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‘Tis the season… Have you got a lot of odds and ends leftover from your knitting or crochet projects this past year? Here’s a great way to use it all up, and for a great cause – Heifer International. This organization allows contributors to “purchase” a sustainable source of food and long-term economic independence through the gift of livestock in the U.S. and around the world. Hopefully we can send the “knitting basket” to a family in need, one lucky participant can also win their own knitting basket full of STUFF, and many more can take a handknit item home to enjoy for a long time!

Founded in 1944, Heifer Project International is a humanitarian assistance organization that works to end world hunger and protect the earth. Through livestock, training and “passing on the gift,” Heifer has helped seven million families in more than 125 countries improve their quality of life and move toward greater self-reliance. Heifer helps build strong communities because each project participant agrees to pass on the gift of animal offspring, training, or skills to another family in need.

Beginnning Thursday, November 1st, you’ll be able to give in one of two ways. The first way is the easiest – participate in a raffle. The prize will be a basketful of yarny goodness. Tickets will be $5, or 3 for $10. The drawing will be on Saturday, December 22.

The other way involves your needles! Make an ornament, or a bookmark, or something else small – zipper pull or cell phone charm anyone? Keychains? Make these little knit or crochet projects short, sweet, and hopefully easy. We will hang them on the tree to show them off really well – yes, even if we get some teensy aliens.

Turn each mini-project into KnitWitz with $1. Each donating knitter or crocheter will receive a gift for participating. Each donated creation can be taken home for a $5 donation by some lucky admirer!

All the proceeds of both events will be given to Heifer International, about which you can learn more at Heifer International. The goal is $500 for a “Knitting Basket” – which is four wool-producing animals that will give new hope to families in need. We can make our world a smaller community!

I hope the tree will get decorated and undecorated many times over because I have fond – and amazed – memories of all the baby hats from last year.

There are a bunch of links below if anyone needs inspiration,

Happy Knitting!,

Kathe

This list is NOT exhaustive of all that you might do:

Bookmarks, Mini-Stocking, Teensy Sweater, Mini-Dreidel, Mini Alien, Snowman, 3-D Snowman, Mini-Slippers, Mini-Raglan, Mini-Mittens, Mini-Basket, Jingle Bells, Poinsettia, Mini-Stocking, I-Cord Wreath, Little Stocking, Ornament Gift Bags, Knitted Bells, Stuffed Sun (Florida!), Woodins (Because…they’ re cute.), Toasty Pocket Creatures (Because…they’ re cuter.), Crochet (Ornaments, Bookmarks, Snowflakes).

Boston Red Sox, now that you’ve won the 2007 WORLD SERIES, and are undoubtedly on your way to Disney World, please do stop in at KnitWitz!

Here’s to never giving up, having fun while you’re doing it, and being team players – I don’t miss the Boston driving, but I do miss the games at Fenway. Thanks for allowing Red Sox Nation to get some sleep this coming week… Cheers, Red Sox!

Whew, clue 2 is done in two sittings. I’m still loving the Malabrigo lace, and pattern is really easy to follow – cheers to the muse who inspired the author to include the numbers for the lengths of knit stitches (so I don’t have to count them myself!).

It’s looking a whole lot more interesting with the body more *there*! I’m not sure what the theme is, but it has something to do with nobility and duchesses or something… at least that’s where the clues so far have led me. There were even fewer beads this time, but I am thinking if I have enough beads left I might put them along the bottom edges – sort of crochet them on. As long as I keep up with the clues each week, I can really see completing this particular project!

I think I felt something that hasn’t been around in a while. Cold. And I for one am so glad if that’s indeed what it was. Because my copy of “Day After Tomorrow” is starting to skip and one really shouldn’t stand in front of the refrigerator with the door open.

So, since it seems cold is in the very beginning of arriving, I thought I’d start a project that might help. It’s been so hot, that as soon as the temp hits the 60s I’m sure to freeze clean to death. And I don’t want that to happen. So I got out the US50s that someone loaned to me a while ago…

And I cast on with the roving. Only 10 stitches, K2, P1, K8 for the cable…a C4B), P1, K2. Take a nap. P2, K1, P8 (for the cable 6 rows away…), K1, P2. Stretch.

See the coin in the photo? Folks, that’s a quarter. And the photo in the photo is my inspiration (a $2,200 inspiration – how insane is that?). But I’m going to be warm when the ice age hits, and that’s what matters. Think I watched that movie one too many times… probably.

I found him.  Finally.  It wasn’t that I was all that worried – he’d have turned up (no pun) eventually.  Last Tuesday morning a little lizard decided to join me when I entered the shop through the back door.  Appropriately, I caught him this morning – on another Tuesday.  So no worries!  He’s back in the jungle that is the alley behind KnitWitz.  And… I washed my hands.

If someone could explain how a sock pattern can call for a gauge of 12 stitches per inch, using a US3 needle, and 6-ply sock yarn – which is heavier than fingering – while I am getting 8 stitches per inch on a US2 needle, with fingering weight (i.e., normal) sock yarn… please do.  I’m a litle concerned about the new pattern that Knitting Daily has put out, the William Street Socks.  They say in the pattern that there are 47 stitches involved in the cable across the top of the foot, and 22 stitches for the sole.  That means the entire sock around is 69 stitches.

Grrr for making me reach for the calculator…  69 stitches in stockinette would mean these socks are a measly 5.75 inches around.  That is IF the gauge as given really is 12 stitches per inch.  And that’s not even considering that those 47 stitches are involved in *cables* – pulling the top even tighter.  To add insult… these socks are written to fit feet that are US shoe sizes 9.5-10.5.  I ask you… what person who wears a 9.5 shoe has a foot that is 5.75 inches around???  Clearly an email inquiring as to the efficacy of the William Street numbers is in order.

Lizard, check.  Gauge, check.  On further observation, I think that is all the errata I had to discuss!