Red Scarf

Made this red scarf for the Orphan Foundation of America's Red Scarf Project. Managed to get it mailed in on time despite all the holiday craziness lately.

Baby Hats and Bright Colors

This week I made 2 baby hats for the Caps to Cape-Haitien project, which you can read about here.

As I was making these, I started thinking about color. Color is one of my favorite things about knitting. I love watching the way two colors come together as they grow away from the needle. And I love the way that colors in variegated yarn pool as the stitches accumulate.

But if you know me in person, you might not guess how much I love color. Oh sure, I wear lots of colors. But all of them are in the earth-tone family. My dress shirts are a little brighter. There are 6 of them hanging in my closet. Four are different shades of blue. The other two are the same shade of pink.

I think that's one reason why I like knitting for charity so much, and for kids in particular. I can use bright colors that I would never wear myself.

So if you see some yarn that calls to you but you can't think of how you would use it because it's not your usual taste, consider making something for one of the many charitable knitting or crocheting groups on Ravelry or anywhere else on the internet. 

Because we can all use a good excuse to buy more yarn.

Afghan Squares

Made these for the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. There's a lovely woman in my home state of Louisiana who assembles them into finished afghans, so this project couldn't be easier: just knit some 6x6 squares, don't even have to weave in the ends. 

If you're on Ravelry, check out the Afghans for Pine Ridge group. Great way to bust some stash while helping to keep people who live in a harsh climate warmer.

More Dash Cloths

Can't stop making these little suckers. Here's a pic of a couple of them taken with my iPhone. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this pattern is perfect for Mason-Dixon fans, because it's like the love child of the Baby Genius Burp Cloth and the Ballband Dishcloth.

It's a good thing I have a place to donate all these, because seriously. Can't. Stop. Making. Them.

Dash Cloth

This is my new favorite washcloth pattern. Found the pattern on Ravelry. If you're not on Ravelry (Why aren't you? Seriously. Check it out.), you can find it here.

I'm making 4 of these right now, knitting them like a chain smoker smokes: starting another color combo on another pair of needles before I've even finished the previous one. Every pair of #7 needles that I own have one of these puppies on 'em.

Good thing I make washcloths for charity. I'm not nuts for this pattern, I'm helping my fellow man. A lot. 

Extra Post: My Proudest FO

This is my buddy Chrissy. 

I helped her learn to knit.

She's finished lots of projects already, become a rockin' Raveler, and generally caught the knitting AND crochet bug.

Read all about her crafty accomplishments, which range far and wide beyond fiber, here.

If you love to knit, there's only one thing that I can promise you is even better: teaching someone to knit.

It's not hard. Mostly they will figure it out on their own. You just need to be there to encourage them, show them what to do one more time, and fix their knitting uh-ohs. All you need is patience and that special evangelical zeal to spread the craft that most knitters have anyway.

So teach somebody that you know how to knit, won't you?

Spread the love.

You won't be sorry you did.

Because before you know it, you'll have the very best FO of all:

A brand new knitter.

And a knitting buddy for life. 

Mini Stockings

This week I started knitting for Christmas. 

The mini stockings above were made to be sent to troops serving in Iraq. 

Read the original post asking for stockings/socks here. You may have to scroll down to find it.

I'm using this free pattern for mine, but posts on Ravelry say that any pattern or yarn is fine as long as the resulting sock is about 4 inches high.

These are a lot of fun to make, and they're really helping me get in the Christmas spirit.