Pattern: Renfrew, by Jane Richmond
Yarn: Cascade 220 (I used xx yards for this hat)
Needles: US 8 / 5.0mm 16" circulars and dpns

I loved knitting this hat! In fact, I loved knitting it so much, I knit straight through to the decreases in about one day of knitting time. Getting from the body of the hat to the decreases took a few weeks, unfortunately, but that wasn't due to pattern issues, rather it was all due to user error. I found myself stalled out, and so I set the hat down and got busy with other things.

I will fully admit I love knitting everything Jane Richmond writes. I followed the pattern in every way, not deviating one little bit - a rarity for me, as I find I at least change up the cast on or the needle size. But Renfrew was such perfection I did not change a bit as I knit my way through it.

A reminder to those who would take up this hat pattern as I have - you need to weave in your ends on the side you've been thinking is the right side! One of the genius parts of this pattern is that it is knit entirely inside out so as to minimize the number of purl stitches one needs to perform. However, you must remember that at the end, so you don't make the mistake I made and weave in the ends on what is to end up being the right side of the hat!

I didn't realize my mistake until after the hat had been washed and was blocking, and so I turned the hat right side out, sought out the ends of yarn that were peeking out, and tucked them in. Not perfection, but I'm not sure anyone but myself will ever notice.

This hat will kick off my newest refugee hat pile. I keep them all in an ottoman we got for Owen's bedroom, but that he no longer uses. When it's full up, I know it's time to stuff a shipping bag full!

(Of note: Jane was kind enough to send me a free copy of this hat pattern when she heard I was in a knitting slump and was hoping to kick it by using one of her patterns. She did not, however, ask me to write about it after making the hat, and all opinions are my own)

Renfrew

Mar 9, 2016


I've been reading books by the handful again recently, thanks in large part to being a middle school teacher now! I've been reading lots of ya fiction, and have been loving all the words bumping around in my brain again.

I decided to pick back up with my reading reviews, after so many months of not writing them. Hopefully I'll keep it up more steadily this time, as I've been reading so many I want to share!

Chicks with Sticks (Knitwise), by Elizabeth Lenhard. Our school librarian found out I'm a knitter, and immediately went to the shelves and found this book for me! The story of a high school girl who discovers knitting, and gains a few friends in the process, after a family tragedy, I loved this book to the moon and back! At the end, there are a few patterns for beginner knitters even!

El Deafo, by Cece Bell. We have a decent selection of graphic novels in the classroom, but this one is from the public library. The students love it, so I'm going to pick up a copy for the room. El Deafo is the story of a girl who loses her hearing at a young age, and must navigate learning to use hearing aides, being different at school, challenges with friends, and even a potential super power!

Chicken, by Chase Night. I've read this book at least three times now, and I'm sure I'll read it at least once a year for the rest of my life. If you haven't read it yet, comment below - I've got a few copies to give out to those who want them!

The Maze Runner (Book 1), by James Dashner. I actually wasn't sure about this one for about the first third of the book. It felt excessively violent to me, for whatever reason. As I continued to read, I changed my mind, and got excited to read the second book in the series.

The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner, Book 2), by James Dashner. The second book in the Maze Runner series, I found myself liking this book better than the first. It picks up right where the first book left off, with teenagers running for their lives in the midst of a wold in peril. I flew through the book, and as soon as my students are done with the third in the series, I'm going to hop onto it!

I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives, by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda. Such a great book! The memoir of two middle school students, living halfway around the world from one another, who become pen pals and change each others' lives. I'll fully admit I was in love with this book from the first chapter, and have already recommended it to several of my honors kids.

Counting by 7s, by Holly Goldberg Sloan. The story of a biracial girl who is navigating her way through the foster care system, this book tore at my heart on multiple occasions, and I cried at least three times. Perfection from the first page to the last, I would recommend this book to every single person I know!

The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion. Oh man, this book. So sad, such a perfect snapshot of grief. Didion is one of my favorites, and this book will stay on my shelves forever.

Evil Genius, by Catherine Jinks. I wasn't super impressed with this book. I just couldn't empathize with any of the characters, and while I knew this was the first book in a series that had been recommended to me, I couldn't do it. I finished the book, reluctantly, and then opted out of the rest of the series.

(Note: Links in this post are Amazon affiliate links)

While Knitting, February 2016

Mar 7, 2016


Pattern: Gallatin Scarf, by Kris Basta (free pattern)
Yarn: Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn! Solids (I used 165 yards, so about 1/2 of a skein)
Needles: US 10.5 / 6.5mm

It was mentioned yesterday in a comment that maybe I was just a bit burnt out on knitting hats, and I'm pretty sure that was the truest statement ever made!

With Renfrew still sitting, waiting for decreases to happen, I cast on Gallatin after a late-night Raverly binge wherein I found project after project being added to my queue. I'm not even sure how I happened upon the pattern for Gallatin (which is offered free on Kris' website), but after showing it to several different people, and each of them falling in love with the scarf, I knew I had to give it a try.

I cast on for Gallatin on Thursday after school, and was binding off and weaving in ends on Saturday morning. This quick knit definitely got me fully out of my knitting slump, gave me a cute scarf to wear on the colder spring days, and got me so excited to keep knitting I immediately grabbed my Renfrew hat and finished it as well!

This scarf is perfect for those who knit to donate - the lace is super beginner-friendly, the scarf isn't bulky at all (which makes it perfect for folks in all sorts of temperatures and situations), it can be wrapped loosely around the neck like a scarf or twisted around like a cowl (by tucking the ends in), and it can be made in wool, acrylic OR even cotton! I've already got plans for some rogue skeins of acrylic in my stash that I didn't know what to do with - they will make gorgeous Gallatin scarves!

Plus, the pattern is simple to remember, and takes just a few evenings of non-concentrated work to finish! I knit on mine while playing trains with Owen, watching Curious George with Lou, and even while having a beer at the end of the night with Zach!

As for donations, while I'll be keeping this first grey Gallatin for myself, I know I'll be making more for donation. Any I make out of wool will be sent on to Nest Maine, but all the ones I plan to make in acrylic? I'll be sending those on to the Pine Ridge Reservation! There is a group on Ravelry that is always sending donations to this area of the country that is so steeped in poverty it makes me a bit sick, and I know the scarves will be used and loved there!

Gallatin Scarf

Mar 6, 2016

Earlier this week, I received a comment from someone anonymous. As the question was a great one to have asked, I thought I'd share it, and my answer, here! The question was:

Several years ago I was given multiple bags (unopened, same dye lot per bag) of wool blend sock yarn. The local agencies I knit for do not want any wool clothing and the one I mail to only wants heavy weight wool socks. I have at least enough Kroy sock yarn to make 25 pairs of socks and am looking for somewhere to donate wool blend socks knitted with standard "sock" yarn (ie. 28sts = 4in on #3 needles).

So, you know my first response is ... make that yarn into Sockhead Hats and Basic Beanies! Both patterns use just about any "standard" sock yarn you have in your stash, and work up super warm while also being thin enough that you can send bunches of them for donation to a wide variety of charities.

But the real question was where to send those finished items, specifically who accepts socks. There's a few charities I know of that love to get wool socks all year long!

Nest: Maine, which has been accepting items for northern Maine residents for about a decade now, is always my go-to when people ask where they can donate woolen items. Nest accepts all manner of items, from hats and mittens to vests, sweaters, and even socks! All sizes are needed, and it's helpful to label the socks for size before you send them on over.

Another great organization is Hats And More For War-Torn Syria, which is actually a Ravelry group. What began as a way to collect just hats for refugees has become a global effort to clothe those fleeing war and disaster with wooly warmth. Socks are ALWAYS needed for this organization as well, and they simply request you tie the socks together with a spare bit of yarn so the pair doesn't get separated in transit. The Ravelry group has addresses both for the US and for the UK, so folks from all over the globe can ship to the cheapest option for them. All items are sent to refugee camp with aide workers through Salaam Cultural Museum, an internationally recognized aide group.

I hope that helps you out! And I'd love to see pictures of the items you make to donate - just tag them #shemakeshats on social media and I'll hopefully see them!!

(photo from the Kroy yarn page on Ravelry)

Donating Items Made From Sock Yarn

Mar 3, 2016

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