Quilting from 6 to 96

 A couple of weeks ago while having lunch with my brother John, he told me about a project that parishioners in his church worked on a few years ago.  Folks from 6 to 96 years of age gathered to create quilts to donate to a children's hospital as part of their Lenten program.

As one parishioner wrote, "Lots of people had donated fabric, and many had donated funds to help us buy other needed materials.  It really felt like it brought us all together, young and old, those who sew, and those who don't, all to provide for babies in need. "

The completed quilts made one stop on the way to the hospital, adorning St. Rose Parish Church in northern New Hampshire for Easter Sunday, where the loving work of so many hands and hearts became part of the Easter joy and celebration.

A Blessed and Happy Easter

and a

Happy Passover for my Jewish readers!

Some Knitting Tips

http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2013/03/20/becoming-a-better-knitter.aspx

I saw this post this morning and wanted to pass it along.  The tip on knitting stripes especially caught my attention as I have never been thrilled with my results when ribbing stripes, to the extent that I avoid it.  Now I don't have to limit myself!

Check it out here: http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/daily/archive/2013/03/20/becoming-a-better-knitter.aspx

Heels, and Gussets, and Toes, Oh My!

One down and one to go!  Our first "Socks Made Simple" course at The Quilted Purl ended yesterday with at least one of everyone's feet clad in a brand new, custom fitted sock. Before they left the shop, the students completed at least two rows of the mate to the pair lest anyone suffer from "Second Sock Syndrome."  Though with such great looking socks, who wouldn't want to quickly complete the mate and get to the business of wearing them and showing them off?

Interested in trying your hand at sock knitting?  Stop by the shop so we can discuss possibilities for a second go around with "Socks Made Simple!"

A Mother's Hands Memorial

Ethel Trask, a dear friend and my maid of honor 42 years ago, just shared this link on Facebook: http://www.mothershandsmemorial.org/.  Ethel is of Armenian descent and is naturally interested in this new memorial. I was struck immediately by the beautiful imagery in the introductory paragraphs of the piece:

A Mother's Hands

Knot by knot, her hands weave the history of her people. The delicacy of the crochet integrated into this cross stone is symbolic of the beauty and strength of the Armenian heritage. This ancient culture lives forever, just as the imprint of the first genocide of the 20th century in the collective memory of the Armenians.

The blooming crossstone is the permanent reminder that the slaughter of more than 1.5 million Armenians within the Ottoman Empire will never be forgotten, that in spite of the pain and horror of the genocide, knot by knot, the Armenian People everywhere weave their hopes and dreams, as they bloom and prosper..

Most mothers and women thankfully, will never be called upon to experience the horror the Armenians suffered, but like the Armenians, "People everywhere weave their hopes and dreams, as they bloom and prosper.."

Lowell, Massachusetts is part of my family's history.  My mother grew up there among her immediate and extended family, many of whom worked in the very textile mills which were the foundation and origin of the town during the industrial revolution in America.  Those of you who've been in The Quilted Purl have perhaps noticed the "flying shuttles" and bobbins that came from those Lowell mills.  Many years later, my two sons were born in Lowell.

Hats off to the Mayor and City Council of Lowell for supporting this worthwhile endeavor and best wishes to the Armenian community in achieving their goal.

Pomp and Circumstance

If you've been following this blog for awhile, you've seen this pretty smile before, though it no longer glitters with braces.  Nancy has completed her "finals" in piecing, layering, quilting, and binding and is ready to move on to greater heights (she's taken up rock climbing!).  I'm delighted with her final project, a 45' x 45" lap quilt.  She used two Moda Scrap Bags of "Reunion" for the sampler blocks and for the final border.   Nancy began the quilt last summer, then took off to attend a family reunion in New England.  How appropriate!  She finished today and by the look on her face, I think she's pleased too!

Friendship Quilt Opportunity

http://modafabrics.blogspot.com/p/moda-friendship-quilt-along.html

Moda's started a new series on its blog, The Cutting Table, that provides some interesting background information on the concept of a Friendship Quilt by quilt historian/designer, Barbara Brackman, and free quilt block patterns to complete your own friendship quilt.  There are even chances to win some freebies!  Check it out here: http://modafabrics.blogspot.com/2013/02/mark-your-calendar.html  If you decide to try this, please email me pictures of your work and I'll post them here.  I'm going to give it a try myself!

A Beret for Ruby

Some new yarn had arrived at the shop, and though it is a tough job, someone had to knit with it.  How wonderful is my life?  New yarn or new fabric arrives and it falls to me to create something with it! I wanted to knit a new hat for my granddaughter, Ruby, and thought she'd look cute in a beret.

Blossom Street from Universal Yarns was my first choice (some acrylic content so it might make it through a few washings before being felted), but little Ruby was lost in it.  So I used the rest of the skein for a pair of matching mittens for a shop sample.

Back to the drawing board... Some Jojoland Rhythm was next.  It's amazing how different yarns can produce such different results and this worked well for Ruby.  Though she prefers the slouch hat look to the beret, I thought she looked just fine.  100% wool - this will never survive my son's laundry skills,  but at least I got a picture before it becomes a doll's hat.

This was fun and I had another yarn to try, so Classic Shades, also from Universal Yarns, was up next.  Since I like to see how far one skein of any yarn in the shop will go, it was back to work. One skein was sufficient for the beret with enough left over for a cap (using Austin's Cap pattern).  In the picture below, the two hats on the left are one skein, while the two on the right are another.

These yarns are available at The Quilted Purl, but if you don't live nearby check here for Jojoland retailers: http://www.jojoland.com/do/wheretobuy/Select or here for Universal Yarns: http://www.universalyarn.com/store_locator.php.

No matter where you get your yarn, here are the patterns.  There is very little difference among the three.

Blossom Street Beret

designed by Ruth Hamilton 

The Quilted Purl

Georgetown, Colorado

Size: 16-18" circumference at the cast on edge  This hat fits me and I have a 22” head circumference.

Gauge:

19 stitches, 24 rows in stockinette = 4 in on size 6 needles

Materials Needed:

~Universal Yarn: Blossom Street

  or DK weight yarn
~16 in circular needles, sizes 6 and 7
~9 in circular size 7 

or size 7 DPNs
~Stitch marker
~Tapestry needle

Notes:

On each of the rounds that include “rep from * “, continue this to end of round.

Directions:

CO 72 St on size 6 circular needle
Join, being careful not to twist work

Rounds 1-7 work in K2, P2 ribbing

Change to size 7 needle

Knit 3 rounds
* K9, M1, rep from *
Knit 2 rounds
* K10, M1, rep from *
Knit 2 rounds
* Knit 11, M1, rep from *
Knit 3 rounds (96 stitches)
* yo, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 3 rounds
* K10, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* yo, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 3 rounds
* K9, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* yo, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* K8, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* K7, k2tog rep from *
Knit 1 round
* K6, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* K5, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* K4, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

Change to 9" circular or DPNs when needed

* K3, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* K2, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* K1, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round
* K2tog, rep from * to end

Cut yarn leaving about 8 ". Run yarn through stitches with tapestry needle and secure. Weave in ends of yarn. Block using a dinner plate.

From the one skein of yarn, I was able to knit the beret and a pair of mittens, with the yarn shown left over.

Ruby's Beret

designed by Ruth Hamilton 

The Quilted Purl

Georgetown, Colorado

Size:  Child size 3-5
14-16 inch circumference at the cast on edge

Gauge:  4. 5 - 5 stitches on size 7 or 8 needle = 1 inch

Materials Needed:  Jojoland Rhythm or Baritone or another DK weight yarn
Needles: 16 in circular, sizes 6 and 7
9 in circular size 7 or size 7 DPNs
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle

Directions:

CO 72 St on size 6 needles
Knit 3, Purl 3 ribbing for 7 rds
Change to larger needles

Knit 3 rds
* Knit 9, M1, rep from *
Knit 2 rds
* Knit 10, M1, rep from *
Knit 2 rds
* Knit 11, M1, rep from *
Knit 2 rds (96 stitches)

Openwork
* yo, k2tog, rep from * to end
Knit 3 rds
Repeat these 4 rounds above once more.

Decrease Rounds

• K10, k2tog, rep from *
  Knit 2 rounds ( 88 stitches )

Openwork
* yo, k2tog, rep from * to end
Knit 1 round

* K9, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K8, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K7, k2tog rep from *

* K6, k2tog, rep from *

* K5, k2tog, rep from *

Change to 9" circular or DPNs when needed

* K4, k2tog, rep from *

* K3, k2tog, rep from *

* K2, k2tog, rep from *

* K1, k2tog, rep from *
(16 stitches)

Cut yarn leaving about 8 ". Run yarn through stitches with tapestry needle and secure. Weave in ends of yarn. Block using a plate.

Classic Shades Slouch Hat

designed by Ruth Hamilton 

The Quilted Purl 

Georgetown, Colorado

Size: Adult  (My head is a 22” circumference and it fit me well.)

Gauge: 18 stitches x 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette on size 8 needles

Materials Needed:

One skein of Universal Yarns Classic Shades (197 yd.)
Size 6 16" circular needles
Size 8 16" circular needles
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle
Size 8 DPNs

Notes:  There was yarn left over to create a simple ribbed hat in addition to the slouch.

Directions:

CO 72 St on size 6 circular needle. Join, being careful not to twist work

Rounds 1-9 work in K3, P3 ribbing.  Change to size 8 needle

Knit 3 rounds

* K9, M1, rep from *
Knit 2 rounds

* K10, M1, rep from *
Knit 2 rounds

* Knit 11, M1, rep from *
Knit 2 rounds

*Knit 12, M1, rep from *
Knit 3 rounds (104 stitches)

* yo, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 3 rounds

* K11, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* yo, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 3 rounds

* K10, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* yo, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K9, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K8, k2tog rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K7, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K6, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

Change to 9" circular or DPNs  when needed


* K5, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K4, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K3, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K2, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K1, k2tog, rep from *
Knit 1 round

* K2tog, rep from * to end

Cut yarn leaving about 8 ". Run yarn through stitches with tapestry needle and secure.

Enjoy!