A Powerful Pile of Practical Goodness for the Homeless

Day 17 of Jack Otis Memorial Month

WOW...look at this powerful pile of practical goodness for our homeless in need donated by our friend Alexis! Those of you who visit and read the blog often know I sometimes go bonkers with the words...powerful pile etc. lol But, seriously......it's true. Donations for Ohio's Homeless is indeed a very powerful thing to do, AND this is quite a pile! Hats, scarves, slippers, cotton washcloths, squares for ghans, and socks.

Thank you Alexis for your on going support of our cause, it's greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work.

Folks....look at how our numbers are growing and growing. Each and every stitch helps someone in need, be they a man on the street, a woman or child in a shelter, or a homeless family living in temporary housing to keep from being on the street. We've added several groups to those we help so it's important and necessary to see those numbers grow. You are all fantastic!

2011 Donations:

Scarves 376+3=379
Hats 832+21=853
Mittens 206+1=207
Socks 185+13=198
Squares 543+8=551
Rain Ponchos 84
Cotton Washcloths 335+3=338
Sweaters/Poncho's 9
Slippers 91+4=95
Afghans 43 (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 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!

Pink Pentuna in the Works

Day 16 of Jack Otis Memorial Month

You may remember seeing some of these squares when my friend and classmate Connie sent her donation. I've spaced them out alternating the 2 color combinations. Rather then making more of the circle squares, I thought it would be faster to edge and join to get this ghan out to some little girl for our Project Welcome Home. I've named it Pink Petuna. The squares with centers of purple are edge with a row of green and 2 of pink, while those with green centers are edge with purple and 2 of pink. I'll then join them in pink and do a border. Believe that will make a nice size ghan and still have some yarn left from Connie's donation for other projects.

As you know posts are scheduled ahead and this project is packed as I write this for a out of town trip, in my carrying on bag; so plan to work on it a lot while gone.

2011 Donations:

Scarves 376
Hats 832
Mittens 206
Socks 185
Squares 543
Rain Ponchos 84
Cotton Washcloths 335
Sweaters/Poncho's 9
Slippers 91
Afghans 43 (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 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!

Donation Delivered in the Driveway

Day 15, Jack Otis Memorial Month
Thank you Cheryl G from Florida for the 11 knitted washcloths and 23 knitted hats. Cheryl is out newest pair of helping hands. Cheryl and I were classmates and therefore she too was a classmate of Jack's. Bill's too.

Cheryl was in town for a wedding and was able to hand delivery this donation. Wished we could have visited more, but I was zipping to the hospital. Still was wonderful to see her again, even though briefly there in the driveway.

Many thanks Cheryl for your thoughtful donation, hope to see you often here on Bridge and Beyond.

2011 Donations:

Scarves 376
Hats 809+23=832
Mittens 206
Socks 185
Squares 543
Rain Ponchos 84
Cotton Washcloths 324+11=335
Sweaters/Poncho's 9
Slippers 91
Afghans 43 (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 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!

Put your hands together for Mittens

Day 14 of Jack Otis Memorial Month


Fabulous mittens! These are all crocheted. Love the nice long cuff on the blue and gray pairs. That adds extra warm. So nicely made, Suzy D. And those nice large warm black, red, and gray ones are awesome! I've got to find some time to get some more patterns added to the site, would love to add the patterns you used. Are they patterns I can post?

Tip: Remember to leave tails of several inches when changing yarn and tug your ends in while you're crocheting and or knitting. Avoid tying a knot and cutting, almost guaranteed to unravel.

2011 Donations:

Scarves 376
Hats 809
Mittens 200+6=206
Socks 185
Squares 543
Rain Ponchos 84
Cotton Washcloths 324
Sweaters/Poncho's 9
Slippers 91
Afghans 43 (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 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!

A Square Here, a Square There makes for a warm Afghan

Day 13, Jack Otis Memorial Month

Yippee, another afghan for our folks at The Homeless Families Foundation for project, "Welcome Home. This afghan is made from mostly crocheted squares. The squares come from about 3 different people. The bright purple squares are knitted. I edged each square with 2 rows of single crochet, used a version of join as you go with darning needle and yarn vs crocheting them together. I like that using a darning needle and stitching them together as they lay flat makes the join flatter then when they're crocheted together; but I'm not sure I'd use this method again. A lot more ends to work in at the end.
Here's a close up of the border. I've used this border alot in making afghans, it's one of my favorites, it's not open, or lacy, but adds some interest to the edge. Once all the squares were put together, I did 2 rows of sc around the outside of the afghan, then the decorative shells type row.

2011 Donations:

Scarves 376
Hats 809
Mittens 200
Socks 185
Squares 543
Rain Ponchos 84
Cotton Washcloths 324
Sweaters/Poncho's 9
Slippers 91
Afghans 42+1=43 (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 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!

Wrap up in a Crocheted Scarf

Wrap up in this crocheted scarf from our long time supporter and friend Sandie from Louisiana. Sandie's work is always so well done. This scarf is both warm and soft. Many thanks Sandie, please keep up the good work.

This is day 12 folks in our month long focus on men and their needs. Have you read about my friend Jack Otis? If not, please do. Do you have a story you can share about homelessness?

I'm going to share a 2nd story with you about another high school friend who was educated, successful in several areas including owning his own business. A horrific car accident changed all that. After one uses up insurance, short and or long disability, and no longer has a job nothing remains the same. He had brain damage, making further employment a problem. He was a heartbeat away from being homeless. A good friend took him in and gave him lodging. That gave him time to get back on his feet enough not to be homeless. He has never regained his former level of success or employment. A car accident, something that could happen to anyone of us.

When you see a homeless person on the street, please think about what you might do to help. Please don't look away, as if you don't see. That person has a face, and that person is or was someone's loved one. You don't know what their personal story is, you don't know what brought them to this point in their life.

Homelessness does indeed have a face. Please keep your hooks and needles busy and do what you can to help those less fortunate. They are someone's son, daughter, Mother, Father, Aunt, Uncle, friend, or former classmate. Just like my friends Jack and Bill.


2011 Donations:

Scarves 375+1=376
Hats 809
Mittens 200
Socks 185
Squares 543
Rain Ponchos 84
Cotton Washcloths 324
Sweaters/Poncho's 9
Slippers 91
Afghans 42 (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 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!