I LOVE Squares

I love Squares, why? Because it's cool to be a square, it's cool to be a nerd. Why because nerd help people, nerds think of others, therefore nerds/squares are AWESOME in my book. Thank you Niki for these 3 crocheted squares. I've added them to my square stash grown bigger thanks to our Give a Square program (running til the end of December). Your squares tossed in other helping hands squares make a HUGE difference in someone's life. Thank you for your thoughtful donation. Hope to see you here on The Bridge often.

Please stay tuned folks as squares come in and ghans are designed. I'll keep you posted how we're doing.

2010
Scarves 306
Hats 575
Mittens 143
Socks 80
Slippers 16
Ghans 7
Squares 150+3=153

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!

Autumn Taking Shape

Been working on this ghan with squares donated by Sandie, RoseMarie, Alexis, my DD (Christine), Liz, and yours truly. Some squares are knitted, some are crocheted. Some squares are square, some squares are rectangles. Many hands involved in this ghan. Some of the squares were donated as a result of Give a Square, while others I've had from previous donations. Sometimes things just come together. 24 squares in all here. The dark green yarn I'm edging and joining with was gift from my DD last Christmas. She always knows how to give a gift that keeps on giving.

You might get a better view of this ghan here when it was first designed, without the missing squares that were being edge or assembled together; though there have been one or two changes in the squares since that time.

2010
Scarves 306
Hats 575
Mittens 143
Socks 80
Slippers 16
Ghans 7
Squares 150



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!

A Garage Sale Donation

This display of fun colorful crocheted items (mostly dollies), came through Krystine by way of a garage sale. A little senior's son was having a garage sale while his Mom was hospitalized. Sadly, since then she's lost that battle against cancer. Krystine asked if I might be able to do some good with these items, that the son indicated his Mother would really like that. The navy slippers in foreground just need to be trimmed and all the loose yarn ends taken care of, the super small brown and orange squares are being put to use...as we speak to make a scarf, the red-white-green dollies came in handy yarnwise. I frogged them and used them to finish up a pair of mittens that was the same yarn. Can you believe it? What's the likelihood I'd be able to that. The dollies are going to take some more thinking on part, and work; but I'm giving it some though and will chip away at making something useable for someone in need. There are 3 nice size squares also, have been put in the hopper with the other Give a Square Squares and will most assuredly get used to make a ghan.
A different picture with things sorted and stacked. Thank you Krystine et al.

2010
Scarves 306
Hats 574+1=575
Mittens 143
Socks 80
Slippers 15+1=16
Ghans 7
Squares 133+17=150

Please keep those fingers busy making hats, mittens, scarves, slippers, and squares. The need continues and the dip in temperatures in very noticeable. There's snow on the ground as we speak. And most nights the temps drop well below freezing. All donations are truly appreciated. About 2 more weeks folks for Give a Square.

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!

So Many Opportunities

Several weeks ago I attended a Sausage Party. This is an annual event that takes place in my neighborhood, just down the street. The gentlemen who's been hosting this event has done so for 18 years. His purpose is to make sausage, to continue a tradition from a Hungarian Gentlemen who taught him the craft. His purpose was to make sure his kids knew, and now his grandchildren know that preparing food is hard work, and fun, takes skill and dedication and to appreciate what people before us did. Remember, buying food packaged from the grocery store is all most younger than us know about.

However, he has yet another purpose. He gathers friends, neighbors, relatives, and co-workers for this ever growing event. Typically there are several hundred in attendance. Men cut and begin prepping the meat on Thursday. Friday people begin making their way in from out of town. And soon it's a party with a purpose. Several tables of meat cutting continue in the garage where the meat grinder is set up. Jack, our host always dumps in the secret ingredients. The sausage is packed in the kitchen with several stuffers going hour after hour. Everyone gets in the act, from the wee little ones, to the grandparents. Food and drink abound and a ceramic pig for donations is available in the kitchen, and the garage. All the monies donated go to Holy Family, a local church/soup kitchen that feeds on average 700 homeless a day. Holy Family has been in existence since 1970. In addition to the hot meals prepared daily for the homeless a food bank helps families in need.

People can collect a sampling of each of the 6 or 7 types of sausages made in any given year from Italian to Hungarian, to Andouille, Chorizo, and others (after it's been smoked in the smoke house in Jack's backyard). In addition to the monies collected (this year a bit over $400.00), sausage is also donated to Holy Family.

So here I am at the party, chatting with people I've met in other years, and meeting new folks; when I asked whether clothing was provided, or needed to those that are fed at Holy Family. I was speaking to a lady who volunteers in the soup kitchen several times a week. She was thrilled that someone asked, and talked about how cold some of these folks were. I had 50 hats bagged. Told her I had 50 hats geared towards school age and teenage kids. She was beyond thrilled. So, folks we reached out again....the beyond part of our mission. Now as Holy Family feeds those that come in off the street, and or from the various homeless shelters; they'll be able to give cold children and teens a hat to help warm them up.  The lady I met is Lynn.

Thank you all for providing enough caring with your donations, that we're able to continue to help so many in need. It was a good night, and I was happy we were able to respond to the opportunity to help.

I should also add how good our neighborhood smells while all this sausage is being smoked. That process takes about a week or two.

2010
Scarves 306
Hats 574
Mittens 143
Socks 80
Slippers 15
Ghans 7
Squares 133

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!

Memories of Bridge and Beyond and all YOU'VE Accomplished

As we approach the end of this year, 2010; I thought it might be fun and appropriate to see where we've been. On Dec 2, 2008 I made my first post here after putting together the blog. I envisioned a team style blog, but ran into issues with compatibility and found trying to work with it cumbersome. So very quickly changed to a regular blog, where I post but anyone can comment...member or non member, blogger or non blogger. That proved to be a good change, as we've had much help from fellow knitters and crocheters who don't happen to be fellow bloggers. Some we know from Crochetville, some from Ravelry, and some find us and make contact via email.

By December 5, 2008 one of our blog readers Sunny Fairy designed our cool blog badge. Though we no longer hear from her via blogging, we still use the cool badge she designed. Thank you very much Sunny Fairy, it is still appreciated.

In less than a week, 6 days to be exact I received the first of many emails to come asking for an address to mail donations, and clarifying how they might help the cause. I can still remember how excited I was to get those emails on Dec 8, having only started the blog on the 2nd. WOW

By December 9th, we had our first donation. Hats off to our Very Dear and long time friend, Bunny. Bunny still supports us with her talent. Many thanks! Her name is clickable if you'd like to pop over and say hi on her blog.

A few days later, I finished my first scarf for the cause.

By Dec, 31, 2008...less than one month from start up we had collected 24 scarves and 33 hats! In that time frame I had written 19 posts, and we had 100 comments.

During the first month Dec 2nd through Dec 31, 2008 The following people knitted, or crocheted and sent donations:
Bunny, Dorothy in Wisc, Frosty from Rav, Dorothy in San Antonio, Judy from Ohio, Molly, Sandie from Louisiana, and Melanie (Lil_Knitter from Rav).
I'd like to take another opportunity to say THANK YOU. It is because of you, I felt encouraged to continue to knit and crochet and blog often about our cause. It is because of you I felt encouraged to continue the fight to help homeless and those in need.

My deepest appreciation for each and every stitch you've made.
2010
Scarves 306
Hats 574
Mittens 143
Socks 80
Slippers 15
Ghans 7
Squares 133


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!

Another Afghan for Faith Mission

In need of being laundered, then a bit of blocking and away we go with another completed afghan for the folks at Faith Mission. You've probably seen this in various stages as a work in progress. I would have preferred to have all the edges, stripes in navy; but not having enough of it, went to plan B which was to add burgundy. It's not as dark as the knitted squares from Rose Marie, but it's also not as orange as it looks in the picture. This is a good size ghan, heavy and warm. I believe it's suitable for an adult (mother), and or an older son given it's size.

Enjoyed working with Rose Marie's nice knitted squares. As you read this 2 more ghans are in the works, so please keep your squares coming throughout the month of December. See details for Give a Square in the sidebar please.

2010
Scarves 306
Hats 574
Mittens 143
Socks 80
Slippers 15
Ghans 6+1=7
Squares 133

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!