Wyoming Breezes

Graphic from LionBrand I did not plan to make most of the items listed below. The Lord provided the time to do them and an abundance of materials through donations from strangers, from thrift shop bargains, and from long forgotten items in my own closet, so I used those supplies to knit and to sew. Most items were made for charities and a few for gifts and personal use. Charity items are indicated by a *. While I did not keep track of the amount of yarn that I used for these projects, it would be interesting to calculate. I am in awe of the generosity of those who donated the yarn. It is not uncommon for me to come home and find one or two bags of yarn on my doorstep. I have no idea who leaves most of the bags. I feel knitting items for charity is something the Lord wants me to do. I am humbled by this call. January 2008 * Burp cloths (20 for Abba's House) * Cotton bib (for Baby Pack Project) * Guidepost Sweaters (2) * Receiving blankets (18 for Abba's House) * Receiving blank...

September and cooler temperatures blew into Wyoming last night. The house shuddered from the wind gusts, and this morning the lawn was littered with fallen leaves and branches. A light rain fell periodically all day, and now the sun is shining. I knit my way through the dreary day and listened to Tall Grass by Sandra Dallas, a book that I highly recommend. The reader (or listener) feels like a member of the Stroud family. I was drawn in by the description of the farmhouse and the surrounding fields. It brought back memories of my childhood and my family home. The narrator is a young girl that the dad calls, Squirt. She is much like Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird . Tall Grass shows how a Japanese internment camp brings out the best and worst in its community. Wyoming also had an internment camp during World War II, and I am sure the communities surrounding Heart Mountain went through the same struggles as those in the community in this book. This page gives you an idea of ...

These items have been completed for some time, and it is time to get them sent. So, the items are packaged and ready for the mail. These four Guideposts Sweaters will warm a child somewhere in the world. They are extremely easy to knit, and I adapted the pattern to eliminate seaming. Another package of wool baby hats and socks will be sent to the All Crafts for Charity coordinator for the Rankin Birthing Centre in Canada. They are knit from wool reclaimed from thrift shop sweaters.

Just like many other knitters, I have been spending my time in front of the TV marveling at the accomplishments of the athletes from around the world and making good use of my time by knitting. Of course, I do some mindless knitting because I get too caught up in the events to concentrate on a pattern. I rescued some small balls of yarn from my scrap bag and knit some garter stitch 12 inch squares. I'll send them to a woman who joins them to make lap robes for nursing homes. It always amazes me how the squares turn out. I am partial to the one I have on the needles right now, as the rich colors look good together. I am nearly finished with a wool sweater for the afghans for Afghans Youth Campaign. For some reason the garter stitch on the sleeve portion seems to take forever to see any progress, compared to the garter stitch squares that take no time at all. At any rate, by the time the Olympics is over, I should have a finished sweater, a pile of 12 inch squares, and a lighter scra...

This year is flying by so quickly, but I continue to work towards my goals of knitting items for myself and charity. With those goals in mind, I packed four skeins of sock yarn in my suitcase when I flew to Denver for a doctor's appointment. I packed my needles in my checked bags because I like to use metal needles, and I didn't want to chance having TSA confiscate them. I stayed at my sister's home and found some nice blocks of time to knit. My sister is on a bowling league, so I sat near the lanes and worked on my socks. It seems that knitting in public is a magnet; people always approached me to see what I was making, and a lengthy conversation ensued. At the end of my two week visit: four pair of socks and another sweater for the Guidepost project were finished. The sock yarn was Lorna's Laces (Mother Lode), Austermann Step (Blue/Gray/Charcoal), Trekking XXL (#184 - Green/Navy), and Lorna's Laces (Gold Hill).

February's panel for my pillow features a patchwork heart. Both of my sisters love to quilt and to piece fabric together; however, I did not inherit that gene. I have managed to make a few quilts, but it is not a passion of mine. I admire the quilts others make and appreciate the time and skill it takes to create them. I prefer to spend my time knitting. My current project is another Guidepost sweater, a red one for February.

Two packages sent today will touch both coasts: one will go to the Ships Project in Florida, and the other is being sent to Rad Bad Beanies in California. Another package is going to Cooper Hospital in New Jersey. I am working ahead for the All Crafts for Charity's September project - Guidepost sweaters. It was the first time that I used the pattern, and I made some adjustments to accommodate my aversion to seaming. I knit the entire sweater without seaming by starting at the bottom on circular needles. When I reached the arms, I switched to two circular needles. I cast on the required stitches to the body on one needle and knit about an inch. Then using the other needle, I attached another ball of yarn and picked up the required stitches from the cast-on edge of the sleeve on the other needle. I then knit the sleeves on the two separate needles until the required length was reached. I finished the sweater with a three needle bind-off from opposite ends. When I reached the point...