Quick quick! Free patterns...

One of six quick free Halloween projects from LionBrand

Do you need some quick Halloween projects to finish out your gift bags, home decor, or for the kids in your life?  Here are six quick free Halloween projects to knit, crochet, knit and felt, or craft from Lion Brand.  Encourage the kids to get involved and remember to share your creative goodness with those around you.  It's contagious and creates the warm fuzzies.

Enjoy the day. 

Marg (taking time to enjoy the Autumn weather and everything that I love about my life)

For a limited time, buy a signed copy here or here  and enjoy super savings.

Yarn, fabulous needles, and a pet or child to interrupt your knitting euphoria are the staples of a knitter’s life.
-Margaret Nock, Knit Knitavian Style:Allow your knitting adventures to begin.
©Margaret Nock, 2010. All rights reserved.

My current read is:
Paranormal State: My Journey into the Unknown


Join Creating The Hive, the new online arts and crafts community. Revel in community, crafty ideas, groups and more. Visit me here.

Are you a Go-Giver?

Craft Hope: Handmade Crafts for a Cause

"For it is in giving that we receive." St. Francis of Assisi

Halos of Hope for yarn guidelines, free hat patterns and other ways you can help this organization reach out to cancer patients.  Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for inspiring updates.

Craft Hope is now on Project 9!  Please stop by and learn about all the wonderful work that is being done.  Join in the crafty fun.  Read the book!  Receive updates on Craft Hope on Facebook and Twitter.

"Go-Givers will become the best go-getters." Unknown

I hope you reach out any way you can.  Revel in kind words and thoughts.  Start a creative charity project or give a hug, the possibilities are endless.  Spread your special pizazz and watch the world light up.  FYI, pizazz is contagious.

Marg (noticing a little pizazz in my knitting today)

Drum Roll Please.

Yarn Drum Tm at Patternworks

The Yarn Drum Tm at Patternworks is an affordable way to keep your yarn and accessories organized at home or on the run.  It's perfect for vacations and concerts in the park or any other places you take your knit and crochet projects.  The Yarn Drum will hold up to eight full-sized balls of yarn - Wowee!- and your accessories for a project.  It's durable, and the round design makes it easy to pack in the car.  There's a zipper around the top for easy access, an accessory pouch,  and a comfortable shoulder strap. The bag is made out of woven poly and has a PVC base.  This yarnie gem's measurements are 12" around and 12 3/4" high.  It's currently on backorder, but more are expected by May 10th, which is just around the corner and well worth waiting for.  Yay!

Grab you projects and take them along!

See you on the run.

Marg (so many places to knit, so little time)

Starch those stitches.

Non-aerosol and eco-friendly spray starch from Eco.com

Spring is coming! You may need to lightly stiffen your knit or crochet for home decor projects, bags, and whimsical decorations to celebrate the change of season.  I always try to pick the most eco-friendly products that I can for the household and I find many of them on Ecos.com. They have a spray starch that's easy to use and perfect for your stitches.  The site has a store locator so that you can find their products locally, or purchase them online in the Eco shop.

Knit-Share-Go green!

Marg (listening to the wind and hoping with my heart)

Eco-friendly Recycled Essential Lunch Kit Pack

The SAK Eco Harmony Backpack,Taupe,one size

Color, Charity and Community!

MixTape Issue #10 is now availabe for preorder! Full color (recycled) and very crafty, this issue will go fast and when it's gone, baby, it's gone!

Grab it and go get your crafty, eco-friendly self inspired.

Cover art by Bola Cooper

Coming soon - an interview with the very creative Sue Fragiacomo of FragiacomoGlassArt on Etsy...right here on Knit1fortheroad!

Charity Knitting and Crochet Orgs

So many of you have asked which charity knitting and crochet groups I make items for. Today, I'm sharing my charity knit and crochet orgs that I am making items for over the summer ... here we go.

Love to make scarves? This is the charity for you! Scarves from the Heart brightens a cancer patients day with colorful, warm scarves. (also a group on Ravelry!)

Tails of Hope Foundation, “Blanketed With Love™” Campaign provides soft, comfy blankets for sick dogs.

Knots-of-Love.org donates your handmade chemo caps to adults in need.

On Ravelry? Check these groups ...they are active and offer community, pattern info, and support for people in need.

Hearts of Love - Various projects to support children and adults who are in need of comfort. (interview with the founder, Teresita Valadez) Enjoy the community of like minded, caring members and the wonderful patterns and projects that are being posted.

Stitches for Africa - Many varying handmade projects await your special touch for families struggling to survive.

Knitters for Obama- Ongoing projects to help keep you motivated with your charity knitting and crochet and a wonderful sense of community. You don't have to be an Obama voter to participate, just a can do attitude.

There are so many charities that need your help. These are a few of the ones that I feel comfortable with...you will discover you're own. Count your blessings and remember to reach out to others. Knitters and crocheters have the ability to change the world and bring comfort to others.

Marg (so many projects, so little time)

View my charity projects on CraftStylish and Flickr

Shake, Stomp and Roll aha aha!

Today I'd like to share with you what's on my needles and hooks and my projects for the future.

Here are some crocheted caps I'm getting ready to send to

Knots-of-love.org made with KnitPicks Crayon and Caron Simply Soft yarn. These are very soft yarns that are great sleep caps for chemo patients and part of a stash of long forgotten projects.

Next, is my Doris scarf from Pop Goes Crochet by Vickie Howell. I'm using another yarn that I already had but is similar to what the project calls for. VickieHowell Blog. This project is new, yarn is fairly new, and this will definitely get made, probably more than once.

I also have a couple of LionBrand patterns that I will be working on when I can.

The Moderne Jacket

and the

Shaded Triangles Wrap.

Both are free patterns.

Most of us have projects hanging around waiting to be made. Hope this blog inspires you to reorganize, evaluate and jump on the time management train to happy knitting and crocheting this summer. Can't quite jump on that train yet? Try donating yarn and project sheets (a copy of course) that you've had forever and probably won't make. Try a swap with fellow crafters and discover a project that you will make right away.

Shake your knitty life up a little! Opportunities abound to make room for new creative adventures and share your love of crafting with others.

Marg(finally learning to shake it, stomp it and roll with the projects)

RELEASE THE COOL CLASSIC COTTON!

LionBrandYarn
Turquoise Cotton-Ease


Cotton Yarns aren't only for your spring/summer knitting and crochet, but also for winter projects as well. It's versatility can keep you super cool or super warm. It's also a non-allergenic fiber perfect for household projects, chemo caps, and baby items and for anyone with allergies or sensitive skin.

There's such a variety of cotton yarn now that are not only durable, easy to clean, but soft as well.


Classic Cotton Yarns from YarnMarket gives you a variety of cotton and cotton blends at various prices to fit any budget.

Lily Sugar'n Cream has wonderful cotton in colors (solids or stripes).


Free Cotton Yarn Patterns from LionBrandYarn and their latest soft cotton blend, Cotton-Ease.


Crystal Palace offers free knit and crochet patterns listed by yarn.


Cotton is Coooool-so unleaseh your super coolness when you make your next cotton yarn project.



Marg (understands your inner coolness)