I’m somewhat frugal and try not to turn the heat on until at least November.  Yesterday I broke down and turned on the furnace because it was cold in the house.  In Boston we had our first brush with snow this past Thursday, burr!

I’m almost finished with my second market bag from the Naughty Knitterz fall knit-a-long event created by Gypsy for our Facebook group.  It was a wicked fun project for me.

The market bag pattern created by Gypsy is super easy to follow.   I made my two market bags using this red cotton yarn I found.  What a deal it was.  I paid $4 for a giant spool of yarn at my local Walmart.

It’s perfect for the bags I’ve made so far.  What else does a person do with that much red cotton yarn?  Look for a picture of my bag posted to the Facebook knit-a-long event.  I use my bag to carry the other canvas grocery bags I use.  It is perfect to then use to carry home the bread I buy.

My market bag has drawn some attention where I shop for my groceries.  One woman asked where I got the idea.

Now is the time of year I want some warm wool around my fingers so I’m knitting these Cabled Fingerless Mitts.  I found this cool pattern which I downloaded from the Pattern Share page.  I will be knitting up these gloves using the American Gothic yarn you can find on the Misfit Knitterz page.

I was apprehensive about using a yarn blend using pistachio, purple, mauve, and olive brown colors.   From the description I thought the yarn would be pretty but wasn’t sure.  I love it.

I don’t know what I was so concerned about.  All I can say is that the American Gothic yarn is absolutely beautiful.  How does Michele come up with these color blends?

I should know by now to trust any yarn she creates for Misfit Knitterz will be pretty.  This is a lady who taught us to dye yarn using Kool-Aid.

Look for an email coming soon announcing an end of the year deal on the new Misfit Yarnz page.  You should visit the page to see this funky picture slide Mike added which shows all the yarn available in an automated way.

• The quilter method:
o This idea is based on the pattern I found in the Stitch n Bitch Handbook. It is essentially fabric sewn with mini pockets in order of size. Pretty- but not the best if you are new to the sewing machine.
• The excuse-to-knit-something-easy method:
o This method can be quite fun if you’re in need of some method knitting. Cast on enough stitches to give you a knitted width of about 16 inches. Knit with a sturdy yarn in garter stitch until it’s as long as you need. Sew a button on the cast on end and make a loop on the bind off end to give you a way to close it securely. Then, just poke the tip of the needle in about one inch from the edge to where it is under about 3 stitches, then again at the other end to hold it together. Repeat as necessary, then roll up and secure with the button for easy storage. I got this idea from one of my paintbrush kits. This can work for straight needles and circular needles, but you might want to loop the cord of the circs so it doesn’t get caught on anything while rolling.
• The shoebox/memory box/photo box/you get the point method:
o This one is great for people who have lots of storage space and lots of needles especially in the same size. Now, when I say shoebox I’m not talking about the Shape-Ups box or an 8 inch stiletto box. (Though those would work fantastically for circs!) I mean more along the lines of those comfy, cute-flats-I wear-to-the-grocery-store boxes. You can get boxes that are already pretty in the scrapbooking sections of most stores, or you can decorate your own if you don’t like having a bunch of shoeboxes where people can see them (Just paint them with a water based paint or decoupage them!). Make one box for every 2 sizes or so. You can keep sets together with the tiny rubber bands you get for hair, chopstick holders, and attached point protectors for easier access.
• The what-most-of-us-will-probably-do method (also known as the buy it method):
o Just buy it! You can buy pre-decorated boxes, pre-sewn versions of the quilter method, or use an old scarf for the excuse-to-knit-something-easy method, assuming you have a scarf that is wide enough.

Remember- the knitter that organized knitter is the happy knitter. Knit happy!

Some are immediately drawn to the intricate color work in Fair Isle knitting, and some are all about the cuddly shapes and sizes of knitted toys. Myself, I was almost immediately drawn to charity knitting. For me, there was no better way to use my newfound skills than to help keep others warm. Whether it was knitting hats for preemies or lap blankets for the elderly, I found my charity knitting taking over my house.

It wasn’t for years that I figured out most knitters around me either don’t knit for charity, or had the desire but didn’t know where to donate. I realize now that my “jump in and see where you land” approach to charity knitting is not the normal path, with most knitters stymied either by the overwhelming needs around them or the lack of donation bins in their area.

What Do People Need?

For new knitters, the challenge can be even harder – still struggling through casting on, binding off, and knitting two together, it can seem too great a hurdle to go from making yourself a scarf to making something for a complete stranger. But have no fear – with a few simple steps you’ll be crafting away for others in no time!

If you’ve got the desire to knit for charity, your first step is to figure out what you like to knit the most. Do you find yourself knitting scarf after colorful scarf? Do your fingers fly around the needles when you cast on a hat? Whatever you love to knit, there’s a charity organization that needs it, I promise. And figuring out what you want to knit, what you love to knit, will make your charity knitting projects more fun. After all, who wants to plug away at a pair of socks when all they really want to be knitting is dish cloths?!

Where To Give

Once you’ve figured out what you want to donate, the trick is to get it to the people who need it most. Lucky for you, I’ve done some of the dirty work, and at the end of this article you’ll find a list of some of my favorite charities, and the items they take.

Looking to donate locally? Start flipping through your phone book! Send an e-mail (or stop by) your local hospital’s NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and see if they take baby items. Call up a local nursing home or hospice to find out if they’d like some comfort afghans, lap blankets, snuggly caps or slippers. Foster care organizations, AIDS crisis centers, and even your local Humane Society are also great places to ask. In my experience, just about any non-profit organization will take handmade items of some sort – it’s all in matching up your items to the right charity!

Share The Love

Once you’ve gotten in touch with an organization that accepts hand knits, be sure to let others know. If you’ve got a blog, post pictures of the items you’ve made, and let others know where you’re donating them. Hop onto local community boards or attend knit nights at the local yarn shop to recruit other charity-minded people to help out!

Remember, not that long ago you were someone who wanted to help but didn’t know how – now that you’re “in the know”, sharing your expertise is the best way to get others involved.

A Few Places To Start

Want to fast-track your charity knitting? Here’s a few great organizations that are always looking for items. Be sure to head to their websites for specifics!

Warm Woolies – collecting items for orphans across the globe, this charity needs socks, sweaters, and vests made from 100% wool items for sizes from preemie to adult.

The Nest – this organization brings 100% animal fiber items to people struggling through cold winters in Maine.

The Ghana Project – collecting squares to be sewn into blankets for over a decade – the perfect way to use up all your acrylic remnants! These blankets go to children across Africa struggling through painful surgeries.

Homespun Helpers - this group of charity knitters congregates on the web, banding together to knit for a wide variety of charities.

Article author Robyn Devine is a 30-something newlywed who has focused her life on craft, sustainability, and changing the planet for good. Having been a crafter most of her life, it wasn’t until recently she discovered she could meld her love of handmades with her passion to help the world become a better place for all humans, instead of a place that seemed to work only for a privileged few.

She divides her free time between knitting and scrapbooking most days, is in a constant battle with all the clutter threatening to take over her house, and truly believes that with a bit of compassion, some wool, and a slice of pizza, the world could be a happier place for all!  Enjoy Robyn’s blog: http://robyndevine.typepad.com

She brought her video camera along to record the tutorial for all of you.

With this video you will learn how to Cast On, knit rows, and Bind off to complete a simple project.

If you’re a beginner you’ve come to the right place. Is casting on still a challenge for you?  Do you know a knit from a purl? Have you figured out how to ball your yarn or what the best yarn is to use for your project?  Let the experienced knitters on this site help you.  Help with knitting advice, tips and general guidance and some basic direction.

If you’re a beginner we want to hear from you. Tell us what challenges you.  We collectively will help you develop you knitting skill.  We’ve included a few videos that we believe offer good insight to basic knitting techniques. Naughty Knitterz  is here to enable collaboration and to help you master the craft of knitting.

One thing…remember try not to get frustrated and Knit Happy!

Do you have a passion for knitting? Have you been knitting for a long time? Do you want to share your knowledge with others? Will you teach others what you know? Are you a seasoned knitting enthusiast?

We’re looking for talented happy knitters willing to share their knowledge and experiences.  Do you knit happy?  What know-how can you contribute that would help others no matter their skill level. Got any special tips and tricks you can offer this knitting circle?

Do you have a good source for patterns? There are many free patterns available but are they worth using for your project?  Do you know about yarn?  Where do you get your yarn? What yarn do you recommend and for which projects? What needles do you prefer and why? 

Have you mastered techniques like large or even small diameter circular knitting? Have you mastered different decorative stitches? Share your knowledge.

Knit Happy!