Sandy Craftalong

I hope everyone is doing well and on the road to recovery post-Sandy. I know that many of us East-Coasters were affected (myself included) and my thoughts go out to all of the families that are still suffering from the destruction that Sandy left behind.

When I stumbled across this project I thought it would be perfect for the crafty readers of this blog. Two NY-based craft bloggers have organized a craftalong to make warm items to donate to Sandy victims. Items they are looking for include hats, mittens, scarves, blankets, socks and sweaters, and these items can be knit, crocheted, or sewn! If you have any time and resources to spare, I encourage you to consider participating in this craftalong. The sooner you can make something the better, as they're hoping to start passing out donations within a week or less. If you'd like to find out more information, click through to this post!

By Nnenna of star-crossed smile

Handmade Knit Wedding Gown

                 Source: dailymail.co.uk via Nnenna on Pinterest


When I came across this image on Pinterest I knew it was too awesome not to share it with you guys! Twenty-six year-old Lydia from the United Kingdom handknit her own wedding gown in order to save money.  According to the article, she tried on a few wedding dresses in stores, but then decided that she wanted to go the handmade route. She was able to create her dress above with about 300 grams of yarn and at least 100,000 stitches- all for under 200 pounds!

I think her wedding dress is really beautiful and I love that it's completely unique- what a great treasure that will be for future generations in her family!

Tell me: What do you think of her knit wedding dress? Did you or would you make your own wedding gown?


By Nnenna of star-crossed smile

Hats for Young Runners

The New York Road Runners is not only a premier running organization for adults, they also offer extensive programming for children. Their Young Runners program is a free after-school program available to underserved communities in New York City. Their Mighty Milers program teaches kids of all fitness levels and abilities how to run or walk a half-mile, two to five times a week.

When The {NewNew} found out about a drive that combined the passion of quite a few of our members namely running and knitting, they were excited to commit their time to knit up hats for some of the neediest participants in the New York Road Runner Youth programs. Modeled by some of our "honorary" members, here are the first hats about to be delivered to the NYRR.


If this inspires you to donate some of your time to a charity crafting project, check out Lion Brand Yarn's Charity Connection hub where you can find out about charity projects in your community.

Happy Crafting

Simone
groundsel.etsy.com

World Maker Faire: Bring A Bootie - Get Some SWAG

Newborn Hat and Bootie Set Lion Brand Pattern 10117 AD

The Maker Faire, a family-friendly extravaganza that brings together art, craft, science, food, and engineering in shall we say "interesting" ways, will be in town in just a few weeks (Sept. 25 & 26) and The {NewNew} is in full production mode to prepare our booth.  For our project we invite you to stop by and join our retro knitting/crocheting circle. There we will make some booties and hats for newborns at Bronx Lebanon Hospital like the one I just finished. As a reward you'll get one of our fun SWAG bags filled with little surprises for you.

If you need some inspiration, we will be providing patterns by our longtime supporters Lion Brand Yarn, who are also exhibiting at the Maker Faire. Should you want to get yourself into the Maker mindset before the event, crochet or knit a baby item now and bring it to our booth in exchange for some SWAG. Use your favorite pattern or pick one of Lion Brand Yarn's many free patterns on their website. (To access their extensive pattern library you need to set up a password and provide your mailing address). If you would love to make something, but can't spare the time at the Faire, stop by anyway and pick up one of our kits. You can mail your hat to us after the event. And finally, if you wish to destash some of your yarns, we will accept non-wool, good condition balls of yarns to add to our charity stash. And yes, you'll get a SWAG bag.

Simone
groundsel.etsy.com

Today Is Make a Hat Day!

Today is make a hat day! If you have any experience with knitting or crocheting, you can find many resources online for patterns, such as Knitting Central's extensive list seen here.

If you've always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet, but dont know where to begin, youtube is a great resource. Give it a try!

Want something unique for your new hat-making venture? Check out Etsy's supplies section for handspun yarn.

However, if it's all too much for you and you'd rather leave it to others, The NewNew team has some great options...
This brown and caramel beanie from Harlempurls with bow detail is perfect for your child's wardrobe.
Knitting Guru lovingly named this vintage chenille hat, Autumn in New York.And if any babies are in the picture (or coming into it!), NY Crochet has many great choices including custom baby hats.-Michelle / Dirty Loves Clean

Summer Knitting in the City


I have always been a crafter and feel a need to keep busy, especially when traveling. A few years ago, I discovered knitting and found that it was the perfect mobile craft. I was originally self taught from books, but have since discovered that taking classes here in the city improved my skills and understanding of the craft so much more. I learned how to finish a garment, how to choose the right yarn for the right project, how to fix some mistakes... I even learned how to crochet.

Knitting on the subways and buses is such a natural thing to do as a crafter in NYC. All you need is one skein of yarn, knowledge of two stitches (knit and purl), and one set of knitting needles at a time and off you go. Buying and using circular needles made it so easy that I found myself going everywhere with a knitting project in tow. With the circular needle, I wouldn't even bother those who sat next to me with my long needles clicking away. As I knit, I found that other passengers were interested in learning about the art of knitting and would strike up conversations about knitting groups, materials, shops, etc. I have taught more than a few children in the Bronx how to knit on my morning or afternoon commutes to and from the school I taught within and I even began to carry an extra set of needles and scrap yarn in my bag, just in case.

As it got hotter and hotter in the city during the summer months, I found myself struggling to continue with my commuting pastime though. The feeling of wool passing between my fingers warms and comforts me in the winter and fall, but makes me itch and sweat in the summer. Then I discovered the wonders of cotton and bamboo yarns, that are fabulous for summer shawls, baby knits and household knits. These yarns are less expensive than their wool and alpaca counterparts (for the most part) and softer than their acrylic cousins. All of the projects fit nicely into my happy tote and are readily available for every commute by train, bus, or ferry, for every queue that I must wait within, and for every park that has a bench or lawn to sit upon. Heck, knitting is the one craft that is endorsed by America's favorite summer sport, baseball. A bleacher seat is a great setting to knit considering that major league sporting events take commercial breaks and now there are cup holders for your beer. Stitch N' Pitch events are scheduled throughout the world. Check out the schedule for a game in your area.

Summer in the city is also the moving season for most NYC dwellers. Housewarming parties become frequent calendar events. A summer knit project may become that perfect housewarming gift. A set of hand-knit dish cloths are a great eco-friendly gift possibility. Below I have listed several other summer knitting project possibilities. And if you have an iPhone or something of that sort, there are now numerous applications that help a knitter keep track of their stitches and/or their stashes.

Speaking of stashes, when it comes to yarn in the summertime, I have learned that going into the shops and talking to those who work there, asking for advice, and feeling the yarns are the best things that you may do before starting your summer knit projects. Some of the shops that offer a wonderful selection of classes and materials are Purl Soho in Soho, Knitty City on the UWS, and Flying Fingers in Tarrytown, NY. Please check out their websites for details as they offer new classes each month in a wide variety of skill levels and have new yarns coming in almost every week. Also, a couple of the shops mentioned are offering special deals for you lucky readers! For those of you not in the NYC area, they do offer online shopping too!

Knitty City
208 West 79th St
10% discount for all shoppers mentioning The {NewNew} between 7/26/2009-8/26/2009
They will be closed from August 11 - August 16 though.
Look out for their kimono fabrics and handmade papers too!

Purl Soho
137 Sullivan Street
Check www.purlbee.com for special {NewNew} offers too.

Flying Fingers
15 Main Street, Tarrytown, New York
Offers free transportation from NYC to Tarrytown, NY aboard the Yarn Bus. Check their website for the schedule and how to make a reservation. A great Saturday getaway for the knitter looking to get out of the city for the day, enjoy the Hudson views, and get their knit on.



Marvelous Summer Knitting Project Ideas (with FREE patterns)













iPhone Applications that may make your mobile knitting even easier:
(Links open in iTunes)

Knitting Yarn Calculator
Ewe Stash
KnitGauge
Knit Buddy
iKnit Needle Sizer
KnittyBag
Knit Counter
iLocate - wool & yarn
ConvertKnit
StitchMinder
Knit Counter Lite
StitchCounter
YarnStash

If you love and want the knitted item, but don't care to knit it yourself, then check out the following {NewNew} team members and their beautifully knit items in their etsy shops.





Anne
Felt It
muppetloon.etsy.com