Our Homeless Friends need Helping Hands

Have you noticed this new Icon/Badge in my side bar? I hope so. The Hive is a new place to hang out, make connections, and have fun. By making connections I mean connect with other cool crafters like yourself. Some knit, some crochet, some mold clay, some sew, some work with wood, others paint, others bead and on and on and on. Some are hobbyist like me, others professionals, some are artist, others are manufacturers. It's new, it's fun, it's easy.

Always looking for ways to spread the sad news that homelessness exists, and the happy news that we can and DO, make those who are homeless a little more comfortable. We strive to make them realize they are not forgotten. We strive to make their lives better, one stitch at a time. AND we do, each and every day with hats, mittens, and scarves lovingly knitted, loomed, or crocheted by caring crafters. I've joined The Hive.

You can too. Click on the Badge in my side bar, or the Red Words The Hive above. Join, have fun, help me spread the need for more helping hands to help us help the homeless. You can do more then that too. You can enjoy seeing what others work on, you can connect via blogs with folks who share some of your other hobbies. I know most of you do more then crochet or knit. I know many of you try to balance selling your beautiful hand crafts as well as spend your time donating to worthy causes. You can promote your ware's there also.

If you join, be sure and tell them Sandy sent you, and don't forget to connect as followers there.

Corner to Corner Ghan is done, for our friends at Pine Street, and Bit's of this (stage 1 HERE) and that is in it's last stages. I'm hoping to finish it in the next day or so.
You can see once I edge everything to even up sizing a bit with off white (in the previous picture, stage 2 Here), I decided it needed a little something else. Sections of similar sized areas were edged with navy, working now on connecting those pieces then will decide about some final edging. I think the projects changed quite a bit as it's progressed.

**Still time to enter yourself for the free yarn give away**
2010
Scarves 172
Hats 205+43=248
Mittens 19
Socks 59

2008-2009
Hats 368
Mittens 66
Scarves 147
Socks 79 pair*counts from day 1, Dec 2 2008

Edging and piecing together

This is the second stage, stage I here. You can see it's coming together a bit more now that things are edged, or in this picture almost edged. Some squares and rectangles reguired 2 rounds, some 3 and some only 1 to make them fit. Several required a bit more than that. But, it's working. I had taken this photo a couple of days ago so am actually now further along in that this part of the edging is done. It's actually now more pieced together. Will keep you posted. My goal is to finish this in the next couple of days in order to get the 2 ghans out in the mail together to Pine Street. Goal...might not make it, but it's the goal I'm working towards.

**You still have time to get yourself entered in the blog contest and win free yarn.
2010
Scarves 172
Hats 205+43=248
Mittens 19
Socks 59

2008-2009
Hats 368
Mittens 66
Scarves 147
Socks 79 pair*counts from day 1, Dec 2 2008

Before Blocking a Knitted Afghan

This is my completed corner to corner ghan. My first knitted ghan. I do enjoy knitting; but typically crochet ghans. This ghan is knitted corner to corner using the very basic dish cloth pattern starting out with casting on 4 stitches and ending up with 4 stitches before the bind off. I meant to count how many stitches were on the middle row before I began my decease but didn't. Knitting always requires blocking while crochet usually doesn't. One of the reason's I tend to crochet ghans more then knit them. However, I like the mindless ease of the corner to corner ghan and even when just using the basic stitch think the corner to corner business adds to the over all design of a ghan, adds interest I think. It also makes using up odds and ends easier as you don't have to worry about having enough yarn to make really long rows all the time. I didn't count the number of rows before changing colors, changed when I felt like it, or when the yarn looked like it might be running out. You can see some of the colors were repeated, some not. Even where the colors repeated, I might have stopped because I was at the end of that ball. Sometimes you have multiple little balls of the same color.

A good portion of this yarn was from my stash, some was donated by Dear Bunny, some from my DD, some from Rae's Mother, some from Lydia, and some from Tony. So, while I did the knitting, it seemed like a group project to me.

After putting it in the laundry, I blocked it for several days while I was working on the Bits of this and that ghan which will also be for our friends over at Pine Street.

**You still have time to get yourself entered in the blog contest and win free yarn.


2010
Scarves 172
Hats 205+43=248
Mittens 19
Socks 59

2008-2009
Hats 368
Mittens 66
Scarves 147
Socks 79 pair*counts from day 1, Dec 2 2008

HATS of many Hues for Homeless

This is post #186(only 14 post left before we hit 200 when the winner of the blog contest will be announced)

Our luscious loomer comes through again with flying colors! Look at these wonderful wonderful hats. Solids, varigated, ton tones....Frank's knitted on his faster than the speed of light looms again. WOW, he leaves me speechless. The larger hats will go directly to our folks under the bridge while the others will be divided to keep kids and their moms warm at the 2 free clinics.

I feel like cheering. Frank Frank he's own man, if he can't do it, nobody can! Ok, I know corny cheer like that show how old I am; but seriously if I could do a handstand or a cartwheel or anything along those lines; I would indeed be cheering. Kids, Moms, and the homeless men under the bridge will all benefit from Franks fabulous hats.

HUGS and many many thanks Frank. Keep up the good work, it is so truly appreciated.

***Don't forget about the contest, help us celebrate a milestone. We're counting down to hitting milestone of 200 blog posts. We're giving away free yarn. You can't win, if you don't enter. Read how to enter HERE, and get busy. Time's a tickin.

2010
Scarves 172
Hats 205+43=248
Mittens 19
Socks 59

2008-2009
Hats 368
Mittens 66
Scarves 147
Socks 79 pair*counts from day 1, Dec 2 2008

Knitting Scarves for the Homeless

These 2 light'n'lofty scarves were knitted. Originally I had planned to donate these scarves to Passions of the Heart, but they turned out warmer then I anticipated they would be. Guess it's been awhile since I've knitted with that yarn and had forgotten how thick and warm it is. So, since they're warm decided they were better suited for people in need of warmth; bodily warmth as well as emotional warmth and these have now gone to our Bridge and Beyond Charity to warm homeless here in Central Ohio.

The picture was taken just before I finished the 2nd scarf, had to tuck ends in and add fringe; but I was busy taking lots of pictures and decided to go ahead with the photo for convenience.

I finished the corner to corner ghan last night except for trim and tucking in ends which hopefully will happen in the next couple of days. So, keeping busy trying to stock pile items for the homeless here in Central Ohio. When the cold hits suddenly, we do want to be prepared.

Please keep your hooks and needles busy the remainder of the summer, help us by spreading the word, AND don't forget to enter the blog contest. We're giving away free yarn!! Read all about the contest and tell all your friends.

15 More posts to go, so get busy.


2010
Scarves 170+2= 172
Hats 205
Mittens 19
Socks 59

2008-2009
Hats 368
Mittens 66
Scarves 147
Socks 79 pair
*counts from day 1, Dec 2 2008

Chipping away

Chipping away at my corner to corner ghan. Put it away for awhile as I needed small items to take out of town, and small items to take to work to work on at lunch etc. But, wanting to show the progress here on the corner to corner ghan for our friends at Pine Street. Using up odds and ends, some from my stash some that folks have gifted and donated to me. Fun to see the variety of colors. I'm officially over half done as I'm now doing the decreasing part, though knitting is indeed slower then crocheting. However, knitting seems to bother my arthritis and carpal tunnel a bit less. What really seems to work is a nice blend of each so hand and arms, shoulders etc. don't get overly tired.

Natually am continuing to work on the Bits of This and That Ghan for the same cause picture here. AND, don't forget to read all about the contest where you can win yarn and related goodies. So far we have one our of members entered, Sandie. Best of luck to you Sandie and all others who get involved. Might have more by the time you read this, since this is a scheduled post. So this then makes it 16 posts needed to reach our 200th landmark which is why we're celebrating by having a fun contest and giving away goodies.

Hope you're all continuing to knit and crochet each and everyday to help those less fortunate. O truly believe together we can and do make a difference, one stitch at a time.

Blessings to all


2008-2009
Hats 368
Mittens 66
Scarves 147
Socks 79 pair*counts from day 1, Dec 2 2008