Awww! Help the Penguins!


When I saw this story, my heart melted.  Maybe you already know about it, but if not, because we're so close to the crafting community, I thought I'd share it here.  

Many blue penguins were caught in that recent oil spill off the coast of New Zealand and a yarn store called Skeinz has set up a rescue idea to knit sweaters for the affected penguins (who need to wear them so they don't ingest the oil when they preen themselves - until they are all cleaned).  Apparantly sweaters have been arriving from all around the world and the good news is it seems they have enough at the moment. You can however keep tabs on the situation at their blog, The Yarn KitchenSuch a heartwarming story and how adorable are those sweaters? (Wouldn't you just die if you saw one wearing one you had knit)?  Here's the knitting instructions anyway, just in case you find a cold penguin in your local neighborhood (or maybe a small puppy):


Penguin Jumper in 8ply  - Must be 100% Wool Yarn1 pair 3.25mm , 1 pair of 3.75mm needles , 1 set of 3.25mm dpn’s or circular
Cast on 36 stitches using 3.25 needles.K1, P1 to end of row. Repeat this row 7 times.  Change to 3.75mm needles and K2, P2 rib. Work 4 rows increasing at each end of every row. (44 sts)
Continue until work measures 15 cms.
Decrease 1 st at each end of every row until 28 sts remain.
Decrease 1 st. in middle of next row (27 sts.)
Leave on needle.
Make second side the same.
Transfer the 54 sts from both pieces to 3 of the set of 4 3.25mm needles.(18 sts on each.) and work a round neck in K1 P1 rib for 10 rows.
Cast off.
Stitch up sides to decreasing to 27sts (opening for flipper). Add elastic to the top and bottom to prevent the penguins getting out of them. Top: 15cm of elastic; bottom 17 cm (knots allowed). Flat elastic OK.

(Via booooooom.com)

Jan Halvarson

6 comments:

Kristin said...

Hi there, I'm a local in the oil spill area. They have been innundated with peguin sweaters which they aren't even going to use.
you might want to read this :: http://www.giantflightlessbirds.com/2011/10/the-great-penguin-sweater-fiasco/

and this :: http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/news/penguin-sweaters-wont-be-used/1145547/

Perhaps if people want to help, their time would be better spent on other efforts that won't be a waste of their knitting time?

Cheers, Kristin.

Jan Halvarson said...

Thanks Kristin - but if you read my post it says that...

: )

Piecing it back together said...

I posted about this last Friday! I wish I had a penguin of my own to knit a sweater for. He/she would be so fly in my wool yarn creation!

Shutterbug said...

if only i knew how to knit...

Jamie-Lynn said...

What a terrible thing to happen to those penguins but how heart warming to here that they are receiving so many sweaters, I wish all those penguins the best♥

Heldine said...

OMG - I saw one of those cute kind of penguins when I went to study abroad in NZ last year!! I don't know how to knit, but I will definitely spread the word.