Your Favorite Free Pattern and Where to Donate

I have tried this before and gotten very little response but I'll try again. On my Crafter's Favorite Patterns blog I list free online patterns that people have made and liked. Every time I ask, someone sends me a link to another list of patterns. This really defeats the purpose of the blog. It's supposed to be a list of tried and true patterns, any craft or pattern is acceptable but please keep it to patterns you have tried. Just post a comment here or on the Favorites blog under the appropriate section.
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The Where to Donate blog lists places to donate handcrafted items by state, so let me know about your group or where you donate locally.

Milk Yarn?

Just when I was getting used to the idea of yarn made out of corn I come across this:

Milk Yarn

Has anyone ever tried it? At that price I think it unlikely that I will try it anytime soon but I'm really curious as to how it feels and works up.

Just Rambling 7/20/2008

It's been really nice having my son living with me again, even if it is only temporary. Despite the fact I'm recovering from surgery we've been having a good time. We've been watching movies and playing video games. Ryan actually found a two player RPG game that I can play with one hand, and now that I've figured out how to loom knit with just one hand I'm a happy camper. My daughter keeps bringing over food for us and in a real pinch there's always Domino's.
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I am collecting 8 inch wool squares to join into kids blankets for the Afghans 4 Afghans youth campaign. I will be making green grocery bags for everyone who contributes squares as soon as my wrist heals up enough. Details for the squares can be found here.
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I want to thank Joanie D. from Louisiana again for the donation of the baby yarn. Since I'm going to be making lots of baby hats on my knitting looms it was perfect timing.

More Blatant Advertising

I just wanted to get a few things straight about the advertising on my blogs. All proceeds from the advertising goes to charity in one way or the other. Mostly it goes for supplies for me to make more items to donate but occasionally I may make a cash donation. With two kids in college I just don't have the money to go to my LYS and buy all the yummy yarn I want. I have managed to keep myself supplied through thrift shops, freecycle and donations (thank you so much Joanie in LA for the great baby yarns). Here's my advertisers and how they help.
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Everyone recognises Google Adsense ads. They're everywhere on the Internet. I haven't received any money from them yet since the minimum for payment is $100, but I'm getting there. I would really like to save up to buy a serger or a knitting machine with it. I haven't decided which.
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I've found that ProjectWonderful is truly wonderful for the small publisher. Their minimum payment is only ten dollars and I've been able to cash out four times already. They pay straight to Paypal so I've was able to purchase the yarn for this blanket, make a ten dollar donation to charity and I just ordered a knitting loom set to make mittens with. If you want to advertise on one of my blogs or set up some advertising on your blog just go to ProjectWonderful.
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One of the reasons I chose Paradise Fibers is that they donate two percent of their proceeds to maintaining fiber arts traditions. So not only are you helping me earn more yarn when you order through my link, but you are helping others also. They have a great selection of yarn and roving so check them out.
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The yarn at the Loopy Ewe has me drooling, if your into knitting socks they have an absolutely gorgeous yarns. I've picked out several beautiful yarns to make hats with for kids in Afghanistan. Any money I earn there will go towards purchasing it.

Loom Knitting One Handed

I knew if I tried hard enough I would eventually find something I could do one handed. It took some work and at first it was really slow and awkward but practice makes perfect. I just needed to figure out how to prop the loom between the bandages on my arm and my body to do it. My son's helping by getting it started and tying the knot at the end. I'll have to wait awhile until I can weave in the ends, I tried but I can't quite manage that.
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I had the surgery Thursday. They put a steel plate and four screws in my wrist to put it all back together, it was a pretty nasty break.
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Info on loom knitting and this pattern can be found at Bev's Country Cottage

Just Rambling 7/13/2008

Yesterday was movies and pizza day. My twenty one year old son came to stay with me while his sister went on vacation. He brought The Lord of the Rings trilogy and we spent the whole day watching it. I ordered pizza from Domino's (17 minutes, wow) and we had a good time. Those are loooong movies, I think it took us over 12 hours to watch all three.

I'm hoping to get the surgery done on my wrist next week,I have an appointment at a clinic tomorrow. I've been trying to make arrangements all week. I had one doctor flat out refuse to see me because I didn't have insurance.

My older son (he's a whole twenty two) is coming to take me out to eat today. This is a first! I take my kids out all the time, this is how I get to spend time with them. My daughter takes me out for special occasions but my son never has. I guess I needed to break my wrist. Or it could just be that he has a really good summer job this year. Both the boys are in college but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The older one is done in December and the younger one graduates next year, the problem with the youngest, is the light at the end of his tunnel is flashing "graduate school".

I wish I had a lot of crafty stuff to talk about.I'm really hoping I'll have more mobility in my fingers after the surgery and be able to do something, this forced inactivity is driving me nuts. I truly believe that things happen for a reason and if I ever figure out the reason for this broken wrist, I'll let you all know.

Afghans 4 Afghans Youth Campaign

A4A has just announced the details of their next campaign, this one is for the youth, sizes 7 to 14.

Youth Campaign

They will be needing hats, mittens, sweaters and socks as well as blankets. as soon as my hand heals I will be working on joining 8" squares to make blankets. If you would like to send me a few squares to make them I would truly appreciate it. It will take 25 squares for each blanket. Details are here for the squares.

Using Scraps to Help Homeless Animals

I'm having a contest over on my Deb's Going Green blog for ideas on how to recycle something old into something new. Bev E. sent in this great idea:
"When sewing or have left over small bits of yarn, I throw them in a pillowcase. Fill half way, then sew up the hole. Instant pet bed. I make and donate to Humane Society, AND just made a bunch up for the Veternarians office, for animals to lie on softly after having surgery etc."

I really like the idea, if you don't have any old pillowecases, they're usually pretty cheap at your local thrift shop.

There's an organization called the Snuggles Project that works to bring comfort to homeless animals. You can find a shelter near you that accepts these kinds of donations on this list. Please check with your local shelter to see if this would be something they can use.

Another Blanket from Donated Squares

I wasn't quite finished this blanket when I broke my wrist. Fortunately, all it needs is the ends worked in and to be washed. It's made from squares donated by my All_Crafts_4_Charity Yahoo group. It will be going to a hospital in Wyoming. The project leader who I will be sending it to has agreed to finish it up for me.

Squares and Green Grocery Bags

I broke my wrist yesterday and although it will hopefully be healed in time to put a couple of blankets together there may be a delay for the bags. I'm supposed to see the bone doctor tomorrow so we will see what I can and can't do after it's set and put in a cast. It's only in a temporary splint now.

They have recently announced the next campaign for Afghans4Afghans. They will be collecting sweaters and blankets for children ages 7-14. I would love to be able to donate a couple blankets made from squares that my readers crocheted. I will give one of my green grocery bags to anyone who donates some squares.

Here are the specifications for the squares:
1. 8" X 8" crocheted from worsted weight yarn
2. Must be at least 75% natural animal fibers, 100% wool is preferred, machine washable is not necessary
3. No open patterns or traditional grannies, something like my square here is great
4. Bright colors!!
5. Do not cut ends close, leave at least 4" so I can weave them in

Contact me at debsstuff55 at yahoo dot com for my address. Because of my job I may not be able to answer right away but just keep working on squares until I'm able to.

There will of course be more contests to win the bags so if you don't crochet or don't wish to donate this time around you may still have a chance.

Just Rambling 7/5/08

I really have nothing for show and tell this time. I did finish another baby blanket from squares donated by All_Crafts_4_Charity Yahoo group for a hospital in Wyoming. All I need to do is work in the ends. I also need to work on more dishcloths for the CraftingForACause Yahoo groups challenge for this month.

I'm currently working on a rectangle shawl for the current project at Afghans 4 Afghans but it's taking me forever. The clients I've been taking care of lately give me little or no time for breaks. It is my own pattern and when I'm done I'll be posting it here.

We're having a family barbecue today. I had to work yesterday and since I'm the mom they had to wait. We'll actually be having it over at DD's house, she has a yard all I have is a 4' X 6' patio. My two college kid sons will be there too. It's not often I can get everyone together.

I've been having a blast making and giving away the green grocery bags. The latest contest to give them away will end tonight over on my Deb's Going Green blog.

I did start another blog, this one is about cooking. In my job of taking care of the elderly, one of my duties is to cook hot, nutritious meals for my clients. Often I'm faced with the problem of not having what I think I "need" for certain recipes. I've become very creative in cooking with what's on hand and this blog is about my experiences doing just that. So go take a peek at Deb Cooks and tell me what you think.