learn-a-bit, knit-a-bit

    School is about to begin, and along with all the other things running willy-nilly in my feeble little brain is KniTibet. I need to review everything I wrote last year about the project, confirm it all and get the website updated. I am hoping to get some sponsorship from one or two of the student organizations, and to start a "lessons for contribution" program on or just-off campus.     So, along that vein, last night I cast-on for a prototype hooded scarf. During lunch Tuesday, a friend mentioned a very simple style hooded scarf that she crochets. I got to thinking that perhaps this would be a good idea for the children. Only one item to keep up with, but which serves multiple purposes, not the least of which would be as a teaching tool.     I'm not a big fan of seamed up hats (just a personal preference... silly me; I'd rather wrangle with double-points). My idea is to start off with the simplest of cast-ons and garter stitch (on straight needles), then add some patterning with purl stitches. That would teach not just the purl stitch, but practice at "reading" one's knitting and perhaps using markers. If the hood needs to be (and I think it will) a bit wider that the scarf, viola, increasing. Then they can either learn decreasing and continue in the pattern and then the garter border to the end, or perhaps set that piece aside, make a second just like it and learn to kitchner. I have been making tapes of the Knitty Gritty shows, so I could cue up some of those demonstrations if we met in the media library.     I have some Debbie Bliss Merino Aran that I bought on sale at San Antonio several years ago. But, with our limited access to (reasonably priced) wool around here, they may end up with Lion Brand's Fisherman wool. The white will be pretty bland, but it could always be dyed later for another learning experience.     Well, just some ponderings when, of course, I should have my mind on other matters.     Oh! And to anyone who has written to me through the KniTibet address, my sincerest apologies. I just today stumbled across the password and regained access to the account. Between Hurricane Katrina and the cancellation of our planned 2006 trip to Tibet, I certainly dropped the needles and the stitches on this one. But I am confident it will be successful in the end. LC