(no subject)

[cleolinda]

Okay--if you guys don't mind, I'd like to know how much readers of this journal--i.e., people who donated because they heard about 4christina.org here--have donated, so that we can tally it up. Correction/update: Since this has caught on across LJ, we're going with anyone who donated because they heard about it on LJ (or FW), period. If you don't have a LJ, you can leave an "anonymous" comment below with or without your name, and I'll add it in. I've made it so that no one sees the answers but me (and if it were possible to let people answer anonymously, I would have done that). I honestly don't care who donated what, and I'm not checking off a list of usernames or anything. I just want to be able to come up with a total so we can say, "See, even when you pitch in just a dollar, it makes a difference!"


[Poll #399768]


Write in whatever you want. Basically I'm looking for answers in the "$1.00" format, but if you did end up contributing an item instead of cash, write that in, too. If you weren't able to donate, that is totally okay--I was flat crap-ass broke last year and wouldn't have been able to do anything myself. But if you can, and if you did, please let me know so I can gauge the sum of y'all's efforts. : )

ETA 12/10/04 3 pm: Mom says we're up to about $1904, including things in the mail that haven't reached Sapphire yet, but not including donations only mentioned in the comments (like anonymous/non-LJ people), which I'll have to check against the master list and add in later.

---

I'm going to go ahead and talk about some unrelated things in this entry so that we keep the fundraising part on top for a while:

1. There will be no Lost recap tonight. I can do it tomorrow, however. I will definitely be watching the show (The Good Ship OMG!), but I'm taping it so I can watch it again and do a proper recap tomorrow, because today is Come to Jesus Day (as my mother would say) in terms of getting my paper done and reading Samson Agonistes and studying for the exam, all of which are tomorrow.

2. These are ridiculously expensive, but I did just get an email from the New Line store about "authentic" Elvish cloaks and scarves for sale.

3. Speaking of which, all these Elvish cloaks and Ravenclaw scarves have given me this urge to... knit. My grandmother taught me a little when I was really young, but I've forgotten it, mostly. I'm starting to think I might make it a New Year's resolution to learn to knit. Thoughts? Suggestions for beginners?

Comments

[yeats.livejournal.com]

I'm not on your friends list, but I thought that I would reply, for the purposes of calculating.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

That works, too. : )

[ginger]

Two suggestions in terms of knitting books:
Stitch & Bitch - has patterns and is (from what I'm told) a very user-friendly guide with tips and instructions on several techniques.
The Idiot's Guide to Knitting and Crocheting - This is what both I and the friend who got me hooked on knitting used. It's a very easy read, with very clear instructions and good diagrams. :)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Awesome. I literally want, like, the simplest pattern ever to get used to the whole thing. Like, a potholder. Or maybe a bookmark.

[sunihiroku.livejournal.com]

You know, I've had the same knitting urges recently. My roommate just started to knit, and it looks so comforting.

[ktnb]

I would also recommend the Stitch N Bitch book, as well as http://www.stitchguide.com - they have videos of how to do different stitches, which I found immensely helpful when I was first learning how to knit.

[megaleena.livejournal.com]

If you learn (to knit) will you teach me? I've forgotten and want to knit a cool scarf. Or at least try.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Hey, I figure if I learn to knit, I'll probably have my whole friends list clicking away within a couple of months. ; )

[raanve]

Those cloaks & scarves are gorgeous! I am trying not to covet, because, as you say, they are ridiculously expensive.

I taught myself to knit with this book -- it's goofy title/cover art was a big draw for me, but more importantly, the pictures inside were a big help. The Stitch'n'Bitch book that someone recommended above is a good one, too. You should look through several books, though, to find one that makes the most sense to you, because different people learn in different ways. (I'm pretty good at following written instructions, but when it comes to knitting, I also needed really good visual guides.)

Stitchguide is a nice site that has videos of how to do individual stitches. Knitting Help seems to be a similar site, but I haven't had a chance to look it over yet (I think it's new).

Feel free to ask me any questions you like. :)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Heeeee, that book cover is awesome. I may totally have to get that.

[kittenkatt.livejournal.com]

When starting to knit, I found that it was easier and more satisfying to use larger needles and thicker yarn so as to finish a whole project pretty quickly and build morale. Besides, you gotta get your arms used to the movements.

I adore Lion Brand yarn (http://www.lionbrand.com/) (read the FAQ!), especially Homespun. My first scarf was a pink Homespun with size 17 needles (the higher the number, the bigger the needles (http://pages.lionbrand.com/6030/InventoryPage/1419089/1.html?pageNo=1&catId=knitting_needles)). There are also a lot of cool patterns on Knitty.com (http://www.knitty.com) that you can search by skill levels (from mellow to extraspicy) in their archive. Harry Potter scarf info can be found at Atypically.net (http://knit.atypically.net/scarves/hogwarts/pattern.shtml).

[ginger]

And the bigger the needles, the better with Homespun. :) Very few people actually like it, in my experience, though I love it on anything bigger than size 11's. :)

[(Anonymous)]

My aunt taught me how to knit a four years ago, when I was nine or so. I started a scarf, and only just picked up again. I have what i call a "live the moment" approach to knitting. I have at least twenty mistakes, but I never notice them until i'm way into it. I just don't worry about it. It looks fine, though, because it's very colorful and the stiches are so big. I find it is much easier to knit with larger needles and thick yarn. Good luck!!

[wock.livejournal.com]

You do realize that to harvest thopse cloaks, they have to kill the elves...?

[exiledprincess.livejournal.com]

you're right about ridiculously expensive, but oh, how i want. well, the cloak & the brooch (sp?) you know, the leaf one. those would go nicely with the arwen and galadriel jewelry i covet.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I'm such a sucker for the inspired-by jewelry, like the butterfly brooch they turned into a necklace, and the necklace they based on Galadriel's ring.

[ayn-rand-fan-13.livejournal.com]

When I was taught how to knit, I started off using two balls of yarn at once so the scarf was multi-colored. There wasn't enough yarn to finish it, so i've switched colors. It looks good, but nobody taught me how to switch colors so the rows it is between are kind of wonky. I find knitting to be very therupeutic (not spelled right, I know) once you get into the rythem. I spent the entire time i was awake yesterday afternoon trying to untangle the two colors. And the rabbi says I'm not focused...

[dakiwiboid.livejournal.com]

Will you give us an idea of how well we've done, eventually?

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course. I thought y'all would like to know the final total. : )

[laizeohbeets.livejournal.com]

I'm a new knitter myself, but if you're a hands on, "somebody's gotta show me how to do it" type person, I wouldn't recommend Stitch&Bitch. It's all in orange, black, and white, and the diagrams were confusing for me.

I'm using the Visual Guide to Knitting, and it has large color pictures. helloknitty.com has short videos of how to cast on and knit, and I've found that the most helpful.

The key is to not cast-on and knit too tight. Keep the yarn as close to the point of the needle as possible without making the loops too small.

I've also found smaller needles (I use a size 8) are easier to use than size 11, which I originally bought. However, in crocheting, I've found bigger crochet hooks work better than smaller.

[laizeohbeets.livejournal.com]

Scuse me, "Teach Yourself Visually: Knitting and Crocheting" Not "The Visual Guide to Knitting." Same thing, really. ;)

beginning knitting

[fiberaddict.livejournal.com]

Whatever you do, do NOT start with the funky, fun eyelash type yarns. They are v.v. difficult for beginners, because you can't *see* the stitches, and if you have to tink (unknit 1 by 1 to fix something) or frog (rip it, rip it!), the eyelashes grab hold and tangle and end up getting thrown across the room to smack satisfyingly against the wall. (BTDT) Lion brand Homespun on big needles is good - there are some other chunky yarns out there that would also be good. Start with a scarf - it's useful, and big yarn on big needles goes pretty quickly. Books: the ones mentioned are good; so is the Knit Stitch by (I think) Sally Nelville. Knitting in Plain English by....M. Rigeletti (I think) is also pretty good, or just go for the best - Knitting without Tears (or any other title) by Elizabeth Zimmerman. *g* I'm a fiber junkie - I knit, spin, weave....and I enjoy turning other people over to the dark side....*g*

Re: beginning knitting

[jennnk.livejournal.com]

i hate novelty yarn with the fire and passion of 1,000 hells. i'm not sure i could be PAID enough to make something out of that horrible acrylic bastardization.

[jennnk.livejournal.com]

i am a ravenous knitter. i do it everywhere and every time i get the chance. i taught myself using sitch n' bitch, knitting pretty, and knitting.about.com. in addition to these books, knitting, crochet, knittingpretty, ghettoknit, and advanced_knit are great LJ comms.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Ooo, thanks. You may see me around there come January. : )

[sapphires13.livejournal.com]

Ia actually made myself a Ravenclaw scarf last autumn. I wanted to make one so bad, but was unsure about learning with needles, so I bought a round knitting loom (this one was called Knit-A-Round).
It worked, but the scarf is kind of wonky. After I finished it, I actually started one for my mother (burgundy and white for her) and to this day I haven't finished it... oops.
Now you're making me want to knit, and for real this time. But I'd better not. Because I've already got a ton of unfinished projects. Maybe if I finish my mother's scarf, and finish all the woven bracelets I've promised people (see my rainbow one here =D (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v18/sapphires13/rainbow.jpg)) I'll buy some real needles and try again with the knitting thing.
I'm planning on making some bracelets with Harry Potter house colours, which would be cool. The bracelets are made from embroidery floss by the way, and each one is like tying 1,728 knots... literally.
I think my problem with things that require my hands, is that I never have the time to work on them, except during TV (but not during Lost!) and I really don't watch that much TV...

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

OMG I USED TO LOVE THOSE BRACELETS. We'd all buy embroidery floss and knot on the playground. I was terrible at it. ; )

[calistakaufman.livejournal.com]

This is the stupidest (in terms of easy-beginner-wise) pattern I have ever had the good fortune to make. It's the type of dishcloth you see everyone making, but that's probably because it's so freakin easy. This'll teach you to cast on, cast off, knit, yarn over and knit two together. (http://www.mkdesigner.com/knit_dishclo.html)

As for visual techniques, here's a site that might help. (http://www.mkdesigner.com/knit_dishclo.html) (I'ma hoping they are animations; this computer is too slow to view them if they are.) After doing this awhile, you'll find that most patterns are all the same. Knit this, perl that, flip this yarn over that one and shake it all about. You know. The usual.

[karebearrah.livejournal.com]

I've never posted before, but I'm always checking in. Ever since your Troy recap, I've been here pretty much daily. I just kinda thought I'd say hi, and I think it's wonderful that you are trying to help. I know (a little too well) just how much those bills can pile up. (I'm still paying off from 2001, I had 2 brain surgeries within 13 months.) When you say that even a dollar can help, you are so right.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. Are you doing okay now?

[ambiguousreason.livejournal.com]

1. NO LOST RECAP TONIGHT?! *cries* Half the reason I love watching it so much is because I have your recap with me. But, hey -- I feel you on Come to Jesus Day (tell your mom I'm going to be using that phrase in the future) and wish you luck on everything you have to do.

2. I love how they say they're "authentic." BECAUSE THE ELVES THAT REALLY DO EXIST KNITTED THESE THEMSELVES, Y'ALL. Heeeee.

3. My sisters are learning how to knit right now, but since I'm not... I have no tips, thoughts, advice, or suggestions. Not too helpful, am I? : )

[emerlee.livejournal.com]

Knitting is quite awesome. I'm currently able to knit scarves and... other scarf-like things. Yeah. They're really easy to do. If you get really huge knitting needles, I'm talking an inch wide, you can get one done in about two hours.I've found they make really good gifts if you can't think of anything else to give.

I want an Elvish cloak! But only if it can shield me from Easterlings/eyes of Sauron/that creepy guy in band.

[alecto-chan.livejournal.com]

I saw it first on F_W when you posted and have donated. Does that still count toward your calculations?

[alecto-chan.livejournal.com]

Correction, when iczer posted. I should really read more carefully...

[http://users.livejournal.com/lorien__/]

as i said in the other post... will donate 50$ as soon as i have an addy to send it to... *grin*

Lorien__
charitable (who would've thought)

[http://users.livejournal.com/lorien__/]

one of these days your posts are gonna kill me... i love that cloak but damn it's bloody expensive...

i did have a great xmas pressie send to me tho...
arwens evenstar pendant... it's gorgous... ;)

Lorien__
cheerleader and nutcase

[christigilly.livejournal.com]

Might you, or someone else, be willing to send me a tape (or even better, a dvd or media file) of tonight's ep? I have to go to an artist's lecture at school and I don't want to miss it! Of course, I would enjoy the recap just as much, but if you can help...

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I think you can download the episodes with BitTorrent--I'm pretty sure that lost_tv has how to do that in their memories somewhere (because someone asks how to do it, like, every freakin' week).

[sunihiroku.livejournal.com]

$250! WOOT!

[riney.livejournal.com]

i just asked my mom to knit me a gryffindor scarf! i've learned how to knit many times, but i'm far too impatient to knit anything more than a few rows.

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

OMG! ICON LOVE!!! Freaking addicted to the Gilmore Girls... which is sad, but the DIALOGUE! ~gush~

Cleo! Do you have Gilmore Girls Heroine Addict icons?! Totally girl power there...