conversations and Planet Friendly Projects

ANN BUDD

paris recycled scarf

green grocery bag tree-hugger pullover

table of contents

knitting green 3

introduction

articles and essays

The Gray of Green by Clara Parkes

The Meaning of Organic by Pam Allen

A Shop Owner’s Dilemma by Lisa R. Myers

Too Much of a Good Thing? by Amy R. Singer

Ode To Sheep by Kristin Nicholas

It’s Not Easy Knitting Green by Sandi Wiseheart

It’s All About the Color by Darlene Hayes

Knitting Stone Age by Kristeen Griffin-Grimes

Touching the Sun by Carmen S. Hall

projects

Allegoro Lace Tunic Therese Chynoweth

Blue Cloud Afghan Ann Budd

Better Baby Rattle Katie Himmelberg

On-the-Go Bike Basket-Purse Kim Hamlin

Honor-the-Buffalo Socks and Mitts Ann Budd

Eco Vest Katie Himmelberg

Catarina Wrap Kristeen Griffin-Grimes

Cunene River Pullover JoLene Treace

Back-to-Nature Hat Michele Rose Orne

Green Grocery Bag Ann Budd

Commuter’s Knapsack Deborah Newton

Soy Silk Kimono Vicki Square

Paris Recycled Mags Kandis

Save-the-Streams Slippers Kim Hamlin

Soap Nut Vessels Kristin TenDyke

Sustainable Bamboo Scarf Ann Budd

Solstice Skirt Cecily Glowick-MacDonald

Organic Sprout Tank Pam Allen

All (North) American Hoodie Veronik Avery

Tree-Hugger Pullover Therese Chynoweth

Cotton Comfort Bear Michele Rose Orne

Videvik Estonian Shawl Nancy Bush

glossary

sources for supplies

contributing designers

index

knitting green 5

Finished SizeAbout 42" (106.5 cm) wide and 54" (137 cm) long. NOTE: There is plenty of widthwise and lengthwise stretch in this fabric.

YarnChunky weight (#5 Bulky).

ShOwN hErE: Araucanía Azapa (45% merino, 30% alpaca, 15% silk, 10% Donegal; 197 yd [180 m]/100 g): #804 sky, 9 skeins.

NeedlesSize U.S. 11 (8 mm): 24" (60 cm) circular (cir). Adjust needle size if necessary to ob-tain the correct gauge.

NotionsTapestry needle.

Gauge14 stitches and 18 rows = 4" (10 cm) in mistake rib pattern.

blue cloud afghan

designer:Ann Budd

Instead of turning up the thermostat when the temperature plunges,

Ann Budd likes to snuggle under an afghan. The yarn she chose for

this afghan is a luxurious handpainted mix of merino, alpaca, silk,

and Donegal produced by Araucanía Yarns, a group of artists and de-

signers dedicated to supporting local, sustainable job development

in Chile. The afghan begins and ends with a simple lace pattern; the

center is worked in mistake rib to produce a lofty texture that is ex-

tra insulating and has excellent drape.

6

AfghanUse the cable method (see Glossary) to CO 153

sts. Alternate 2 rows each from 2 skeins of yarn

throughout (see Note). work edging as foll:

row 1: (rS) *K1, yo, k2, sl 2 sts tog kwise, k1,

p2sso, k2, yo; rep from * to last st, k1.

row 2: (wS) K1, purl to last st, k1.

rep these 2 rows 2 more times, then work row

1 once more—7 rows total.

dec row: (wS) K1, purl to last st and at the

same time dec 6 sts evenly spaced, k1—147 sts

rem.

set-uP row: *K2, p2; rep from * to last 3 sts,

k2, p1.

rep this row for both rS and wS rows until

piece measures about 52" (132 cm) from CO, or

2" (5 cm) less than desired total length, ending

with a wS row.

inc row: (wS) K1, purl to last st and at the

same time inc 6 sts evenly spaced, k1—153 sts.

rep rows 1 and 2 of edging 3 times, then work

row 1 once more. with wS facing, BO all sts.

Finishingweave in loose ends. Block lightly, pulling out

scallops in edging.

I’m as passionate about the planet as the next gal. I

choose nontoxic ant deterrents; my laundry soap is

bio-everything-it-should-be; I recycle, reuse, and com-

post. But how on earth does a planet-loving knitter

go green and simultaneously support a serious yarn

habit?

I use my friend Google to educate myself about knit-

ting green, but quickly get bogged down in regulations

that vary from one country to the next and from one part

of the process to the next—maybe the sheep were raised

organically, but the mills pro-

cessed the yarn with Yucky Stuff, or the dyes might BE

Yucky Stuff. how’s a knitter to know?

The idea is that the label will tell me—it may say “certi-

fied organic,” for example. But exactly what has been cer-

tified organic—the sheep, the wool, the yarn label? Then

there is the yarn’s carbon footprint. how much oil and

gasoline was burned in processing and transporting it?

was it packaged in dangerous-to-wildlife plastic bags?

was the truck driver eating yellow arches hamburgers

along the way?

There’s a whole dyepot of dilemmas right there . . .

and the worst part is, there is no way to figure it all out

while standing at a display of luscious wool at your local

yarn shop.

Speaking of local yarn shops, I’ve noticed that a good

selection of organic yarns is often hard to come by. I like

to support my local community. But I’ve begun to realize

that buying local takes on a whole new meaning in this

age of ravelry, blogs, podcasts, and Internet meet-ups.

when I ask who my real knitting community is, it’s a

complicated matrix. I live 50 kilometers away from the

Toronto shop that I consider to be my “local” yarn shop. I

have close ties to a shop in Michigan, so it, too, is part of

my community. I chat daily with knitters and spinners all

over the world; if they sell yarn or fiber, I buy from their

online shops. That, too, is supporting my knitting family.

I buy local to support the village that supports me; it just

happens to be spread out over several thousand miles.

So put me on the spot. Do I buy organic? Do I knit

green? I support my knitting community by supporting

them. I avoid over-processed yarns whose origin and im-

pacts on the earth are suspect. I buy as many natural fi-

bers as I can. I bring my own shopping bag to the yarn

shop.

I don’t buy only certified organic yarns—the selection is

too limited for someone whose passion and profession is

knitting. I try to choose wisely, which is tough to do when

the issues are so tangled. we’re all going to have to fig-

ure this out together, because knitting green is a whole lot

more complicated than I thought it would be.

Sandi Wiseheart lives near toronto, canada, with her

husband, rescue dog, and cats. it’s only a matter of time

before she adopts some sheep as well.

I’ve begun to realize that buying local takes on a whole

new meaning in this age of Ravelry, blogs, podcasts, and internet meet-ups.

knitting green 7

it’s not easy knitting green Sandi Wiseheart

Knit for a greener planetWhat does it mean to be an environmentally conscious knitter?

Knitting Green explores ways to integrate green perspectives

into knitting—and day-to-day life—with articles, essays, and

planet-friendly projects.

Learn ideas from knitting superstars who lend perspectives

on incorporating green principles into the craft, from using fiber

that would otherwise go to waste to seeking alternatives for

chemical detergents to keeping wearers warm or cool without

using energy.

Inside Knitting Green, readers will:

• Gain encouragement, information, and inspiration from knitting industry leaders, including French Girl’s Kristeen Griffin-Grimes, designer Kristin Nicholas, yarn company creative director Pam Allen, and writers/editors Amy r. Singer and Clara Parkes.

• Understand the issues behind “green” marketing.

• Create planet-friendly wearables and accessories from some of the best-known knitting designers, including Mags Kandis, Deborah Newton, Michele rose Orne, Vicki Square, Véronik Avery, Nancy Bush, and more.

• Choose from 20 fashionable designs, including a lace tunic, fingerless mitts, a cabled vest, knapsack, grocery bag, and hats, wraps, scarves, tanks, and more.

Knitting Green offers suggestions for making knitting sustain-

able, finding easy ways to add extra eco-awareness to the craft,

plus beautiful, fun projects with beautiful yarns for all skill levels.

Paperback, 81⁄2 x 9, 160 pages

75 photographs, 20 illustrations, and 10 charts

ISBN 978-1-59668-166-8

$24.95

Available May 2010

about the author

Ann Budd is the best-selling author of a

dozen knitting books, including Interweave

Presents Knitted Gifts and Simple Style. Formerly

the senior editor of Interweave Knits magazine,

she is now a book editor and knitwear

designer. She lives in Boulder, Colorado.