Bella Baby Shrug

Knitted in Anzula Luxury Fiber's For Better or Worsted. 
Hand-dyed in color Mulberry.
Made with love for baby girl Kaplan, due in April 2011.

Want to learn-to-knit this shrug?  Baby and child sizes
2 or 3 classes, dependent upon experience = $50 or $75 + supplies

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Combat Knitters: Weapons of Self-preservation

Lt. Cmdr. Jennifer Almy, a Navy physician who started a group called Combat Knitters, knits during a flight from Kuwait to Kandahar, Afghanistan. ( )

A story by Dan Zak from The Washington Post - March 9 2011
Kandahar's Combat Knitters use yarn and needles as weapons of self-preservation
(Click here for the full story)

My favorite part:
"Troops joke that life on the base is like the movie "Groundhog Day." Enduring 18-hour workdays, grappling with an endless parade of patients, traveling the half-mile of unchanging terrain on the base's main thoroughfare - every day is like yesterday, which is like tomorrow.
Which makes knitting crucial. Knitting shows progress. It proves that time moves forward, loop by loop. It demonstrates that a mission, however miniature, can be completed."

(Thank you Howard for sharing this very moving story with me.)

Caper Cable Cap

Photo credit: Jack Preston.  Yes, 5-year-old Jack. 



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Happy Valentine's Day!

I Heart You Mini-Sweaters:  Each insanely cute Mini-sweater fits in the palm of your hand. I knitted this set as a gift for my mom to hang at Valentine's Day. They're also adorable when adorned with your loved ones' first initials or snowflakes and hung separately as ornaments for the chilly winter holidays!  

Welcome *new* knitters!

It has been a very busy month, and
I would like to welcome my *new* knitters.

Carol                          
Carlina                        
Clare                          
Jillian
Joordan                        
Katie                          
Kim                            
Lynda
Meredith
Pat
Pam
Peggy
Rachel
Rita
I am thrilled to have to have you!

Knitting Party with the Rockville Centre Newcomers Club

Thank you to my wonderful family and friends (Mom, Barbara, Brie and Isabel!) who pitched-in to help me teach the Newcomers.  The Newcomers did a great job learning to knit, and $150 was raised for their charity.  http://www.rvcnewcomersclub.com/ 

One-piece Baby Cardigan

Knitting a sweater in one piece means that once you bind-off your last stitch, it's just about ready to wear.

Baby sizes: 0-3 months, 3-6 months and 6-9 months.
2 or 3 classes, dependent upon experience = $50 or $75 + supplies

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The Christmas Cowls (my last-minute gifts!)

Knitted on Size 35(!) needles, or as I like to call them,

dinosaur bones. Chunky yarn and huge needles. The only

way to knit a few last-minute gifts, although the blue one

is for me. :) About 4 hours each. Made with love (bottom to top) for me,

Melanie, Meghan, Sarah and Beth.

On my needles: Stitchy Beanie

The Stitchy Beanie knitted-in-the-round for my little boy Henry.

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Tessa's Baby Janes

They fit, but do they stay ON?!

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For our troops

In October, I taught Baldwin Public Library's knitting group to knit these helmet liners for our US troops serving overseas. (Cozy neckwarmers with an attached hood)

I am pictured with my youngest brother, Sgt. Ryan O'Leary of the US Marine Corps' 6th Communications Batallion of Brooklyn, New York. He returned safely from Afghanistan in October, so I am pleased that he will NOT be needing one of the helmet liners!

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Lately...

The Chirp Baby Sweater, 

Circles and Stripes Slip Scarf

On My Needles: The Chirp Baby Sweater

The Chirp Baby Sweater

Knitted in Kraemer Perfection, a merino wool and acrylic blend in chirp color. This is a great yarn. It is soft and washable - perfect for a baby, or pretty much any project. It comes in a ton of beautiful colors that you can view at kraemeryarns.com

The Chirp is worked on long circular needles. The body is one piece, and then sleeves and a hood will be added. The bottom edge is called garter stitch, the main part is called stockinette stitch, then you can see it goes back to garter stitch for a few rows, and now I'm beginning the upper portion that's done in a bumpy pattern called seed stitch.

If you have an interest in learning this project, just let me know, and I'll do a class. All you need to know to start are the knit and purl stitches!

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Fall Schedule

Saturday Mornings - Learn-to-Knit Beginner Sessions
Early Fall
5 sessions*
Saturday mornings: Sept 25, Oct 2, 16, 30, Nov 6.
All sessions 10:00 - 11:30AM in Rockville Centre NY
$100 (+ supplies, starting at $35 total for all 5 sessions)
Invite a friend and receive a $25 discount.
*Make-up session available if you miss a class.
Class size: maximum 5

Tuesday Evenings - Learn-to-Knit Beginner Sessions
5 sessions*
Tuesday evenings: Oct 26, Nov 2, 9, 16, 23.
All sessions 7:30 - 9:00PM in Rockville Centre NY
$100 (+ supplies, starting at $35 total for all 5 sessions)
Invite a friend and receive a $25 discount.
*Make-up session available if you miss a class.
Class size: maximum 5

Wednesday Evenings - Learn-to-Knit Beginner Sessions
5 sessions*
Wednesday evenings: Starting September 22
(These sessions are closed for a private group.)

Learn-to-Knit...Beginner Mittens and Hats
3 sessions*
Saturday mornings: Oct 16, 30, Nov 6
10:00am to 11:30pm in Rockville Centre NY
$75 + supplies. Supplies list distributed at registration.
Invite a friend and receive a $25 discount.
*Make-up session available if you miss a class.

Saturday Mornings - Learn-to-Knit Beginner Sessions
Late Fall
5 sessions*
Saturday mornings: Nov 20, 28(Sun), Dec 4, 11, 18.
All sessions 10:00 - 11:30AM in Rockville Centre NY
$100 (+ supplies, starting at $35 total for all 5 sessions)
Invite a friend and receive a $25 discount.
*Make-up session available if you miss a class.
Class size: maximum 5

(Click the image to enlarge.)

You will learn-to-knit these accessories - 3 different style scarves, and mittens or a hat!

In doing so, you will learn the knit stitch and the purl stitch. You will also learn how to cast-on, bind-off, increase stitches, decrease stitches, rib, knit-in-the round, finish the work, read a pattern, decipher a yarn label, select the correct yarn for a project, and fix mistakes.

Invite a friend to learn-to-knit with you - it's even more fun to learn with a buddy, and you earn a $25 discount for each friend you refer to me!




Mondays, October 4 and October 18 2010
Knit a Helmet Liner for a US Soldier
7:00 - 9:00PM at Baldwin Public Library
2385 Grand Avenue - Baldwin NY
Call or email for specific supplies list.
Registration required, free.
Instructor: Katie Preston, sister of Cpl. Ryan O'Leary, US Marine who is stationed in Afghanistan.

Made with love for Tessa

For my new baby niece Tessa Bean O'Leary born to Michael and Sarah on August 6 2010.

The Squash Hat and Baby Janes in Blue Sky Yarns 50% alpaca 50% silk in Wisteria. Wooden buttons from the Rockville Centre button store.

On My Needles: Circles and Stripes Slip Scarf

One of three projects I'm working on...

THE CIRCLE AND STRIPE CRAVAT
in Malabrigo Yarn, Worsted-weight, 100% Merino in Damask Rose



The pattern specifies size US 10 needles and includes a chart to work-up the circles. I love size 10. I love charts. And I LOVE this yarn. So I bet this one will be finished first.

cra·vat  [kruh-VAT]
–noun
1. necktie.
2. a cloth, often made of or trimmed with lace, worn about the neck by men esp. in the 17th century.

Knit a Helmet Liner to be donated to a US Soldier

Baldwin Public Library
2385 Grand Avenue
Baldwin NY 11510
516.223.6228

October 4th 7-9pm AND
October 18th 7-9pm


Attendees must know how to knit. Please attend both sessions if possible.


Bring supplies:

* 100% wool yarn (Paton's Classic Wool, Cascade 220, or similar) approx. 200 yards. Only 100% wool yarn acceptable; in case of an accident, synthetics may melt to the skin.
* Acceptable colors: browns, dark olives, dark tans, charcoals and blacks.
* 1 stitch marker
* 16" circular needles in sizes US 6 and US 8 or sizes to obtain gauge.


Call Baldwin Library to register 516.223.6228. FREE.

Instructor: Katie Preston, sister of Cpl. Ryan O'Leary, a US Marine who is stationed in Afghanistan.

On My Needles: Mittens for Beginners

(**If you are a complete beginner...never held a set of needles before in your life...there are just THREE classes (and some practice on your own) between where you are now and being ready to knit this project! Seriously.**)


I am referencing a bunch of books and patterns and am writing my first real knitting pattern. I am really loving how it is coming together!

Mittens for beginners knitted on straight needles.

Anyone who has knitted mittens understands that they are normally done on double-pointed needles. Well, this pattern allows them to be knitted on straight needles (easier for beginners) and then sewn up the side when they're finished. So, they will have a seam, but how proud will my beginners be when they learn-to-knit a pair of mittens? In their fourth-ever knitting session no less! They will learn to read and follow a more detailed pattern, and how to increase and decrease stitches. All great skills they will apply countless times in the future.

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Yarn Heaven...

If there were such a thing, this would be it!

PURL in NYC's SOHO neighborhood. In April, they moved from a beautiful but tiny space. This new location also houses PURL Patchwork, the sister store for sewing and quilting.

I've had the treat of visiting the new location twice - once with my mom for Mother's Day and once with my girlfriend Jenelle. PURL's blog is very *inspiring*. Check it out, and add it to your Favorites.

http://www.purlbee.com/




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St. Mark's Family Fun Day

Here we are at St. Mark's Nursery School's Family Fun Day on June 12th. I met a bunch of great women who are interested in learning to knit and invited them to come and try it out at the free intro session. Jack really enjoyed the face painting, moon bounce and magic show.