Smiles at the End of the RAINBOW

During the month of January we had the opportunity to have a partnership with some darling and caring young children from Rainbow Day Care. These darling little ones are reaching out to others. They are giving out smiles at the end of the Rainbow. Having just finished celebrating Christmas with their families, they continued through the guidance of their teacher Erika to keep the "spirit" of Christmas alive. Their lessons for the month of January focused on caring and giving to those less fortunate. To begin to learn about people being homeless. How wonderful to teach the spirit of giving to others at such a young age. They kept their Christmas Tree up and adorned it with hats, mittens, etc. for children. They asked who might not have these items, and who might wear the items they donated. They discussed the fact that little girls would probably wear the pink hats, and boys the blue hats. They helped their teacher count their donations. Lots of good life lessons being taught here; as well as the wonderful help for homeless.........Children helping children how sweet is that!

The kids collected 39 pairs of mittens/gloves and 17 hats. Think how wonderful it is that, that many children can now be warmed.

While I'd love to show you those smiling giving faces, to protect the children am posting a picture of their giving tree so beautifully decorated with their thoughtful donations. The children have continued to learn about those in need by moving onto their next project of collecting canned goods to help those who are hungry.

Here you can see all the cute hats the children collected.
And look how many pairs of hands can be warmed!

Thank you Erika for spearheading this wonderful and worthwhile project at Rainbow Day Care, and THANK YOU CHILDREN! You are all awesome.

2011
Scarves 43
Hats 78+17=95
Mittens (gloves) 14+39=53
Socks 13
Slippers 5
Ghans 6
Squares 146

Photo's taken and blog posts written and in que for donations from: Sandie from LA, Sandy (me), Eve, Phyllis, Stephanie, Trudy, Sally, Suzy, Cecile, and Amy. Please check back and enjoy the pictures of their lovely donations.

***Need to track down YNC from Virginia, I don't know who that is. If you're out there,please sing out. Without a note in the box am unsure who this is***

Please remember 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. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!

Crocheted Granny Squares

YIPPEE, more wonderful squares to add to others and make more warm afghans for those folks at Faith Mission. Those Mothers and Children who receive them will be thrilled. Many thanks Liz (minnisoda in Crochetville) crocheted these 35 granny squares. Love the colors, love the patterns and know they will be easy to incorporate as I begin designing next time.

Trying to wrap up the counting etc of the squares received for our 3 month Give a Square Program. It will not go away, just be dormant for a time period. Please feel free to continue knitting or crocheting your squares, but hold mailing until I send up a flag.

Have you noticed the new tab across the top, or the new badge in the sidebar? Toasty Tootsies Project will be our February Focus.

Stay tuned for final numbers from January's Rainbow Project.

Photo's taken and blog posts written and in que for donations from: Sandie from LA, Sandy (me), Eve, Phyllis, Stephanie, Trudy, Sally, Sarah S, Suzy, Marie Anne, Cecile, and Amy. Please check back and enjoy the pictures of their lovely donations.

***Need to track down YNC from Virginia, I don't know who that is. If you're out there,please sing out. Without a note in the box am unsure who this is***


2011
Scarves 43
Hats 75
Mittens 1
Socks 11
Slippers 5
Ghans 6
Squares 93+35=128
Fingerless gloves 10

Please remember 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. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!

WOW

WOW! Another month has passed us by. "Give a Square" is currently hibernating. It will be re-activated again, please keep knitting and crocheting squares and lay them aside for now. I need to assemble some of those ghans I've designed from your squares, AND design a few more. Please keep checking back to see our total number of squares (I have more to add to get our totals that came while I was out of town), and see how many ghans we have designed and ready to assemble...as well as how many ghans we've donated. You are all AWESOME.

PLEASE don't forget January, (that ended yesterday) was the month of our Rainbow Project were we joined forces with children from a local day care. The kids collected hats and mittens to add to our efforts. I'm hoping to make connections later this week to pick up their donations and let you all know what was collected.

February kicks off our slipper focus. As you know, if you've been reading the blog for awhile we knit and crochet and collect hats, mittens, scarves, and slippers all year long........But, we do like to highlight something each month in case you're needing a suggestion of what to make. Typically, it's the item most in need or items we're lowest on at the time. Slippers for February please. Slippers; knitted or crocheted primarily for the mothers and their children at Faith Mission (living in temporary housing due to homelessness and or being abused); but our mothers and children being treated at the 2 free clinics are also in need of warm comfortable feet. The men who are lucky enough to get a night in doors through Faith Mission could also use slippers---wearing the slippers might give them a chance to wash or dry the socks they've been wearing. So, slippers for men, women, and children. Warm, mostly solid (not lacey) are best for comfort and warmth. Due to being out of town, I don't yet have slippers patterns to post; but will be adding those if you don't have a pattern you like. Please check back.

Photo's taken and blog posts pending for donations from: Minnisoda, Sandie from LA, Eve, Yvonne, Phyllis, Stephanie, Trudy, Brenda, Sally and Amy. Please check back and enjoy the pictures of their lovely donations.

Please remember 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. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!

Can you believe this is our 326 post!

Vacation Ghan for Homeless

My darling daughter started this ghan over her Thanksgiving break when she came to visit for a few days, and picked it up again when she returned for Christmas. Thus my naming it, vacation ghan. She crocheted it in stripes using a variety of stitches. The variegated stripes are v-stitch, and the vertical stripes are a combination of double crochet (green), and shells with front post double crochet (cream, burgundy, and dusty rose).
Wanted to show you her progress. Once she got the variegated stripes done she got the idea for the shells and began crocheting the vertical portion.
She made wonderful headway before she had to head back to St. Louis. I'll be finishing it up for her by joining the sections and completing the last section of shells, and doing something about a border.
What a wonderful way to spend one's vacation, making something for someone else. This ghan will go to Faith Mission.

Thank you darling daughter. Wish you could have stayed longer. Thank you for your thoughtful donation and giving your time.

2011
Scarves 16
Hats 20
Mittens 0
Socks 0
Slippers 3
Ghans 0
Squares 41

Remember we have 2 programs this month, the end of Give a Square and the very special Rainbow Project.

Please remember 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. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!

More goodies for the homeless

Our long time supporter and friend, Sandie has sent a beautiful turquoise scarf and 2 interesting crocheted squares. I LOVE the color, sooooooooo pretty. The black and red stripe will also get put to good use. I'll be adding these squares to those I have on hand and soon be designing another ghan. Remember squares are being accepted for our Give a Square Program until the end of this month. (details in side bar)

2011
Scarves 15+1=16
Hats 20
Mittens 0
Socks 0
Slippers 3
Ghans 0
Squares 39+2=41

Have you read about our special RainBow Project for the month of January? If not, please do.

Please remember 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. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!

Stage Two, Bright Blocks for Faith Mission

Am enjoying working on stage 2 of this bright block ghan from crocheted squares from Anne, Carol, Pat, and Kris. Edging all squares in sc, then joining, then edging a strip again for a larger border, then joining those stripes. It's coming along nicely. By the time you read this scheduled post; am hoping to have another ghan designed and be working on the colorful knitted block ghan.

Give a Square continues through out the month of January, so you still have time to get squares in. AND don't forget about our special "Rainbow Project".

2011
Scarves 15
Hats 20
Mittens 0
Socks 0
Slippers 3
Ghans 0
Squares 39


Please remember 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. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!

Every color of the Rainbow to warm and cheer those in need

Rose Marie has done it again! Many many thanks Rose Marie for your bright and cheery and very colorful donation. Rose Marie crocheted 4 hat and scarf sets, 20 crocheted squares, and 3 knitted squares. I'll add the squares and rectangles to the collection I have and soon will be designing another afghan for those folks at Faith Mission.

Don't you love the pretty yellow, bright turquoise, orange and green? Believe the girls will really enjoy these. Without knowing it, you chosen colors that really make a person think of Rainbows. How cool is that.

Please keep those hooks and needles busy, the need is great. Thank You all.

2011
Scarves 11+4=15
Hats 12+4=16
Mittens 0
Socks 0
Slippers 3
Ghans 0
Squares 16+23=39

**Give a Square runs til the end of this Month**
****Have you read about our Rainbow Project?****

Please remember 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. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!

It's 2011, there are still Homeless

Before we begin yet another year of knitting, crocheting, and looming for the homeless wanted to discuss a few important issues--the business side of things.

We launched Give a Square, with the idea of it being a 2 month period (Nov and Dec of 2010). My thought was focusing on squares for a given period of time would give us the ability to spread our wings a bit, but keep things manageable in terms of squares piling up here for me to assemble. Once they were assembled they would be given to Faith Mission. They house mothers and children in temporary housing (apartments), who've been abused and or homeless. They have 20 such apartments. I thought it would be nice to donate 20 afghans, lapghans and have a few extra that they would have on hand to give out as others moved in (plus some families need more then one ghan). Once folks move in they work hard to get them back into society; find permanent housing, jobs etc. They could take their ghans with them as house warming gifts. To date we've donated 10 finished ghans and have (at the time of writing this scheduled post) 1 in the works, with 2 others designed waiting in the wings with other squares still on hand. My current thought is we will continue to collect squares throughout the month of January. The Give a Square program will not go away, it will be and off and on program. From time to time I'll re-activate it, based on the number of squares I have on hand etc. So, feel free to continue to make squares and keep your eyes peeled for posts indicating it's time to mail them. Each month I'll select an item to be highlighted; but we will continue to collect all items. The purpose of the highlighted item is to give people an idea of what to make if they're unsure what they want to make. To give us a focus. Typically it will be the item we've collected the least of--or where the greatest need is at that time. With that in mind Janaury's focus will be our "Rainbow Project".

Important Reminders:

Please remember not to knot and cut yarn when knitting and crocheting. When I receive items with knots I worry about them coming apart, and therefore take time to do a bit of repairing before I can deliver them to those in need. When changing yarn, always leave a tail (even if you do knot), and work into your work. With squares work in all tails except the last one please.

Please refrain from using loose stitches, as the items we make need to keep people warm in cold damp conditions, often outdoors for hours.

Please remember to include a note with your name and email ady, your blog url, or your ID from facebook, or Rav, or Crochetville, or wherever it is we've connected. I really do get confused sometimes with folks using different ID's in different groups.

For the month of January, we will partner with a daycare in the area to collect hats and mittens. I was contacted by a local daycare that does a service project during the month of January. The children collect hats and mittens for other children. This is a learning opportunity for them, to learn children their age have less then they do and to be able to help them. We will include their hats and mittens in our donations. I'm calling this project The Rainbow Project. Because they are children, their hats and mittens will be store bought, but our focus will remain knitted and crocheted, hand made. How sweet is that, children helping children! So think children, think rainbow colors, right and cheery if you're unsure what you want to make during the month of January. Hats and Mittens for children will be our January focus.

**Pending donations from Helen, Joy, Sandie, RoseMarie, and Louise to kick off 2011** Keep checking in, leave comments when you admire each other's work. Everyone likes to read nice words about their time consuming donation. And, spending time on the blog, leaving comments on the blog helps the blog's placement which is helpful in people finding us. Hint hint.

Please remember 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. It truly DOES make a difference. THANK YOU!