New Pattern: Chaverim

Happy May Day, friends! It's snowing here, but I hope that some of you are having nicer weather.

Up until this weekend it had been getting warmer, and I have my new cardigan ready to enjoy all the fun that spring and summer have to offer:

From about fifth grade onward, I spent a week or two every summer at camp. I wasn’t the most gracious camper– I refused to hike or swim or do many of the traditional, running-around camp games.

I spent as many activity periods as possible in the arts and crafts hut. There is where I practiced sewing, weaving, and spinning, as well as popsicle-hut building, leaf collages, and my favorite, friendship bracelet making. I made hundreds of friendship bracelets over the years, in countless colors and styles.

Every night before returning to our cabins, all of the campers and staff would congregate in the middle of the camp, making a circle around a peace pole, and, holding hands, we’d sing together, “Shalom, chaverim, shalom, chaverim, shalom, shalom.” Peace, my friends, peace, my friends, peace, peace.

This sweater is about camp. It’s about summer memories, the smell of trees, campfire stories, and friendship. Use some of your favorite sock scraps for the cuffs, or to keep in the spirit of summer camp, swap mini skeins with your friends to knit up true friendship bracelets.

I really loved designing this, and I'm thrilled with the finished project. It's supposed to be a hot summer here, but I'm hoping for some cool nights around the fire pit to really enjoy my Chaverim- although I suppose I can wear it in the air conditioned library in a pinch!

The pattern is currently available on Ravelry.