Founded in 1834,

SCI is a voluntary,

ecumenical agency

affiliated with the

Episcopal Church that

provides pastoral care,

maritime education, and

legal advocacy services

for mariners.

The newsletter of the

Seamen’s Church Institute’s

Christmas at Sea Program

In this Issue

The Seamen’s Church Institute seamenschurch.org

One Step at a Time

In the Bible, Noah, his family and a whole zoo of animals waited forty days on a wooden ark. Moses wrote the words of the Ten Commandments while spending

forty days on a mountain—without eating or drinking. And Jesus fasted for forty days and nights in the Judean desert. Surviving on very little (or nothing) and sacrificing the ways of ordinary life, forty days must have felt like an eternity.

For those who endeavor to give up or take on something for Lent, the forty days of the season make the task even more daunting. Yet the church presents this pattern—modeling its traditions on impressive scriptural stories—and asks faithful people to tackle an extended period of sustained willpower and strength. This may be fine if your name is Noah, Moses or Jesus, but for ordinary people, it might seem different.

For centuries, however, people have lived to tell about the other side of Lent. Do they have a secret?

Making it through a forty-day discipline requires pacing and perspective. Bunching up one tremendous bit of a project at the beginning of an extended period can trigger burnout. A steady stride ensures stamina and precision. Breaking the large task into parts, “Lenten survivors” focus on one step at a time.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives this advice, “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.” (Matthew 6:34, The Message)

The Power of OneOne step, one person, one stitch at a time.… It adds up to tremendous change. This theory has fueled the Seamen’s Church Institute’s (SCI) Christmas at Sea knitting program for years. This past year’s collection yielded over 20,000 items—quite a vast number! To put that into perspective, 20,000 seafarers’ scarves laid end-to-end would stretch about 14.5 miles. A lot of stitches combine to make warm holidays for mariners working at Christmastime.

This Lent, be fearless! Adopt a project that has intimidated you in the past. Don’t be concerned with its length or complexity. Seize Lent one day at a time and seek in each of those days the chance to find goodness in its opportunities. Perhaps you will find that little by little, piece by piece, ordinary people can tackle the most challenging circumstances, including knitting tricky socks.

SPRING 2012 VOLUME 6/NUMBER 1

Just as every stitch from every knitter contributes to mariners’ warmth during the winter months, every dollar you give to SCI upholds the valuable services we provide and on which the entire maritime community depends.

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sept

Aug

Jul

Jun

May

Apr

MarFeb

Jan

2,426

4,017

3,232

2,104

1,5991,009

1,0171,344

1,753

1,391342940

21,174handknits

in 2011 Meet a CAS Knitter 2

Don’t Bite off More Than You Can Chew 2

Notes from Knitters 3

Packing Days 3

Mariners’ Thank Yous 3–4

Bit By Bit 4

Conquering the Sock 5–6

Days of Migration 6

2 • The Seamen’s Church Institute The Knit Before Christmas Spring 2012

Christmas at SeaPaige Sato Program Director973-589-5828cas@seamenschurch.orghttp://cas.seamenschurch.org

Spring 2012Published by theSeamen’s Church Institute

seamenschurch.org

The Rev. David M. RiderPresident & Executive Director

Editor, Oliver BrewerAssistant Editor, Susannah SkiverDesign & Production by BlissDesignThis newsletter is printed on recycled paper.

Need...Patterns?

Yarn?

Ready to mail?

Come visit the Christmas at Sea knitting room in SCI’s Port Newark International Seafarers’ Center. Email psato@seamenschurch.org to find out how.

Need help? Turn to your knitting friends for support. Check out Christmas at Sea’s Facebook page to meet new ones.

Don’t Bite off More Than You Can Chewby the Rev. Michael C. Nation Chaplain, Ministry on the Rivers and Gulf, Lower Mississippi River & Gulf Intracoastal Waterway Region

The old saying, “don’t bite off more than you can chew,” serves as good practical wisdom for every situation in life. That saying certainly holds true when managing a large

project such as SCI’s gift distribution for mariners working on our nation’s rivers and in the Gulf of Mexico. This past Christmas, close to 2,800 mariners on 444 towing vessels operating in my area of responsibility, the Lower Mississippi River and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, received a Christmas gift box through the combined efforts of SCI, various churches and individuals. In order to reach out and touch so many lives, we had to slice the immense project into smaller, more convenient pieces.

The slices we made:1. Determined the number and names

of the specific towboats in service on Christmas Day

2. Determined the number of mariners assigned to those towboats

3. Determined the specific venues in which volunteers would pack these boxes (preferably in the same city as the towing company’s operations centers, thus connecting local congregations with the towboaters who work in their locale)

4. Determined the specific items that were to go into each gift box

Specific, attainable goals and attention to detail go a long way toward slicing a project into manageable “bite-sized” portions. In addition to specificity, simplicity also contributes significantly to good project management. It supports the most valuable resource of project management, your time and your energy.

A small cadre of people can make a great impact with clear, definable and simple goals, each taken one step at a time.

Looking for a PDF of this newsletter that you can read on your iPad or email a friend?

Meet a CAS Knitter: CloseKnit on Staten IslandThe CloseKnit knitting group has shared their prolific talents with Christmas at Sea since 2003. The group meets at the Noble Maritime Collection in Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island. Two hard-working ladies spearhead the meetings, dividing responsibility for monthly afternoon and evening dates. Gale Bellafiore convenes knitters during the daytime, and Ann Kalil meets with knitters in the evening.

When Ann worked in the gift shop and volunteered at the Noble Maritime Collection, she was approached by the museum’s educational programming director about starting a knitting group for SCI. The interest surfaced and now

Ann leads a group that varies in size every month from just a few knitters to about 15.

See the video of Paige’s first trip out to Staten Island to meet the afternoon group of CloseKnit.

Tea & TechniqueDoes your church or knitting group want your very own Christmas at Sea knitting class? Contact psato@seamenschurch.org for more information.

SCI seeks local yarn stores, church groups and other organizations to help foster a sense of community among knitters and provide a spot for Christmas at Sea knitters and

crocheters to meet. If your group is interested in learning how to partner with SCI, let us know.

cas.seamenschurch.org/pages/sci-knit-spots

Ann Kalil, one of the leaders of the Noble Maritime Collection’s knitting group, says her favorite project to knit is the hat and scarf set. While she does have experience making argyle socks as a young woman, she says the sock project is her least favorite. Wonder if the pattern in this newsletter will make a difference to her opinion?

http://smschur.ch/closeknit

seamenschurch.org The Knit Before Christmas Spring 2012 • 3

Packing Days

T o the untrained eye, packing days, during which volunteer groups

pack Christmas gifts for seafarers, must appear chaotic. During a flurry of speedy activity, ditty bags pile up stuffed with handknits and collections of toiletries and candy. A process honed over years of experience with a little help from Henry Ford’s assembly line theory creates a finely tuned machine.

Packing days accommodate groups of any size and age—from a Brownie troop of 5 to a corporation of 25 to a church outreach committee of 12.

With a table laid out with the ingredients and people positioned at various points along the line, volunteers pack gifts one by one. Typically, the entire process starts at the head of the table as coordinators prepare the ditty bags (counting out the correct number) and pull handknits from the shelves in groups of 10.

After inserting a hat and scarf combination, volunteers move the ditty bag down the table where others add items from different stations: prayer cards, handmade Christmas cards, shampoos, lip balm, toothbrushes and toothpaste and finally a handful of sweets. The last volunteer in the line double-checks that everything made it

in, ties the bag and hands it off to the “runner.” The runner places 10 ditty bags in each “Santa sack,” adds a letter and some game books, ties it shut, and then runs it out to the hallway, where the bags pile high.

The process starts slowly, but within minutes, the pace quickens. The tasks are not hard. Over the course of 1.5 to 2 hours, one can clearly see the impact made. Within that time frame, a group of 10 can easily pack 300 to 400 individual gifts (30– 40 “Santa sacks”). Some motivated and speedy youth groups have churned out 700+ gifts.

Notes from Knitters

Many knitters and crocheters from around the country include notes with their

handknits for Christmas at Sea. Sometimes they address their letters to the Program Director, and other times volunteers include notes for mariners (which then get pinned to the garment to accompany the package). The knits themselves attest to the great affection each volunteer has put into his or her work, but the handwritten notes expressly articulate the connection with another set of hands and fingers that have shown so much care.

… a year of my life and the 18th year I’ve knitted for SCI. The best part of being 70 is you have more time to knit! Merry Christmas!

—Georgia J.

Dear Paige,

These two pair of socks are made from scraps from your yarn and my stash.

I had a lot of wool leftovers from making socks for my late daughter-in-law. I am pleased to be making socks again.

If the mariners do not like the look of the socks, please keep in mind they would make great dust cloths or shoe polishers.

All made with my love,—Janine F.

Mariners’ Thank YousWhile old stories and films paint mariners as a tough and unsentimental lot, the responses Christmas at Sea receives about your handknit items at Christmastime disprove those myths. Their letters melt the heart.

In January (after the flurry of activity counting, sorting, packing and distributing gifts) SCI receives dozens and dozens of thank you letters from mariners far and wide. Read how mothers of the world have done right by their sons and daughters, teaching them to say thanks even though it is not necessary.

Just wanted to say thanks for the Christmas package and all the great work you do.

— Thanks from the M/V Glenn A, Hunter Marine and Transport.

4 • The Seamen’s Church Institute The Knit Before Christmas Spring 2012

Christmas Greeting and Happy New Year from Cornelius Maersk

Dear friends at SCI,

On behalf of the crew and myself, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful New Year. Many thanks for your presents and consideration. They are much appreciated onboard. It is good to know that “out there” there are people who care for us. Our Christmas was held during a port stay at the port of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia and in the south China Sea. New Years Eve we will be en route to Shanghai, China in the Taiwan Strait.

With Best Regards,— Jesper Hansen

Captain Cornelius Maersk

Happy New Year!

I’m a crew in vessel Andromeda Leader, before Christmas we went to Newark and get the gift from Seaman Club. I write this email to give the thanks to the volunteers.

With your gift I feel happy and warm this Christmas.

One more time, Thank You! GOD bless you all!

— crew member, Andromeda Leader

dear rev. d.m. rider,

i want to say thank you to you and your 4000 volunteer knitters for preparing the christmas gifts for me and my crew. it is a nice feeling, that beside our families someone is thinking for us. please continue preparing gifts for the seamen during christmas also in the future, because there are very few ports in the world doing the same.

in the name of my crew i wish you and your helpers a happy and peaceful year 2012.

Best regards— K.Kroeger / Master

CMV Kiel Express Hapag-Lloyd AG

I would just like to say Merry Christmas, and send a thank you from the crew of the Sealand Intrepid for the wonderful Christmas gifts brought to the ship by the Oakland pastor. The wool caps are wonderfully crafted. The gifts were much appreciated by all.

Thank you, — Jason Edwards, C/M Sealand

Intrepid

The crew of the M/V Texian want to say thank you for the wonderful presents you knitted and sent to us, we appeciate it very much. At these holiday times when work keeps us away from our loved ones, it’s always a welcomed treat to receive these handmade gifts that all of you so thoughtfully sent us.

Merry christmas and have a happy new year.

— M/V Texian Cpt. Tony Bertrand Relief Cpt. Sam Wilson Tankerman Clint Cartwright Tankerman Shane Marks Tankerman Trainee Jacob Waller

Bit by BitAlthough never much of a “mathlete” in school, I must admit a certain affinity for numbers. I love the stories they tell and the power they have to impress, persuade and amaze. Yet, when staring at a column of numbers—like a budget or an incredibly long equation in my son’s algebra homework or even at the series of numbers in complicated knitting patterns—I usually start out confused. What are these numbers trying to tell me? Then I remember my mother’s advice: break it down into smaller pieces. Take it step by step, bit by bit.

It seems incongruous that numbers could tell the story of Christmas at Sea, such a warmhearted program full of good will. Our oral narrative is

impressive—a century-plus history of talented and goodhearted volunteers—but our numeric narrative is equally awesome. This year our knitters (alone and in groups) spent thousands of hours creating 21,174 hats, scarves, vests, socks, helmets, and slippers.

21,174.Every handknit gets counted, because every single handknit counts. Each and every one of these 21,174 handknits came from the effort, time, and talent of individuals … one by one.

When I tell people (proudly, I might add) that Christmas at Sea collected 21,174 handknits, their eyes often open really wide, and inevitably they ask, “How do you manage it all?” I recount that not all 21,174 items appear at once. They appear box by box, month by month, all year long. And our gifts get packaged, day by day, and distributed

one by one over the course of an entire season.

So as we look forward both to the new year and the church’s season of Lent, let’s recognize the value of one: one single knitter, one more hat, knowing that all these individuals, all these knitted and crocheted pieces represent a collective force and huge accomplishment. As knitters and volunteers, we know we are not knitting to break records (although that’s always fun). Our ultimate goal: to continue to welcome the contributions of each and every one of us, to harness that power of one, so that collectively we fulfill our mission.

When a cargo ship appears in port with 10,000 containers on it, the task of unloading might seem insurmountable; however, when cranes start unloading, bit by bit, step by step, it happens—often without breaking a sweat!

E

seamenschurch.org The Knit Before Christmas Spring 2012 • 5

Conquering the Sock, Inch by InchUse worsted weight yarn, size 5 double-pointed needles, and aim for a gauge of 5 stitches to the inch.

Ever the fan of handknit woolen socks, but understanding the “fear factor” when contemplating knitting a pair, I wasn’t surprised to learn from our Knitters’ Survey last spring that socks were the “least favorite” project of all. Socks look incredibly tricky to make. And then there is the whole issue of the double pointed needles and “skinny minny” yarn.

Sock knitting can certainly be a leap of faith—at times what you’re doing seems to

make absolutely no sense at all. When I owned my yarn store, I would often advise customers to channel their inner Luke Skywalker and “feel the force” (trust the pattern). Don’t read ahead, don’t jump to conclusions—just take the pattern one step at a time, and it will all work out in the end.

To prove that point, let’s challenge ourselves with Christmas at Sea’s new “Seafarer Stripey Crew Sock” pattern. This new sock pattern uses worsted weight yarn, which will make the learning process easier and the knitting go faster.

1Step One/The Cuff: Cast on 48 stitches onto a single double-pointed needle. Use the cast-on

method you are most comfortable with, but make sure you’re casting on loosely. Once all 48 stitches are on the needle, from the starting end, slip 16 stitches purlwise onto another dpn and 16 more stitches onto a second dpn. You will have 16 stitches on 3 dpns. With the dpns, form a triangle, with the yarn coming from the top of the needle making up the right leg of the triangle. With your left hand, pick up the left needle and

with the empty dpn in your right hand, knit the stitches from the left needle to the right needle (the other two needles may dangle—this is normal). Once that needle is empty, move on to the next dpn, using the just-emptied needle as your right needle. Repeat for the third needle. Knit in a K2,P2 pattern for approximately 1.5–2".

2Step Two/The Leg: Now you’ve got the groove, I bet. When the cuff reaches 1.5–2", continue

knitting in the round in stockinette stitch (knit each round) for approximately 6–7". This is your opportunity to use stripes, or a color block pattern.

To incorporate stripes: Knit one round in the main color. On round 2, add a contrasting color. Knit for two rounds, but do not cut the main color, instead let it hang, and you will pick it up when needed. Knit two rounds of main color. Continue in this manner (two rounds CC, two rounds MC) for the desired length. End with 2 rounds of the main color.

3Step Three/Heel: The heel is knit in two sections: the heel flap and the turning of the heel.

Heel Flap: Knit 24 stitches and re-adjust the remaining stitches so that there are

12 each on the 2nd and 3rd needles. You will be working on the 24 stitches only.

Row 1: *Slip 1 stitch purlwise, knit 1 stitch.* Repeat until end.

Row 2: Slip 1 stitch purlwise, purl remaining stitches.

Repeat rows 1 & 2 14 times.

Turning the heel: We will use a short-row technique to create the pocket in the sock where your heel sits. Here it is time to channel your inner Luke Skywalker. Just do as written and it will work out.

Sl 1 purlwise, knit 12, k2tog, k1, turn. There are unknit stitches on your right needle. DON’T WORRY! (From this point forward, all slipped stitches are purlwise.)

Sl 1 purlwise, p4, p2tog, p1, turn. Again, there are unknit stitches on your left needle. No worries!

Sl 1, k5, k2tog, k1, turn

Sl 1, p6, p2tog, p1, turn

Sl 1, k7, k2tog, k1, turn

Sl 1, p8, p2tog, p1, turn

Sl 1, k9, k2tog, k1, turn

Sl 1, p10, p2tog, p1, turn

Sl 1, k11, k2tog, k1, turn

Sl 1, p12, p2tog turn

You will have 14 stitches on the needle. Turn and knit 7. This is the new beginning of the round.

4Step Four/Gusset: This is where you join your sock heel to the other two needles to create

Watch the videos on http://smschur.ch/stripeysock

Christmas at Sea C A L E N D A R

seamenschurch.org The Knit Before Christmas Spring 2012 • 6

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CHRISTMASAT SEA

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the shape from the heel to the arch of the foot.

Still using your main color, knit 7 stitches from the heel, and then pick up and knit 14 stitches from the side of the heel. Remember all those slipped stitches? Now you know why they were slipped—much easier to pick them up and knit them.

Knit 24 stitches across the top of the foot onto one needle.

Pick up and knit 14 stitches onto third needle, knit 7 from the heel.

You will have 21 stitches on needle 1, 24 on needle 2, and 21 on needle 3.

If you’re continuing with the stripe pattern, add your contrasting color.

Round 1: Needle 1: knit until 3 stitches remain on needle, k2tog, k1, Needle 2: knit, Needle 3: k1, ssk, knit to end.

Round 2: Knit all stitches.

Repeat rounds 1 & 2 (alternating colors if you’re doing the stripes) until 12 stitches remain on needles 1 & 3, and 24 on needle 2.

5Step Five/Foot: Now you’re back to 48 stitches. Knit (continuing with the stripe pattern) until

sock reaches about 8".

6Step Six/Toe: Now we will decrease to shape the toe:

Round 1: Needle 1: knit until 3 stitches remain on needle, k2tog, k1, Needle 2: k1, ssk, knit until 3 stitches remain on needle, k2tog, k1, Needle 3: k1, ssk, knit until end.

Round 2: Knit all stiches.

Repeat rounds 1 & 2 until there are 8 stitches on needle 1, 16 on needle 2 and 8 on needle 3.

Then repeat round 1 only until there are 3 stitches on needle 1, 6 on needle 2 and 3 on needle 3.

Knit the stitches on needle 1 onto needle 3 (you now have 6 stitches on needle 2 and 6 on needle 3).

Cut yarn, leaving about a 12" tail.

Kitchner stitch the toe closed.

Kitchner stitch: using a tapestry needle and with both needles being held parallel to each other, insert tapestry needle as if to purl through the first stitch on the front needle (leave the stitch on the needle!) and then as if to knit on the back needle (again, leave the stitch on the needle).

Then, insert tapestry needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to

knit, remove stitch from needle, then insert into next stitch as if to purl. Leave that stitch on the needle. Insert tapestry needle into first stitch on back needle as if to purl, slide stitch off the needle, then insert tapestry needle into the next stitch on the back needle as if to knit. Leave stitch on needle.

Repeat this process (front stitches, back stitches) until all stitches have been worked. Thread the tail into the sock and secure. Cut remaining yarn. Weave in any ends.

Voila—see, it can be done! You are now the proud owner of a single sock. Cast on immediately for the second, so you don’t fall victim to SSS (the dreaded “second sock syndrome”), which means the second sock never gets knit, and you have piles of singleton socks all over your knitting bag!

2012

The 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church July 5–12, 2012 Indianapolis, Indiana

If you are attending the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, make sure to stop by SCI’s booth in the exhibitor’s hall. We want to say hello.

Days of Migration: A Step at a Time

Sometimes settling in to a new space can prove just as tricky as the move. While the physical move of Christmas at Sea from New York to Port Newark required logistical acrobatics, the “settling in” required time and adjustment—one step at a

time, taking stock of the opportunities the new space afforded.

Throughout the early winter, spring and summer, as the number of incoming boxes increased and more and more groups came to volunteer, our staff reconfigured tables, reorganized storage closets and rethought how to use the new space more effectively. Each day presented the prospect of discovering the right arrangement, and little by little, piece by piece, Christmas at Sea equipped the room with systems to face the busy season effectively, efficiently and full of energy. Come see for yourself.