The Knit Before Christmas

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!!!

This is one of Christmas at Sea’s most frequently asked question, and I appreciate why.

Let’s take a look at the math:

A hat uses 3 ounces of yarn, a skein weighs  3.5 ounces, leaving a balll of leftover yarn weighing .5 ounces. 

A scarf uses 5 ounces of wool, 2 skeins make up 7 ounces, which leaves 2 ounces of left over yarn.

A frugal knitter will want to use up those leftover bits of yarn, so what’s she to do?

STRIPES! Stripes are a great way to use up leftover balls of yarn, while adding a little design interest to your finished garment. Knitter Mary Evans Downs from South Dennis, Massachusetts, knits up the most charming vests, and incorporates all of her leftovers.

In years past, Christmas at Sea has asked that knitters use only one color in each garment.

Here is an example illustrating why this request has been made:

This scarf is knit neatly and evenly, but it is clearly made out of leftover scraps of yarn. As nicely as this item is knit, it will not be used. Our volunteers here will rip back and attempt to finish the scarf in all one color, or incorporating the beige and the red as stripes throughout the entire garment.

A little planninng can help you turn your leftover balls of yarn into attractive stripes and beautiful, dignified and personalized seafarer’s garments.

Have you seen our Knit 4 Lent Gallery? Take a peek and see pictures of hats from all around the country. Please send in a picture of your hat to have it added to the gallery. Extra points for creative pictures.

Happy stitching!

Jeanette

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:

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.

Are you a designer? How about trying your hand at designing a pattern for Christmas at Sea?

Christmas at Sea is looking for both crochet and knit slipper patterns for gifts for cruise ship workers.  Please send in your pattern by October 1. A sample slipper is also requested.

The official cruise ship worker slipper pattern will be announced in the next print issue of the Knit Before Christmas.  The Institute plans to distribute hand made slippers in 2008.

SCI provides pastoral care and hospitality services to thousands of cruise ship workers docking in Manhattan; Red Hook, Brooklyn; and Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ each year.   Cruise ship workers visiting our centers are able to wire money, make phone calls home and use the internet.

Most cruise ship workers work up to nine straight months with few or no days off.  Sitting at my desk this Monday, after a beautiful weekend, it’s hard to imagine what that’s like. 

To learn more about why these services are important to cruise ship workers follow the link:

 www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section

Hello friends,

Well, as you can see in this picture, I was not able to knit the whole sock this weekend. And I had such high hopes!

I went out of town this weekend and happily packed my sock in my bag, confident that the road trip would give me all the time I needed to meet my goal. Moments into the ride, however, I broke a needle and had to stop knitting. boo.

I think socks are great projects to work on when I am traveling because the are so small and portable, but I cannot figure out how to stop breaking needles in my bag! I’ve tried wooden ones: they actually broke before I even cast on!, I’ve tried bamboo: they are my favorites, but also break. I though metal needles would redeem me, but their too sharp points hurt my fingertips. These latest casualties were plastic, and I thought surely they would be strong enough to endure one small trip. Do you have any tips for me? Please leave them in the comments.

Maybe I should stop carrying bricks and rocks around in my bag…

Although these are called Seafarer’s Socks, we actually distribute them to both seafarers and inland mariners. They are a very popular item, of course! Who doesn’t love handknit socks?

 P.S. We use the term seafarer to describe someone who works deep sea, an inland mariner describes someone who works on an American River.

We have a serious case of April showers here in NYC this morning. Although I miss the sun and the ease of being outside on days like this, I have to confess, I love the excuse to stay inside and knit! Today I am at work on a Seafarer’s Sock and I’ve only got 1 1/2" to knit before starting the heel.

I love knitting socks. I make a lot of socks for myself and my family, but I typically use a thinner gague yarn. The sportweight yarn makes these socks a fast knit! Its great. Do you think I’ll be able to complete the first sock by the end of the weekend? I’ll take the dare and post my progress on Monday.

What will you be knitting this weekend?

 P.S. Thanks to Sarah White for writing about us on About.com!