Infant Hats and Christmas Gifts

In between working on the Christmas gifts that I am working on, that are a bit more complex, and require more attention I have also had some infant hats going at the same time. I have plenty of baby yarn left over from other projects that I am wanting to get used up for a good cause, so I have been using the balls I have sitting over here for infant hats. I currently have 10 infant hats complete. I am looking into charities that get the hats to hospitals and birthing centers in the high poverty areas here in the US. One that I know of – Bundles of Joy, is a group that donates their time and hats to infants born in the Pine Ridge Reservation OB Ward. The reservation is located in South Dakota.

The fact that there are areas within the US where unemployment is over 75%, and whole communities live without electricity, indoor plumbing, sewage systems, and telephones. Seeing infants born into this system where the infant mortality rate is around 5 times the national average is heart breaking. That is why I like using the talent I have been given, in knitting to give back to those who are much less fortunate than I am.

Some may ask, why I do it, when these infants will grow up and are roughly 4 times more likely to commit suicide as a teenager, or join a gang, and if they grow into adulthood 3/4 if not more of them will be unemployed for their entire adult lives, and be alcoholics, and if the alcohol doesn’t get them, another health condition related to the alcohol or poor diet will. While this argument is very valid, My answer is yes, that is all true, but there is also that small fraction of a population that will make a better life for themselves. Do you want to deprive those the opportunity to be able to contribute, or make a difference by letting them die as infants do to not being kept warm? That is why I knit for the infants, and I would love to see each of the infants born into poverty receive a handmade blanket and hat, knowing full well that few of them will be able to rise above the generational poverty.

As for the Christmas gifts I am working on, I am making progress on both the falling leaves wrap and the six strand braided cable scarf. The scarf is knitting up faster than the wrap because it is not as intricate of a pattern, so I am able to work on it while watching YouTube videos, or shows on hulu, or working on other things on the computer. The falling leaves wrap requires more focused concentration, and I can only have music playing while working on it. Both of these will be done before Christmas.

Have Yarn, Will Knit Hats!

Hi Everyone!

This week, I have continued to work on hats for children living in rural India. The hats I was working on over the weekend, I was working on using up the last of the yarn I had used to make a baby blanket for a friend of mine’s foster daughter. What was left of that large 9.8 ounce skein of Bernat Baby Sport Yarn, I had plenty to make the blanket, as well as several hats.

I have also been using what I have left of a skein of Lion Brand pound of love skein of yarn, that I purchased in order to make a Christmas gift for a friend. Since that is done, I am now using what is left of that skein to also make hats.

I have also started in on a skein of Bernat Baby Sport yarn in Candy Print for hats. While I still have plenty of the Lion Brand yarn, I am enjoying having a cute girly yarn to work with to make a lot of child size hats.

This week I have been enjoying being able to work on hats, and having plenty of yarn to choose from to make these hats.

Putting some Thought in to the Future

Hi Everyone!

I know that as of late, all I have been writing about here, have been my Projects of the Week. It is in part because I have been busy working on gifts for friends.

Over the last few years, with the tough economy I have thrown myself into knitting for children in need. It has given me something to do besides just sitting at home being bored.

I have often thought about how I could take this to the next level, and reach more people, and what I am going to do with my life, career wise. I have been told that I should sell what I make, and go into business for myself, but there is one huge problem with that for me anyway. I am not business savvy, and to do everything the legal way, gives me one huge head ache, and almost makes me cry. Not because I can’t do it, but it would take away from the whole point of me knitting, and selling it for a profit. Knitting, for me is a creative outlet, and when you tie it to business, legalities of owning a business and taxes, you can forget about it, its not me.

If you are wondering what I, ideally would like to do, I would like to work with people, and tell them about the knitting, sewing and crocheting projects that are out there that help children in need, here at home and around the world. I know that the few people who have told me that I have inspired through this blog, my facebook page and through posting on ravelry, that there are people out there, who would get involved if they had a pattern, and where to send the finished projects, while others have donated yarn, and financially to help these causes, and that helps those of us who craft these projects, to keep on making more sweaters, hats, blankets, and other projects for children, those who are sick, and the elderly.

From the standpoint of a knitter, having yarn donated to be used for these projects, has really helped out. I would love to be able to partner with a group, to help continue making it possible for the individuals and groups to be able to continue to craft projects, and make it possible to reduce the cost to them to be able to do something good for others. The cost of yarn itself, is prohibitive for many to get involved, even if they know how to knit or crochet. There are many who know how, and would love to get involved but could not afford to buy yarn to keep up knitting projects, so they don’t bother.

I have often thought about what it would be like to work with knitting/crocheting groups as part of a non profit organization, where we work to get affordable (or even free to the knitters/crocheters) yarn for the group members to use, and then send them off to the appropriate charitable organizations (like world vision) or working at a retreat center, and working with groups that come in, and hosting knitting/crocheting conferences and such.  So it is so just in idea phase, and I have no idea how that would work out or come to fruition, but it has been on my mind, and on my heart lately, and I thought that I would share it with you all.

I am definitely a crafting, hands on type of person, and being able to share what I do well with others, and learn from their knowledge and experience is important, to me anyway.

16th Sweater of the Year

Hi Everyone!

Today is Saturday, and I finished up my size two sweater today, which I had talked about in this week’s Project of the Week Post. The sweater was made using Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Bon Bon Print and two rows worth of Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Shocking Pink. Last year I had knit up fifteen sweaters, as I had completed my fifteenth sweater by the end of August, I wanted to make at least one more to set a new yearly record for how many sweaters I had knit up in one year. I keep challenging myself to do more and more, and see what I am fully capable of.

Now that I have completed this sweater, I am taking a break from sweaters to work on some personal projects and Christmas Gifts, since it is now September.

Projects with a Purpose

Hi Everyone!

I want to start this evenings post, by asking for pray for a little girl who is battling cancer. You may have heard about her on the news in the last few weeks, with the medical tape sign in the window of her hospital room stating “Send Pizza”. She is back in the hospital again, and she, as well as her family could really use some prayer right now. Here is the link to the Facebook page her family set up and Here is a link to the blog update. I do not know this little girl personally, but her story has melted my heart, and would love nothing more than to see God heal her, and allow her to live a full, productive life.

I finished up last week’s project of the week sweater, so come Wednesday, It won’t be like “what happened to last weeks project?” kind of a thing. So here it is, Complete, Ready to go  (help) keep a child living in poverty nice and warm, like every child ought to be.

This sweater is a size 8, knit up from a Caron One Pound Skein of yarn in Sunflower, with some Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Shocking Pink in the sleeves.

This sweater is the 14th sweater I have completed so far this year, bringing my total up to 55 since I began. Before the year is out, I would like to knit up at least one more, but I’ll see how it goes. I have a basket full of yarn I would like to use up for hats as well, Lord willing.

I love being able to knit these sweaters, as well as knitting up hats for kids. I love it because, even in some small way, I am able to make a child’s life even a little better. I get that through keeping a blog and Facebook page, I am putting it out there. My driving motive for that, is to highlight a need that is ever present, and one of many ways to help combat that need, that anyone could get involved with. I am not trying to “brag” about what I personally am doing, but rather hopefully inform others of the need, and maybe inspire someone else to get involved in whatever way they are able to.

Lately, the kids here in the States who are living in poverty, have really been weighing on my heart. There are those whose families have been, and still are affected by the recent economic recession that many are still feeling the effects of (myself included). There are also those who are being raised in low income regions that have been high poverty regions for decades if not a century or more, and it is a vicious cycle that many of kids can’t seem to break, and don’t have much of a hope for the future. While times have been difficult, for myself, I have always had what I needed.

Knitting for Kids: An Explanation

I have been posting pictures of the projects I have knit up for children in need in various means of sharing what I have been doing for more than a year now. In that time I have been told by various sources that I should knit items up to sell. I have nothing against those who go into such ventures, but it is not for me. What good would all the money in the world be, when even just one child had to be cold, and does not have adequate clothing. I am no saint by any means, and I full well know that I am need of a job, which are hard to come by these days.

Yes, the thought has crossed my mind on multiple occasions to knit for my own profit, but I cannot bring myself to be so selfish, when I could be using that time to actually do some good in the world and in the lives of children. That is where my heart is, in helping children in need. A sweater or a hat is a little thing, but what a difference that can make. The fact that some stranger loved them enough to knit that item just for them without even knowing that they would get it, and without asking anything in return. I also like the idea that what I make will be put to very good use, and that I have done a good thing in helping with something bigger than myself.

I realize that knitting is a talent that God gave me, and I know that knitting hats and sweaters for children in need, is something he has called me to do with my life. This is something I am passionate about, and love doing for the Lord. I know that it would be a misuse of the talent God gave me, if I didn’t use it for him, and his glory.

I should also mention that I did not major in business for a reason, I have no real interest in being in business for myself.

That folks, is why I chose, and will continue to choose to knit warm sweaters and hats for children in need.

New Project System

Ok, since I have had four projects in the works for ages, and I want to get the two personal projects I have in the works complete I have come up with a new system for getting my projects worked own until I am back down to one main project and a purse project again.

My new system is: during the week I will work primarily on what ever project I have in the works for donation purposes, and on the weekends working on my personal projects. Easy enough huh? Its a good plan I know. I will continue doing my Project of the Week on Wednesdays, to talk to you guys about what project for Charity I am working on each week.

What is a Purse Project you may ask, Well a Purse Project is a small project such as a dishcloth that I keep in my purse for when I am out somewhere and have time to kill. Examples of being out somewhere with time to kill: When I was doing roadshows, the time between when I got to the costco and when I needed to go in to start my shift, or being at the doctors office, or dentist waiting room. I got started keeping a project in my purse while I was working at the daycare about 2 years go, because I needed something to do to kill time when I go there early, and on my hour long lunch break, so what better way to kill the time than by knitting.