Free Pattern Friday: The Altimeter!

Presenting the Altimeter, 2015 Red Scarf Project Scarf....

Altimeter: n., An instrument that measures and indicates the height above sea level at which an object, such as an airplane, is located.” dictionary.com

When designing for the Red Scarf Project, I think a lot about the young adults who will be receiving the scarves. Having a high school senior on hand, I am familiar with the stresses and challenges that kids face when they are deciding future paths. It's a time of great possibility and opportunity and confusion and doubt. Since I am able to be here, supporting and encouraging my teen as she goes through the all the ups and downs of this time of life, she has her dad and I to fall back on at all times. The kids helped by the Foster Care to Success program aren't so fortunate. Knitting scarves for them is such a small thing, yet it is such a nice way to send a tangible expression of love and support.

As foster care students lift off into their college careers and their lives as adults, they benefit from the support and encouragement offered by knitters who donate to the Red Scarf Project. Help them soar with a scarf that serves as a tangible expression of care. For more information on donating to the Red Scarf Project, check out the Foster Care to Success.

This scarf is an easy knit and is completely reversible, using strategically placed purl stitches on each row of garter stitch to give the illusion of upward motion. Also, it's definitely my favorite of the 3 patterns I have designed for this project!

You can download the free PDF at Ravelry here.

YARN

KnitPIcks Brava Worsted 100% Premium Acrylic (218 yds/100 gr), 2 balls in colorway Red.
NEEDLES
US Size 8 (5mm)
GAUGE
17 rows and 18 stitches = 4 inches in pattern

Cast on 32 stitches.

Section 1

Rows 1-8: *k7, p1; repeat from *

Section 2

Rows 9, 11, 13, 15: k1, p1, *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k6

Rows 10, 12, 14, 16: k5, p1, *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k2

Section 3

Rows 17-24: k3, p1 *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k4

Section 4

Rows 25, 27, 29, 31: k5, p1, *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k2

Rows 26, 28, 30, 32: k1, p1, *k7, p1; repeat from *, end k6

Repeat these 32 rows until piece measures approximately 60” long. Bind off all stitches, weave in ends.

Please let me know what you think and please consider supporting the Red Scarf Project this year.

The Knit Inn, 2015 Edition

For several years now I've been making the trek to Greenville, SC to attend the SC Knitting Guild's Knit Inn, and it's always a blast.

This year I taught two classes: The Vintage Winter Shawl and the Charleston Indigo Scarf. The only pic I snapped of the Winter Shawl class was Claudia and her tangle:

Poor Claudia!

As you can imagine, with 250 knitters over the weekend, there were a lot of tangles.

I was treated to two completed Winter Shawl versions, which made me enormously happy.

Debra (top left) and Flo with their Vintage Winter Shawls

I was a little nervous about my Charleston Scarf class, since it was only the second time I had taught it and I wanted to make sure we covered all the necessary stitch patterns before I turned the students loose. I needn't have worried, because they were awesome students who rocked it, big time! I can't wait to see how their finished scarves turn out :)

Charleston Scarf class and their great swatches!

I took a couple of classes, including one on I-cords tips and techniques that was amazing. I also ate too much, knitted some, ripped out some more, and talked a LOT.

Our Charleston contingent was fun as always (you really can't take Micci anywhere, even if she looks really tame in the photo!)...

Charleston area knitters, road-trippin'.

I got to see Sandy Huff, which is always a treat. And when I admired Gerri and Carol's amazing bags, I was told they made those in one of her classes. So much awesomeness.

She's really not that short!

Gerri (l) holds the distinction of being in all the classes I was in this weekend. I told her I am now spoiled and it will never be the same without her and we should plan accordingly next year. Carol (r) and I were only in one class together, but it's always fun when she's around.

---

I missed getting pics of a lot of people, including my friends Dianne (who introduced me to someone like this: "I admired her shawl one year and we've been friends ever since!" I love it.) Pat, Teri and Becky (whom I've known since high school, before I was a knitter!). Also, Tom, who freely shared some amazing tips with me for future blog posts, Krista, my new friend from Yarn and Y'all in the 'ville, Starr, who took a class from me and has been so sweet and encouraging to me ever since...and a cast of thousands, give or take a few.

I'll leave you with this--two of my biggest cheerleaders, Flo and Michele. They befriended me at a Knit Inn years ago (before I knew everybody) and have kept up with my exploits during the year between Knit Inns ever since. They're both like favorite aunts that you can talk to about anything.

Overall, it was wonderful, as always! Knit Inn weekend always leaves me tired but inspired and so very grateful to know so many lovely talented people.

Simple Knitting Tip: Make a Butterfly

Every knitter should have a secret weapon; mine is my daughter. She does just about everything well and offers terrific input for me on things ranging from outfits to blog posts to interior design. When she moves out, I will be getting a GoPro camera for each of us so I will always be able to get her opinion on whatever is happening around me.  I'm kidding.  Sort of.

In the meantime...one of the ways she is invaluable to me is that she taught me to make a butterfly. I am notorious for predominantly using the long-tail cast-on and as such tend to end up with a frightfully long tail. (All those little tricks to measure how much tail you'll need to cast on? No, I don't use them. Whew! Honesty feels good.) A few years ago, seeing my ridiculously long tail getting tangled in my knitting, she made me a butterfly. 

Here is what you do:

The completed butterfly. Pic A

Step 1:  Tie a slip knot in the end of the tail, making a loop:

Pic B

Step 2: Take the yarn nearest your project and wrap it around your fingers (like winding up the outdoor extension cord around your arm, but smaller and with fewer bits of debris) until you have wound it all up:

Pic C

Step 3:  Slide the loop you made with the slip knot over the wound up yarn and pull the tail, tightening up the slip knot over the yarn.

You'll have pretty little butterfly that keeps your yarn out of your knitting and won't get tangled so easily with your working yarn. Nifty, ain't it? (pic A)

If you'd like to see it in motion, here's a video of the entire process:

Yes, that's right--our first video here at KnitOasis.  It's not something I've tried before, but I figured it would be so much easier just to SHOW you how to do this little trick, rather than tell you. Let me know what you think!

Big 10 Knit-a-Long: Announcing the Charity!

I'm so excited! I just got off the phone with the Carolina Youth Development Center here in Charleston, and y'all, when I say this is the perfect fit for our Big 10 Knit-a-Long for Charity, I am not even kidding! (You can tell how excited I am about it because I sound all Texan...)

In case you're just now hearing about the Big 10 Knit-a-Long, here's what's what:

Last month I kicked off a year long celebration of my 10 year knitting anniversary--a charity knitting project that knitters (and crocheters) anywhere can participate in. Using the format set up by Warm Up America, we will be making afghan blocks that will then be sewn together to make blankets. Each block will need to be 7" x 9" and we need 49 blocks per blanket, which we will create during our sewing up party at the end of the year. (For sign up form and FAQs, read this post. For the first 2 free patterns, read this one. If at any time you need to catch up with all the Knit-a-Long action, just type in "knit-a-long" on the search bar at the bottom of this page.)

Until this afternoon, we had everything necessary to make this a great project: patterns, knitters, and tons of enthusiasm. What we needed was a charity and I'm delighted to tell you that now we've got that, too!

The Carolina Youth Development Center is celebrating an anniversary this year as well, but theirs is A LOT more impressive than mine! They were founded in 1790 as the Charleston Orphan House and have been helping kids for 225 years (!!!).  As I have studied the history of this area, I have heard about the Orphan House and some of the great work they have done over the years, providing housing and more for children in need. And now we can partner with them! I did say I was excited, right??

You're going to be hearing more about this awesome organization over the coming months, but for now let me leave you with this...they have a wish list on their website, with current and ongoing needs for the kids who come through the houses they run. At any given time they can have 20-30 children between the ages of 2 and 18, and they always like to give them blankets, pillows, hygiene items (bar soap, toothpaste, body wash) and basics like underwear, socks and a current big need--plain white t-shirts in any sizes. Even if you're not a knitter, you can help! If you would like to donate things to the Center, I will take wish-list items by there as often as necessary. Contact me through this website or the Facebook page and we'll arrange to get your donations from you.

And of course, you can knit! The next pattern(s) will be available soon. In the meantime, the link above has the first two patterns. If you crochet or want to just knit your own patterns, make sure they measure 7" x 9" and are knit from easy-care acrylic. I have just recently tried KnitPicks Brava worsted weight 100% acrylic and I adore it, but you can use any acrylic you have handy.  Holler if you have any questions, and honestly, isn't it great to be a knitter?