Productively Waiting

I recently had the opportunity to sit and wait. For those who know me I am not good at just patiently sitting and waiting. Even if I watch TV I have to do something else. On this occasion I started working on one of my other blogs (http://www.customcake4you.blogspot.com/ and http://www.robeson4-H.blogspot.com/ if you are interested). When the computer battery started dying and a plug was not nearby it was time to switch to something else. Needless to say all I had to do was reach into my purse and pull out yarn and knitting needles to keep me busy for a few more hours. I was able to knit two dishcloths with Peaches and Cream brand cotton yarn. This specific color is lemon and lime which was a variegated white, yellow and green. I must say the final product was bright and as one person said to me it looked like something from Jamaica. I knitted two of these with the skein of yarn, and promptly gave them to those around me. So I guess you could say I was productively waiting, even if I wasn't patient.

Robeson County's First Annual Knit-In

What an incredible day! Who would have imagined that a few people with a love of crafting and knitting would be able to put together Robeson County's 1st Annual Knit-in which was such a fun event that netted more than 112 items. Honest to goodness 112 items. We had about 17 volunteers who knitted and crocheted during the day. We had another three of four people who came by and dropped off the most incredible items; preemie caps, baby caps, blankets, pillows, etc. The generosity of the community was incredible.

One of the other great things that day was that four people who had never knitted before learned how to knit, including our Assistant County Manager Rod Jenkins. Margaret Crites used the looms we brought in and taught Rod, Stacy Kinlaw, Amanda Swisher, and Kerrie Roach how to knit. Each of them completed at least one cap that day and two of them completed two at the knit in while Kerrie went ahead and completed another at home. Jessica Drake knitted the most adorable caps and crocheted. Jane Hurst worked diligently crocheting a beautiful blanket. Cherry Witherspoon taught several knitters/crocheters how to crochet flowers for baby caps. Her secret is that she attaches them with a button to the hat so they can be removed before washing. Tanya Underwood knitted the most adorable teddy bear. I worked away and completed a pair of booties and matching cap. Janice Fields brought her sewing machine from home and put together the most beautiful pattern for a baby blanket. She is finishing it up at home with batting and a backing. It was a fun and successful day of knitting, crocheting and sewing all to benefit those who might not otherwise have something like this made with love.

In a week or so we will make a trip with United Way representatives to the hospital and Gibson Cancer Center to donate all these incredible items. This was such a success that we are already planning on doing it again next year. For more information about Robeson County's 1st Annual Knit-In please check out our Facebook page. If you would like to sign up for next year's event you can comment here on this post or send me an e-mail. You can also sign up through our Facebook page. Our goal next year will be to top 112 items donated. Wouldn't you like to help?

Extras=Something Nice for Someone Unknown

I admit this blanket is similar to the last. Actually I had two skeins of left over yarn and thought the first annual Robeson County Knit-In is coming up and I should go ahead and knock out a blanket. This baby blanket is a pattern of squares that are created from a combination of pearl and knit stitches. The edge is a seed stitch of P(1) K(1). It is the baby version of the blanket I made for Miss Mary about two years ago. I used the skein and green and blue yarns that I used for the previous blanket, giving it an interesting coloring. When it was done it measured about 28 x 32.
This blanket was not made for someone specific but is being donated as part of Robeson County's 1st annual Knit-In (check out their facebook page). The Knit-In was the brain child of Margaret Crites who is the Director of the Robeson County Rape Crisis Center. She invited myself, since I am a knitter and Stacey Kinlaw from the Partnership of Children to take part in the event. The other thing we all have in common is that as part of our day jobs our agencies receive funding from United Way of Robeson County. The Knit-In will be part of the annual Day of Caring that will take place May 12. Many community service projects will take place across the area including building of wheelchair ramps, canned food drive, landscaping and more. If you would like to take part in the Knit-In you can sign up on the facebook page. Or post a comment through this blog to me to let us know you will be there. The Knit-In will take place at O. P. Owens at 455 Caton Road, Lumberton, NC on May 12 beginning at 9 am and ending at 5 pm. All items donated and made that day will go to Southeastern Hospital, Hospice and Gibson Cancer Center. We do not have a goal for our first Knit-In but would love any baby, child, or adult items made with love so that we can brighten someone else's day and let them know there are people who care about them. We will have yarn, needles and hooks available for knitters, crocheters, and fleece available for those who know how to make fleece blankets. We will also provide lunch for those who join us. So please think about joining us for our first annual Robeson County Knit-In.

Jungle Time

Okay, so when you ask your mom to pick up yarn for you and she has to FedEx it because you are working on a deadline and you live five hours apart from each other, it doesn't always happen with out strings (feel free to enjoy any and all puns that I accidentally put in there) attached. At the same time I was planning on attending a baby shower for my friend, my mother was planning on attending a baby shower as well. A young lady she knows, lets call her April, was having a baby shower. Mom and another friend bought a very nice mattress for the crib that April was planning on using. However, a little something more is right up Mom's alley and she asked if I might be willing to knit a blanket for April's baby. I said I would love to, as soon as you send me the yarn I need because I will need the needles in the blanket I am currently knitting to knit the blanket you want.

My instructions were simple. They were having a little boy, and there was a jungle themed room. Sounds simple but when you do not live near yarn stores, sometimes finding neat yarn ideas is rather difficult. So after a quick trip to, of all places, Wal-Mart, I found the perfect color combination. I purchased four skeins (two of each color) of a really bright green and a really bright blue. I knitted the blanket using one strand of each color at the same time. The pattern I used made the blanket look like it was a stripped. Believe it or not when I got done it only took two skeins (and about a foot more of blue yarn) to knit the entire blanket.

As it turns out the baby arrived a few weeks early much to every one's surprise. I hand delivered the blanket to the dad when I visited my mother over Easter. He seemed quite thrilled to know that we took the time to make something special for them and mentioned that the colors worked perfectly.

Can You See Them?

If you can see the pink camo items above you might notice I am in baby knitting mode. My friend who I mentioned in my previous post with the baby blanket was also the recipient of these items as well. She told me a story a few months ago about her father and husband coming home with a present for the baby. It was an outfit in, yes, you guessed it, pink camo. This is rather befitting of this family and seems only right to pass the tradition on to the baby when she is born. As a matter of fact this outfit has been deemed the one that the baby will be brought home in. My only hope is that they don't lose her, being dressed in camo and all.

It took a couple of months but I finally found the Red Heart, pink camo yarn. As cute as it is when it comes out of the skein I must admit I was a little disappointed knitting with it. The cap was knitted in the round and took me just a few hours to finish. The booties were knitted in less than four hours with a pattern I found on the Internet which required a small amount of sewing. When they unwrapped the items they knew it was pink camo and even tried to find the baby's feet in the stomach to see if they would fit. Of course the dad to be tried to put the cap on. Might have to see if I have enough yarn left to make a cap for dad. Just a thought.

Cotton Candy vs. Jolly Rancher

A friend of mine is having a baby. Back in October, when she found out, she broke the news to me by asking if I might be willing to knit her a baby blanket. With nine months to go you would think that would be plenty of time to get one done. So I started planning immediately. I knew I wanted a specific pattern book of baby blanket patterns, it is a sister to another book of patterns I have on adult blankets and throws. She is not exactly your typical mother to be and this blanket sort of needed to represent that. I know you are saying the blanket is about the baby not the parents, but since we have not met the little bundle of joy, it needs to be all about mom and dad right now. I was keeping that in mind while picking out yarn. They were told the baby would be a girl, and they have decided on a name, Samantha Renee Wright, Sami for short. Now we have to keep in mind that sometimes ultrasounds don't tell us all we need to know so there is always a chance she might not be a she, so that is also in my head as I pick a yarn. I was thinking something fun and almost tied dyed. So I picked a yarn that had flecks of pink, blue, yellow and white. It was variegated and neat looking. As I started knitting however the blanket looked more like cotton candy, which is OK because Sami's mom likes her cotton candy during the fair.

I started knitting in November, and ran out of yarn. My mother picked up the last skein I needed in March and I finished this 29x32 blanket the week of the baby shower. When the mom to be unwrapped it she seemed tickled with it, and her husband said it reminded him of jolly ranchers. She was able to dissect that I knitted it with two strands of yarn and had done a seed stitch border so it would lay flat. No matter what it reminds him of it will be sweet, especially when Sami gets here.

Every Woman Needs a Little Fuzzy Black Scarf?

Okay, maybe not as common as the little black dress comment, but how far off could we be? I am actually knitting away at scarves to build up my supply from the Christmas Craft Show. This is made with fun fur and is about 23 inches long with lots of fuzzy fun.

It is not only fashionable but also gives you that warm fuzzy feeling. Actually it was quite simple to knit by casting on 23 stitches and knitting every row. The fuzzy yarn does not seem quite so full until you get the whole thing done and it all comes together.

there will be more fun fur scarves coming as well as some other fun crafties as I redo my crafting room in my house. Stay tuned for more knitting fun.