Christmas Penguin!!!!

This is the penguin I found online. Not sure where the pattern came from, but I am so pleased with the results! I am in the process of making a second one as a gift. A few of the kids are eager to start a stuffed animal, but they all have to finish a 5-hour baby sweater first. The sweater will be their final project, due at the end of January. They can choose to add either a blanket or a pair of booties and a hat.

Good news about our knitting class! It has been extended into second semester. Many of the current kids have re-upped and are taking the class again, and there will be a few new faces as well. It will be more challenging having the kids at all different levels, but I think they will learn from each other as well, so the different levels of experience will enhance the classroom atmosphere.

We are all looking forward to learning more skills.

Happy Holidays, everyone!!!!!!

knitting holiday ornaments

here are a few of the santa hats we made. i think they came out pretty nice. each student will hang them on their own tree at home.


today we are starting a new mini-project. tiny winter hats for the x-mas tree, or chanukah bush...whatever. they might look good on a barbie, but i am hoping the kids make a set for their parents. once we have made a few, we can add them to the front of a homemade card. that will be a little cute gift for a favorite teacher or a caring aunt. here is the picture i am giving the kids, and i know they can take this pattern and be really creative!!!!

Stitches From the Heart visits Pali!!!!!

Our class was so lucky to have our first guest speaker today! Joan Whitten from Stitched From the Heart came to school to talk about their organization and to collect a batch of knitted items from the kids. We donated over 50 baby hats, 2 baby blankets, 1 afghan, and a baby sweater, hat, booties set. A huge thank you to Joan and the entire Stitches gang.

Charlie Brown's Halloween Costume

I know this has nothing to do with knitting or our class and club, but I have to show off my silly puppy in his halloween costume. Mike is a Star Wars fan (understatement of the year) so Charlie is Darth Vader. He will be helping me pass out candy on Monday evening. Wish us luck.

Knit for the Needy

The Knit for the Needy Club is back! We meet every Tuesday at Lunch in Ms. Newbill's room, G201. Come learn to knit. Our first project: preemie hats to donate to Stitches from the Heart! Hats are due by November 9th. You will receive one hour of community service per preemie (or full-term baby) hat you knit (or crochet). Come see Ms. Newbill for more details.



Here is a picture of today's meeting. Lots of eager knitters. Thanks to all of you who helped the newbies. Good job, you guys!!! Let's keep our attendance up and knit, knit, knit!


We will be ordering club sweatshirts soon. Black hoodie sweatshirts with hot pink lettering. Here is Tiffanie modeling one:




Our totally cute logo...

Finished the Felted Purse

Here is the after picture of Ms. Newbill felted purse.
Thankfully it shrunk A LOT with repeated washing in hot water.

Mitered Edge Felted Purse

Ms. Newbill has been knitting along with the class, and just completed her gigantic purse. Here are some pics of the mitred edge, and Ms. Newbill wearing the purse pre-felting. Hope it gets a lot smaller!


over 2 feet across!

the mitered edge is just knit 3 together at the center of everyother row. so easy!!!

Will it shrink? Wash it 5 or 6 times in really hot water. Then block it. Cross your fingers everyone!

Some Scarves in Progress

Scarves Are Underway!!!

We are offically on to our second project. The scarves are coming along, the patterns that people are using are really creative! Check out these photos of the knitters in action, and the scarves in progress.

Our First Assignment Is Complete

Friday was the official due date...the squares were due.

Here is a picture of the squares that were turned in.



I think we will donate them to the afgan-a-thon being put on by Knitzilla.

Many students fiinished 2 squares, and some were still mastering knit and purl with their first square. The ultimate goal was achieved, we learned to knit! Congratulation go out to all of you guys, I am very proud of the progress you have made in the last few weeks.

The award for most improved goes to Angela, who "mastered" basket stitch and now knows how to fix dropped stitches. There are tons of adults knitters who can't do that. :) Way to go, Angela.

Up next: scarf design! Each student will design a scarf pattern, write it out, get supplies, and make an example. The entire project is due October 24th, hopefully the weather will cooperate and turn into "scarf weather".

the blanket squares are rolling in!

Here is Lupe with one of her finished squares. She checked in a few days late but was thr first to finish a square. Way to go, Lupe!



Esther also finished her first square, here is her version of a verigated blue square. This blanket is going to be very colorful.



La Shae is our expert in fixing mistakes, and she finished her first square and is well into her second square.




All squares are due next Friday, when we will begin our next project: scarves with a design-your-own pattern. Students will have to go buy their own yarn, knitter's choice, then design and write a pattern for their very own scarf creation. The pattern will be due first, and once approved, the knitter will begin their scarf.

Class has begun!!!!!!!

School started last wednesday, and we are up and knitting! I am so proud of the kids, they are all working so hard! By the end of the first period, everyone (26 students) was knitting! I was so exhausted. Our second day was even better, the knitting was progressing, the knit stitches were loosening up, and they all learned to bind off and cast on.
Everyone took their little bit of yarn and needles home for the weekend and came back with some pretty interesting progress. Now we have met 5 times and everyone has "mastered" knit, purl, cast on and bind off. I wrote a few basic 8" square patterns and gave out our first assignment. We are knitting squares for a few baby blankets, to donate to Stitches From The Heart. Each student is doing at least 2 squares, so I am hopeful that we will be able to complete 3 blankets in a week. Thanks to Suss Design for the yarn we are using for this project. Pictures are coming soon, hopefully this weekend. Thanks to all of you who donated yarn to this class, you helped encourage 26 new knitters!!!!! I am looking for a good second project. Any suggestions?

My Favorite Shrug/Bolero Jacket

Awhile back, I saw a few celebs wearing these cute little jackets to all their events and thought "I can make that"! So I talked with a friend and we decided I really could do that. I modified the 4-hour baby sweater, used much bigger needles and this lacy yarn. Here are the results.






Once I finished it in black, I decided to make a teal version. I am wearing the teal one at Mother's Day Brunch with grandma, Jenny (grandma's adopted daughter) and Jenny's daughter, Sasha (my god-daughter).

knitting with charlie

charlie and i love to sit at the table (he is under it and i am up above) to knit and play on the computer. summer is progressing slowly, which is good, i guess, but taking care of him is a full-time job. how do people have kids? sheesh! he has a skin rash right now, i think he is allergic tothe floor polish, so something has to change. :)



another favorite place is on the fireplace. if i am laying on the couch, he barks to be let out of his puppy playpen. i am a pushover, so i give in easily, and he goes right to the fireplace and sits or sleeps. i love him so much. such a character!

maiden voyage into blog space

Hi and welcome to Knitting 101. I teach Marine Biology at Pacific Palisades Charter High School in southern California and am an avid knitter. Two years ago we started a club here at Pali called Knit For the Needy. My girls (and a few boys) earned community service credit (a graduation requirement) for knitting items for homeless shelters, cancer hospitals, retirement homes, premies, etc. Our club meets Wednesday's at lunch. The kids come in, bring their knitting, and we plan our projects. As interest grew, i found myself spending each lunch hour teaching another kid the basics of knitting. The more advanced kids were bringing friends and teaching them to learn. Our network began to grow. In February, I got an idea. Why not teach a class here at Pali? So I jumped into the process of adding a new class to our schedule. After jumping through a few hoops, we got our wish. In the fall, Pali will offer their first ever Knitting class! I am expecting 30 students, with different ability levels. I have been given great advice from many people. Nancy at Stitches From the Heart and Janet, the clothing teacher here at Pali have both given me awesome advice. So, for the next few months, I will be designing the curriculum for the class, inventing projects that are borth fun and can help the community.