600th Post!

It's just a funny coincidence that I even noticed that this is an even-hundreds post. Considering how ambivalent I was about the whole blogging thing before I started, I'd say that's some kind of a milestone.

That pumpkin up there was grown by my younger son in our back yard. It's a magnificent, perfect pumpkin.

Knitcircus Hat Event


Saturday, Oct 3, 2-4 p.m.
Jaala's House on the west side of Madison
(contact jaala@knitcircus.com to RSVP and get directions)

We'll be stitchin' (and not too much bitchin') to keep school kids warm. Come sew hats from fleece fabric (or knit and crochet hats if you prefer). Snacks and goodies provided, plus I think Jaala has some door prizes and other fun planned. If you want to take your hats with you to donate to your local school, that's fine. We'll be donating to various Madison public elementary schools, to be distributed to kids in need.

What to bring
Your sense of humor! Sewing machine, scissors and/or rotary cutter and mat, thread, polar fleece fabric, easy hat patterns.
We will have a bunch of supplies to share, so if you arrive with just your sense of humor, that's fine!

Meanwhile, get free pdf instruction sheets for two quick easy polar fleece hats
Half Hour Hat (shown above)
Cozy Dome Hat

See you then!

Long Time, No Post

And even in spite of the passage of weeks, I'm afraid it'll be a No Photo Post.

School started on Sept 1. Of course, the first couple weeks were a bit abbreviated and I spent way too much time alternately playing domestic catch-up and navel-gazing. I also did some knitting for the next Knitcircus, but I'm not supposed to show you that stuff just yet. Yesterday I had all good intentions of great productivity, and even planned to go out and get some nature pics in the gorgeous fall weather, but I went back to bed for a bit after the kids went to school. Then I was putzing around online, and next thing I knew, the school day was almost over.

So, now we're far enough into the school year, that I should be settling into the New Normal any day now.

What I have been doing the last couple days is getting a project together for a Knitcircus event the first weekend in October. We're planning to make a couple very quick and easy fleece hat sewing patterns available and have a charity Hat Drive at Jaala's house. Our plan is to donate the hats to area elementary schools. Even though Madison enjoys a generally high standard of living, with relatively low unemployment, many area elementary schools have significant numbers of children who receive free or reduced lunch. Whether because of poverty or parental flakiness, or both, a lot of kids show up at school without adequate warm clothing for a Wisconsin winter. At first we thought about a charity knitting event, but realized that we could sew a stack of warm hats much faster than we could knit even one. Of course, folks are welcome to come and knit to participate, but the sewing machines will be humming. And if you can't sew, you can always cut rectangles of fleece fabric for those who do sew. Details will be forthcoming soon. To sign up for Knitcircus updates, join our Yahoo group.