Knitting for the Troops and Charity Knitting

Our local library is running a wonderful project called "K4OT - Knitting for Our Troops." The library, in conjunction with about every knitting store in town is hosting special knit-in where people will meet and make wool helmet liners for our troops. They have provided a special pattern to ensure that the hat will fit under the helmet. Most of the charity knitter I know have already started. The goal is to send off 5,280 (Mile High City = 5,280feet) hats. They will be combined with other care items like fun food, toiletries, etc. I am nearly done with my first one and hope to get one or two more done. If I had more time I would certainly make more. I also want to attach a nice note or card to the hats I send off.

I have also made a few hats for the local homeless shelter to give away. I can knit what ever I like, but it is suggested that I use easy to care for fibers so the hats I made so far have been acrylic. I actually hat acrylic yarn, but the hats need to be easily washed. The first one was done in a day and actually went home to Rotterdam with Truike. It was very cold while they were here and she needed a hat. She fell in love with it so now it can be seen on another part of the world.

The next hat was a beehive pattern where I alternated between two very different fibers, the straight acrylic double was knitted. The acrylic with a knobby carrying yarn was purled. The result is a fun bit of bumpy rings.

The last hat was a bit more manly with a double yarn knit. I made the cuff part twice as long as needed and stitched it up to double it as well. They should keep a few souls warmer during the long, windy months. It would be a kick to see someone sporting one of my hats.