.  I planned to knit or crochet stuffed animals for my 9 month old granddaughter.  I planned to knit pullover sweaters for my two grandsons, aged 6 and 2.

Those were the plans.  Here's what actually happened.

I actually did start in time to accomplish this all.  I started in October.  I started with the crochet sweaters first, because 1) they need to be mailed to the other side of the country, 2) they are larger to make, 3) I was designing them both.  They were not the same sweater done in different colors.  I learned a few things.  I need to start earlier still.  Don't get derailed by tragedies.  Don't do multiple granny squares and motif squares with multiple colors.  The weaving in of ends is murder.

Here is a look at the front and the back of them.

They love their sweaters.

This is as far as I got.  These were not even sent until January 4.  I got them done the 4th.  I made it to the mailing station 10 minutes before the delivery truck left to take my box of goodies away.  These were feast of the 3 kings gifts.  They got presents on Christmas day.  

The stuffed toys and knit pullovers?  They didn't happen.  Yet.  Presents were purchased for these grandkids.  Their birthdays are coming up soon and I will make these happen for the birthdays.

The blue sweater is Caron Simply Soft in teal zeal.  The pink sweater is 2 different hot pinks from Red Heart and Caron Simply Soft as well as a soft pink and a geranium pink from a long defunct yarn company.  The blocks were inspired by or actual patterns found on pinterest.  The back 6 are 8x8 inches.  The sleeves are different.  There are half square triangles, whole squares, jumbo squares.  Each jumbo holds 4 whole squares, 2 over 2. 

This year will be different.  I'm starting in June.

Happy New Year to you all.

Charity Knitting/Crocheting Month is January

This is charity knitting and crocheting month.  We have spent untold months doing projects for gift giving.  Now is our chance to do something for those who aren't in our family.

I kind of disagree with this though.  I kind of understand it, but disagree.  Let me explain.

In spring we are preparing for vacations that might be upcoming.  We are planning our gardens and getting the beds ready for planting.  We are cleaning up from winter.  We might even be preparing for a late snowstorm or early deluge.

Come summer, kids are getting out of school which changes our schedules.  We are in full swing with gardening.  We are going on vacations.  It's hot.  I can understand why there is little knitting or crocheting in summer.  In late summer, we have the go back to school shopping to do.  We have the back to school flurry of activities.

In October, the northern reaches of the northern hemisphere are hitting cold temps and need the things we work so diligently to make.  October is also thanksgiving for Canada.  Not knowing how much prep work there is for a Canadian thanksgiving, I will assume it's the same as for the US thanksgiving in November.  Some of us do a lot.  Some of us not so much.  We all have our family's own traditions.

November brings colder temps lower in the landmasses of the northern hemisphere.  Bitter cold in the mountainous regions comes along now.  November is also the time when people start ramping up for Christmas.

December brings us Christmas.  There are parties to attend.  There is a myriad of decorating to do.  Special dishes and special baking done only at this time of year are making claims on our time.  There are concerts, pageants and plays to attend if we have children in school or grandchildren for that matter.  Gift creation has to finish up to be ready to go in the mail or under the tree.

So really I can see why January was chosen.  BUT, I still disagree with it.  The weather is cold for most of the northern hemisphere, whatever that means to your locale.  I understand California considers 40s and 50s cold.  This is not a knock on California.  They consider temperatures hotter than I can stand to be normal.  Most of the celebrations are over.  Football is done.  Basketball hasn't quite gotten into the time of the season when it "really matters", just like football in August and September.

But here are some links for things that can be used for charity.  Remember to use the fibers called for by your chosen charity.  If you don't, they won't take your contribution and you are left with things you might not want.

http://warmupamerica.org/  Knit and Crochet patterns suitable for a blanket
http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns, http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns are just two locations to find patterns for anything.  If you can imagine it, someone probably needs it.
http://www.warmupamerica.org/current-needs
https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/volunteer-opportunities.html

Hurricane relief, help for the poorest of the poor, preemie needs, earthquake relief, Warm up America receives requests, as does the Red Cross.  Check with your local clothing bank, homeless shelter, police department, fire department, elementary school, middle school, humane society.  Blankets, hats, mittens, scarves all in neutral colors or whatever is popular in your location as well as darker colors for men are always in need.

So truly I can see why January was picked, but I want to relax in January and be a little selfish with my talents.  I will continue sneaking in blanket squares and small things all year long.

Enjoy the links above.  Take time to explore.  Most are simple patterns that can be easily memorized and take little time to complete.

Swatches Swatches Swatches More ideas

After a lot of swatching and a lot of new techniques, the swatches have been piling up.  Here's some more ideas for you.

A use for 5 more swatches is a plant hanger.  Create just like the beanie, join 4 into a ring and put the 5th on a side to close it in.  Now add 4 straps, set at the juncture of 2 squares, keeping the open side of the block facing up.  The straps need to be the same length.  Tie a knot or otherwise fasten them together at the loose ends to allow it to be hung.  Sew around a large ring at this end to facilitate hanging.  The straps can be small 2 round granny squares joined into a long line, macramé, or heavy twisted cording.

A use for another dozen or so is a tea cozy.  Pick some of the larger swatches for the outside and smaller ones for the inside.  Outside first:  Starting with the larger swatches.  Seam 5 together into a ring.  Seam another 3 together into a ring.  Now seam the two rings together to create a type of open cone shape.  Put a single swatch on the small end of the cone.  Now repeat this with smaller swatches for the inside without the single swatch on the small end of the cone.  Instead run a line of stitching around the small end of the cone and pull tight.  Line with quilting batt or fiberfil thickly and seam the bottom edges together.

Another use for some is to create dresser scarves.  This is dependent more on the size you want and the size of the piece of furniture.  For those who don't understand, think placemat, except larger.  I might hesitate to put this on my fine wood furniture if I'm using coarse yarn.  But this is a great way to hide the scars on a well loved chest or dresser.  This might be an old fashioned idea but it can come in handy.  Perhaps this is not one of the greatest ideas for those swatches with a lot of high profile texture.  Things can tip over on bobbles.

As you can see, the uses are limitless and not just for afghans.  The key to keeping it from looking like a paint display exploded is color choice.  To a lesser extent the choice of patterns is also important.  By this I mean, choose 1 to 3 colors that coordinate by sitting next to each other on the color wheel or are the same color just a shade darker or a hue lighter.  I might also pair laces with laces, textures that are all close in the amount of "lumpiness", cables with cables.

November is National Alzheimer's month

National Alzheimer's disease month.  We all know someone who is affected by this disease. In the early stages,  it gets passed off as general forgetfulness,  things like I forgot to mark my calendar.

When it reaches the end stages,  the people probably won't recognize family members or be able to live safely at home even with round the clock supervision. 

No matter how far down the line this disease has progressed,  people have tactile memories.  Smell is one of the first things to go as we get older with or without Alzheimer's, as is the sense of taste.  These go hand in hand.  Sight may go.  Hearing may go.  We don't know completely how the brain interprets these senses as the disease progresses.  One thing that doesn't change much is the sense of feel.   This can show itself as fidgeting, a love for touch or a fear of human touch.  It depends on how the individual's brain interprets these and what latent memories from earliest life are available.  Others lose their sense of touch in places.  They lose the ability to feel pain, to feel hunger, to feel thirst.  In many cases the victims of Alzheimer's will lose the muscle memory for swallowing as the disease enters its end stage.

A way to help these people to stay safe instead of up and wandering around to get lost or to fall is to create a fidget cloth.  Before I knew about these and could make one for my maternal grandmother, she would shred a box of facial tissues a day, one tissue at a time.  However, a fidget cloth is something like a lap robe or smaller like the size of a napkin.  It uses texture instead of color to create interest.  It uses pockets, ties, zippers, buttons and other things to create tactile interest.

Crochet textures can include front post and back post stitches, lace stitches, cables, heavy seams on patch pockets, beaded strings to feel and fiddle with, crochet chains for tying or wrapping around fingers and unwrapping, buttons to do and undo, snaps to feel snapping, zippers to zip.  Be sure to make these embellishments stay firmly attached.  Choking is not something we want.

National Knit Month is November

November is National Knit Month.  So awe inspiring. So daunting.  If I choose to knit all month, what should I do???  Things for me?  Things that are gifts?  Things for charity?  Something completely different?

Well, since January is selfish knitting month in response to the gift knitting that has been taking place, I guess things for me can wait.  Charity items and gifts seem to be at the top of my list.

Gift items this year will be including...…  Well I don't have that exactly figured out yet.  I know I want to do a pair of monster pants for my newest granddaughter.  I thought a pair for her older brother might be interesting.  Different sizes and different colors are a given.  Her oldest brother?  A dinosaur sweater?  Some toys?  I don't know.  For my oldest granddaughters I have no real clue.  Sizing is difficult from across the country.  I've been kicking around the idea of ruffled skirts for them paired with legggings.  I also wondered about a cardigan for each.

I have 2 sons, a daughter in law and a prospective daughter in law.  I have no ideas for these adults.

Something a Bit Different but Still Yarn Related

I have a very small orchard, vineyard and berry patch.  Truth be told, it's a dwarf pear tree (5 varieties on one trunk), 2 dwarf apple trees (one red delicious and one 5 on 1), a dwarf peach, 8 raspberry bushes, 2 black berry bushes, 2 concord grape vines.  My fruit is extra yummy because it is picked at the peak of ripeness.  Tonight I am canning 3 quarts of grape juice concentrate.  There's a fourth in the refrigerator because there isn't enough in the jar for safe canning.  But I digress.

The part that gets me is the colors of autumn and harvest season.  Over winter the canes of the berry patch give a nice red to mahogany color to the landscape.  The grapes get cut back.  The trees are all bare.

Come spring, the colors really get going.  New leaves come out in varying degrees of green and in some cases red to purple.  The apple trees have a dirty-ish white flower.  The peach tree has delicate pink flowers as do the raspberry bushes.  The pear tree has white to the very palest pink flowers.  Blackberries have a white to a very pale peach color.  The grapes have a green tone flower.

Once a decent summer shows up, the leaves deepen in color and the fruits start growing.  This year with 2 months of almost continual rain was not ideal.  The berries start growing in maroon hairy sepals.  When they burst open they are bright red and darken to deep purple.  The grapes are green ripening to dark purple blue.  The peaches and apples also start hard, small and green.  As they ripen in their seasons, they change colors.

In autumn, the fruits are long eaten or preserved and their leaves turn colors.  This is dependent on the weather, just like most of the other changes.  The apples, pear and peach leaves usually turn brown.  The grapes turn a beautiful chartreuse.  The berries turn a beautiful dark red.  Some years the colors are spectacular.

Then there are years like this.  This year the colors that have changed so far have  been mostly drab in color.

The colors have inspired me to look for yarns in these colors.  I want to knit fingering weight shawls in these autumnal colors.   This is so unlike me.  I have on my calendar to knit or crochet 2 sweaters for my beautiful 7 year old granddaughters in San Diego, a sweater for a grandson who is 5, a sweater for a 2 year old grand son and something for our newest granddaughter.

Pi(e) Shawls

I was recently testing some yarn for wool content before rehoming it to a local elementary school.  A big ball of black fingering weight came back wool.  It must be merino from the feel of it. It's so wonderfully soft.  It's been calling to me that it wants to be a Pi shawl.

Before I started, I wanted to finish some things.  I got some of them finished and some are half way done.   The soft black yarn finally won.  

In my version, I started with 5 size 3.5 mm wood done. Using a magic ring,  I cast on 4 to each needle.  I knit a round.  I knit 1 and yarn overed for a round.   I knit 2 rounds.  I repeated the knit 1, yarn over round.   I knit 4 rounds.  I repeated the increase round.   I'm currently working on the next 8 rounds of knit. I moved the work to a US size 5 (3.75mm) 16 inch circular needle.

Then I thought to look at Pinterest to see what others might be doing with this.  I thought about various lace patterns I could include. All I need is the right number of stitches for the repeats to work out.   But back to Pinterest...

Donna Druchunas has some beautiful pi shawl patterns.  Brooklyn Tweed also has some great ideas and patterns for the pi  shawl concept.   Were I using any color other than black,  I'd be all over them.  Sadly black doesn't show stitch patterns to their best advantage.  I continued looking.  

Surprisingly,  there are a number of methods for working the Pi shawl.  Some make the increase round the 3rd round. Others use the 4th round.   Depending on the number of stitches cast on and the size of the hole left in the center,  you could start with almost any number of stitches.

There are 2 different versions from Elizabeth Zimmermann.  One is the almost solid knit with the increase rounds at 1, 4, 9, 18, 36, 72, 144, 256, 576 or something like that.   The other one is the concentric circles of yarn overs coupled with the k2tog unless it's an increase round, following the same numbers as the solid.

The only thing I wouldn't recommend is cables.  Cables tend to draw in the work. Sometimes it can take in the knitting 30 to 50%.  Smocking stitches will do the same.  Some slip stitch patterns will also.   Indian cross stitch comes to mind.