I've joined NaNoWriMo (you can find me there as mkcarroll), with the intention of writing something that is well-researched and really terrible at the same time.
Crochet Saved My Life | On My Bookshelf
Kathryn Vercillo of the Crochet Concupiscence blog has published Crochet Saved My Life: The Mental and Physical Benefits of Crochet , a book about the potential of crochet to heal, interwoven with stories from crocheters (including yours truly). Kathryn has done a tremendous amount of research, and has compiled quite a list of resources. If you are interested in how crochet, specifically, can contribute to mental and physical health, this is the book for you!
Read MoreSmocked Mug Jacket
Smocked Mug Jacket
The pattern has been rewritten to accomodate a standard sized mug (with information on how to alter it to fit other sizes), professionally tech-edited by Eleanor Dixon, and now includes a step-by-step photo tutorial for the smocking stitch pattern. $4.50 of the $5.50 purchase price goes to Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders as part of the Tricoteuses Sans Frontières/Knitters Without Borders fundraising efforts. The pattern is also available for free (download links are at the bottom of this page).
Please note that is is a knitting pattern - a set of instructions for knitting a mug cozy. This is not a finished item, and I do not sell finished cozies (if I did, the retail price would be at least $50). If you are looking to buy a ready to use mug cozy, I recommend going to Etsy and doing a search for "mug cozy" or "coffee cozy." You can see a roundup of my favorites on Pinterest.
“Who is MSF/DWB?
MSF is a medical relief organization dedicated to bringing help to people in the worst circumstances in the world. MSF goes where other relief organizations (NGO’s) will not. Where circumstances are the most desperate, the most dangerous and the most hopeless... you will find Médecins Sans Frontières. MSF is transparent and neutral without any political or religious affiliations, and does not accept donations from Pharmaceutical companies or companies that make Tobacco or Alcohol. Part of their job is to witness and report violations of human rights and dignity. MSF helps all persons who need them, regardless of their race, religion, politics or gender. MSF won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1999.”
The revision also makes the free version of the pattern identical to the fundraiser version of the pattern. Free version: download pattern and download tutorial.
Rehydrated pomegranate rinds, ready for grinding.
Pomegranate Rind Dye | Natural Plant Dye
My parents have a pomegranate tree that produces fruit slowly and steadily, so every few weeks I add one or two more rinds to a bag in my freezer. I had a full bag, so I dried out the rinds as much as possible in direct sunlight, and then got them completely dry in the oven on the lowest setting. When I was ready to make a batch of dye, I soaked the dried rinds overnight and then blended the rehydrated rinds with the soaking water in my Vitamix blender. The resulting pulp was strained through a mesh strainer, and then strained again through a piece of muslin fabric. It's extra work, but using dried rinds does make a difference - when I did a batch with fresh rinds last year, the results were much lighter. Because of the tannin content, pomegranate rinds can also be used as a mordant, so I mixed it with a batch of mint leaf dye and a batch of lemongrass leaf dye.
Ground up pomegranate rinds, after the first straining - I had to strain it through a piece of muslin fabric to get all of the little bits you can see here out.
Photos of the dyed yarns to come! If you are interested in using pomegranate rind and mint leaf botanical dyes, The Handbook of Natural Plant Dyes by Sasha Duerr has some general information about pomegranate rind and a recipe for mint leaf dye.
