In the past I've had the pleasure of being affiliated with the Binky Patrol. Whats the Binky Patrol you ask? From the website "We are an all volunteer, national, non-profit organization making and distributing homemade blankets to children born HIV+, drug-addicted, infected with AIDS or other chronic & terminal illnesses, those who are abused, in foster care or experiencing trauma of any kind. Our recipients are from 0-18." Can you think of a better way to use your talents to help? You don't EVEN need to know how to knit or crochet! There's a video to teach you how to use no-sew fleece to make a snuggly warm tied blanket.
http://binkypatrol.org/index.cfm Learn more about this AMAZING PROJECT by clicking the link. I hear people say, is there really that much need? OH YES there is. I've been knitting/crocheting for charity since I first picked up a crochet hook many years ago now. There's never been a better time to show people the true spirit of giving! WE give because there is no higher calling than to take care of each other! I live in what some might consider the Capital District of New York, though it would be stretching a point. I can tell you that every winter there are house fires, car accidents, sudden natural deaths and the constant specter of cancer that devastate lives of children. So charities like "Binky Patrol" exist to help children know, believe, and accept that they are not alone. That they are cared for and that the blanket represents that love. Its a BIG hug for a young person. You may look at the age group and think... why would an 18 year old need a blanket from me? Let me give you an example; recently a my husband saw the very sad effect of a death on the entire school building at which he works. This left an entire family, including children, bereaved with the shocking sudden loss. It is my opinion and obviously the opinion of Binky Patrol that children suffering a sudden loss should be comforted. This is why I enthusiastically support Binky Patrol. Folks in my area, and you know who you are... can become involved with the Capital District Binky Patrol. Many children from the smaller towns in the surrounding area go to Albany for specialized care so our donations are greatly needed. EVERYONE who is motivated can take part http://binkypatrol.org/page.cfm?name=ny_gruder
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As many of you know by now. I do quite a bit of designing and adapting patterns to suit my customers. Some fiber artists have these notebooks where they sketch out every detail of their design down to the last tie off at the end of a project. I'm not really that kind of knitter. I am a free form knitter. While my customers sometimes wonder if I've gone completely off the rails I work away sort of blindly. Especially with two of my latest pieces. I wanted to make the personalized afghans completely unique from other's I'd seen on the net. So I shall drag you all through the process of my thinking. Its messy but most of the time it works for me LOL! So we start out with the basics. Any of you all born in 1995 or 96 will remember Blue's Clues "Handy Dandy Notebook". I too have the handy dandy notebook of my own. Aside from my appalling hand writing and scribbled notes, this is where I make my notes and about orders. Blanket number 1 now completed is a diamond shape with a dinosaur shape sewn to the front it is 55" from tip to tip. Here is the finished product both front and back: I show you the back because many people wonder how the back looks when its done. I do my best not to make it a knotted mess. This blanket I did truly make up as I went along I wanted half to be tan and half to be green to show off the design better. Blanket number 2 is nearly complete. Done in all black the design stitched on will be done in bright white to show the contrast. This blanket will have a very different theme from the first. More the home style look that I think is befitting the theme of the blanket. It too will have the child's name written on it and a picture. Currently it is 41" x 21 inches. I still have some work to do to create the canvas upon which the design will be stitched. Here you see it as it is currently The picture will be stitched on the knitted section in the center of the piece. The name written along the top edge. Between the body of the blanket and the border upon which the name will be sewn is a stitch that gives the blanket a woven look. Almost appears as a thatch. Around the entire outside will be a different stitch entirely. But I get ahead of myself.
Of course all the while I have scarves, sweaters, and cowls to be knitted all get their fair time and attentions... (along with the many other hats I wear besides business woman and free spirit) I will take pictures as this last piece is finished to give you an idea of how I develop my designs. I am one of those people who is generally not satisfied with the pace of my work nor how it looks when its done. I always see the glaring mistakes or realize that the project is taking a VERY LONG TIME to finish. I mean I don't know who knits the scarves for "Doctor Who" but I couldn't do it. If you read this blog regularly you've guessed I'm not totally at peace unless I'm working. Recently I've had quite a few orders come in and while I didn't exactly get to go yarn shopping at the store... the STORE CAME TO ME! YAY :) Thanks to the internet. Yes I've been traveling a bit for Doctor's appointments. These things can't be helped so I've just got to learn to adjust. Today I plan to be right back, nose to the grind stone. :) Or something like that. So if you'll pardon my saying so thank goodness its Friday. Bear with me people, I'm getting there. (please pass the coffee)
I am always bragging about how beautiful it is to live here in Northern New York but I haven't SHOWN you. Let me take today's blog post to show you around. I had to make visits to physicians, specialists yesterday. One in Potsdam and one doctor in Burlington Vermont. It was a very long day. My husband and I left the house around 07:50 am and did not return from Burlington until 19:00 or 8:00 pm. It was a long day. I did not get much knitting done, unfortunately, but the scenery was beautiful! This set of pictures taken in early March give a good idea what its like just before the Spring season starts turning the whole of the mountains bright green. With the leaves still "in hiding" we could see much more of the mountain ranges. So here you are Northern New York and Vermont in early Spring. It is actually time to start thinking about shedding those heavy over coats, and bulky baby snow suits for something much lighter! Okay yes, maybe I'm jumping the gun a little but as a knitter/crocheter you need to be thinking ahead to the next season. New yarns come out just like new designers present new fashion lines. In fact yarn manufacturers try to keep up with the trends in the colors they choose for the coming season. Check out Vogue Knitting's offering http://www.vogueknitting.com/magazine.aspx Here in the Adirondacks we might not be shedding the heavy outer wear just yet, I think layering is always in style! It is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL day here in the Adirondacks. Birds are starting to come back to the North Country the snow is melting, sun shining bright, so now I have a serious case of spring fever! Spring colors, Easter baskets, cute spring ensemble's for our little ones. Its just exciting to see everything POP with color! Here are a few of my favorite Spring projects: When I first started crocheting as a hobby I wanted to contribute to a project I could believe in truly. My husband was in the Army stationed at Fort Drum, my children were young and as is the custom with the military, we spent a lot of time apart. So I took up crocheting as a way to pass the time. Once I figured out how to read patterns, learned stitches, and made a couple of blankets I felt like my skills could be put to good use helping children.
Enter Project Linus. http://www.projectlinus.org/ Now my blankets weren't spectacular but they would keep a child warm, give them something of their own to keep. Something to show that there ARE people who care. You don't have to be a great crocheter or knitter you just have to remember that these are kids that have been traumatized. They need love and support. Project Linus gave me something to do with my hands and warmed my heart at a rather lonely time in my life. Won't you consider what you can do to help? I have 2 sisters. When we'd go to a relatives house as children I'd often hear that little rhyme quoted; "sugar and spice and everything, nice. That's what little girls are made of." Whether or not that still holds true or not is in the eye of the beholder. However, as a knitter/crocheter I'm asked to make a lot of clothes for little girls. Its easy to find ADORABLE patterns for little girls. Like falling off a log. (falling is another talent I possess LOL!) When I was contemplating doing this blog post I thought I'd better narrow it down to my top favorite projects I've made for little girls. Not an easy task. But I thought I'd start my slide show today with a sweater given me by my Grandmother when I was a little girl: Its really difficult to find cute knitted or crocheted boy clothes patterns. I mean hard. I have managed to put this set together that will fit an 8 pound baby boy its for $ale!!! Contact me for costs. Its a warm soft pull over and matching hat. These are some other baby boy items I've made :)
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