Knitting in the News
Thursday March 6, 2008
I got so excited by sharing sock stuff that I almost forgot the news this week. Looks like the trends are passing us by, as one newspaper referred to sewing as "the new knitting." Thanks to "Project Runway" (go Christian!) people are starting to see sewing as cool again, and the Orlando Sentinel thinks it's a great crafty trend just like knitting was a few years ago. Of course we all know some trends never go away.
Thyroid cancer is a disease that doesn't get a lot of attention, but it is one of the fastest-growing cancers in terms of numbers of people diagnosed. One knitter and her friends have been knitting scarves to raise awareness and money for the thyroid cancer charity Light of Life, which uses a purple scarf and the slogan "Check your neck" as its symbols. They've raised $9,000 by selling the scarves so far.
And this one isn't completely about knitting but it's still pretty darn cool: some folks are knitting and crocheting a coral reef to raise awareness of how global warming is damaging the undersea ecosystem. The Institute for Figuring is behind the project, which is mostly made of hyperbolic crocheted creatures (which is just fun to say) and it will be on display in New York this spring.
Thyroid cancer is a disease that doesn't get a lot of attention, but it is one of the fastest-growing cancers in terms of numbers of people diagnosed. One knitter and her friends have been knitting scarves to raise awareness and money for the thyroid cancer charity Light of Life, which uses a purple scarf and the slogan "Check your neck" as its symbols. They've raised $9,000 by selling the scarves so far.
And this one isn't completely about knitting but it's still pretty darn cool: some folks are knitting and crocheting a coral reef to raise awareness of how global warming is damaging the undersea ecosystem. The Institute for Figuring is behind the project, which is mostly made of hyperbolic crocheted creatures (which is just fun to say) and it will be on display in New York this spring.
Comments
I need to take up sewing again; I have a practically brand-new machine gathering dust in a closet. I bought it to make a costume for my daughter’s high school play and haven’t used it since. How well I remember those high school home ec classes. (I must be one of those older women the article spoke of!). We had to make a straight skirt with a drawstring. Back then, many large department stores sold fabric — my mom and I went to J.C. Penneys and bought the material. I did fine with the skirt, but making a dress with a zipper nearly did me in! Finally, I “snuck” it home and my mom put in the zipper. The next day, the teacher told me, “Your mother gets an A, you get a zero!”
I’m very leery about knitting items to raise money for “awareness.” How can we fail to be aware these days, with cancer this and cancer that screaming headlines at us from newspapers, talk shows, magazines, etc. I no longer buy several of the women’s magazines I grew up with because I’m so sick and tired of all the articles on cancer. A few years ago, a friend of ours was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent chemo. She didn’t need someone to knit her a scarf, she needed hands-on practical help and cash to pay her bills while she was recovering. Another friend’s husband was diagnosed with lymphoma last year and had months of chemo. Besides caring for him and holding down a full time job, our friend was forced to take on many additional responsiblities such as getting the car serviced, mowing the yard, etc. They could not afford to pay someone to do the yard work. I encourage local fundraisers with the proceeds to be given directly to the families in need of assistance.
I’m working with a new knitting magazine in North America. It’s called Verena Knitting and it has been published in Europe for many years. It fact, over 250,000 knitters in ten countries are readers. You should check it out on their website, which will be up by next weekend. The address is: http://www.VerenaKnitting.com
Pam Perkins
I would love to knit socks to save heat expenses but I need directions so please send me the easiest steps for starting booties for grownups and babies.