Category Archives: What We’re Knitting

Mystery Knit-Along (MKAL) “Knit IN” 2021

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Our MKAL is underway as of January 16, 2021, but you can still join in the fun!

Please email pottstownknitout@gmail.com to get details on how to donate and receive your pattern code.

Join us to talk about your journey and share photos on our Ravelry page:
https://www.ravelry.com/discuss/brookside-knits/4090607/

Purls of Wisdom has kits available for the MKAL. Check that out if you need yarn for your project. www.purlsofwisdompa.com

Philly High Fiber is offering a 10% discount for all participants with 10% of the total sales going to Stretch the Ride:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PhillyHighFiber?coupon=STR10
Coupon code is STR10

Laurie Ermentrout is a Mary Kay consultant and has met the PhillHighFiber challenge – 10% discount and 10% sales to STR.
https://www.marykay.com/Lforte4
Coupon code is also STR10

We will be pulling names for Raffle Baskets on a weekly basis. Again, check this website for details.

Thanks for all of your support! We are going to have a great time!!

Brookside Knits

Check out the raffle baskets.

Mystery Knit-Along Fundraiser

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Dear Knit Out Participants,

The members of Brookside Knits want to let you know that we will not be able to have an in person 2021 Knit Out. Given the current restrictions and rules, it would impossible to hold an indoor gathering of that size. We are all very disappointed that our event will not be held in the traditional venue. However, we are pleased to announce that we will hold a virtual event.

We are going to sponsor a Mystery Knit-Along (MKAL) that will run for approximately 6-8 weeks with a clue to the knitted object released each week. The object will be a wrap/scarf called the Stretch the Ride Wrap. There are two sizes, and it can be knit in either worsted or fingering weight yarn. There will be a charge of $20 to participate in this event with all of the proceeds going to our charity, Stretch The Ride. We hope that this MKAL will be an effective way to keep our Knit Out event alive and well until we can return to our in person event in 2022.

You will be receiving an e-mail in the next few weeks inviting you to register for the MKAL, and it will include the yarn requirements. Some of our vendors will be offering kits for the MKAL, or you can use your existing stash. The e-mail will also give you instructions on how to register for the MKAL and where to send your registration fee. We have also invited our vendors to sell their products to participants via their online stores. More details to come.

Thank you all for your support over the years!  We hope that you will participate in our MKAL this year and support Stretch The Ride.

Regards,

Brookside Knits

Glimpses of Your Knitting

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Glimpses of the 2018 Knit Out

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This year’s Knit Out filled the senses.

The sounds of friends sharing their projects, the new ideas and skills they learned in workshops, and their memories and plans.

The smell of coffee in the morning and the taste of grilled chicken, crispy salads, and hot soup at lunch.

The sights of works-in-progress and finished works, your projects and your neighbors’. All sorts of crafts–knitting, yes, but also crocheting, beading, punching, quilting. Modular shawls, mitered afghans, pieced works, lace stitches, fair isle patterns, cabled cowls, fuzzy pompoms, textures and colors of all sorts.

The feeling of awe as we watched Show and Share. One such piece was the beautiful Faroe Island-style shawl above, knit in one piece with a center, back panel and wings that spread out like a snow angel. Small pattern adjustments allowed the shawl to stay in place at the shoulders.

We are putting together a slide show for you all to enjoy of glimpses of your work and ours.

2017 Spring Knit Along Update

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Brookside Knitters love a challenge, and this summer we have certainly been challenged in our choices of knit along projects.

Changing Light Wrap

Some of us who have chosen the Changing Light wrap have gotten past the “pinhole” cast on (several times, but we did it), while others have advanced past the center diamond and have now entered the “second sock” stage in completing the two ends. Janet’s Changing Light is now complete.

Changing Light by Jane1

Changing Light by Jane1

I must say, photos don’t do justice to the lovely yarns in these wraps, but you’ll get to enjoy them all in January.

Are you new to Ravelry?

The main page for the Changing Light pattern gives you lots of information.  We like to browse the Projects other knitters have completed deciding on a pattern or before choosing our yarn. Look to the right side of the page. In the About this Pattern box, find the projects link at the bottom.  At the time of this writing, it shows “106 projects, in 630 queues.” Click there. Click on the link above the photo to see notes each knitter made (yarn choice, errata, and so on).

 

Baa-ble Hats and Cowls

A few of us challenged ourselves to two-color Fair Isle knitting. Joy and Janet knit Baa-ble Hats, while Sandi and LuAnn chose the I’ll Pack a Cowl for Rhinebeck spinoff pattern. These are fun projects with tie-ins to matching items (mittens, mug cozies, children’s items).

Baa-ble Hat by Joy

Baa-ble Hat by Joy

Baa-ble Hat by Janet

Baa-ble Hat by Janet

I'll Pack a Cowl for Rhinebeck by LuAnn

I’ll Pack a Cowl for Rhinebeck by LuAnn

I'll Pack a Cowl for Rhinebeck by Sandi

I’ll Pack a Cowl for Rhinebeck by Sandi

 

Spring Knit Along Ideas

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We once again invite you to join with Brookside Knits members in a spring 2017 knit-along. We hope you will join us not only in knitting now but also in sharing at next year’s Knit Out.

Our members have made three suggestions for knit-along projects this year. Each will fit the tastes, needs, or skills of some.

Changing Light

by Jennifer Weissman is “a fully reversible scarf or wrap featuring stripes, lace and elegant pointed tips.” It uses three colors of fingering yarn, and has instructions for sizes Small and Large. Check out the Projects link for color ideas and plenty of pictures. There is a small, reasonable charge for the pattern, and, if you like, a kit is available at Craftsy.

Baa-ble Hat

by Donna Smith is “a quick knit and it makes an ideal introduction to Fair Isle colour work knitting.” It is designed for Aran/worsted weight yarns and is knit in the round. Smith also designed the Baa-ble Mittens and Cowl. There is a charge for each pattern. The designer reminds us that the gauge is quite tight so a gauge square is especially important. A clever Ravelry surfer will find an assortment of spinoffs of these patterns.

Pivot Cowl

by Purl Soho is a free pattern available on its website. A Danish term, “hygge,” stresses the cozy and content feeling you get knitting and snuggling up during the winter months: the Pivot Cowl is “hygge.” Simple garter stitch uses short rows that create the “pivot.” Purl Soho suggests their cashmere merino yarn in DK weight, but the many Projects listed on Ravelry offer other soft yarn suggestions.

Happy Knitting!

Drachenfels Knit-A-Long

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Brookside Knits is having a group knit-a-long. We have chosen to knit the ‘Drachenfels’ shawl by Melanie Berg. We will show our shawls at the 2017 Knit Out. You are invited to join us in our knit-a-long. To do this, purchase the pattern on Ravelry, buy some yarn (or use your stash), and show us your results next year. Here are photos of some of the shawls we have completed. We will post more during the year.

Joy

Joy

Sandi

Sandi

Karen K

Karen King

Karen Kar

Karen Kar

Janet

Janet

Carol

Carol

Sharon's Shawl

Sharon

2015 Knit Out Participant Donated Chemo Caps

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2015 Donated Chemo Hats

2015 Knit Out participants generously donated their time and talents to help others.

Many thanks to all the 2015 Knit Out attendees who donated chemo caps at this year’s event. We collected 92 hats, just a small sampling of which is shown in the photo. These hats will be given to the Cancer Center at the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center.

Free Chemo Cap Patterns

2015 Charity Chemo Hat

2015 Suzanna Beanie

In 2014, we donated about 50 caps to the cancer center. You may download last year’s free chemo cap pattern. In 2015, Joy has created a new pattern in PDF form to honor Suzanna Rauscher.

The hospital and patients are always grateful for your donations.

Knitting a hat is not a requirement of the Knit Out. Donate if you can. We appreciate it.

2015 Knit Out—Charity Baby Hats

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Brookside Knits donates handmade hats to the Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. We welcome all knitters to offer a helping hand.

Baby Hats

2014 Charity Baby Hat

2014 Charity Baby Hat

About forty baby hats go to Labor and Delivery each month. Last year, Knit Out attendees dropped over 100 baby hats—about one quarter of all those donated to the hospital—into the collection basket.

Free patterns for baby hats of all kinds are available on Ravelry and other sites on the Internet. Check here for links to A Few of Our Favorite Things.
The hospital, the parents, and the babies are always grateful for your donations.

Knitting a hat is not a requirement of the Knit Out. Donate if you can. We appreciate it.

Baby and Chemo Charity Hats

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We are proud to say that we received many charity hats both for chemo patients and for newborns.

Knit Out attendees donated over 100 hand-knit and crocheted baby hats that will be donated to them Pottstown Memorial Medical Center’s Labor and Delivery unit. Each month Brookside Knits donates about 50 preemie and newborn hats.

We received 33 chemo hats.

Thanks so much and please feel free to donate more.

A few of the 33 Chemo Caps we received.

A few of the 33 Chemo Caps we received.

Dark colors are favorites for baby boys.

Dark colors are favorites for baby boys.

Hats with toppers that are securely fastened.

Hats with toppers that are securely fastened.

Classic pastels are both knit and crocheted.

Classic pastels are both knit and crocheted.

Colorful hats catch the nurses eyes.

Colorful hats catch the nurses eyes.

The tiniest hats are for preemies.

The tiniest hats are for preemies.