Chemo Hats

There is such a need for chemo hats! Here is some helpful information regarding chemo hats from the site www.knots-of-love.org

Yarns to Use:
Caron Simply Soft
Lion Cotton Ease
Lion Microspun
Naturally Caron Spa
Moon & Stars Red Heart
Plymouth Jeannee
TLC Baby Amore
TLC Cotton Plus
Carefree Cotton Red Heart

Ideas for Chemo Caps:
Thinner, seamless, non-lumpy caps are good for sleeping and increased comfort.
Hats made with thinner yarn would be better for summer weather use.
Cotton blend yarns are great for summer hats and warmer climates as it is coooler than other types of yarn.
Seamless caps are more comfortable and better for sleeping in.

Cabot Creamery of Cabot, Vermont has contacted me about supporting our efforts on Make a Difference Day by sending us some of their cheese to enjoy and providing us with door prizes and coupons! Thank you Cabot Creamery!

Thank you to everyone who has been donating hats for the October 24th Big Stitch.

Chicks with Sticks from the Brentwood Library donated 79 more and the Ladies at Hillsboro Church of Christ donated 67.

Our new total is TA DA - 712 !!!!!

If anyone needs any yarn to continue making hats, please let me know.
I have had some recent donations!

Cute, cute FREE earflap hat pattern shared with me by Pat Embree of Stichin' Post. Thanks Pat!

http://heyjulie.wordpress.com/2007/03/20/babykids-earflap-hat/

Make a Difference Day

The next Big Stitch takes place on October 24, 2009, 31 days away. We chose this date to coincide with the National Make a Difference Day. That is also how we came up with the number of hats we wanted to make: 1024 + 2009 = 3033 (Oct 24, 2009). Here is some information about Make A Difference Day, and why it is so important for us to keep our needles and hooks flying to make our goal.

What is Make A Difference Day?

Make A Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others -- a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors. Everyone can participate. Created by USA WEEKEND Magazine, Make A Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. The next event is Saturday, October 24, 2009.

Millions have participated. In 2008, 3 million people cared enough about their communities to volunteer on that day, accomplishing thousands of projects in hundreds of towns. For additional information visit USA Weekend.

Cupcake hat!

Check out this cute hat made for the hat project by Mary-Beth Heine!

Article

Loved seeing this recent article about the work that our dear friend and sponsor Phyllis Hildreth, owner of Falcon Feather Fibers, is doing! Please go by and see Phyllis and her beautiful shop and make sure you have time for lunch at her restaurant -- Stillwater Cafe -- where there is knitting and crocheting every Tuesday night!

Focus: The Happi Hookers

The Happi Hookers
supporters of Knit and Crochet TN
and The Big Stitch

We are known as the Happi Hookers; grandmother (Patty), mother (Janice), and daughter (Jessica). We’ve been crocheting for generations. Patty was taught by her mother-in-law Aili Mahn at about 18 years of age, and she’s been crocheting and knitting for over 50 years. Janice was taught by a good friend and neighbor Jocelyn Berry, when they both had babies about the same age. She’s been crocheting for about 25 years. Jessica can’t remember a time when she wasn’t crocheting, as her mother and grandmothers (Patty and Jeannie Chryn) were always crocheting and had a great influence in teaching her. All of the women folk in the families are very crafty. From sewing, macramé, needlepoint, knitting – there isn’t a trade with string that we haven’t tied a knot into.

We all started out just making things for family and friends. People started liking what they saw and wanting one just like it. “Craft-a creative community” is a group we’ve been involved with that has helped us expand in the Nashville area. We’ve now grown to selling our creations at a variety of places, including the Nashville Farmer’s Market, the Flea Market at the TN State Fairgrounds, a monthly show in East Nashville, local church events, and by word of mouth. We’ve heard great things about Etsy and E-Bay, and will be looking into putting our creations on those sites as well. Patty is retired, while Janice and Jessica still work full time jobs. This is simply a hobby for all of us.

Each of us has a preference of yarn type and hook sizes that allows us to create a diverse amount of products and styles. Patty prefers the smallest to middle size of the hooks, specializing in beautiful Barbie doll clothes, doilies, holiday ornaments, and other items made in the smaller threads. Jessica utilizes mid-range hooks. She is fabulous when it comes to making clothing, such as halter tops, swimsuit cover-ups pullovers, ponchos and purses. She has recently finished three sweaters she got special orders for when they saw her wearing hers. Janice uses more of the middle and larger size hooks and makes afghans and rugs, some from fabrics and some from plastic bags as well. We have all of the above items, plus hats, scarves, table runners, dish towels/scrubbies, bottle holders/covers, scrunchies, market bags, tissue covers, etc… the list goes on and on. Customers give us ideas, or we see something we want to do, and put it on a list. We have a large list. To see our completed works visit our MySpace. You can also contact us via email at Happi-Hookers@hotmail.com.

We are looking forward to the next Big Stitch on October 24th. It is a great opportunity for us to meet fellow crafters and create new patterns, all while providing warmth and comfort to people in our community.

We’re hooked, yarned, and dangerous!!

New Group in Watertown!

There is a new group forming in Watertown – Chicks with Sticks. Next meetup will be at 5:30 on Tuesday, Sept 29 at Lulu’s Coffeehouse at 120 E. Main (http://luluscoffeehouse.com) Everyone in the area come by!

Nashville General Hospital at Meharry Blanket Update!

As of today, the blanket count is at 1413 -- only 87 more to go! Even though our current focus is the Hat Project, baby blankets will continue to be collected and are an ongoing need.

Threadfest

On Friday, September 25th from 8 am to 12 pm, the Knowles Center at 174 Rains Avenue is having their biannual Threadfest. Come get some trim, fabric, quilt scraps, yarn, notions, craft projects, vintage buttons, quilt blocks and more! For more information, see this pdf.

Instructors Needed

We have been asked to teach knitting and crochet at an after school program at the Nashville Downtown Library. The students come from Hume Fogg Magnet School as well as some others in the area. The schedule will be Thursday Oct. 1, 8, 5, 22 for knitting and Thursday Oct. 22, 29 and Nov 5, 12 for crochet. Time would be 4:00 – 5:30. There is a parking garage attached to the library and parking is free (the library will stamp your ticket). Please let me know if you can help and I will give you additional details.

Ribbons won at the Williamson County Fair!

Congratulations to Carolann Laird and Gwen Greene who won ribbons for their knitted and crocheted items at the recent Williamson County Fair!

Carolyn knitted a beautiful baby afghan and earned a 3rd place ribbon for her work! Here are some details: The yarn I used on the baby blanket was called Encore Colorspun. It is a knitting worsted weight, 75% acrylic and 25% wool. I used double strands throughout and a size 13 circular needle. I bought the yarn at Patternworks, a shop in Center Harbor, New Hampshire.


Gwen crocheted an afghan, a christening set and a framed bouquet.

Afghan
Free pattern from Lion Brand using Red Heart Super Saver and an H hook.


Christening Set
Open Crescent Set from Christening Sets for Crochet by Leisure Arts, Designer Kay Meadors. Used size 10 thread with Boye size 7 steel hook.



Framed Bouquet
Spring Bouquet from MyPicot.com. Used size 10 thread with Boye size 8 steel hook.