Loose Ends Helps Finish Unfinished Projects

I’ve been meaning to write about Loose Ends for a while, but they’re getting more attention thanks to a recent story from NPR.

Loose Ends is a group of volunteers that helps to finish projects left behind by people who have died or that the crafter is unable to complete because of age or illness. It was founded by friends and knitters Masey Kaplan and Jen Simonic, who both spent some time in 2022 finishing projects for friends who’d lost their mothers. Looking online for a service that did such work, they didn’t find one, so they started it.

In about 10 months the group has completed more than 600 knitting, crochet, quilting, sewing and other projects.

As you can imagine, knowing how generous crafters can be, there are a lot more people who have volunteered to help with projects than there has been need for helpers at this stage. The founders have been overwhelmed by the response and, as they are still doing all the matchmaking themselves, they’ve formed a board and applied for tax-exempt status in the hope they can raise money to hire staff.

According to the Loose Ends website, they accept most kinds of craft work as long as the project had been started and cannot be completed by the original maker because of illness, disability or death. Exceptions include items that are moldy or have moth holes, or a strong smell of moth balls. (Items that smell of cigarette smoke can be paired with a crafter who doesn’t mind the smell.) They also do not accept long-arm or large hand-quilting projects, though they can do piecing, binding and finishing of small projects like baby blankets or wall hangings.

You can apply to become a finisher on their website and let them know your geographic location, what crafts you do, your skill level and the kinds of projects you like to work on. They do their best to match people who live relatively close together and to give finishers projects that match their skills and interests.

I just love this so much and the idea of all those projects getting finished makes me so happy!

[Photo: Loose Ends]

Next Pattern:

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

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