WWW: Olympic Knitting, Putting a Knitter's Stash to Good Use, Design-Your-Own-Lopi

Last week we told you about knitters around the US making scarves to donated to volunteers at the Superbowl festivities. In the UK, a similar initiative is asking knitters to create cushion covers to be given as gifts to participants in this year's Olympics and Paralympics being held in London.

Visualize your ideas

Wow. Just wow. An Icelandic software developer and husband of a knitter tells us that he has developed a software application to help knitters design their own Lopi sweaters. It allows you to choose and place patterns and colors, to experiment and create your own unique designs. It does require Microsoft Silverlight to be installed [a cumbersome experience if you need the latest version...you have to uninstall it manually before installing. But worth it, we think.].

All the best things in life.

Speaking of Iceland, Clara Parkes has announced her upcoming Iceland Fiber Experience. This coming September 18-25, the tour promises "a hefty dose of fiber, unforgettable sheep chasing and wrestling, Clara's classes, world class chocolate tasting, all the Lopi from your wildest dreams and of course the usual; spectacular nature, delicious meals from the best local ingredients and excellent company of knitters from near and far".

A "warm-hearted bequest"… a Cleveland librarian and avid knitter, Diane Mathews, bequeathed her collection of knitting books to her library, and her stash of yarn to local knitters, with the condition that the yarn be used to make scarves and hats to donate to the homeless. Thanks to her generosity and thoughtfulness, the program "Warm Up Cleveland" has gathered hundreds of items to be donated to the homeless and shelters around the city. Other knitters have added yarn, since Diane's original stash has been used up.

Witty knitting alert: A knitter in the UK has been making wooly replicas of her colleagues, the gardening team at Paignton Zoo.