Hats for Migrants KAL and "Boar Island"

The Simple Hat

     Our Hats for Migrants KAL is in full swing in our group Ravelry Resistance Knitters.  Lots of hats are being produced and sent to the head of Suenos Sin Fronteras, who will distribute them to Asylum Seekers in Northeast Asylum Cities.  It's getting chilly up North and these hats will be very appreciated.  Our KAL goes to Oct. 20th, but you can knit a hat for a migrant at any time and connect with us in our group to get a private address to ship your knit creations to.  All winter accessories are welcome.  Any fiber art and any fiber.

 The Simple Hat

     I know, I know you're not supposed to read the Anna Pigeon series out of order.  But, I got "Boar Island" last month for $1.99 and I didn't have an opportunity to get out to a second-hand book shop that I know has at least two of her oldies (maybe tomorrow).  So I skipped ahead.  I had so much wanted to read this last year when my son graduated from College of The Atlantic, an Ecology College right next to Acadia National Park.  I couldn't find it then and with all the graduating Senior's activities, and a trip out in a schooner (a treat from my Dad) I never would have found time to read!  By the way, we are moving just south of Acadia next Spring to where my son and his lovely Mainer girlfriend lives in Belfast, ME!!!  I miss the ocean and my son and my oldest daughter (who's in Upstate New York with her fiance in their new Old house - 1830).  It's hard to leave the mountains of Colorado but I get an ocean and my two kids back!

   

Bass Head Lighthouse

     I'm over halfway through and I find I like half of the book, the parts about Anna Pigeon and her friends Heath and her teen daughter Elizabeth.  The other chapters are about evil twins that give you a bad case of the willies (I actually skim read some of these parts, I get it, they're BAD!).  So while I like the story unfolding around Anna Pigeon it's not exactly rosie either.  Elizabeth is a Senior in Colorado (just like I have a Senior in High School now in Colorado) and the fictional girl is being cyber stalked.  So not a pleasant subject but as a mother, I think it's a good subject to air out and discuss.  So is it worth reading?  Hum, I don't know.  I'll finish it but I'm more interested in getting back to her older books and I like the ones that get more into the details of the park itself.  This one has fewer descriptions of nature as I like.

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Hats, A Coffee Shop Wrap and Anna Pigeon

The Simple Hat

      The Hats for Migrants KAL is going well.  We have a strong group - RAVELRY RESISTANCE KNITTERS churning out hats.  They are being sent to the head of Suenos Sin Fronteras, an organization that works to help Asylum Seekers in Asylum Cities in the soon to be cold Northeast.  Come join us.  The KAL runs till October 20th, but the need for hats by asylum seekers won't disappear and I'll keep the contact information available also after the KAL for anyone who needs it.  Plus a few more areas' addresses receiving cold-weather gear for migrants.

The Simple Hat

© Nicole Sabo

Resistance Knitter's Hat:

 © Nicole Sabo

        I've been making my pattern The Simple Hat lately in Lions brand Heartland; a very soft acrylic.  What I love about it, besides that it's easy to work with and it's soft, is all colors are named after National Parks and the colors are so beautiful!.  I just got Olympic (deep blue) and Sequoia, a rich brown.  I already had a russet called Yosemite.  So I'm making hats and then with the rest of the skein working on a large wrap that caught my eye.  The Coffee Shop Wrap is supposed to be done up in a Lions Cotton (also beautiful colors) but I liked the Tea House Wrap also and that was done in the Heartland.  

 © Two of Wands

 Coffee Shop Wrap

     © Two of Wands

Grizzly Bear Glacier National Park (Time)

 backpacker.com

2018 Grizzly Bear Glacier National Park Montana House

mountainscenes.com

     I'm back with a great Nevada Barr book in the Anna Pigeon series.  In "Blood Lure" she is in Glacier National Park in Montana helping research Grizzly bears.  But soon she survives a very vivid encounter with a Grizzly Bear and one of their research team is missing.  A dead body is found and the mystery starts.  This one is intriguing, heart pounding at times and very interesting.  My faith in Nevada Barr's mystery series has returned. 

  

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Hats for Migrants KAL and "Well Met"

 
     September 1st our Hats for Migrants KAL started in Ravelry Resistance Knitters!  We will run the KAL from September 1st to Sunday, October 20th with lots of contests along the way.  We have lots of interest and if you come by to Ravelry Resistance Knitters and post on the KAL thread you will be in a contest for a project bag and stitch markers on Friday (please post by noon Friday, PDT).

  I revealed a pattern I worked on for the KAL - The Simple Hat.  But you can use any hat pattern or any fiber art (including crochet) to produce a warm hat for Asylum seekers in the Northeast Asylum Cities.  We have the private address of a member who is the head of Suenos Sin Fronteras and by going to Ravelry Resistance Knitters you can find out how to get it.  All hats will be personally delivered to migrants.

     I just started "Well Met" and it's a delight!  "All's faire in love and war for two sworn enemies who indulge in a harmless flirtation in a laugh-out-loud rom-com from debut author Jen DeLuca." (Amazon).

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The Simple Hat

The Simple Hat

Created to inspire knitting hats for Asylum Seekers in Northeast Asylum Cities.

See bottom for Hats for Migrants KAL

Design Inspired by 

Choose Your Own Adventure - Hat KAL

Supplies:

     Worsted Wt. Yarn Wool or Acrylic, about 160 yds.

     (See Note below pattern for wool yarn suggestions).

     Size # 7 Circular Needles (Size 16") (Knit Picks has excellent affordable needles)

     Size #7 Double Pointed needles (wooden would be less slippery)

     (Optional) Size #6 Circular Needles for a tighter brim if wanted

Cast on: 
90 (100, 110, 120)
    S (M, L, XL) 

18/20" (22/23",  24",  24/25") on

 Circular needles #7 (Opt. #6 Circ. Needles for very tight brim)

(Please note any size can be made to fit more snug by knitting the brim in #6 needles, but for me, this was too tight.)

Place a marker at the beginning

When casting on I use the Long-tail method. And I add 1 stitch to each count above at the end, switch it to the beginning cast on stitch and knit those two stitches together (a little tricky, but worth it). This eliminates the little jog in the brim edge. More detailed instructions and diagrams found on TinCanKnits

BRIM:

     Knit brim on Circular Needles #7 (unless you want a tighter brim then do #6).

     Knit 1, Purl 1

     Till 2.25" then change to stockinette

BODY:

     Knit in Circular Needles #7 in stockinette, all KNIT for 3" measuring from the end of the brim (5.25" from the starting edge).

     [If you want a slouch hat knit 2" or more inches depending on your slouchy preference]

The Top:

     Divide your knitting into 10 stitches, putting a marker after each 10th stitch.

Row 1: Knit 8, then Knit two together, Marker, proceed around once.

Row 2: Knit

REPEAT ROUNDS Row 1 and 2. (With stitches knit between stitch markers decreasing by one each other row.)

CHANGE to double pointed needles (size #7) when knitting gets too tight for circulars.

Do this till you have 18 (20, 22, 24) sts left on needles.

Row 3: Knit 2 tog. around till you have 9 (10, 11, 12) stitches left.

Cut yarn with a long tail, pull tight, weave through.

Wash & Blocking: This is optional. Sometimes I don't like how blocking I find it stretches out wool, but if your wool is scratchy I have a great technique to soften it. Wash hat in Woolite (really softens wool), then you can also soak it in a little hair conditioner (I use an organic conditioner with mint scent) in water for a bit, rinse, wrap in towel to squeeze out excess water (I stand on it!), then block. I block by using a bowl upside down, make sure the bowl is not bigger, close to size. VERY important! Have the brim hang down below your bowl as it dries. You don't want the brim to be stretched out. 

If Acrylic yarn I wouldn't wash it.

Wool Yarn Suggestions:  A really good source that's affordable is KnitPicks for a large variety of colors of wool yarns. Their Wool of The Andes is scratchy but see above Blocking/Wash instructions and that can help, The Wool of the Andes Superwash is softer. Both color selection is out of this world!  Swish Super Wash is really soft and pretty colors.

Ravelry Link - The Simple Hat

     To become part of our Hats for Migrants KAL Sept. 1st - Oct. 20 please come by and join Ravelry Resistance Knitters.  One of our members is the head of Suenos Sin Fronteras. We have a personal address that the hats can be sent to, even after the KAL come by and we'll get you the address. The hats are personally delivered to migrants at Northeast Asylum Cities.  There are also other suggested knits for Migrants on our site, like washcloths and stuffed animals. Knitted items also go to the border to Asylum Seekers.

This hat design started years ago when I followed a KAL put out by Webs.  This pattern by Webs was my inspiration to create the simplest pattern I could for a hat for Migrants.  I made adjustments for what I found to make an even better hat.  If you need tutorials or you want a different design or add a Fair Isle design please refer to the original pattern for inspiration and instruction.  It's really awesome!

Choose Your Own Adventure KAL (2016)Ravelry: Choose Your Own Adventure - Hat KAL

If you want to do a fancier design, Fair Isle, or a different style, or knit, or finish of your hat differently please check out the Webs pattern my friend Maureen and I did a few years ago.  Great designs.

Choose Your Own Adventure KAL (2016)

© mojorao

photos above © mojorao

Hats for Migrants KAL and "Well Met"

Hats for Migrants KAL 

Sunday, September 1st - Sunday, October 20th

Any hat pattern or fiber craft can be done. 
 Hats are sent by crafters to Suenos Sin Fronteras for Migrants in Asylum Cities in Northeast.

See Ravelry Resistance Knitters 

and join for details.
Contests and Prizes will be awarded!

Suenos Sin Fronteras  (Facebook Page)
Suenos Sin Fronteras  (Web page)

     I'm busy trying to create a pattern for a Hats for Migrants KAL that starts September 1st.  I had thought I lost my double-pointed needles a few weeks ago when I went to my daughter's old house in Upstate New York for my husband and son to help make repairs.  Intending to create a pattern there, I was thwarted by no needles!  The work there on the house took a drastic turn, rotted walls, ants of all sizes falling from the ceiling and pouring (literally) from the old wall.  Walls knocked down that had to be replaced.  Going to Walmart or anywhere else to get needles was not an option!  And, of course, when I unpacked when I got back to Colorado, there they were stuck in a green skein of wool in an outside pocket.  So I'm running behind.

     Also, I thought I could whip up the old pattern I used several years ago and do some adjustments to make it better and be done.  But no I hit a goldilocks situation.  This one was too big.  Also, I was a bit too sure of myself and I didn't look at that pattern closely, adding 5" to the brim finished, instead of from rim and voila, an unintended slouch hat!  So I'm producing hats to come up with the perfect one.  The good side of this is I do have several sizes to share when I publish the pattern (and a slouch hat version) Saturday night at Midnight EST (10 PM in Colorado) so everyone can start Sunday on the KAL.  Of course, any hat pattern would do.  Any size, any design, any fiber craft and children's sizes too are all welcome!  A simple hat pattern the better but I'll be sharing the original pattern I altered for more variations.  Also, I'm planning on sharing on a blog post more free hat patterns.  This is an old post of free hat patterns you might find useful - Hat Patterns Galore!  Remember don't start till Sunday, September 1st so you qualify for prizes!!!

     So on Sunday, September 1st the Hats for Migrants KAL will begin!  We'll go till October 20th, a Sunday.  You can go to Ravelry Resistance Knitters on Ravelry to become apart of the fun.  All hats will be sent to our representative in Suenos Sin Fronteras, who will bring them to Asylum Cities in the Northeast (see Ravelry Resistance Knitters' group page to learn how to get the address).  We also have a member who can bring hats to a Maine Asylum center for migrants, so feel free to request that mailing information.  There will be prizes offered for those who just join and post interest in the Ravelry Resistance Knitters' group on the "Hats for Migrants KAL" thread, then a raffle at the end of the week from those posted (check out group page Ravelry Resistance Knitters for details).  Also contests throughout with prizes.  In the end, they'll be a prize for who did the most hats starting knitting September 1st (you can also crochet hats).  For those who are interested, there will be a raffle for a giveaway of a night at a bed and breakfast at the end too.  But best of all we're making heads warm and welcoming new people to our country who have gone through a lot to simply get here.  That in itself is all the reward any of us really need, imagine the smiles under the brims!

A Tour Ellis Island's Abandoned Hospital

Abandoned America - Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital

     Meanwhile, I'm slogging through the 7th book in Nevada Barr's mystery series about Anna Pigeon.  She's a ranger found in National Parks inevitably hovering over a dead body with a mystery.  I've loved all her books so far, but this one.  "Liberty Falling" is set in Ellis Island during a time when Anna is in New York City because her sister Molly is possibly dying.  The only interesting thing is the descriptions of the old hospital attached to the restored parts of Ellis Island.  Old buildings slowly being reclaimed by nature that she explores.  I'm making myself finish the book because it's a series I've enjoyed and I want to know what happens to Anna and Molly.

      So I'd much rather be reading a new book sitting on my table, my BOTM selection "Well Met".  It's a new book released on September 3rd, but we got it early!  A comedic romantic romp through a Renaissance Faire I dearly want to dive into.  Perhaps Anna Pigeon will have to wait a bit while I dive into a funnier world.  It sounds funny and witty and very good from the reviews.

Come Join Us at Unraveled Wednesday

   

Dreams of Black Walnut Dyeing

      I've been in Upstate New York at my daughter's "new" old house (1830) for over a week.  My husband and son (a carpenter down from Maine) came to do some fix-it-jobs and started with an old wall with the intention of stopping a leak and ended up ripping the wall out, plus the next one out.  Layers of rot.  Wall gone and rebuilding commenced.  My biggest contribution is baking tons of desserts.  I've tried to introduce some healthy desserts from Chocolate Covered Katie (links below if you love chocolate like I do).

      Everyday I knit (finished another washcloth for my daughter), bake and often disappear to lie on the next door lawn of a vacant house, doing back exercises (this video is close to what I do, but no pillow), partially borrowed from yoga, to feel better (my back pain disappears when I do this).  But I also find peace just stopping to stare at the trees.  Now you have to understand Colorado where I live has trees, but not like this.  These are huge, soaring and old.  Yesterday I discovered one of those trees is a black walnut with light green orbs gracing the yard.  I had obsessed last year thinking about how I wanted to dye with these.  A beautiful brown it makes.  But where to find black walnuts?  Yeah!  Found.  So I'm packing a small bag away of green black walnuts and later today we get on a train for a two day trip home to Colorado.

     I'd been doing research on Black Walnut dyeing.  Here's one blog that has good instructions - Fiber Artsy

Fiber Artsy

     Meanwhile, I'm still reading the mystery series by Nevada Barr about the park ranger Anna Pigeon.  I back tracked to #4 "Firestorm", which I'd have to agree with the inside cover's reviews which describe it as her best, so far.  But I've loved and enjoyed each one.  This plot has Anna as law enforcement and medic with a team of summer woodland firefighters drawn from different National Parks.  A sudden firestorm happens, flashes over her group.  A dead body is found, so a murder happened in the midst, or right before or after the firestorm.  And now Anna is stuck on the mountain, in snow, a man dying of injuries and one of them is a murderer. She proceeds to figure out who and to keep the team alive as well.

KAL Hats for Migrants!

Next week Wednesday, August 28th I'll reveal my basic hat pattern for the September 1st KAL.  We're knitting (or crocheting) hats for Asylum Seekers in Asylum Cities in the Northeast.  Any pattern and style will do, I'm just creating a simple hat based on an old how-to post that I'll also share so anyone can change it around, make their hats a different size or go fancy with stranded knitting.  There will be prizes awarded from skeins of yarn, a project bag and a night at a bed and breakfast!  If you want to be in the contests you have to wait to begin knitting September 1st, and the KAL will run till October 20th.  Stay tuned.  More details to come up on this blog next Wednesday and in Ravelry's group Resistance Knitters.

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Chocolate Covered Katie's Recipes:

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Chocolate No Bake Cookies

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars

And I wanted to make this but ran out of time:

Chocolate Oatmeal Fudge Bars