Sandoval KAL For Arizona || Update 1

We're almost halfway through December, which means this knit-along for Arizona homeless and transient folks is about half over. Have you been knitting away with me? While I don't have as many hats off the needles as I'd like, I have been carrying a set of size 9's and some worsted weight yarn in my bag everywhere I go, and slowly but surely managed to knit through these two Sandoval Hats over the past few weeks.

There are still a few weeks left in this knit-along, and I'm hopeful that as shop orders slow down I'll be able to knock a few more off my needles before mailing them off to Kelli. Honestly, knitting the Sandoval Hat is one of my favorite ways to pass those moments when I used to find myself "doing nothing" -- riding in the car (when I'm not driving), waiting for a movie to start, even while we watch a favorite television show. The knit 2, purl 2 pattern becomes easily felt by your fingers as you knit along, meaning you don't need to look down at your knitting every five stitches to be sure you're following the pattern correctly.

The pattern has four sizes listed as well, which means even after this knit-along is done, you can make this hat for everyone you know! (And look for a photo tutorial coming in January showing the different sizes and just how versatile they truly are!) New to this knit-along? You can learn more here.

Sandoval KAL For Arizona || Update 1

Dec 11, 2013

Sandoval KAL For Arizona!

With just five weeks until Christmas, many of us are deep in holiday planning. Making lists that we're checking far more than twice, one item that can easily be forgotten is giving to those in need. This holiday season, to combat this forgetfulness, I'm challenging myself to bust through as much of my stash as I can, making hats I can mail off to my friend Kelli.

Kelli blogs over at AfricanKelli, and recently posted about the struggles her city's homeless folks face each winter. She lives in Arizona, and many transient folks make their way her direction, towards somewhat warmer temps for as many months as they can manage. While it's never easy to sleep outdoors, for folks with no other option a warmer outdoors is always better than colder. Along with challenging myself, I'd love it if you all joined me in making a few hats for folks who struggle to stay warm during the coldest months of the year.

The Pattern:

We'll be using my Sandoval hat pattern for this knit-along (KAL). It's an easy-to-remember hat that fits almost every head, works well with acrylic yarn, and is perfect for beginner knitters and seasoned knitters alike! Find directions free on the blog here. Download the PDF of the pattern free here.

Materials Needed:

For each hat, you will need right around 200 yards of yarn. Some folks have used more yarn to get their hat to the right length, and some use less, but 200 yards is a pretty safe bet. I can get two Sandoval hats out of a skein of Hobby Lobby's I Love This Yarn, which costs just under $4 for a skein - $2.00 a hat isn't so bad!

If you don't want to go buy new yarn for this project (and who can blame you - I plan to use stash yarn myself!) know that this pattern is incredibly forgiving! I've used worsted weight from my stash that might never have come with a label, I've made this hat with stripes of different yarns, and I've made this hat with a wide variety of "worsted weight" skeins. Every time the hat will fit my head perfectly, stretch to fit my husband's head perfectly, and works out ... perfectly! ... on our friends' heads with the biggest noggin's we know!

Timeframe:

We will be knitting these hats from today (November 18th) through December 31st of this year. That gives everyone a full six weeks to make as many hats as they can! Whether you end up with one hat off the needles or a dozen, remember your hat will be put to good use this winter, and is much-needed!

Mailing Address:

Please send all finished hats to:
ADHS c/o Kelli Donley
150 N. 18th Ave. Suite 200
Phoenix, AZ 85007

A few things to keep in mind:

** Most of the folks who will be receiving these hats are men, so stick to neutral and darker colors.

** People will have spotty access to laundering facilities, but when they do, they'll want to be able to just toss everything in without worry ... so stick to acrylic, not wool!

** While Arizona has warmer winters than Nebraska, folks in warmer climates still wear winter jackets and hats in their winter. Just because northerners like myself would be running around in a sweater and jeans no problem, folks used to hotter temps get cold faster, and so will need warm hats!

Sandoval KAL For Arizona!

Nov 18, 2013

April KAL Week Two: Finding A Charity

While it may not seem like it, the easy part to making 10,000 hats for 10,000 people is the actual knitting of the hats. I simply have to head to my yarn stash and make a hat using one of the patterns I find myself knitting on repeat.

In contrast, it can feel overwhelming to find a person to give the finished hat to. Is it smarter to give the hat to a friend or family member, or should I donate the hat? If I choose to donate the hat, which charity is the best fit for the hat I've just made? Should I donate the hat locally, or is there a charity somewhere else in the world that could benefit more?

These questions used to run through my mind with each hat I made. Over the last few years, however, I've figured out which types of hats are best donated to which types of charities, and have narrowed down the number of charities I regularly donate to so that I can best distribute the hats I make. I've been donating hats for years, though.

You may not find it so easy, and you maybe have even decided against donating because you didn't know where you should send your hat (or mittens or scarf). And there's nothing I like less than someone who wants to give something away feeling thwarted by what feels so simple to me! With that in mind, I'm going to start sharing charities. First the charities that I donate to (both regularly and on occasion), and then charities that are new to me, but that would love to take your handmade items and give them to folks in need!

First up later this week will be Hats For Sailors, as I'm still deep into knitting hats for this amazing organization for the remainder of the month. But look for some fun groups based all over the world - hopefully, no matter where you are in the world you'll find a place to donate close to you!

April KAL Week Two: Finding A Charity

Apr 15, 2013

April KAL Week One: Sourcing Superwash Wool

This week was super light in the challenge department - only one hat off the needles, and another 1/2 done. I've been playing catch-up with a few other projects, but I know I need to get my needles moving a bit faster if I want to keep my goal! It happened like this last month, though. The first week or two were slow and then the hats practically fell off the needles while I simply sat back and watched it happen. Granted, this month I'm not using super bulky yarn, but I hope when by the end of the month I'll feel the same sorts of sentiments.

 On this hat, and the rest of the hats I make with my green bulky superwash stash, I'm using a modified version of my Tyson Hat. I re-worked it for larger needles, and you can download the bulky version here for free. Last week I got a comment asking where I get my yarn for this project. The green yarn I'm using was gifted to me in a trade - some of my yarn for some of hers. However, most of the superwash wool I get, I get from my local yarn shop.

When I say LYS (local yarn shop) I don't mean Michael's or Hobby Lobby. I mean the independently-owned shop, open odd hours and filled with the most gorgeous (and sometimes expensive!) yarns around! Our city used to have several but we're down to just the one now - and lucky for me it was always my favorite!

If you're looking for superwash wool, your best bet is to google "local yarn store" and your city. If something comes up, call them first and ask if they carry 100% superwash wool in the yarn thickness you like best. For me this means worsted weight, but for some folks it can mean sock weight yarn!

The shop should have what you're looking for, and when you head in, someone there will show you all your options! If you don't have a LYS (which happens, especially in smaller towns) you can order superwash wool yarn online! My favorite shop is WEBS, whose address is yarn.com. Perfection! Just search for "100% superwash wool" in their search bar, and oogle at all the pretty stuff that comes up!

April KAL Week One: Sourcing Superwash Wool

Apr 8, 2013

April KAL: Hats for Sailors

(image from Hats For Sailors blog)

Welcome to April, and this month's charity KAL! This month, rather than focus on busting through a specific yarn weight or using a specific pattern like I did last month, I'm focusing on making as many hats as I can for the amazing group Hats For Sailors.

Hats for Sailors provides hats for sailors in the US Navy, one ship at a time. I joined the Ravelry group last fall and sent a few hats to their fall 2012 campaign. When photos of the sailors receiving their hats became available, I was blown away and humbled to see a few of my hats in the mix!

I love that this group came about thanks to the vision of a sailor named Shanti, who wanted to provide a handmade hat for every sailor on the ship she was about to command. The group has grown from that ship to someday providing hats for every sailor on every deployed US Naval ship!

Now that their next deadline is just a few months away (May 27, 2013) I'm looking at my superwash wool stash and thinking about the hats it all needs to become. To help them reach their goal, this month is all about knitting up my superwash wool for Hats For Sailors! The hats must be made out of superwash so they are fire resistant but can still be easily cared for. Thankfully I've accumulated enough to make close to a dozen hats this month!

I'd love for you to join me in this KAL! I'll be using a few different patterns, and next week I'll share a round-up of patterns that are free, work up fast, and are perfect for this charity! I'll be mailing all my hats out at the end of the month - for the mailing address contact the charity directly at HatsforSailors@gmail.com.

April KAL: Hats for Sailors

Apr 7, 2013

Donating to the VA Hospital Outreach Center

Last week I dropped 40 hats off at the VA Omaha’s Homeless Outreach Center. Thanks to some amazing folks who have been sending hats along to the Nebraska Hats for Hope Initiative (shameless plug!) over the last six weeks or so, these hats have made their way to our little corner of the winter-white world from all over the place. California, Michigan, Illinois … so many generous folks from so many different parts of the country.

Let me tell you, if you want to see the best of humanity, go visit the folks that work with homeless and transient vets. I tromped through the mud (thanks to a brief warm-up in the blustery winter weather) carrying a garbage bag full of hats, and these people freaked out like it was three Christmases all rolled up into one. Smiles, squeals, exclamations of joy … one guy even said “I love people like you!”

The Omaha VA Hospital’s Homeless Outreach Center sees over 200 homeless and transient vets each year. And when I mentioned how much I loved that they were serving these folks, they reminded me that Omaha has over 1,000 homeless folks (that number doesn’t include transient folks or people who are staying with friends and relatives) in our area, so their number was just a “drop in the bucket.” Because nothing says biggest heart in the world like that kind of humility about what you do.

I’ve got a few hats off the needles added to the next batch I’ll be taking to the Outreach Center (at the end of February), along with just under a dozen hats I’ve received since I took that first load over. If you’re a hat knitter, I’d love for you to consider helping out! I’d love to bring over 40 or 50 more hats at the end of the month, to help keep as many vets warm and cozy as we possibly can!

And for those who don’t have the time to make a hat right now, know that NE Hats for Hope will continue to collect hats for people of all ages and genders for the foreseeable future. I’m hoping to donate bunches of baby hats to a local hospital this spring/summer, and then have a closet full of hats to donate around town next fall! Check out the NE Hats for Hope Initiative Facebook page for more info, and where to send hats!

Donating to the VA Hospital Outreach Center

Feb 11, 2013

January Challenge // Nebraska Hats For Hope Initiative

This month, help me bring hats to the Omaha VA Hospital, to be donated to the Omaha VA Hospital and Outreach Center. Located in southern midtown Omaha, the VA Hospital sees over 200 homeless vets year-round, providing them with a place to do laundry, receive a hot meal, as well as receive other services as needed. They are always in need of warm WASHABLE hats for the vets.  

For this challenge, there are just a few things to keep in mind:

• Please use acrylic yarns that are washer/dryer safe.
• Keep in mind, most of these vets are men, so gender-neutral colors are preferred.

SEND YOUR HATS TO:

Nebraska Hats For Hope Initiative

PO Box 6093

Omaha, NE 68106-6093

Learn more through these links:

Website || Ravelry

January Challenge // Nebraska Hats For Hope Initiative

Jan 2, 2013

December Challenge // Emily's Hats For Hope!

This month, help me send hats out to Emily in Morristown, NJ for her Emily's Hats For Hope organization!

"In December 2011, Emily realized she could help the homeless & working poor in her community by knitting warm winter hats for them. On December 27, 2011 Emily’s Hats For Hope Initiative was born."

What began as a way for Emily to use her knitting talent to help the folks around her has quickly become a world-wide movement involving over a dozen satellite groups and closet 4,000 donations to the main New Jersey branch alone!

Emily's organization has donated to a wide variety of locations, from local homeless shelters and food banks to churches and soup kitchens. This December, 1,000 hats are being donated to the Appalachia region of Kentucky - one of America's most impoverished areas.

 Recently on the Hats For Hope Facebook page, Emily posted that she's in need of men's hats - dark and neutral colors, and a bit bigger than many of the hats she's been receiving. It's true that we knitters love to use color and flourish, but with so many female-friendly hats coming in, Emily needs more "man-friendly" hats to hand out!

To kick off this new monthly challenge idea, I'm challenging readers to knit at least one man-friendly hat (the Sandoval Hat pattern knit in brown, grey, black or navy would be perfect!) and send it off to Emily's Hats For Hope! Hats can be made using acrylic or wool - no angora, please! All sizes and shapes are always needed, but for this challenge, please consider sending hats meant to fit an adult male. I'll check back in towards the end of the month with my donation status, and will include any links and/or photos to hats you all have sent in (as long as you leave a link on this post)!

Send your hats to:

Emily's Hats For Hope Initiative

PO Box 2374

07962-2374

Learn more through these links:

Website || Facebook Page

December Challenge // Emily's Hats For Hope!

Dec 3, 2012

bespeckled hats, weeks 2 and 3

i haven't forgotten my June/July challenge hats - i've just been having a harder time getting them off the needles than i thought i would! truth be told, i love this pattern. i love how the speckles look, especially now that i've branched away from just white speckles and on that light pink hat made black ones! i can't wait to add even more colors to the pile!

i've noticed one thing, however. i whip through the body of the hat at record speed, and then stall out at the decreases. i know exactly why - i'm used to knitting hats where the decreases are super simple and mindless. with this hat pattern, you have to focus on the decreases line by line, and every specked row has a different number of stitches between speckles. this means i can't mindlessly knit the decreases while watching television at the end of the day, or while reading a book. i have to actually look at the pattern, which apparently i want to do less than i'd realized! that knowledge in the bank, i've got renewed vigor with this pattern. this weekend alone i finished (finally!) the black hat with white speckles and both cast on for and finished the light pink hat with black speckles! i think that's a good trend, no?

bespeckled hats, weeks 2 and 3

Jun 25, 2012

a most bespeckled hat // week one

Oh, how I am loving working on these Bespeckeld Hats! I cast on for the first hat while on the road between Omaha and Chicago. Yes, I was a few days early, but I knew I had to get one on the needles fast, so I'd have something to work with in between family functions. There wasn't as much time to knit as I thought there was, and so I've only gotten these two hats done so far. I love knitting this hat however, and I can't wait to whip up a few more in the next week! In addition to sharing these hats I've made in the last week or so, I also have the pleasure of sharing an interview I did with Alex, the designer of A Most Bespeckled Hat!  

You've been a knitwear designer since 2006. At what point did you realize this could be a full-time gig?

Hmm... that's a good question. I started off selling finished hats and scarves on etsy, and it rapidly became apparently that the profit margin on that kind of thing is pretty...sad. So I started selling the patterns as well. I don't think it was until Ravelry came along that I realized there could actually be a big enough market to make it a career- Ravelry really changed the game for indie designers. But it's always been iffy whether or not it could truly be a full-time gig- even now, I'm not sure it's sustainable. I keep my cost of living really low at the moment, but at some point I'm going to need things like "my own health insurance" or "a new car because the old one died", haha.  

What's your favorite type of pattern to design? Favorite type of yarn to use?

It's probably obvious, but I gravitate towards hats. They're generally one size and take one or two skeins (which is fortunate, since most of my impulse buys are just a skein or two.) There's no "second sock syndrome" like with socks or mittens, and I can use heavier weight yarns than I would with most shawls. Cowls are fun too, but I wear hats more often. Favorite type of yarn... I like squooshy, soft, worsted weight wools, preferably with some good, subtle color depth. I use a lot of Malabrigo, obviously, and I love Madelinetosh's colors as well.

 If you weren't designing knitwear, what would you love to be doing?

That's something I've been thinking over a lot, actually. I don't think I'll ever stop knitting, but I think I'll probably follow up on another passion or two at some point- the trouble is that I have too many completely unrelated interests. I'm toying with the idea of proper fashion design, or maybe doing more writing or blogging. I've considered going back to school for marketing or to get a further psychology degree, but I don't like the idea of being saddled with major loans and having to take a job I don't love to pay them off. Some days all I want to do is live in the wilderness and have a herd of goats and make cheese... others I want to live in NYC and take photos of people's outfits. It's a problem.  

When you knit for others, what do you like to make? Do you have any go-to patterns?

Heh, I'm afraid I don't knit for others, much- usually just a few hats each Christmas. Generally I'll make something really basic and relaxing, like a plain old stockinette hat in some handspun yarn (which is tough to use in designs, so I save it for non-work knitting) with some buttons or a giant pom pom. Occasionally I'll use it as a test run for design ideas- Catacomb's prototype was a hat for my father-in-law. I don't often use other people's patterns, though I have a list a mile long of ones I'd like to find time for. Someday, someday...  

Your CAF blog looks like so much fun! What's your favorite non-knitting crafty outlet?!

Well, judging by the blog, it's "gluing glitter to things", haha! I haven't done that in awhile but now that it's warm and I can glue outside again, it'll be back, I'm sure. I recently took an online painting class, and that's been fun, though it's always a little frustrating for me to be at a "beginner" level with something. I need to learn to push through and put in the practice to actually get good at it. I've also gotten way into the nail polish trend, though I don't know if that really counts as crafty.

Don't forget, you can get 10% off the A Most Bespeckled Hat pattern when you purchase it using the code "IMAKEHATSTOO"!

a most bespeckled hat // week one

Jun 11, 2012

the June and July hat: A Most Bespeckled Hat!

I'm super excited to share the hat I'll be working on for June and July ... A Most Bespeckled Hat by Alexandra Tinsley! While I managed to work through bunches of my smaller bits of yarn in May, I've got bunches of remnants hanging out in a fun clear glass jar in our dining room - not enough to make even a baby hat, the colors don't go together enough to make a striped hat, and so I'm going to use them up making as many Bespeckled Hats as I can!

The Most Bespeckled Hat pattern is super customizable, but I'll be doing my best to stick with the pattern as written. I love that it comes with a fold-over brim for extra warmth, and that the pom is made in the contrasting color. Because we've got big plans to lounge by the pool at my mom's apartment complex as much as possible this summer, I'm combining June and July as far as charity knitting goes.

I still aim to knit at least 10 hats per month towards my charity goals, but by giving myself two months to knit up this hat instead of just one, I'm hoping to work through more of my stash, build up a big box of hats for the Chicago Food Pantry and still have plenty of lazy days. Yep, the charity we'll be making hats for in June and July is again the Chicago Food Pantry. I'm just blown away at all the need, and so I'm focusing my efforts for a few more months in the hopes that I can get as many hats for those kids as possible!  

JOIN IN ON THE FUN:

Because last year, over 1,000 kids used the services of this specific Chicago Food Pantry, the need is super great for hats again this year. I'd love to have you join in with me and knit some hats for these kids! To entice you to join in on the fun, I'll be offering up a few fun surprises throughout the month - think giveaways, incentives, and more!

Even more exciting, Alexandra is offering up a 10% discount on the Most Bespeckled Hat pattern for folks who will be joining me in knitting it up for charity during June and July! Simply head to Ravelry and the A Most Bespeckled Hat pattern page, and when you purchase the pattern use the code "IMAKEHATSTOO" to receive 10% off on the pattern. The coupon code will be good until June 14th, so you've got some time to decide if you want to join in on the fun!

the June and July hat: A Most Bespeckled Hat!

Jun 1, 2012

April Hat Round-Up

My April hats challenge is done, and it couldn't have gone better! Thanks to some wonderful yarn donated from a fellow Raveler, I worked all month on bunches and bunches of Waffle Hats - in between all the other hats I was knitting, of course! Over the course of the month I managed to knit up 1294 yards of yarn - no small feat! I'm already super excited about next month's challenge, but before I get to that tomorrow, I'd love to know how you all did on your challenge! Link up in the comments to the charity hats you made this month!

April Hat Round-Up

Apr 30, 2012

The April Hat: Waffles!

There are so many great hat patterns out there, I find myself overwhelmed by all the goodness! I've decided to focus on just one pattern each month and knit (or crochet!) as many of them as possible - mainly for charity. This way I'll get to knit at least a dozen fun patterns over the course of a year, make bunches of hats for charity, and let myself get obsessed for thirty days.

For April, I'm going to switch it up from the Jane Hat I've been knitting so much of, and dig into another fun hat pattern I've been loving on lately - the Waffles Hat! I've loved knitting this hat up in a variety of colors and with several different yarn weights, so for April I'm planning on making bunches of these Waffle Hats for sailors.

I'm casting on today with some lovely burnt orange yarn to kick things off - superwash wool that's perfect for those drafty and cold Naval ships! Hopefully you'll love this little challenge as much as I will, and you'll join in on the fun - at the end of the month I'll share the pile of hats I've made and invite you all to link up with me and share yours as well!

The April Hat: Waffles!

Apr 1, 2012

three months with Jane

 

I've spent the last three months knitting Jane hats on repeat, and now that March is almost done I'm proud to share I've reached my goal of knitting 20 of them for charity! These hats will all be boxed up in a few months and sent off to my friend Kathie in Chicago for her annual food pantry hat giveaway. Hooray!

Next month's personal hat challenge will be of a different nature, but I'll be back to knitting hats for Kathie soon I'm sure. Although it may be a month or two before I work up another Jane - after 20 for this project and a few extras given away, I may finally have hit my Jane limit!

three months with Jane

Mar 30, 2012

knit a squillion october update

October square knitting went ... not as well as i had planned, to be honest! i had huge hopes of working up far more than ten squares, but ended up below that goal.

seven squares is nothing to shake a stick at, to be sure, but it is also not enough to get me to my goal of ten squares a month, or 120 squares over the course of a year. so i'm making a big change -

i'm going to start crocheting my squares instead of knitting them.

Knit A Square accepts crochet items as well as knitted ones, so this switch won't affect my donating in any way. and because i know i can crochet squares faster than i can knit them, i'm hopeful i'll be able to start cranking out at least ten a month going forward.

how many squares did you all knit in October? what are you doing to help ensure you reach your goals, and how are you making changes to your plans along the way?

---

{These are charity knits 311 - 317 / 10,000. I'm knitting 10,000 items for charity in my lifetime as part of my Ten Thousand Project.}

knit a squillion october update

Nov 9, 2011

Knit A Squillion September Update

I'm changing it up a little bit with my Knit A Squillion posting - I'm switching to a monthly check-in, and calling it a knit-along! That way I'm not sharing one or two squares at a time, you folks have more time to knit (or crochet!) up your squares, and once a month we can come together and share all the pretties together!

September was a slower month in squares for me - you can see the posts I shared throughout the month here. I managed to make eight squares, which is more than I thought I would, but less than I wanted to. {photo above shows 10 squares - two are repeated in photos!}

I'm setting a big goal for October - to knit 15 squares and share the photos! This will help me bust through a bunch of my acrylic stash as well as get me back ahead of the game as far as my monthly goal for this project goes.

How was your square-making for September? Did you reach your goal, surpass it, or skate in below the line like I did?

Knit A Squillion September Update

Oct 5, 2011

one skein of black yarn

pattern: Boys Town Beanie (free pattern,  my own)
yarn: Red Heart Super Saver black
needles: Size US 10 / 6.0 mm

Curious to see how much I could knit using just one skein of black acrylic, I did just that last week.Three hats and most of one charity square. Not too bad! Hat on the right is for my husband, the other two are to be donated to charity, as is the square.

{These are charity knits 286 - 288/10,000. I'm knitting 10,000 items for charity in my lifetime as part of my Ten Thousand Project.}

one skein of black yarn

Oct 1, 2011

knit a squillion: week seven

After taking a week off from square-making, I'm back with four new squares this week. I've started to dip into some yarn I had set aside for my {finally finished!} stash blanket, so I'm not always sure what the fiber content is. I've set up a Ziploc bag, labelled "unknown fiber content" and am placing these squares in there - that way, when I mail the squares out, Knit-A-Square will know what's up!

What have you all been knitting on lately? Any squares for the Knit-A-Square one million goal? Anything else for charity? My big goal between now and the end of the year is to bring my charity knits number up to 400 - a tall order, but if I keep up with the squares I should be able to make it!

{These are charity knits 282-285/10,000. I'm knitting 10,000 items for charity in my lifetime as part of my Ten Thousand Project.}

knit a squillion: week seven

Sep 28, 2011

knit a squillion: week six

Two squares are better than one! Now that Owen is just over three weeks old, we're starting to get back into a rhythm, just a little bit day by day. This means I'm figuring out when I've got knitting time, when is best for napping, and what I can and can't get done around the house as well.

Proof of a bit of routine is these two squares - somehow getting one more square done than I've gotten done in previous weeks seems like a huge accomplishment to me! It means I'm still on track for my ten squares this month, gives me hope that I can get three done next week, and means I'm definitely getting into a new normal!

How was your square making this month? I'd love to see your squares, shared in the Linky Tools below!

{This is charity knit 280/10,000. I'm knitting 10,000 items for charity in my lifetime as part of my Ten Thousand Project.}

knit a squillion: week six

Sep 14, 2011

knit a squillion; week five

yet again, i've managed to only make one square in a week. i'm telling you what, having an adorable infant at home can make it hard to want to knit as much!

it has also apparently sucked away my desire to take decent photos!

in all seriousness, i have been knitting quite a bit - just not squares. a thing or two for Owen, a thing or two for charity, and a bunch of things for the shop ... hopefully for a large update next week! squares however, have not made it onto my needles as much as i'd like. hopefully i can remedy that over the next few days, and also get back into the swing of taking better photos again!

i set a goal of knitting 10 squares a month for Knit A Square. in august, i managed to knock out 17, so i'm ahead of the game still. with just one square so far in september however, i've got a ways to go if i want to reach this month's goal!

in the meantime, how has your square knitting been going? are you reaching your monthly goals?

---

{This is charity knit 279/10,000. I'm knitting 10,000 items for charity in my lifetime as part of my Ten Thousand Project.}

knit a squillion; week five

Sep 7, 2011