Every Year - Again

It has been a while since I begged reminded you to think outside of your close circle of family and friends and do for others.

Yes, it is the season when the Stewart household ramps up crocheting and knitting for donating to others.  She who crochets has set aside a bag that she wants filled with items.   Already she crocheted two soft machine washable hats suitable for those undergoing chemo or for young adult programs. 

And that was just this weekend.  Her hook was flying! 

I am working on my second project of the donating season.  This is a crochet mesh poncho-ish shoulder wrap called Asymmetrical Neckwarmer and is available free here.

The mesh part is being blocked before I stitch it together.  The pattern has post work around the neck part - thus the "warmer" in the name.  Whether or not to add a bulky neck for wearing in Los Angeles is the big question.  I'll let the Spirit of Crochet guide me later today.

So, what's in your donation bag????

But It Was On SALE

A fabulous sale and my resolve to produce one blanket/afghan per year withered and melted away.  Yes, Ida was finished quite early in the year because I cheated and started it in late 2013 and I loved how it was evolving and I wanted to take it to its new home. 

So really, I should have been thrilled  patted my self on the back for months while planning for next year.

But then these very nice folks had a sale.  Not just a sale, but certain yarns that were taking up shelf space were put in the back corner for $3.00 per ball.

Three dollars!   How could I leave the stuff there.   I bought eleven balls of a DK acrylic and figured that I could use it for charity work when machine washable/dryable fiber is required.

This is very easy single crochet with FPDC spaced evenly across the width.  It is working up very fast and requires no pattern reading. 

There is enough yarn to make at least two baby blankets.  Or maybe a twin size. 

I can't believe that I'll make more than one blanket this year.  A sale combined with a need presented a temptation too great to resist.

Embellished With Love

Followers of my yarns and those who know me will understand that it is time for my annual encouragement to do for others.  Yes, I'm going to flat out ask you to knit, crochet, weave, purchase or (gasp) clean out your closet and donate to your chosen organization that focuses on others.  Fall and early winter fill the holiday calendar with opportunity to gather with family and friends.  Reflection on self, moments of expressing appreciation, laughter, plans for personal change - pick a month and there is cause to turn to thoughts inward. 

BUT. . .

Some of our fellow travelers on this earth do not have family.
Some have a family stressed too the limit.
Some have been too long in the valley.
Some are struggling with visible and invisible illness.
Some just need a hug.

Do for others and then do for self.  It's OK to share the love.

Crochet chemo cap above is another that will be donated to Knots of Love.  One day of staying home to clean and cook and a young woman will be stylish. 

Do Over!

Remind me that knitting and car maintenance do not always go hand in hand. This is the current state of the lap robe, my current item destined for a worthy senior.


I want a do over! A mulligan.

The skein was collapsing in on itself; the robe was growing toward success. Practically one-third completed.

And then nothing. A twenty stitch section became only eighteen stitches. A yarn over became wrapped three times. Garter somehow transformed into reverse stockinette.

Total stoppage.


How does one go from almost ten inches to the above in only thirty minutes? Rude behavior. That's how.

I was calmly sitting in the waiting room of the auto repair shop and knitting in public on the lap robe for seniors. Several other trapped souls were also calmly waiting. You should know that the other calm souls were engaged in the following totally appropriate public behaviors: reading a newspaper, managing children while patting the babe in arms and updating family on the medical condition of "mom" (ok, perhaps I did listen in on that one sided phone call).

And then she stormed in. Rudeness in motion. Taking out her anger on the repair shop by looking up at the service manager and declaring, "I am through - no more. Someone will come to get me!!" Actually, the tone of her voice should be emphasized by more than two exclamation points. But I do not want to offend you.

Everyone overheard her next phone call. Clearly a family member who is comfortable with an aggressive conversational style was making utterances on the other end of the conversations but not able to neutralize the situation. Seems she had simply been driving along when the scary red warning light flashed on in her car. And it did not go off. So, she did one thing right, and stopped in to have it checked. From her side of the conversation we all, those of us doing perfectly acceptable public activity, know that:

• the light came on
• she came to this shop because she rarely bothers them with car trouble
• she so rarely bothers them with her car that she had not taken it in for any service in the last year
• they should take care of the people who are not a constant bother first
• they must be stupid because they can't even fix her perfectly fine car
  
• it had been 'hours' and now 'some stupid test drive' and she still did not have the car back
• all she wanted was for the engine light to go off because now she would be late for the party and probably have to change on the way there and the make-up is at home and what about her hair...
  

So, when the above referenced service manager attempted to calm her down and tell her the car was ready and they felt it now safe for her to be driving, she blew up and that is when she announced (see above) that someone would come get her. And, further more, she would have to come back in the morning to get the car - if she had time.

Any wonder that the lap robe is now totally frogged.

Swapping for Charity

Went to a yarn swap yesterday. It was a lively and fun event. The Vanna wannabees did their thing in describing the yarns being re-stashed to a new home. Now normally, this group conducts a yarn swap under generally loose guidelines - bring something, get something. Fairly typical. We've all participated in one of those.

AH, but this was different. At the suggestion of a forward thinking participant there were new rules.
1. Discounted selling is acceptable. Yours truly scored six balls of Kidsilk Haze at a steep discount.
2. Plain giving away is acceptable.
3. Offering up a prized jewel of fibre in exchange for a donation to The Women's Room at Friends in Deed is desired.
4. Donating unclaimed swappable yarn to The Women's Room at Friends in Deed is desired.

Swapping for Charity. And it worked. It worked fabulously and generously.

One of the women in attendance is associated with The Women's Room. It is a safe daytime refuge for women who are alone and homeless or at risk. Totally free services are offered including shower and laundry facilities, computer and telephone access and a place to rest. A recent offering was free hair styles from a professional. And soon to begin - free knitting classes where the women can make items for their personal use and spend time relaxing with a group in the safety of the facility.

Without hesitation, many items were declared by the original owner as a swappable for a donation to this cause. Two hours of fun and petting of yarns interspersed stories about life in general and the facility for women in particular.

And, at the end of the swapping, selling and donating - our little group sent over $100 to our chosen charity and an entire bag filled with enough yarn for the clients to learn and make for months to come.

Swapping for Charity. I highly recommend it.