Springfield Stitches for a Cause

Ronald McDonald House Project

2011-05-04T22:11:00.003-05:00

WOW!!!! I dont think I've seen this many hand crafted, adorable, stuffed animals at once!!! Tonight was our "stitches" meeting and once again, the most generous stitchers ever didn't disappoint!! There were tons of sewn stuffed animals, wash cloths, prayer shawls, scarves, hand puppet, pillows, blankets!! WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! I absolutely can't wait to deliver these on Friday!!!

Latest Project...all things "Cancer Ribbon"

2010-09-03T22:20:00.006-05:00

So it's time for our next project....

Earlier this year I had the pleasure to be an a Relay for Life Cancer walk team, "Save Second Base" was our name & we raised $4,000. WOW!!! We were so successful in part to the generous donations for our gift baskets. SO our project from now till the end of the year will be anything with a cancer ribbon, or related item that can be donated to our Save Second Base team to be sold as a fund raiser. Washcloths, hats, scarves, bags...anything that fits this theme will be perfect. We are also doing a few pink afghans, with each person doing a square or 2 and it will be assembled later. Below are the washcloths I've made so far...I"m anxious to see how we progress on this project. I think this is a great opportunity to challenge ourselves!

Baby Blankets for Mini O Beirne

2010-09-03T20:28:00.005-05:00

Well its been awhile since I posted anything... so here's a little to catch you up...Our April - September project was Baby Blankets for Mini O Beirne Crisis Nursery... (www.miniobeirne.org) we decided to make this a 6 month project and it paid off!!! We donated over 25 blankets to them today!! That's outstanding!!! Some were knit, some crochet, some sewn but all were adorable!!

Tracy and I delivered them to Kathleen today and she was so appreciative and thankful that we thought of them. I would love to take the tour sometime, it seems to be in a really neat house & they are doing such a great service for the community.

Helping Hands

2010-02-07T13:34:00.005-06:00

Well gals, I just tally'd up the "warm goodies" I have that will be donated this week to Helping Hands Homeless Shelter...You guys are constantly amazing me...below are the totals for what I have now, and then a "grand total". Of course keep stitching and I will collect those items at our meeting on Feb 24th. I hope you're sitting down because these numbers are phenomenal!!!! Thank you SO SO SO much!!!

Lady Hat..............................................................20
Lady Scarf.............................................................8
Lady Hat & Scarf Set ..........................................0
Man Hat ................................................................2
Man Scarf...............................................................1
Gender Neutral Hat............................................18
Gender Neutral Scarf...........................................6
Gender Neutral Hat & Scarf Set.........................6
Girls Hat..................................................................0
Boys Hat..................................................................2
Girl Scarf..................................................................1
Girl Hat....................................................................0
Lady Mittens...........................................................1
Store bought knit gloves........................................4

Grand total for last trip and this one.....

Lady Hat................................................................24
Lady Scarf..............................................................14
Lady Hat & Scarf Set.............................................4
Man Hat...................................................................2
Man Scarf................................................................3
Gender Neutral Hat...............................................23
Gender Neutral Scarf............................................7
Gender Neutral Hat & Scarf Set .........................6
Child Hat .................................................................2
Child Scarf................................................................2
Mittens......................................................................1
Store Bought Knit Gloves........................................4

Helping hand donation...so far

2010-01-30T10:57:00.002-06:00

WOW..you guys are AMAZING!!!! Below is what we have contributed so far and I have a box of hand made goodies to catalog that we'll be delivered next week, I'll let you know those numbers soon. Thank you all SO much...your generosity is such a gift!

Adult lady scarf set 4
Adult lady hat 4
Adult lady scarf 6
Adult men scarf 1
Adult men hat 2
Adult gender neutral hat 5
Adult gender neutral scarf 1
Child hat 2
Child scarf 1

Generosity

2009-10-19T18:12:00.004-05:00

Well gals, looks like the holiday season's generosity is upon us!!! I mailed out a few letters weeks ago and while I hadn't gotten any "sorry we can't help you letters", I also didn't get any donations. But I hoped that as we got closer to the holidays, we might be blessed with the generosity we saw last year.

Today was the start...

I received a box of gorgeous and colorful yarn from Lion Brand with a really nice note. Praising the generosity and thoughtfulness of knitters and crocheters. As well as 2 books from SOHO Publishing (Which we will raffle off at our "knit in" at Chelsey's on November 6th. And of course I will bring the donated yarn as this is PERFECT for our current project!!

PLEASE remember Lion Brand as well as SOHO Publishing when you do your personal knitting shopping. Their support is SO important to what we're doing in our community.

Anyway I was SO excited that I wanted to share with you that our little group was thought of today and I think it reminds us that others DO care and what we're doing IS important!!!

I just couldn't wait....

2009-09-27T08:11:00.004-05:00

So last night I had to try out the new Alpaca yarn I got yesterday. I LOVE this yarn!!! It was so soft and very easy to work with and it knit up rather quickly! The colors didn't disappoint and the pattern is really cool!

Field trip to the Alpaca Farm in Petersburg!!!

2009-09-26T17:04:00.007-05:00

So this morning, Rebekah and I went to Bart & Rhonda's Alpaca Farm.

http://www.alpacasofindianpointhills.com/

What a treat!! We had the best time!

These guys are so fun to watch. They're very playful and you can see how they each have their own personalities. We got to pet them and they are SO INCREDIBLY soft and friendly!! Cindy, you'll be happy to know there was NO spitting or rude behavior by them at all. They were well behaved and very cute.

Bart & Rhonda were great hosts and we really learned a lot about the animals, their care, and how their gorgeous coats (fiber) become yarn. They had several different colors of Alpacas; creams, browns, blacks and all were beautiful animals and their colors were so rich. There are actually 22 different natural colors!!!

Soon Rhonda will be hosting a "wet felting" class so I'll be sure to post the details on that when I have them. She had some hats and purses that were wet felted and they were so cool!!!

I'm going to post a few pictures here, but all the pics I took today will be on my Facebook page, feel free to check them out!

If you want to do a group field trip, let me know, I'm sure we could arrange it.

Aren't they adorable!!!

Of course I had to buy some yarn. These were made from Alpaca, I can't wait to make a hat out of them. The colors are so deep and perfect for fall! That's Cooper....shes was hoping it was for her..."I DON'T THINK SO COOPER!!"

This is a hank that actually came from one of Rhonda & Bart's Alpacas. Currently they send the "fiber" to a mill but Rhonda is learning to spin and is hoping to have some more time so she can do it herself on the farm. This was 150 yards for 10 bucks, can't beat that! And it was SO SO SO soft. Now Cooper AND Maverick think I brought them home a present!!

So far

2009-09-20T16:30:00.005-05:00

Hey gals,

Just wanted to share with you what's been done so far.

Deb made this GORGEOUS scarf. The picture doesnt do it justice. The colors are so perfect for fall and she said the pattern was super easy (if I get it, I will be sure to forward it on) Great job Deb!!

Here's a hat I made...I used 2 strands so it should be nice and toasty!

It's Official....

2009-09-10T20:16:00.003-05:00

Helping Hands will be happy to be the recipients of our warm goodies!!! However, their clients are ONLY adults, men & women, but Contact Ministries is their neighbor and they offer services to people of all ages, so we can continue to knit for the kids also.

So far I have 1 boys hat done, 1 man's hat done and 1 scarf that's blue & cream that I think is for a boy but EVERYONE else has said it too girly...I"ll post some pictures and you can decide!! HAHA

From what I"m hearing you're all off to a great start on our newest project!! Keep me posted on your progress and send me pics and I'll get them posted on our blog!!

Next Project

2009-08-29T12:15:00.004-05:00

Well since Preemie caps are done that means 2 things....

1- Time to start a new project & 2- Sadly, summer is coming to an end :(

The theme of our next project is "keeping people warm" This time it's going to be a "knitter's choice" of projects. Hats, Scarves, Mittens, Socks...anything that keeps you warm.

I"m waiting to hear back from them, but ideally the recipients of our next project will be "Helping Hands of Springfield" (http://www .helpinghandssi.org/) They specialize in helping the homeless, as well as assisting with the transition from homeless to home. Their website out lines their goals and programs and they seem like a fantastic organization.

The main thing to keep in mind is that their clients will be men, women, boys, girls & teens, so they will come in all shapes and sizes!! I'm hoping to find out from them a rough idea of the ages & sex of their clients to ensure we provide a variety of items to suit everyone. I'll keep you posted as I learn more!!

Below are some pics from our last meeting...what a great looking group of knitters!!!

Preemie Caps

2009-08-29T11:51:00.004-05:00

Well Preemie caps have come to an end.....I think we all had fun knitting up these cute tiny caps for babies!! We made a grand total of 65 caps!!!!!!!! WOW!!! That's fantastic!! Special thanks to Nancy D who single handedly did 26 of those caps!! You should all be SO proud. These caps will go along way to keep Preemie babies warm. 14 of these caps have been given to Memorial Hospital, and Tracy & I will deliver the rest to them next week. I blocked them this morning. Below are some pictures. Thank you all SO much for your commitment, I feel like we are helping to make a difference in our community!

August Meeting

2009-08-19T20:41:00.002-05:00

Hi gals,
Just a reminder that our meeting will be

Tuesday, August 25th, Mario's on Clearlake, 5:30

Bring any Preemie caps that you have (don't worry about blocking them, I have some special detergent for that)

AND...I have a great stash of donated yarn to distribute that will be great for our next project, so PLEASE make it of you can and let me know if you're planning on attending!!!

Also if you have any friends who knit or crochet, please bring them along!

See you next week!

More...

2009-08-04T14:48:00.005-05:00

Preemie Caps

2009-08-04T13:44:00.003-05:00

Here are some pictures of the Preemie Caps we just delivered. They were in different shapes, sizes and colors but they were ALL super cute and SO soft!! Great job Ladies!!

SO Stinkin Cute I can't stand it!!!

2009-07-15T22:56:00.002-05:00

Here's a cap that Cindy recently did. She has a new neice / nephew on the way and her mom's neighbor just had a baby so she has been busy making the Baby Gear. She showed me this today. It's about the cutest freakin thing I've even seen!!! Now if I can just convince her to make one in my size!!!!

Preemie Cap Pictures

2009-07-15T22:50:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple of the hats I've done so far... I have to say that while the initial phase of learning to start these on DPN's was a little tricky....it's not so bad...I'm getting the hang of it!!

My First Preemie Cap

2009-06-16T20:32:00.008-05:00

So the thing about Preemie Caps, is although they are "caps"...you can't use circular needles.... you all remember "circular" needles, we used them for Chemo Caps and they were magical!!! They provided instant gratification because within a few minutes your project looked like something instead of just a ball of yarn, and when knitting "in the round" you continue to just "knit" yet it gives your garment the appearance of "knit and purl" stitching (stockinette)

However..... Circular needles are too big for teeny baby heads, therefore you have to use DPN's (Double pointed needles) the needles we used to finish the chemo caps.

I'm not opposed to DPN's , but I will say they are a little tricky at first. It's different to START a project on DPN's. So since I've gone through this, I would recommend starting your hat with just a "knit" stitch , instead of a "knit /purl" stitch. I think the look of the "ribbed" stitch is great and it provides "elasticity" , but for your first project it's kinda tricky!!!

I know this because my preemie cap will likely be going into my scrapbook because it didn't turn out so great, primarily because I didn't have my groove with the DPN's. However by the 2nd hat, I got it now!!!!

So my words of wisdom to you is for your first hat....do a roll brim instead of a ribbed!! Save that one for your 2nd cap!!!

Below are some pics of mine... I tried to get Cooper and Bandini to model them... they wanted to eat it or ignore it!!!

Donated yarn

2009-06-16T20:10:00.002-05:00

I just received some donated yarn that I'll be doling out at the next meeting. None of this yarn is appropriate for the Preemie Ca Project, however it's great yarn for hats or scarves. "

So...................

We need to start thinking about our next project......August will be here before you know it so PLEASE if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them.

This isn't MY knitting group, it's OUR knitting group, so please......if you are involved with an organization who you think could use our knitted goods, please let me know.

The only real "requirement" is that the projects be simple enough for the "novice knitter"as many of us haven't tackled anything big like sweaters or socks (or like me, they HAVE tackled socks and it was clear that I am NOT a natural when it comes to socks, I have 1/4 of one sock done from about a year or so ago)

Preemie Caps....

2009-06-16T20:02:00.002-05:00

So I was a little nervous when one local hospital told me "we have preemie caps coming out of our ears, can you make something up for the dads"

Tracy found a "Can Cooley" pattern so we did whip up a few of these to be delivered on Friday.

However Angela at Memorial Medical Center is THRILLED that I contacted her and she would be happy to find lotsa teeny heads for our Preemie caps!!!! I gave out some patterns at the meeting so if you need patterns, email me and I"ll be sure to hook you up!!

I also have a few skeins of donated baby yarn left, so if you need some, let me know.

When purchasing baby yarn please be mindful of the following...

Yarn CANNOT be made of animal fibers. There is no way to know what babies this age may be allergic to
Ideally it should be acrylic so it can stand up to washing & drying (Even cotton isn't a great choice because although washable, it may change shape if dried in the dryer)
You can usually spot the "baby appropriate" yarn as it has a baby on the label

So now that Summer is almost here, I know that there's not a lot of time for knitting (unless of course your Nancy who has already cranked out 30 of these while driving through the wine country!!! You go Girl!!!) I can tell you they knit up VERY quickly, and it's a very portable project so it's great to do while at the doctor's office, on a lunch break, or waiting for a friend.

So far I have 2 done.....

Keep in touch and let me know how it's going!!!!

Washcloths!!!

2009-06-16T19:36:00.007-05:00

Last Thursday Tracy and I delivered 83 washcloths to the Sojourn Shelter!!! WOW!!! You guys should be SO proud of yourselves, that's fantastic!!

When we gave them to Erika, she was so happy and thankful that we thought of them. She said they give each client a "hygiene pack" when they first come in, however it doesn't have a washcloth!! So your generosity and thoughtfulness provided a perfect fit for them.

Also, a lady I volunteer with from "Abe's Divas" was so kind and generous to us. When she heard that I had resorted to "making soap" she kindly donated an entire case of soap for us!!! So we were able to wrap a washcloth around a bar of soap with ribbon and seal each in a Ziploc baggy!!!! (Shout out to "Purlin Patti" for helping me assemble all the washcloths!!)

So again, thank you SO much... I know this wasn't a "favorite" project for many of you, but you were so generous anyway!!!

Next Meeting

2009-05-14T13:16:00.001-05:00

Hi Gals,

Can't belive its been 3 months already since our last meeting!!! It's time to bring our washcloth project to a close and move on to our next project.. "Preemie Caps"

I've reserved the meeting room at Mario's on Clear Lake for

Tuesday June 2nd, 5:30 PM

This will just give us a chance to catch up, turn in all your washcloths and we can talk "Preemie Caps"

I will have some pattern for you, as well as some yarn (I don't have as much baby yarn as I did chemo cap yarn, but I do still have some for you)

Please RSVP to me to let me know if you can make it and if you have a friend who is interested in joining us, please bring them...the more the merrier!!

Hope to see you all then!

A few things....

2009-05-02T10:22:00.002-05:00

HI Gals,

Sorry for the delay in posting, April has been a little hectic!

I wanted to let you know that 2 weeks ago I delivered some caps to Katherine Howerton who is a social worker with the Cancer Society, she's stationed at SIU. She gladly took 60 of our caps to distribute to ladies getting chemo in Springfield.

So I still have some caps if any of you have any organizations that could distribute them, if not, Katherine said she'd be thrilled to take them, so I'm SO glad that we were able to find a local organization that can get the caps to ladies who need them.

Keep up the good work girls and I'll schedule a meeting before we start our next project..Preemie Caps!!

Washcloth count

2009-04-07T20:31:00.002-05:00

1 month down and 2 to go....so far 21 washcloths are ready to go!!! That's FANTASTIC!!! Keep up the great work ladies!!

Also I have a few leads to "rehome" our chemo caps WILL stay local!!! I'll post more about that later!

Wish list...

2009-03-17T23:50:00.003-05:00

Many of you have asked how else you can help with what we're doing. (As if dedicating your time and skill isn't enough!!) Or you know someone who doesn't knit, but they want to help the cause....

To be honest, I've been able to handle most of the "this and that" and administrative kinds of expenses, at least so far.

I'm sitting OK on office supplies and most of the miscellaneous expenses aren't so extravagant that I can't handle it, at least not yet. (And Rebekah & Tracy have been kind enough to burn & donate CD's and mail letters for me.) Now if we get some responses to our flyer's and we end up with 50 or 100 knitters.... I may be asking for help :)

I'm so grateful at all of your contributions that you do already with your knitting , I really don't want to ask for anything, or charge any sort of "dues" for our "Charity Knitting Club"

But I was asked to post a "wish list" of items that are needed at any given time, so I agreed to do that.

But let me preface this with "Please don't feel obligated" and "I really do appreciate all that you're doing already" so if you want to donate something on this list, that's wonderful, but if you don't or can't, it's OK because I'm so thrilled to have your participation that if you're willing to continue to knit...then I'm willing to do the "odds n ends" stuff.....

We can always use......

Ziploc bags, all sizes. (Since we never know how soon an organization will be using what we're giving them, I want each item to be individually safe in a Ziploc bag to ensure that it won't be damaged before it's given)

Stamps (I'm always sending letters to companies asking for donations so stamps are always needed)

CD's. (So far I've only made you 1 CD with patterns but as our projects continue, this CD will grow. I plan to give each of you a new CD at the start of each project)

Staples gift card. I buy any office / administrative supplies we need at Staples

Supplies!!!

2009-03-17T23:22:00.003-05:00

So as many of you know I've been soliciting companies to donate yarn and various supplies to our cause and it's been truly overwhelming. The amazing generosity of these companies. It really restores my faith in humanity.

In fact, in addition to yarn, we've received needles, and cases as well. As soon as I obtain permission from each company, I will be sure to post the names and websites of the companies that have been so amazingly generous to us. I think it's important to remember these companies and their generosity when it's time to do our personal "knitting shopping"!

I've told many of you that some days it's like coming home and it's Christmas and I'm just as excited as an 8 year old with a Barbie Dream House!!!

Today was one of those days....I was expecting this box and it didn't disappoint. ( Again, I can't name names just yet until I find out from them that it's OK to post on here) I received a box of yarn that has a variety of colors and fibers. It will be perfect for our upcoming "Preemie cap" project, as well as any future scarf or hat project.

I'm so appreciative of all the time and creativity that each of you devote to these projects, that I'm happy to do the legwork to get donated supplies for us to use and I'm thrilled when I get to open up the box and find these fantastic yarns and needles and cases!!

So PLEASE be sure to get in touch with me if you need yarn or needles, there's a good chance I may have what you're looking for. Except , I DON'T have any yarn appropriate for washcloths, since most balls are under $2 and you can get 2 cloths out of it, I thought we could handle that expense. But I do have yarn that's great for caps as well as baby projects so just check with me if you need any supplies!!!

WASHCLOTHS!!!

2009-03-17T23:01:00.002-05:00

Well girls, we're 3 weeks into washcloths... what do you think so far???

Most of the feedback I've heard is that they knit up very fast, which is great and that many of you have been able to truly appreciate the "special-ness" of a hand knitted washcloth and have made some for yourselves and plan to make some for gifts. I think that's awesome!!!

Personally I like that it's quick, (I'm all about instant gratification) and it's teaching me to follow a pattern, which is something I was needing to learn.

In fact, our earflap hats are just about done!! I will post pictures this weekend. That was a great project because we got to learn a few new techniques to enhance our knitting abilities!!

To go along with our wash cloths, I've been soliciting for soap donations. I thought it would be great if each cloth could be wrapped around a little bar of soap and tied up with a ribbon. The soap donations aren't going so well, so far I've only had one company donate. But this soap is FANTASTIC!!! I will be ordering some for myself. It came from Ohio, Honey Hill Farm. Joan was kind enough to send me some "Orange Sherbet" soap and it smells yummy. Visit her site www.honeyhillfarm.com. She was very kind to us, and we really appreciate it.

Well gals, that's all for now, just wanted to post a little note and I hope your washcloths are going well, I know I'm really enjoying this project and it's for such a worthwhile group who can really use and appreciate this gift!

Teaching kids to knit....

2009-03-06T20:51:00.003-06:00

So while I personally only have kids of the "4- legged" variety, I know that many of you have the "2 legged" kind... the kind you can teach things... like knitting!!!!

Now I don't want to discount my kids capacity to learn, I mean they can be taught to SIT, STAY, Potty outside....but it's just not the same as actually being able to share with them a skill / hobby/ passion that will hopefully be a part of their lives forever.

One of our knitters, Tracy is embarking on the brave journey of teaching her 10 year old, Sami to knit. I figured that it wouldn't be long once Sami saw the yarn, the colors, the tools and of course the really cool stuff her mom was making, before those curious eyes would look at Tracy and say "Mom, can you teach me to do that?"

I saw the first square today that Sami did and I have to say ..WOW I'm VERY impressed. She did a great job!!! And from what Tracy tells me, Sami is becoming very engaged with her knitting so I know it won't be long before she has a scarf or hat that she's made herself!

So welcome Sami, to the wonderful world of knitting!! I know you're mom will be a great teacher and from what I've seen so far, you're on the way to being a fabulous knitter!! I hope you learn this from your mom and it's something that you'll continue to love to do and learn more about. Maybe one day you'll pass it along to your "little Sami" (Like 20 years from now...not anytime soon!!)

I've even volunteered that when Sami's friends want to learn, and their mom's don't know how and they say "Mrs. Cooley, can you teach me?" I will be happy to help host the "knit / tea party" and buy the cocktails that will be needed afterwards!!!

All kidding aside, I think it's the coolest thing to be able to introduce this to the next generation of women who will want something to do during the very little "down time" they'll get, and share with them a hobby that can sustain them throughout their lives.

So congrats to Sami for wanting to learn something new, and kudos to Tracy for having the patience to be the teacher. Good luck!!

I'll keep you posted.....

It's Official....the washcloth project

2009-03-06T20:02:00.003-06:00

I've heard back from Erika, the program director at Sojourn Shelter & Services, Inc., they would be happy to be the recipient of our washcloths!!

She told me that they would be perfect for their "crises services center". She said they are always in need of new washcloths for their clients.

So while you're knitting up these cloths, know that they are going to families who are desperately in need of some comfort.

I've done about 5 or 6 so far and I tried a little experiment.....

I knit one up using size 6 needles and 1 using size 8 needles. While there was a HUGE difference in time (Took about twice as long on 6's) ... there doesn't appear to be a huge difference in the stitch spacing!! The cloth I did on size 8 needles that knitted up SUPER fast looks fine. So I would encourage you to play around with different size needles and see what you think!

Caps for Kids.....

2009-02-26T23:09:00.003-06:00

We all know that charity knitting provides us with a wonderfully warm and fuzzy feeling. Knowing that your hand made chemo cap is going to make a women look wonderful when she's feeling her worst, or providing a washcloth stitched with love to someone who could use a little comfort gives us a good feeling. And a sense of contributing, even in a small way, to our community.

However an added benefit, is that now that you've learned to knit for charity, you have the skills to knit for others, such as spouses, friends, pets and your kids.

Cindy, who is one of my friends from work who heard about what we were doing, and wanted to learn to knit primarily to get involved in our charity knitting. Turns out she's a total natural!! Almost immediately she had the stitches figured out, she knew how to hold her yarn and she was hooked!

Cindy has 2 adorable little girls who quickly knew THEY had to have a "Cindy Original". So in addition to the several caps Cindy donated to our chemo cap project, she managed to work in 2 for her girls. As you can see, the hats and the girls are just too cute!

Meeting Notes

2009-02-26T22:49:00.002-06:00

We had our 1st official "Springfield Stitches" meeting last night. Thank you for coming, I hope it was informative and you had a good time.

Basically we discussed our new project "Washcloths". From March -May, we'll be doing washcloths.

I'm hoping to get in touch with someone at Sojourn, so that they can be the recipients of our cloths. If that doesn't pan out, it's been suggested that Mini O Beirne or Ronald McDonald house could use them. So we are definitely doing washcloths, we're just looking for a recipient.

We also had some raffle prizes. We had a book, needle cases and a full set of Denise Needles (Rebekah won those, she needed a body guard to protect her when leaving...we ALL threatened to beat her up and take them!!) HAHA

I also put together a CD and some patterns and some flyers, and some beaded stitch markers, so if you weren't able to make it to the meeting I'll be sure to get a "goody bag" to you next time I see you.

We had a lot of laughs, so again, thank you for coming. We'll plan on getting together at the kick off of each new project.

We also collected 26 chemo caps and I hear that Judith, (Our 1 woman knitting machine) has 20 more caps ready. So that's 46 to add to our 119 .....which means we exceeded our goal of 150 for a grand total of 167!!!!!!! WOW... you should all be so proud that's AMAZING!!!!! I will be getting those to Marilyn in the next week or so.

Tentative Meeting Scheduled......

2009-02-10T09:23:00.002-06:00

Hi Gals,

Just wanted to touch base and see how thing were going?? We're 31 caps short of having 150 for the "Network of Strength" organization, so I'm sure that by the end of the month, we'll be able to hit that goal!!! You should all be VERY proud of your hard work on this!

I know some of you have started washcloths and since many of you learned on circulars, straight needles are new to you, and you may not know how to "bind off". When you are ready to finish your washcloth you need to know how to "bind off" so the edge is finished, instead of a bunch of loops!!! It's very easy to do this.

I am also working on putting together a CD for each of you that will have patterns and different information for you.

I'm still soliciting for donations so I will keep you posted there.

Tentatively I'd like to have a short meeting
February 25, 2009, about 5:30. STAY TUNED FOR LOCATION...
Just to give you the CD, distribute any donated yarn I have and to go over how to "bind off" in case you have any questions....

I'll keep you posted

Group Picture at McDonalds

2009-01-30T09:04:00.001-06:00

Sadly our WHOLE group wasn't able to make it last night, but here is about half of our dedicated charity knitters. Without the dedication and commitment from all of you, this wouldn't be possible. So thank you SO much for being part of this, I really feel like we're going to be able to make a difference in our community.

As of last night, we've donated 119 caps to the Network of Strength!!! That's fantastic ladies, thank you!!!!

We will continue to knit Chemo Caps through February, then on to wash cloths.. I think it would be great if we can hit the 150 mark for caps... only 31 to go!!!!

Picture Day

2009-01-29T14:05:00.000-06:00

Well girls as you know, today is picture day!! We are all meeting at the McD on Jefferson at 5:30 for a group shot however, we did a smaller group today for those of us who work together.... There are the fantastic ladies that I worth with and who have contributed SO much to this project. (Minus Tracy, she wasn't able to make it today she made SEVERAL caps!)

And here are some of the gorgeous caps we're going to be giving to the Network of Strength today!!!

"The" Boy Free / Dog Free Craft Room

2009-01-28T19:46:00.002-06:00

So for the last 2 years, I've been wanting a "craft room". We have 2 spare bedrooms that so far have just managed to accumulate random "stuff". It's been such a waste of space.

There is plenty that needs to be done to the house, and sadly the craft room just wasn't a priority....until now. The biggest reason is because since we've started "Springfield Stitches", and we've acquired some donations, and I've hated that they have been boxed up and not on display as they should be.

A conversation I had with Robert several weeks ago set the wheels in motion...

Before I knew it I had the spare room emptied into the front room, Robert had it patched and the trim work done, and for a cheap lunch in Petersburg, my friend Patti was up to the task of helping me paint!!! (And I have to say on 2 other occasions, Patti was kind enough to help me sift and sort through 34 years worth of "I gotta have this" and "I may never use it, but isn't this cute", so Patti, I thank you, you are truly a friend)

Well this past weekend, it was finished. Robert had put up the shelves and now it was up to me to put the stuff back. I"m about half way done.

The idea is that the middle of the room will remain empty so that I can have some girls over to scrap-book, just pop up a table and we're set, since now I have the perfect space for it!

Tonight Robert's brother Scott came for a visit. Those two are in the living room watching some stupid boy movie, and I am supposed to be finishing the organization of my perfect "just for me " space.

However, instead I am blogging, playing online poker, having a cold one, printing off cards warning that the chemo caps may contain wool, getting together the contents a CD that I will give to all of you that has patterns and such..and most importantly just enjoying my new space.

Don't get me wrong I love my family dearly. Robert is wonderful, and I love our 5 (not a typo, I said 5) dogs. But it's the most amazing thing right now to have some space that I don't have to share.

Nobody is needing anything from me right now, or if they do, I can't hear them in here!!

There's so much more I really need to be doing in here, but for tonight, I'm just going to relax and enjoy.

I swear, the bottom shelf is all donated yarn for our charity projects, only the top 2 belong to me (and I've crammed it into one) I had NO IDEA what a yarn hoarder I was untill I had to drag it all out, but if nothing else, charity projects will be a fantastic way to use up my stash!!

The below picture is the view from my chair right now. Yes it's messy and I am totally supposed to be working on it right now....but selfishly, I just want to enjoy this right now, it's the first time I haven't been "working" on my new space!

This is the "Scrapping Workstation"...

Choosing yarn for Washcloths..... Variegated???

2009-01-28T19:40:00.000-06:00

Our next mission.... Washcloths

Some of you have been asking me about what yarn to get for our washcloth project, so I thought I'd share a little of what I've learned so far....

I know that I personally made one this weekend using "Sugar & Cream", it held up in the washer & the dryer and since this one was for me, I actually used it in the shower yesterday....it was great!!

I was a little skeptical because I am a "loofa sponge" kinda girl, I wasn't sure I would like using a "washcloth" but it was great. Plus since I've been so consumed with knitting lately, showers were the one "knit free" zone.... until I used my hand knit washcloth!! Now I can even bring my knitting in to shower with me!! HA

I've also bought some "Araucania" cotton and "Fantasy Naturale" from Nanncy's, and from what the other Knitting Blogs say, these are both great. So I'm anxious to knit these up!

Rebekah asked me the other day about solid color vs variegated. So I knit the below washcloth up using variegated, and it's supposed to have a paw print picture in it. However, as you can tell, you can't see the paw print. In person, you can sort of make it out, but not nearly as easily as you could if it were a solid color. But if you just wanted to do a plain "knit stitch" for the whole thing, I think the variegated yarns are gorgeous!

Before you purchase any, I would ask "is this suitable for a washcloth"? Just because it's cotton , or mashine washable doens't automatically qualify it because it has to hold it's color also.

I'm sure once we get started we can share with each other what types are best!

PS. In my previous posted I was glowing about my new space, it's been 2 hours now.. I'm kinda starting to miss "them"..... I"m such a sap... I'm sure it'll pass :)

Yarn Snob

2009-01-25T16:36:00.000-06:00

So my friend "Purlin Patti" and I recently had a conversation that I think is worth sharing, especially for you "Newbies"

I'm sure that now that you are immersed in the "World of Yarn", you see it everywhere. Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Michael's Craft Store and this early in the game for you, there probably doesn't seem like there's much of a difference between those yarns and the yarns you saw at Nanncy's Knit Works, where we had our hat class.

I'm here to tell you there is a HUGE difference.

You may not realize it yet, but if you get half as "yarn obsessed" as I am, you'll understand what I mean.

Now don't get me wrong, I do and have, bought plenty of yarn at Hobby Lobby, especially the big names like Lionbrand & Caron. They have great yarn for "everyday" projects. For instance if you wanted to make a scarf for everyone in your family next year for Christmas, I can clearly see buying all your yarn for that at Hobby Lobby. (Especially for your crazy uncle)

However, as you learn about yarn, and begin working with different yarns, nothing beats the "high end" yarn that you can only get at a yarn store, such as Nanncy's Knit Works.

The first hat I made for Robert was with yarn from Nanncy's. They have a much better selection in terms of different fibers (Baby Alpaca, Mohair, Wool, even Cotton) and since their yarns are "higher end", they have a smaller quantity, therefore lessening the chances of seeing someone with YOUR hat, or scarf, or sweater!!!! And since it is considered "higher end" the quality is just better, it's nice to work with superior quality yarn.

So the conversation Patti and I had was that we're becoming "Yarn Snobs". Primarily because I am beginning to recognize the difference between "average" yarn (which again, is fine for most things) and "Yarn Store Yarn", which there is just something really special about that.

For instance, in the previous post I mentioned our freshly painted bathroom. It has a nautical theme and the colors are "Retro Colonial Blue" and some sort of mustard yellow, I can't remember it's fancy name. Both colors are very rich. So since I need practice in making washcloths, I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some "Sugar & Cream" which I think will be fine for some of my washcloths and also fine for our upcoming washcloth project.

But I couldn't really find the richness of color that I wanted, so I went to Nanncy's, and once again Michael didn't let me down. I wanted some yarn that was a little deeper in color, as these washcloths will be on the shelf in the bathroom. And while I couldn't get an exact match of what I was looking for, the yarn from Nanncy's was much closer than anything else I was able to find.

This is the bathroom........

This the yarn I bought from Nanncy's and it's JUST what I was looking for!

The moral of the story is that while it may cost you a couple of extra bucks, sometimes it's better to check out a "yarn store" to get exactly what you what. I can't wait to get these knitted up!!

My First Finished Washcloth (for me)

2009-01-25T16:18:00.000-06:00

So on Friday night we had dinner with my folks. My mom has been itching to learn to knit (you'd have to know my mom to know how funny this is, if you think I AM high-strung, you don't know high strung until you meet my mom, she isn't one for sitting down for very long, but she is REALLY impressed with our charity knitting and wants to get involved, so I'm hoping I can teach her) Anyway, I will capture that experience in a later post, the point is that I needed to show her "cast on" and "knit" only, I didn't want to get into "purl".

So since we (and when I say "we" I mean "Robert") just painted the bathroom, I thought this would be a good time for me to make some washcloths for myself, and a good time to practice washcloths. So I brought along some yellow "Sugar & Cream" yarn I just bought and some needles.

I didn't realize what a HUGE difference a few needle sizes can make, until I started this washcloth. They recommend a 7 for a reason.....I used a 10 and I could have easily ended up with a towel!!!

But at least I was able to show my mom the gist of "Knitting 101", and I threw it in the washer when I was done, it seemed to do well and it's in the dryer now...I'm anxious to see how well it holds up.

This is one of our dogs, Cooper, she LOVES to hop up on my lap when I'm knitting!!

Happy Knitters

2009-01-25T09:21:00.000-06:00

I was looking through our class pictures from our "Knitting 101 & 1o2" at Nanncy's Knit Works and it was so funny because since this was new for many of you, there was a lot of frowns & frustration............... but by week 2, I was able to capture some happy faces!!!

Knit TV

2009-01-25T07:34:00.000-06:00

I wanted to share with you that there is a LOT of knitting on TV, you probably haven't seen it though unless you are watching TV between 3 - 5 am!! We have Direct TV with a DVR but I'm sure that if you have "dish" or "comcast" or what ever cable provider you have you will be able to find some knitting shows. Just go to the "search" feature and type in "knit" and see what pops up.

There are 3 shows that I watch and they are on PBS, DIY Channel, and HGTV channel.

Knitting Daily
Knitty Gritty
Needle Arts with Shay Pendray

These shows are great for seeing stitch techniques, they talk about different yarns, and they show some great projects. Most patterns that you see on the show are available on their websites as well, so check it out!

Next Project....Washcloths

2009-01-21T22:24:00.001-06:00

Well we are winding down on our time for chemo caps. We will continue chemo caps through the end of February, so don't put away those circulars just yet.

Our next project will be Washcloths / Dishcloths and I am researching and collecting patterns as we speak.

I mailed a letter to the Sojourn Shelter (domestic violence shelter) today in hopes that they will want to be the recipients of our cloths!!! I know that washcloths were part of their "wish list" at Christmas.

I'm working on securing some yarn that is made for this sort of project but I don't have anything suitable yet. (Washcloth yarn should be specifically designed for wash/dish cloths so it can stand up to dirty dishes, dirty faces and the washing machine, and so the color won't fade. Sugar & Cream comes highest recommended. This yarn is relatively cheap, it's on sale right now at Michael's Craft store for $1 but the selection is slim so keep your eyes open.

WOW

2009-01-21T22:16:00.001-06:00

I had my Abe's Divas meeting tonight (http://www.abesdivas.blogspot.com/) and I walked out of there with 32 caps, so we will be over 50 caps to donate this month... that's fantastic!!!! I'm so proud of you guys! You're dedication to this project has been so amazing! Here here are some pics of the "pile of caps" from tonight!

Knitting 102 "chemo cap" graduates!!!

2009-01-14T22:27:00.001-06:00

Well ladies...you did it!! You finished (or almost finished) your caps tonight. From the feed back I'm getting (assuming your telling me the truth) you enjoyed our class and are glad you did it! I too, am glad that you took the time & effort to learn to knit for this great cause and I hope you continue your "knitting education".

I'm so tired right now, but I couldn't go to bed till I at least posted a few pics. I'm so proud of you guys. 2 weeks ago you hadn't even picked up a set of needles, and tonight you finished a hat that is going to keep a special woman warm & cozy....so thank you so much.

A special thank you to Michael from Nanncy's Knit Works. Thank you for hosting this for us and for sharing your knowledge & patience. I don't know too many men brave enough to be the only guy in a room with this many women armed with needles....so THANK YOU!!!

Finished Caps that will be donated later this month...(Not from class)

2009-01-12T18:58:00.003-06:00

3 days to finishing our hats.....I'm so excited

2009-01-11T20:52:00.000-06:00

Hi Gals,

3 days from now you'll be admiring your finished hat!!! Isn't that exciting!!! I think our first class went well and I hope you enjoyed it too.

I've only been knitting for a little over a year, so believe me, I understand your frustration!!! It's kinda tough in the beginning....figuring out if you've got the needle right for the stitch, trying to hold the needles so it isn't awkward, looking at this blob of yarn thinking "is this ever really going to be anything?"

All I can tell you is that while the first couple of projects are tough, you'll get through them and I'm hoping that you'll find a new passion like I did!!! Plus you have to think of the contribution your making, we can't cure cancer, but we can try to provide some comfort for some local ladies who are battling for their lives.

I'll see you all Wednesday and I can't wait to see how those "blobs" have shaped up into amazing chemo caps!

My Knit 101 Hat so far.....

2009-01-11T20:42:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty sure I have my 8 inches of "Rolled Brim Hat" for Wednesday's class . Here's my hat so far....

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

2009-01-11T20:19:00.001-06:00

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

2009-01-11T20:16:00.001-06:00

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

2009-01-11T20:09:00.000-06:00

Caps

2009-01-08T21:59:00.001-06:00

Knitting 101 Pictures at Nanncy's Knit Works

2009-01-08T21:46:00.000-06:00

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

2009-01-08T21:41:00.000-06:00

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

2009-01-08T21:38:00.000-06:00

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

2009-01-08T21:35:00.000-06:00

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

2009-01-08T21:31:00.000-06:00

Knitting 101 Pictures

2009-01-08T21:18:00.000-06:00

What we do....

2009-01-08T21:11:00.000-06:00

We are a local group of knitters in Springfield, Illinois who create projects to knit for charity. We're brand new but there's been so much interest and support, this is just the beginning!
Currently we are all knitters, but we welcome crocheter's and sewer's as well!

Our first project has been "chemo caps" for the local "Network of Strength" organization who assists women with breast cancer. To date , we've donated 35 caps!!

January 7th we had a "knitting 101" class graciously hosted by Michael at Nanncy's Knit Works on Wabash. So many people were excited about this project, but they needed to learn how to knit first. We had 17 people in class and we all had so much fun. Can't wait to see how the hats turn out!!!

If your interested in creating for charity, please contact Tracie at MiggyLane@aol.com

Springfield Stitches for a Cause

Ronald McDonald House Project

Latest Project...all things "Cancer Ribbon"

Baby Blankets for Mini O Beirne

Helping Hands

Helping hand donation...so far

Generosity

I just couldn't wait....

Field trip to the Alpaca Farm in Petersburg!!!

So far

It's Official....

Next Project

Preemie Caps

August Meeting

More...

Preemie Caps

SO Stinkin Cute I can't stand it!!!

Preemie Cap Pictures

My First Preemie Cap

Donated yarn

Preemie Caps....

Washcloths!!!

Next Meeting

A few things....

Washcloth count

Wish list...

Supplies!!!

WASHCLOTHS!!!

Teaching kids to knit....

It's Official....the washcloth project

Caps for Kids.....

Meeting Notes

Tentative Meeting Scheduled......

Group Picture at McDonalds

Picture Day

"The" Boy Free / Dog Free Craft Room

Choosing yarn for Washcloths..... Variegated???

Recommended Reading

Yarn Snob

My First Finished Washcloth (for me)

Happy Knitters

Knit TV

Next Project....Washcloths

WOW

Knitting 102 "chemo cap" graduates!!!

Finished Caps that will be donated later this month...(Not from class)

3 days to finishing our hats.....I'm so excited

My Knit 101 Hat so far.....

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

Caps

Knitting 101 Pictures at Nanncy's Knit Works

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

Knitting 101 at Nanncy's Knit Works

Knitting 101 Pictures

What we do....