Mission Statement

Operations for Bridge and Beyond will cease on Dec 31, 2021, last mailing date should be Dec 24th

GOAL FOR AFGHANS

Afghans
Goal: 30
Start: #24
Current: 26
0.8666%
START
END

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Hard Life, Hovel, Homeless, and more, So SAD

 On our worst days, we have no clue how hard life can be.  How hard life can be living on the streets, waiting out the day to get a night in a shelter.
Trying to just take a rest......leaning up against a tree.  

Blogging in Alphabetical Order, today is the letter H.
So many words that start with the letter H having to do with Homelessness:
HARD LIFE.

HOVEL
 hov·el
ˈhəvəl,ˈhävəl/
noun
  1. 1.
    a small, squalid, unpleasant, or simply constructed dwelling.
These pictures were taken in Southern California.  A hovel indeed.  Basically cardboard boxes and plywood put together.  These space was the home of 3 children (in their teens).  Near by was a mobile home where the parents lived.  The teens lived in this hovel for 4 years among feces, had no running water or electric.  The parents were arrested and the children then got care; but.....many across the country do live like this, in self made shelters; or abandoned buildings or pieces of buildings.  Horrible and sad.

So many H words, one is hunger, one is humiliation.  

We do the best we can do, we knit and we crochet and we loom.  We donate our time, to warm others physically.  We do our best to make a difference, to improve the existence of humanity.

We here on Bridge and Beyond do our best by giving what we can to the homeless.


**The counts on our progress bars are current. All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Knitting and Crocheting in Rhode Island helps Ohio's Homeless

 Thank you Mary H for this thoughtful donation of crocheted and knitted hats and scarves.  I especially like the knitted hats with stretchy brims.  That particular style fits lots of different head sizes.  Nice dark solid colors also.
Mary's been busy, as you can see with both her knitting needles and her crochet hook there in the state of Rhode Island, The Plantation State, or The Ocean State, or Lil' Rhode.  I found it interesting, Mary's state had so many nicknames.  The Plantation State seemed most surprising to me, as I think of the South and Plantations.  But, apparently...It's full name, back in the day was State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation.  Such a big name, long name for such a small state.

Thank you Mary for your support here on Bridge and Beyond and Ohio's homeless.  

**The counts on our progress bars are current. All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Friday, May 4, 2018

Donald Gould, Homeless in Sarasota Florida



Sharing this wonderful story.  Please turn on your volume and enjoy this music and story.  A veteran, who lost his wife in 1998; ended up on the street plays for tips.  AND then........

Someone filmed him and it went viral.  This was several years ago, he's now married and working and no longer homeless.

**The counts on our progress bars are current.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Thursday, May 3, 2018

FEAR, Fibers and Fun Colors Matter

 FEAR!  Fear is real and powerful in all humans; but especially so with homeless.  Fear of the police, fear of standing out in a crowd, fear of perhaps other homeless.
 FEAR of losing your few meager positions.  Fear of being told you can't sit there, fear of being told you can't sleep there.  Fear of the weather and how you fair through the night.
FEAR is real, it's powerful and it's something all Homeless people deal with 24 x 7.  Notice how in all these pictures their faces are covered, or they look away...they don't want to stand out in a crowd.  They want to blend in, they want and often need to be invisible.  Why?  For their own protection.  In each of tabs across the top of the blog for items we knit/crochet and donate, there is information regarding size, color, and fibers needed to assure our donations meet the needs of those we serve.

It's been awhile since I've stressed this, but it's important to visit it again.  We have new helping hands here on Bridge and Beyond.  Perhaps we have new readers as well.  Fibers do matter.  In each tab I indicated it's important to stay away from non washable wool........why?  Because a homeless person, even one lucky enough to get a night here and there in a shelter doesn't have means to do "special" laundry.  
 I indicate it's important to stay away from suede, and other novelty/fun fibers.  Why?  Because they don't hold up, they require special care.  They may be fun for us to work with; but it's important donations work for those we serve over our personal desires.  You can't beat good old knitted worsted acrylic yarn for durability.  Yes...it's harder on our hands, then say a nice wool; but the fiber needs to meet the needs of the homeless.  Fun colors...oh my look at the yummy colors in the fiber pictures.  We all love to knit and crochet or loom with fun fibers both in texture and color.............BUT, fun fibers and fun colors do not meet the needs of the homeless as well as a nice dark blue, or green, or gray or brown.  Dark purple certainly meets the need over a gorgeous soft pink.

PLEASE, as the tabs say avoid white, avoid pastels, avoid open Lacey stitches in your donations.  If you can put your finger through the stitches in the hat/scarf (like the granny square type stitches), they aren't a good choice for keeping warm for homeless living out in the elements.  

Muted colors, solid colors, minimal stripes work best for our homeless friends.  

Fun colors, bright colors, cheery colors work fine for the afghans that we package for The Welcome Home Pouches given to families as they transition from shelter living to their permanent housing situation. 

Please Think about the fibers you choice to make your donations with.  Fibers do Matter, and the fiber colors you choice can reduce FEAR our homeless friends endure.

**The counts on our progress bars are current. All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Ends, Blogging Alphabetically

Image result for tucking in ends in crochet
How do you weave in, tuck in your ends when you're crocheting?  This is a concern when changing color, when you come to the end of a skein of yarn, and especially when your crocheted item is complete.  Sadly, it's not uncommon for me to receive donations sometimes where this hasn't been done.  I use all 3 of these methods.......but most often I use the first one listed when finishing an item.  

  1. Weave through the stitches. Run that needle through a couple stitches, change directions and run it vertically, then weave it in the opposite direction. ...
  2. Whipstitch the stitches. ...
  3. Weave as you crochet

When I receive items that have ends sticking out, tails at the end of the finished item; they do not get donated as quickly.  They are laid aside until I can take the time to finish the item by working in the ends.  Sometimes, an item that wasn't quite finished with a tail hanging has started to unravel and needs to be fixed.  Thankfully, not often.

When knitting, I do pretty the same thing......but, if you have a stretchy piece here's a u-tube video that shows a method I also use
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-p4qsiyuI8

The important thing is, to NOT tie a knot and cut...and to not leave tails dangling so your item looks unfinished and or unravels.

The other important thing to note in the 3 methods listed above...the lack of tying a knot and cutting the yarn very close to the knot.  When I receive items that this method was used, they require more work on my part before they can be donated.  In a few cases, I've unraveled and added some of my yarn in order to make a good finish that will not unravel with heavy use.



**The counts on our progress bars are current. All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Donating Cotton Wash Clothes

Cotton Wash Clothes Galore!!!  Thank you Marlene R from North Dakota for this thoughtful donation for Ohio's Homeless.  Marlene has included wash clothes in many different sizes and colors.  Most are crocheted, but some are knitted as well.  I'm particularly fond of the brown sorta camo knitted washcloths.  

Cotton wash clothes have several purposes as they reach those we serve here on Bridge and Beyond.  They are used for both body and dishes by those who live out in the elements, they are used by those who get a night here and there in the shelters for showering, and they used by those transitioning from shelter living to permanent housing.

Marlene is our newest pair of helping hands here on Bridge and Beyond and we hope to see here often.  Please keep up the good work.

**The counts on our progress bars are current. All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.zes

Where are You and Your Yarn From?

I'm trying to identify where everyone is from, partially for fun. Take a look at the map. Also, believe it will aid me in cases where we have several people with the same name. Please look at the lists of bloggers and non bloggers and see if I have the state you hail from. If not, please leave a comment and let me know.

Additionally, we've had help from Scotland, England, Germany Puerto Rico, Canada, and France! They don't appear on the map, but their help is still greatly appreciated.

Where The People Who Donate Come From, is your state represented?