Donating to Doctors Without Borders
Thank you to those who purchased my crochet patterns in January. 50% of last month’s Ravelry sales was donated to MSF ‘Doctors without Borders’ to help provide care in devastated Haiti. I can only pray that my small contribution will help those who are still desperately waiting for medical attention.
Photo by Inside Disaster
I’m also gobsmacked to hear that knitters around the world has helped Yarn Harlot raise over $1,000,000 for MSF since she started ‘Knitters Without Borders’ in 2004. What an accomplishment! What a true inspiration! You can read more about ‘Knitters without Borders’ here and see how it’s so simple to pay it forward.
It makes me so proud to belong to this great community. 
One World, One Heart Giveaway
I heard of Lisa’s One World, One Heart through my good friend, Cath. She told me of this great event where creative bloggers all around the world get to connect with each other, bloggers who may not normally meet. I jumped on the bandwagon like she did as it’s such a great opportunity to make new friends, don’t you think?
So if this is your first time here, I welcome you to my little corner of the blogoshphere where I
Let me also take this opportunity to tell you just three little things about me:
1 I love giant silly fruits and my hubby does too!
2 I love to knit, especially when it keeps the whole family warm and toasty!
3 I love to bake and oh such a terrible sweet tooth I have! But tell me, how can I resist all of these?
To thank you for dropping by, I’m
“Hi! I’m Little Mac. *suck suck* You can call me Mac for short. *suck suck* Would you like to be my new mummy?”
Any blogger in the whole wide world can enter. Simply leave a comment here before 6pm (Australian EST) on 15 February 2010 to win Little Mac. Don’t forget to leave your email and blog address. If you like, tell me a bit about yourself too! One comment per person, please. Winner will be announced the same day.
When you’re done with that, you might also like to check out all the other cool blogs participating in this year’s One World, One Heart.
It’s been a pleasure to meet you, friend. Hope to see you around again. Ta-ta for now!
Update: Giveaway is now closed. Winner will be announced shortly. Thanks for visiting!
“Forever” Blanket
I’ve wanted to crochet a blanket for a few years now.
In a twist of fate, I started working for Ecoyarns on a part-time basis a few months ago. One day, while I was preparing sample cards for the EcoOrganic Cotton range, an idea struck me.
I could
I brought the yarn home and brainstormed the idea with Richard. He wasn’t too sure that I should take on such a big project but he could see I was desperate to do it. As soon as I showed him the yarn, he instantly fell in love with the colours and the softness of the organic cotton. He was now assured that it was not going to look like a typical nanna blanket.
I spent that weekend winding the yarn into cakes, with the “help” of Olly. He was trying very hard not to attack the yarn as it whizzed past. It was truly impressive how well behaved he was. He eventually moved away and slept under the table instead. What a good cat!
Just looking at the colours made me so happy! Look how pretty they are, all snuggled up close to each other.
When I eventually started crocheting, I could not stop.
The blanket grew quickly as I crocheted every chance I got. It became my Australian Open companion. As the tennis players manipulated the ball with a twitch of the wrist, I did the same with mine on the blanket. Alas, the tennis is over and I’ve managed to crochet 5 of the 16 colours.
Here it lays on the bed it is destined for.
January’s Giveaway winner is…
Congratulations Sheila of Babymoon Boutique!
We will email the $20 gift voucher from American Yarns to you shortly.
Thank you everyone for taking part and using the form. Did everyone find the form easy to use? It sure made my life a whole lot easier! I closed the contest and shoot out this post in half an hour!
If I don’t hear any feedback, I’m assuming you’re all good for me to use the forms again in the future. So speak now or forever hold your peace!
Ravelympics: Ready, Steady, Swatch!
I’m getting ready for my first 2010 Ravelympics*. I’ll be knitting for Team Buttercream which you’re all invited to join if you’re not already in a team. I’ve picked my event too – Sweaters Slalom! I’m attempting a personal record of knitting a full-sized man’s jumper in 17 days!
I’ve chosen to knit the Seamless Hybrid jumper by Elizabeth Zimmerman (EZ). Her book arrived last week and I’m very excited to get started. However, I can only swatch before the start of Ravelympics on February 12.
I really want this jumper to fit as it’s a birthday present for a special guy. Since the pattern is knitted in the round, EZ recommends to swatch in the round too as “some of us knit more tightly than we purl, or contrariwise.” I know it seems like a lot of work, but I’d much rather put the effort in now then to look at an ill-fitted jumper which is never worn outside the home.
So how do you check your gauge for circular knitting?
I’m glad you asked. The tutorial I’m about to show you is for a pattern like the Seamless Hybrid, where your own personal gauge with your choice of yarn will determine the number of stitches you need to cast on. If you are swatching to achieve a specified gauge, you might need to increase or decrease your needle size and swatch again if you did not achieve the desired gauge the first time round.
The first step is to look at the gauge given on the ball band. 16.5 sts = 10cm. I have a 60cm circular needle of the recommended size (5.5mm). Therefore I need to cast on at least 16.5 x 6 = 99 stitches to make sure the work will go right around the circular needles comfortably.
Second step is to knit in the pattern for 8 to 10cm. In my case, I knitted in stocking stitch until I ran out of yarn.
Third step is to pin the work flat. I put the live stitches on a piece of scrap yarn but I don’t think it’s necessary. I’m just paranoid that it will unravel. Basically, take the needles out and pin it.
Fourth step is to measure. I have a couple of knitter’s gauge rulers to help me with this but any old ruler will do. I want to know how many stitches I have in 10cm space.
You can see from the ruler above that I have 8 stitches per 5cm (see red numbers below stitches).
I also have another gauge ruler from Knit Picks and this one has a magnified area. It does not photograph well but trust me there are 16 stitches per 10cm (see yellow numbers).
So my gauge is 16 stitches = 10cm on 5.5mm needles. It’s slightly different from the ball band’s gauge of 16.5 stitches = 10cm.
The fifth and last step is to work out how many stitches to cast on. I’m going to use the measurements from an existing top (above) to make my Seamless Hybrid jumper. The bottom hem measures 111cm around.
So basic maths will tell me that if 10 cm = 16 stitches, 111cm = 16 x 11.1 = 177.6 or rounded to 178 stitches
If I did not swatch and just used the gauge on the ball band, I would have cast on 16.5 x 11.1 = 183 stitches. The extra 5 stitches would have added about 3cm to the sweater body!
Another good thing about swatching is that I get a chance to see how the yarn looks knitted up. I was nervous about the colourway at first but I really like how it looks. It will suit the birthday guy perfectly.
That’s it. I’m ready to knit the jumper! I have to wait a little over 3 weeks before casting on and I can’t wait!
*Ravelympics is a Ravelry event where knitters/crocheters/spinners from all around the world compete for 2 weeks of focused, intense personal & team challenges while watching the Winter Olympics. This time we’re “gathering” in Vancouver, Canada during Feb 12-28, 2010. Come join us!
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