Hats to the Moms Closet

Jane Turner took these hats to Mary Ellison for the Mom's Closet. I hear they were very pleased.

We sent 1 dozen more hats to House of Mercy

Tracy is delivering twelve hats to the House of Mercy. That is 32 hats since we started in November. Amazing. There are still many on the bulletin board and on your needles. Don't you feel great!

Hats for the Faith Hat Tree

Look at these beautiful creations. 10 Hats hanging on the tree for kids. They are so cute. The variety is amazing. We are learning so much about how the different yarns look and feel. We are amazed by the fact that the little roll just appears after we knit a few rows(Something to remember on other projects). It's cool how K2P2 rib is so stretchy. K2P2 changes into a swirl when you move it off one stitch every four rows. The variegated yarns knit up into such unique patterns. Starting is fun - double points at the end seem more complex than seems right. Thanks for sharing all your stitching time.

Our third gathering

It has only been two weeks and we already have a nice assortment of beautiful hats created by 15 knitters. The Faith Knitters are getting the knitting fever and are starting multiple hats at a time. We are laughing at the accidental pulling out of the double pointed needle. We love the little button top made with I-cord. Sometimes we come in the afternoon, sometimes the evening, sometimes on our lunch hour...we just come together. We are learning about and loving self-striping yarns-thank you Sue, Janette, Peggy. We drink tea - or let it get cold as our hands are knitting and can't stop to drink tea. We are getting to know new friends - members of Faith since the beginning and some who are new to Faith. Laughter fills the room. We help each other solve our knitting "uh ohs". We read Psalm 121 aloud together.

Our second Meeting

Five new knitting friends joined us yesterday. Now we are 16 knitters busily knitting hats for charity. Marvelous! We really missed those who were unable to join us again this week. We'll see you next week. The words of Psalm 121 are rolling easily as we speak them together, matching it to our knitting cadence. The Lord does watch over us.

We spent some time discussing where we would like these hats to go. We should follow up on some of these great ideas in the next two weeks so we are ready to make our gifts. I think this project will become truly special for me as I see the little faces the work of our hands will grace. I look forward to that moment.

Yesterday several worked with double-pointed needles to close the top of our hat. I found a nice bit of instruction about working with dpns at knitty.com. Look for a link in the Techniques section of the blog.

When you have your hats finished, wash them and lay them flat to dry and pin them to the bulletin board in the entry of the church. I hope the results of our efforts encourage others to join in the fun.

Thanks for sharing your talents. One of my favorite reflections on yesterday's meeting was watching those who were there the first week teaching the new knitters. Nice!

My first Hat - the Apple

This little guy is so cute and quick.

The 1st meeting

It was so delightful to share time with 10 knitting women - learning, laughing, reading psalm 121 and sharing a bit of our lives. What a beautiful thing. We had so much fun we decided to meet each week - Mondays 1-3 or 7-9. We will meet in the learning center at the bottom of the stairs. You are not too late. Join us at any time.

We learned to make a slip knot, cast on using a long tail cast on and knit in the round. Nice accomplishment for one session.

There are some wonderful resources on the internet that show you how to do these tasks. I will put a link on the sidebars of the blog.

Tommorrow is the first meeting

I am very hopeful for our first Stitch and a Prayer gathering. I just want to get started. If 3 or 4 of us join in, it is a good start.

I already have just the perfect hat project. I visited my cousins young son in Iowa City hospitals over the weekend. He had a bone marrow transplant about three weeks ago and needs a happy hat to cover his 20 year old bald head. I hope I am just the right person to knit and say a pray over this special hat. Is this a small bit of what I am called to do?

I love the way she says this

Check out the site http://www.claudiaco.com/ Her words in the intro page reflect a generous loving approach to knitting. Peace Love Comfort Joy knit into each stitch.

Hat Pattern

Basic Baby Beanie with rolled edge
1. Get started
a. Cast on 80 Stitches
i. Fingering weight yarn for babies
ii. Sport weight yarn for little kids
iii. Worsted weight yarn for big kids b. Join for working in the round,
b. be sure your stitches aren’t twisted
2. Knit (pray) for 6” (Watch how the edge rolls up so cute)
3. Shape the crown
a. K2tog, k6 repeat this all the way around (70 sts)
b. K2tog , k5 (60 sts)
c. Switch to DPNs K2tog, k4 (50 sts) (see the trend here?)
d. K2tog, k3 (40 sts) e. K2tog, k2 (30 sts)
f. K2tog, k1 (20 sts)
g. K2tog until 4 sts remain (16 times)
h. Pull last stitch through, cut yarn, thread on tapestry needle and stitch together the remaining 4 stitches and pull snug.
4. Admire your lovely creation

Baby Hat

The simplicity of a Baby hat - What's so great about this as a first project?

1. It's small so it goes quick
2. Knit stitch is repeated over and over - it makes it easy to learn.
3. Variations are nearly endless
   
4. Can me made with many types of yarn
5. Isn't it cute? is common response!!

Techniques learned

• casting on
• working on circular needles
• working on double pointed needles (DPNs)
  
• knit stitch
• K2tog stitch

Yes, you can do this, want to do this - think how it will make a new Mom happy to place this handmade hat, blessed with your prayers and love on her newborn's head.

Our first Prayer focus Psalm 121

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

First Meeting time set

Bring your knitting needles/crochet hook, your prayers and your need to serve. We are starting a new group that will stitch and pray together. Our hands will stitch and our hearts will pray as we create works of love for those in need in our community. Our first project is baby hats. Our first prayer focus is Psalm 121. No knitting experience necessary. Someone will be there to teach you. This could be just the start you need on another Faith journey.

Monday, Oct 29, 1-3 or 7-9 St. Michael’s Hall.

Bring 16” circular needles if you have them, if not there will be extras available for your use.

Contact Julie Hart 224-0346 or juliehart@mchsi.com for more info

Knitting and praying

How do these two things fit together? With the hands busy the mind and spirit has time to contemplate other things. Our handmade creations are works of love, a commitment of time and dedication to the craft. I would like to use some of my knitting time working for the needs of others. I would like my prayers to be sent with the knitted item as I give it away. I look forward to teaching others the delightful craft of knitting. I am anxious to find a place to focus our knitting hands and make some gifts, sometimes in person, other times at a distance.

How shall we begin? I need to recruit a group of knitters or wanna be knitters. From there we can decide what our focus should be - do we want to make baby hats, prayer shawls, foster child scarves, cancer caps....there are so many choices. We need a meeting place and time.

We need our devotions and prayers. I would like to recite a bible verse, poem or prayer each time I pick up the knitting project. I hope will encourage memorization of the verse and focus my thinking on words of strength, joy, healing, encouragement - the lessons of our lives.

I hope the blog is an exchange where we can keep our energies flowing and where anyone can join. Let's get started.