Christmas is Coming

If you've checked back with us since Thanksgiving then you've probably noticed the turkey is still knitting. Cute as she is, it's time for a change. It's not that we've been idle - it's just that, aaaccckkkk, Christmas is coming. We're 10 days close now.

The ladies have been busy. Prayer shawl work continues and soon we'll have more additions. We will (yes, we WILL!) get organized soon, find a place to display our shawls, etc. In the meantime, check out the great sign that Katie made to advertise us.

Please come Thursday and knit (crochet, etc.) with us. Last chance before Christmas and New Year's Days on the following two Thursdays. We'll be there at 10:00.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

May all of you have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving.

Working on 3 Shawls

Hi there,

I have been in class and several other projects during the last 2 weeks. To make things even more hecticc, my yarn-loving kitty (Chonda) sat on my first shawl and pulled out a couple of stitches while getting comfortable. I had left my project on my bed while going to the hairdresser, something I will never do again.

I am also working 2 shawls in 2 totally different color schemes, designs, and yarns. I am going to have lots of time between now and the end of the year to work on them and am hoping to have them finished to be received at Christmastime.

I hope after the first of the year as many of you as possible can have a meeting here at the library at Grace Living Center; quite a nice area with lovely furniture which is quite comfortable and provides lots of sitting space.

As I don't travel well on a regular basis this is about the best place for me to be able to meet all of you, though I understand it may take a while to meet ALL of you. I am definitely looking forward to it, however.

I wish all of you a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

Blessings,

Vicky

A Few of Our Members

Robbi works out the dimensions for her prayer shawl. Nice colors!

Katie's needles fly as she gets close to finishing her shawl.

Shirley helps Jeanne with her newest obsession - knitting!

Ann and Shirley just being their naturally cute selves.

These are just a few of our members - those who happened to be there the same time the camera was. We'll be sharing more pretty faces and works later.

First Shawl Blessing

Today we had a truly awesome service with Bishop Ed visiting. There were four baptisms, two confirmations and a confirmation renewal. Wow! Not only that, but the CC Yarnsters offered their first prayer shawls for blessings and distribution. Everyone who saw them "up close and personal" oohed and aahed over them.

Katie and Alene were the authors of the first shawls. Father Rick blessed them at the altar and two of them will be placed in the chapels for use with prayer. Alene knitted beautiful white baptismal shawls that we'll hear more about next week. Thank you ladies for your beautiful work.

Each day I see and hear more about what a blessing our group is. It certainly is for me - it's such a a gift to get to know each of you better.

cable stitch

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJQS-XB20SQ Just for fun you may want to watch this You Tube clip showing a very basic way to learn how to do the cable stitch. Katie

Name of stitch

Fellow Yarnsters,
The stitch I am doing is called both Afghan Stitch or Tunisian Stitch. Most of the sellers of product call the needles Tunisian. The are a very long crochet hook. The reason for the length is one actually crochets onto the needle going one way, and the reverse takes the entire work off the needle. It's almost a combination of crochet and knitting. There are also "double end" crochet hooks, but those are usually for casting on and off or adding special stitches or threads to patterns. The Tunisian needle has a crochet hook on one end but a stop on the other end, so your cast-on work doesn't fall off! :-)
If you Google "Tunisian Stitch" you'll find all kinds of needles, patterns and suggested yarns. I think the Tunisian is gaining in popularity because it is "fast" (as in faster than knitting) and it produces a lovely "windowpane" treatment on one side, with the more standard knit reverse stitch on the other side.
As I stated to a couple of our ladies, I find the Tunisian does NOT work well with Chenille threads! It seems the Chenille pulls rather easily, plus it seems to stretch in the most unfavorable ways, which makes the project loosen and form long loops outside of the work. Not a good thing for most projects! :-)
I want to learn how to do cable stitch! I hope someone can show me how to do that in one of our Thursday morning times!
Linda Paul

Yarnsters Return

We came back - and we brought yarn! It was so much fun to see the different things we were doing. Such talent in one group. Before diving in though, we started with a prayer of blessing for our community effort ( a little divine intervention always helps).

Alene took the prize for "first completed project". OK, so maybe she had a head start on the rest of us with her knitting machine, but still, SHE FINISHED A SHAWL! Beautiful too in a sagey green soft yarn (TLC Amore) in a finely knitted ribbed stitch.

Linda worked a technique new to the rest of us using a long crochet hook . It was a beautiful windowpane - like stitch done in an airy soft baby green (is there such a thing?) yarn. Linda may be teaching her trick to the rest of us.

Robbi worked a shawl in vibrant colors using Lion Brand Homespun yarn. Some lucky person will be warm, cozy and surrounded by prayer when wearing it. We also got to see the Yoga bag Robbi will be felting soon. Very nice!

Jeanne and Ann were quite brave and let Lisa show them how to knit. Ann is a crocheter but likes to know how to do it ALL! Soon both of these ladies will be needle clicking their way to a prayer shawl. Both went home with stitches to practice on.

We're off and running now. More to come!

Yarnsters Meet For The First Time

The CC Yarnsters met for the first time on Thursday, October 9, 2008. It was an excited group of women - we all had something to share!

As the meeting took shape we reached some agreements: we would meet on Thursday mornings at 10:00 AM, we would come and go as needed, our first project would be prayer shawls for our church community using patterns of individual choice, and most importantly, that our common goal would be to share community with each other and provide outreach to others through knitted and crocheted projects.

Katie suggested that one of the first prayer shawls be put in the chapel for those requesting prayer. Everyone agreed this was a great idea. So, one of the first shawls shall find a home in the chapel.

Inaugural members are Robbi, Alene, Ann, Susan, Denise, Shirley, Katie, Jeanne, Linda and Lisa.

We can't wait to start!