Square Makers Unite!! And Other Things to Talk About

The last week has been hectic. I was busy enough trying to get my son moved back in with me after college but then my old faithful car had to be put out to pasture. It's funny how things work out sometimes, on the same day my mechanic told me the bad news I was able to find another car that I could afford. (and it even runs!!)

About the squares, I have enough for now, but I found another great place to send them. Share a Square is collecting squares to make blankets for a summer camp for children with cancer sponsored by The American Cancer Society. For all the FAQs visit This Eclectic Life.

Anyway I have lots of things to take pictures of to show everyone, I'll try to find time to do it later. I did finish 2 RWB lapghans and have another one almost finished. I also received two more envelopes full within the last couple days. I will be doing the drawing in a little while.

I received more chemo caps from the members of Crochetlist, too. There's a drawing involved there also so I need to get on it!

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Another Donation - 3 Chemo Caps

I received these three chemo caps for my nursing home/hospice project from a Theresa G. in IL.  She is part of the Crochet List Yahoo group who have chosen one of the places I donate to, a cancer resource center as their monthly charity.

One of my readers asked about a pattern for the middle one and Theresa was happy to provide it: Crochet Beret.

Little Girl's Skirts for Africa

This is one of the things I've been working on today. The skirts are being made for little girls in Africa but I'm still not sure where exactly, this is the monthly project for one of my charity groups on Yahoo, AC4C. They have been having trouble contacting the charity handling it so we are currently holding off on shipping. I have two skirts finished and 3 more cut out, with fabric for some more set aside.

I've also been working on the walker totes for our local nursing homes and could still use some help with that project (details here). When I'm not sewing I'm busy crocheting lapghans for that project, also.

Sona came over and cut out some more hug pillows today so I have to sew them together, going to be shipping what I done have soon.

Charity Sweatshop #1 Has Been Completed

I conned my daughter Jenny and my friend, Sona into coming over for pizza and put them to work in my charity sweatshop. I've referred to them previously as my neophyte crafters, neither knows how to sew, crochet, knit etc. so I decided to start with a simple project. We made hug pillows for the labor and delivery department of Cooper Hospital in Camden, NJ. These are small pillows for those having a C-section to hold over their stitches when they cough.

I had pulled out a bunch of fabric to work on (it hardly made a dent in my mess... I mean stash) and set the girls to work. I had Jenny ironing the fabric and after a quick lesson with the rotary cutter, I had Sona cutting them out. I manned the sewing machine and we got almost 75 of them done. We don't stuff them here, they do that in NJ, but with the 75 or so more we have the fabric for and the 50 I already had done I should have about 200 to send them. This is an ongoing need since they use around 60 every month.

The best news is I have 3 more slaves (I mean volunteers) for the next session!! Next time I'm hoping to get some girls skirts done for Kenya,

Ummm.... HELP!! (Re: Local Needs)

Oh my, what have I done, what have I done?? LOL I stopped at several more places (it's actually part of my job and while I'm there anyway...) asking about their needs and now I think I'm stretching it a little too thin. You should have seen the administrators and social workers eyes light up when I told them what I wanted to do. So now I and my two neophyte crafters have two nursing homes, a residential care facility and two hospices to craft for. I left my number for the responsible person at another nursing home and another hospice and am waiting to hear from them about their needs.

Anyway the list of needs haven't changed much but it has expanded, if you could please take the time to make a few squares or a tote I would sure appreciate it.

We need:
6" or 12" squares for lapghans (may also be used for Project Linus blankets), if you have some of other sizes I will also take them.

Lapghans, lap robes or blankets A good size for lapghans is about 3' X 4' or somewhere in that vicinity.

**Wheelchair or walker totes** (This is what really made their eyes light up) Here's some links to patterns.

Activity aprons (see this post)

Summer weight Chemo Caps

The residential care facility asked for hats, scarves and mittens for next winter.

One nursing home also asked for items that could be sold in their Country Store, the proceeds go to their activity fund.

Local Needs, Would You Like to Help??

I made the rounds today and although I didn't get to see everyone on my list I did have several requests, I have two women working with me but we are only three so if you can help I'd appreciate it, here's what we are making and collecting:

Local Hospice: I was told the ladies love the crocheted lap robes and blankets so 6" and 12" squares or the completed items would be great! Also light weight summer chemo caps.

Local Nursing Home: They are overstocked with laprobes and blankets but could really use wheelchair and walker bags. Also activity aprons for their dementia patients. These are aprons that have various "activities" such as buttons, zippers, velcro tabs, laces  etc. for the patient to fiddle with. Use different textures and your imagination to make these as varied as possible. They also said they can use anything handmade that can be sold in their "Country Store", all proceeds go back into the activities fund for the patients.

Project Linus: 6" and 12" squares in pastels and brights. One of the ladies who works with me is a novice crafter but she can whip stitch squares together.

I still have several places to check with so I'm probably going to be adding to this list. If you can help please email me at debsstuff55 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Finished Blankets for Project Linus

I decided to try to finish up some of my (many) unfinished projects. The peach and white one wasn't too hard to finish, I was close to being done, but the pink and white one had to be frogged and started over so I pretty much did it from scratch! In case you didn't know Project Linus is a nationwide organization that provides security blankets to ill and traumatised children. It's a great way to become involved in charity crafting so check them out and find a chapter near you. Both blankets were made with the Never Ending Blanket Square pattern.

A Blanket for a Charity Auction

I've been working on this for what seems like an awful long time. I'm making it to donate to a local Meals on Wheels program to auction off. I need to get back to work on it because the auction is the end of this month. The pattern for the square can be found here.

Another Great Craft for Charity Contest to Enter

Kathy B. works in a NICU and they have been having trouble getting enough preemie blankets so she is having a contest for all who wish to contribute a blanket 9" X 13" or smaller for these tiny babies. She needs to have the blanket by November first but hasn't decided on the prize yet. Visit her at Irisheyes Knitting Blog. I'll see you all later, I need to go check my stash.

A Hat for Warming Families

I love this yarn it's so soft and warm. I won this yarn in a drawing at AllCrafts4 Charity, a Yahoo group that I belong to. They hold a drawing every month for those who contributed during the month.
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Warming Families is a charity that delivers blankets and other warm items to the homeless and displaced, is having a Hat Challange so I decided to use this wonderful yarn for a nice, warm hat!
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The yarn is Patons Melody Quick & Cozy and really worked up nice. I used my Quickie Chemo Cap pattern but went down a size for the hook so this is a child sized hat! I made this hat this morning and the most it took me was two hours. I didn't really time myself so it might have taken less. So can you spare an hour or two to make a hat for this wonderful charity?

A Contest for Charity!

I usually post the contests on my other blog, Deb's Blog Contests, but this one involves charity crafting, I'm entering it and I really wish everyone would. The prize is CHOCOLATE and a $50 gift certificate to Knit Picks. Awesome isn't it? All you have to do is knit or crochet 6" or 12" squares for Pine Ridge Reservation. So what can be easier? They don't even want you to work in the ends, couldn't be better! Contest details can be found at The Weaving Inn. Check out my Never-Ending Blanket Square for a good solid granny crochet pattern.

Warming Families

Warming Families is having a hat challenge! The goal is to have between 15,000 & 25,000 hats donated to homeless and needy families across the US. Hats can be anywhere from infants to adult sizes. Can you help? Please take the time to knit or crochet at least one hat. Check out the website to get more information.

They are also in need of more chapter area volunteers, if you have the time and are willing to help read this page.

My Hat Patterns!

Baby Hexie Hats

Kids Bumby Hat

Hillary's Girly Girl Hat

Quickie Chemo Cap can be used for more than chemo

And the hat from my Newborn Sweater Set

I'm working on another one so please check back!

Reys Of Hope Project

This charity is from "back home" for me. I grew up in South Jersey and I know all the places they're talking about. They need all kinds of new and gently used clothing, baby supplies and toys. They don't say anything about hand crafted items but I really doubt they would turn them down!

Reys of Hope

Knit Your Bit Scarves for Vets

The National WWII Museum is collecting knit or crochet scarves for veterans. During World War 2 knitting was a way for Americans on the home front to help the war effort. Socks, vests and other warm clothing were knit to send to our service men over seas. The museum has been collecting scarves and distributing them to veterans in honor of this effort. They are taking gender-nuetral scarves and squares to be joined into blankets.

Knit Your Bit
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Help Me Fight Alzheimer's Disease

I know I've mentioned it before, but I work for a company called Comfort Keepers out of St. Louis, Mo. We do in-home care for the elderly and many of our clients have Alzheimer's. I have seen first hand how devastating a disease this can be, not only to the patient but for their family and all the people who care for them. I am participating, with Comfort Keepers, in The Memory Walk to help end Alzheimer's Disease. Please consider making a donation through our page. Just follow the link below.

Help End Alzheimer's
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Make A Blanket Day

This is Project Linus' Make A Blanket Day. My Chapter (St Louis) has something going on at a Hancock Fabrics down in the city but I won't be going. Instead I'm staying home and working on squares and a blanket. Are you participating? Please take a minute and leave a comment to tell us about it. Also if you don't feel up to making a blanket, I'm collecting squares to join into blankets. See the post below this one.
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I didn't make this blanket today but I did finish (and about 5 others like it) it by tucking in the ends. They are all just one large never ending blanket square made very large. The yarn I used was Red Heart Baby Clouds. The blanket is sooo soft.

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I am also working on another blanket today in peach and white. That one will be made from 9 squares and I'll show it to you after I'm done.

Project Linus

Do you have a Project Linus near you? If you don't I will gladly accept any blankets to contribute to the St Louis Chapter. Right now I have a bunch of blankets that I need to work in ends, I made many of the blankets over a year ago and put them away when our Chapter coordinator stepped down. We've had a new coodinator for several months now and I have even volunteered to be the drop off point for my county. So I will be making regular trips with blankets to our new coordinators and will be glad to drop yours off, too.
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I have also decided to accept 12" squares to join into blankets for the same cause. Please contact me at debsstuff55 (at) yahoo (dot) com if you are interested in donating.

Pretty Bird Woman House

One of the charities that is supported by my Crafting 4 A Cause Yahoo groups is the Pretty Bird Women's Shelter. They have recently posted on their blog, an article that is both interesting and disturbing. It is a long article but you really need to read it all the way through.

Pretty Bird Woman House Blog
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Bundles of Love Donation

For January the All_Crafts_4_Charity Yahoo group was making items for Bundles of Love in Minnesota. I am packing up these items to send to them today. First is a sweater set made from Lion Brand Baby Boucle, sort of a combination of both my Newborn Sweater Set and my Bumpy Baby Sweater. I will actually have to make the sweater again so I can write down the changes. The blanket to match is made from nine Never Ending Blanket Squares, made without changing colors. As well as the set I made two washcloths and two bibs, The patterns were developed specifically for this project. I will be packing this up today (and may throw in somes hats if the box isn't full) and mailing it out tomorrow.

Special Olympics Scarfs

I love this one and have to run out to WalMart for the yarn, of course I'm still not crocheting, it really bothers my hand too much. I can do it, it just hurts. These need to be done by the end of the year so I'm pretty sure I'll be able to get one or two done.
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They are asking for scarfs in Red Heart Super Saver delft blue and white to give to the athletes of the Special Olympics Winter Games. They can be knit or crocheted as simple or as complex as you want to make them. I love the pictures of all the blue and white scarfs hanging in a row on the website.
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For more details check out the website Special Olympic scarfs.