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Sunday, April 30, 2006
Knitting for Our Furry Friends
Most of the charities I support and feature on Knitting for Change are engaged in helping people. But this month I'd like to change the focus a little and talk about our furry friends in need.
When I was in the 6th grade, Mr. Tamborino, our teacher told us that memorizing a poem could change our lives. I didn't really believe him, because I'd memorized a poem and nothing had happened to me. A few years earlier, a close family friend and the school nurse, Phebe Downs, had made me a decoupage plaque with a picture of a teddy bear and a poem by Emily Dickenson. I had the plaque hanging in my bedroom, and I'd read it to myself so many times that I'd memorized it without even trying.
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
When I was young, I thought the only way to make a difference in the world was to be "important." I dreamt about being an astronaut, a missionary, even the president. But my life didn't take me in any of those directions. I never learned to fly, I am no longer a Christian, and I have decided to leave politics to those who can stomach the compromise that is required to win an election. Over time I came to realize that the little things are the ones that count. Buying a friend a bag of groceries, planting a flower, comforting a puppy or kitten in an animal shelter. While we celebrate the big days in our lives, it is not the weddings and funerals who make us who we are, but the Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays throughout the year. The little moments when we are not even thinking about anything important are the times when we are most ready to experience enligtenment and change.
So this month, I am including links to several knitting charities that aim to help pets. With the small act of comforting an animal, maybe we can bring a few spots of sunshine to dark corners of the world. I still have the plaque that Mrs. Downs gave me, and I still love the words preserved under the layers of shellac. In some small way, I think memorizing a poem has changed my life after all.
Garter Stitch Pet Shelter Blanket
This easy blanky is the perfect way to add a bit of comfort to the
life of a cat or dog in an animal shelter. When they find a new home,
they can take the blanket home with them to help in the transition to
an unfamiliar environment.
Size
Small (Large)
22x22 (33x33) inches
Materials
320 (640) yards of super bulky weight wool blend machine washable yarn divided in 2 colors.You will need 1 extra ball of the CC for the optional I-cord edging. The sample blanket is made with Plymouth Encore Mega with burgundy as the MC and black as the CC.
Knitting needles:
Size 11 (8mm) needles or size to obtain gauge
Two size 11 (8mm) double pointed needles for optional I-cord edging.
Tapestry needle
Gauge
Approx 2 sts and 4 rows = 1" in garter stitch (knit every row)
Blanket
Note: Each ridge in garter stitch is made from 2 rows of knitting.
Square 1
CO 24 (36) sts with MC. Work in the following stripe pattern until you have 24 (36) garter ridges: Knit 2 rows with MC, knit 2 rows with CC. Bind off.
Square 2
On the left edge of square 1 with RS facing you, pick up 24 (36) sts with MC. This counts as the first row.
Work in the following stripe pattern until you have 24 (36) garter ridges: Knit 8 (12) ridges in MC, 8 (12) ridges in CC, 8 (12) ridges in MC.
Bind off.
Square 3
On the left edge of square 2 with RS facing you, pick up 24 (36) sts with MC.
Work as for square 1.
Square 4
On the left edge of square 3 with RS facing you, pick up 24 (36) sts with MC.
Work as for square 2.
Finishing
With WS facing you, sew edge of square 1 to edge of square 4.
If desired, add I-cord edging. With CC, work 1 row of 4 stitch applied I-cord around the entire edge of the blanket as follows:
Using double pointed needles, cast on 4 sts.
Insert the tip of the right needle into the first stitch on the edge of the blanket. Slide the 5 sts to the other end of the dpn.
*K3, k2tog through the back loops (1 I-cord stitch and 1 blanket stitch).
Insert the tip of the right needle into the first stitch on the edge of the blanket. Slide the 5 sts to the other end of the dpn.
Repeat from * until all sts have been worked.
Bind off. Sew the ends of the I-cord together. Weave in ends.
Garter Stitch Dog Jacket by Annie Modesitt
Guest designer Annie Modesitt has contributed this cute garter stitch
dog jacket pattern. Annie is working on a book called Men Who Knit
(and The Dogs Who Love Them...). Keep your eyes open for it at your
local yarn shop later this year, but in the meantime,
you can get a sneak peek on Annie’s web site.
I don’t have a dog, so I made the second smallest size of the sweater. I thought I’d be able to try it on one of my cats for a photo, but they weren’t very cooperative. So the photo just shows the sweater flat. I’ve also included a drawing that Annie made to give you a rough idea what this looks like on a dog.
Thanks, Annie!
Size
Girth: 8.5 (11.75, 15, 18, 21.25, 24.5, 27.75, 31) inches
Measure the dog's chest around the widest point to determine the girth. If you're still not sure what size to make, Annie's provided a chart to help you select the right size for your dog. Scroll down to the bottom of the pattern to see it.
Materials
315 (315, 315, 475, 475 , 475, 630, 630) yards of chunky weight wool blend yarn. The sample sweater is made with Plymouth Encore Chunky.
Knitting needles:
Size 7 (4.5mm) circular needle in a length a bit longer than the girth for the size you are making or size to obtain gauge
One piece of 1/2 inch-wide Velcro, 7.75 (10.5, 13.5, 16.5, 19.5, 22.25, 25, 28) inches long
3.75mm (Size F-5 U.S) crochet hook (optional)
Darning needle for weaving in ends
Gauge
4 sts and 6 rows = 1" in garter stitch (knit every row)
Body
If desired, cast on and work the first 2 rows with a contrasting color, then work the body in a solid color or in any stripe pattern. I changed colors after every 2 rows of knitting and did not cut the yarn after each stripe because I hate weaving in so many ends.
Cast on 19 (25, 31, 37, 45, 51, 57, 63) sts.
Knit 2 rows.
Cont in st garter stitch, inc 3 sts at start of next 2 rows—25 (31, 37, 43, 51, 57, 63, 69) sts.
Inc 1 st at start of every row 10 (18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 50, 56) times—35 (49, 61, 73, 87, 99, 113, 125) sts.
If necessary, work even until piece measures 4.5 (6.25, 8, 9.5, 11.25, 13, 14.75, 16.5) inches from cast on edge. End with a WS row.
Armhole Shaping
Bind off 8 (10, 13, 16, 20, 23, 25, 28) sts from start of next 2 rows, then bind off 1 st at start of next 2 (4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 8, 8) rows—17 (25, 31, 37, 41, 47, 55, 61) sts remain.
Work even with no shaping for 0 (0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.125, 1.625, 1.375, 1.875) inches.
Inc 1 st at start of next 2 (4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 8, 8) rows, then inc 4 (5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14) at start of next 2 rows—27 (39, 49, 57, 67, 77, 89, 97) sts.
Shoulder Shaping
BO 1 st at start of next 4 (8, 10, 10, 12, 14, 18, 18) rows, then BO 2 (2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5) sts at start of next 2 rows, then BO 1 (2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5) sts at start of next 2 rows—17 (23, 29, 35, 41, 47, 53, 59) sts rem.
Collar
If desired, work the collar in a contrasting color.
Inc 1 st each edge every row 5 times, then inc 1 st at start of every row 6 (6, 6, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10) times. Bind off all sts.
Finishing
If desired, with a contrasting color, work row of single crochet around entire edge of garment, working 3 sc stitches into each corner. Weave in ends.
Cut the Velcro into 2 pieces. One piece should fit on the edge between the armhole and the collar, and the other piece will go on the belly. Fit the sweater to your dog to determining the placement of the Velcro when the jacket is closed. Hand or machine sew the Velcro to the sweater body.
Links to Animal Charities
The
Snuggles Project was founded in 1996 to do something to help comfort all
of the unfortunate animals who end up in shelters. Many times these are
kittens and puppies born because pet owners are not responsible and
don't spay and neuter their pets. Other times, families move, lose jobs,
or find themselves in other unfortunate situations where they don't feel
they can continue to care for thier pets. I find this very
irresponsible. A pet is a member of your family and should not be
discarded because you have decided it is too inconvenient to care for
the animal any longer. The Snuggles Project collects security blankets
for these abandoned animals to provide them with comfort while they are
confined in cages, and to give them something familiar and cuddly to
take with them should they be lucky enough to find a new home.
Second Chance Cats, run by Charlotte Wright of Robertsdale, Alabama runs a special program under the Snuggles Project to provide homes for FeLV- or FIV-positive cats. Knitted blankets are given to the kitties in shelters, go along with the cats when they are adopted. (This site has annoying music and flashing graphics, so you might want to to directly to the Snuggles page.)
Knit 4 Paws was established to provide blankets to abandoned animals in
New York City's animal shelters. In 2004 they held a Knit-A-Thon in
conjunction with Critter Knitters (sorry but their website seems to be
gone), and collected over 1,700 blankets from knitters around the world.
You can knit or crochet a blanket to donate, or you can send in yarn and
K4P will pass it on to a Senior Care Center for the residents to use to
knit blankets. They have free patterns on their website as well as links
to patterns on other sites.
The
Knitbloggers Knitting Basket Project at Wendy Knits has information about
the "knitting basket" gift that can be purchased at Heifer
International. This charity doesn't give comfort to animals, it gives
animals to impoverished familes around the world. Instead of containing
knitting needles, yarn, and other notions for yourself, this unique
"knitting basket" gift provides a family with "two llamas and two sheep
— one male and one female of each — four animals famous for their warm,
income-producing wool." According to the website, "From shearing to
spinning, weaving and finally selling woolen goods at market, your gift
of a Knitting Basket will help four struggling families earn extra
income to break free from the grip of poverty and hopelessness. Over
time, as your gift multiplies and more animals are passed on to help
others in need, entire communities will be warmed by the precious wool
of your Knitting Basket."