Much of the news about knitting I could dig up this week had to do with people knitting for others. There was a Pennsylvania knitter honored for her work knitting helmet liners for the troops in Afghanistan, and Canadian knitters working on Boomer hats distributed by soldiers to kids in that same country.

There are young knitters helping the needy in their area, a New Zealand supermarket chain's knit drive for hospitals, a group of knitters making prayer shawls and getting as much comfort as they give, and Florida knitters warming the heads of the homeless in Wisconsin.

Baby legwarmers, (c) Sarah E. White.


One of the first things I knit for my new baby was a pair of custom-sized legwarmers, which you can see here. There's not really a pattern to them, they just involved taking the measurements around her ankle, the top of her leg and the length of her leg, knitting a gauge swatch and doing a little math.


I think the results are pretty adorable, and the project is so quick and easy you won't mind that the baby you knit them for will grow out of them in no time. Mine are also made from a super wash wool, so caring for them is a snap, even with a newborn.

Debbie Bliss is well known for her simple, classic designs and great yarns. And now she's written a book full of tips for kntiters new and with more experience.


Debbie Bliss Tips for Knitters is a good choice for new knitters who need a handy reference on the basics that they can carry around in their knitting bag at any time.


It also includes some tips and tricks straight from Bliss on such topics as color knitting, using embroidery and buttons on projects, working cables and more.


If you're a fan of Bliss or a new knitter looking for an easy-to-use reference, this is a book worth checking out.

Knitwear designers always have a particular vision in mind when they knit a project, but while they love to see other people follow that vision, I think most designers are happy to see people take their patterns and make them their own by changing up the color, adding a stripe or a bit of intarsia, even altering the shape a bit if necessary to make it the perfect project for them.

But I also know a lot of people are afraid to make such changes to patterns they knit. Some people won't even go as far as to change the color or use a different yarn if the one called for has been discontinued or if, say, you're allergic or sensitive to the material used.

So this week I'd like to know how you have deviated from published knitting patterns you've worked. If you've seriously altered a pattern and loved the results, we'd like to hear about that, too.

When the weather is cool, I find myself irresistibly drawn to tweed yarns. They just look warm and cozy, like they'll make projects you want to live in.

I recently used some tweed yarn to make up a skinny but super-long Rice Stitch Scarf, which adds even more texture and interest to an already interesting yarn.

And while of course you could knit this project with any yarn you like, the yarn I chose is a great wool, alpaca and tweed yarn that's warm and soft, something you'll love wearing all winter long or giving as a gift to a man or a woman.

I happen to be a big fan of the cardigan. I love a sweater that's easy to take on and off and that provides a quick extra layer.

Louisa Harding also happens to be a cardigan kind of girl, as evidenced by her new book, aptly named Cardigans. The book offers 25 patterns for classic designs and embellished garments using lace edging, Fair Isle and cable techniques, projects for every day and those for dressing up.

If you're looking for a quick way to warm up with ease, check out these fun options.

Are you intimidated by the idea of knitting sweaters? If so, check out The Knitchicks' Guide to Sweaters by Marcelle Karp and Pauline Wall. It provides a great overview of the skills needed to knit a garment as well as 25 different options for sweaters and tops for women, kids and men.

The patterns are mostly pretty basic with little embellishments like eyelets, a bit of Fair Isle or a cable. A wide range of sizes are offered, and several of the sweaters are sized based on your chest measurement plus ease, which requires you to do a little math (not to mention a gauge swatch) but also helps you really understand how a sweater goes together.

For knitters with more experience, these classic designs would be quick to knit for gifts or a little special something to keep yourself warm when days and nights are cool.

The New York Times notes that people who still think of grannies when they think of knitting (not that there's anything wrong with knitting grannies!) should seek out the knitting group Les Tricopathes (that's a combo of the French words for knitting and psychopaths) who put on monthly knitting events in bars throughout the city. They'll teach you to knit wacky wonders while retro rock blares in the background.


In celebrity knitting news, it turns out that model Paulina Porizkova is a knitter and says she'd rather be knitting toys for her son's school fair and teaching the other parents to knit that worrying about fashion.


Alabama and Tennessee are big rivals on the football field, and in the field of knitting as well. The towns where the two schools are located recently took part in a preemie cap knitting challenge, and it was no contest. Tennessee knitters whipped up 3,171 caps to Bama's 1,738, all of which will be donated to local children's hospitals. On the gridiron, Alabama won 12 to 10 last weekend.


Finally, a yarn store owner in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, is running a fun promotion around the Phillies' effort to repeat as World Series champs. The shop, A Knitting Party, is offering a discount on red and white yarns that goes up each time the Phillies score a run. So far the discount is running at 25 percent.

As I mentioned earlier this week, I kind of have a thing for scarves. I love big, long scarves that envelop you and keep you warm all day, but I also like scarves that are more like necklaces or fashion accessories.

The Pomp Scarf falls into that second category. This short little neck warmer is made with a yarn that's basically a piece of thread with pom-poms all over it. You work the thread without pulling the pom-poms through as you form the stitches. Worked in plain Garter Stitch, this is a really quick, easy and striking project that uses just one skein of yarn and is sure to keep you warm and brighten your day when the weather is cold and gloomy.