Donations for Ohio all the way From Germany

Thank you Katie B from Germany for your donation of knitted hats, and cotton washcloths.  Please click to enlarge the picture (which is something you can always do here on the blog) to see the detail in the blue cotton cloth on the left.  Love that design Katie.  What pattern did you use?

Thank you for your on going support of our homeless here in Ohio, we surely appreciate it.

2013 working calendar is not yet posted, but our focus for January is slippers.  Please see slipper tab.

**Please avoid the use of white, off-white, tan, and beige in your donations.  Laundry is not often an easy option for those we donate to, so colors that don't show the dirty easily are best.**

Donations: 2012 

Hats 1013+11=1024  (55 more hats then we donated last year)
Scarves: 662  (191 scarves over what we donated last year)
Slippers: 148 (20 over last year)
Sweaters, Ponchos, Shawls, vests:9
Afghans: 51  (4 short of last year)
Mittens: 299 (41 more then last year)
Squares: 966 (114 more then last year)
Socks: 280 (53 less pairs then last year)
Rain Poncho's 213 (3 less then last year)
Cotton Washcloths 570+4=572 (283 more donated then last year)
Misc Items are not counted individually (such as personal care items, headbands, gators, yarn, wrist warmers/fingerless gloves, face-masks, neck warmers, t-shirts, soap, deodorant, shampoo, toothbrushes, hand and foot warmers Teddy Bears and footies etc)

**I will continue to add numbers to the years totals after Dec 31st, so all donations received by years end will be counted in the year they are received.  Since each donation is a day, they will be some over flow into January.  Thus year end numbers won't be finalized until then.*




All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Hats to Warm Heads of Ohio's Homeless from Germany

 Sorry folks for the quality of the color in this photo, not sure if it was funky lighting or what.  Hopefully though you can still see all the wonderful colors of hats our friend, Katie B from Germany crocheted and sent.  These hats are fantastic, they're nice and heavy.  Katie is this a pattern you can share with the rest of us?  They fill like they're 2 hats in one, and I think she used lots of front post double crochets?I puffed up the yellow and green hat so you could see them standing up, so to speak to see the design.  I also rolled the brim on those, but these hats can be worn either way.

These hats are sized nicely for the ladies, and or older female teens.

Many thanks Katie for your on going support when you're so far away.  We truly appreciate it, and we appreciate you and your husbands service to this country of our.  If you've not read this before when visiting the Bridge and Beyond, Katie's husband is stationed on an Army base in Germany.

Keep up the good work, Katie.  I tip my hat to you.

Donations: 2012
Hats 745+23=768
Scarves: 499
Slippers: 144
Shawls: 2
Sweaters& Ponchos: 4
Vest 1
Afghans: 34
Mittens: 278
Squares: 717
Socks: 193
Rain Poncho's 209
Cotton Washcloths 452
Misc Items are not counted individually (such as personal care items, headbands, gators, yarn, wrist warmers/fingerless gloves, face-masks, neck warmers, t-shirts, soap, deodorant, shampoo, toothbrushes, hand and foot warmers Teddy Bears and footies etc)

Looking for emails for Sharon, Joyce, June, Andrea, Carol, Julie, Karin, Rhonda, and Ryan, Kim K from Texas, and June C from Wisconsin, and Joyce H from Kansas.     PLEASE folks if your name is listed here and you recently mailed items...I need you to make contact.  Leave a comment here with your email addy and or email directly at sandycrochet@gmail.com

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

My Hats off to you, Katie in Germany

Katie B has knitted and crochet and donated 40 hats. Hats in a variety of sizes and colors. All fabulously made to warm the cold in need people here in Ohio all the way from Germany! Katie we love having your skilled hands help us with the cause of giving to those who need help.

A hat is such an important item to have. A hat can make a huge difference in how warm and or dry you are. We loose lots of heat through our head. There is some controversy about how much heat we loose when our heads not covered. Scientist originally thought one lost about 45% of the body's heat when not wearing a hat; some no longer believe the percentage is quite that high; but all do agree it is ESSENTIAL for survival outdoors. Add that it can keep you dryer, add that it can keep you from ear aches....and you can see how important a hat is to someone living outdoors, under a bridge...asleep in an alley. Many people in need also wear hats in doors, even if they're lucky enough to have a roof over their heads.....because often they live without proper heat.

Thank you Katie for your thoughtful donation, we surely appreciate all you do.

2012 Donations:
Hats: 398+40=438
Scarves: 247
Slippers: 79
Shawls: 2
Sweaters 3
Vest 1
Afghans: 22
Mittens: 147
Squares: 345
Socks: 116
Rain Poncho's 183
Cotton Washcloths 354
Misc Items are not counted individually (such as personal care items, headbands, gators, yarn, wrist warmers/fingerless gloves, facemasks, neck warmers, t-shirts, soap, deodorant, shampoo, toothbrushes etc)

We've been sharing stories...about why we donate. If you've not read them, please do. And when you read them, please leave a comment so we know you were there/here. Remember you do not need to be a blogger to leave comments. And leaving comments, spending time on the blog reading does help the blog.

**Sharing stories about why we donate:
My story Here
Wendy H tells here story HERE
Sandie P's story HERE
Diana K's story HERE
Sue F tells her story HERE
Sherry K tells her story HERE
Katie's story is HERE


All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Why Katie B. Donates, all the way from Germany!

About a week ago I posted about why I donate and asked you to share with us why you do. What motivates you. Though clearly we all have the common denominator of wanting to help others, we do have some different internal reason that keep us all going. If you missed reading these inspiring stories, please take a minute and click to catch up. If you've not shared with us your inspiration, please send me an email and let me know.

**Sharing stories about why we donate:
My story Here
Wendy H tells here story HERE
Sandie P's story HERE
Diana K's story HERE
Sue F tells her story HERE
Sherry K tells her story HERE

And now you can read why Katie B, who's on a military base in Germany crochets and donates by sending her items here to Ohio to help the homeless.

I first learned to crochet about 4 years ago when my boyfriend (now husband) joined the Army and was sent to Basic Training. I started with just simple granny squares and after I made enough to complete an afghan I realized that I couldn't keep making items for myself or family members all the time. So I went on the Internet and looked for charities that accepted crochet items. I loved the concept of HAP which provides afghans to wounded soldiers. People send in rectangles and they use 49 in each blanket so each blanket could potentially have rectangles from 49 different people. Working on rectangles kept me occupied when Andrew was away.

Once we were married and sent to our duty station in Germany I had to adjust to military life. It was and still is hard to deal with your life revolving around the military all the time. Sometimes I just need an escape from it so I decided to focus instead on another charity and somehow I found Bridge and Beyond. I think I read about it on Crochetville. I like how so many different items are accepted so that way I don't get bored making the same thing all the time.

Crocheting is such a good stress reliever for me. Helping out others while doing something I love is a win win situation.

**Thank you for finding us Katie, and thank you to you and your husband for your service to our country.**

The Pink Lilly is my favorite of all my Lillies, because it's heavenly scent. I look forward to this one blooming every year. This picture is from last year. The rabbits I can't seem to get rid of have totally eaten this one to the nub...so, it's not going to bloom this year. Anyone want to come hunting in my backyard....Rabbit Stew Perhaps?

****I'd also like to mention here that HAP is a closed group, and is in fact soon to shut down for a variety of reasons. Thought I should mention that in case anyone was thinking of searching them out.****

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Donation from Germany!

WOOT WOOT! Look at this marvelous donation of crocheted goodies that came all the way from Germany! Our good friend, Katie B. has done it again. She crocheted and donated 33 cotton washcloths, 7 scarves, and 10 hats (some of the hats are knitted). Many thanks Katie for your on going support of the cause, and I love the nice dark scarves. Navy blue works so well for men or women. These are nicely sized for adults too, double bonus.

Katie has just recently started a blog folks. I've removed her name from the non bloggers list and added her to the bloggers list with the link to her new blog. Please hop over and introduce yourself to her. Everyone loves blog visitors and comments on their blogs. Thank you also Katie for adding our Bridge and Beyond Badge to your blog with link here, much appreciate it.

Please pass along our thanks to your husband for his service to his country.
2012 Donations:
Hats: 361+10=371
Scarves: 223+8=231
Slippers: 68
Shawls: 2
Sweaters 3
Vest 1
Afghans: 22
Mittens: 147
Squares: 344
Socks: 116
Rain Poncho's 183
Cotton Washcloths 302+33=335
Misc Items are not counted individually (such as personal care items, headbands, gators, yarn, wrist warmers/fingerless gloves, facemasks, neck warmers, t-shirts, soap, deodorant, shampoo, toothbrushes etc)


All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Donations from Germany!

If you've been reading post lately, you know our Dear Friend, Katie B sends knitted and crocheted goodies all the way from a military base in Germany. If that doesn't make you believe in the goodness in people......I don't know what will. Thank you, Thank you Katie for remember your roots back here in Ohio and thank you to you and your husband for serving abroad. We are lucky to have people like the two of you serving us.

Katie's on going support of our cause is soooooooooooo awesome. She's crocheted and donated 10 cotton washcloths, 6 scarves, and 11 hats. Katie...you ROCK!

2012 Donations:
Hats: 290+11=301
Scarves: 187+6=193
Slippers: 65
Shawls: 2
Sweaters 3
Vest 1
Afghans: 22
Mittens: 135
Squares: 280
Socks: 106
Rain Poncho's 154
Cotton Washcloths 144+10=154
Misc Items are not counted individually (such as personal care items, headbands, gators, yarn, wrist warmers/fingerless gloves, facemasks, neck warmers, t-shirts etc)

**Reminder folks to tuck in your tails, best to do that as you work rather then leaving them til the end. Working them in as you go makes the item more finished and more secure. **


All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Crocheted Donatation from Military Base in Germany

A donation all the way from Germany! Our good friend Katie B has done it again with this wonderful thoughtful crocheted donation of 7 scarves, a pair of mittens, 5 hats, and 4 cotton washcloths! Wow, all the way from a military base in Germany!! Many many thanks Katie. We're thrilled to have your special help. Please keep up the good work.

I'll be telling you about several fun numbers to report/milestone if you will, in the up coming posts. Today, this post you're reading is our 700th post! Folks that's super exciting to me and hopefully it is to you as well. Very few of those posts contain something other then good news. These posts written, scheduled appear daily (less often in our early days), represent the good work you've all done with your crochet hooks, your knitting needles, and your knitting looms. These post reflect how big hearted, kind, and caring you all are to take your time, your talent to knit and crochet...then to box it up and pay postage to donate your items to those in need. Men, Women, and Children in desperate circumstances, some living on the streets, some in temporary situations in shelters. Keep up the good work and please join me in being please we've hit another milestone. 700 blog post.

2012 Donations:
Hats: 236+5=241
Scarves: 139+7=146
Slippers: 64
Shawls: 2
Sweaters 3
Vest 1
Afghans: 19
Mittens: 133+1=134
Squares: 203
Socks: 106
Rain Poncho's10
Cotton Washcloths 27+4=31
Misc Items are not counted individually (such as personal care items, headbands, gators, yarn, wrist warmers/fingerless gloves, facemasks, neck warmers, t-shirts etc)


All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!

Help for Ohio's Homeless from GERMANY

This donation comes all the way from Germany, from a military base (Schweinfurt Army Base) no less. That is soooooo awesome to me. Thank you Thank you Katie B, you are awesome! 9 scarves (though a few missed getting in the picture), found them afterwards. 11 hats, wonderful thick and warm hats too, and 15 cotton washcloths. Everything is fabulous and I truly was speechless when I opened this package.

Scarves 218+9=227
Hats 418+11=429
Mittens (gloves) 113
Socks 80
Slippers 55
Ghans 29 (2 went to Pine Street Earlier)
Squares 274
Sweaters 5
Ponchos 50
Cotton Washcloths 62+15=77

I hope everyone thinks of Katie and all other military personnel tomorrow especially since it's our Nations Birthday. Thank you Katie for your thoughtful donation, and thank you for your service!

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated, and all donations keep someone warm. We help, one stitch at a time. YOU truly DO make a difference. THANK YOU!