Yarn Bombing Workshop Weekend

Summer disappeared rapidly and now we're gearing up for our Yarn Bombing project to commemorate the Butte Fire Memorial Celebration.

 

http://www.tentree.com/blog/yarn-bombing/

It's nearly a year since the fire and a big party is planned for Sep 10th at the Mountain Ranch Community Park. There's the unveiling of the Pieces Memorial Wall and lots of festivities honoring the community spirit that helped the area recover.

What are we doing at maisieblue? 

Workshops, Blanket KAL & Installation. Read on!

Yarn Bombing Workshops: 

Aug 21, 28, Sep 4th from 1-4pm

Come help me make up strips, squares and  triangles for banners (or buntings as they say in England) to decorate the Walnut Sisters. The Sunday workshops will be devoted to cranking out as many decorations as possible. We need helpers to make light work of it.

 photo from buttonsandbeeswax blog

Our goals: Loads of triangles to make festive decorations for the trees. Big strips to make "sweaters" for the trees. I'm planning to have our shop's Addi Express machines, supplies and patterns on hand. I've gathered up simple patterns (knit and crochet), but quilters welcome to help too by making fabric triangles. We'll string them all together into festive garlands for the trees.

Can't join us in person? You can still help! Make strips 6" wide (2, 3, 4 ft long) or granny squares or your favorite knitted square pattern. These then will be sewn together into "sweaters" for the trees. Or make a bunch of triangles for buntings. Drop off (or ship us) your finished bits our shop in Murphys, Acme Art in Moke Hill or the Calaveras Co. Arts Council office in San Andreas.

Pattern Ideas

KNIT
Garter Strips: no pattern: Cast on for 6" wide and knit, knit, knit 2, 3, 4ft long scarves. Easy-peasy!
Bunting Party Flags
Knitted Bunting
Fly the Bunting
Log Cabin Squares

CROCHET
Lucy of Attic24 (my favorite crocheter) has great photo tutorials too!
Granny Bunting Triangles
Sunny Log Cabin
Sunny Granny Square

Community Park Installation

We need help dressing the Walnut Sisters! Once everything made it needs to be sewn onto the trees or hung in the branches by Sep 9th. If you can help with installation contact Robin Modlin at robin.modlin@gmail.com to get details of when and how you can help.

Blanket KAL: Butte Fire Blankets of Love

Remember last fall & winter? Several customers made lovely blankets in honor of the fire victims. I asked Robin to incorporate them into the celebrations. Can't wait to see these lovely blankets highlighted as powerful gifts of community love. Thank you to our customers for your gorgeous blankets! A wonderful addition to the anniversary healing celebrations.

Here's more links to articles about the project, it's founders and the Calaveras Arts Council. It's truly an inspirational endeavor on so many levels. And a heartfelt testament to life in a close-knit rural community. 

 Pieces Project and the women behind the project. Visit the Calaveras Arts Council Gallery exhibit: Pieces: A Community Art Project at the Calaveras Arts Council Gallery in San Andreas through Sept 22 Main Street (Off Highway 49) www.calaverasarts.org

Check out this lovely review of the exhibit by Margaret Sloan.Sure to make you want to run to see it in person.

Yarnbombers Needed

Calling all Crafters: Help Wanted!

We need sweaters....lots of sweaters....for four trees....by September.  Many hands make light work so help us out. See these these trees...They're naked and need sweaters!

The four lovely Walnut Tree Sisters live in the Mountain Ranch Community Park. They need fancy, swanky outfits for a big community party commemorating the year anniversary of the Butte Fire in September. It's a Healing through the Arts celebration with loads of fun, food, healing and comradeship so the Trees want to look their best! Sep 10th is the big party and unveiling of the Pieces Memorial Mosaic project. A great day to mark the passage of time since last years devastation. Plans are afoot to include our Butte Blankets of Love in a raffle as well....so if you're still working on your don't stop!

We need many hands to help knit and crochet up gorgeous, colorful sweaters and then dress them up for the big gala. Because the Walnut Sisters want to look like this...

http://www.tentree.com/blog/yarn-bombing/

Or like this!!

http://www.tentree.com/blog/yarn-bombing/

How to Help

1. We need knitters and crocheters to help make up big swaths of fabric over the summer months.
2. People to help sew the trees into their fantastic red-carpet worthy outfits before the Sept. celebration
3. Yarn donations because it takes a lot of yarn to dress a tree!

How to Sign Up?

If you want to join in contact the coordinator, Robin Modlin at  robin.modlin@gmail.com She will organize all us enthusiastic crafters over the next few months. She hopes to have enough to meet up in June to brainstorm, plan and get cracking.

Yarn donations gratefully accepted too....just bring to maisieblue. Great way to winnow your stash, do a clean up or closets and liberate neglected yarns out into the big wide world of yarn bombing!

More Questions? Just ask Kim!

More fun yarnbombing links:
Gazillions of Yarn Bombing Photos
Yarn Bombing 101: Five Easy Steps
Ted Talk: How Yarn Bombing Grew into World Wide Movement
Fine Art of Yarn Bombing 

Pieces Memorial Wall Project  

Read about the project here. There's a traveling exhibit during the summer too. The big unveiling celebration is Sep 10th. at the Mountain Ranch Community Park starting at 10am.

Holiday Blankets-of-Love KAL

We're busy brainstorming a big community knit/crochet along. Our Goal: Make as many beautiful handmade blankets for families who lost so much in the devastating Butte Fire by Dec 21. Patterns are queued up, discounts for yarns purchased and prizes to be had for fastest fingers who whips up the most blankets.

 

It's holiday deadline since families will need some extra-special comfort and joy. We know at least 21 families just at Calaveras High. Figured this is a good goal to start with: Enough blankets to wrap them up with handmade hugs for the holidays. But by no means do we have to stop at 20+! Let's see just how many we can create.

Feel free to come in and we'll help you pick out yarns. We'll give 15% discount on yarn purchases for this KAL to boot . Prefer to go stash-busting? See guides on yardage and yarn sizes below. If you plan to join in the KAL let us know so we can keep you in the loop: call, email or stop by the shop. Don't forget to drop in on Sun or Mon 2-4pm to knit-along with us.

Suggested Pattern

  
I've highlighted a perfect basic pattern below. But by all means it's not limited to this one pattern. Scroll down for other pattern ideas, guides on yardage and stash-busting tips.

Purl Soho has several easy garter stripe blankets that are perfect. Because it's now mid-Oct and holidays looming.... I suggest using the Super Easy Lap Blanket patterns:

It's takes about 1000-1200 yards of aran/chunky yarn (4 st = 1" gauge) on a #10 or #11 needle. Makes up apx. 35" x 44" which is nice lap blanket size. Garter stitch is very stretchy so it will grow bigger than you think. Aim for a fluid drape so not too tight a gauge-go up a needle size if it feels too dense. Pattern calls for 7 colors-but easy to use more/less colors.

It's super easy-peasy: cast on, knit until time to join next color, bind off when you're out of colors. Perfect mindless knitting that yields spectacular results.There are several versions of this easy stripe blanket: dk, bulky. And a crochet version too.

 

Other free blanket pattern ideas

KNIT

Squishy Log Cabin

Thick & Think Stripes: Hudson Bay

Bias Square Blanket

Half-Log Cabin Ombre

CROCHET

Vicki Howell's Chevy Ripple

Bear's Rainbow Blanket

Crochet Super Easy Blanket

Here's quick yardage-at-glance guide

 

This gives you ballpark idea of how much you'll need. If worried about running out add a 10%  cushion. Beauty of using the Purl Soho pattern: Just knit up whole skein/hank/ball. Then switch to next color.

Stash busting Tips

Want to go through your stash? Pick same weight yarns. Want to really use up the stash? Consider holding multiple strands together. It yields a super squishy blanket and gets rid of yarn like crazy! Here's rough guide:

Pick needle size  to match your size yarn. Don't make it too tight. Garter stitch is best on loose side for a cushy, cuddly style blanket.