Norma: Pragmatist, Cynic, Bleeding Heart

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    All content, writing, photos in my blog are copyrighted by Norma J. Miller. If you use any of it in any way, please let me know about it, link it (but do not hotlink!) and give proper attribution.

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Saturday, July 04, 2009

A Plethora of Patterns -- More Scarves!

Didn't find anything you like in that post full of patterns the other day?  No problem.  Be sure to check out the comments, too, by the way. Lots of people put their suggestions in the comments.  I'd like to make them all, but with the way my knitting focus waxes and wanes (mostly wanes), I know it'll never happen. 

Here is also a list of patterns written by Lucia, who has always been a great supporter of the Red Scarf Project, to tickle your fancy.  The annotations are Lucia's.

Reversible Cable Red Scarf (catchy name, huh?)
 
Ribbed Red Scarf
picture is here:
(The pic is crummy, doesn't really give a good idea what the scarf is about. Alpaca yarn = very soft, lousy stitch definition. Feel free to omit this one if you like.)
 
Brook Trail Scarf
(of all my Red Scarf scarves, this is my favorite)
 
Basketweave Scarf
(this is just knits and purls, easy-peasy)
the Rav page for the basketweave scarf now has pix of the pattern in blue yarn and in natural light, so it's much easier to see.
 
Meander
 
Sibyl/Wild Thing
(these are essentially the same scarf, simple two-color brioche, only the yarns and stitch count are different -- I gave Wild Thing to RSP last year, and Sibyl is all ready for this year)
 
Miro
(a variation on Meander, very similar to Gale's Lamar, great minds and all that)
 
Gwynedd
 
There's also Sunday Brunch, which is not a scarf pattern per se but a stitch pattern -- but in the proper dimensions it would make a lovely warm scarf. I'll probably actually make one this year.
 

And if that's not enough, this list was compiled by Elizabeth D.:

http://www.yarnagogo.com/good_ole_cabled_scarf/ just one cable

http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/50368.html reversible -- you have to
register now to get Lion Brand's free patterns, which is annoying, but this
site is a great resource. If this bothers you - make up an imaginary address

http://cache.lionbrand.com/patterns/60053.html chunky, one cable

http://www.sheeptoshawl.com/charity/archives/2006/01/entry_179.html easy scarf, with a headband

pattern is nice, because it has one cable, down the center, and the rest of
the scarf is ribbed, which keeps it nice and flat, with none of that nasty
rolling in on the edges:

http://www.philosopherswool.com/Pages/CabledScarf.htm

----------------

I finished my first one the other day.

004 

Corrugator Scarf (pdf), by Paula Smith

Knitpicks Swish Worsted, Fired Brick, 3.5 skeins

37 stitches cast on 5.5mm/US 9 needles resulted in a scarf 6.5 inches wide and 60 inches long.  I am not going to wash and block this scarf, since I have found that superwash wools grow so much in the blocking.  It's nice and crisp-looking as it is, and I want it to stay that way for gift-giving.  It will no doubt grow in length with wear, as superwash wools (and scarves in general) are wont to do, so for my taste, this is just what I want it to do.  (I find 60 inches slightly too short for the look I prefer in scarves.)

Now, you may be wondering why I did this in worsted weight when we've been saying the preferred weight is DK.  Swish is a light, poofy worsted weight yarn, close in weight to DK.  The issue is being able to fit the finished scarves in the packing boxes, and light worsted yarns also work.  KnitPicks also has a DK weight, and I will use that in the future, just to be sure.  Bulky and super-bulky make it very difficult to pack.  So if you have some good light worsted yarn that you'd like to use, don't fret:  Go right ahead and use it.  Bulkies, and especially super-bulkies, though they make lovely scarves, just make it very hard to fit them in those boxes which FedEx so generously donates.

I figured out a trick (I think) for photographing red with digital cameras: Put lots of white in the photo, and some other colors, too.  It seems like that sets those pesky digicolors straight.  This color red is very accurate, despite being photographed on a gloomy day.

Happy 4th!


Friday, July 03, 2009

Broccoli -- It's What's For Dinner

005


Before the 4th of July.  In Northwestern Vermont.  It's really quite extraordinary.  And wow, the Packman variety is AMAZING.  I can't wait to eat this.  Perhaps with some Alfredo sauce.  Hee. (see yesterday's post for link to inside joke)

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Free Unisex Scarf Patterns Suitable for the Red Scarf Project

Capitolsteps

All photos in this post used with permission of Gale Zucker, who donates her gorgeous photography and her time for this wonderful project. 

I have some top-flight friends, I'll tell you that.  Yesterday while I was feeding construction workers (not as exciting as it sounds -- there was no Alfredo there, but I'll take an order of that over pasta, please -- hold the pasta) and reading and answering angsty emails and dealing with other pressing things in my life, I got some wonderful emails from friends. 

Our Lovely Cookie (tm) took the initiative, and was over there on the other coast looking up unisex patterns and sending them to me.  There are several listed on the OFA website Red Scarf page, but beyond that, she has compiled a list of winners. 

Red2scarf

So here are some more awesome patterns:

There is Paula's Corrugator Scarf (opens to a PDF) which is always perfect, and it is what I am knitting right now.  Paula has knitted several of these scarves for the Red Scarf Project -- I believe she knitted three or four to my one last year! -- and they're always gorgeous, in either patterned sock yarn or plain colors or tweeds. Paula is a Canadian who simply does this out of the goodness of her heart and because she's my friend. She also donated countless hours of her time last year making the donor's spreadsheet and awarding the prizes for donations to the Red Scarf Fund.   I doubt I have ever thanked her enough.

And then there's this list, compiled by Cookie, with an addition or two of my own.  (My apologies for some wonky formatting to follow.  I can't seem to figure out how to fix some of these underlining errors, etc., but I think all the links work.)

Steam (opens to a PDF) :  http://d-made.com/knitting/patterns/Steam_scarf.pdf

Irish Hiking Scarf  :  http://www.helloyarn.com/irishhikingcarf.htm

Shifting Sands Scarf  :  http://www.grumperina.com/knitblog/shiftingsands.htm

My So Called Scarf  :  http://www.sheepinthecity.prettyposies.com/archives/000079.html

Palindrome  (if used with a thinner yarn)  :  http://www.cometosilver.com/patterns/palindrome.htm

Besotted  (if used with a thinner yarn)  :  http://www.helloyarn.com/besottedcarf.htm

Celtic Cable Scarf (opens to a PDF):  http://www.kraemeryarns.com/patterns/pdfs/CelticCableScarf.pdf

Red Herring Scarf :  http://www.cogknition.org/patterns/red_herring_scarf/

Inner Truth (first published in MagKnits) : http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/scarves/pandasilkDK-InnerTruth-scarf.html

Twin Rib Scarf found on this page

Cable Scarf :http://knittingonthenet.com/patterns/scarfcable.htm

Gathered Scarf:  http://www.monster-yarn.com/gathered-scarf-for-your-m.html

And this one's always a favorite of knitters:  Yarn Harlot's One-Row Scarf

Galeredscarf

Look at those gorgeous things.

P.S.  What I was trying to say yesterday, and apparently didn't do it artfully enough for everyone, is that I am sure that none of us are the ones sending in the "wrong kind" of scarves. That is what I meant by saying I am preaching to the choir.  It is groups that hear about it in newspapers or wherever else they might hear about it, and who misinterpret the mission, misinterpret the recipients, etc., and send in dozens and dozens of just plain bad scarves.  What I was asking was please, would you be willing to do MORE, so that instead of the numbers being 60% crap, 30% good, 10% GREAT, could you please help out so that it's maybe 90% great?  How cool would that be, hm?

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Soapbox: Back On ..... or, "We Don't Need More Scarves. We Need More QUALITY Scarves. There's a Difference."

All right, you twisted my arm.  At the request of several readers, I am going to dive headlong into it. I'll try to be sort of like the Lorax for the OFA volunteers.  The Lorax speaks for the trees -- I speak for the volunteers -- the volunteers who have to unpack and repack the scarves for the Red Scarf Project.

If you prefer a more direct, stripped-down version of this post, with all the details needed, but without the ... uh.... sarcasm and screaming....please see this post in my Red Scarf blog.

But I know some of you would rather have the screechy one. Plus I have learned, based on some feedback from my post in the Ravelry Red Scarf group, that some of you are scratching your heads and wondering WHY I'm harping at it so much, because on its face it seems obvious to many of us, and the thought has not occurred to most of us that so many people have misunderstood the OFA's mission, the recipients of the care packages, and the request for scarves.  So here ya go:

WE'LL START WITH AN UNPACKER'S TESTIMONY:

Some examples of scarves I unpacked last year:

The Potholder Scarf: 8 crocheted potholders stitched together to make something as stiff as cardboard and big enough to wrap around a turkey roaster to keep it warm on the way to Grandma's house

The Iditarod Scarf: rumpled scarf covered, and I mean COVERED, in dog hair

The Well-Loved Scarf: this scarf was so well tested and worn that it was covered in yarn fuzz and pills

The Shoelace Scarf: this scarf was two inches wide and maybe 36 inches long. Did I mention the eyelash yarn?

The Pillow Case Scarf: Don't ask. But that is what it was, with some fringe sewn on the ends.

WHY THIS MATTERS: Every single scarf has to be unpacked and logged into a spreadsheet by hand and a thank you note sent out. If I am unpacking scarves and 30% or more of them are not usable, Orphan Foundation is going to have a hard time keeping motivated and knit-knowledgeable volunteers.

What balances this all out: The incredible, perfect, gorgeous scarves that we get that make me aspire to even more quality knitting. Unwrapping these scarves is pure joy. But they can be few and far between sometimes.

-------------------------

THE WORDS OF A CARE PACKAGE PACKER:

I spent a couple of hours yesterday helping the OFA pack up the scarves to be sent out.  Thank you for making me aware of this wonderful group of people.  It was really amazing to see how many volunteers turned out to help, and how enthusiastic (and well-organized) the OFA people were.  I really enjoyed myself.  And in 3000 scarves – I found mine! 

Please also keep getting the word out – it’s all about quality.  We were told several times how much the students appreciated the fact that someone was thinking of them.  While I was keeping my eye out for my own knitting, I saw lots of beautiful scarves go by, and also a few that screamed “I was thinking of you – but only for an hour, and only with the yarn that no one else would spend a dollar for.”  I am sure you can figure out how to say that in a nicer way, and I know you did say it many times, but please keep saying it.  

-------------------------------

We've probably created a lot of confusion over the years.  First we said, "more, more, more," and then "slow down; don't send so many."  It's been a hard thing to get it just right. But as I said in my title:  "We don't need more scarves.  We need more QUALITY scarves.  There is a difference."  The poor unpackers and the ones who categorize the scarves into "usable," "lovely," "unusable," "REALLY unusable," and "photo op scarves," have such a hard job, and they tell me that a large percentage of scarves they get are truly unusable or only moderately usable.  So I am asking for my good friends to knit more, and to get the word out more to those who can and will produce a quality unisex scarf, so we can tip the scales more towards "lovely and usable" and less towards "this can only be sent to a pet shelter."  (not exaggerating there)

--------------------

FROM SOMEONE WHO RESPONDED TO MY POST THE OTHER DAY:

I am one of those volunteer packers who cannot stand to look at another DOG BED. I have tried to figure out a way to post at Ravelry when I see things like "we are going to teach people to knit and have them send their very first project over to Red Scarf." 

It's just about common sense and good taste and realizing that this is a quality event and not for some group of beginner knitters or crocheters to send their first efforts because of some nutty idea that "they're orphans.  They should be glad for whatever they get."  Or, as charming as it might be for a group of third-graders to learn to knit for "the orphans," it's just plain missing the point of the endeavor.  [It's so frustrating to try to get that message out without hurting a whole lot of feelings and sounding ungrateful.]

This is about raising the bar for these young men and women who are attending colleges just like your kids and nieces and nephews and grandchildren, but without the family support that all the rest of us have.  This is about enhancing their dignity and their self-esteem and helping them to find the pathway to success. Sure, it would be cute for them to have their own little sister or niece or nephew perhaps make them a handmade card or a Christmas ornament in school, but the whole scarf thing?  Not the same, and it makes for a whole lot of work for the volunteers to separate them all and dispose of the ones that are simply not appropriate for gift-giving. 

"Foster Care to Success" is the OFA motto, to give the students a message that they have worked hard, they are important, they are worthy of a lovely gift. 

SOME GUIDELINES:

PLEASE, NO PINK or LAVENDER.  NO FUN FUR.  NO YELLOWS OR ORANGES THAT, ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE MIGHT LIKE THEM, THE GENERAL PUBLIC MIGHT SAY "EW" TO.  NO SUPER-BULKY. NO USED SCARVES.  NO FELTED SCARVES.

FROM A PACKER: 

SIZE MATTERS: When a scarf is knit from a heavier yarn and it is long enough and wide enough, it also barely fits into the Care Package box. That should help to make the point that DK is the preferred weight and why.

UNISEX IS IMPORTANT:  It's a big job to try to match pinks or purples or laces with females.  And not all females like pinks or laces.  In addition, today there are lots of first names that could be either male or female.

Show you care! Sometimes I think people have the idea that college kids like FUNKY.  NOT!  There's the rare one who might, but let's not play around with that, OK?  Choose something tasteful, simple, wearable.  Please?  It doesn't have to be expensive!  A nice and tasteful scarf can be done in inexpensive yarns like Caron Simply Soft or Lion Brand Wool-Ease.  

FROM ANOTHER PACKER:

I don’t really know how to make the recipients seem more real, but somehow the idea that the scarves are for real people who appreciate a gift ought to make people think about sending a nice gift instead of someone’s first attempt at a garter stitch scarf.  They are not starving orphans who will freeze to death without our scarves; they are college students.  We shouldn’t expect them to be grateful for being sent something they wouldn’t want to be seen in.

 

---------------------

So we need 3,000-3,500 nice unisex scarves appropriate for gift-giving to current American college students.  And please remember:  This is 2009 America, not Dickensian England.  

Anyway, what I'm asking you, dear readers, is:  Can you, will you, please do more?  Or, if you must think in terms of Oliver Twist: "More, please."

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Terrier Tuesday

Hi Everyone,

Well, here it is, another week already.  I've had so many new experiences this week I can hardly remember them all to tell you about them.

One thing is I went a couple days to day care at a place called the Dog Zone.  They have a doggy cam, so my mommy and my daddy and A.Alpha were able to watch how I was doing on their computers when they had breaks throughout the day. 

It is a pretty cool place.  Kinda scary at first, and some of those big slobbery dogs kind of bug me, but one time when A.Alpha was watching on the doggy cam, I leaped right off the "little dogs" table and scared her half to death that I was going to break my leg or something.  But I was fine.  She really should stop worrying so much.  I'm a terrier!  Doesn't she remember?! I just wanted to follow the other dogs and the nice ladies who work there, and play on all the play equipment like the other dogs.  Criiiiipes. No biggy! 

I figured out right quick that if I get a bit stressed out, I can scootch right under the gate that separates the sections, and the big dogs can't get me, but I can go back in and out whenever I want! That's a pretty cool game, but I did shock and awe everyone there with that little maneuver, I'll tell ya.  I guess I'm the smallest guy who ever went there.  Small?  Who says I'm small?!  It must just be that I'm the most agile.  That's it!  Agile.  And motivated.  And nervy.  And let's not forget smart.  Heh. 

I'm going to go to the Dog Zone at least once a week, A.Alpha says, and next week I'm going four whole days!  She's got a lot of work, I guess. 

I made her laugh this weekend.  She was pulling weeds in the asparagus patch and had me on the leash, because -- pffffft -- she says she can't trust me to stay nearby.  Anyhoo, I was going all around checking things out and I started digging.  Oh how did I dig, and oh was that fun!  I heard her tell my mom and dad that I looked like one of those cartoon characters, with the dirt flying out behind me and all over her.  I like to make her laugh. 

Here she is, telling my mom about it over the gmail chat thingy:

Picture 7

Then she gave me a taste of some raw bison meat when she was getting ready to cook burgers.  

I think she likes me. 

Love,

Mr. J.