Traveling Afghan in the Works

This is Pink Persuation, it was designed long ago and has been waiting in the wings to  assembled.  It traveled with me to South Carolina.  I tossed off white in the project bag to edge and join it.  I think given the size, it probably needs 2 rows around each square, or maybe one double crochet row with a wider border around the whole thing when finished.  Will see how it shapes up .

I'm also continuing to work on the knitting stripes afghan, making some progress since the last picture you saw.  Atttemped to post an updated picture here for you all, but apparently I can't use the photo on the phone without adding yet another ap to the phone and one to the computer.  ARgh...plus since I'm typing this from my ipad....loading to the computer isn't possible,  and there isn't a way to post a picture from the ipad directly, or if there is I am unaware of how to do it.

Hope you're all busy working on something, as it seems more cold weather and snow is expected around the country.




All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

First Donation for the Homeless in 2015

 Thank you, Thank you Sandra R from Florida for this awesome donation of knitted goodies.  Sandra has such talented fingers.  Her knitted warm items are always beautifully made.  Special thanks for always tagging your hats with size Sandra, you know how I appreciate that.  AND you all know I'm dancing for joy because she's one of our stellar mitten makers.  Look at those cute cute gray children's mittens in the lower right corner, and the nice pink pair that match a hat!

Clapping for more mittens off Sandra's needles, tied together and sized.  You rock!  She's made several different sizes so many many head and hands of different sizes will be warmer.

Sandra's been a long time and very generous supporter.  She often includes sunshine in her box to help ease the cold we experience here in Central Ohio, if only I could share that with our homeless....if only.
This is our first donation of the New Year!  Way to go Sandra.

2015 Donations:
Hats: 10
Scarves:
Mittens: 10
Slippers:
Rain Poncho's:
Cotton Washcloths:
Afghans:
Socks:
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers:
Cowls/Infinity scarves:
Misc: personal care items and anything not listed above


All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Hats

Hats.  Found some fun hat facts through a google search.  Notations of a pictorial depiction of Thebes tomb and a man wearing a straw hat back in 3200 BC.  Also a listing of a Danish Chieftain wearing a fur cap back in 70 BC.   1529 AD is supposed to be when the reference to a Millner (maker of hats) was first noted. The Haberdashers in Milan and northern Italy who imported straw hats were called Millaners.

Here in the states, John B. Stetson made a hat at a campfire outwest and began making and selling, "Boss of the Plains" in 1865.  Ten years later at The Kentucky Derby marked the largest hat fashion event.  An official hat day is marked as Jan 15th, though the exact year is unknown.

When The Royal Wedding on April 30th, 2011 put the spotlight on beautiful Kate Middleton, hats became quite popular.

Wikipedia tells us a hat is a covering for the head to protect it from elements, to be worn for ceremonial and or religious purposes, for safety reason and as a fashion statement.  Hats historically have been a sign of status.  In the military, hats show nationality, rank, and branch of service.

Our hats stats:
2011..... 969 hats were made and donated
2012.....1052 (an increase of 83 warm heads
2013.....1004 (decrease of 48
2014.....971 (decrease from 2013 of 81

Our average for those 4 years is 998 which is 27 more then our donated number in 2014.

It's been awhile since I've made a hat, I spend the bulk of my knitting and crocheting time on afghans.  I must try to make some hats.  Are you working on any hats?  Be sure to check the hat tab across the top of the blog for necessary information regarding size, colors, and fibers.  AND please remember to always tag your hats with size.  Tags should be physically attached to the hat vs a note that says the whole box are mediums.  When there are shelved at the various shelters they are shelved by size.


All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Personal Care Items

As you probably know, we collect and distribute personal items to those living out in the elements and to various shelters.  We collect and distribute these personal care items all year long.  The need for them never diminishes.  We don't count the items specifically, but always encourage folks to donate them.

You can buy bulk items, travel size items, collect items when you travel that are stocked in hotel and resort rooms.  So many folks pack their own brands that collecting them in hotels is an easy and inexpensive/free way to make a donation.

Items we've collected include:
Tooth brushes
Tooth paste
Floss
Mouth Wash
Soap
Shampoo
Hair Conditioner
Lip Gloss/Balm/Chap Stick
Lotions/cream
Tissues
Deodorant
Cotton Swabs
Hand Sanitizer
Body Wipes
Razors

Items we've not specifically named in the past include Tylenol, sunblock, ethnic hair care products, and feminine hygiene products.  After researching a bit on the net, I've read about the rather large need for feminine hygiene products.  Tampons and pads of varying sizes are always in short supply.  Can you imagine the lack of being able to clean up and change to clean dry products?  Can you imagine how dirty you'd feel, how deflated you'd feel?  I truly can not.  I read several articles and wanted to share them here, but was unable to share a link or do a copy and paste, apparently the way the articles were coded prevented my doing that.  So as we get rolling in this new year, please keep this in mind.

Donating personal care items is something everyone can do, you don't need to be a knitter or crocheter to be able to help.

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

I Get by with a Little From my Friends

Wanted to share this amazing story about Leo Grand, a homeless man, an unlikely friendship with Patrick McConlogue and Logan Ury.

He's asked how he keeps such a positive attitude and his answer, FAITH and FRIENDS.  My mind immediately thought of the Beetles song, "I Get by with a Little Help from my Friends", thus the blog post title.

As I watched this video the 2nd time in order to get the names correctly, I wondered why the police didn't return his computer, how sad it is that a man not bothering anyone, sleeping on a park bench is arrested, and what happened to him since this story.

Here's the link to the mobile app, Trees for Cars, click HERE The app gets good reviews.  If you're living in or working in an area with lots of folks, car pools are indeed a good idea.  Reduce your costs, reduce the wear on your automobile, reduce your pollution and support Leo, a homeless man.  The app costs a mere .99.  I see from some of the comments, some folks have purchased the app, even if they can't use it because where they live....in order to support Leo's brilliance.  I work 4.5 miles from my house, I'm unusual, if it weren't for odd hours I could walk it; but most people spend hours in the car coming and going to work.  Please check it out.

Doing a google search I found that Leo Grand and Patrick McConlogue had been on the Today Show in 2013.  I also found that while he has earned some money from the app, he is still homeless...that was dated May of 2014.

Scarves, Neck Warmers, Mufflers and more

 Scarves, no doubt we all have several, to match or go with different coats and or outfits.  Started crocheting this scarf some time back with groups of different stitches and Buckeye Yarn.  Tossed it in the works in progress bin and forgot about it.  Spotted it the other day and thought ...hey I should finish that, but am not liking the look or feel of it.  The yarn is quite coarse..perhaps that's way I laid it aside?  Believe I'll frog it and redo...perhaps knitting it vs crocheting it will be less coarse and give a different/more pleasing look to how the swatches of colors end up.  Then when laundered, it should/hope be soft enough to be comfortable around someone's neck.

Look what else I found in my bin.  These were one skein scarves and as such are a bit smaller then I like.  The blue is workable for someone my size (5'4"), the multi-color is not so needs to be for a child or smaller teen.  Made these while out of town once with yarn I picked up at a local yarn shop for something to do.  Love the blue which is a bit more peacock in color then shows up here in the picture.  Both these scarves are wool and were made for a different purpose.  The multi-color was my first attempt at knitting cables, which I shouldn't have done using variegated yarn.  They need a good soak and blocking before I can decide where they go.  I sorta think I actually made the blue one for myself and forgot about it, lol.

Scarves have historically been called several names, Kremer, neck-wrap, and muffler.  They were originally made for warmth, for cleanliness and for religious reasons.  Dating clear back to ancient Roman times, called a Sudarium, meaning "sweat cloth", they were worn by men for cleanliness.  Literally worn around the head, neck, and or waste and used to wipe away sweat, and were made of wool.  At some point women began wearing them, but theirs were made of cloth, pashmina/silk etc.

According to our friends over on Wikipedia, The Chinese military wore scarves which marked their rank.  In Crotia in the 17th century they were also used by the military with the officers wearing silk and non-officers wearing cotton.  The word cravats meaning croat in French preceded the mens neck tie.

In the 19th century both men and women wore scarves as a fashion statement, and in the 20th century it became an essential clothing item worn again by men and women for warmth and as a accessory to almost any outfit.

The following are our donation numbers of scarves:
2011...................471
2012...................666  (increase of 195
2013...................622 (44 less then preceding year
2014...................590 (76 less then preceding year

Our average those 4 years is 587, so while our numbers were down for the 2nd year in a row, we surpassed the average.........just barely.

Are you currently working on a scarf?

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.