What can you do with rectangles?

My Beginning Knitting students are making great progress! The last class meeting is next week and I'll be including inspiration and ideas for projects a beginner knitter can accomplish. Here is a project that I just completed using Cathy Payson's Colorful Cropped Overlay pattern, that I think an enthusiastic beginner could do. I'd call this piece a "Mailbox Wrap"— something you could throw on during these cold winter months when you have to run out to the mailbox.

I had several balls of self-striping Rozetti Tempest (by Universal Yarn) in spicy reds that would be warm, snugly— and spicy— for this wrap. As the pattern called for a chunky yarn (10 sts = 4"), I married the #4 worsted weight, thick/thin, fuzzy Tempest with assorted smoother red wool blends from my stash.

 I "moderately" followed the pattern with these variations:

• changed the seed stitch pattern on the lower section to a 2-row modified rib (Row 1: knit. Row 2: p1, k1.) The effort put forth using the seed stitch pattern would have been lost with the textured Tempest yarn.
• added additional RS knit rows to the ribbed section on the top.
• shortened the collar. Also knitted it in the round.
• sewed the sides closed with 2 buttons to create the arm holes. These are non-working buttons but they help me distinguish, at-a-glance, the front of the garment from the back. (The buttons show on the front.)
• left long yarn tails from the button ties to create a design detail.

This pattern is basically two big rectangles with a collar that could be knit by picking up stitches (per the pattern) or knit separatley as another rectangle and sewn on.

I have a few balls (50g/120yd) of Tempest remaining. Maybe a slouchy red hat to match??? What do you think?

Sharing the "Quilt" Love

My friend, Deb, and I delivered 63 Cuddle Quilts to the Children's Home/Chambliss Shelter, a local children's center, today. The members of our quilt guild, the Choo Choo Quilters, make and donate lap quilts as our community service project. We also donated 9 bed-size quilts in December for the teenage residents.

Here are Deb Horn (far left) and I (far right) with staff from the center. A pile of quilts are in front.

Guild members worked the past 8 months piecing, quilting and binding the cuddle quilts in response to our 2010 Great Cuddle Quilt Quest program.

The Director of Volunteer Services, Paulette Acord, and her staff admire the quilts.

Here are some of the recipients that received a quilt today.

  

Sweet dreams.

ATCs: What's your Coffee Mate?

Ever stop and think about all the things that go with coffee? The ATC artists who participated in this month's ATC swap have illustrated quite of few. Here are their responses to the theme, "It goes with my coffee." What's your favorite coffee mate?

Left: "It goes with my Coffee— Friends"

left: "Brain cells awaken, thoughts of a treat, and the news..."
right: "Bright eyed. Bushy tailed."

left: "What goes with my coffee? A coffee mate."
right: "Perfect morning with a friend."

left: "Splenda and the daily Sudoku puzzle."
right: "Not your Mother's Cream and Sugar."

left: "Coffee and something sweet"
right: "It goes with Coffee"

Here is the back of "Coffee and Something Sweet"—a gingerbread cookie.
I'll take two to go, please.

ATC swap this Friday

The first 2011 ATC swap (Artist Trading Card swap) is this Friday, January 28. The theme for the January swap is "It goes with my coffee" and I have been diligently working on my cards. I can't divulge all the details right now, but I did have to do some R&R (reconnaissance and research)—and a little taste-testing (think Krispy Kreme)— before construction. Here is a snapshot of the work in progress.

The local traders will meet at Panera's at Northgate at 4:30 pm. on Friday. I'll post photos of the cards I receive in the trade upon my return. They are either clever, funny or insightful and always beautifully and thoughtfully crafted.

This is the third year I've coordinated and hosted the ATC swaps. (Happy Anniversary to all the ATC traders!) Search the FiberAntics archives for photos from previous trades. Swaps are open to new traders. If you're curious, check here for an overview of how the swaps work.