2009_ARAN_KAL

I've started a KAL on Jan 15, 2009. It's the 2009_ARAN_KAL. It's from Janet Szabo's Aran List on Yahoo Groups. The pattern is from Janet's magazine Twists and Turns, the Fall 2008 issue. I'm knitting it in Paton's Classic Wool, Winter White. I have the back completed and the ribbing with about 2 1/2" done on the front. After doing both the front and the back into the pattern, I found mistakes and had to rip out and start over.
The yarn for this sweater was from my stash. I could only find 8 skeins and when I did the gauge swatch and went to figure out the yardage I needed for my size, 8 skeins was not going to be enough. So my DS took me to JoAnn's SuperStore in Bloomingdale where I had bought the yarn when I worked there about 2 years ago. We went to check to see if they had the dyelot that I needed. No such luck. So I decided that if I was to do this KAL, God would have to supply the yarn! So, I put the request on my prayer list.(I have a lot of yarn requested on my prayer list!) I had looked in all my yarn in my sewing room and had not found any more of the yarn that I needed. I had the yarn altogether in a trash bag in one spot, and was looking in a different spot and happened to find 2 more skeins of the Winter White in an entirely different spot, kind of in the open. Our God works in Marvelous Ways! You might say that I just overlooked the 2 skeins, but I don't think so. I had looked everywhere for more skeins of that yarn. Our Lord answers prayer for even what a lot of people would think are unimportant things. And I'm believing for Big Things!

Striped Beanie

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I teach knitting at my JoAnn's Fabrics Super Store in Bloomingdale, Il, and I am teaching a class on using circular needles and double points. The class is a Striped Beanie. I couldn't find a beanie pattern that I liked for this class, so I developed my own pattern which follows. Any worsted weight yarn will work. I made my samples with Caron Simply Soft, but any yarn would work.
Striped Beanie

Needles: size 5 and 7 16” circular, size 7 double point needles
Knitting markers
Tape measure Yarn needle Scissors
Yarn: 2 skeins worsted weight Color A, Color B

Cast on 84 sts on size 5 circular needles in Color A, join and knit in K1, P1 rib around for 1”.
Change to size 7 16” circulars and knit 2 rounds in Color A. don’t cut yarn. Change to Color B, knit 2 rounds
Repeat last 4 rounds until piece measures 5 ½ inches. 1. [K2tog, K17, slip 1, K1, PSSO, place markers] repeat 4 times. 2. Knit 1 round.
Repeat last 2 rounds on circular needles until there aren’t enough stitches then change to double points (dpn’s)
Then when there are 12 sts left on the dpn’s cut a tail about 12” long and thread the yarn needle. Thread the needle back thru the stitches and take the sts off the needles. Pull tight and weave the ends thru the wrong side of the hat. Cut and weave in all the other yarn ends.

Abbreviations: sts stitches, K2tog Knit 2 stitches together, K knit, PSSO pass slipped stitch over, DPN’s double pointed needles

Horses

I've been a long time no see. I've been busy knitting, both for The Clinic II and for Christmas. The Clinic II was held Nov. 15 and it was a huge success. I was told that the church gave away over 300 knitted and crocheted items. We had an abundance of hats, a bunch of mittens, a few shawls and several baby blankets. What hats were not given away at The Clinic, were given away when the Christmas food baskets were given away. We start in Jan. to do it all again for 2009.
My husband has been having therapy for a ruptured Achilles tendon, and while he has his therapy, I sit out in the waiting area and knit. I get a lot of comments and people asking me what I'm knitting. Well, I was knitting a horse this last month and the owner of the Physical Therapy Business wanted to know what I was knitting. He told me he might want one for his little girl who is horse crazy. Well, I finished the horse, the Mustang, from Dream Toys by Claire Garland. And I took the horse into show him to the gentleman and he surprised me by wanting the horse I had just finished. Anyway, I ended up selling that horse to him and I hadn't taken and pictures of the dear toy. So he sent me pictures of the horse and here they are! Also, by sitting in the waiting room, I've gotten inquiries about teaching knitting classes and an order for knitting another horse this one in pink and purple.(I think it's for a granddaughter) I hope to finish this horse in a couple days as now I have the pieces knit and it's sewing, stuffing and putting the pieces together. I'll post pictures when it is finished. Well, that's about it for this post.

Granny Square Queen Size Bedspread

I've been working on this bedspread for several months. It is for my friend, Pat, at Trinity Lutheran Church, who helped me get the knitting group started. She gave me the yarn, Red Heart Super Saver, and was going to make this spread herself. But her hand wasn't able to take the work of crocheting, so I offered to do it for her. I took the basic square from Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 4, geometric square #19. I used a border from 50 Crocheted Afghan Borders, by Jean Leinhauser. The border that I used was #33. I finally finished it this week. I think it's ready to give to Pat! It is 16 blocks square, and I crocheted the squares together. I had originally planned on it being 20 squares on a side but laid it out on my bed and decided it was big enough. So I added the border and so FINISHED!

3 new baby blankets

I've been knitting for the past 2 months, and I've gotten 3 baby blankets made for the Clinic, being held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Roselle, IL, this fall. I have a group started that meets every other week at church. There are 2 of us, Elaine crochets and I knit. We have a fun time visiting and showing each other what we're doing. So far together, we have 6 blankets made.

What I'm Knitting Now

Well, I've gotten 2 baby blankets knitted and a hat, scarf and mittens set done for the Clinic. So now I'm working on a sweater for myself, that I designed myself with my Knitware Sweater Design Program. It's a thigh length cardigan with drop shoulders and tapered sleeves. Right now it has a round neck, but I'm thinking of changing it to a v neck. I'm thinking that would look classsier. The yarn is Alpaca that I had gotten on EBay and was in my stash. It's an eggshell color. I went to the Fox Valley Knitters Guild meeting in St Charles last night and Neil Edmundson of Wool and Co fame, in "Geneva" gave the program on getting around on the net. It was very well done and very enjoyable.

Knitting for charity

Today I have been working on a baby blanket for my church's "Clinic" that is to be held this fall. I've started a knitting and crochet group at my church, Trinity Lutheran, in Roselle, Ill. The Clinic is an event for low-income families and individuals, to provide them with food baskets for a weeks supply of food and a meal for that day. Free services like blood pressure, screenings for medical tests, hair cuts and prayer counseling. Trinity held their first Clinic last fall and it was a huge success. So, as a result they found a need and call for baby blankets, scarves, hats and mittens for babies and children. And so, that is what I have formed my group to do, knit and crochet needed items for the Clinic. So far we've only had 2 meetings and I have about 5 to 6 ladies who are interested. I plan on posting pictures to this blog of what we make. Till then, have a Blessed Day!