Mission Statement

Operations for Bridge and Beyond will cease on Dec 31, 2021, last mailing date should be Dec 24th

GOAL FOR AFGHANS

Afghans
Goal: 30
Start: #24
Current: 26
0.8666%
START
END

Friday, November 12, 2010

And the winner is!

We never seem to get enough mittens, so I thought we'd make this past month, October Mitten Month. Then our friend CrochetPrincess (Beth) suggested we have a mitten challenge, and Mitten Throw Down and so we did. She graciously wrote up a 2nd mitten pattern which you can find in the tabs across the top of the blog to kick us off. I told her I would supply the yarn, FREE YARN to the winner of the contest. The winner of the contest would be the person would knitted and or crocheted the largest number of mittens. Since I was going to be out of town we extended the deadline beyond the end of the month to November 8th, this past Monday. I thought perhaps people were madly still knitting and crocheting though that date and needed a couple of days to mail mittens and so declared though the deadline was Monday and the 8th....today would be the day the announcement was made.

I'm pleased to say we had 11 people participate by sending in mittens. Some you've seen here, some are still in que (generally a new post each and everyday highlighting, counting and documenting someone's pretty heartfelt work). So, you still have some to see...keep checking.

Thanks to all who participated: Sarah S and Sacha from The Hive, James from RAV, and blog friends--Linda, Bunny, Sandie and some new found helping hands who found us from searching on the net even though they don't have blogs Jean, Ruth, and Nelda, and Dorothy from Bev's Charity Challenge. I managed to get a pair in (had hoped for more, but have been madly working on ghans). To date we've collected 96 pairs of mittens, some knitted, some crocheted, some sized for men, some for women, and some for children! 66 pairs of mittens to warm 96 pairs of hands. WONDERFUL! Thank you Thank You.

The winner with 35 pairs of mittens is Jean. Jean you've not yet met, a new pair of helping hands for us. Welcome to the group Jean, Thank you for your lovely mittens. We're thrilled to have you in our ranks. Please email me your snail ady so I can put your yarn...your winnings in the mail to you.

I wrote this blog post early this am before work, and as I returned home this evening had another box of 30 mittens from Dorothy. So, have amended the numbers above. I am thrilled with how many mittens were donated. AND am going to declare 2 winners, a first and 2nd place. I'll be sending out yarn to both Jean and Dorothy.

Our current focus is Give a Square, though we continue to need and accept hats, scarves, mittens all year long.

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!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Progress on Afghan in the works

afghan for homelessYou might have seen this ghan in it's design form stage 1 HERE, but wanted to share the progress to date with you using Rose Marie's wonderful knitted squares. One row of squares has been stitched together, and the wide border of navy--the crocheted section is complete. The original thought was to use the navy and crocheted around with a border in addition to the navy between the rows of joined squares/rectangles. However, I believe I'll use burgundy after the squares are joined with the navy sections due to the amount of navy I have on hand. A work in progress, one of 3 ghans I'm currently working on for our folks at the Mission.

Working on a knitted corner to corner which you can see here in the green phase.

And have an Autumn Ghan planned with some odds and end here, though edging has not yet started. After staring at this one awhile I believe I will change my joining color, thinking maybe green. Might have to switch out the two squares that have black in them? Thinking still on this one, thus haven't begun the edging.

**Winner of the mitten challenge, the mitten throw down announced tomorrow.
***Give a Square, or more. Have you read up yet on the November and December special? If not, please do in the sidebar.
*****Stay tuned for a very special, and very exciting announcement about Bridge and Beyond and a certain Magazine!

2010
Scarves 275
Hats 487
Mittens 57
Socks
79
Slippers
9
Ghans 3
Squares
130 (since 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!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Knitted Mittens for the Homeless

knitted mittens for homelessMore mittens for me to dance about. Fabulous, wonderful, warm, soft mittens! These cute creations come to us from the knitting needles of Bunny (Lynda). Look how darling there are. Bunny's work is always awesome. Bunny has been a long time supporter of the cause, she knits, she crochets; she's awesome!

I thought you might like to know how Bunny and I met. We met after Katrina when we were both working on ghans for the survivors in a group our friend Sandie (ie) organized for that cause. So, it's been lots of years that yarn has tied us together.

Many thanks Bunny for your thoughtful donation, as always it's so very much appreciated.

2010
Scarves 275
Hats 487
Mittens 54+3=57
Socks
79
Slippers
9
Ghans 3
Squares
130 (since Give a Square)

**Remember to check back on Friday for the announcement about the winner of the challenge
AND don't forget to check out Give a Square, it's time to make some squares. See sidebar for details.


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!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Mittens, lovely mittens for the homeless!

knitted mittens for homelessMittens!!! See me doing the mitten dance? lol 5 pairs of fun colored knitted mittens from our good friend Linda in Florida. Love these Linda. I know I've asked before; but have forgotten and need to post.-- What pattern did you use? These are knitted with straight garter stitch and look like they wouldn't be too hard to make. They're nice and stretching too which is a plus for sizing. I snagged the largest pair for The Bridge and 4 will go to kids with cold hands in the clinics and The Mission. Wonderfully made, and fun colors too.

Announcement for the winner of the contest will be this Friday, the 12th, which should allow enough mailing time from anyone who sent mittens out on the 8th which is the deadline for the contest. That doesn't mean though folks we don't still need them long after the contest ends. Keep knitting and crocheting, please and thanks. 31 pairs thus far. Let's hope we can raise that number a bit with what might still be in the mail.

2010
Scarves 275
Hats 487
Mittens 49+5=54
Socks
79
Slippers
9
Ghans 3
Squares
130 (since Give a Square)

**Remember we're a week into our newest focus Give a Square! Details here

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!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Frank the Luscious Loomer, Hats for Homeless Galore!

knitted, loomed hats for the homeless70 wonderful, warm, and fun hats from Frank The Luscious Loomer and Karen. Always so fun to open a box of goodies from Frank and Karen. Lots of different colors, solids stripes and patterns galore! Hugs for your ongoing support for the cause. These fabulous hats will make such a positive difference in so many lives. These knitted hats have been divided between the kids treated at the 2 free clinics, and those living in temporary housing at The Mission. I was able to select some of the larger hats for the men living under The Bridge as well. 70 heads will now be warmer, and 70 people will know they are not forgotten; they are indeed cared for....They DO MATTER. Giving hope is priceless folks.

Thank you again Frank and Karen. Keep up the good work.

Today is the last day folks to get your mittens in the mail for the Mitten Challenge. I'll give a few days for the mail to be delivered and announce the winner on Friday. Thanks again Beth for the idea of the challenge, and for writing up a new pattern. To date, mittens have been received from 9 people (Sarah S., James, Linda in Florida, Sacha, Nelda, Bunny, Sandie, Ruth, and myself).

2010
Scarves 264+11=275
Hats 417+70=487
Mittens 49
Socks
79
Slippers
9
Ghans 3
Squares
130 (since Give a Square)

**please check back often for updates, take time to visit each other's blog, encourage each other to keep up with the good work; and know I appreciate each and everyone one of you and your thoughtful donations!

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!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Catching up for the sake of the Homeless

Just back in town with many wonderful donation to post and share with you all that arrived during my vacation. Please keep checking each and everyday.

Donations include, hats, scarves, mittens, and slippers.

Tomorrow is the deadline for the contest, the mitten challenge from Beth. Assuming people are working feverishly to finish their donations by that date, add a few days for mailing. I'll announce the winner this Friday, the 12th based on all those received.

Once again many thanks to Beth for the idea of the mitten challenge, and for writing up a 2nd pattern for folks to try. I'll be adding a few new tabs with patterns for slippers in the days to come, so do keep checking back.

Please take time and leave comments, as it helps the placement of the blog which helps us with more visibility on the net which translates to more folks finding us, which gives us more helping hands.

Gotta get boxes opened, items counted, photographed and will begin posting. Thanks to all! Keep up the good work.

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!

Where are You and Your Yarn From?

I'm trying to identify where everyone is from, partially for fun. Take a look at the map. Also, believe it will aid me in cases where we have several people with the same name. Please look at the lists of bloggers and non bloggers and see if I have the state you hail from. If not, please leave a comment and let me know.

Additionally, we've had help from Scotland, England, Germany Puerto Rico, Canada, and France! They don't appear on the map, but their help is still greatly appreciated.

Where The People Who Donate Come From, is your state represented?