LOOMED KNIT BABY STROLLER BLANKET.

Yay! – I’ve just finished this baby stroller blanket. 

There is something exciting about creating a gift to celebrate a baby’s birth. Of course, in this case it is even more special. The baby is being welcomed as a new addition to our own family – for me: grandchild number four, grandson number two. So, it was a joy to knit a gift for him. He was born last weekend - healthy but a couple of weeks early - and that's my excuse for not having sent it off yet. The mailing will be done ASAP.

In my mind, every baby needs a special baby blanket, something that's all their own. I not only believe this now but always have. So, along with my sons and grand kids, that makes six knitted baby blankets that I've made over my lifetime.  Oh! I also have made  blankets as gifts for other babies, but most of those tend to be made of soft material with a crocheted edge. Nice, but not so much work went into them.

Did I follow a specific pattern so I would know how big the blanket will turn out?  Turns out that I didn’t. I winged it. The result was a cover about 40 inches long and 28 inches wide - big enough to classify as a stroller blanket from what I've seen on the Internet.

The style, I hope, is trendy and chic – a colorful striped pattern that can grow with baby instead of seeming “babyish.”

The yarn is an acrylic – the better for frequent washing - of medium weight, doubled. It’s made of white yarn – along with four bright colors (red, green, blue and yellow).  I pulled out the long green loom that I’ve been using for the past five years.

You can might guess from the photo, the cover was knitted as a flat panel.  I e-wrapped the pegs all the way down, around and across the back side of the loom, including all the pegs except one at the end. 

The pattern was unusual.  It was knitted in a single piece,  consisting of a series of colored stripes -  that were all to be three rows wide. The white spaces between each of the stripes were to be 6, along with 8 white rows on each end. The reality was that I lost count – several times - and the stripes turned out to be a bit irregular. But I did manage to keep the order of the colors that I planned and the slight irregularity makes it look nicer - a bit like homespun – or at least I think so.

Easy to make loomed knit baby blanket.

The upside to this kind of knitting? It's really easy. You are basically e-wrapping and knitting over the whole thing. Total time was about 20 hours – done leisurely over four weeks.

Was there any down side on the loom knitting? Not so much. Other than a slight shrinkage that had to do with yarn wrap tension and the cast-on edge rolled a little. Again, I wasn't concerned as I knew beforehand about these limitations and planned to add a border all around to finish it off. It was really no problem to do the half-double crochet edge that gave a more finished look.  Another down side of loom knitting came from an obvious right side and a  less finished looking backside. But, now that it’s completed, the backside seems O.K.

Reminiscing now: my sons (now fathers, themselves) really loved their handmade knitted blankets.  In the toddler years, they carried around their "blankies" as a comfort when taking a nap or settling down to bed at night. Unfortunately, those blankets are long gone. So many years have passed. 

Each of the three older grand kids also had their own soft, handmade baby blanket.  But the grand kids are all still young and I suppose that their newborn blankets are being kept somewhere - or better yet, have been passed on to other family additions.

For now, I hope that my daughter-in-law will remember this blanket and tuck it around the baby in the stroller on cool/cold mornings.  When he doesn’t need it for outside use, it can be folded in half and placed on the foot of his bed. Of course, I realize that he will have many lovely blankets, but I bet only a very few of them (or, possibly, none of the others) were made specially for him.

DECORATIVE REMAKE OF A SIMPLE JUTE RUG

Been keeping a few craft projects on the back burner - maybe a little too long. But I finally got around to one this past weekend.

I’ve wanted to embellish a small rug for some time. The project was a remake of the rug in the entry of the living room. It was an indoor/outdoor woven rug – a dollar store find. And as such, after the first wash, it looked wrinkled and cheap, something of an eyesore.

I knew that, with a little work, I could make that jute rug look like a prize item for my living room.  I wanted the rug to weigh more so that it would stay put and to have some colors that coordinated with the round crocheted rug (an earlier project)  in front of my sofa in blue, red, gray, and black. I found what I needed in my stash of yarns.

 

A small entryway rug with a rustic design.

The rug’s material is a natural jute fiber, not-so-thick about 2 mm. It was a monochrome dull brown weave and had tassels in the same material. Its measurements were 30X15 inches (plus tassels). After crocheting three rounds, it was just a bit larger, about 32x17 inches. Tassels were removed.

 

If you want to make a rug like this one, here’s what you’ll need:

    - Small solid colored jute rug or one of some other  natural fiber

    - A pattern in mind. (Could be super simple like what I did)

    - Several colors of medium-weight or heavier yarn (best if used doubled or tripled)

    - Crochet hook

    - Yarn needle

    - Scissors

About my design:

I did three rounds of simple crochet. The first was a heavy, fuzzy yarn in gray, white, and black. The second and third rows were doubled-up strands of blue and black.

Since the little rug already had a definite pattern in its weave, I decided to follow the existing lines for my yarn stitching.

I made four long rows of straight stitches with double blue yarn (using the yarn needle) and  four more rows in double red insides the blue rows.

The result was something I liked, and I’ve already placed it in the living room in front of the door. It's almost too nice to use as a foot-wipe.

CELEBRATE YOUR MISMATCHED TABLE LINEN

Like most folks, for years, I believed that the best way to set a table was with matching sets of linen and china. But times have changed. I now find it a bit boring to set an entire table with all the exact same elements. Also, over the years, I’ve lost several of my prior uniform-looking plates and linens. And I’m not willing to toss the things I’ve had for a quite a while. So, for the recent past, as often as not, I've ended up with mismatched table settings. And why not celebrate it?

Maybe you consider this kind of mismatching to be rustic, bohemian, whimsical or just crazy. But I think the mismatched table is totally suitable for most any occasion and, most of all, practical.

So, here’s the reasoning for this post. I had four red place mats that I bought for my Christmas three years ago and continue to use for casual table setting. They were a bit faded from washing and worn around the edges. Nothing wrong with them but I was bored with their appearance. I had also gotten tired of the coordinating red cloth table napkins that I’d bought for the Christmas table. Being a Bluebird, red-on-red - mats and napkins - was not my favorite look, so I gave them away.

But I still had three black napkins and two dark blue ones, parts of sets that I had acquired  over the past few years. They were all in fairly good shape and in colors that I liked. With my anti-consumerism banner held high, I wasn’t about to give into an impulse to go out and buy more table things.  I decided that I’d go with what I had.

I remembered reading somewhere that there were a couple of effective ways to approach your table setting mismatches.

Basically, these ways involved color and pattern. When you choose table elements that  are part of the same color scheme, they don’t seem to be so much mismatched, Your eyes read them as  coordinating because they’re all similar shades. In the same way, similar pattern, even with different colors also helps to bring together a nice mismatched look.

Here's how I pulled together my mismatched table linen using my skills in crochet.

Similar crocheted stitched bring together my mismatched look.

My plan was to  create a similar element that would bring together the red mats and the black and dark blue napkins.

I did that with one skein of bright blue sock-weight worsted yarn, thus playing down the Christmas red look.

I crocheted around the edges of the red mats with the blue yarn using a simple shell pattern and a double thickness of the yarn. Each mat took me about two hours to crochet.

Using the  same yarn, with a single thickness, I worked on the napkins. First, I took an embroidery needle and sewed a blanket stitch around the edges. Then, I was able to add a simple crochet edge. Because the blanket stitching was a bit slow, I took as long finishing each napkin as I had for each mat.

You can see the results in the pic. And I think it’s quite nice for my all occasion table.

Maybe you’ll want to try to do just what I did. Or you might like to experiment with another kind of mismatched table setting. Whatever you do, be confident that you’re decorating instincts are going to help you carry off mismatching with pizazz. So be bold and play with with colors, patterns and shapes. You can be sure that you’re setting a one-of-a-kind table that others will notice (and, more than likely, appreciate).

EVERYDAY COTTON PLACEMATS DRESS UP WITH A CROCHET EDGE.

Inexpensive cotton ribbed place mats can look a lot better with a bright colored crochet edge. And that's what I did. I edged two mats with leftover multicolor cotton yarn, each with about 3 hours work.

The black mats were dollar store finds. But, at home after an initial wash , I realized that they were really too narrow to serve for table settings . What's worse, the edges didn't want to stay flat after laundering, and I simply DON'T IRON things like tablecloths, place mats, and napkins. I was disgusted. I definitely didn't like the mats on the table. I simply put them away and, eventually, used one as a decoration on a shelf. It looked OK there.

 

But then I reminded myself that I had bought the two and that they were supposed to be place mats. So, I decided to do some mat-improvement strategy. From there, I looked at place mats in an Internet search and found some pretty ones with crocheted edges.

 I wanted a regular edge, not a lacy one, something that could take a lot of wear and wash nicely. That meant a medium weight cotton yarn would be the best bet. So, for the yarn, I chose a ball of cotton yarn with variegated colors - in beige, rose, and magenta. The yarn was a happy find in my yarn stash bag.  And, to my mind, the mats looked very well dressed up with the crochet rows I added. The cotton yarn I used is sturdy and washable and no doubt will be cherry and bright a long time after the mats become faded and limp.

 

Supposedly, the standard sizing for table mats is: 14 in. x 20 in. The ones I made, with edging and all, still came short of the standard and measured in at 12 in. x 18 in. They were somewhat smallish, but, happily, big enough for the undersized dining table that I have.

 

The total cost was $2  for two mats, plus what was something less than a ball of cotton yarn (less than $3 when purchased new). So, the total project cost of two mats was less than $5. I think that's a good price because the nicer store-bought place mats can cost as much as $5 each.

Set a prettier table with dressed up place mats.

I'm pleased with the results of my efforts and I'll probably make 2 more so I can, occasionally, set a 4-person table. ( Luckily, I was able to find 2 more in a quick run to the dollar store. But, as you probably know already, it's always best to buy ALL the materials for your projects at once. Otherwise. you're asking for trouble when you try to locate more of the same materials in subsequent store searches.)

 

Materials

- Cotton ribbed place mat or any mat that has a wide enough weave to allow for easy crochet hook use.
- Crochet hook with a number of about 1.5 (so that you can easily pierce through fabric)
- Cotton yarn
- Scissors

Crocheted border

Pierce fabric about a quarter inch from the edge and knot.

Then do a single crochet, maintaining the quarter inch base, all the way around the mat. Use three passes in single stitch at the corners. (That's a way of easing in the transition from one side to another.)

With that crocheted base, you can add any border you want. There are many good videos that show how to make different kinds of crocheted edges.

I chose to do a four-link chains between stitches on the second row. It looked pretty good after that  row but I decided to continue on. I liked it even better with a third row of chains that connected in the middle of the second row chains.

 

I also made three passes in single stitch to ease in the corners of the second and third rows.

 

Sometimes, it's better to put only a 3-link chain to compensate for differences in stitch spacing. That occurs, now and again, and is especially likely when nearing the corners.

 

HOW I FINISHED A GRANNY SQUARE AFGHAN IN RECORD TIME AND COST

Last night, in the middle of the night, finding myself with some flu-like bug and a cough that just wouldn't quit, I decided to crochet my very first giant granny square afghan. My project kept me occupied for four hours, from 1 to 5 am, at which time I finished my afghan - about 50" X 50". Oh, and by the way, its total cost was two dollars.

Now all that probably doesn't seem very likely to you. And, of course, it's not. Not likely and not true. Except that it is, sort of.

Giant granny squares are useful and colorful items for the home.

Here's the story of this crocheted afghan.

I absolutely love to surround myself with colorful homespun items and always wanted to crochet a giant granny square afghan. I just never got around to it. And having crocheted some small granny squares as dishcloths, I was pretty sure I had the skills. But, sitting down so long to make an afghan was something that never happened - due to time constraints and general laziness to undertake such a big project that would take scads of yarn and way too many long hours. I always said that there would come a time when I would pull together some exquisite yarns and see the threads join into a beautiful granny square creation for my home. Last night I accomplished that goal.

But I didn't really crochet a whole afghan in one night. What I did was finish one - a nice one that I'm proud of.

This story began about two years ago when I was scouring the local thrift stores looking for used knitted and crocheted items. My purpose was to tear out and salvage the yarn for making scarves and shawls. I had found a number of sweaters that served well being torn out and, later, reused for other projects. I even blogged about the process. (See below.) One day, back then, I ran across a granny square afghan in a thrift shop - with nice purple and black yarn. It even looked in good condition and the cost was just two dollars. I was really pleased to buy it. Best of all, all that yarn was a medium weight acrylic that holds up well for any number of needlework projects.

Of course, it had a problem. That's why it was there, being sold for just a couple of dollars. The last row of crochet had come out and the loose yarn was hanging down - several yards worth. What's more, any movement of the blanket caused further unraveling. Apparently, no one had appreciated just how nice this afghan was and how many hours of work it represented. Being somewhat unraveled didn't seem to be a big problem for me since I, at first, wanted to unravel it, anyway. But, when I got it home, I realized that it was much too nice to destroy. So, I put it away on a top shelf to wait the time when I could repair it.

That time just didn't come around. I seemed to have dozens of projects that were more urgent than reworking an afghan.  But last night, the time was right. I realized that I was totally unlikely to sleep and I hate to spend my hours tossing around in bed unable to rest. That's when I remembered the afghan on the top shelf, a great project for a long night of insomnia.  The huge respiratory meltdown was the right moment for finishing the afghan.

I took the blanket off the closet shelf and carried it to the living room. There, after trying several hook sizes, I found one that seemed to be the same as the one used to make the square. Figuring out the pattern turned out to be very easy because granny squares just repeat the same stitches all through. It turned out to be a double crochet stitch and I settled down to work on the couch with a hot tea - actually, 4 hot teas during those four hours - along with two coverlets over my legs. It took less than an hour to redo the raveled out row.

While I was pleased to see the row now repaired, the blanket didn't seem to have much pizazz. The two colors were nice but it still appeared unfinished and a bit drab. Since I knew that I would have several more hours of wakefulness, I decided to go around the last row with a single crochet. I chose a medium blue acrylic from my yarn stash. That shade of blue gave it a bit more color but didn't cause so much contrast as to call undue attention to the finishing row.

I'm proud of my work. But, of course, it isn't the granny square afghan of my dreams. The one I was hoping to make would have been much more colorful - that according to my fantasy, at least. The truth is that I was really lucky to have found this afghan at a thrift store and to finally find the time to finish it. So, I'll say this one counts as my first giant granny square blanket, made in record time (overlooking the two years it sat shelved) and at a cost of 2 dollars.

To conclude this story and, according to my best hopes, hit the bed for a few hours of morning sleep, there are some points that I hope you've noticed here. First, there is a good possibility to find homespun items for very little money at garage sales and thrift stores. Most of them will need some work. Second, if you're willing to do a bit of repair, used needlework can be a useful and attractive addition to the home. Second, there are moments when a time slot - even a less than optimal one - will allow you to carry out a project. So, getting to work at those times is a real plus - in the great scheme of things.

I'm not going to give out the instructions for making this afghan. There are any numbers of Internet blogs and videos that do that ever so much better than I could. 

But, I do highly recommend the making of your own granny square afghan and/or the searching out for used blankets of this kind wherever they may appear.  They are really versatile as to color choices and they can be as large as you like. You just keep on crocheting until the size feels right. And they are so nice, thrown on the back of the couch or wrapped around you while reading a book or doing needlework or some other craft.  And you'll love to have your blanket, as mine is, folded at the end of the bed, offering extra warmth on these frosty winter evenings.

 

Related post

http://grandmasusansalmanac.blogspot.com/2011/07/unravel-old-sweaters-and-knit-new.html

One day later - update
Some people - like me - just don't know when to stop. Just decided to add a row of scalloping to the simple crochet edge. Well, my record time afghan may be taking a bit longer, after all. 

MAKE A SNUGLY FLEECE QUILT FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL

As you know, by now, Grandma Susan always tries to design and create handmade presents for all kinds of occasions. And Christmas-time is no exception. For this holiday season, among other things, I made fleecy blankets for each of my three small grandchildren.

These snugly quilts are made from purchased, ready-made fleece blankets. I found the small blankets on sale at a big box store for just $3.00 each. They're available in many colors and patterns. I chose a child-friendly pattern and a coordinating solid for each quilt. I tie-quilted the pieces, decorated the front side with colorful yarn, and crocheted all around the edges. It was a great way to use up some of my yarn stash. So, the only cost was that of the two blankets. The end result was a fast turn-around project that has a lot of homemade, old-fashioned charm.

A handmade, fleecy tie-quilt is a great gift.

The most difficult part was making the very first one because the fleece fabric is somewhat stretchy and can be a bit difficult to handle. But with the practice, the second and third came together much easier. So, here, I'll give you some hints that should help cut your time when making this quilt.

This is a great project to do over the weekend. You need only a few items. And, if all goes well, it takes only about 10 hours of work on each quilt. You could also make this blanket with regular fleece fabric - cutting to the right size and/or piecing together, but that would take a bit more trouble.

Materials
Two fleece blankets, each measuring about 45 X 60 inches.
Sharp scissors
Large safety pins
Crochet hook (I used a size H hook.)
Measuring tape or a ruler
Upholsterer's needle
Thimble (to poke the needle through 2 layers of fleece)
Three balls of worsted-weight yarn in different colors – can be leftovers from other projects.

Instructions
Step 1. Lay out the fabric.
Lay one piece of fabric flat over the other, making sure the wrong sides are touching. Trim away any excess fabric around the edges so that one is exactly the same size as the other.

Step 2. Place safety pins all over the blanket.
One reason that these quilt projects can be challenging is the need to wrangle the large pieces of fabric. That's where safety pins come in.

Fasten the safety pins through the two pieces using as many pins as you want. Be sure to cover the entire surface of the blanket with safety pins - at intervals, of course, so that the blanket will lie flat while you're working on the ties.

Step 3. Make the ties.
Once the two layers are securely pinned together, make your tie pattern.

Take the upholsterer's needle and the yarn and push the needle through the two layers - from front to back to front, again.  This can be a struggle, so be ready to use your thimble and finger strength. You may even have to resort actually poking small holes with a seam ripper.

I stitched 12 ties, making a total of 6 - 11" squares (See the picture.) Tie the ends in a tight double knot and trim the yarn so you have two lengths of about 1.5 inches sticking up from the quilt. You can make more squares if you want. But 12 ties seem to be enough to hold the pieces together.

Step 4. Decorate your quilt.
All the decoration should be done on only the front of the blanket with knots hidden between the two layers. The stitches would be too bulky if they pass through both layers. Use your needle to make a decorative rectangle just three inches along all the edges. If you want to write a name or initials on the blanket, use large letter stencils to draw the letters. Then make simple yarn stitches to go around the outline of the letters.

Step 5. Stitch and crochet the edges.
With double-strand yarn and the large needle, blanket stitch around the four edges of the two layers. When this is done, single crochet all around using the blanket stitching as a guide.

Get to work on your blanket.
You'll enjoy the process of deciding on patterns and colors and working to tie-bind your blanket together. And, whether it's a gift for a child or an adult, this fleecy quilt is going to be used and appreciated at any time of year. And, don't be surprised if you want to make one for yourself. I plan to do that just as soon as I've taken care of the people on my gift list.

ONE-HOUR HOLIDAY TABLE RUNNER PROJECT

Handmade runners are a way to create an attractive holiday table without spending a lot. They can be made in many different color and design options, and you'll be delighted with the easy and gorgeous results. This project is based on purchased place mats sewn together with a bright colored yarn.

While the one I made was a simple, ribbed cotton weave with primarily a red color along and gold and orange threads. Yours can be whatever you like, such as bright, metallic holiday prints or other inventive designs. Obviously, the place mats for this project should be fairly light and flexible in order to drape nicely over the edges of the table.

Total time to make this really simple table runner should be only an hour or less.

You’ll need.

Three 14" X 19" place mats (Mat size can vary some. The runner will look great regardless of size.)

One ball of medium-weight cotton yarn (mine was a gold color with a metallic glitter)

Large metal tapestry needle.

Finished size: 14″ x 57″.

If you need more length for a long table, just add a fourth (or fifth) place mat. Fringe or tassles on the four corners can be added to the runner for an added decorative touch.

What to do.

Set the place mats out in a row to form a long rectangle.

Using the yarn and tapestry needle, unite the edges of three place mats creating a zigzag pattern.

Make a similar zigzag decoration on the ends of the runner.

Get moving on this project.
I enjoyed the creative process and how it turned out. Although I used  bright colors for a Christmas table decoration, you can use any fabric you want to make a runner for another season or occasion.


There it is! And it couldn't be simpler to make. You'll want to make a couple more to give as holiday gifts.

Note
Here is the simple holiday display that I put together for my table. (Every item was $1.50 or less (including each of three place mats. Paper ornaments were handmade from cut-outs of old Christmas cards with tiny bows attached.) Picture includes a glimpse of the runner that I made from ribbed cotton place mats.

WHO'S KNITTING CHEMO CAPS? - HOWS & WHYS

In my last post, I wrote about charity knitting circles and why people get involved in them. This post gives more information for those who want to start charity knitting. What I say here comes mainly from my recent experience working with five volunteers at our local meditation group who want to form a charity knitting circle. Our meditation group has already been doing cancer patient support activities for a full year. To date, the activities include light snacks, drinks, and reading materials taken to the chemo area of a local oncology hospital. The five knitting volunteers are more than willing to begin, but most of them feel they lacked sufficient knitting skills. So, I told them - and later announced to the entire meditation group - that I would teach all those who wanted to be part of the circle how to knit. As a first project, I proposed a simple pattern for loom-knitted chemo caps.

Most everyone knows some cancer patients, children or adults, who have lost their hair during chemotherapy and has seen how baldness is a major discomfort for most of them. In response to that problem, many groups, nationwide, are making chemo caps that cancer patients can wear at home for sleep and leisure. And some of these caps are so elegant that they can even be worn on the street. The caps mean warmer heads in cold weather. But they have a greater meaning, too. As cancer patients face the many challenges of their cancer, tenderly handmade caps can give them new hope and help them gather personal forces to combat their illness.

What kind of cap works for cancer patients?
Having decided to knit chemo caps, the next question is what style cap works well for these patients and still is easy to make. I suggested that our small group of volunteers begin with a really simple beanie cap that only involves beginner knitting skills. With these ideas in mind, I recommended loom-knitting and an easy pattern with some special features.

The caps, themselves, will be worn more comfortably if they are made from soft polyester yarns, cotton, bamboo, baby yarn, etc. Pure wool and wool blends are often too hot when worn indoors and some people have allergies to these fibers. Cotton and bamboo yarns are cooler, less allergenic, and much nice for hot weather. Also, the design should include stitches that are knitted fairly close together so that you don't see patches of baldness through the spaces.

Beyond that, solid color or slight variations on a color are better because they draw less attention to the wearer’s head. The more uniform colors also go better with more outfits. And thinner knits, rather than very chunky ones, and caps without seams are preferable because lumps are uncomfortable for sleeping and long hours of wear.

Once the cap is finished, it should be gently washed and dried before before being given to a patient. Washing helps to avoid passing on germs to a sick person who shouldn't be exposed to any kind of infection. It also helps to soften the yarn. No commercial fabric softeners should be used because many of them are allergenic.


Pattern for a seamless, loom- knitted chemo cap for women.
Materials - for an adult woman with an average head circumference.
- round peg loom, 32 to 36-pegs (3/4" apart)
- about 120 yards of chunky yarn or twice as much for thin yarn that must be doubled for this cap. Cotton and bamboo yarns are best.
- loom hook
- crochet hook
- yarn needle

Instructions
Use 2 strands of a medium weight yarn or one strand of a chunky yarn in a light, bright color. Subtle differences in shades of the same color are acceptable.

Take up your loom and wrap a first counter clockwise row. The initial row should be wrapped tight for a better edge. You can crochet a chain for each peg or just turn the loops over, making a half knot for a wrap.

For the second row, e-wrap all pegs. Then lift off bottom loops, in a clockwise direction over top e-wraps (knit row). Make sure that you are knitting without any breaks since this is a seamless cap. E-wrap and lift-off for rows 2 and 4 and all the rest after row five.

Continue wrapping to the right (counter-clockwise) and lifting off to the left (clockwise).  For rows 3 and 5, e-wrap for the entire round. Then, take the loops out, one stitch at a time. Change the direction of the loop - pulled through from behind (knit stitch) to pulled through from the front (purl stitch). The first five rows form a small brim on the hat.

Knit about 28 e-wrap rows (a total of 8 inches) for the main part of the cap.

Next begin the gathered part by taking yarn off peg 1 and placing it on the second peg. Take yarn off peg 3 and place it on peg 4, 5 on 6 and so on all around. Then e-wrap the final row around on looped pegs, skipping the open spaces. Then one final lift-off.

With that row finished and the stitches still on the loom, measure out and cut off a couple yards of yarn on the same ball used to make the cap - without separating it from the knitted work. Put the yarn through the yarn needle and pass it through all loops from behind. Take all loops off the loom. Pull the yarn to make a fairly uniform circle and tighten it to form the gathered part of of the cap. Knot and cut the yarn. Weave the yarn end into the top part of the cap.

What else can be done with chemo caps?
There are some other activities that knitting circles can do along with knitting chemo caps. Again, I'll mention the plans of our meditation group. Organizational leaders will collect all the finished, hand-knitted chemo caps. Once or twice a month, the caps will be taken to the meditation room at regular meeting hours. The whole group will pray for the healing of those patients who receive caps. Each cap will be tagged with a specially decorated card that includes the name and email address of our organization. It will say something like: “Hand knitted for you with love and prayers for your healing.” Tags will also mention that, according to their wishes, people who receive a hat are welcome to contact the organization and the cap maker. 

The chemo caps will be given to staff members of local cancer treatment centers for their distribution. We are beginning our project with just a few volunteers. But, as other group members see how chemo caps make a difference in the lives of cancer patients, we hope to get more participants in our charity knitting circle. Others who want to support the knitting circle but can't find the time to knit can donate yarn and help with decorating the cards to be attached to caps.

Related posts
CHARITY KNITTING CIRCLES ARE USEFUL & FUN.
SOON YOU MIGHT FIND YOURSELF IN A “PAY-IT-FORWARD” CHAIN.
REDEFINE YOUR PRIORITIES, REMAKE YOUR LIFE

IT’S BABY BLANKET KNITTING TIME AGAIN
LOOM KNITTED CAPS FOR KIDS
KNIT A TRIANGULAR PRAYER SHAWL

DECORATE A T-SHIRT WITH CROCHET AND BEAD CHAINS

Even though I’m a dedicated minimalist when it comes to clothing, occasionally, I'm inspired to adorn things in my closet. Last weekend was one of those times. And, in a crafty binge, I decided to branch out from my usual (of-late) crochet bracelet-making to include a design for an embellished tee. I’d wanted such a tee for some time and spent a little time figuring out how to make one for myself. Here was my thought. I generally don’t like to wear necklaces – especially in this super hot weather. But now and again I want to wear a decorated tee-shirt with something distinctive on the front. And, in a moment of inspiration, I decided to hang strands of beads on two buttons attached to the front of the tee.

Armed with one of my favorite $5 tees, 2 buttons, some beads and heavy nylon thread from my bracelet craft stash, I crocheted three separate strands of beads, tied together in  single chain circle that allows the beads to dangle from the buttons on the either side of the neckline. So, now I have a fancy t-shirt to wear with my two gathered waist, mid-calf skirts. With this new creation, I'll feel comfortably cool but still dressed up enough to go out to a friend’s house in the evening or to a restaurant for dinner. And since the beads are easily detachable from the shirt, there will be no problem for regular machine washing.

All-in-all, the project was an easy one. It took just me a little patience to pull all three strands into one single chain “hook” just the right size. I’m pleased with the results of my efforts.

So, try this idea to spruce up an old tee and create a unique top for a special occasion. The bead chains bring color and texture to the front of the tee without going through the sewn beading process that takes a lot of planning, patience, and skill. Beyond that, if you don’t have the crochet skills to make this project, you might get something of the same effect by wiring together two or three separate chains with beads or links (that you already have) and hanging them off of sewn on buttons. Also, I’ve seen beads that were glued on a tee to form a design. So, that might be another way to get the look of chains without the work of either sewing or crocheting.

How to make the bead-chain for the tee
Materials

Two buttons. I decided on rather plain ½” wood buttons. Flatter, simple ones work better, and won't come off so easily with multiple washings.

Nylon crochet thread - whatever thickness and color(s) you like

Bunch of colorful beads. I used different colors and sizes for each chain.

#2.5 crochet hook (or size that better fits your thread)

Craft needle to thread the beads

Instructions
- Decide how long you want each chain. (Mine dangled a bit, so they were about 14, 16, and 18 inches long.) Multiple that length of each chain by 7 to be sure to have enough material to finish out your crochet. If you're doubling the thread, like I did, then you'll need about 14 times the length of each chain.

- Make your crochet chains, adding beads as you go. (I like to start by tying in the middle bead and crocheting out on both sides. That way, I can make adjustments as I go and end up precisely at the length I've chosen.)  If you’ve never crocheted with beads, there are several good Youtube instructionals for how to do this. That’s how I learned.

- Attach the last two links of each of the three strands of beads to a final short crochet chain. Knot the chain together to form a ring just big enough to go around the button. Do the same for the other side.

That done,  put on your tee, hang the beads off the buttons, and you’re ready to go out in a one-of-a-kind shirt. Also, this would make a nice gift tee for a friend. Or just make up a gift “kit” of buttons and bead chains, along with a sketch or photo of how to wear the chains. Your friend can put it on whatever shirt she chooses and do her own (minimal) handiwork.

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SUMMER OK'S A HINT OF CLEAVAGE, BUT NOT A LOT MORE THAN THAT

It’s not even summer yet, but the weather is steaming hot in most of the US. So, fans and air conditioners are humming and bare shoulders and shorts are seen most everywhere. For some women, hot weather also means the lowering of the necklines so that a lot of feminine anatomy is displayed. These women say that cleavage display is fashionable and sexy. But, for others, revealing so much chest borders on indecency. Grandma believes that what she calls “street clothes” should cover the crease between the breasts. On the other hand, the summer clothing to be bought at the stores doesn’t have much fabric at the top. Scarves and camisoles are traditional accessories that solve this problem. Here’s another solution for summer, a clever cleavage hider, that you can knit for yourself.

Before, you read on, I need to mention that Grandma is not some prude, and by no means favors such things as modesty panels or other coercive means of forcing women into restrictive dress codes. But for some of us, enough is enough. And, by that I mean summer heat aside, it’s not a good idea to show off too much of your body. Women say that they want to be accepted as full members of society but dressing as a sexual stereotype isn’t a good way to get respect. A deep cleavage may get you stares and call calls, but it isn't a good way to get people’s respect. Of course, those women who have chosen surgical breast augmentation apparently revel in being sexual stereotypes. Most of them will still want to show off (at least) a part of what money can buy.

Today, Hollywood starlets and actresses for TV glamour ads – cars, liquor, personal electronics, etc. – often do extreme bosom baring, and fashion experts urge women to play the part of “Ms. Cleavage Galore”. They’ve even created a National Cleavage Day. Although this “holiday” was touted as a way to symbolize women’s independence and power, it turns out that the inventors of this event were the makers of Wonderbra and Cosmopolitan . So, likely as not, it was just another commercial trick to applaud consumerism and sell products.

Make your own knitted cleavage hider. 

You can be fashionably dressed without falling into ill-advised clothing choices. A mere hint of cleavage is all we need for summer attire, and even that may not be such a good idea in the office, school or church. For those of you who understand the wisdom of common-sense dressing precautions, there are a few commercial cleavage hiders out there. But there’s a cost involved, and it's wise to make some of the things we want instead of purchasing them - especially, if it can be completed in one afternoon with a single ball of yarn. (And, many of us who have boxes of leftover yarn in the closet, anyway.)

So, here it is - Grandma’s cleavage hider. It’s made like a light-weight kerchief and could even be used as such. It takes only a few hours to complete, and you may want more than one in different colors. And keep this pattern in mind as a quick gift for a friend.

A pattern for a knitted cleavage hider

Materials

- 1 ball of a soft, sport-weight yarn - microfiber or cotton yarn

- Size 6 knitting needles

- Size 5 double pointed knitting needles for i-cord

- Yarn needle to weave in the ends

Abbreviations

Knit (K), YO (increase by yarn over), Kfb, (increase by knitting in the front and back of stitch), Kbf (increase by knitting in back and front of stitch). You can find good instructions for i-cord knitting on the Internet.

Instructions

One size fits all. Gauge is not so important.

Cast on 3 stitches.

Row 1: K all (wrong side)

Row 2: K1, YO, k1 YO, K1.

Row 3: K.

Row 4: K1, Kfb, knit to the last stitch, Kbf, K1.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until piece measures about 8" deep and 12” long, measuring from point to upper edge. You can stop before or continue with the same pattern if you want it shorter or longer, depending on your chest size.

The final rows can be just the same or a decorative variation. I did a row of purl, 2 rows of rib, and then, another row of purl before binding off.

I-cord straps
With the double pointed needles, pick up the final stitches from each of the 4 top rows. Then, in the first round, decrease one of the middle stitches to knit a 3-stitch i-cord. Pick up 4 stitches on the other extreme and knit this i-cord in the same way. Each cord should be at least 10” long.

To create a flatter, woven look, you can increase and decrease on each subsequent i-cord round (3/2/3/2, etc.)

Wear the cleavage hider under your shirt or dress with i-cords tied around the bra straps.

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GET “KNOOKED” AND MAKE YOURSELF A LACY SCARF.

Perhaps, if you've been following my blog posts for a while, you’ve noticed that, when it comes to needlework, Grandma Susan goes for gadgetry over mastery. Yes, that's one of my short comings. There have been many posts on knitting and others on crocheting and looming. I learn to use a tool, more or less - at least enough to do beginner level patterns. OK, I admit it. I have a definite limit to my capacity for memorizing and carrying out detailed instructions. I'm also allergic to too much pressure - especially when I do needlework mostly as a way to feel relaxed and not guilty doing "nothing" like watching TV, listening to music, or chatting with other people at informal gatherings. Anyway, I love a new adventure and try out new tools just to see what I can do with them.  So, I make it a point to learn as many methods as possible, hoping for the perfect way to do something - more easily. Does that always work for me? Obviously not, because I'm still not an expert at doing anything. But, anyway, here goes one more post about a new tool – the knook and how to use it to make a lacy scarf.

A while back, I saw the ads for the knook and they caught my attention.  I had to try it. While the knook  seemed to be complicated, it wasn't so much. It’s something like knitting, something like crochet and, actually, it’s a new set of skills. It requires learning some new stitches that are not exactly crocheting or knitting. And, it turns out that it's not a short cut for learning to knit or crochet. It's its own thing. Above all, it's a totally knittable crochet hook and a compact instrument that’s super handy for carrying around in a regular sized purse - a great plus for travelers on public transit and for long distance trips.

Leisure Arts invented it for the crocheter that wants to learn to knit. There's an instructional booklet on how to's for both right and left-handed knooker complete with photos, plus three bamboo knook hooks, each having a small hole on the far end of the hook. There are also 3 colored cords that are threaded through the hole. The cord is used as an extension thread, and rows are knooked right off the loops on the cord.

As to some of its advantages, well I've already mentioned its portability. Also, it’s inexpensive – about the same cost as about 3 regular wooden crochet hooks (and they can be used as traditional crochet hooks when you're not knooking). It's also a pretty nice tool for someone who learned to crochet and has been hesitant to handle two needle knitting or for a knitter who wants to knit part of an item and crochet some other part. Casting on is easy. More on that later. Beyond that, it's really hard to drop a stitch. The cord will save the stitches on the last correct row, and that can save a lot of time.

There are only a very few issues with the Knook. Some people are bothered by dealing with the cord. Another difficulty may be getting a consistent tension for knitting and purling. But, like most methods, it gets easier with practice. For the beginner, making square or rectangular items with just basic stitches shouldn’t pose any real problems. Leisure Arts has how-to videos and free patterns on the Internet. Right now, there aren’t many knooking books available so you’re limited to a small selection of patterns. But, read a few more reviews about the pros and cons and then decide if GETTING KNOOKED will be worth your time.

Getting started
Begin by threading the cord into the eye in the knook. Read through the instructions and check out a video. Choose a medium to bulky weight yarn. The cast on row is done by either traditional long tail knit method or the simple crochet chain method that the knook booklet illustrates. Then, you slip all of your loops onto the cord. To continue, you use the hook to pick up a new row of stitches, inserting the hook into the loops that are now held on the cord. Whether you make knit or purl stitches depends on which way you wrap the yarn around the hook.

The resulting fabric looks like knitting. All in all, it’s great for simple small projects like headbands, scarves, and dish rags. But it wouldn't be much use for sweaters or making socks and mittens. A really skilled knitter would probably be frustrated with the knook.

For me, there was a learning curve - but not such a steep one. Knitting with the knook isn't harder than crocheting and probably easier than knitting with needles. Better tension control and manual skills come with time and practice. After playing around with it for a couple of hours, I caught on to how to maintain tension control and was good to go. I GOT “KNOOKED” and you can, too. I am happy with my new tool and did a simple scarf to practice. I've included its pattern below.

A lacy knooked scarf
Here’s a simple pattern for a knooked scarf that uses only garter stitch and a variant that is knit 2 together (K2TOG), yarn over (YO) for a lacy look. Even as a total knooking novice, I was able to finish the scarf (5" X 50) in about six hours of TV watching - 3 sessions in two days.

Materials
Medium weight yarn - about 5 oz.
Knook, size – 5.5 mm, along with its cord
Yarn needle
Measuring tape
2nd knook or hook - ready to help if stitches slip off or need some other kind of correction.

Instructions
Chain and pick up 19 stitches for the cast on. (Note: Actually, I began with 19 stitches and medium weight yarn but saw that it was going too slow. So I switched to 15 stitches and bulky weight yarn - much easier for me as a novice with this technique.)
Row 1 Knit across
Rows 2-5: Knit all (garter stitch).
Row 6:  *K2TOG, YO* and repeat from * until there is 1 stitch left on the needle, then K1.
Row 7-9: Knit all (garter stitch)
Repeat Rows 6-9 until the scarf is almost the length that you want. End like the beginning with 5 garter stitch rows.

Bind off loosely and use a needle to weave end any tails.
As an option, add fringe to the scarf.

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