july 27, 2007

As happens with a six month program, there are always changes, but this month there is a big changeover as almost half of our community will transition to outpatient and we will be admitting new residential clients which means many new knitters! Our outpatient clients are offered the opportunity to come each week and join us and help teach the new clients. Not only do they help with the knitting but also serve as mentors and role models for having completed a program. My photos this week show some of the new projects the clients are working on. Many are working on their blankets which I have posted before and I will show them again when they are completed!

Her blanket of many colors is growing!
This is home spun yarn and several completed projects for one of our client's children.
This is Ruth standing in front of her store in Richboro PA. Thanks Ruth for letting people know about our knitting program.



Julia, a volunteer here is learning how to knit and here is Megan's mom who came back again to teach some new crochet stitches to some of the ladies.
Our client did this scarf in knit and purl rows as a practice for learning to purl.
Several of the women are having fun making hats with their new hat circulars.

Here is the beginning of a shawl.
She was so proud of her chenielle scarf because she purled it as a way to learn and practice purling.

july 20, 2007

Above: a scarf I have been working on. I received the above yarn as a gift from someone who met the alpacas who grew it! And stay tuned, she is going to send me photos of them next time she visits the alpaca farm and I will post them. I found the pattern that was suggested for this yarn and it is absolutely beautiful. Several of the clients are now using this same pattern. The ruffle is fun.
Our visitor Rena modeling a vest she knitted.

Here is Gael teaching us how to stitch a seam invisibly.

Zelphia, our volunteer, is working on a circular shawl and always shows us how they progress.

Avove: Our client's handbag is almost done. It will be a gift for her daughter who will use it for carrying baby things around. Below: Rena showed the clients a had done in short rows using up lots of different yarns. And below that is a shawl that Rena completed that gave our clients ideas on how changing stitches can make a project more interesting.




Here is Kathy Finely (red shoes) in front of her knitting store in Swarthmore, PA called FINLEY A KNITTING PARTY. Thanks to all of the knitters there who have sent yarn on to us. We received it this week and it is busily being knitted and crocheted.
Above: a yellow alpaca scarf with a ruffle.
This is illusion knitting and I thought my camera had captured the piano key illusion..............
This is Marcella our volunteer who comes to knit with us when school is out. She is a librarian. She is modeling a piece that is a scarf and a head covering. (oops! I forget the name of it.)




We welcomed Gail and Rena today!
Here is the handbag, finally felted!




We had visitors today! Gael and Rena visited us and taught us some new techniques for knitting hats. Rena showed us some of what she has knitted. Gael explained that she has sheep and spins their wool into yarn. She also told us about lambs, rams, and ewes. It is really important for new knitters to learn all of this because it makes a difference (especially when you wash what you knitted or crocheted)!

The clients are creating afghans in all color combinations. Each one is beautiful and different. And as this week is progressing, I am seeing a lot of interest in hat knitting.

July 13, 2007

This banner was the theme of our graduation.
This is our newest client learning how to knit a washcloth.
This is a bulky yarn being knit into a handbag.
Megan our volunteer has learned how to knit socks. The clients look forward to our volunteers coming each week during this group. They are an inspiration!
Our client made this scarf with ruffles and bits and pieces of alpaca. She is so clever!
Lucia is telling our group how she has to get started on her yearly present of a new handknitted sweater for her husband!
Here are some crocheted afghans in process.

Above: This client surprised me with crocheted hats and beautiful combinations of yarns.


This handbag was made from woolease. It has a flap over and our client designed it!
This client is learning shortrows.
This client is learning a shawl based on the triangle washcloth pattern.
This is our "home depot orange" blanket in progress.

Above: one of our crochet ladies finally learning to knit!
Here is a handbag in progress.

This client was so excited. She had a poncho and a yarn came in that was an exact match so she made a drawstring pouch handbag to match.

Above: another new knitter. Below: Katie who works here modeling a client's scarf.


Above: a ribbon shawl in progress. Below: our volunteer who surprises us occasionally with a visit came today and is showing the clients a scarf she just completed.

The women so appreciate the good wishes that they have received as I read the letters that come with the yarn. I read a note yesterday and the clients asked me how they could thank people. I explained that I send a thank you out (when there is an address) but they were trying to figure out how THEY could let people know they appreciate it. They were coming up with different ideas and one said maybe they could write a thank you in their words that I could post. Until we get that together I wanted to let you know that the yarn and the letters are appreciated.

This Friday we are looking forward to a hat clinic. With this being a six month program we constantly need to teach the newer clients new things as the clients graduate. Some of the clients who graduate continue to come back to this knitting group and they along with the volunteers can work with the newer clients. Looking ahead to the upcoming cooler weather everyone will want to make hats. And as a reality check, holiday ornaments are on display in the stores with the weather hitting almost 100 degrees here in Philadelphia this past week.

So we are all looking forward to welcoming our hat teachers!