a4A at the Textile Museum in DC, Last Sunday

For more than a year now, Sarah's been representing the afghans for Afghans project at the Quarterly Knitting Circles at the Textile Museum in Washington, DC, near Dupont Circle. Thank you, Sarah! Wish I could have joined you all. I've always loved the Textile Museum since the days when I lived in DC during the Reagan Administration. Too much information, I know!

Below, Sarah is to the left of Textile Museum Curator of Education Tom Goehner in the middle. I've mentioned previously that Tom has been a friend of a4A since the beginning, back in late 2001 when I contacted Tom, then the curator of the Red Cross Museum, about knitting during wartime. Andrea, on the far right, is a long-time crochet volunteer (ask her for advice on crocheting superb, well-fitting mittens). Knitting volunteer Debra is to the left of Andrea. And, Museum volunteer Linda is on the far left. This is not a political spectrum, don't worry! The turnout may have been low because no exhibits are on view, with the pending move, coming up. Small is beautiful in any case.

Here are the ladies posing with the ancestor above the mantel. Oh, this house will be missed ...

I actually don't think we're saying good-bye to the historic house in Dupont Circle just yet. There may be one more Quarterly Knitting Circle in March. We'll post to our email list when we can confirm.

Bolani at Costco!

Boy, was I surprised when I walked into an Afghan food display at Costco in San Francisco. Now, that's making it in America! Very cool. I bought 1 spinach bolani. Must go back for more.

A little blurry ... low-calorie and low-carb. Super marketing!

This is Yasmen, the son of the owner. We visited while he and Daoud packed up their display at the end of the day. He was only a kid when he emigrated here. From time to time, he returns to his homeland to visit.

Visiting a4A friends in NYC ...

While in NYC, I stopped by Knitty City on 79th near Amsterdam. Just happened to walk by. Met owner Pearl and had a chance to personally thank her for their a4A knitting. Mason-Dixon Knitting's Kay Gardiner has organized a4A knitting from time to time at this small and very loaded shop. I could have spent hours in Knitty City, but I forced myself out to get over to the Met Museum for the exhibit, "Interwoven Globe, The Worldwide Textile Trade: 1500-1800." What a great day, and then there was the night ... what's with the cake slices and cookies in every storefront window on every block?

All our boxes delivered to NGO Trust in Education!

I will write soon to our nationwide email list with the final count on our 2013 campaign for NGO Trust in Education (TIE).

We finished reviewing and packing up all the top-quality wool garments for NGO Trust in Education. Our devoted local packing crew used some muscle taping up the bursting boxes. We always over-stuff to prevent the boxes from crushing. Terrific team work and greatly appreciated. Stephen McNeil, the associate director at AFSC, is very pleased with our cartons ...

This past weekend we delivered the last of our boxes filled with sweaters, socks, mittens, and hats. We loaded our rental truck on 9th Street, in front of the AFSC building. On the left side of this photo is Twitter's new HQ (retrofitted in the old merchandise mart) ... the neighborhood is changing rapidly. Mind-blowing, but that's another story. We're just a couple blocks from San Francisco's beautiful Beaux Arts City Hall. Sharon's on the right, Monty (our truck driver) and Ann on the left.

We drove our truck -- over the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge! -- over to the East Bay where TIE's founder Budd has a warehouse. Our boxes are added to Budd's other humanitarian supplies, and the whole mass gets staged for the plane to Afghanistan. This is Budd on the right ...

Why the blue tape? Why the orange tape? What's wrong with other colors? (Nothing!) The blue tape identifies our boxes as they move overseas as part of a large shipment. The orange tape is code for "girls sweaters" to help the distributors get the boxes to their intended recipients. We're not sure yet when the plane departs, but will report to our email list when we hear.

A big heartfelt thank you to the knitters and crocheters for Afghanistan. You are generous, talented, and caring. You keep all the packers motivated and inspired. Thank you for reaching out to the Afghan people during war time, especially after so many years. Can't wait until our wool gifts get to the Afghans -- imagine Afghan families wearing our handiwork on the other side of the world!

Thank you to Trust in Education for including the afghans for Afghans project on their plane and in their plans.

Sharing a few photos here ...

Thought you would like to see Kim's photo (in Wisconsin) of her socks for the TIE campaign. (I can't bring myself to call this yarn-bombing on our blog, but we don't have to name it to enjoy it.) Thanks, Kim!

We've seen a lot of sweaters in the AFSC Basement across many years. Always surprising when we receive a garment that looks like nothing received previously. Check out this crocheted sweater design made in the round (sorry about the lousy photo ... the arm gusset appears smaller than actual) --

This is sad, but I feel like noting here (and hope you don't mind) ... this very red sweater was knit by Rita, a long-time member of our community garden at Fort Mason in San Francisco, for the TIE campaign. Rita passed away this summer. She was knitting this sweater from wool provided by Lou (another gardener), and a hat, but got too tired to finish. Her friend, Erna, completed the sleeves with wonderful deep cuffs that can be rolled up and down as needed. We packed up Rita's gifts for a child in Afghanistan. We miss Rita.

Three pairs on the way

I didn't produce as many things as I'd hoped to for this campaign, but these three pairs of mittens = three pairs of warm hands, so that's something. I did finish the striped ones, but they needed a bath. I am hoping I'll be able to send them tomorrow, but I wanted to be sure the rest would get there on time.

For the blue pair with a cable, I used Momogus's cabled mitten pattern, with a few adjustments; that pair used a Green Mountain Spinnery yarn that I love, and that has been discontinued. The other two pairs follow my basic mitten pattern. The grayish-green are made with Elann's Peruvian Highland Chunky, also, I am told, about to be discontinued. The brick-red pair are made from Peace Fleece. I think these hefty worsted weights are probably my favorite yarn category. At least today.

What is everybody doing? It seems that with 4 days to go until the deadline there should be a fair number of boxes on the way!

The countdown continues

Socks from my sister, the mysterious RTD2:

Twelve pairs, adult size, all in Peace Fleece. They'll be on the way tomorrow!

P.S. I did finish yesterday's mittens. Now, in a fit of something, I'm thinking I can do just one more pair. . .

countdown

When I woke up this morning, it was 10 days to the deadline for socks, mittens, and hats to get to San Francisco in time to make it into the current shipment. I work well under pressure, so decided to try to make one more pair:

It helps when you use big needles and big yarn and the mittens are just 30 stitches around. . . they may not be elegant, but they are thick and warm and virtually indestructible. This picture was taken not long ago, and I am already past the second blue stripe. So I think they'll be ready for their bath tomorrow!

Yarns are Lamb's Pride Bulky and Alafoss Lopi. Follow the instructions for the smallest size of this pattern,* using needles to make a nice firm fabric -- I am getting 4 sts/inch (16 sts/10 cm) with a US size 8 (5.0 mm). I knit loosely, so most people will be happier with a 9 or 10. This will make mittens for a woman's medium-sized hand.

*The pattern works for any gauge, because I wrote it using row counts rather than linear measurements.

These three went into the mail earlier this week.  The two pair on the bottom were stripes, with many of the stripes being two yarns held together.  On the needles right now (though they won't be done by 9/30) is a simple sock in a variagated green wool.  I love using up odds and ends of yarn by making stripes, but at this point I am ready for a project with no ends to weave in. 

Box of Mittens

My goal for this campaign was enough mittens to fill a medium-size priority mail box.  Eight pairs did it.  (I probably could have squeezed a couple more pairs in.)  2 and 7/8 pairs are made from the wool/alpaca/nylon sock yarn (3 strands) that Elizabeth D. sent me.  The green-and-blue pair had the last few rows of the thumb finished with wool chunky yarn.  You can tell the difference if you look closely.  The three pairs along the bottom are more of the 100% wool chunky, and the multi-colored pairs are from 100% worsted-weight wool.

 

My cat waited until I was finished taking pictures and started repacking the box to attack the mittens. So I got to add de-hairing the mittens to the packing process!

 

Gwyneth Duncan, Durham, NC

Can it possibly be September?

Caught me by surprise.

I did not do as much for this campaign as I had hoped. As some may remember, I got almost all the way to the end of a sweater and then discovered that a gauge disaster had developed partway through. That project is sitting in a box -- I am not sure who is sulking more, knitter or sweater -- while I wait for a bad-tempered moment so that I can rip it out for maximum enjoyment.

Meanwhile, I've made a few pairs of mittens and started a pair of socks. It doesn't sound like much, but if we all send in the bits that don't sound like much, it adds up to quite a lot. And that many more kids will get to have at least a little bit of warmth in the coming winter.

I will share pictures when they come out of the washing machine. Yes, I wash everything before I mail to A4A. Why? Several reasons: (1) my knitting travels with me, and who knows what it's been up to; (2) sometimes I use yarn that's been around for quite a while, and who knows what it's been up to; (3) it's just manners; and (4) even though I knit pretty evenly, a nice soak evens out the stitches even more.

So -- if you've just made one pair of mittens or a pair of socks and think it's not worthwhile to mail them, you are mistaken! Get those in an envelope. You can be sure that there are at least 20 others out there in the same boat -- and 21 pairs of mittens is quite a few! Due date for hats, mittens, and socks is September 30, so you have time. And if you're only halfway through the second sock, there's plenty of time to finish it now.

School has started here (today is the first day) and a few leaves are starting to drift down from the trees. Time to get those needles revved up and moving faster. . . maybe I could do a couple more pairs before the end of the month?

Where did August go ... our August scrapbook for you.

Here are several photos from our packing sessions at the AFSC Basement during August. Most of these pics were kindly taken by Alexandra. We didn't get photos of all the elves (elves in August?), but shout out a heartfelt RAH! to all who helped open packages, sort and inspect, and wrestle the garments into the cartons. It's a labor of love that only knitters and crocheters could undertake.

We hope you are having a good Labor Day weekend wherever you are.

Susan joined us from Alameda, which is over the Bay Bridge in the East Bay. (Susan and all have no bridge access to SF this weekend! New half-a-bridge scheduled to open on Tuesday. BART still there for us.)

Sue and Ann (who uses the Golden Gate Bridge) reviewing piles of glorious wool mittens and socks.

On one of her precious day's off, Heather joined us again in August (via ferry). I think she's holding the sweater knit by her friend Olivia.

Take a look at this sweater detail ... zipper, edging, buttons ... if anyone sees a link to this color stitch technique, please post!

This is detail from Bridget's sweater. Bridget's been sending us amazing sweaters from New Mexico for many years. This particular sweater is mind-blowing because she used the Afghan motif that's on our Afghan Men's Vest pattern.

Bye, bye! Carol boarding her ferry for Vallejo. Rene will be there waiting with the cheese. Oh, and the bridge in the background is the western span of the Bay Bridge that is staying put. The eastern span is being replaced ... more than 2 decades after the Loma Prieta Quake.

a4A bloggers, please add yourselves to our scrapbook here!

Summer Batch

Here's my summer batch of mittens waving goodbye to New Hampshire before leaving to warm 16 children's hands in Afghanistan.

Hello from Deb, Budd, Sharon, Michael ...

Say hello back to Deb from Brier, Washington ...

Feeling calm and serene now?

Here's Budd, the founder of Trust in Education, on the left, and Sharon and Michael, who drove some of our packed cartons over to Budd's warehouse this past weekend ... thank you, Sharon and Michael!

This may have been our last drive over the Bay Bridge before they open the new eastern span. You can see both the old and the new here as we were driving back from San Leandro to San Francisco. Two centuries, side by side ... crazy, amazing how they've been building this for 20 or so years, and with little disruption to traffic. When you visit SF, we know you will visit the GG Bridge, but please be sure to drive over the Bay Bridge into the city.

Mittens on the road

It is that time of year again -- yes, it is Philadelphia Folk Festival weekend. I live over here in the east, and it is close to me. We go every year. At a large outdoor festival, with people constantly coming and going and eating and walking in front of you and talking loudly, it can hardly be construed as rude if you choose to knit while attempting to enjoy the music:

I knit small things, usually mittens or socks, at festivals. It is the perfect time to add one more thing to the A4A box. There is always either mud or dust (sometimes you can be lucky enough to get both in the same weekend) and I need things that are easy to cram into a plastic bag and then easy to wash before I send them away. I do, however, strongly recommend against letting your bamboo needles sit in the rain -- they will never be the same.

I am glad we still get to send the little things, because my failed sweater is still in time out. It may just get re-knit into more mittens. That will show it . . .

cushy green socks

Now that the big sweater drive is over, I figured it was time to turn my attention back to socks. From this blog, I learned a while ago the advantages of knitting socks in heavier weight than your typical sock yarn. I happened to have in my stash an odd skein of Miss Babs' Yowza! What a skein, which is classified as a light worsted-weight.

One skein was more than plenty for two pairs of woman-size socks. I used a #3 circular and cast on 48 sts for each pair. The first one was knitted in stockinette; for the second, I switched to a 3/1 rib. I have enough yarn left for a child-size pair... I think! These two pairs turned out really cushy and should keep someone's feet properly warm.

Springtime Sweater

I found this sweater while looking for an accent yarn to finish the one currently OTN.  I wonder if it is too light in colour for Afghanistan?  It's 100% wool, I knit it last winter for another group's campaign but missed their deadline.  I can send it to them this winter, but if it would be acceptable for the girls' campaign I think it's a very pretty set of colours - yellow, green, blue, and violet.  Thoughts?

Diane's Post with Hat Patterns (via Ann)

I am posting this for Diane ... -- Ann

The two current campaigns are so inspiring. I was able to knit a sweater and then supplementing a few basic yarns with lots of odds and ends, I knit a bunch of mittens and hats. The pattern for the mittens is called "Cloisonee" by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka The Yarn Harlot. Putting the various color combinations together was so much fun.

The color design on these mittens uses a stitch called "knit 4 below". I was also introduced to this stitch with the “Little Bubbles” baby sweater by Nina Isaacson. When I tired of mittens, I used a basic hat pattern and incorporated the K4B stitch and also used odd bits to make the striped hats as well. If you are like me and save every bit of leftover yarn, this is the perfect use for those bits!

Attached is a photo of the items. I've attached the hat patterns for anyone who is interested.

Diane

These hats is designed to use those wonderful bits of fiber in your stash, the tiny ones you were saving but weren’t sure why. This are both a standard hat pattern that incorporates the “knit 4 below” stitch to create the geometric design in hat #1 and regular strips for hat #2. You may know the K4B stitch from other patterns. I was introduced to it from two such patterns: “Cloisonee” mittens by Stephanie Pearl McPhee; “Little Bubbles” baby sweater by Nina Isaacson”.

Gauge: 18 sts & 24 rows over 4 inches using size 8 needles (16” circular and dpn)

HAT #1 - GEOMETRIC

Size: This size fits a head circumference of 21.5 inches. To make a smaller hat, decrease the cast on by increments of 4 stitches and when decreasing for the crown, adjust decreases accordingly.

Instructions for K4B (knit 4 below) stitch are at the end of this pattern.

Row 1: Using main hat color, cast on 96 stitches; join work being careful not to twist the stitches; place marker to indicate beginning of round.
Rows 2 – 8 are 7 rows of garter stitch: Purl rounds 2, 4, 6, 8 ; Knit rounds 3, 5, 7.
Row 9 – 12: Change to desired color and knit 4 rounds.
Row 13: *K3, K4B, repeat from *around.
Row 14-16: Knit 3 rounds.
Row 17: K1, *K4B, K3, repeat from * around
Row 18-20: Knit 3 rounds.
Row 21-24: Repeat rows 13-16.
Row 25-28: Repeat rows17-20.
Row 29-32: Repeat rows 13-16.
Row 33-36: Repeat rows 17-20.
Row 37-40: Repeat rows 13-16.
[Note: if you’d like a longer hat, repeat rows 13-20 as many times as you’d like here then continue with these instructions even though the row numbers will change accordingly.]
Rows 41-44 are 4 rows of garter stitch: Purl round 41, 43 Knit round 42-44.
The following rows begin and create the crown of the hat…
Row 45: *P1, K15, repeat from * around.
Row 46: Repeat row 45.
Row 47: Repeat row 45.
Row 48, decrease row: *P1, K13, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 49: *P1, K14, repeat from * around.
Row 50, decrease row: *P1, K12, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 51: *P1, K13, repeat from * around.
Row 52, decrease row: *P1, K11, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 53, decrease row: *P1, K10, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 54, decrease row: *P1, K9, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 55, decrease row: *P1, K8, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Following rows: continue decreasing in this pattern until 12 stitches remain on the needles, then K2tog around. Cut yarn leaving a tail long enough to thread through the stitches, thread through the 12 stitches and pull tightly, secure tail.
Instructions for K4B stitch…
These instructions sound tricky until you try it. Knit 4 below is as simple as this:
On the K4B stitch, insert the right needle into the 4th stitch below the stitch on the left needle. This will be the first stitch in the different color section below. Place the yarn around the inserted needle, in back, and pull through per usual. Now that you’ve knit this stitch, drop off the stitch that is waiting on the left needle. The dropped off stitch will run down 4 stitches. It will not unravel past this point so don’t worry. You will be using the K4B stitch every 4th row which is what creates the diamond shaped, offset geometric pattern.

HAT # 2 - STRIPES

Size: This size fits a head circumference of 21.5 inches. To make a smaller hat, decrease the cast on by increments of 4 stitches and when decreasing for the crown, adjust decreases accordingly.

Row 1: Using main hat color, cast on 96 stitches; join work being careful not to twist the stitches; place marker to indicate beginning of round.
Rows 2 – 8 are 7 rows of garter stitch: Purl rounds 2, 4, 6, 8 ; Knit rounds 3, 5, 7.
Rows 9 - 40 are knitting color strips of your own choice of colors and strip size. If you’d like a longer hat, just add more rows here even though the row numbers will change accordingly.
Rows 41-44 are 4 rows of garter stitch: Purl round 41, 43 Knit round 42-44.
The following rows begin and create the crown of the hat…
Row 45: *P1, K15, repeat from * around.
Row 46: Repeat row 45.
Row 47: Repeat row 45.
Row 48, decrease row: *P1, K13, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 49: *P1, K14, repeat from * around.
Row 50, decrease row: *P1, K12, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 51: *P1, K13, repeat from * around.
Row 52, decrease row: *P1, K11, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 53, decrease row: *P1, K10, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 54, decrease row: *P1, K9, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Row 55, decrease row: *P1, K8, K2tog, repeat from * around.
Following rows: continue decreasing in this pattern until 12 stitches remain on the needles, then K2tog around. Cut yarn leaving a tail long enough to thread through the stitches, thread through the 12 stitches and pull tightly, secure tail.

Ardis, Sharon, and Heather sorting and packing at the AFSC Basement

Ardis and Sharon (middle) hold sweaters knit by Olivia, and Heather holds her TWO Lopi sweaters. (Heather and Olivia work together over in Marin, on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Maybe they knit on their lunch hour.) The girls at the TIE school in Farza are going to LOVE these sweaters.

I am not sure of the current count. We didn't get a chance to update the total before we had to run. I think we are close to the goal 500 sweaters. I will check on this next week, and let you know. Wool mittens, socks, and hats are gratefully received, too. Thanks to all!

Size 15 needles and no seams.

Here's a jacket (Drops Design "Mist") made from the Blue Sky Alpaca Bulky yarn that was donated to a4A some time ago.  It should fit a 12-14 year old girl.  After I modeled it, I washed and blocked it.  It should be dry in a day or so.  Since it weighs 2 lbs., I'll try to deliver it, rather than mail it!

Hello from the AFSC Basement

Annette calls these museum-quality sweaters ... she's right.

Carol showing the sweater made by Allison, the co-moderator of our Ravelry friends group --

Ardis modeling the sweater she made ...

Antje and Ann B. get close up to the sweaters` as part of the inspection process ... who can resist?

Thank you to all the volunteers for your beautiful, first-class wool sweaters, hats, mittens, and socks.

Our local packing crew is tops! The Louver Museum!

Annette in her garden ...

We've received several terrific photos of knitters in action that we're giving to Budd of NGO Trust in Education for his presentation to the girls at the school in the fall.

I just can't resist sharing this photo of Annette with you. I'm not sure whether we should laugh or cringe. Do you realize what's in her photo?

Keep in mind, I just saw Annette today at our packing session. She's here in San Francisco and a long-time volunteer. Her specialty is opening large piles of packages for hours, dealing with the recycling of all the cardboard, and reviewing notes enclosed from volunteers. (Thank you Annette! xoxoxo)

Annette has been *crocheting* terrific sweaters. Not easy to do. Crocheting a garment has particular challenges for fit, fabric texture (gauge, I suppose?), and drape -- the crochet stitch has less elasticity and is more dense. Annette has mastered the crochet sweater.

Annette gave me permission to post this photo. I hope that none of our Afghan friends see this photo!

Good morning.  I think I may have finally figured out how to send a post, thanks to Teresa.
I have finished this little purple sweater and had so much fun with it adding some fun touches.
I learn so many new things with each one I do, like the pocket on the sleeve and the pouch pocket
on the front.  Also the i-cords for the ties in case she might want to tie a bow to make the neck
tighter. It's done in Paton's Classic Wool Wisteria with lime accents and  should fit a 10-12.
Hope it's suitable.

Sheila

Sweater ready to mail

This sweater is packed and ready to mail.  I tried it on a slender fourteen
year old  and it fit her, so hopefully it will work for one of the older
students. I used Cascade Lana Grande for the main color (called
 "baking chocolate") and some Eco+ doubled from my stash for the
sleeve stripes.

2 sweaters for the campaign

Here are the two sweaters I delivered to A for A last week.  I went to SF on Friday to help sort and unpack the beautiful sweaters, hats, mittens and socks that everyone is sending.  I always get ideas from all of the other knitters and crocheters out there.

In these sweaters, I used slip stitch patterns.  It's a great way to add your leftovers to your projects.

It's in the mail!

Just packed and mailed this pullover. It is supposed to arrive on Saturday. The pattern is from Paton, called Andrew's Stripes, but I used just a few rows of the peach color. That went faster and avoided all the weaving in of ends. Happy days!