Have you ever stopped to think of just how much our veterans sacrifice for us? I don't do it nearly often enough. But consider what we ask -- if not expect -- them to do: leave their families, their homes, their lives in order to stay in a foreign land, with very little money, precious little in the way of creature comforts, and nonstop uncertainty and unpredictability. Oh, and they don't know when they leave if they'll ever see their families again.
All of this, just to make sure that we still have freedom -- freedom to speak out against the government; freedom to pursue whatever life path we wish; freedom from unjust governmental treatment; freedom to worship in whatever manner we desire; freedom to go about our daily lives without the fear that at any moment we will have bombs falling from the sky.
This is not to say that we will necessarily agree with every military conflict. However, it is to say that the people who have chosen very difficult lives in order to keep us safe and free have made tremendous sacrifices to help millions of people they do not know. That demands not only our respect, but also our appreciation.
As charity knitters, it seems the least we can do to help our men and women in uniform to pick up our needles in support of them. Today's 'thoughful Thursday' featured charity is dedicated to helping these people know they are loved and supported, as well as their families.The Military Heroes Comfort Project is a group of crafters dedicated to making comfort items for Military cancer patients and their families at Military Hospitals.
Comfort Items are awarded to local Heroes in recognition of brave service they have given to show appreciation for each service member's sacrifices, their love of country, their bravery, and commend their efforts to make the world a safer place.
How can you help?
As they face the great battle of fighting the insidious cell called cancer, MH Comfort Project supplies comfort items, and sincerely hope they will be comforted with the hope, grace, gratitude, peace, and love in which these comfort items have been made especially for each of them by the hands of grateful fellow citizens of the United States and members of the Military Heroes Comfort Project team.
M.H. Comfort are looking for donations of comfort items, no money please. Just items that make our patient, military heroes more comfortable: lap quilts, afghans, hats, slippers, socks, thank you notes, cotton and jersey material, batting for quilts, thread, yarn, hats (of all kinds), certificate paper, etc.
Please send your items to:
Military Heroes Comfort Project
R.J. Davis - President
3327 Nansemond River Drive
Suffolk, VA 23435
R.J. Davis - President
3327 Nansemond River Drive
Suffolk, VA 23435
You can find all the details at M:H.Comfort on google+
M.H.Comfort are a relatively new volunteer group and have managed to donate over 150 comfort items to local military hospitals in Virginia.
Please help them if you can!
Here are a couple of free patterns to get you started.
Family Hat Knitting Pattern
Size
To fit head circumference 35 (40, 45, 50, 55, 60)cm
Age approximately 6 months (12 months, 18 months, teen, woman, man)
Materials
Yarn:
Double knitting type (8 ply) yarn of your choice. Approximate quantities are 140m (160m, 190m, 240m, 270m, 300m)
Needles:
3.25mm and 4mm circular needle, 40cm long.
A set of 4mm dpns
A set of 4mm dpns
Tension
22sts to 10cm over stocking stitch on 4mm needles
Abbreviations
K2tog = knit 2 sts together
Pattern
Using 3.25mm needles cast on 78, (90, 102, 108, 120, 132)sts, join for circular knitting and work 9.5 (9.5, 12, 14.5, 15.5, 16.5) cm of k1, p1 rib.
Change to 4mm needles and work 8.25 (8.25, 10, 12, 12.75, 14)cm st st (knit every round).
Decrease for crown:
| Note: I have written the crown instructions for each size separately for ease of knitting. Follow the instructions for the size hat you are knitting. |
| Size 35cm K 2 rounds (K11, k2tog) 6 times (72sts) K 2 rounds (K10, k2tog) 6 times (66sts) K 1 round (K9, k2tog) 6 times (60sts) K 1 round (K8, k2tog) 6 times (54sts) K 1 round (K7, k2tog) 6 times (48sts) K 1 round (K6, k2tog) 6 times (42sts) (K5, k2tog) 6 times (36sts) (K4, k2tog) 6 times (30sts) (K3, k2tog) 6 times (24sts) (K2, k2tog) 6 times (18sts) (K1, k2tog) 6 times (12sts) (k2tog) 6 times (6sts) | Size 40cm K2 rounds (K13, k2tog) 6 times (84sts) K 1 round (K12, k2tog) 6 times (78sts) K 1 round (K11, k2tog) 6 times (72sts) K 1 rounds (K10, k2tog) 6 times (66sts) K 1 round (K9, k2tog) 6 times (60sts) K 1 round (K8, k2tog) 6 times (54sts) K 1 round (K7, k2tog) 6 times (48sts) (K6, k2tog) 6 times (42sts) (K5, k2tog) 6 times (36sts) (K4, k2tog) 6 times (30sts) (K3, k2tog) 6 times (24sts) (K2, k2tog) 6 times (18sts) (K1, k2tog) 6 times (12sts) (k2tog) 6 times (6sts) | Size 45cm K 2 rounds (K15, k2tog) 6 times (96sts) K 1 round (K14, k2tog) 6 times (90sts) K 1 round (K13, k2tog) 6 times (84sts) K 1 round (K12, k2tog 6 times (78sts) K 1 round (K11, k2tog) 6 times (72sts) K 1 round (K10, k2tog) 6 times (66sts) K 1 round (K9, k2tog) 6 times (60sts) K 1 round (K8, k2tog) 6 times (54sts) (K7, k2tog) 6 times (48sts) (K6, k2tog) 6 times (42sts) (K5, k2tog) 6 times (36sts) (K4, k2tog) 6 times (30sts) (K3, k2tog) 6 times (24sts) (K2, k2tog) 6 times (18sts) (K1, k2tog) 6 times (12sts) (k2tog) 6 times (6sts) |
| Size 50cm K 2 rounds (K16, K2tog) 6 times (102sts) K 2 rounds (K15, k2tog) 6 times (96sts) K 2 rounds (K14, k2tog) 6 times (90sts) K 1 round (K13, k2tog) 6 times (84sts) K 1 round (K12, k2tog 6 times (78sts) K 1 round (K11, k2tog) 6 times (72sts) K 1 round (K10, k2tog) 6 times (66sts) K 1 round (K9, k2tog) 6 times (60sts) K 1 round (K8, k2tog) 6 times (54sts) K 1 round (K7, k2tog) 6 times (48sts) (K6, k2tog) 6 times (42sts) (K5, k2tog) 6 times (36sts) (K4, k2tog) 6 times (30sts) (K3, k2tog) 6 times (24sts) (K2, k2tog) 6 times (18sts) (K1, k2tog) 6 times (12sts) (k2tog) 6 times (6sts) | Size 55cm K 2 rounds (K18, k2tog) 6 times (114sts) K 2 rounds (K17, k2tog) 6 times (108sts) K 2 rounds (K16, K2tog) 6 times (102sts) K 2 rounds (K15, k2tog) 6 times (96sts) K 1 round (K14, k2tog) 6 times (90sts) K 1 round (K13, k2tog) 6 times (84sts) K 1 round (K12, k2tog 6 times (78sts) K 1 round (K11, k2tog) 6 times (72sts) K 1 round (K10, k2tog) 6 times (66sts) K 1 round (K9, k2tog) 6 times (60sts) K 1 round (K8, k2tog) 6 times (54sts) (K7, k2tog) 6 times (48sts) (K6, k2tog) 6 times (42sts) (K5, k2tog) 6 times (36sts) (K4, k2tog) 6 times (30sts) (K3, k2tog) 6 times (24sts) (K2, k2tog) 6 times (18sts) (K1, k2tog) 6 times (12sts) (k2tog) 6 times (6sts) | Size 60cm K 2 rounds (K20, k2tog) 6 times (126sts) K 2 rounds (K19, k2tog) 6 times (120sts) K 2 rounds (K18, k2tog) 6 times (114sts) K 1 round (K17, k2tog) 6 times (108sts) K 1 round (K16, K2tog) 6 times (102sts) K 1 round (K15, k2tog) 6 times (96sts) K 1 round (K14, k2tog) 6 times (90sts) K 1 round (K13, k2tog) 6 times (84sts) K 1 round (K12, k2tog 6 times (78sts) K 1 round (K11, k2tog) 6 times (72sts) K 1 round (K10, k2tog) 6 times (66sts) K 1 round (K9, k2tog) 6 times (60sts) K 1 round (K8, k2tog) 6 times (54sts) (K7, k2tog) 6 times (48sts) (K6, k2tog) 6 times (42sts) (K5, k2tog) 6 times (36sts) (K4, k2tog) 6 times (30sts) (K3, k2tog) 6 times (24sts) (K2, k2tog) 6 times (18sts) (K1, k2tog) 6 times (12sts) (k2tog) 6 times (6sts) |
Finishing
Cut yarn, thread through remaining stitches and fasten off
Darn in loose ends
Stash Buster afghans
These use up all those leftovers you have from your other projects very quickly. As you can see from the photo you can strand more than one yarn together to get a heathered effect or some special color and texture variations. You can use decorative stitches when making one of these but the color combinations add a lot of interest all on their own.
NOTE: You do need to pay attention to your knitting tension when working with different weight yarns. If you pull too tightly on the thinner yarn this will cause the afghan to buckle where the tension changes. Makes it hard to fold neatly when that happens.
NOTE: You do need to pay attention to your knitting tension when working with different weight yarns. If you pull too tightly on the thinner yarn this will cause the afghan to buckle where the tension changes. Makes it hard to fold neatly when that happens.
Materials
Seven assorted partial or full skeins of yarn in coordinating colours. As you can see from the picture if I run out of one colour that I've chosen, I move on to another partial skein for when that colour comes up in the rotation again. That also adds interest to the colourway of the blanket.
Designate one color as the main colour for the afghan, you will need approximately 4-5 full skeins of that colour.
Knitting needles Size 8 -(4mm) or size that will work with the yarn that you've chosen
Large eye yarn needle
Designate one color as the main colour for the afghan, you will need approximately 4-5 full skeins of that colour.
Knitting needles Size 8 -(4mm) or size that will work with the yarn that you've chosen
Large eye yarn needle
Finished Size
40" x 65" - this makes an excellant size for a recliner blanket or taking a nap on the couch.Gauge
Totally dependant upon the yarn being used. The pattern is set up for knitting worsted weight yarn.
Afghan pattern
Using the MC loosely cast on 200 sts. Work in Seed Stitch (k1, p1, reverse on the next row) for 5 inches from the beginning of the afghan.
On the next row, work 25 sts in Seed Stich, place marker, knit to the last 25 sts, place marker, work in established pattern in Seed Stitch to finish the row.
On the next row, work the border in Seed Stitch using the MC, attach another color being sure to cross the yarn strands to avoid any holes on the border edge, purl the main body of the afghan to the marker, attach another skein of the MC, finish the row with the Seed Stitch border.
Repeat the previous two rows in pattern until the afghan measures 60 inches from the beginning.
The colourway as per the picture for the Blue Stashbuster Afghan is as follows -
On the next row, work 25 sts in Seed Stich, place marker, knit to the last 25 sts, place marker, work in established pattern in Seed Stitch to finish the row.
On the next row, work the border in Seed Stitch using the MC, attach another color being sure to cross the yarn strands to avoid any holes on the border edge, purl the main body of the afghan to the marker, attach another skein of the MC, finish the row with the Seed Stitch border.
Repeat the previous two rows in pattern until the afghan measures 60 inches from the beginning.
The colourway as per the picture for the Blue Stashbuster Afghan is as follows -
| Colour | # of Rows | |
|---|---|---|
| Light Blue | 5 | |
| Main color | 2 | |
| Green | 3 | |
| Main color | 2 | |
| Gray | 1 | |
| Main color | 2 | |
| Varigated | 3 | |
| Main color | 2 | |
| Dark Blue | 5 | |
| Main color | 2 | |
| Purple | 3 | |
| Main color | 2 | |
| Neutral/Brown | 1 | |
| Main color | 2 | |
| Light Blue | 3 | The 7 yarn colorway begins again here |
| Main color | 2 | |
| Green | 5 | |
| Main color | 2 |
When the colorway begins again you're at a different point in the row number progression. This helps to add color interest to the afghan instead of having the same colors form the same row repeats throughout.
Continue to work in the established color pattern with the number of rows given above until the afghan measures 60 inches from the beginning.
Use the MC to work the final Knit or Purl row.
Use the MC to work the final Knit or Purl row.
Work the remaining 5 inches of the afghan in Seed Stitch using the MC to complete the border. Bind off all stitches loosely.
Finishing:
Weave in all loose ends.
