25 Things for Charity

Neck Coolers

2008-07-25T09:21:00.001-07:00

Thirty neck coolers will be sent to troops serving in Iraq. I found nearly four yards of unbleached muslin at a thrift shop for 25 cents. I tea-dyed it, and made the coolers.

These flat tubes of muslin will swell with a cooling gel when they are soaked in water for about an hour. They will cool the wearer and bring the body temperature down.

It is hard to believe that these ties only use 1/2 tsp. of the Watersorb crystals. The cooler pattern that I use, requires "medium" crystals. If you decide to make some neck coolers, make sure the crystals that you use do not have fertilizer on them.

I know that these neck coolers (cool ties) will be appreciated by those serving so far away from home in sweltering temperatures.

Nest: Bringing Warmth Home

2008-07-12T12:21:00.000-07:00

Looking for a place to send you hand crafted hats, scarves, and mittens? How about Nest:

We are asking interested knitters and crocheters to contribute hats, mittens, fingerless mitts, cowls, and scarves to be distributed in northern Maine before autumn. The sky is the limit in terms of patterns and design. Some of these items will be worn indoors, where it is becoming increasingly common to keep temperatures below 60 degrees.

The deadline is September 1, 2008. Click here for more information.

Anyone Need Scrap Fabric?

2008-07-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I posted here. I love to see what you all are doing. It's been ages since I crafted anything for charity. Got busy sending stuff to soldiers, but not homemade.

I am trying to dejunk my house and something I have a good bit of is fabric. The longer I look at it, the guiltier I feel. If you would use it craft for charity and are willing to pay the shipping, just let me know. (I have a postal scale and can figure out rates for you when you leave your zip code.) If you want specific colors, let me know that as well. Please just click on this link to my blog and leave me a comment on my latest post.

3rd Annual Remembering Emma Grace Donation Drive

2008-07-11T09:19:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I'm a bit late, but I wanted to invite you to be a part of the 3rd Annual Remembering Emma Grace Donation Drive. Shortly after the premature birth and death of my second daughter, Emma Grace, I began making preemie bereavement gowns. For her first birthday, many friends and family joined my efforts. Soon after that, the Emmazing Grace Foundation was founded. Each year, I coordinate a donation drive in conjunction with her birthday and the anniversary of her death. Here is all the info for this year's drive, which ends Aug 15th.

I do realize that many find it emotionally challenging to make bereavement gowns for precious angels that are taken too soon. I probably would have never known the need if Emma had not been born so soon. If you find that you are one of these people, how about make a blanket? :-) We are in need of blankets to match with some of the gowns that we have on hand. It can be fleece with crocheted edges or sewn from flannel. Any pastel color will come in handy.

Thanks so much!
Candy

Preemie Bereavement Items

2008-07-11T09:00:00.001-07:00

It's been FOREVER since I've posted anything here. Life has it's way of keeping me busy, most of the time in a good way, though. :-)

Here are a few preemie bereavement items that I have made these the last several months. I have donated them on behalf of Emmazing Grace to Teresa, a Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep volunteer photographer.

New Member

2008-07-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since someone new entered our group. Welcome to Jen B.

Afghans for Afghans Shawl

2008-07-10T12:40:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone! I have been enjoying all the posts lately. Amazing work!

I have finished a shawl for Afghans for Afghans - Rectangular Shawl for Mothers Campaign. I have been diligently working on this since mid-May. I am so happy that I was able to complete it on time.

Ships Project

2008-07-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

My crafting for the month of June was focused on the Ships Project. I knit three pair of slipper sox (I have another pair on the needles) for hospitalized soldiers, but the most rewarding project was making cool ties for the troops stationed in areas of extreme temperatures.

I found some unbleached muslin in my fabric stash and tea dyed it until it was the color of desert sand. Then my sister Marilyn and I set up an assembly line. She cut the fabric strips: I sewed the tubes. I turned the tubes; she pressed. She marked the tubes, and I sewed the center seams. I filled the pouches with the crystals, and she sewed them shut. In no time, we had finished 40 cool ties. These cool ties are truly life-savers for the troops, and I encourage anyone who has a sewing machine to make some.

The Ships Project accepts knit, crochet, and sewn items, but please make sure you check the guidelines before beginning. A list of approved patterns ensures that the items meet the needs of the troops.

Slippers

2008-06-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

A couple of women from my church volunteer at the local county hospital and found out I was a knitter. They requested that my local guild stop knitting baby hats and start knitting slippers. We apparently have a lot of indiginent patients who end up walking the halls in their bare feet.

(Edited later: I found a photo!)

I'm up to item 6 for the year - waaaay behind)

Dish cloth for church

2008-06-30T14:52:00.001-07:00

Grandma's favorite.

recent donations

2008-06-29T10:04:00.000-07:00

I've keep forgetting to post here, but I've been making things and sending them to Marine Corps Kids. Here are some of my recent donations.

Crafting the Nation

2008-06-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody,

I have started a project that I am calling Crafting the Nation. My goal is to find a charity in every single state and donate some homemade items to that charity. I have quite a few states pinned down, but boy...50 is a lot :)

If you have the time and the inclination, I'd really appreciate it if you could give me any charities in your state that might be near and dear to your heart. If you want to see my list, this blog links (hopefully) to my blog here at blogspot, where I have a list of what is going where so far.

Thank you very much!

Time For An Update!

2008-05-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

This is Jessica from One Square At A Time again. I have been very busy with many new projects........I also got my letter posted in the previous Crochet World Magazine....And like clockwork I got donations from all over the country! Some were squares or hats, and others were scraps of yarn. I would definitely love to say Thank You for all of the support and donations that have been recieved. Here are some samples of work done this month...

Remember to check out the update on the website (June 5th) for the updated definite number of Baby Sets in the past year.........www.onesquareatatime.wetpaint.com

29 Gifts.Com

2008-05-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

Visit 29-Day Giving Challenge

Getting it done.

2008-05-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

I've hit my first goal...25 things have been made and donated. Made a 2nd goal; and am currently working towards that...wondering if I over reached. This goal 200, and I've just sent off my 42nd item...so still a long way to go.

Love looking through here at everyone's creativity, love also popping in to to many of your blogs (those that have them that is). And welcome you all to mine.

Here's some of my latest items.

Wool's Warmth

2008-05-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

Using some small scraps of wool, I knit baby hats and mitts for the All Crafts 4 Charity's May project.

From the meager pile of scrap balls, I made nine hats and three pairs of mitts. These will be sent to the project coordinator (BJ) in Idaho. BJ will forward the donations to the Rankin Inlet Birthing Centre in Canada. Rankin Inlet is located on the western shores of Hudson Bay, and with a population of 30,780, it is the second largest city in Nunavut. Almost 85% are native peoples, mostly Inuit.

BJ says, "The climate in the Rankin Inlet area is typical for arctic tundra. The ground is permanently frozen ( permafrost ), and the average annual temp is -18 F. Summer which usually lasts 6-10 wks has average temps of 37-60 F. The sun doesn't set for 6 months, and the other 6 months the sun doesn't rise.

The birthing centre was established in response to Inuit women who wanted to deliver closer to home. No highways connect Rankin Inlet with Sountern Canada, which is where the closest hospitals are. Most transportation to and from Rankin Inlet is done by air. Snowmobiles and atv's are used between villages. Nurse midwives provide prenatal care and attend deliveries. All deliveries are unmedicated."

BJ hopes to provide the midwives with baby clothing, bedding, and other little extras.

stitching for literacy, 2008

2008-04-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Here's my contribution to this year's literacy drive, Stitching for Literacy. I'm sending my bookmarks in to Nordic Needle, Inc. but numerous other LNSs are also collecting bookmarks that are stitched, tatted, crocheted, beaded, etc. until mid-May.

Warm Woolies

2008-04-24T14:33:00.000-07:00

Warm Woolies has a contest going on right now. Send in 25 qualifying items and receive a prize. Qualifying items are vests, sweaters, and toddler or larger socks. The contest runs through November, 2008 so there is still time to participate.

Where do the warm woolies go? This is from their Web site:

In 2007, Warm Woolies delivered 5,724 pieces of warm clothing to children in orphanages in Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia and on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reservations. In 2008, we will continue to support children in the same areas. We will also be helping children in a few special-needs orphanages in China.

Our goal for 2008 is to knit 7,000 items.

For more information about the contest click here.

Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

2008-04-24T10:34:00.001-07:00

A New Member!

2008-04-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Sandy. She shares:

Over 100 of us in the Knitting Help Forum have been making blankets for charity over the past year. Right now, we have 5 fullsize blankets, 2 lapghans, and over 50 baby blankets in progress.

Sophisticated Rose

2008-04-18T04:23:00.000-07:00

I stitched this rose for Crafters For Charity. All the materials came included with the Dimensions kit (72649). I used DMC floss instead of what came with the kit.

Reaching Out

2008-04-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

The focus of my knitting has been on babies. I completed 25 hats for the local hospital nursery, laundered them, and have the packet ready to deliver.

Some of these hats were made from the yarn that mysteriously appeared by my door recently. It is amazing just how little yarn it takes to make one of these little hats.

I belong to an online knitting group and when I posted about my project, the leader (Pat) promised to make two, newborn hats, and she challenged the other members to join her. I am touched by their interest and participation.

"Berry Bliss" arrived in my mailbox from Virginia. I added the pale mauve section and have prepared the blanket for its trip back to the east coast. This time it will go to New York. These Oddball blankets travel thousands of miles before they are finished and delivered to hospitals in Missouri or North Carolina.

I am pleased that I can touch so many young lives with my knitting skills. The knitters that I have met through these projects are talented, loving people. I have been richly blessed in more ways than I can count.

Bookmark Club Bookmark

2008-04-06T05:58:00.000-07:00

I stitched this bookmark for Crafters For Charity. The design came from the Stoney Creek magazine October 2006 issue.

Anita

A New Member

2008-04-03T11:35:00.000-07:00

Say hello to Bonnie. She shares:

Thank you for encouraging people to donate to charities. I was thrilled to see you website and would like to join. Recently I sent about 26 bears in crocheted blankets to the childrens hospital at Geisinger Medical Center. I have also sent 12 premie blankets to NICU unite of at the childrens hospital.

We are thrilled you decided to join us Bonnie!

New Member

2008-04-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Debbie P. (uwcheese).