The Knit Before Christmas

If you’re in or around NYC, come join us on July 15 for our first annual Christmas in July event. We’ll knit, we’ll talk, we’ll eat lunch and we’ll have the first ever Christmas at Sea Fashion Show. Be here to see which knits make the cut and which knits get cut.

Christmas in July

July 15, 2008

10:00am-2:00pm

241 Water Street

A hearty thanks to Lion Brand Yarn for featuring Christmas at Sea in their newsletter and big Hello to anyone visiting through that link. We’re so happy you’re here!

What are you doing on your summer vacation?

My knitter friend Martha and I have been thinking about this l-o-n-g green season after Pentecost, and about how far away the mariners are from home… and how l-o-n-g they go without seeing loved ones. It can be a very lonely time.

While you’re here, check out the progress meters–we’re doing great, but we’re not there yet…so please, keep knitting!!!

Christmas at Sea is hosting the New York City Ravelry Meetup!

April 10 6-9pm

Details and registration here

Can’t wait to see everyone IRL

PS there will be cake. follow the link!

Hello knitters,

I would like to introduce you to our Lenten Knitting & Crochet project: 4,000 Hats in 40 Days.

The idea for this project spun out of a wonderful Episcopal knitters community I found on Ravelry. If you aren’t already a member of Ravelry…well, what are you waiting for?!? It is a great resource for knitters and crocheters; and, you’ll be able to join our 4,000 hats in 40 days group.

Many of the knitters I’ve met on the site are Christmas at Sea knitters, and I was asked to lead a Christmas at Sea knit a long. 

That got me dreaming big…I had been wondering how Christmas at Sea could possibly raise an additional 4,000 hats this year to give as gifts to the mariners working in the Gulf. In previous years our gifts to those mariners have been homemade cookies, cards and bandanas. The KAL and the need for hats seemed like a (challenging!) match made in heaven.

So we started a group. As of today we have 77 knitters committed to knitting for this project, and many of those knitters are taking the project to their parish.

I hope you’ll join us too. Here are the participation guidelines:

• Hats should be made in colors appropriate for both men and women.
• Hats should be made from machine washable yarn. If the yarn is not machine washable, please stick a note in it that says "Hand wash only"
• Hats can be made from our Seafarer’s Cap pattern, but can also be made from any pattern appropriate for both men and women.  You can find lots of great (and free!) patterns on the internet. Here are three suggestions that have been submitted by group members:

Stockinette Seamen’s Cap

Marsan Watchcap

Chunky Ribbed Cap

• Hats knitted for this project should be received by March 30

Lent begins on Wednesday, February 6. I hope you will join us! Please let me know if you have any questions at all. And please send any pictures of completed hats that you’d like to share.

Let the knitting begin!

Look what I found under the Christmas at Sea tree: 17,651 gifts for mariners!

Take a look at who received your handmade gifts:

DEAR SEAMENS CHURCH,

THANKS FOR THE CHRISTMAS PKG. AND WONDERFUL PRAYER.

SPECIAL THANKS TO THE LADIES THAT DID THE KNITTING.

EVERY ITEM WAS GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED, IT’S A REALLY NICE THING YOU’RE DOING FOR THE VESSEL CREWS AT CHRISTMAS TIME.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YA’LL AND YOUR FAMILIES HAVE A SAFE AND

HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

 
BLESSINGS TO ALL
CREW OF THE WAYNE P. LAGRANGE
A.C. LINES

We in the Christmas Room are literally as busy as Santa’s elves, packing gifts and finishing knits.  So far we have packed 6,730 gifts for seafarers and shipped 4,252 gifts to be distributed to mariners working on the America’s rivers.

Any knitted garments or handmade Christmas cards received by December 19 will be distributed during Christmas 2007.  SCI Chaplains will be delivering gifts through the Epiphany. The first gifts of the year have already made it onto vessels:

That’s SCI Chaplain Deacon Jacques Girard (our Santa Claus) in the middle.

Happy Knitting all!

This Sunday, SCI Chaplain Deacon Jacques Girard visited St. John’s Episcopal Church in Cornwall, New York. Knitters from the parish brought their Christmas at Sea knitted contributions to be blessed before sending them to SCI.

A special thank you to St. John’s and Chaplain Girard for sharing these photos.

Why not hold a similar event at your parish? 

Have a happy halloween knitters! And don’t forget about our sock contest! Any knitters submitting socks before November 15 are eligible to win a skein of Socks that Rock.

I am thrilled that Christmas at Sea has been chosen as a service projects for In the Loop, a knitting and crocheting group based in lower Manhattan.  They  "welcome all craftsters with a passion for giving."

Here’s a blurb from their blog:

In the Loop is a knitting and crocheting club composed of crafters from the World Financial Center’s corporate community, residential and working communities of Battery Park City and Manhattan, and the world beyond.

We’ll focus our time, energy and creativity on projects with a purpose, knitting and crocheting garments and gifts to benefit those in need. Free patterns will be posted here each season.

Get out of the office, join our lunchtime and evening socials, and enjoy giving to great causes!

Their first Brown Bag Social will be Friday, October 19 from 12-2pm in the Winter Garden, the World Financial Center’s public atrium.  I’ll be attending. If you’re in the area and would like to join me, please leave a message in the comments and let me know.  More details are available on In the Loop.

I hope to see you there.

I think 2007 is the year of the sock in the knitting universe.   So far, Christmas-at-Sea has collected nearly 300 pairs of socks, more  socks than ever before.  But seeing as its the year of the sock,  I think we can double that number by December 1, and I would like to challenge all of the CAS volunteer knitters to help me meet this goal. I certainly can’t knit them all myself!

As an incentive, any Christmas at Sea sock knitters who contribute socks by November 15 will be entered into a drawing to win this beautiful skein of Socks that Rock, generously donated by Blue Moon Fiber Arts.

 This post is inspired by Socktoberfest! a month-long celebration of sock knitting hosted by  Lolly Knitting Around.  Lolly posted this sock knitting questionaire on her blog. I’d love to see your answers, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them by email.

Good luck and happy knitting!

When did you start making socks?

2002

Did you teach yourself or were you taught by a friend or relative? or in a class?

I "taught myself," meaning that I read a lot of tutorials and instructions thoughtfully prepared by other knitters.

What was your first pair? How have they “held up” over time?

My first pair was a basic sock with a ribbed cuff made from Trekking. They were a gift to someone I rarely see anymore. I have no idea how they’ve held up.

What would you have done differently?

I did a sloppy job with the toe. It was too pointy!  I wish I would have ripped it back an inch and re-grafted it.

What yarns have you particularly enjoyed?

Socks that Rock, Opal, Regia, Koigu, Tofutsies,

Do you like to crochet your socks? or knit them on DPNs, 2 circulars, or using the Magic Loop method?

Magic Loop! I love knitting socks this way. I used to use 5 DPNs but I often broke them. This year I’ve knit all of my socks on a circular needle and I have been much more prolific.

Which kind of heel do you prefer? (flap? or short-row?)

Heel flap.

How many pairs have you made?

More than 10, fewer than 20.