Peacefully Knitting

I’ve started my Christmas gift for my friend Michele.  I am knitting a neck warmer out of Plymouth Yarn – Suri Merino.  This is a luxury blend of 55% Suri Alpaca and 45% of extra fine Merino Wool.  I decided to use two color tones – # 401 a light grey and #402 a charcoal grey, which I think will work well together.  I chose a pie crust cable, which looks complicated but is very easy and I’m using US 7 needles to work this pattern.  I have been going back and forth trying to decide if I want to purchase a scarf pin for her to secure the warmer or sewn on buttons.  After much thought and consideration, I’ve decided to sew on two small buttons.  The end result of this scarf will be 4″ wide and approximately 22″ long.  This will be a nice gift to compliment her leather jackets that she wears often and won’t be bulky like a normal 60″ scarf.  I will keep my blog updated with my progress. This finished project will be wonderful, not to mention soft and quite warm.  I hope that she likes it!

Meantime, I have ordered yarn to start knitting hats for the troops.  My dad was very enthusiastic and pitched in for the cost of the yarn.  Between the two of us, I should have enough for three to four hats.  This will be a nice contribution to send off for the first of the year.

On this Veteran’s Day, I am compelled to share a wonderful website that contributes knitted items to the men and women who serve in our armed forces.  The “Ships Project” has many items you can knit and that is in turn sent to our military.  This website has posted their guidelines,including appropriate yarn, colors and patterns.

The following paragraph is from their website and I believe this is a wonderful cause to contribute to.  For further information, please visit www.theshipsproject.com

“The Ships Project was founded in October of 2001, when a female sailor on board the USS Bataan responded to an “Any Sailor” letter written by the project founder, Ellen Harpin.  In that letter, Ellen mentioned her love for knitting, prompting the sailor to joke that maybe Ellen could send a pair of knit slippers to keep her feet warm as she slept, since her berthing was extremely cold.  Since then, the project has grown far beyond that small beginning and has earned the respect and support of the military. The USS Bataan has long since returned home but we have continued to send packages to sailors and Marines on dozens of ships deployed since then, as well as Army, Marine, and Air Force units on the ground.”

Well, 37″ knitted and 23″ to go!  This wrap is going to be very lovely and so very warm.  The only finishing touches will be knitting and attaching the two pockets.  This wrap would make such a great gift to anyone and the pattern is very easy.  I must say that I truly like the yarn I’m using - it’s so soft!

I’m trying to finish this wrap quickly so that I can start on my Christmas knitting, but I feel that I will be putting it aside to ensure that my gifts are done before my wrap! 

On another note, it is a lovely day in Arizona with awesome crisp blue skies.  Our temperatures are going to start dropping into the 70′s next week – I can’t wait!  I am missing the fall colors of Kentucky but know that a short drive from Phoenix I would be in the high country surrounding my the reds and golds of the Aspens and Oaks.