Help me spend money

[feministmama]

OK I started a student group at my college. It's a stitch n bitch and we're focusing on making things like squares for beginner projects then sewing them together to make blankets for the needy. They all want to learn to make socks so I'm going to show them how to make little coffee bras. Ya know those things you make to put on coffee cups so yer hands don't burn. Well we have a vegan/vegitarian cafe at our school that doesn't use the paper cup holders cuz they're not sustainable (they encourage you to bring yer own cup anyway) and they don't like wool cuz its taking from an animal so I want to make them in acrylic and give them to this cafe. It helps the folks in the knitting group how to knit in the round and we can work collaboratively with other groups on campus.

SO there will be lots of learning in more ways than one in this group.I finally got approval from the powers that be to actually be a recognized group on campus and we got a budget. $297!!! It's whats leftover for the end of the school year. Iin the fall I think we get $800. Anyway, we gotta spend all of it before June 1 or we loose it. So I'm thinking for this first spending cycle to just get boatloads of needles and yarn. I think we'll just go with Joannes on line since that is the easiest way to spend money. If we go to a LYS then we have to negotiate purchase orders and invoices and a bunch of red tape. If we go online we just make a list of stuff we want from an online vendore and the accountant just uses the school credit card.

So I'm thinking I should get just bunch of Vanna's stuff, some Caron simply soft, some cotton ease, just basics, one in every color kind of thing and then maybe just soome Susan bates needles from 7-9 sizes. What else should I get?

[mwhite]

Love to spend somebody else's money! LOL!
Lion Kitchen Cotton
TLC Cotton Plus Both are absorbant and would be great for the bras

[Jan in CA]

Red Heart Soft (not supersaver) is really nice, too. You're looking for general supplies or stuff for the blankets?

I would make the coffee bras out of wool probably for the insulation.

[bethany]

Good for you! Don't forget yarn needles and gauge/needle measure-thingies.

[Hildegard_von_Knittin]

how much are you expecting the members to get on their own? I was going to suggest stitch markers and measuring tapes, but maybe they have those already?
What about a stitchionary or basic pattern books?

[Mirl56]

Are you sure you want to use acrylic? It's not very earth-friendly. I can't even really understand the no wool thing - it's not like the animals are slaudered or treated horendously to get the wool. Maybe some other sustainable yarns would be better - bamboo, hemp, organic cotton.

Or find a company that makes wool/alpaca/other blend who documents how the animals are treated so you can provide documentation to the cafe or approving committee so they will understand that this choice of yarn is animal friendly & earth friendly.

[clacks]

If you're ordering online, might I suggest Knit Picks? Especially if you're looking for wool to knit the coffee bras. Wool of the Andes is only $1.99 per skein.

[feministmama]

Oh yeah I thought of knitpicks. I guess we could use superwash wool too. THe thing with wool is this: One thing I thought of was wool could shrink and felt if the recipiant washed it so that's why I was thinking acrylic. Cotton could work but it gets so stretchy and bent out of shape. I guess the object could be knit smaller. Then the deal with vegans not using wool is that they don't believe in using anything from an animal. Not even honey from bees. It is the ultimate statement of not using animals for our own benefit. So the sheep are inconvienenced by having to endure being sheared and they loose something of thiers in the process,, etc. So basically if the animal has to give up somehting of itself (its life, its byproduct, etc) to benefit humans then they are against it. I don't know how they feel about cotton. Hemp and stuff is fairly expensive so I was trying to be cost conscious.

I totally forgot about books!! THanks Hilde

I think I might get at least one set of measuring tape, gauge thingy, etc. That's a good idea.

Thanks for all the help. Keep em comin!

[Spikey]

Might you could get something to keep all of the supplies organized and transport them to and from.

Something like these:

http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog.j...DID=xprd264056

http://www.herrschners.com/products/...godrUmBfw.html

Or maybe just an inexpensive rollaboard type suitcase?

[Debbie]

I would definately go with Knit Picks for needles.... the quality and price for double point, 24" & 16" for two circs and 36" for magic loop are unbeatable ! Harmony OR Options ...