We Need Scarves!
Happy Friday T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We have many Stand Downs right around the corner and we are in need of scarves! If you need inspiration, please feel free to browse our previous blog posts. There are lots of great patterns!
If you would like to donate a scarf to our cause, please remember to make sure that it is at least 60 inches (152.4 cm) in length so that the wearer can wrap it around themselves comfortably. Also, remember that the dear veterans and their dependents prefer dark colors, e.g. blue, black, green, grey, and all-time favorite, camouflage. If you would like to knit a scarf in a brighter color, red is always a popular bright color. We cannot emphasize this important point enough: please do not use sparkly or overly decorative yarns. While they have their place, they are simply inappropriate for the veterans and their dependents (including children because of choking hazards).
If you are not a crafter, but would like to help, there are still many ways to support our cause! Please consider donating materials and/or making a monetary donation to help us cover the costs of materials, shipping, and overhead. Please remember you can support our cause by shopping on AmazonSmile. See the “Shop for Our Cause” blog post for additional information.
If you need yarn, or other supplies, please contact us through email at thriveassociation@thrivevets.org or by phone at (469) 427-9654. Please be aware that any communications are recorded. If you have donations and cannot make it to one of our in-person knitting groups, we are still continuing our policy of curbside pickup. Please contact us to schedule a pickup if you are in the DFW area. If you reside outside the DFW area and would like to make an in-kind donation, please contact us to make arrangements. Remember, even one lovingly handcrafted hat or scarf can make a huge difference in the life of an underprivileged veteran or their dependent(s).
Baby Cocoon & Matching Cap
Happy Friday, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Sometimes we see expectant mothers at Stand Downs and/or some of the veterans that we serve already have infants in their care. We here at T.H.R.I.V.E. Association provide not just for the veteran that needs our warm hand crafted goods, but also for their dependents. That being said, we have been getting a lot of requests from our wonderful crafters for a pattern for a baby bunting pattern.
Today’s pattern comes compliments of Yarnspirations. It is the “Red Heart Comfy Cocoon and Cap”. To get your free copy of the pattern please follow the link below and click the “Download Free Pattern” button on the right side of the screen.
https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-comfy-cocoon-cap/RHK0238-018236M.html
This is a very simple, easy-to-follow pattern that works up very quickly. Truthfully, when we knitted this garment, it just flew by! As an added bonus, because the majority of this pattern is a one row repeat, it is perfect for “relaxation knitting.”
Pro Tips:
- As we discussed in last week’s blog post, the long tail cast on is an amazing cast on in any knitter’s arsenal. However, as we really need this garment to have a lot of stretch at the cast on edge for the baby to be able to move comfortably, we found that using a combination of the long tail cast on and the reverse long tail cast on provides the best results. This combination cast on is very stretchy and almost, if not fully, invisible. Additionally, using both the long tail and the reverse long tail cast on gives a very professional look to the overall garment.
- Always swatch! We cannot emphasize the importance of this step enough. Gauge is very important- especially here. If you are a tight knitter, consider moving up a needle size. If you are a loose knitter, move down a needle size.
Questions & Answers Continued, Cast Ons
Happy Friday dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We have had multiple questions from many of our wonderful volunteers regarding which cast ons to use for their projects. Specifically, we have been asked which cast on is best for our favorite Camouflage Brioche Scarf that we showcased in Part 2 of our Question and Answers post. That post can be found here: https://thrivevets.org/index.php/2021/04/30/questions-and-answers-part-2-the-camouflage-brioche-scarf/
Although you can use a long tail cast on for any rib project, it breaks the pattern and most rib patterns tend to have a bit of stretch to them. The long tail cast on is not a particularly stretchy cast on. Although the brioche stitch is a false rib, the long tail cast on, in our humble estimation does not stretch with the brioche stitch and also causes a bit of puckering at the edge.
The long tail cast on is definitely a favorite in any knitter’s arsenal due to its amazing stability. So, what is the best cast on to use for a brioche stitch project? Due to the fact that the brioche stitch is a 1×1 rib, the best cast on to use for a project like this is the Italian cast on. The Italian cast on is a twisted cast on that is wonderfully stretchy. In addition, this cast on creates an edge that looks like it is a continuation of the pattern that the brioche stitch creates. In other words, it looks invisible.
Please stay tuned as we will be giving a brief demonstration of this cast on in the near future!
Happy July 4th Weekend!
We would like to wish our wonderful T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family a safe and happy Independence Day Weekend! We’d also like to take a moment to remember our brave heroes, past and present, who have selflessly sacrificed so much to help make this great nation of ours the land of the free and the home of the brave. We are all truly grateful!