Attention Charity Knitting Groups!

My friends at  Yarn Canada have announced a yarn give away!  Please go to their website and apply for free yarn for you CHARITY KNITTING.

You could be knitting Finger Puppets for the local Children's ward,  or maybe the Toddler Socks, or Blankets for homeless, or Preemie Caps, or another project that your group knits to help.

They've just started the 2nd Annual event of giving yarn to individuals and groups who knit or crochet for good causes.

In partnership with Bernat and Patons Yarn, they will be giving away $2000 worth of yarn and are hoping to get as many applicants as possible to ensure it goes to whoever it will have the maximum impact.


The details and application page is here

Easy Slouch Hat

This one is great for beginners with circular needles.  No adding stitches or crown shaping.  A simple rib, garter stitch stripe creates a natural slouch.

Yarn. I used less than one 100 gram ball of elann Meander yarn in an old colour way(no longer available). But any worsted weight yarn (category 4) should work just fine.
Needles: 4mm (us6) circular needle not bigger than 16 inches. (The yarn calls for 4.5mm needles, but the smaller needle will help with the negative ease required to keep the hat snug on your head.)

Cast on 100 stitches.  Without twisting, join and work in knit 2, purl 2 ribbing.  If you have trouble with twisting, try ribbing flat for the first two rows, then start going around the circle. Place a marker at the “end of the row” so you can keep track of completed rows.

Work the start of the hat for 2.5 inches.  Start the pattern bands:
Band one:  After the marker, switch to garter stitch (purl every stitch) and work 6 rounds (or rows) in garter.
Band two:  Work four rounds in knit 2, purl 2 ribbing

Repeat band one and band two until you have five garter ridges.
After the Firth garter ridge, continue to work the knit 2, purl 2 ribbing until you have six rounds.
Eyelet Round: ( knit 2 together, yarn over, purl 2 together, knit 2, purl 2, knit 2, purl 2 ) repeat until four stitches remain in that row.  Knit 2 , purl 2.
Cast off all stitches, knitting the yarn overs as you then cast them off.

Ties.  Cast on 60 stitches.  Cast off 60 stitches .  Thread ties through eyelets and tie off ...
Tassels:  make them like this, and attach to ties

hand dying

A while ago I found a bargain yarn at Romni Wools. It was white Angora Silk... 60% silk and 40% angora. I grabbed two skeins, 50 grams each, with the intention of one day dying the two.  Here it is...

I think this yarn will make an absolutely luscious triangle shawl.  It is so soft and without much structure, so the drape should be amazing.  Pattern to follow  :)