Tag: knitting

Free Resources Friday

I’m very under the weather this week so I need to be brief. Hopefully this might give you some things to keep you occupied a bit until I get better 🙂

QuiltingTutorials.com is a website run by the folks at Missouri Star Quilt Co. There are many, many videos showing everything from quilting basics to intermediate level patterns.

Popular quilt fabric company Riley Blake Designs has 57 free quilting projects available on their site. I did find that in some cases the fabric requirements could be reduced if you can get a fat quarter instead of needing 1/3 yard to get a 10 inch square, also you may save fabric if you use pre-cuts. It all depends on the pattern. Just read closely before shopping. I plan to try several of the patterns in the future 🙂

If you want to try Craftsy.com for free but you are not a quilter, there is a free knitting workshop available for a limited time. (That is it is free for a limited time — and since you can always sign up now and watch the videos/interact with the instructor at any time in the future, it’s worth signing up even if you don’t have time right now.) The free workshop is the One-Skein Shrug taught by Stephanie Japel.

Finally, if you are interested in the history of fiber arts in Britain you may like to listen to a two-part series from BBC radio’s Coast and Country that is available for a few weeks on their website.  You can download the shows or listen directly from the web page. In the 29 December 2011 episode (Gansey) you can learn about the history of knitting Ganseys. In the episode from 05 January 2012 (Knockando) they explore the history of a small Scottish mill, including weaving and rearing sheep. If you wish to download an episode, click on the Download link beneath the show title on the left hand side of the page. If you wish to listen from your web browser, click on the show name in the small box on the right hand side of the page and you can use their built-in Flash player.

In other news I did get my new sewing machine but I haven’t felt up to blogging about it yet. I hope to be over this virus in a few days so hopefully I’ll have plenty of things to show you soon!

Items to Craft for Chronically Ill Friends & Relatives, Part One

National Invisible Awareness Week has ended but it’s still National Pain Awareness Month and right now I’m well aware of my pain so I thought I’d blog instead 😉  In honour of my Crafting for Causes charity program (which has NO donations yet *sniff sniff* — whatcha waiting on people??) I thought I would list just a small sampling of items that could brighten an ill person’s day and/or make their lives easier. Of course some of this depends on what kind of illness they have but you’d be using your judgement, of course!

Papercrafting

  • Handmade cards and postcards (can involve sewing/quilting/fabric/etc too!)
  • Signs of good wishes to hang up near their bed/lair
  • Mini-books filled with inspirational quotes
  • Personalized stationery to make it easy to write notes to friends — with postage included
  • Blank journals to record their health, feelings, dreams or wishes, etc.

Quilting

  • Lap quilts for wheelchair users (I like 30 inches square finished size)
  • Small throws for lounging on the sofa
  • Bed quilts, especially for the hospitalized to bring to colour to the room
  • Padded cases for eyeglasses
  • Thick quilted “pot” holders to be used for hot OR cold items (my hands can’t handle taking things out of the freezer, for instance)

Sewing

  • All kinds of warmers made with grains/rice inside of fabric that can be microwaved; these can be shaped for certain body parts or square for a generic heating pad
  • Nice pillows to put said warmers into, or just in general
  • Fleece hats
  • Extra-warm Mittens
  • Bed jackets and shrugs
  • Bags and totes for carrying things to appointments
  • Bags, “backpacks” and other items to add storage space to a rollator or wheelchair
  • “Slanket”/”Snuggie” type throws
  • Cute animals to cuddle up with — yes even adults like to sleep with a friend sometimes! — ideally very soft as well

Knit/Crochet

  • Lap blankets for wheelchair users (see above)
  • Throws for lounging
  • Shrugs and cardigans for those who get cold easily
  • Gloves, mittens or fingerless versions thereof
  • Wrist, arm, legwarmers
  • Hats, especially soft ones that are washable but don’t have bulky brims (for those of us who have to sleep in hats a bump at the brim can be uncomfortable)
  • Handmade socks
  • Prayer square where appropriate
  • Cute, soft animals (see above)

Toiletries — check with the person first for allergies/sensitivities!!

  • Lotions for those with skin problems
  • Unscented items for people allergic to perfumes
  • Exfoliating items for people who can’t bathe/shower every single day (dead skin can build up quickly)
  • Aromatherapy blends for relaxation, stress reduction, mental clarity, etc.
  • Bath blends without harsh chemicals; salts are usually good for this
  • Massage oils safe for use on the temples and forehead or warming or cooling ones for the body

Beading

  • Bookmarks
  • Stretchy jewelry for people who have trouble with hooks and clasps
  • Pretty, sparkly things for women who may be feeling unfeminine b/c of illness or side effects of treatment
  • Prayer beads where appropriate
  • Tiaras to make them the Queen of their Domain 🙂
  • Medic alert IDs — make the medic sign very visible
  • Awareness jewelry relating to their specific disease(s)

This is really a small sample of things that can be made, and things I plan to make for others.  Watch this space for more ideas in the weeks to come, and of course feel free to ask any questions about the items listed or to make suggestions of your own!