http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Events/General?fr_id=1430&pg=pfind
Now for something completely different:
My sister Bea is participating in the Susan G Komen 3-Day for the Cure 60 mile Breast Cancer Walk. Each participant must raise $2300 dollars in order to be able to actually participate. If each of you go to the Susan G Komen 3-Day for the Cure website, click on “find a participant” and type in Beatrice Whitney-Dean and donate $5-$10 it would be a huge help for such a worthy cause. Then if you could email all in your email address book to do the same we could raise a lot of money to fight this deadly disease.
We all know someone whose life has been touched in some way by breast cancer---it has to stop. The Susan G Komen Foundation raises millions of dollars each year and God willing, maybe this will be the year we find a cure!
Thank you in advance for any help you can give.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Scarf from He**, finally done! Pattern included
I'm happy to report I'm FINALLY done with the scarf I'm fondly referring to as my "Scarf from He**" (see my post "Scarf with Boucle...for my sins..." for further details).
http://wildknitter.blogspot.com/2011/03/scarf-with-bouclefor-my-sins.html
I got around the sticky boucle issue (pun intended) by knitting the boucle yarn together with Caron Simply Soft, which made the boucle slightly easier to deal with. Needless to say, the Simply Soft palette boasted no "camel" or "beige" color choices, so I decided to go with "Bone."
Believe it or not, people actually think the scarf looks all right; so, I figured, why not put out the "pattern," such as it is, for people:
SCARF FROM HE**
Measurements: 6" wide x 62" long, excluding fringe.
Gauge: 2.5 stitches = 1” in garter stitch
Row gauge is not critical.
Materials:
1 skein each
Bernat Soft Boucle - Natural (#06703) - A
Caron Simply Soft - Bone (#9703) - B
Needles: Size 13 (9 mm) needles
Hook: Size N15 (10 mm) crochet hook
Body:
Using A and B together, cast on 15 stitches, using a knit cast-on.
Work in garter stitch until the scarf measures 65” long.*
Bind off.
Border:
Double up Color B and, using a size N15 (10 mm) crochet hook, crochet into the garter stitch "nub" selvage at the row ends. Crochet in slip stitch up the scarf and all the way around, making a border.
Bind off and weave in all ends.
* The length shortened due to the crochet border step, which is why a length of 65" is knitted, but the finished result is 62".
Friday, April 1, 2011
Yarn Crisis!
Yarn emergency!
I ran out of yarn making The Granny Stripe afghan and need more! Am willing to either pay or trade. These are the colors/dyelots I'd need:
Patons Decor Yarn:
Barn Red - 205809
New Lilac - 199739
Chocolate Taupe - 214851
Rich New Lilac - 211245 09
New Green - 208447
New Teal - 211242 09
Dark New Green - 205117
New Rose - 199741
Rich Periwinkle - 202338 08
The Rich Periwinkle I'll take in any dyelot, seeing as I can't seem to even find it online anywhere other then eBay - has the color been discontinued?
I ran out of yarn making The Granny Stripe afghan and need more! Am willing to either pay or trade. These are the colors/dyelots I'd need:
Patons Decor Yarn:
Barn Red - 205809
New Lilac - 199739
Chocolate Taupe - 214851
Rich New Lilac - 211245 09
New Green - 208447
New Teal - 211242 09
Dark New Green - 205117
New Rose - 199741
Rich Periwinkle - 202338 08
The Rich Periwinkle I'll take in any dyelot, seeing as I can't seem to even find it online anywhere other then eBay - has the color been discontinued?
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Finished my Heartwarming Scarf!
The pattern can be found on the Red Heart site, at:
http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/heartwarming-knit-scarf
More information about the WomenHeart organization can be found at:
http://www.womenheart.org/
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Scarf with Boucle...for my sins...
My dear friend, who was so kind last year as to give me a stitch pattern book I didn't have, met me for dinner the other night. After a spirited discussion over whether or not her sandwich was really supposed to taste vinegary, she pulled out a bag and dumped it on the table.
"My mother wants you to knit her a scarf. She's willing to pay."
Knitting...scarf...money...needless to say, I was interested. I opened the bag to find boucle yarn. May we pause here to say that of all the yarns I've worked with, boucle has to be the ABSOLUTE WORST. It's one of those yarns I vowed NEVER TO USE AGAIN. It's a nightmare to crochet with, as you can't see the stitches. One of these days, I'll devote an entire blog post to my adventures crocheting the Bernat Easy Pullover (easy, my a**). There was a note from her mother in with the yarn, explaining that she wanted me to also use Caron Simply Soft in a "beige" or "camel," and just "mix" the colors.
Figuring that perhaps the boucle might be easier to knit than crochet, I agreed. Not that I was planning to say no to my dear friend...
Well, as I quickly discovered when I did the gauge swatch, knitting with boucle isn't much better than crocheting with it, as the yarn sort of sticks to itself and the needles - and FORGET about frogging if you screw up. I know you're not supposed to, but I usually pull out the gauge swatch and use the yarn for the project.
Yeah...that wasn't happening here.
I was left with two pathetic little squares. The stockinette square was sort of mangy-looking on one side, and the other side looked like a fuzzy teddy bear someone had put through the washing machine entirely too many times. The garter square didn't look much better.
I frantically called my friend, asking if perhaps her mother might not notice if I just bought the "camel" or "beige" Caron and then another skein of Caron in the same color as the knotted mess from hell in my lap masquerading as workable yarn. I even offered to swallow the cost. "Oh, no!" She exclaimed. "My mother SPECIFICALLY picked out that yarn because she just LOVED it!"
So, this is my current predicament. I'm thinking maybe of either knitting two strands together of each type of yarn in garter stitch, which might be easier; or I might alternate the two yarns by row.
Either way, it isn't going to be pretty...the things I do for my friends...
"My mother wants you to knit her a scarf. She's willing to pay."
Knitting...scarf...money...needless to say, I was interested. I opened the bag to find boucle yarn. May we pause here to say that of all the yarns I've worked with, boucle has to be the ABSOLUTE WORST. It's one of those yarns I vowed NEVER TO USE AGAIN. It's a nightmare to crochet with, as you can't see the stitches. One of these days, I'll devote an entire blog post to my adventures crocheting the Bernat Easy Pullover (easy, my a**). There was a note from her mother in with the yarn, explaining that she wanted me to also use Caron Simply Soft in a "beige" or "camel," and just "mix" the colors.
Figuring that perhaps the boucle might be easier to knit than crochet, I agreed. Not that I was planning to say no to my dear friend...
Well, as I quickly discovered when I did the gauge swatch, knitting with boucle isn't much better than crocheting with it, as the yarn sort of sticks to itself and the needles - and FORGET about frogging if you screw up. I know you're not supposed to, but I usually pull out the gauge swatch and use the yarn for the project.
Yeah...that wasn't happening here.
I was left with two pathetic little squares. The stockinette square was sort of mangy-looking on one side, and the other side looked like a fuzzy teddy bear someone had put through the washing machine entirely too many times. The garter square didn't look much better.
I frantically called my friend, asking if perhaps her mother might not notice if I just bought the "camel" or "beige" Caron and then another skein of Caron in the same color as the knotted mess from hell in my lap masquerading as workable yarn. I even offered to swallow the cost. "Oh, no!" She exclaimed. "My mother SPECIFICALLY picked out that yarn because she just LOVED it!"
So, this is my current predicament. I'm thinking maybe of either knitting two strands together of each type of yarn in garter stitch, which might be easier; or I might alternate the two yarns by row.
Either way, it isn't going to be pretty...the things I do for my friends...
Friday, February 18, 2011
Necessity (and Yarn): the Mother of Invention
Our mailbox gets clobbered every winter.
The first year I replaced my mailbox I was SO proud of myself. I did it completely on my own, with instructions from the local hardware store (that sold me a boatload of tools, the board for under the mailbox, the screws, the brackets, and of course the mailbox). Several hours and much colorful cursing later, I was done. It was a beautiful sight. It was a lovely dark green mailbox that looked new and sleek next to our neighbor’s mailbox (for some unknown reason, their mailbox is always pristine and unblemished).
Sadly, the following winter the new mailbox got pummeled, as the first one had. The little red flag was knocked off and there was a massive dent in the side. After all that work to put it up, I was heartbroken. The next few winters battered it some more. This winter, as you all know, we’ve had a major “snowpocalypse” up this way in New England with more snow than I’ve seen EVER, ANYWHERE. I went out to the mailbox one day and discovered that the only thing holding it to the post was one rusty nail and the mound of snow piled on top of it.
Sure enough, now that the snow has finally started to melt (the Christmas lawn deer are finally visible), the mailbox was now hanging over to one side. It’s a wonder the mailman was still delivering to it. I’ve been in a quandary over what to do, seeing as there’s still too much snow and it’s too damn cold to be out there replacing the mailbox again.
And then, I thought of it…YARN!
I went out there with some Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn in “Rose Mist,” which I thought would go nicely with the dark green, and tied the mailbox back onto its brackets. It was still tipping, so I took more yarn and tied the yarn around the mailbox to the small tree right by the mailbox (the errant tree is another issue we are probably going to need to address this spring, too, unless we want to eventually have no place for a mailbox at all). I tied some nice bows to make it look pretty.
The neighbors probably think I’m insane, but that’s okay…people with more yarn than insulation in their house probably are…
The first year I replaced my mailbox I was SO proud of myself. I did it completely on my own, with instructions from the local hardware store (that sold me a boatload of tools, the board for under the mailbox, the screws, the brackets, and of course the mailbox). Several hours and much colorful cursing later, I was done. It was a beautiful sight. It was a lovely dark green mailbox that looked new and sleek next to our neighbor’s mailbox (for some unknown reason, their mailbox is always pristine and unblemished).
Sadly, the following winter the new mailbox got pummeled, as the first one had. The little red flag was knocked off and there was a massive dent in the side. After all that work to put it up, I was heartbroken. The next few winters battered it some more. This winter, as you all know, we’ve had a major “snowpocalypse” up this way in New England with more snow than I’ve seen EVER, ANYWHERE. I went out to the mailbox one day and discovered that the only thing holding it to the post was one rusty nail and the mound of snow piled on top of it.
Sure enough, now that the snow has finally started to melt (the Christmas lawn deer are finally visible), the mailbox was now hanging over to one side. It’s a wonder the mailman was still delivering to it. I’ve been in a quandary over what to do, seeing as there’s still too much snow and it’s too damn cold to be out there replacing the mailbox again.
And then, I thought of it…YARN!
I went out there with some Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn in “Rose Mist,” which I thought would go nicely with the dark green, and tied the mailbox back onto its brackets. It was still tipping, so I took more yarn and tied the yarn around the mailbox to the small tree right by the mailbox (the errant tree is another issue we are probably going to need to address this spring, too, unless we want to eventually have no place for a mailbox at all). I tied some nice bows to make it look pretty.
The neighbors probably think I’m insane, but that’s okay…people with more yarn than insulation in their house probably are…
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
My niece wants an afghan
My niece wants an afghan for Christmas.
This is exciting news…usually my relatives never request yarn-related items. No, I take that back. My sister requested knee socks a while back, but I haven’t yet found a pattern that’s easy enough. That’s my lame excuse. Actually, I’m putting it off, as I can’t imagine knitting on #1 dpns for a whole calf’s worth of length. I swear I’ll do it someday!
Anyway, in the meantime, my niece has requested a “blanket.” Upon further inquiry, I figured out she meant a standard-sized afghan, but in earth tones. Now, I’m one of those people who is a “Summer” and I look positively dowdy in earth tones, so I generally don’t have them in my stash. Of course, this can only mean one thing…
TO THE STORE!!!
This got me to thinking of all the excuses we come up with to go yarn shopping, when people around us can already see that we have almost enough yarn to insulate the entire house, even if we moved said house to Siberia.
Excuses:
1) Christmas is coming and you have to make presents. Okay, Christmas isn’t coming for another 11 months, and Uncle Fert may not want another scarf, but a person has to be PREPARED!
2) Someone’s birthday, anniversary, wedding, or baby shower is coming up. Especially if it’s a baby shower—if you knit or crochet, it’s the LAW—you have to make something.
3) In fact, you should have a stock of some sort of baby yarn at all times. If you don’t, go out now and get more!
4) There is a sale at your favorite yarn shop or at one of the stores that make up the Holy Trinity – Michaels, Joann Fabrics, or AC Moore. We don’t have a Hobby Lobby up our way, or I’d probably call them the Four Pillars. Yes, I know the Four Pillars of Destiny are something entirely different, but not to rabid crafters.
5) There is a major STORM coming, and you have to be prepared with enough yarn to “weather” through it. Notice I say “enough.” If you already have what everyone else might see as enough yarn for a three month siege of snow, but you still don’t feel you have enough, then it is your prerogative to go get more. After all, people are all out there getting milk, bread, and eggs they probably don’t need—why shouldn’t you be allowed to go get yarn??? Notice we are not specifying the type of storm…
6) You vow to go on a yarn diet, but then the next day you find out that there is a worthy cause asking for knitted or crocheted donations. I mean, really, wouldn’t it be just HEINOUS to refuse??? Says the person who just got her yarn in the mail to knit a scarf for WomenHeart again this year…
7) And, finally, a dear, kind relative, who has never asked you for ANYTHING, wants an afghan. That’s enough of a reason right there to run out and lay in only the best yarn…
This is exciting news…usually my relatives never request yarn-related items. No, I take that back. My sister requested knee socks a while back, but I haven’t yet found a pattern that’s easy enough. That’s my lame excuse. Actually, I’m putting it off, as I can’t imagine knitting on #1 dpns for a whole calf’s worth of length. I swear I’ll do it someday!
Anyway, in the meantime, my niece has requested a “blanket.” Upon further inquiry, I figured out she meant a standard-sized afghan, but in earth tones. Now, I’m one of those people who is a “Summer” and I look positively dowdy in earth tones, so I generally don’t have them in my stash. Of course, this can only mean one thing…
TO THE STORE!!!
This got me to thinking of all the excuses we come up with to go yarn shopping, when people around us can already see that we have almost enough yarn to insulate the entire house, even if we moved said house to Siberia.
Excuses:
1) Christmas is coming and you have to make presents. Okay, Christmas isn’t coming for another 11 months, and Uncle Fert may not want another scarf, but a person has to be PREPARED!
2) Someone’s birthday, anniversary, wedding, or baby shower is coming up. Especially if it’s a baby shower—if you knit or crochet, it’s the LAW—you have to make something.
3) In fact, you should have a stock of some sort of baby yarn at all times. If you don’t, go out now and get more!
4) There is a sale at your favorite yarn shop or at one of the stores that make up the Holy Trinity – Michaels, Joann Fabrics, or AC Moore. We don’t have a Hobby Lobby up our way, or I’d probably call them the Four Pillars. Yes, I know the Four Pillars of Destiny are something entirely different, but not to rabid crafters.
5) There is a major STORM coming, and you have to be prepared with enough yarn to “weather” through it. Notice I say “enough.” If you already have what everyone else might see as enough yarn for a three month siege of snow, but you still don’t feel you have enough, then it is your prerogative to go get more. After all, people are all out there getting milk, bread, and eggs they probably don’t need—why shouldn’t you be allowed to go get yarn??? Notice we are not specifying the type of storm…
6) You vow to go on a yarn diet, but then the next day you find out that there is a worthy cause asking for knitted or crocheted donations. I mean, really, wouldn’t it be just HEINOUS to refuse??? Says the person who just got her yarn in the mail to knit a scarf for WomenHeart again this year…
7) And, finally, a dear, kind relative, who has never asked you for ANYTHING, wants an afghan. That’s enough of a reason right there to run out and lay in only the best yarn…
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