Hat Contest 2011

Here are my 100 hats (on a bed with toys because I forgot to remove the toys!)

Linda Williams of Country Knitting of Maine News&Views magazine has been having a hat contest each year, with the hats sent in to be donated to charity (homeless, schoolkids, etc.). For the last couple of years she has also sponsored a "Hat Challenge" to knit 100 hats and send them in with the Hat Contest hats.  I have sent in 100 hats last year and again this year.  Kathryn Doubrley first issued the 100 Hat Challenge, promising a free pattern to whoever sent in 100 hats.  Cathie Sanders  joined her in promising a free pattern to whoever sent in 100 hats.  Linda joined them in promising a prize for 100 hats. ....So I figured I couldn't lose....just send in 100 hats and be guaranteed a prize!! Three prizes, to be exact.

So I cranked up my knitting machine (machines to be exact) and got started. When I traveled, I used my trusty hand knitting needles to keep up the momentum. I tried out hat patterns from the internet and from various patterns I had bought over the years. I tried different color combinations and different techniques. I used the standard knitting machine, the Passap, the midgauge machine and the bulky. To make sure the hats were usable, I tried each one on on my head....if it were a bit tight (but DID go on my head) I figured it would fit someone....if it were a bit loose, it would still fit someone.  These hats were for school children and for adults, mostly.

I selected my best hats from the 100 to enter in the contest with the big prizes. I was very lucky and I did win some big prizes!

My first place hat won 6 months of Machine Knitting Monthly

My second place winner, most unusual technique, won  a gift certificate to Knit it Now

My third place prize winning hat won a big box of yarn from Peter Patchis

No, I did not enter all of the 100 hats into the contest. I chose what I considered the best of the bunch (maybe about 10 or so hats). Hey, the more I entered in the contest, the greater my chance of winning!

This was a lot of fun...some personal pressure to finish 100 hats and on time...and I do plan to try again next year for 100 more hats!  I hope many of you will join me in making and donating hats next year.

More Toyota photos

Someday I will learn how to manage this blog....I promise!

Toyota knitting machine for sale

Another person has contacted me about selling a machine locally.
The photos are in another post from today.
Here is what Lisa said:

My mother purchased this knitting machine, but recently passed away and I don't have a need/use for it. It is a Toyota KS787 model, and comes with a ribber, stand, lace carriage, other miscellaneous attachments, and some patterns. It has been used only half-a-dozen times.

Lisa lives in Hillsborough, NC. She is asking $500 for the Toyota KS787 , ribber, stand, lace carriage, and other miscellaneous attachments. She will include some patterns too.

The 787 is a punchcard machine and from what I can find on the internet a very sturdy, reliable machine.

If you are interested contact me, Rita, at    fmcelroy@aol.com and I will put you in contact with Lisa.

Toyota Knitting machine for sale photos

Machines for sale

I frequently run into people with machines to sell.  None of us want to pack the machine for shipping.  Today a friend named Edith phoned that she had 2 machines for sale.  She bought them new some years ago and they have been used only slightly and have mostly been in air conditioned storage. She would like to sell both of them together.

What is she selling?  Passap e6000 with motor and stand and lots of accessories. Also a brother 940 with lots of accessories, books too.

How much for all of this?  $1700 for both machines and accessories.

Where is she? Durham, NC...remember this is for Pick Up Only.

If interested contact me, Rita, at fmcelroy@aol.com

Knit-In

Last weekend, well really from Nov. 10-13, our Triangle Machine Knitters went to "camp".  We took our machines, bedding, and food to share to a camp which is used for autistic children during the summer.  We booked the dining hall (for eating and knitting) and one bunkhouse (which had 7 single rooms, each 6 ft. square!!

Those rooms were not much bigger than the beds!!!

Kathy and Sue

Jo knitting a pillow cover

new machine knitter Kathy

LuAnne

Stephanie and Ann

and a common room with bunks for 20 or more people).  Around 10 of us spent one or more nights at the camp, and another 5 or 6 of our knitters came only during the daytime.  We knit and talked and encouraged each other during this time.  We had a great time.  Most of the people brought simple machines (LK150 mostly) but some brought brother bulky machines (260) or standard machines ( brother 970, 965i, 940, Singer 700 are the ones I remember).

Sandra's Entrelac skirt on dress

Valeria's sweater for grandson

Rita's hats

We knit hats and bags for charity, socks for Christmas presents, a dress for a granddaughter, a sweater for a grandson, part of an afghan for a present, swatches of different techniques and other items I cannot remember.  I saw Mary using her linker to finish a lovely double bed jacket. We even found out that the same punchcard could be used on the Singer standard and the brother bulky machines.  The hats were similar, but each had their own appeal.

We had plenty of food and really enjoyed ourselves!

We are eagerly looking forward to our next knit in.

Our Passap Meeting

Today, Saturday, Nov. 5, we held our local Passap meeting.  Elizabeth and I met at Tatiana's home. We shared info about the Passap which we had gleaned from various internet sites and old magazines.  We had a great snack, then settled down to business.  
We went to Tatiana's e6000 and knit a hat.  We used the pattern devised by Mary Ann Cutler 
( http://cutlermac.wordpress.com/sock-yarn-circular-hat-on-Passap-knitting-machine ) 
with the changes Rita had made to accommodate Rita's yarn (Sensations by Deborah Norville). 


It was an interesting experience for Tatiana, as she is a new Passap knitter.  Rita did the cast on, then had Tatiana do all the "hard work" of pushing the lock for the many rows of circular knitting.  I even made Tatiana do the decreases for the top of the hat (my own addition to Mary Ann's hat) and gather off the top.  
That yarn made a really pretty hat with a rolled edge.  
Tatiana hopes to knit another hat, by herself, tomorrow...before she forgets how to do it!


Keep knitting.