Special Request for Independence Day: A Knit-A-Long
HALCYON YARN ANNOUNCES ITS FIRST KNITALONG!!
[UPDATE: OK, the patterns are available in our forum. Feel free to download them and get started. Also, feel free to join the forum so that you can talk with others from all over about this project!]
A couple of months ago, we received a call from Marla Phelps in Tenants Harbor, a fishing community on the St. George Peninsula, gateway to Maine’s beautiful Penobscot Bay. Marla’s son Sgt. Michael Wall, is a career soldier stationed in Afghanistan, where the winters are very cold — perhaps even colder than Maine winters. Remembering the warm woolen fisherman mittens his grandmother used to make, Sgt. Wall asked her to make 16 pairs for his unit. Unfortunately, Mrs. Wall doesn’t knit any more and couldn’t remember the pattern she used … so Michael’s family asked Halcyon Yarn for help.
Well, we knew right away we wanted to do something. Not only were we moved by the story, and intrigued by the challenge, but we also already have ties to the region. Halcyon had organized a the donation of a container load of fiber and knitting supplies to Afghanistan. Finally, our own Beth Hood’s son, Nolan, is also stationed there, so the impact of events abroad has been brought home in a very real way.
Based on the classic Maine fisherman mitten, and incorporating other features requested by Sgt. Wall, we’ve designed a mitten we’ve named the “Soldier’s Glomitt”. I
t’s made from warm, durable 100% wool yarn, and the top flips back to reveal fingerless gloves for detailed tasks.
Halcyon Yarn and Michael’s mother Marla are asking for your help in achieving Michael’s goal of 16 pairs of glomitts — or even surpassing it!
The glomitt pattern can be downloaded from our website, along with suggestions for yarn and finishing ideas. We do request that you use 100% wool yarn — no synthetics, please — in subdued neutral colors — black, dark green, grays, or browns. You may personalize them if you wish — perhaps with some subtle striping or patterning, adding texture or cabling.
The first 16 pairs will go to Sgt. Wall and his unit, but we hope we’ll receive enough to send to other troops in Afghanistan as well.
As a special thank you, the names of all the knitters who send us glomitts for Afghanistan will be entered into a drawing for a Halcyon Yarn $50 Gift Certificate. But the greatest reward, of course, is knowing that you’ve doing something positive to help our troops.
We have set up a “Forum” for this knitalong, where you will be able to talk to others who have joined, introduce yourself, post pictures of your work, and ask for help or offer advice. We will also have two patterns available for download (for free, of course!). In order to join, please visit this page:
A heartfelt thanks to all you hardy knitters!
UPDATE: OK, the patterns are available in our forum. Feel free to download them and get started. Also, feel free to join the forum so that you can talk with others from all over about this project!
26 Responses to “Special Request for Independence Day: A Knit-A-Long”
By Kathleen on Jul 2, 2008
Great idea! Thanks for the opportunity to help do something for our soldiers. My son has done 2 tours in Iraq and is scheduled to go to Afghanistan in May ’09. Can’t wait to get started!
By admin on Jul 2, 2008
Hi Charlotte – We really wanted to get this article out before independence day, BUT, that meant that we publicized it before the pattern was finished. Actually, there will be two patterns… Beth has been working overtime ironing out the details, and they will be ready very soon. If you have signed up for the forum, they will be available there for download, or, I can email it to you then. Thanks for your interest!
Best,
Amos
By Beth Q on Jul 2, 2008
Hi Everyone – I’m BethQ, the Beth that Amos mentioned was ironing out the details of the “glomitt” — and after making 3 of them and double & triple- checking the numbers, the pattern is ready to go. To be honest, we didn’t think we’d have such great response — over 100 of you have signed up in less than 24 hours! Thank you all.
If you’re anxious to get going, the pattern uses worsted wt yarn — 100% wool — with a gauge of 22sts = 4 in. Cast on 48 sts with size 5 double pointed needles, and by the time you finish 3-4″ of K2P2 ribbing, the rest of the pattern will be available to download! The Soldier’s Glomitt is pictured on our website — and by the way, that’s Amos modeling it!
BethH, the other Beth at Halcyon, and whose son Nolan is stationed in Afghanistan with the Massachusetts National Guard, has designed the “Guard’s Gauntlet”. The Gauntlet is a simpler design, made with bulky weight yarn — Beth used Lopi — that might be a good alternative for those of you who are newer knitters. Not only did Beth design the gauntlet, but it’s the first mitten she’s ever completed! We’ll ask Amos to model that one, too, and get the pattern up asap.
In the meantime, we’re here to answer questions and to help with any problems you may encounter along the way. Please keep checking back for more information about the project. And thank you all from Michael’s and Nolan’s families and all of us at Halcyon Yarn.
BethQ
By Lauren King on Jul 2, 2008
Can the yarn be part 50% alpaca and 50% wool? I have a dark beige heather Lana D’Oro (Cascade yarn). Would this be too light in color?
By Mary K. in Rockport on Jul 3, 2008
May I have a Glomitt recipe, too? When it’s ready?
By Beth Q on Jul 3, 2008
Lauren —
Alpaca is great, one of the warmest fibers there is. We’ve asked for 100% wool because wool is far warmer than acrylics or cotton. One of the characteristics of the fisherman’s mitten on which the glomitt is based, is that when used repeatedly and exposed to water (sea water or melted snow) it felts & becomes even warmer! A wool/alpaca blend will definitely do this.
And I think the beige heather would works — I’m making a pair in a Bartlett light gray heather. Thanks, BethQ
By admin on Jul 3, 2008
OK, the forum and patterns are ready! Please visit:
http://halcyonyarn.com/social/vanilla/?CategoryID=2
And you can download the patterns there. Also, sign up for the form so you can talk to othrs and get help.
Sign Up here:
http://halcyonyarn.com/social/vanilla/people.php?PostBackAction=ApplyForm
Log in here:
http://halcyonyarn.com/social/vanilla/people.php
Thanks for your interest!!!
By Lois Brooks on Jul 3, 2008
Ok – I’m in and have printed the pattern. I do have some Lamb’s Pride in a slate blue (hope that will be ok) – what is the date these need to be shipped by and do you have an address to send them to? Thanks.
By Beth Q on Jul 3, 2008
Hi Lois,
The Lamb’s Pride slate blue is fine — we’ve asked for subdued colors — no lime green or hunter’s orange!
We’re hoping to have all the items in house by October 1st. You can send them to:
KnitALong
Halcyon Yarn
12 School Street
Bath, ME 04530
Once we’ve received them all, we will send them to Afghanistan.
Thank you.
By Linda K on Jul 3, 2008
I just learned about the Independence Day Knit-a-Long. I had been feeling badly about now having anything special to do on Independence Day. Now, I am excited about the prospect of knitting Soldier’s Gromitts tomorrow.
By Beth Hood on Jul 3, 2008
Hi all! I’m Beth Hood of Halcyon Yarn and Nolan’s mother. (He is the one in the second row of the group photo in the black ARMY shirt)
He actually told me what he needed in a mitten before he left and the result is the Guard’s Gauntlet. It is 130 degrees in western Afghanistan right now and probably hard to think about mittens. But he told me that last year thousands of people suffered from the extreme cold. I have never been part of a KAL before. This is very exciting!
By Corinna Hettinger on Jul 4, 2008
I agree with Linda. Thanks for the opportunity to do something meaningful. I’m going through my stash looking for something really yummy and warm.
By Corinna on Jul 8, 2008
I have just completed the first glomit and found one instance where the pattern might not read right. It is on the 5th row of the thumb gusset (after the 4 rows of K all knit sts and P all purl sts), the pattern reads: P1, inc 1 st in next st, K1, inc 1 sts in next st, P1. K to end. I think it is missing a” K1″ after the second increase and before the final P1. Or of course it is entirely possible that am misinterpreting the pattern and it is correct. If this is so I apologise in advance for any confusion this may cause
By Francine Lundeen on Jul 16, 2008
Hello, yes it will be great to help our service men and women, even if it is a small way. Question, a friend and I have sock yarn with 5%nylon, heather in color, I don’t give a brand for it,it is our sheep, we had it spun up and they added the nylon for strength. Please let me know. Francine
By Beth Hood on Jul 22, 2008
Hi–
News from Nolan. Having been through this with my Dad and my husband, my mother and I are amazed at how often I am able to talk to Nolan on line or on the telephone. My mother believed that my Dad had someone in charge of stomping on his letters in the red mud of Vietnam. She waited and waited to get them and then was tempted to handle them with forceps they were so dirty! My husband was at sea just days before our wedding and as I waited for word from him and the day drew closer and closer, my mother and I decided that it would be easier to have my brother stand in than to postpone the wedding! (He did make it in time!)
Not so this time. It is not at all unusual to get an early morning phone call, just in case we’ve seen that day’s headlines to let us know he is all right. It’s generally early enough that I haven’t even seen the sun, let alone the headlines. But it is an effective wake up call! I’m gently trying to discourage those. He has let me be a ‘friend’ on myspace so that I can see his pictures. And they are amazing! We have seen pictures of an Afghan village, the ruins of one of Alexander the Great’s castles and some of the local wildlife.
The latest pictures are of ‘his’ new cat. Nolan is no cat lover, but his group rescued this cat and her brother. He says she is good company at two am when it’s too hot to sleep.
By Carolyn Beasley on Jul 24, 2008
We saw someone working on a pair of these at our spinning guild meeting the other night and want to help. Thank you for the opportunity to help our troops.
By Leanne Arnold on Jul 28, 2008
I want to help knit these great mittens for the troups but have a problem and want to ask a simple question. How many P’s should I have in the making of the thumb gusset. If I know I’m on the right track in
making my first pair it would sure make me more confident.
By Beth Q on Jul 28, 2008
Hi Leanne,
Welcome! Thanks for joining us. In answer to your question, you should have 2 Purl stitches in the thumb gusset — one on either side of the gusset itself. Since the rest of the thumb gusset is all K sts, the P sts mark the beginning & end of the gusset. If you look closely at the pattern photo, you’ll be able to see the little line at the edge of the thumb which is formed by the P’s.
By Leanne on Jul 31, 2008
I’m back again with a question about this thumb..(I’m a sock knitter ,haven’t knit a mitten in 35 yrs.) The place where you cast on 4 stitches and then 16 to a holder.
I don’t understand how I can knit on to the end of the round when my yarn is 20 stitches behind. I know I could be just wondering too hard but if you can, get me over this hump, I believe I can become a glomitt knitter yet. Sorry to be so dense about this pattern. Leanne
By Beth Q on Aug 1, 2008
Leanne,
It can be confusing, especially if you’ve not knit mittens for a while. What you are doing by slipping the 16 sts onto a holder is reserving those sts for the thumb. (The 16sts are a P st, 14 K sts, and another P) Once you have completed the mitten part, you will go back & use those 16 saved stitches to finish the thumb.
After slipping the 16 thumb sts to the holder cast on 4 stitches in their place. The best cast-ons for this are the cable cast-on, the knitted cast-on, or even the backward loop cast-on. Once those 4 sts are cast on above the holder with the 16 thumb sts, you can join them to the 12 sts remaining on that needle, and just continue knitting. This will bring the total # of stitches back to 48, (16 sts on each of 3 double ptd needles), the same number you cast on at the very beginning of the mitt — and you can continue knitting the rounds until the next step.
I hope this helps. If not, let me know … Good luck!
By Beth Q on Aug 21, 2008
If you have a chance, please log into the forums & check out the discussions – I’ve been posting information about Sgt Wall as his family has forwarded it to me. It makes the glomitt project just a little more personal, knowing what Michael & his men are experiencing.
By Malta on Aug 23, 2008
It does my heart good to know that there are so many caring people willing to knit the glomitts our troops.
By Teran on Sep 4, 2008
I sent my glomets in August. How many have been submitted. It was so rewarding to be knitting them. I hope there were many pairs sent in.
By Beth Q on Sep 4, 2008
Hi Teran — and everyone else,
So far we’ve received 15 pairs of glomitts — and I know there are more on the way. Over 150 people have registered for the knitalong on line, and our instore display has generated a lot of interest among our regular customers and visitors — we’ve had to reprint the pattern! Several people have told us that their spinning and knitting groups have taken on the project.
We originally set the completion date as October 1st — BUT PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING!! We will continue to collect glomitts and gauntlets throughout the fall and into the holiday season.
Sgt Wall’s mother, Malta Phelps, expressed her thanks in a recent posting. Everyone here at Halcyon Yarn joins her in thanking you for your contribution.
Beth Q
By Donna S on Oct 14, 2008
Hi Beth:
Just wanted to be sure you were still accepting the glomitts. Although I signed up for the KAL, I had such a busy summer, I didn’t get a chance to make them yet. I’m going to try to get going on a pair if you’re still sending them out?
Thanks
Donna S.
By Amos on Oct 27, 2008
Hi Donna,
Yes, we’re still accepting glomitts. We have enough for Sgt. Wall’s unit, but have others to whom we can send supplies. Thanks for your interest!