Today, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, has been declared a day of service. Here are some ways you can be of service with your knitting or crocheting.

• From our newsletter, one of our customers is organizing Hats for Haiti. Kelly can be reached at ABAFASI@gmail.com.
• Some designers on Ravelry have chosen to donate some of the proceeds of their pattern sales to Haitian relief efforts. Click here for a list of patterns you can purchase to help.
• Click here to read the Yarn Harlot’s Knit Signal to benefit Doctors without Borders.
• Finally, closer to home, we are still accepting donations for the residents of Ward Home, a non-profit organization that helps teens in foster care transition to independent living.

Knitting gifts for teenagers can be…difficult.  I’ve compiled some ideas that can be knit quickly in time for the holidays.  These small projects are inspired by some of the most popular movies of 2009.

• From Harry Potter, Hermione’s Cable & Eyelet Hat
• From the Twilight Saga, Bella’s Mittens
• And from Star Trek, perfect for guys and girls alike, Scotty’s Hat

You may remember that Yvonne knit Bella’s Mittens and raffled them off to benefit Ward Home. As you complete your holiday knitting and start thinking about charity projects, we ask that you remember Ward Home, a non-profit organization that helps teens in the foster care system transition to independent living. These hard-working teenagers would love any of these projects! If you have anything to donate, please drop it off at the store. We are so grateful for the enthusiasm and care that you all have shown for these kids so far.

We talked about this in the newsletter, but we wanted to remind you all about the Bella Mittens raffle.  You don’t have to be a fan of Twilight to want to wear these!  Think about it:  Long mittens, densely knit in Malabrigo Chunky yarn, with a cable up the back for extra warmth.

The raffle was born after a discussion about local charities and the impact the recent, and suddenly forgotten, budget impasse was having on them.

The following information is taken from the front page of the website of Ward Home, who is the beneficiary of our generosity:

Since 1905, Ward Home has been enabling at-risk teens to maximize their potential as human beings and grow into self-reliant young adults.

Today we operate three supervised independent living facilities (S.I.L.) for teen girls, teen boys and teen parents as well as an in-home service (Ward Independent Skills Enhancement, or W.I.S.E.) that enables disadvantaged teens, living on their own or with foster parents, to become successful, independent adults. W.I.S.E. is a collaborative effort with the Allegheny County Independent Living Project.

For more information, visit www.wardhome.org.

ALL proceeds go to Ward Home.  The raffle has been going for about a week, and the winning number will be drawn November 18th. This gives you until Friday (the 20th) to pick up your mittens so you can wear them to the movie!

Additional prizes will be announced as they become available.  Update:  Two certificates for an oil change/tire rotation have been donated by Meineke of Cranberry, where Yvonne’s husband works.  The certificates can be used at ANY participating Meineke location.

Ticket prices are $2 each, 3 for $5, or an arm’s length (15) for $20.

Remember…ALL PROCEEDS GO TO WARD HOME!

How cute is this? Amberlee made this to commemorate Franklin’s visit.

We also want to note that Amberlee and her family made crafting for the Women’s Shelter their family project and donated eight garments!

I’m passing on this link from customer Valerie about ways to help victims of the Australian bushfires: Handmade Help

Our good friend Yvonne has kindly volunteered to seam up knitted strips for blankets for the Women’s Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. She writes:

I would love to do charity knitting but I know that I have no hope of ever completing a blanket within a reasonable amount of time. I do know that I could crank out a garter stitch strip or two in no time* , though. I’m sure there are others out there like me – you want to knit for charity but with other pressures surrounding you from your every day life, you feel you have no time. So let’s band together, shall we?

If you remember the Yarn Harlot’s post* about Lettuce Knit’s Megan’s baby shower, there was a strip blanket. Let’s knit some cotton strips, and if you drop them at Natural Stitches, I can seam them. (I’m the freak that Anna mentioned who likes to seam).

So your mission, if you choose to accept it:
Select a cotton yarn and some appropriate needles. Cast on 12 stitches and knit (garter stitch) until the strip is 32” long, then cast off. Take it to Natural Stitches and leave it with the staff there. I’ll pick them up and seam a bunch together, then get the blanket(s) to Natural Stitches, to be taken to the shelter.

*In no time should be taken very loosely and really means more like a couple of days.

I think this is a fabulous idea. I have worsted cotton, but we think any weight of cotton would work because the length of the strips is going to be the same.  We’re talking about it at Ravelry here.

Ever since Melissa mentioned that the Women’s Shelter was using Army blankets to wrap babies in, I’ve had knitted and crocheted blankets on my mind. Here are some ideas if you’d like to make some for these children in need.

Use your stash and books you probably have already

(What? A yarn store blog is telling you to use what you have? Absolutely. We love stash busting. Besides, if you use what you have, you can allow yourself to buy more. See how this works?)

For example, I have a toddler sweater quantity of a washable wool/acrylic blend I’d earmarked for an aran sweater for my son. Let’s face it, I don’t knit fast enough to finish an aran sweater before he’s going to outgrow it. I know you have stash yarn like this too! So this yarn deserves to be a blanket for someone who needs it. I’m going either look in my Barbara Walkers for a new stitch pattern to try, or turn to a tried and true pattern I’ve made before, the Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch and Bitch.

If you don’t have a large enough quantity of one color, get out your copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting (or come in this weekend and buy a copy because books are 25% off then and you need this book, trust me) and start Log Cabin-ing or cranking out mitered squares. Look at the Mason-Dixon blog (and click on the Mason-Dixon KAL blog link while you’re there) for ideas on how to vary the patterns.  Do you have a ton of sock yarn scraps? Again, start Log Cabin-ing! This is also a great excuse to get “just a few more skeins” of sock yarn to unify the color scheme.

Are you a member of a knitting group? Get each person to knit or crochet a square and then get the weirdo who enjoys finishing work kindest, most talented and generous member of the group to sew them together.

Find a Free Pattern

Bunny Blanket Buddy: I can see myself going to town on this one in Berroco Comfort Chunky; this one is available for both knitters and crocheters.

OpArt from Knitty: how cool is this one?

Organic Baby Wrapper: and it doesn’t have to be organic, of course.

Hoover Blanket: a good one to try if you are curious about double knitting and/or into historical reproductions.

Pinwheel Blanket: the knitlist classic lives on.

Coming soon: more ideas for crochet patterns.

1. Hey, look, we made the IheartPGH Blog!

2. Speaking of knitting for the Superbowl, here’s Monica in her gear, made from the new Comfort Chunky.

3. We are so truly touched by your response to Melissa’s story in our latest newsletter.  Melissa is going to provide more details about knitting and crocheting for the women’s shelter early next week, but if you are eager to get started (and I know I am), they need basically everything. Remember, these are women who have often grabbed their children and left dangerous situations with little more than the clothes on their backs. They need outerwear, blankets, clothing, and toys in all sizes. We’ll have more specific suggestions about patterns and yarns soon, but as long as it’s machine-washable, we’re guessing it’s suitable. Thank you so much for your interest in contributing to this very worthy cause.

4. OH! One more thing….we still have a few spots left in Franklin’s Intro to Lace class! Call the shop at 412-441-4410 or stop by to register.