vagueGirl

Okay.

I said I wouldn’t do it but I did it anyway. I went over to the knit side. So far:

• Socks for my mom using a modified take on this Wavy Ribs pattern*.
• Random Persian and Homespun size 50 needles scarves that I made up a pattern for.
• A lace wrap pattern* from Lion Brand Yarns using black acrylic lt worsted weight yarn.

*You have to have a login to see these patterns. Lion Brand is just an easy-peasy sign up, plus they have loads of other free patterns to look through. The other one is way more complicated, but if you email me, I’ll send you my login email address so you don’t have to deal with signing up for it.

Oh lord. If you’re a first time knitter (or first time in 30 years knitter like me) don’t start with socks knit on size 2 DPNs (double pointed needles) and a lace pattern wrap with multiple ‘yo’s and ‘k3tog’s (when you have to look up what that means) using dark yarn. I seem to have started with the worst, so maybe it will get easier as I go.

Don’t get me wrong – I love how my items look and feel! Just expect to spend a lot of time frogging (ripping out) your work to fix problems or start over until you really get the hang of it.

Cheers!

~vague.Girl

I’ve been addicted to many things, but I never thought my addiction could be a positive thing! Warm up America is a great way for beginners and experts alike to crochet (or knit) AND make something for charity at the same time. What can be better than a warm blanket to help someone in need.

What you do:

• Crochet or knit sections of blanket in a uniform 7″ x 9″ rectangular size. They can be made out of anything you want and in any patterns you want, but it is recommended that they be machine washable and dryable to make care of the blankets less complicated for the future owner. (I also personally recommend that the sections be pretty “solid” rather than “hole-y,” ‘cuz I think it makes the blanket warmer and more durable and less prone to odd stretching.)
• Get together with your friends, family, co-workers, random strangers, churchfolk, your knitting or crochet group, passersby, or anyone else you can find to make these sections (called ‘blocks’ or ’squares’) and/or put them together into strips (7 sections long, 7″ x 63″) or even blankets (7 x 7 sections or 49″ x 63″).
• Send in your sections or strips or blankets to Warm Up America so they can give finished blankets to organizations that would *love* to receive such a wondrous gift for those in need.
• Find a worthy cause to donate your finished blankets to in your local area.

What they do:

• Provide a central location to go for ideas, patterns, inspiration and anything else you’ll need.
• Finish up those sections and strips that you couldn’t quite do yourself or with those locally and get them out to the folks who need them.
• Came up with the idea to begin with!
• Work with charities across the country to help those in need.
• Branched out into a campaign to knit and crochet preemie baby caps.

Why it’s so great for you, too:

• Test out new stitches and color combinations and make something useful at the same time.
• The sections are small enough they don’t overwhelm you.
• It’s quick and easy — or it can be as complicated as you want to make it. It’s like the ultimate swatching project! And coming from one that hates swatching, that’s amazing.
• Feel good that you’re helping someone while feeding your fiber obsession.
• It’s absolutely GREAT for beginners – And blankets made in pieces are forgiving of minor blips and bumps when you put the pieces together. (This is a super project for Girl Scout/Boy Scout Troops, Church get-togethers, after school programs – anywhere there are lots of kids that need something to do.)
• Use up your machine washable stash and odds and ends from old projects you didn’t want to toss.
• It’s great for that quick break of something different when your mind is being numbed by over-complicated or over-simple stitchwork.

I think I will stop before I overflow with reasons why you should do this.

But, just one more point…

You know that one ball of that color you thought would work in your project but just did not and now it sits waiting for a purpose. Or that one ball of horrendous neon almost blue acrylic yarn that has been in your stash since you started that someone’s great-aunt Hattie gave to you because she heard that you knit. Those colors will find friends to hang out with – they will blend into the rainbow-colored tapestry of a well-loved warm blanket – they will find a purpose – and they will be beautiful!

Cheers!
~vague.Girl