Say YES to peace...

In just 5 days, Project Peace 2017 begins. Oh my... I can't wait but I'm a little nervous as well. So many things to finish getting in place. I keep telling myself... peeeeaaacccce but I would be fibbing if I said I'm completely calm. Why is it that when we find ourselves a wee bit stressed or overwhelmed, we give up the things that help us cope with these emotions? I suppose that's what Project Peace is all about. Learning to say "yes" to peace. So, instead of cancelling my spot in tonight's yoga class, I won't. You'll find me on my mat.

Say YES to peace!

As we approach December 1, I'm calling on all of you to help. I need your assistance spreading the word. This year, I decided to support 3 non-profit organizations with a large portion of the proceeds from the pattern sales. I kept the cost of the pattern low (only $3) in the hopes that it would be that much more enticing to people. We need about 150 more people to say "yes to peace" by purchasing the pattern. That will bring us to 1000 people!

I picked the organizations because I feel strongly about developing long-term strategies to create a healthy future for the people of the world AND the place we call home. So, I picked a school, Camino de Paz, that teaches kids how to farm, a program, The Wilderness Awareness School, that connects people with nature, and an international organization, Every Mother Counts, that works to reduce maternal deaths during childbirth.

How can you help?

• This year's pattern name is "Project Peace 2017." You can find the pattern details on Ravelry.
• On the pattern page, you can "add to favorites," place in your queue, and start a project. All of these activities help with the Ravelry algorithms and bring the pattern to the top of the "what's hot" list.
• Let's say you don't have time to knit the pattern right now. I get that. Believe me I do. Consider purchasing the pattern to support these causes and knit it later. 
• Not interested in this specific pattern? Follow along this December on the blog and support our efforts to spread peace with just a simple $3 purchase, even if you knit something else.
• Want to do just a little more? Perhaps you might "gift" the pattern to someone. There's a button on the pattern page to do so.
• Some people have asked me how they can give more than $3, follow the links above for the specific organizations and donate more.
• Don't have $3 to spend, how about sharing the information with someone that does?

Just think, if each person receiving this email were to purchase the pattern and then gift the pattern think of the donation we'd be able to achieve! Click here to purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Project Peace 2017 plans...

I'll be sending an email each day from December 1-21 with a link to the current blog post. There will be a few guest posts, some knitting and non-knitting related activities, a couple of gifts and special coupons for everyone, a give-away (or two) and some thought provoking prompts to provide an opportunity for reflection. You won't want to miss out on this opportunity to incorporate peaceful tips and strategies into your life.

And don't forget about December 21, Worldwide Knit-in for Peace Day. Start planning now...perhaps you want to knit for peace in solitude or with some dear friends, or host a knit-in at your local yarn store or library. Let's try to get global representation. I've already heard from Antarctica and they are IN! Here's the link to pin your location for this year's Worldwide Knit-in for Peace Day.

And several of you have asked about the availability of this year's limited edition Project Peace bags. I expect them to be ready to order about 12/7. More details on this to follow.

I can't tell you how excited I am to be on this journey with all of you.

Peace, stitch by stitch... Let's knit some peace this December!

Releasing Project Peace 2017...

It's been months in the works and today I sent Project Peace 2017 out into the world. I know that might sound a wee bit corny but really, this has been my focus and passion for the past year. I've spent hours planning ways to build on last year's success and reach more people. That's been my goal...to spread more peace in the hopes, that in this time wrought with fear, dispair, anxiety and concern, that Project Peace might offer a glimmer of light.

So, I set it free today at 10 am central time. Pattern details are now available on Ravelry. The full pattern will be released on December 1, the beginning of the knit-along and peace-along. Beginning December 1, knit peace and read daily tips about personal peace building right here on The Healthy Knitter blog.

What's a peace-along? Each day beginning 12/1 through 12/21, I'll post a tip on how to integrate peace into your life. They'll be simple things, some from me and a couple guests. There will be a few give-aways throughout the 21 days. I'll be sending a daily email to all blog subscribers with a link to the post. Last year I wrote and doodled in a little journal I called my "peace-log." I'd encourage you to do the same this year.

Pattern theme. The theme for this year is the "ripple effect." The pattern is affectionately referred to as "ripples of peace." When each one of us chooses peace, the effects extend or ripples to others.

The pattern story. The shawl pattern begins with a few stitches and slowly grows to symbolize how our own actions manifest to reach others. Garter ridges incrementally get farther apart similar to the effects of throwing a pebble in the water. Finally, a simple to knit lace border with a modified old shale pattern completes the ripples.

The ripple. This year, I am charging for the pattern so that as a "kindness of knitters" we can collectively pool our resources to reach out and impact others. Throughout this past year, many knitters have risen to the occasion to help those in need as a result of natural disasters and other dire situations. I'm grateful and in awe of what our community has accomplished. With PP17, I want to focus our attention on building long-term, sustainable futures for our world. I've chosen the following organizations to promote a connection with fiber, nature and family. More details on these organizations will be forthcoming. Let's gather and build a healthy future.

The three organizations are:
1. Camino de Paz, a middle school north of Santa Fe, New Mexico teaching children how to run a sustainable farm intertwined with an academic curriculum. Funds will be used to incorporate fiber knowledge in the curriculum.
2. The Wilderness Awareness School, connecting youth and adults with nature.
3. Every Mother Counts, a non-profit organization committed to reducing maternal deaths during childbirth in the US and globally.

Pattern modifications. I designed this pattern to be easily adaptable and accessible to most knitters. The photos show the "smaller" size in DK weight yarn. Yardage requirements are available on Ravelry for both a smaller and larger size. I refer to the "smaller" size as the "finish me in December" size. This pattern is extremely modifiable for any weight yarn. You can easily substitute worsted weight yarn (use a larger needle size and find a gauge of your liking) and follow the pattern as written to achieve a larger shawl. Yardage requirements for the worsted weight and fingering weight options are forthcoming.

Special yarn available for this project. Several indie dyers and/or shops are putting together kits or special yarn bundles for this years Project Peace. Several of them are also donating a portion of the yarn sales to an organization of their choosing. This list will be added to as we progress. For now, you can contact the following for special yarn options:

Yarn Scout for Malabrigo and hand-dyed kits.

Please join me to promote peace for self, our families, communities and the world. Knit peace this December, reflect and incorporate peaceful tips into your day. Spread peace by telling everyone you know about Project Peace. Take this information to your LYS, knitting groups, friends that knit, etc. Last year with Project Peace 2016, I threw a pebble in the water so to speak and the ripples were wide and far-reaching. Now, let's see how far we can take this.

Can you help me spread peace? Share this information as far and wide as you can. How many knitters can we get involved?

There are two active threads related Project Peace on the Healthy Knitter Ravelry group, join us.

December 21 is World-wide Knit-in for Peace Day. As a group last year, we created this day. When I recently told a friend's daughter (age 11 years) about PP and World-wide Knit-in for Peace Day she said "I hope in my lifetime I see December 21 officially recognized as "world-wide knit-in for peace day." I shook my head and replied "me too, Lauren, me too."  It's possible...we just have to come together and choose peace.

“Peace.. this we choose each day.”

— Anonymous

It is my hope that we'll have 1000's of knitters focused on peace this December. It's all about one stitch, one step, one peaceful thought and action at a time. Join me on a peaceful adventure.

Project Peace 2017 details...

“Peace...this we choose each day.”

— Anonymous

It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since Project Peace 2016. It's been 363 days since I set Project Peace out into the world... it was the day after the Presidential election in the United States. It's been said that timing was everything and that we needed something positive. Well, here we are, a year later and I'm thinking our need for a ray of hope and a sprinkle of optimism might be needed more now than ever.  I feel like I'm preparing a huge party and EVERYONE is invited yet I've still so many things to do.

This year's artwork, illustrated by my friend Lisa Orgler includes the peace bird that can also be found on last year's cover page as well as the artwork for the International Peace Park shawl. I asked her to include a woolly sheep to acknowledge the sustainable and renewable resource we all love. She's incorporated the peace bird, the sheep, yarn, and olive branches. Just perfect!

What is Project Peace?

Project Peace is an annual knit-along from December 1-21 supplemented with 21 days of blog posts centered on peace culminating on December 21 in what has been labeled "World-wide Knit-in for Peace Day." Project Peace is all about providing opportunities and awareness of how to incorporate more peace into ones life. 

Two years ago over coffee, I said to my friend "if I could get knitters around the world to knit on the same pattern in the name of peace during the month of December, I'd create 'world peace'." It started as a bit of a joke but the idea began to grow. Last December, there were over 25,000 downloads for the Project Peace pattern; the pattern spent several weeks in the top 10 of what's hot now and for a couple of days it was number one.

Key dates for Project Peace 2017...

• Pattern pre-orders on Ravelry will begin on November 15 (Ravelry pattern page is forthcoming)
• The pattern pre-order will contain the cover page and yarn requirements so you'll be able to get ready
• Pattern releases and KAL begins on December 1
• Daily blogging begins on December 1 through the 21st
• World-wide knit-in for peace day (WWKFP) is on December 21
• Threads on the Healthy Knitter Ravelry group will be available on November 15 so you can begin interacting and pin your location for WWKFP

New features to Project Peace...

• Several indie dyers are creating custom color-ways  for purchase. A separate post will announce the dyers and how you can get this very special yarn. I'm super excited about this and I think you'll be amazed at what these dyers and shops are creating.
• A couple of shops are creating some kits...again, more on this in a separate post
• My mum has been making project bags for months now. There will be about 300 limited edition bags available in December. There are still some PP16 bags (link at the top of the page) that are super special. If you don't have one from last year, you'll want both. This year's bag is not a simple repeat from last year. Because this year's project is just a bit bigger so are the bags.

About the pattern...

This year's pattern is themed off of the "ripple effect." As many of you know, Project Peace is focused on cultivating peace in our daily lives. Through the "peace-along" (aka daily blog posts), I (along with a few guests) provide tips on how to choose peace whether that be an activity, a quote, some music, a story, etc... As each one of us chooses peace, the effects ripple out to others.

The pattern is an asymetrical trianglular shawl in stockinette stitch with garter ridges to reflect the ripples after a pebble has been tossed in the water with a wavy, easy-to-knit, lace border. I've intentionally made this shawl accessible to most knitters from a technical perspective yet enough detail to promote mindful knitting. There'll be a modest size "to finish in December" and modifications provided to make it a bit larger.

To me, one of the most amazing things about this shawl beyond it's simplicity and symbolism is that it's a canvas for you to express what peace means to you in the knitted form. Any type of yarn will work e.g. woolen or worsted spun, tweedy, smooth, rustic/earthy, shiny, speckled, solids, make it striped, color-blocked or in a gradient. You can stash-dive, buy a kit from one of the shops (to be announced later), or purchase some of the specially dyed yarn (again, announced later).

One more unique feature...

This year there will be a small nominal charge for the pattern. Proceeds will be used to support organizations focused on helping youth live healthy, sustainable lives. More on this later but I'm super excited about this as it's yet another opportunity for us as knitters to "ripple" peace out into our world.

I need you...

to help me spread peace around the world, to knitters everywhere. This is another aspect of the ripple effect. Last year over 25,000 people downloaded the PP16 pattern in November and December. If each one of those individuals told just one other person think of what might happen. Here's a few ideas:

• Once the pattern page on Ravelry is live, please "fav" the pattern page, place the pattern in your queue and create a pattern project page...all of those items bring the pattern to the top on Ravelry's algorithm. This is necessary to get the pattern into the "What's Hot Now."
• Encourage a friend to join the KAL and peace-along to knit peace
• The artwork page above is downloadable. Print this and share with as many people as you can.
• Take this info to your local yarn store (LYS) and ask them to share with their customers
• Ask your LYS to host a KAL
• Ask your LYS to sponsor a knit-in on 12/21 for WWKFP Day
• Post on social media using the artwork from above or email me thehealthyknitter@gmail.com to get the jpg or pdf if that's easier for you
• If you're a blogger or have a pod-cast, please share with your audience
• If you're a yarn shop owner or employee, ask your customers how they'd like to knit peace in December. How might they like to ripple peace...a food drive, donate knitted items, teach knitting in the schools, have a social outing and make it obvious you are knitting for peace... so many ideas
• Place this content in newsletters
• Contact your guild or area knitting groups to share with more people
• Post the cover page on bulletin boards at your local library

How many people can we reach? 25,000, 50,000 or more. Last year with Project Peace, metaphorically speaking, I threw the pebble in the water to see how many people I might impact...and I was blown away with the response. And now, it's time for this ripple to reach farther and it's possible with your help.

Although I've so much to do before November 15, I can't wait to share all the things I've been working on...the activities, guests, special treats for all, a few give-aways. So, stay tuned to the blog, Instagram (@thehealthyknitter) and Ravelry (christinacampbell) for more details. Please share with me how you are reaching out to others whether it's on the blog as a comment or email me.

Let peace ripple...

Camino de Paz, November KAL and walk-along

It's almost November and that means it's time for the annual Healthy Knitter knit-along and walk-along. In years past, I've conducted this as a mystery KAL yet this November I decided to change things up just a bit and be transparent. For those of you that just can't take the leap with a mystery KAL, this ones for you.

Meet Camino de Paz, the path of peace. Knit and walk (not simultaneously of course) the path of peace in November and find yourself ready for Project Peace (kicks off 12/1). Camino de Paz is a simple color work cowl using 2 colors of sport weight yarn. It's the perfect first color work project yet equally rewarding for the knitter with lots of color work experience. The finished size is just right to wear on a walk to ward off a chill. Finally, it's just the right size project for gift knitting...in case you needed to knit up a quick gift for someone. 

Of course, there's a back story to this pattern. Pour yourself a wee cuppa to find out about the inspiration behind this cowl. 

The idea for this cowl began on December 24, 2016. We'd just finished Project Peace 2016 and my life had been forever altered as a result of all the wonders that occurred during those magical 21 days. Each new day was filled with inspiration and several of those moments have been turned into patterns including Camino de Paz. 

The motif. It was Christmas Eve and hard as I tried to focus during Mass, I couldn't take my eyes off the shirt worn by the woman sitting in the pew in front of me. It was a struggle that went like this ...pay attention, don't forget this pattern, pay attention, oh where is my phone to take a photo when I need it, pay attention, don't worry as you'll never forget this motif, pay attention, wait what did it look like again? ...  it was days before I was able to sketch out the motif. I'm still not sure if the motif that I drew was actually the pattern on this woman's shirt but I liked the result nonetheless.

The name. In February, I visited my parents in Albuquerque. On a late night trip to the co-op, I found some yogurt labeled "Camino de Paz." Of course, this caught my attention. Peace yogurt...I had to try. Best yogurt E.V.E.R. Turns out that Camino de Paz is a middle school north of Santa Fe that teaches the students to farm (produce, sheep, goats) and sell the products at local farmer's markets. I'll share more about this school as we near closer to December. It only seemed right that there should be a pattern named Camino de Paz. 

The Walk-along. For all the walk-alongs, I try to name the pattern with some word that has to do with walking. It just seemed like Camino de Paz was the perfect name for a walk-along.

November is one of those months that can be challenging to walk. As the weather changes, our thoughts of getting cozy on the sofa with a blanket, warm beverage, and some knitting prevail...walking takes a back seat. For this walk-along, the challenge is to walk every day for 30 days regardless of how far. Walk for 5 minutes or walk for 50; it doesn't matter just as long as you get up and go for a "walk." 

Giveaway. With the pattern purchase you'll receive a 30-day walking log. Fill this out each day and at the end of the month, send me documentation that you've walked all 30 days. Or you could do a 30-day post on Instagram with a photo from each walk. Use the hashtag #caminodepazwalkalong At the end of the month, everyone that walked daily will be entered into a giveaway for a project bag and some yarn (TBD) and I'll randomly select a winner. Of course, the real prize is the fact that you walked daily for 30 days. 

Need some support? Join The Healthy Knitter Ravelry group and interact with other super friendly and kind knitters that love to walk. 

The pattern. Purchase the pattern on Ravelry. Use the coupon code NOVEMBERWAL2017 to receive 20% off. After you select "buy now" there will be a link that says "apply coupon code." Click that button, enter the code and automatically see the price reduced. If you don't see the price lowered then something hasn't worked right. Please make sure that the code has worked prior to purchasing. The code is valid through Thursday November 2, midnight, Central Time.

Currently, only the information sheet is available on Ravelry. The full pattern will be released on November 1 along with the document to record your 30 days of walking. All the details about yarn requirements are listed on the information sheet (sent to you via Ravelry upon purchase) or on the pattern page in Ravelry. 

Whew, that's a lot of information. I'm so excited about this pattern and can't wait to see all the new Camino de Paz cowls and to read about people's adventures. Please make sure to post photos on the HK Ravelry group. Remember to make a project page on Ravelry, click "fave" and place the cowl in your queue. All these actions help the pattern receive more attention.

I'll leave you with a wonderful quote by Thoreau. 

“An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.
”

— Henry David Thoreau