KnitBits: Knitting for Jimmy Kimmel, Knitting for Charity and Knitting Against All Odds

There’s so much great knitting news this week, but I think we have to start with the story of Brad Perry, a reporter from KUSI San Diego, who on a whim accepted a ticket to a taping of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Like all good knitters, he brought his knitting bag with him, and was working on a pair of two-color, flat-knit fingerless gloves during the taping.

A producer saw him and Kimmel talked to him during one of the commercial breaks:

Perry says he’s been knitting about 4.5 years, and started because “my daughter wouldn’t knit me a hat.” Also, “chicks dig it.” After saying he knits “pretty much every day, all the time,” he offered to knit Kimmel a bow tie before the end of the show.

This clip doesn’t show it, but he was successful, as you can see above, and in this pic from Bow Tie Aficionado.

Red Heart Yarn is teaming up with the Red Cross to give a little comfort to people in need. You can download their Red Heart Cares blanket pattern in knit or crochet (there’s also a pillow and a first aid kit), and when you buy specially marked red or white yarns in the Super Saver, Soft or With Love lines, Red Heart will donate money to Red Cross North America (they’re donating $250,000). They also encourage people to make a blanket to donate to the Red Cross or other charitable organization and tag their creations online with #StitchaHug.

Finally, you might have thought learning to knit was hard when you first started out, but imagine what it would be like to learn to knit if you were born without fingers. After lots of effort, trying and failing, and perseverance, Jennifer Jeremie Marquis learned to knit (she also paints and does cross stitch). Check out the video if you need a little encouragement to keep trying anything that’s been a challenge to you in life.

[Photo via Emmys.com.]