January 2005 CIC Vest Challenge

What is CIC?

The CIC Knit List is having a January vest challenge which I'm coordinating. I'm excited to see how many vests we can knit up in January.

The warm little vests are among the most needed and gratefully received knitted items. They're quick and easy to knit up and you can even have some fun with them.

Some knitters like to knit a pocket and insert a little toy. Other knitters like to play with the stitch patterns or yarn colors and come up with something cute and colorful. But even a plain vest in a plain color is going to provide much needed warmth for some child in an Eastern European orphanage, so don't feel you have to do anything special. Each vest makes one child warmer. That's special enough.

Here are the guidelines for the challenge:

1) CIC requests at least 50% animal fiber content. More is better. It doesn't have to be luxury yarn, it just needs to be warm.

2) Deadline for mailing is January 31, 2005.

3) Send finished vests to:

Kathy Graziani
9124 Flamepool Way
Columbia, MD 21045

4) To have your vest(s) counted as part of the challenge, send an email to CIC-knit@yahoogroups.com after the vest(s) are mailed. We like to hear about your vest(s) as you're knitting them, but they won't be officially counted until they are mailed. (If you're not a member of CIC Knit List, email me to get counted.)

5) If you want to make sure your package was received either use delivery confirmation or stick a stamped, self addressed postcard in the package.

6) It takes about 200 yards of bulky yarn to knit a toddler sized vest. If you have more yarn than time and would like to donate yarn to those who have more time than yarn, please contact me.

7) If you could knit more vests if you only had the yarn, contact me and I will match you up with a yarn donor if possible.

8) The most needed sizes are 2 (24 inch chest) and 4 (26 inch chest), as the children are small for their age. However if your vest turns out to be a different size, send it anyway. It will fit some child and keep them warm.

9) The classic What's In My Pocket Vest by Claudia Krisinski is very popular with CIC knitters. It's quick, easy, and no sewing except for the pocket. (I usually leave the pocket off, and that's OK.)

The three vests in the picture were knit using this pattern. You'll be surprised at how fast they knit up.

With the bulky weight yarn the vests are 72 to 76 stitches around and it only takes about 60 rows to make the length.

I use Lopi. Lamb's Pride Bulky is also excellent.

Some knitters use double strands of worsted weight yarn with warm, colorful results.

There are other vest patterns in the CIC Knit Files section, including a vest to crochet.

Each warm, wool vest makes a BIG difference to the comfort of one child. We can't make too many!

Will you join us?