press

Crafting for the Holidays… Always a Risky Venture.

| Betsy

For anyone who is making their holiday crafts by hand, this may ring a bell*….


(by Franklin Habit)

If the above doesn’t scare you off, I have a nice and easy pattern for fingerless gloves in Craft Hope. As someone who has given these as gifts, I can tell you that they have always been well received, usually either sparking a request for the pattern or a friend to say, “Oooh! Make me some!” I’ve been wearing those exact gloves in the photo below and can tell you that they are handy and keep your fingers from getting cold while both typing and walking around the city.



Pattern (PDF) here.



(Thanks to the book’s publisher, Lark, for the PDF and Crescendoh, Mayamade and Whipup for sharing the pattern, too!)


A few linky links:
*Party Cat!!
*5 Ornaments to Make
*Crocheted Closet Hangers
*Betty Crocker Cinnamon Rolls… Veganized!
*Etched to Order: DIY Dry Goods Organization
*Candy Cane Bedroom Socks (from the Purl Bee)
*How to Repair Scratches, Tears and Spots on an Old Photograph
*Hipster: The Dead End of Western Civilization by Douglas Haddow (mp3)

*Bells? Holidays?! HA!



Oh, and we got some German press, too! Yay! Thanks, Emma!

The Invisible Sisters!

| Betsy

As happens often, I have a new crafty crush, Ann Wizer.

How can you not be enamored of someone who writes that:

“instead of making more waste, we REUSE waste. Instead of employing highly skilled experts, we TRAIN the unskilled. The aim is not to make more stuff quickly and cheaply, but to address problems through CREATIVE experimentation.

Where there is garbage, there is always poverty. A large part of the world – primarily in developing countries – continue to live in extreme poverty within huge global economies of waste.

I design products from waste and the production methods that include the poor. In waste reduction and social business, the more challenging aspect is to instill a sense of possibility and creative experimentation in this mix of artistry.”

Invisible Sisters is a project set up to help women in Manila who can’t work outside of the house earn an income. They crochet items from city refuse, bags, wires, computer parts. Seeing this creative reuse of trash is not only uplifting, it is also inspiring and providing us with another example of what we can do with this mountain of trash we’ve collected over time.

Even though we may not be able to see the heaps and heaps near our houses because they’re tucked far away in a landfill (out of sight out of mind), they’re there. And one day we will not just have the option, but will most likely be forced to deal with them. Why not start now?

You can read Ann’s inspiring vision for the project here.

Also inspiring and crafty:
*Schoolchildren reuse fabric for charity weaving project
*Harris Tweed weavers start course to help bring back dying industry
*Women in England knitting real-life size house to raise money for church
*European Relief Society members knit 4,400 hats for newsborns in Guatemala

Bonus! If you can read Greek, you might want to read about their introduction to craftivism over here. Thank you, Greece!

Upclose, Unsure, and Unimpressed.

| Betsy

This summer is all about the puppies. Since you have already met my new main man Ari here, I’d like to introduce my new friend Suki. She is almost as wide as she is long. Suki is the first baby bulldog I have ever met in person despite many of my family being University of Georgia graduates.

After a week with Suki, I can honestly say that she has 3 favorite modes:

1. Up close
2. Unsure
3. Unimpressed

You can see more of Suki here.

And for the linguistically curious, here are some recent links to articles about craftivism in foreign languages I don’t know. For those who would prefer English, you can translate the articles fairly well over here.

*Virknålens revolution
*Sådärja, den stickade revolutionen är här!

This Post Brought to You By the Word “Lovely.”**

| Betsy

This has already made the internet rounds, so this is an “in case you missed it” scenario. Ah, The Colbert Report + radical knitting = awesome. Oh, and I’ve been extra lucky to have lots of lovely crafty links come my way lately, so some of the bestest are below the video.

The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Nailed ‘Em – Radical Knitting
colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Keyboard Cat

My favorite link snippet was this poem written by young knitter Emily Powell, who formed a friendship with her teacher over knitting. It is hands down the best knitting poem I have ever read. Ever. Way to go, Emily! Link below quote.

Knitting is like reading a book. The yarn flowing through your hands are the thoughts flowing through your mind. The speed you are knitting is the speed you are reading. The amount you knitted is the amount you read. The color of your yarn is the excitement of your book. The curiosity of your knitting is the mystery of your book. The clinking of your needles is the voice in your book. After that, it is like your friend’s new house. She goes in through the front door and around the back. See peeks through the window and off jumps her brother Jack. Then it goes back. The end of your knitting is the end of your book.

— Emily Powell


*Raptivism!
*Hospital valet knits for good
*Graffiti written by Tower of London prisoners
*Facebook allows Egyptian women to become political activists
*Lovely review of Donna Druchunas’ new book, Ethnic Knitting Exploration: Lithuania, Iceland, Ireland
*Woman trying to collect 10,000 handmade cards to send to overseas troops
*Interesting article on church flipping its flag to bring awareness to gun violence
*Wonderful tale of how knitting formed a friendship between student and teacher
*And, check out this sweet Knitting for Good! review on the CanadianLiving.com crafts blog! Awesome!
*Lovely story from WWII about a woman who received a blanket that kept her safe



**Along with using the non-word “bestest” on purpose, there is also a ridiculous overuse of the word “lovely” in this post. If Sesame Street can have a Letter Of The Day, why can’t I have a word?

Putting the Needle On the Record.

| Betsy

The other week I was flattered to have both a reporter and a photographer come to my house for an article for the News & Observer, my local paper. To read the article, you can either click here or click on the photo above.

I really like this article because it talks about how much I’ve failed over the years. Not failed in a pathetic way, but failed in a “I know I’m put here to do something and I’m going to find it” way. I’ve screwed up so many things along the way it’s laughable, and in time I’ve learned that all those screw-ups weren’t really screw-ups after all, just lessons to be learned.

Over the years I’ve learned to ask questions, explore new things, breathe deep, laugh at myself, apologize when necessary, pack a suitcase in 5 minutes and how to channel both MacGyver and Martha Stewart when something breaks. Time has taught me that challenging yourself and your ideals is the only way to truly move forward.

So, today I thought I’d link a few stories of late regarding people who have used their knitting for good, whether charitable, entrepreneurial or just plain fun.



School Kids Knit for Teddies for Tragedies

Designer Uses Her Flock’s Fleece for Clothing

Women Create Village With Knitting Needles & Yarn

Brain Exercises (Like Knitting!) May Delay Memory Loss

Menno Boldt knits for good, in his Lazy Boy, watching sports

Girl Scout troop makes 130 hats and scarves for local cancer patients

Madison Senior Center knitters in Huntsville, Alabama knit for preemies

Edmonton group (minkhasweaters.com) sells handmade Bolivian sweaters


Warm Heads, Warm Hands, Warm Hearts: Helping Nepal family earn a real living

I have no idea why the link spacing is so weird today. Oh, and wondering why my eyes are closed in one of the article’s photos? Well, let’s just say that’s pretty much the state of every photo people take of me!