Penguin Sweaters

When I heard about the oil tanker breaking up off the coast of New Zealand, I wondered if there would be a call to knitters to help. Unfortunately, there was. Skeinz Yarn Shop in New Zealand asked knitters to knit Penguin jumpers for a colony of Blue Penguins that were affected by the oil spill. Ravelry had a lively discussion going. (Yes, how is the elastic added?) I saw penguins wearing their sweaters on my local TV news. Snopes.com has a page declaring that the call for penguin sweaters is NOT a hoax. So while I was trying to figure out the meaning of 8 ply yarn, old needle sizes, and which conversions to trust, the rest of the knitting world came to the aid of penguins. In what felt like a mere matter of days, knitters rallied, and now there are more than enough Penguin Jumpers for all the affected birds. I am so pleased. However, I still intend to knit these little sweaters for the next time. Sad to say, I think there will be more oil spills.

2012 Special Olympics Scarves

I first heard the call for donations of hand knitted (or crocheted) scarves for the Special Olympics in 2009. The Special Olympics Winter World Games were going to be held in Boise, Idaho and the organizers need 5,000 scarves to give to the athletes. They got 60,000! Every state in the US and 12 countries sent in donations. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oHNoWJ0YmA Coats & Clark sponsored effort and donated skeins of yarn in delft blue and white for volunteers to knit or crochet scarves.

Apparently, in 2011, they received 26,000 scarves. I didn't hear about that campaign, although I looked. Alas, in all the wrong places.

For the 2012 USA Games, Special Olympics is continuing the tradition of seeking scarf donations. Red Heart Yarn has 4 choices in the official colors of red and navy. Complete project guidelines and patterns are available at: http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/states There are many state programs with specific delivery deadlines listed on the guidelines page. But, being me, I'm a rogue with no state! (And I have two location possibilities of the state I live in and the state my cousin lives in.) My scarf, made in honor of my cousin Carol who has Downs, is already underway.

I used their pattern: 10 rows of stockinette broken with 4 rows of a lace (11/13: *yo, K2tog, repeat. 12/14: *yo, P2tog, repeat). Finished size: 6"x 60"

Consider participating!

Unfulfilled in paradise

I was sorely disappointed not to find any knitting supplies on my recent trip to Hawaii (the Big Island). I inquired at a few shops but no one knew any knitters, much less where one would get yarn. Finally, I found a clerk who thought there might still be a knitting group in Waimea, but this was said with much uncertainty. As we often shopped in that town -- which has sheep grazing in yards and a Starbucks with a fireplace! -- I thought there was a good chance I'd find something. I even spotted this sign: "Woolcraft!" Alas! The only wool for sale was for needlepoint. Apparently, another visiting (aka tourist) knitter had called in a panic trying to find needles, but there were none to be had there. So my dreams to purchase Hawaiian-made koa needles were dashed, too.

Updates...

3 for 3 ... drove past the bike rack on three days and yes there were different bikes hitched to it.