Knitting with Schnapps

Kozy Kovers for Kids

Saturday, August 3, 2013

The Braided Hope Blanket Square or more!

Schnapps and I have been busy this week! We packed all the gorgeous MEGSTRONG items that we had and shipped them to NY for the fundraiser. There was over 26 pounds in those boxes! I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity and love from so many! THANK YOU each and every one of you who participated! We have toys, household items such as washcloths and potholders, jewelry, scarves, bookmarks and just so many beautiful items crafted with hugs, hope and love. All are posted on our Facebook page if you'd like to see them.


MEGSTRONG boxes headed to NY!

Then, the Amazing Miriam had a brilliant idea! She suggested making a blanket for Meagan. All these items will sell to help Meagan, but sometimes, you just need the warmth of a hug from a handmade blanket. So, some of us are making blanket squares that Miriam has so generously offered to put together into a blanket for Meagan. We're hoping to have the squares done and to Miriam by August 18th or so, which I know is short notice, but if anyone would like to participate, we're doing 12 inch squares, either knit or crochet, made from worsted weight, machine washable and dryable yarn in only pastel colors. Any pastel is fine, but please keep to pastels only so they coordinate well with each other. And please only use worsted weight yarn for continuity! Also, please use a 12 x 12 template to make sure it's the right size and send a very long tail or small ball of yarn in case Miriam needs to crochet a border. If you'd like to send a square, email me at robin@delawareheadhuggers.org and I can send you Miriam's address, or you can just send the squares to me, as you do hats and blankets and I will forward them.

Since I really like the Braided Hope hat pattern, I wanted to do a Braided Hope blanket square. This can easily be increased to do an entire blanket also. It's a very easy pattern and no cables are involved at all. My square seemed to be a perfect 12 inch square, but the ribbing pulls in on itself a bit after it is blocked making it slightly smaller. Now, Miriam says that it should still work fine in the blanket, but keep it in mind if you are trying to make this to an exact size.

Now we're working on a new pattern for another square! We'll let you know how it turns out!

Braided Hope Blanket

I used Vanna's Choice worsted weight yarn and size 9 needles. If using other worsted weight and size 8 needles, you will need to add more stitches. I cast on 50 - you need a multiple of 4 plus 2.

Row 1: p2, *k2, p2*; repeat from * to * across row

Row 2: k2, *p2, k2*; repeat from * to * across row

Row 3: p2, *k2tog then without dropping the stitches off you left hand needle knit just the first stitch then drop both; p2*; repeat from * to * across row

Row 4: k2, *p2, k2*; repeat from * to * across row

Repeat Rows 1 - 4 until desired length. End on a Row 3 and bind off in pattern.

If making this a blanket, cast on for the appropriate size. For example, for a 36 inch blanket, cast on 150; for a 48 inch blanket, cast on 202; for a 60 inch blanket cast on 250, etc. If you are making a square and are concerned about the slight shrink due to the ribbing, you can always cast on an extra 4 stitches to begin with. That should give you plenty of room for a bit of pulling.

If using other yarn, check your gauge and just remember that this pattern is a multiple of 4 plus 2 and have fun!

And yes, you could make this into a scarf by simply working the 50 stitches for however long you want your scarf to be!

It could even be a washcloth or a dishcloth!

Delaware Head Huggers

Kozy Kovers for Kids

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Week 8 - Goal Met & a Blanket Bonanza!

I can hardly believe that this is already Week 8 of 2012! Although it's already Saturday, I completed my second hat for the week! I still haven't finished the blanket I'm working on, but it's getting there. It's been a busy week with other commitments, but at least I'm getting some knitting done every day.

The most amazing thing this week was the 33 blankets that came in for Kozy Kovers for Kids! My library called and said they had a lot of donations, but I was not expecting all this!

This brings the grand total for blankets to 693 with more coming in every week. We'll be giving 40 or so to the local Emergency Department to have on hand for any little patients who come in suffering from abuse or neglect. I only wish you could see all the details of these beautiful blankets. Our Facebook page has more photos with more details!

Along with the enormous number of blankets, I received another 17 hats this week, bringing Delaware Head Huggers to a whopping 5,991 hats! A few boxes will be shipping out this week, bringing warmth to those who need it.

Remember, all are welcome to join us in some way - we love to see new people and are grateful when more people hear about us. So, spread the word! And, as always, if you or anyone you know is in need of chemo caps, please feel free to contact me directly at robin@delawareheadhuggers.org and I will be happy to ship some out.

Delaware Head Huggers

Kozy Kovers for Kids

Happy Knitting!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Goal Met - Week 7! Fundraiser Begins!

Week 7 is not yet over, but I know I will be working on my blanket this weekend. I did manage to finish 2 hats this week though.........the gray one is the Cozy Cobblestone Cap found in my previous post and the multicolored one is just a toasty loom knit one. Amazingly, 70 more hats came in this week so far, bringing our total to a whopping 5,974! We'll soon be over 6,000! And they keep on coming in. As always I am in awe of the talent of all donors and the beautiful items they so lovingly donate to Delaware Head Huggers!

We began our first impromptu fundraiser this week too. Some craft items; mostly cross stitch, are posted on our Facebook page with prices starting at $1 and the highest being $5. These are unopened kits and other items. More to come too. If you'd like to do some shopping, where ALL proceeds go to Delaware Head Huggers and Kozy Kovers for Kids, stop by the Craft Item Fundraiser. All items were donated, so all money collected will be proceeds! We're PayPal friendly too! The money goes towards postage costs and the cost of printing the tags needed for the hats and blankets.

I've got lots of ideas for new hat patterns and hopefully I will have another one or two to add soon.

In the meantime, please join us if you can. We love to find new friends on Facebook, have new visitors to our website and have new crafters send in items. Both websites have easy donation buttons and directions for where to drop items off if you live in Delaware and where to send them if you live in other states.

Delaware Head Huggers

Kozy Kovers for Kids

Happy Knitting!

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Goal Met - Week 6!

I've been working on a blanket for Kozy Kovers for Kids, but I can't neglect Delaware Head Huggers, so I've been splitting my knitting time between the two. I made 3 hats this week.....all on a loom. The pink fuzzy one is a bit funkier than I usually make, but the yarn was donated, so I wanted to try it out. Hopefully someone will find it to be the perfect accessory!

This week there was some major miscommunication with a hospital about them accepting hats, but luckily I was able to get that all straightened out and hats will be headed there shortly.

Each individual hat is tagged with a card that states it is a gift from Delaware Head Huggers......I'm not sure how anyone would think another group made our hats...............but, as long as patients are getting the caps they need, it will all work out just fine! Sometimes I think anyone who answers a telephone should have to take a basic courtesy class before being allowed to say "hello". If people would just think before they spoke, so many unpleasant situations would just never happen!

On a much more positive note, this is an excerpt from an email I received from a center which had received hats recently:

I can’t tell you how much the patients appreciate these. They are so touched when we offer it to them and they like to choose their own style. The assortment is so nice, one is lovelier than the next---so thanks again to you and all the busy hands that make these wonderful hats. I hope the volunteers know how appreciated these little gifts are and that our patients are very grateful.

Now that makes us all smile. It's nice to know that we are able to make a difference. I shipped a box of 110 hats out to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's pediatrics ward this week too. Hopefully we will be able to send as many caps as they need. Schnapps is ready to help by keeping watch as I tag each hat!

Hats of all sizes are needed! Please join us if you are able! I love to see how this organization grows all the time.

On the blanket side of life, I am putting together blankets for the local Emergency Department to have on hand to give to any child who is brought in suffering from abuse or neglect. The staff say that the blankets are able to give a little security during a traumatic time. Please join us here as well if you can. Both websites have easy donation buttons and directions for where to drop items off if you live in Delaware and where to send them if you live in other states.

Delaware Head Huggers

Kozy Kovers for Kids

Happy Knitting!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Week 4 - Hats & Afghan Finished!

Finally, I have finished the Winter Lace Afghan. This is a Lion Brand pattern and it was great to knit. I really enjoyed it and the detail is fantastic. Knit in Wool Ease Thick and Quick, it's extra toasty. This is headed out early in the week to a special person.

My washing machine broke this week and flooded my basement........tons of fun. Luckily, ALL hats, blankets and yarn were safely in plastic tubs and nothing was damaged. Can't say the same for the rest of my basement, but the important things were saved!

Schnapps was busy helping me this week.......

He likes to be included! Together we got 4 hats finished for Delaware Head Huggers! I did 2 roll brim loom hats, 1 Carolyn Rose cap and 1 woven top loom knit hat.

I've got several hats and blankets that need to be tagged this week. Now that the basement is dried out and the new washing machine is churning out clean clothes again, I will be able to sit down and get to that. As always, I am simply amazed at the gorgeous items that are donated each and every week!

I'll be working on meeting my goal of at least 2 hats this week and I'm hoping to cast on for a blanket for Kozy Kovers for Kids too!

Join us if you can - all are welcome!

Delaware Head Huggers

Kozy Kovers for Kids