Rainy Days and Tuesdays

Rainy days and Tuesdays never keep anyone from coming to our scheduled Stitch In meetings. We even were under a tornado watch an we had a great turn out. Seventeen cheerful ladies came to stitch and have a good time. The refreshments were delicious and contributed to everyone's good mood.

Julie finished a baked potato pouch made with the whimsical potato fabric she got from her friend, Janet. The instructions claim that using this pouch will enhance the quality and taste of a potato cooked in the microwave. The cooked potato will come out as one that has been baked in the oven. Janet shared that the potato fabric was purchased online at: Keepsake Quilting

Here are the instructions I found to make one.

Several of the ladies present worked on hats for the NISA service projects. The hat total has gone up to 82. The hats collected will be sent to benefit children in Afghanistan and Iraq. Iola combined yarns and used the loom to make one her hats. You can get better results using a loom to knit if you use bulky weight yarns otherwise the hat will be loopy.

Claire worked on the Carnaby Street Jacket found in Annie's Attic book using sport weight Red Heart yarn and size H hook. The neat thing about her pattern is that the jacket is crocheted in one piece and joined at the sides and sleeves. Claire plans to keep this one for herself.

Shelia has been working on something different. She cut out 1" strips from black and white plastic trash bags to make a unique hand bag. Similar bags can be made using plastic grocery bags. I tried to make one crocheting plastic shopping bags and found it a little tricky. She said that the advantage of using the trash bags is that you end up with longer strips.

Janet was seeing working on a new cross stitch projects.

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Summer Knitting

The hot summer days have not slowed down the ladies who are participating in the service project NISA Knit Hats to benefit the children from the mountain regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Fifty eight caps have been collected so far. Different techniques have been used; crochet, knitting and loom knitting. Sewn or store bought hats will also be accepted. Nisa is a non-profit organization in the state of North Carolina which states Education is their mission. Their goal is to collect 2,000 hats. The collection dates run from May 1 through September 2008.

Hats should be sent to: Nisa Knits Hats!
PO Box 481444
Charlotte, NC 28269
Their telephone Number is: 704-819-3076

Our Stitch In Group has been contacted by Geocities to knit more helmet liners and knit or crochet more scarves for our service men and women in Iraq. Crocheted helmet liners are no longer accepted. The revised helmet liner pattern is pretty much the same; some minor changes were made. A new pattern for the knitted or crocheted scarves is also now available on the website. The new requirements state that the yarn label which specifies the type of yarn used must be submitted. Only 100% soft wool (worsted weight) in black, charcoal, brown, tan, olive drab can be used. No blue or green camo will be accepted.

On a recent visit a young lady by the name of Anna who donates crocheted afghans to the Project Linus brought a beautiful star afghan she's been working on. She puts so many hours on her work and finds joy giving them away.

A Very Happy Granddaughter

Julie shared this picture of her granddaughter wearing the sweater she knitted this summer.

The original pattern was crochet but Julie modified it until she was pleased with the pattern.

Sample Projects From Library Books

I have completed the crochet tablecloth which I found in the book Vintage Crochet: 30 Gorgeous Designs for Home, Garden, Fashion, Gifts by Susan Cropper. I fell in love with most of the projects in this book so I ended up purchasing my own copy.

I enjoyed very much making the Picot Tablecloth. I did get a little help from a friend but once I figured out the pattern, it was not hard to memorize it. Paton's Grace mercerized yarn worked very well. One skein yielded 6 crochet squares. This yarn is available at Michaels Arts & Crafts.

One of my favorite books for projects that require one skein or less is 101 Designer One Skein Wonders. I found the blanket buddy pattern on page 207 and learned a new technique while knitting the bunny's head. To create the pocket which will be stuffed with fiberfill stuffing you will purl as follows: *P1, slip 1 purlwise; repeat from *. I recommend any type of chunky weight acrylic yarn if this buddy blanket will be given to a child to love. I used Bernat Softee Chunky.

Summer Stitch In - in Full Swing

The summer months have arrived and some crafters will put their knitting or crochet projects on hold due to the heat. Consider working on small projects such as dishcloths, facecloths, market bags or baby items. Our group will continue to meet during the summer on our normal schedule of the second and fourth Tuesday of the month.

Here is a link for the Baby fern stitch cloth.

http://dishclothboutique.20m.com/kpatterns/babyfernstitch.html

Update on the Baby Fern Stitch Cloth:
Neily decided to make the Baby fern stitch cloth and she shared that the pattern is asymmetrical which means that the borders are not identical. The pattern that follows results in even borders:

Baby Fern Stitch Dishcloth
multiple of 12 stitches plus 9

Using size 6 or 7 needles and one ball cotton yarn, cast on 45 stitches

Row 1 K3, p across, k3
Row 2 K3, p1, k1, p1, *k2tog, k2, yo, k1, yo, k2, sl1, k1, psso, p1, k1, p1, end k3
Row 3 K3, p across, k3
Row 4 K3, p1, k1, p1, *k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, sl1, k1, psso, p1, k1, p1, end k3
Row 5 k3, p across, k3
Row 6 K3, p1, k1, p1, *k2tog, yo, k5, yo, sl1, k1, psso, p1, k1, p1, end k3

Repeat these 6 rows to desired length
Knit 4 row, bind off, weave in ends.

The Mint Hill Stitch In group is currently working on sewing, crocheting, or knitting hats to benefit children of the mountain regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.





Pat has been busy working on this service project and has already donated several hats. The hats are for boys and girls in sizes from newborn to young adult. Knitted or crochet hats can be made of any color or yarn. The hats will be collected from now until September 2008.




I was thrilled to see the crewel embroidery girl Jill has been working on completed. It turned out beautiful!














Nancy is almost finished with a beautiful baby cardigan which she worked on a circular needle.

Hook Rugs, Flip Flops and good Food

I met Dolores during the first May meeting. She had a good time and talked her friend Ann into coming with her. Dolores who started knitting as a child is teaching Ann to knit. It's always nice to see new faces join in and share their stitching knowledge and projects. Dolores knits beautiful children's sweaters and she shared pictures of some she has made.






Two new faces working on very unique hook rugs attended this meeting, Bonnie and Cass. Cass showed me the machine she uses to cut the wool strips that she uses on her rugs. They both designed their own rugs. The picture shows Bonnie working on hers.




Nancy who usually knits for babies worked on the shawl that stays in place. She made a few modifications on the edge and used what she calls vintage yarn from her stash. Nancy also shared a scarf pattern for veterans. You can find the link here.

I fell in love with Nancy's knitting bag which she got last summer on clearance at Harris Teeter.

Shelia's daughter Ashley modeled one her completed flip flops. She used a crochet hook to attach
eyelash yarn.

The refreshment table done in red, white and blue offered a delicious selection of food.

Knitting & Crocheting Warm Projects

The ladies I met during this month's first meeting are all working on projects which will warm a little one's body and a mother's heart.


Jeanne has been busy working on a nice size baby blanket. She is knitting it for her husband's future great niece or nephew who lives up north. I loved the blanket's border which consists of a checker board pattern. The body of the blanket is also made up of knit and purl blocks.

Detail of checkerboard edge.

Tina continues to enjoy prayer shawls and she was working on her fourth.

Julie's original pattern for granddaughter Anna's sweater was supposed to be done in crochet. She tried and tried to follow the pattern but was not happy with the result. Finally she gave up and worked on her own pattern stitch to achieve the look. She was happy with the result and I'm sure the choice of yarn color will win Anna's heart.
Anna will be delighted when she receives this sweater from Julie.

Granddaughters are special and Nancy finds joy knitting for hers. She was working on her second sun dress using 100% cotton yarn.