Happy New Year

WOW, it's been a busy year, hard to believe it's now 2012 and the year 2011 is behind us. We've accomplished alot through out this year folks. We've been featured in Crochet Magazine, we've been linked on a few more blogs, we've reached donation levels sufficient enough to add additional groups to those we help. A very successful year...who's count continues

**There are donations from minnisoda (Liz), Bridget, Yvonne, Barb-Peggy-Janice and Susan from St. Louis pending as I write this scheduled post. Their items have been received and will be counting in the 2011 totals; but as you know there's a new post each day highlighting someone's donation........they are scheduled ahead and therefore their items will appear Next Year (2012)...as will others that come from the time this post was actually written (12-16) til the end of the year.

PLEASE take time, (even if you've been here looking around on the blog before), new items to see. Check out the updated working calendar, read the tabs titled, Mittens, Scarves, Hats, Hats, and Give a Square.

2011 Donations:

Scarves 473
Hats 969
Mittens 258
Socks 333
Squares 852
Rain Ponchos 216
Cotton Washcloths 345
Sweaters/Poncho's 11
Slippers 128
Afghans 55 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)
Misc Items I've not counted misc items like all the personal care items, the neck warmers, head bands, shawl, hot packs, or yarn etc.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO'VE DONATED AND OR HELPED BEHIND THE SCENES TO MAKE 2011 SO SUCCESSFUL: (I've gone back through the whole year of posts to compile this list, please let me know if I've left someone out).

Adrienne
Alexis
Amy
Angie M.
Anne G.
AnneMarie
Barb from St. Louis
Barb (not St. Louis, last initial?)
Barbara
Becky
Beth
Betty B.
Bonnie B.
Bridget
Bunny
Carol S.
Cheryl B.
Cheryl G.
Cheryl S.
Chizoba
Christine (my darling daughter)
Chuck (my older brother)
Cindy
Connie S.
Damaris
DaMarys
Deborah K.
Denise F
Diana H.
Diane K.
Dolores W.
Elaine
Evelyn
Frank
Gail B.
Gloria
Helen
Jackie M.
James
Jan (my SIL)
Janice in St. Louis
Jeanette
Jen
Jenny S.
Jennifer T.
Jessica
Joanie B.
Jodi
Joy
Judy L.
Karen A.
Karen H.
Katie B.
Kathy G.
Kathy S.
Kevin (my fabulous neighbor who takes care of the mail in my absence)
Kim J.
Laurie
Linda M.
Liz
Lois (Knotty Knitters)
Louise
Lucille(Knotty Knitters)
Lynn (my friend who makes deliveries for us to Holy Family, Vinton Co, and several schools)
Lynne (Knotty Knitters)
Marie Anne
Marilyn P.
Marilyn W.
Mary A.
Mary H.
Mary (? unsure if this is one of the Mary's above)
Melissa
Melody (Knotty Knitters)
Nancy
Nelda
Niki
Nikki S.
Nola
Panther
Pat E.
Patty L.
Patty S.
Paula K.
Pauline B.
Peggy P.
Peggy in St. Louis
Penny(Knotty Knitters)
Phyllis
Phyllis G (unsure if same as above Phyllis)
Rae (lady who makes deliveries to our Bridge People and 2 free clinics and YWCA family shelter)
Rajani
Rebeccah
Robbie (never identified in order to contact)
RoseMarie
Sacha
Sally
Sandie (from Louisiana)
Sandie (from Florida)
Sandy (me, the 3rd Sandy)
Sara R.
Sara T.
Sarah S
Sharlet
Sherri I.
Sherry K.
Shirley
Stephanie
Sue F.
Sue H.
Sue V.K.
Suzy D.
Suzann W
Tammy
Theresa M.
Theresa S.
Tracy F.
Trudy
Unidentified Donor from the State of Washington
Vickie
Yvonne S.

**Includes names for those who's post and donations are up and coming, but still counted in the year 2011 totals**

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 France

This is post #598
How fitting it seems to me that this post #598 is from Sacha in France! Why? This is the last post in the year 2011, this is post #598 which is an awesome number and a donation from our friend, Sacha in France truly shows how far we've come. The blog has reached many people and therefore been able to help many people. These fabulous hats (11), slippers, and hood/scarf combo are beautifully made. Many many thanks Sacha for your on going support of our cause here in Ohio. I'm so thrilled we've gotten to know each other this past year and look forward to getting to know each other better in the coming year. Sacha and I met over on The Hive (link in sidebar). Sacha sells many of her wares and her own patterns. Please check out her page HERE.

I LOVE her hats with the 2 colors, click to enlarge. The crown is swirled with the funky and funky texture change, then back to a wonderful ribbing.

**There are donations from minnisoda (Liz), Yvonne, Barb-Peggy-Janice and Susan from St. Louis pending as I write this scheduled post. There items have been received and will be counting in the 2011 totals; but as you know there's a new post each day highlighting someone's donation........they are scheduled ahead and therefore their items will appear Next Year (2012)...as will others that come from the time this post was actually written (12-16) and the end of the year.

2011 Donations:

Scarves 472+1=473
Hats 963+9=969
Mittens 258
Socks 333
Squares 852
Rain Ponchos 216
Cotton Washcloths 345
Sweaters/Poncho's 11
Slippers 127+1=128
Afghans 55 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)
Misc Items I've not counted misc items like all the personal care items, the neck warmers, head bands, shawl, hot packs, or yarn etc.

**I had hoped by years end to have the state listed by everyone's name; but as you review the lists...many are still un-accounted for. PLEASE folks find your name in one of the 3 lists, bloggers, non-bloggers, and RAV-Facebook, Hive etc profile pages lists and if your name doesn't have a state listed PLEASE leave a comment here so it can be updated. The initial of your last name would also be a wonderful plus. Besides being interesting, this will aid in my bookkeeping of donations. As we've grown and have multiple people with the same or similar name, it's helpful and a time saver to know who's who and where you're from. Thank You!

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!

Counting Donations as the Year Winds Down

Thank you RoseMarie for your on going support and your thoughtful donation of personal care items, 2 headbands, pair of slippers, 3 squares, 2 hats and 2 scarves. It's wonderful to have on going support of our caring friends like RoseMarie; and wonderful to have new helping hands. I love seeing the blog grow, I love seeing our numbers climb...........Both mean we're able to help more people in need.

Hope to see you lots in the coming year, RoseMarie.


2011 Donations:

Scarves 470+2=472
Hats 961+2=963
Mittens 258
Socks 333
Squares 849+3=852
Rain Ponchos 216
Cotton Washcloths 345
Sweaters/Poncho's 11
Slippers 126+1=127
Afghans 55 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)
Misc Items I've not counted misc items like all the personal care items, the neck warmers, head bands, shawl, hot packs, or yarn etc.

**One more day left in this year of 2011, 1 more day left for December and our focus on squares. We'll then turn our attention to mittens as we begin The New Year**

*-*-*-PLEASE, read the added information in the tabs area of the blog*-*-*-

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 Ohio's Historic Capital

Sorry this picture is a bit blurry folks, I must have moved? 13 crocheted hats and 3 scarves all from the skilled hands of our friend down in Ross County Ohio, MarieAnne. Chillicothe was Ohio's first capital city, so thought it was pretty cool to have a donation from it's historic past. As you can see, she's got a variety of sizes, colors, and styles...........fabulous! Something for everyone here. I especially like how nice and big she made the scarves. And look at that cute pink hat!!! Warm and stylish. Many thanks Marie Anne for your continued support, and skilled hands! Please keep up the good work.

Just 2 more days folks in our Square focus for the month of December. Quick, run what you've got to the post office. In 2 days, we move onto our January focus which is mittens! As you know, we collect all items all year long (except squares); the focus is to call attention to the biggest need at the time. Squares are not collected all year long (helps me in assembly). If you have squares at other times, please email me at sandycrochet@gmail.com. Also, please email me if you have squares that don't quite meet the requirments listed. Thanks folks for your help.


2011 Donations:

Scarves 467+3=470
Hats 948+13=961
Mittens 258
Socks 333
Squares 849
Rain Ponchos 216
Cotton Washcloths 345
Sweaters/Poncho's 11
Slippers 126
Afghans 55 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)
Misc Items I've not counted misc items like all the personal care items, the neck warmers, head bands, shawl, hot packs, or yarn 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!

Crocheting and Donating, almost everything but the Kitchen Sink!

Cheryl S from Michigan has been super busy! Look at this fabulous donation and look how many people she's keeping warm with her wonderful crocheted donations!! You might remember her previous donation where I discussed her double slippers. What a fabulous idea. She makes 2 slippers and stitches them together. This does several things, it makes them truly warm, makes them more sturdy and it makes them reversible!!! What a plus. I liked her idea so much I've listed it several times as a tip. Thank you Cheryl for your idea and your donation of 11 pairs of slippers.

Cheryl is very creative, see the green bag in right corner of the last picture? Somehow (we need you to tell us how), she crocheted a zip lock bag. Clicking all pictures folks makes them larger. It's a handy bag one might use for personal care items. Looks actractive, but has a zip lock bag inside so would work well for like a toothbrush/toothpaste etc.

She's included a pretty doily (nice for a table top), 5 cotton washcloths, 1 cowl, 7 hats in her donation.

Check out the doll and her wardrobe! She's tucked all cute into her own snuggle sack and has several changes of clothes. Remembering these posts are placed in que, so this has already been donated by the time you read this post. The folks at The Homeless Families Foundation were thrilled to get this and it will be a Christmas Present to one of little girls.

Project, "Welcome Home" sure got a helping hand with these 4 fabulous afghans. They too have already been delivered. Wonderful timing Cheryl. They had a good number of families moving out of the temporary housing into their permanent housing right before Christmas. I was thrilled we had so many ghans done to delivery to them for these house warming gifts. How special too that they were able to get in settled for Christmas. We wish these families well with our thoughtful handmade afghans.

I think my favorite is the pretty green and white plaid looking ghan, though they're all great.

AND...check out her cute red sweater for a little boy. Hoping she can remember what pattern she used for it, as it looks like a good one. AND...mittens, which always make me clap. We're fast approaching our Mitten focus folks....January will be mitten focus.

You've got just a few more days to mail your squares then onto mittens we go.

2011 Donations:

Scarves 467
Hats 941+7=948
Mittens 253+5=258
Socks 333
Squares 849
Rain Ponchos 216
Cotton Washcloths 340+5=345
Sweaters/Poncho's 10+1=11
Slippers 115+11=126
Afghans 51+4=55 (2 sent to our friends at Pine Street)
Misc Items I've not counted misc items like all the personal care items, the neck warmers, head bands, shawl, hot packs, or yarn etc.

**Please notice new tabs with information regarding our working calendar for the up coming year of 2012, scarves and more*

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!