Blogiversary Questions - CIC Knitting

We're at the start of a new CIC challenge to knit sweaters, vests, and socks for the big kids.

I'm going to be the counter, the one who keeps track of how much the CIC_Knit List is sending in toward our goal and sends out a status report every Friday.

I'm also in the middle of having over twenty knitters test knit a Cozy in Cables sweater pattern for the larger sizes: 32, 36, and 40.

With all that going on, it seems like the perfect time to answer the blogiversary questions about my CIC knitting.

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Liz who blogs at A Stitch in Time asked . . .

I'm curious about how and when you found out about CIC and why you chose it as your outlet for charitable works. Have you been making things for CIC since before you blogged?

I learned about CIC when the Socknitter's Group hosted a challenge to knit 2000 socks in ? I don't remember the year, but I'm guessing 2001. I do know that it was before I had a blog.

I knit a few pair of socks for the challenge, learned more about CIC, and liked what I learned.

The challenge was an annual event on Socknitter's Group, so I made and kept a personal challenge to knit one pair of CIC socks a month for a year so I would have 12 to send in the next year.

Eventually I joined the CIC_Knit List, learned more about CIC, and started knitting vests, sweaters, shawls, and fingerless mitts as well as socks.

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DJ who blogs at Jackson Four Dot Com asked . . .

Why do you knit for CIC? Is it because you know someone who adopted or because you like the charity?

Once I realized that there were many worthwhile charities asking for knitted items, I had to decide if I was going to spread out my efforts or concentrate on one.

Knowing myself, I felt I would contribute more if I picked a charity and stuck with it. The main reasons I picked CIC are:

• CIC has a great need for items I love to knit.
  
• I have a heart for the parentless kids living in the cold. Just thinking about it makes me want to pick up my knitting needles.
  
• There is good reason to believe that everything I knit is going to make one child warmer for a long time. It will probably be worn to rags.
  
• The items are delivered by parents going to the homes so there is no diversion to the black market.
  
• The right sizes are selected for the home being visited so all items delivered are needed where they land.
  
• The CIC_Knit List brings like-minded knitters together from all over the US and a few from beyond. It's a pleasure to be a member of such a generous group of knitters.

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Janice in GA who blogs at Knitting, With Dogs asked . . .

Do you create up most of your CIC sweater patterns by yourself? I love the way they look!

The simple answer is "yes".

I'm an easily bored knitter and usually don't like to knit the same thing twice so many times I take a basic pattern like the What's In My Pocket Vest Pattern and use an interesting stitch pattern to make it unique.

For socks, I like to vary the stitch pattern on the cuff. I (almost) always used a variation on a ribbing pattern so the socks will stay up because that's the way I like my socks. The basic sock remains the same. I can knit them in my sleep.

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Cynthia K asked . . .

Do you have any suggestions for places online to order wool yarn at good prices? (especially bulky yarn, like Lopi to use for the Cozy in Cables vest and sweater)

Thanks to a heads up from Shelly, I've been buying Lamb's Pride Bulky from the Sheep Shed. (No affiliation)

They have seconds and/or discontinued colors on Brown Sheep Yarn. Colors are limited but change often.

The Lamb's Pride Bulky is similar to Lopi, but softer and nicer (my opinion) to knit. It's 15% mohair for extra warmth and strength. It makes perfect gauge for Cozy in Cables vests and sweaters.

Service is quick, so far the yarn has been very nice, and I'm loving the prices.

Right now Lamb's Pride bulky is $3 for 4 ounces and Lamb's Pride Worsted is $2.75 for 4 ounces.