The Double Moss Stitch Scarf

Published: March 5, 2021 ~ 0

Happy Friday to our T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family!

The scarf in this photo was made using one of our all-time favorite stitch patterns: the Double Moss stitch. The Double Moss stitch provides a beautiful texture, and the best part of all is that it is reversible! It is a relatively simple pattern, but it does take some concentration not only to the pattern but also to ensure that your tension remains consistent. The pattern for the stitch can be found below:

Materials:

Yarn: We use worsted weight, but any weight will work for this pattern

Knitting Needles: Appropriate for the weight of yarn for your project (can be found on the yarn sleeve)

Tapestry Needle for weaving in ends

Abbreviations:

CO: Cast On

Sts: Stitches

K: Knit

P: Purl

BO: Bind Off

Scarf Pattern:

Cast On in Multiples of 4 plus 2, and 2 extra for the edge stitches. In our case, it would have been 42 stitches for the pattern, plus 2 stitches for the edges, which gives us a total of 44 stitches.

CO: 44 Sts

Row 1 (Right Side): Slip the first stitch purl wise. *K2, P2, repeat from * to the last 3 sts. K3

Row 2: (Wrong Side) Slip the first stitch purl wise. *P2, K2, repeat from * to the last 3 sts. P2, K1

Row 3 (Right Side): Slip the first stitch purl wise. *P2, K2, repeat from * to the last 3 sts. P2, K1

Row 4 (Wrong Side): Slip the first stitch purl wise. *K2, P2, repeat from * to the last 3 sts. K3

Repeat rows 1 through 4 until the garment reaches the desired length; 60 inches (152.4 cm).

BO and cut yarn leaving a six inch tail. Weave in ends.

For our scarf, we used 5 mm, U.S. size 8, needles and Lion Brand Pound of Love. To ensure that the scarf would be wide enough to be used to cover both the neck and mouth of a veteran (or dependent) living in cold climates, we cast on a total of 44 stitches and worked until the piece measured 60 inches (152.4 cm).

Pro Tip: To ensure neat edges on scarves, remember to cast on two extra stitches for the edges. For patterns such as the Double Moss Stitch, slip the first stitch purl wise and knit in pattern until the last stitch. Knit the last stitch and then turn your work. Do this for every row until you reach the desired length.

Please make sure that any donated scarves are 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. 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).

Although several of the Stand Downs that we support have been postponed or have had to be altered to keep our communities safe in this current pandemic, we are still collecting goods that will be sent to the various V.A.s throughout the year so please, please keep crafting! 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. If you need yarn, or other supplies, please contact us through email at thriveassociation@thrivevets.org or by phone at (469) 427-9654. If you have donations, 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 can make a huge difference in the life of an underprivileged veteran or their dependent.

Red Heart Ribbed Knit Beanie

Published: January 8, 2021 ~ 0

Happy New Year to our wonderful T.H.R.I.V.E. community! To kick off the new year, here is a free pattern from Yarnspirations – the Red Heart Ribbed Knit Beanie. The pattern is available at:

Red Heart Ribbed Knit Beanie

Simply click the “download free pattern” button on the right and it will open a pdf of the pattern in a new tab.

At first glance, this pattern might look a little challenging, but it is in truth a great pattern for most knitters who are looking for something new, or maybe just for something to challenge them. The 1×1 rib creates a beautiful texture that stretches well and the crown looks so very unique while being relatively easy to accomplish. The pattern calls for the hat to be knit on size U.S. 6 (4 mm) needles which creates a nice tight weave. Despite the photo given in the actual pattern (which could be a little misleading), the hat does stretch quite well to accommodate most, if not all, adult heads. And, as many of our supporters know, our garments are going as far north as Alaska, where a nice tight weave is really the only way to go.

Like many patterns from Yarnspirations/Red Heart, this pattern lends itself quite nicely to yarn substitution. We substituted the recommended Heat Wave yarn with Red Heart Camouflage worsted weight (4) yarn that had been graciously donated by one of our awesome supporters. Camouflage is a big favorite among the community that we serve! After all, part of the fun of making and giving handcrafted garments is knowing that the recipient will love it and be proud to wear their new gift(s). We do aim to please our veterans and their dependents who absolutely love our handcrafted camouflage goods.

Pro tip: if you have a jog at the cast on round when you join, cast on an extra stitch (e.g. the pattern calls for you to cast on 96 stitches, instead cast on 97). When you are ready to join in the round, (first, make sure not to twist your stitches) slip the first stitch on your left needle to the right needle. Now pass the extra stitch that you cast on (the 97th one) over the first stitch. Then, move the first stitch back to the left needle and knit as usual. You should now have the original cast on number of stitches (e.g. 96 stitches). This creates a nice and tidy cast on round, especially when the cuff is turned up.

DROPS Florence Hat & Neck Warmer

Published: October 16, 2017 ~ 0

We would like to take a moment to say goodbye to a beloved mother, friend, and devoted volunteer, Mrs. Anne Walker. She had been with T.H.R.I.V.E. Association almost from the beginning and had championed our cause at every opportunity. She will be remembered for her warm hugs, perseverance, and her maternal love for all of us. Rest in peace, Mom. We love you.

Mrs. Anne Walker: September 1964- August 2017

This week’s free pattern is a beautiful set, developed by Drops, called “Florence”. Although we admit that this pattern took a bit more concentration, it was very rewarding and well worth the time! The garment is simply stunning! And, despite its appearance, it is incredibly warm.

Please click the link below to get your copy of the pattern:

https://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=5284&cid=17

Also, as a bonus, there are how-to videos on the page to help you with many of the needed techniques!

In closing for this week, we have a few general announcements. As we get closer to the colder months, please make sure to start sending in any donations that you want to receive credit for this year so that we can catalogue them and ensure that they are sent out to upcoming Stand Downs. Further, as many of our volunteers have asked, we are no longer hosting the Friday Night Craft-a-thon at Half Priced Books. (We know that fighting Dallas rush hour traffic on a Friday night can be treacherous!) Please note that we do have many other community crafting events and will continue to develop more, so stay tuned. Also, we are developing a map of all of the Stand Downs that we partner with across the U.S. and its territories. This map will contain several key pieces of information about the demographics of the veterans and their families. Additionally, we do get wish lists from each Stand Down which help us set our goals. Our aim here is to be as transparent as possible to our volunteers and community partners. Also, we hope that these resources will aid our volunteers in knowing what to make and help them decide where they would like their goods to go.

Needed: Cowls and Scarves!

Published: May 24, 2017 ~ 0

Are you still looking for a project for our homeless military veterans and not quite sure what to make? We have a solution. We took stock of all the items that we currently have and posted our metrics on the T.H.R.I.V.E. Association website’s homepage. If you have not done so already, be sure to check it out! This is going to be our gauge to let our volunteers know what items are still needed. If you already have some items completed, please be sure to send them in as soon as possible so that they can be counted, sized, and labeled. Remember, we will be giving out some awesome prizes to our top three most productive volunteers this year!

So, as our chart on our homepage shows, one of items that we need most right now are scarves and cowls. With that, here is a free pattern for a crocheted cowl, which is certainly one of our favorites – it is the Millbrook Cowl from Lion Brand.

Giant Granny Square Cardigan

Published: April 28, 2017 ~ 0

Now that tax season is finally over, we have a new free pattern that is sure to help see our veterans and their loved ones through the upcoming cool weather seasons. These beautiful granny square cardigans are becoming increasingly popular this year – they are easier than they look and are a whole lot of fun to make. We’ve run with the idea and put a T.H.R.I.V.E. Association spin on it.

For this garment, we’re using a more traditional Victorian granny square pattern and then creating a border. Two simple side seams create a very warm sweater. It may seem a little complicated, but trust us, it’ll all make sense as you go through the process. We’ve explained everything step by step and provided diagrams below. So, let’s get started!

Giant Granny Square Cardigan © April 2017

Materials:

3 Skeins Caron Simply Soft

Size 9 mm (Clover Brand M/N) Crochet Hook

Darning needle

Abbreviations:

Ch: Chain sp(s): Space(s)

st(s): Stitches dc: Double Crochet

Sl st: Slip Stitch **: Repeat as directed

rnd: round rs: Right Side(s)

ws: Wrong side

Pattern:

1.) Ch 5. Join in rnd with sl st to first chain to form ring.

2.) Round 1: Ch 3 (this will count as the first dc in the cluster). 2 dc in the in ring. Ch 3. Cluster created. *3 dc in the ring. Ch 3.* 3 times. There will be 4 clusters in total for this rnd. Join with a sl st into top of ch 3. Sl st in next 2 dc and into the ch 3 sp.

3.) Round 2: Ch 3 (again, this counts as the first dc of the round). *(2 dc. Ch 3. 3 dc) in the ch 3 sp of the previous rnd. In next ch 3 sp (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc).* Repeat from * to * 2 more times. At the end of this rnd, there will be 8 clusters total. Join with a sl st to the top of the ch 3. Sl st in the next 2 dc and into the chain 3 sp.

4.) Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as first dc). (2 dc. Chain 3. 3 dc in the ch 3 sp of the previous rnd. *3 dc in between the 2 side clusters. (3 dc. Ch 3. 3 dc).* Repeat from * to * 2 more times. There will be 12 clusters at the end of this rnd. Join with a sl st to the top of the chain 3. Sl st in the next 2 dc and into the ch 3 sp.

5.) Ch 3 (this counts as the first dc of the cluster). (2 dc. Ch 3. 3 dc) in the ch 3 sp (corner) of the previous rnd. [(3 dc in between next cluster) twice. (3 dc. Ch 3. 3 dc.)] 2 additional times. There will e 16 clusters at the end of this rnd. Join with a sl st to the top of the chain 3. Sl st in the next 2 dc and into the ch 3 sp.

6.) Continue in the established pattern until the piece measures 39.5 in on each side.

7.) Now, we’ll add a border. Place a dc in each st. There should be 80 st on each side of the granny square. Fasten off.

Armholes:

8.) Fold the piece in a hotdog fold with rs facing. (See the diagram.) Measure 7 inches from the fold. Place a marker. Use a running stitch to seam the back loops of each of the 25 stitches starting from marker and working your way to the edge. Do not include the corners in this seam. We will come back to those later. Repeat for the other side. Fasten off.

9.) Now, the cardigan is starting to take shape! So, next we‘ll create the beautiful ribbing for the cuffs. There are 30 stitches total for each of the armholes. Starting at the seam of the armhole, join yarn and ch 3 (this one does NOT count as first dc). *1 fpdc in first dc. 1 bpdc in next dc.* Repeat from * to * around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. Repeat this row 3 more times for 4 total. Fasten off.

Border Ribbing:

10.) With RS facing, join yarn to side seam with a sl st. Chain 3.

11.) Ch 3 (this does not count as a dc). *1 fpdc in first dc. 1 bpdc in next dc.* Repeat around. Join with sl st to top of ch 3. (160 st total.) Repeat this rnd until border ribbing measures 6”. Fasten off.

Disclaimer:

Please remember that T.H.R.I.V.E. Association patterns are copyrighted and are the property of T.H.R.I.V.E. Association. You may not sell them, nor sell finished products made using them. Their use is meant solely for the advancement and fulfillment of T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s goals of providing for our homeless veterans and for those whom they provide.

Patons Cozy Striped Kerchief

Published: March 23, 2017 ~ 0

This week we’re switching gears again and sharing a wonderful knit pattern – Patons Cozy Striped Kerchief. This weeks’ featured project is a really fun piece with a lot of texture, versatility, and yes, our favorite- color! Plus, it is super warm and is really going to make a fantastic gift for our underprivileged military veterans this Winter. Just follow the link to get your copy of the free pattern:

Patons Cozy Striped Kerchief pattern

We know that you’re all excited to try this, but first we’d like to offer a word of caution: we recommend that you do not cut the yarn. As you can see from the pictures below, this pattern changes colors often and if you are one of those knitters that likes to cut rather than carry, that is going to be a lot of ends to weave in. If you need a how-to or a refresher course on how to carry the yarn between color changes, just follow the link below to see Ms. Staci over at Very Pink Knits demonstrate this wonderful technique.

Very Pink Knits carrying colors technique demonstration video

Also, the pattern calls for an M1 (Make 1) on Rows 3, 5, and each subsequent row that asks for you to repeat Row 5. However, this can be a little tricky since there is no specificity in the pattern as to which direction the M1 should be. But have no fear, we’ve done the work for you!

For Row 3: (Knit 2. M1R (Make 1 Right)) twice. Place marker. Knit 1. Place Marker. These markers indicate the center stitch. (M1L (Make 1 Left), K2). There will be 13 stitches after this row.

For Row 5 and each subsequent row that asks for you to repeat Row 5: Knit 2. M1R. Knit to center stitch. M1R. Knit center stitch. M1L. Knit to last 2 stitches, M1L, Knit 2.

Again, here is a video tutorial from our friends over at Very Pink Knits on how to do these specific increases.

Very Pink Knits Make 1 (M1) knitting help video

We have a goal this year of reaching 400 handmade items to distribute. Please keep sending in your completed, wet-blocked goods so that they can be counted. Remember, we’re going to be handing out some awesome prizes this year to our most productive volunteers.

If you live in the Metroplex and would like to come to one of our events, but don’t have a ride, please let us know. We may be able to provide you with a day pass for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).

Red Heart’s Oversized Glam Cowl

Published: March 7, 2017 ~ 0

Hello again! So to get things started for this week’s blog post, we’d like to extend a special thanks to everyone who has been sharing our posts, as well as a thanks to our crafters! Also, we’d like to extend a warm welcome to our new crafters! Thank you all for your dedication.

In keeping with the theme of crocheted goods, we’ve got another awesome free pattern that is perfect for any skill level! This is Red Heart’s Oversized Glam Cowl! To find the pattern, please follow the link(s) below. As usual, the pattern will also be available on our Ravelry page.

Red Heart’s Oversized Glam Cowl pattern

T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s Ravelry patterns page

Now, we would like to take a moment here to say that we did take a bit of artistic license with the pattern. We substituted the Red Heart Boutique Glam yarn that the pattern calls for with an alternative soft medium weight yarn. Despite this minor adjustment, the cowl came out beautifully! It is thick, luxurious, and, as the title suggests, very glamorous. It is also a very versatile item and will be amazing for the Fall and Winter months to come!

Continuing the Celebration with a Free Hat Pattern!

Published: February 24, 2017 ~ 0

This week, as promised, we present to you a fantastic granny square hat pattern, compliments of Yarnspirations. It is unique, colorful, and at first glance perhaps intimidating, but we promise that it is wonderfully easy to complete. The Bernat Granny Stripes Hat is worked in multiple colors, so it is an excellent opportunity to practice your color work!

The pattern can be found here.

Additionally, there is a free corresponding video tutorial on the pattern’s page to aid you. The video even goes into how to alter the pattern if the hat is too big, or how to account for looser crocheting. We encourage our crafters to download the pattern and crochet along with the video!

As a side note to our crafters, if you find a pattern that you like, please feel free to make as many as you want. There is no requirement to make each donated item different. Who knows, we may have many veterans who want or need the same item.

* Footnote: although this week’s pattern calls for five colors, we decided to make a hat that would match with last week’s cowl which was two colors. These patterns are flexible, so be creative!

It’s Official, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association is a 501(c)(3)!

Published: February 17, 2017 ~ 0

Hey, fellow crafters and supporters! Yes, you read the headline right: after lots of hard work, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association is now a federally recognized nonprofit organization! This status is retroactive, so remember to include your contributions on your taxes this year.

To celebrate our good news, we will be posting more free patterns over the next few weeks. Our last couple of free patterns were knit, so we’ll be switching gears and posting some crochet patterns. This week’s free crochet pattern is for all the granny square lovers out there. This pattern, compliments of Knit Picks, is called the Chromatic Granny Stripe Cowl.

Click here for the link to the Chromatic Granny Stripe Cowl pattern.

It is a simple and elegant piece that worked up in just a couple of evenings! It is very soft and versatile which makes it a perfect gift for those in need. We will be posting a matching hat in a later blog, so stay with us!

As the Winter months were particularly harsh in many of the areas that we serve, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association is hoping to be able to provide a scarf/cowl for every hat that we hand out this year. So, please feel free to make as many as you’d like. Trust us, we can never have too many! Don’t forget to send us your finished wet-blocked projects so that they can be counted and you can receive tax credit!

If you are interested in learning to craft for our homeless military veterans and those whom they support, please come out and join us for our Friday Night Craft-a-thon if you are in the DFW area. We look forward to seeing you! If you can’t make it, or don’t live in the Metroplex – no problem! Instead, you can check out our friends at Very Pink Knits and KnittingHelp.com. Both offer fantastic free tutorials and have amazing teachers!

Free Mitten Pattern!

Published: November 30, 2016 ~ 0

Before getting started, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association would like to send out our most sincere thanks to Fox 4 and to CBS 11 for their wonderful coverage! Thank you both for helping to spread T.H.R.I.V.E.’s message to the Metroplex; We are so grateful! We would also like to offer a special thanks to Ms. Amy Hunt for all of her wonderful efforts.

We’d like to recognize our devoted volunteers whose tireless efforts have allowed T.H.R.I.V.E. Association to continue to expand and meet the needs of more homeless veterans across the country! We are so proud of each and every one of you! Let’s keep the momentum going!

With that in mind, we’ve added more free patterns to our Ravelry page! Be sure to join the group, as we will be adding more in the near future. Showcased this week is a simple, yet precious pattern for super bulky mittens. This pattern is available free of charge on T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s Ravelry page. (If you have not done so already, please sign up for a free account.) As usual, rather than using a wool or wool blend, we used Lion Brand Thick and Quick. For our speed knitters our there, these mittens were able to be made in a single day! Just a quick side note about the size: these mittens are admittedly pretty small, but are perfect for a petite adult or a child.

Please be sure to check out this pattern and others at:

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/thrive-dba-thrive-association

As an added bonus, we’ll be crafting to a live band, the Pretty Good Singers, at this week’s Friday Night Craft-a-thon at the Flagship Half Price Books on Northwest Highway! Please be sure to sign up for the event on Facebook here – http://www.facebook.com/events/1797365963812360/ , to let us know that you’re coming. We look forward to seeing you!