YarnCraft Episode 81 :: Give Back this Holiday Season with 6 Knit & Crochet Charities

7 Dec

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On this episode of YarnCraft, Liz & Zontee highlight groups that are bringing joy to those in need through the good works of yarncrafters. We hope that as you think about your last-minute holiday crafting, you consider bringing holiday cheer to those less fortunate this season through knitting and crochet charities and organizations!

Organizations discussed include:

Zontee also discusses her holiday projects so far; click here to see them on the Lion Brand Notebook.

The YarnCraft ladies are also joined by Robyn Chachula for our Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life segment. Robyn is a designer and new mom, whose new book Baby Blueprint Crochet features adorable patterns for your child. Robyn shares with us her 5 most-useful gifts for new parents.

Learn more about Robyn and her books at CrochetbyFaye.com.

Please note that YarnCraft will be on hiatus for the holidays, so join us again in January for more yarn inspiration. In the meantime, we encourage you to continue to interact here on the YarnCraft blog and on our Ravelry group, as well as to check out Lion Brand’s newsletters for more ideas. See you in 2011!

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Theme music is “Boy with a Coin” by Iron and Wine, from the PodSafe Music Network.

Show Notes:
00:13 Intro & welcome
01:38 What’s on Liz & Zontee’s Hooks & Needles
05:07 Knit & Crochet Charity Organizations
14:09 Stash This: Ideas for Your Crafting Life with Robyn Chachula
27:17 Thanks to our listeners and guests

  • DCalane

    In thinking about my knitting goals for 2011, I came up with a couple of questions. They may be easy to answer or a theme for a podcast.

    What would you consider a progression of skills to acquire for knitting and crocheting?

    What are the type of skills that distinguish the various levels in the “Pattern Skill Ratings” (http://cache.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/pg.fcgi?page=ratingKey.html)

    I suppose I could just look at some learn to knit/crochet books and see what skills they keep building. It’s always more interesting to see what you two have to say.

    Happy New Year.

  • YarnCraft

    Thanks! Those are good questions and definitely something we can address on an upcoming episode!

    Happy New Year to you and yours!

  • Karen S.

    I have a question about variegated yarn. Is there a beginning to the pattern of colors in the yarn? If you are going to make socks, I would think it is important that both socks are started at the same point in the pattern of color.

    Love the pocast and I’m looking forward to the next episode!

  • http://yarncraft.lionbrand.com YarnCraft Podcast

    Hi Karen S., each ball of variegated yarn is going to start in a slightly different place and depending on the kind of variegated (short versus long repeats, random versus specific patterns), it can be tricky to make two items start exactly at the same point. That being said, if you find that your yarn repeats in a predictable way, you can always pull some yarn from the ball and make sure to start at the same point in the color pattern on both items. Hope that helps!

  • Karen S.

    Thanks!

  • Dm Roberts

    I Have a question I hope someone can help me. I am knitting a hat it is called silk garden/kureyon hat on circular needle it says cast on 90 stitches join in round being careful not to twist. how do I jointo make it round? anyone please help Thanks Donna

  • http://yarncraft.lionbrand.com YarnCraft Podcast

    Hi Donna, this can be done a couple of ways. The easiest is, when you finish casting on, to just start knitting the first stitches you cast on (instead of turning the work and working the wrong side), going around and around in a spiral. That’s all it means to work in the round. Click here to see an explanation with photos from the LionBrand.com Learning Center, an excellent resource for when you don’t know a term or skill. Additional ways: some people find that it helps them to keep their stitches neat to cast on one extra stitch, slip it onto the other end of the circular needle and knit the first stitch of their cast on and this new extra stitch together (k2tog) as the first stitch of their next round. You can also look up many videos on YouTube.com of working in the round, which may give you a better sense of how it works.