Knit Your Bit

North Dakota. Finally.

We’re getting towards the end of our third “season” of Knit Your Bit.  And guess what?  We finally received a box of scarves from North Dakota!  I know those Dakotans need scarves to keep themselves warm, so I appreciate the ladies from the Fargo Public Library for sending some our way.  Scarves are still coming in fairly regularly.  Lots of different styles and designs.  I really like the color varieties on the patterns.  Now, as the humidity creeps up here in New Orleans, it’s time to start thinking about next year’s design.  We still get so much interest and outpouring of kindness from knitters, as well as appreciation from the VA Centers throughout the country where we send the scarves, that I can’t imagine this project fading anytime soon.  I hope you all are enjoying the sounds of spring wherever you are.  And thanks again for your generosity towards our veterans and support of Knit Your Bit!

New project!

The National World War II Museum preserves Kitchen Memories
Grassroots program seeks to capture culinary history

NEW ORLEANS – Many of our strongest memories are centered on food: meals we have loved, meals we have hated, special gatherings or everyday routines with relatives and friends, triumphs and disasters in the kitchen.  Now add to the mix the emotions, fears, excitement, and challenges of the Home Front and you’ve got some of the strongest memories of the World War II generation.  The National WWII Museum in New Orleans is encouraging members of the Greatest Generation to share these stories as part of a national grassroots program called Kitchen Memories.

The Museum is seeking to gather a nation’s individual and collective memories of shopping, rationing, growing, cooking, serving, and eating during the war from those who experienced these things first hand. They are also encouraging people who did not experience the Home Front to gather stories from someone who did.  Talk to your mother, grandmother, a relative or friend in your community who has food stories to share.

The goal of the program is to produce a collection of stories, recipes and memories of World War II as a community kitchen project: a way to encourage oral history and talk across generations while these stories can still be collected first-hand.

For helpful guidelines on recording your Kitchen Memories or those of a loved one, visit www.nationalww2museum.org where you can also find information on submitting your oral history, photos and wartime recipes to The National World War II Museum’s archives.

For more information on this and other educational programs at The National World War II Museum, call 504-527-6012 x 229 or email lauren.handley@nationalww2museum.org.

I hope you consider participating!

1K

As I prepare to head off to Memphis in the morning to participate in the St Jude’s Memphis ½ marathon (that’s 21100 K) I’m happy to announce that we’ve received 1000 scarves since launching year 3 of Knit Your Bit.  The scarves are beautiful and I so appreciate you all keeping them gender neutral for me.  I wish I could wrap all thousand around me as I walk my 13 miles on Saturday (the windchill at race time is predicted to be in the 20s.  I live in New Orleans for a reason…I despise walking when it’s cold).  But alas, the scarves I’ve received so far are already warming veterans’ necks.  So, thanks for knitting and stay warm wherever you are!

Yay! Scarf season is in full swing!

Holy Cow! The scarves are starting to come in.  and I have to tell you, I like this pattern. I also get a little nostalgic when the “V” pattern and the first year’s 3-stripe pattern arrive.  What’s really cool about Knit Your Bit right now:  I’m starting to get some scarves from knitters who are reminding me that this is their third year participating.  I can’t believe it’s been so long.  I also love to get letters from “old friends.” 

I *just* opened a box from the Humboldt Iowa Knitters and Crocheters.  87 squares! Thanks Ms Betty for organizing the group.  They are just lovely!  This means it’s time to rally my volunteers to help me start connecting squares.  I’m tempted to put the knitters/crocheters who show up for the next Knit-in at the Museum (on Saturday, November 8 from 12-4 by the way) to work on this Knit Your Itty Bit project.

Also today I got a call from one of the VA Centers I recently sent a box of your scarves to.  They loved them!  In fact, they asked for more Veterans’ Day because they think the vets will really enjoy feeling thought of then. I agree!  So if you have started your scarves, think about sending them this way soon so I can get them out.  The holidays are also a great time so share, as all you generous crafters know, so keep on keeping on!  It’s nice to see the program pick up again after the summer slowdown.

Yay! It’s Fall!

I’ve been hearing from a lot of knitters lately, and I love it.  I also have to say that I am really loving the scarves coming in using the new pattern.  They look sharp!  I was a little worried that the circular needles might scare some people off, but hey, there’s always previous patterns.  In fact, yesterday I got a scarf that was the year one pattern and a little smile passed my face as I thought back to that first scarf I got two years ago know.  Knit Your Bitters (as I’ll call you) have become such a source of inspiration and encouragement for me.  My favorite part of my job, in fact.  So, I hope the weather is as beautiful where you are as it is here.  Finally, the oppressive humidity has lifted, and I find myself sitting on my porch with yarn and needles, enjoying the days. 

NEW URL

With progress comes new website addresses it seems.  Please bookmark the new Knit Your Bit website as http://www.nationalww2museum.org/education/for-general-public/knit-your-bit.html.

Don’t forget you can always email me and check this blog (http://ww2museum.typepad.com/knit_your_bit/) or you can visit me on facebook or ravelry (museumlady).  See, I haven’t disappeared and Knit Your Bit is ready to roll in year three!

Unexpected Road Trip

See, I knew that there was a reason that I gave myself that late August deadline.  I ended up on what we’re calling a “hurrication.”  I brought yarn and needles with me, but I ended up with my family and a new puppy and the yarn is still all wound up.  So, it’s a good thing that I finished that scarf and got the pattern out to you all when I did.  I don’t even think the museum lost power, and the mail may be delayed for another day or two, but I’m ready to keep knitting.  If you’re on the Gulf Coast, I am hosting another “Knit-In” on Saturday, September 13th.  Weather permitting.  It’s been an active season, for sure. There was a big discussion on ravelry about would you take your stash with you in the event of an evacuation?  I hope you’ll take your Knit Your Bit supplies, because I am too excited too receive the first scarf in this year’s pattern!  And squares too!

I’m Almost Ready and Knit Your Itty Bit

Well, I have the scarf knitted and binded off and have woven in the dangling yarn from my color switches.  But I want to add fringe.  Personally, I am in the middle of the move and I keep forgetting my yarn at one house, etc.  We’ve all moved, you know how it goes!  But I hope to get the scarf photographed and the pattern posted on the website in a mere matter of days.

This year we’re also going to offer a Knit Your Itty Bit part to our project. People can knit/crochet squares with any yarn and any pattern that they want, it just needs to measure 8x8. To launch the website, I need squares to show off.  Would yall be interested in knitting/crocheting an 8”x8” square so I can post it on the internet?  So if you would all just knit up some squares and email photos to lauren.handley@nationalww2museum.org, or send the squares in, they’ll be photographed and later sewn into the first blanket. Plus, you can use absolutely any yarn that you want. So look at it as a way to thin out your stash!

ALL TANGLED UP IN YARN

Yesterday was my favorite work day of the year as it was the day Rachel and I got to go to our Local Yarn Shop and buy yarn for this year’s pattern.  We are really pleased with what we’ve chosen.  We’re actually adapting on of our knit your bitters patterns that she generously shared with us.  We bought some fancy yarn (it’s shiny and photographs well, the same brand I used for last year’s V for Victory pattern).  The most adventurous part was that the ladies at the shop has us wind/ball up our own yarn.  Rachel and I have many talents, but apparently yarn winding is not one of them.  We had to reroll yarn, it flew off the base, etc.  But we got it done, and now we have yarn for our project!  This morning, Rachel has informed me that she’s already crocheted a good start to her scarf.  I haven’t even begun (but I did stare at the yarn a good bit yesterday if that counts for anything)!  Well, I should end this post and start knitting!

How can you think about scarves when it’s 100 degrees outside?

I’m sure that eventually, one day, the weather will get cooler.  Here in

New Orleans

, that means about the second week of October.  While summer seemed to come late this year, it’s definitely set in, and at a time when I really need to start gearing up for year three of Knit Your Bit.  I was re-inspired this past weekend when I got to knit with some local knitters at another museum day.  I’m going to make this a monthly event, I think, because it’s fun to knit for work!  I have next year’s pattern down to two choices – either a lengthwise striped scarf because they make me think of military decoration or one with chevrons because they remind me of patches.  Both are easy techniques, just a different stitch and following a pattern or using different yarn colors.  Oh well, I still have a little time to ponder it in the air conditioning!