Knit-A-Square - The Connecticut Connection!

This time of year has all of us traveling around.  I was at our Association Annual Meeting this past Monday.  While I was speaking with one of my neighbors, she was telling me about the knitting group they have at her church.  Of course you might imagine that I brought up KasCare. 

She thought it was great idea.  She mentioned to me that the woman sitting in the back row was the former owner of the yarn shop in town and that she would call her to see if the Yarn Shop owner and I could get together.

Once we get through the holidays, she said that she would get me the introduction to the church group!  Yippie, this is great.

One Square at a Time, One Child at a Time.

Knit-A-Square - The Connecticut Connection!

See the children sing and thank you for your squares! Look how beautiful the children are with the most beautiful blankets.

Special Olympics Connecticut

"LET ME WIN. BUT IF I CANNOT WIN, LET ME BE BRAVE IN THE ATTEMPT." (Athlete Oath)


It's Special Olympics time again and yes they are asking for scarfs once again.  Two years ago they were overwhelmed with the generosity of those that contributed scarfs for the opening ceremony.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS CONNECTICUT as part of the 2011 Special Olympics USA Scarf Project!


Special Olympics Connecticut athletes compete in the following winter sports: •Alpine Skiing •Snowboarding •Floor Hockey •Figure Skating •Speed Skating •Cross-Country Skiing •Snowshoeing


Special Olympics Connecticut’s goal is to collect approximately 1,950 scarves to provide our athletes, coaches, volunteers and supporters a symbol of handmade unity.

Please ship your scarves no later than February 19, 2011.
Deadline to receive scarves is February 26, 2011.

Please ship to:
Special Olympics Connecticut
Attn: Scarf Project
2666 State Street, Suite 1
Hamden, CT 06517

They ask that you follow the following guidelines to help maintain consistency and uniformity.

Colors:
Red Heart® Yarns Super Saver 886-Blue
Red Heart® Yarns Super Saver 512-Turqua

*Please incorporate both the Blue and Turqua into your scarf design.

Size:
Length: 54 to 60 inches long
Width: 6 inches wide

To read more about it, follow the links below!

http://www.redheart.com/blog/2011-special-olympics-usa-scarf-project?utm_source=PPenewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AllFreeCrochet

http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/

Knit-A-Square - The Connecticut Connection!

Edyie has come through. She is the International chair of the General Federation of Women's Clubs(GFWC) local club.  The Newington/Wethersfield Women's Club will be officially adopting Knit-A-Square as their International project!

Long story, short - Edyie and I met through my volunteering at the Library. This past November, I was at the polls promoting Library cards with Norma. We talked, and Knit-a-Square came up. She also knew Edyie. A month ago, Edyie and I spoke about the project. I sent her the information and voila!

This is great for Knit-A-Square - I'll be speaking at their meeting on Jan 25th. Edyie is excited as she thinks that we can bring KasCare to all the clubs in Connecticut. GFWC has about 48 clubs in Connecticut alone, then there are the clubs in other states!

PS she has 26 squares for me and will be dropping them off this week!

Krochet Kids International

I'd like to introduce you to this great group of guys that crochet. They put together this non-profit organization that is empowering people in Uganda to make a living with one of my favorite pasttimes. If you are looking for a crocheted hat, consider buying one from them. As they say, "buy a hat, change a life".

Festival of Trees & Traditions

Is it officially the Holiday season?  Now we can get to the traditions of the holidays.  It's the traditions that can make the holiday time warm and lovely.  Whether its the annual office party, good food and drink shared with love ones, or a stroll in the nippy cold (up here in Connecticut) to see the lights - its a season to enjoy.

There's one tradition at the Wadsworth Antheneum Museum of Art celebrated each year - now in its 37th! year.  The Festival of Trees and Traditions will open on Thursday, December 2nd, at 5:00 pm in conjunction with First Thursdays. 

What an evening this First Thursday will be.  NELG's tree will make its debut for the first time.  Some lucky person will be going home with a tree filled with hand made lace fans.  The picture above was our tree from last year.  There are 40 fans, each one with hand made lace on them.  There's bobbin lace, tatted lace and crochet lace.  The fans are different colors and so are the pieces of lace.  Thanks to all the members of NELG for taking the time to produce the lace and to Mary L. for putting all the fans together.

Back to the celebration.  First Thursday - it's going to be a WOW of a night, with music, food, and all the decorations.  There are over 200 artists entering their holiday decorations into this event.  The museum will be looking rather festive and grand.  The decorations will be for sale that evening and throughout the event.  I wouldn't wait if you see a tree, wreather, or other holiday bauble that takes your fancy.  They go quickly.

I urge you to attend as it will be a great night.  If you can not make it then, come on by - the Festival will be open through December 13th. 

See you First Thurday!

PS  all decorations stay on display during the festival.  You can pick up your's once the festival is over.

Kascare.org - Squares for Children

Hi all,

It's been a couple of crazy weeks and it's been fun.  I've completed a couple more square myself inbetween all of the crazies.

I wanted to thank Kristy - she has been crocheting non-stop and loving life.  This past weekend her husband, Scott, dropped off her batch of squares.  Oh my goodness - there were 107!!! 

Congragulations Kristy my most heart felt thanks! 

Today I just received another email.  Carol wrote "Any way, my squares are done!!! My goal was 50 squares and to finish my yarn, I got to 51!!!!   Yippie to Carol!  You've done beyond great!  There will be warmer children because of you.

This is such a great way to finish up the "stash" of miscellaneous bits 'n pieces of yarn we all have.    I'll be picking up her squares over the weekend.

More later ,,,,,  This is getting really exciting!

Craft for a Cause - JoAnn Crafts

JoAnn's Craft for a Cause ended for entries on October 30th.  I'm sure there was a flurry of activity as crafters put up the last of their entires.  I got my square put up there for KasCare's Knit-a-Square.

The three winners are:  American Cancer Society; Operation Write Home; and Project Linus.  By clicking on the links, you can read more about each charity.

Beginning on the 7th of November you can return to JoAnn's, and may vote for your favorite of these three charities.  The first place charity will receive the $50,000 first prize, $25,000 for second place and $15,000 for the third place.

Who will you Vote for?

Festival of Trees & Traditions

Coming up on Thursday, Dec 2, 2010  will be the kick off of the Festival of Trees & Traditions.  Mark you calendar if you wish to bid on the NELG's Tree. 

This is long time event of the Wadsworth Atheneum.  Many organizations decorate and donate a tree to the festival to be auctioned off.

NELG was asked if we would donate a tree.  We had done a tree for another organization the year before.  This year, with the request from the Atheneum, we decided that we will produce a tree for their event.

If you love lace, then you'll love our tree.  It's about 4ft and decorated with hand made lace edged fans.  We have recieved great applause for this work and it is amazing!  I've submitted two pieces of lace to date.  I'm in the middle of making another piece.

If you are a lace maker - get your lace completed and to Mary.  Check NELG website for additional information.

Hope to see you at the Festival!

Kascare.org - Squares for Children

I received this email today and I am still so excited!  Can you imagine! 

Hello Patty: Wow, one of my friends has thirty made, and still going. She is using up every bit of yarn she has left over from her projects, awesome - another has at least 10, I have 6, waiting to hear from the other two. When I get the 30+, I will check in with you and find out when you will be at the Library and get these down to you. Again, everyone is doing simple stitches, not being too creative, just wanting to help the cause.

See ya, Dori

The lady with thirty made - wow - I'd love to use up lots of my scraps too!  I better get upstairs and continue my square!

KasCare - Colors of South Africa

I received a great question, what are the colors of the South African Flag?

So here it is, the red, white and blue date back before Nelson Mandella became president in 1994.  The black gold and green are representative of the South African people.

Wikipedia has a nice write up regarding the history of the flags of this country.  It also contains the proper flag etiquette. 

If you'd like to use these colors, please be respectful on their presentation.

CT Lace Group Meets - We are Artists!

We had a lovely meeting last Saturday at Boo's home.  Surprisingly it was Labor Day weekend and we had over 14 of us partake in the name of making lace, conversing and enjoying company.

Boo and her husband and two children were the greatest hosts.  As we do, we organize the lunch as a 'bring a dish' as requested by our hostess.  This time, I brought a cheese tray. 

It's not a regular meeting for NELG, more so it is a chance for us to gather for a few hours of making lace or some other fiber interest.  I took the opportunity to get some ideas about a flyer that came across my desk from the Hartford Public Library.  It is their call for Artists for the ArtWalk.  I spoke with Mary and Marian of HPL about the project.  Generally it appears that they only want one artist.  With reading the outline, maybe several artists(lace makers) would be within the confines of artists they would be interested in.

I thought it might be a good project if the group thought so.   I received good feedback.  I'd be looking for already completed works, antique works that inspired current work.   Once I get a chance to talk with our President and her thoughts, I'll be back to the Library to find out about if they would accept an exhibit with more than one artist? 

Either way, it would be a way to get our work out into a larger space and educate the public about lace making.  It would allow us to have an exhibit that could be posted in various libraries and exhibition spaces.

Big E - Your Entry

Is you lace entry ready?  Contact nelginfo@gmail.com .  We have a group from Massachusettes and Connecticut bringing up the entries!

The Big E's judging day is September 13th!!  Opening Day is Friday September 17th 8am to 10pm!

NELG's members will be present most days - Find us in the New England Center.  Stop by and see Cross / Twist and you too will be making lace!

Squares for Kids

Just a quick note on the squares.  My emails have been paying off.  My list of volunteers are growing, lots of squares, several are postage contributors, and one is a monthly contributor to KasCare.  You can see our numbers grow on KasCare Org - Pledges.

My square is almost finished.  I'll be entering it into the JoAnn's Craft for a Cause and make my vote for KasCare - Knit a Square.

Let's get started on those squares!

As we begin this challenge, I learn so much about how these blankets will help the children.  Then of course, I learn about the individuals that make the squares.

Here's some squares that have been completed by those before us.


Find more photos like this on Square Circle Forum

KASCare - Knit & Crochet Challenge

Today, I launched my committment to KasCare to get the word out about this most important work that is being done by them for the children orphaned by poverty and HIV/AIDS in South Africa.  Thanks for Sandy McDonald and her Aunt Ronda who have brought this mostly hidden tragedy to light.  They started only two years ago and already have had squares delivered to SA from 35 countries.

You can join in and help the children by knitting or crocheting a square.  See  my page on KasCare.org - Squares for Children for more information.

If you get here via my recent email, welcome!  Leave a note for me, email me at  KasCareNow-CT@yahoo.com.

Thank you for your Support!  You can make this difference.

JoAnn's Craft for a Cause

Just heard about this contest through my KasCare/ Knit-a-Square group.  It begins today, August 15th and runs through October 30th.

Simply you enter the contest on-line - see link above, and five individuals are selected as winners - you recieve a $1500 gift card.

Then the real actions begins. 

Several Charities will be selected and everyone will be asked to vote.  The site says three charities will be chosen and JoAnn's will donate $$big bucks to them.  Though I don't find the "math" working (lol).

This is a chance for yourself, but a great chance for your charity to really win some money.  In these times, when raising money for charities is always a challenge, this is a great opportunity

So, are you working on a project?  See the rules and regulations - simple stuff, one thing you must do -  scan and submit a copy of the receipt from JoAnn's showing the materials used to make your project and three pictures of your project.

Let's get organized and Let's get crafting!

Demonstration Time

Just a reminder to NELG members - get your hours in! 

Next month will be the BIG E.  It will begin on September 17th and go through October 2nd. 

There is so much to do and by demonstrating your lace making skills, you will receive 2 tickets for the day and parking at the back gate!  We need as many folks as possible.  It is a great place to attract new members to our organization  and for referrals for students and teachers.

See the current year's brochure for highlights.  The following days honor each of the New England States.

Special Days are:
Rhode Island Day - Sept 21
Connecticut Day - Sept 22
Massachusettes Day - Sept 23
Vermont Day - Sept 25
New Hampshire Day - Sept 24
and Maine Day - Oct 2nd

Hope to see you there!  It is just a great time for everyone.

Warm up orphaned children

Yesterday I watched a film named "Yesterday".  It is about a woman, of the same name, living in a remote village in South Africa's Zululand.  It is a tremendously powerful movie and I highly recommend watching it.  It's a foreign film, plenty of English subtitles.  It was a best nominee for a foreign film in 2004.

So what has this to do with being creative?  Lots - in the film I noticed that there was lots of brightly colored crocheted pieces of clothing.  In no time I did a search to find out if there was anything about it.  There is lots!  Most importantly, is KasCare.  This is an organization that is about Aid for AIDS orphans in South Africa.  Founded in Australia, this family, has made it their mission in life to bring awareness to the 1.4million orphaned children in South Africa.

What you can do? It is really simple - make a 8" x 8" knitted or crochet square - send it to them or send it to me and I'll forward it on to them.  That's it.  Dig into your stash bag, grab a hook or needles and in less than an hour you'll have a square.

Check back later, I'll have more news.

Lace Making in Milford

Yesterday was spent demonstrating bobbin lace making at the Milford Historic Society. Barbara, and her daughter Barbara join in for the morning, and Winann and I spent the day there. It was a bit cloudy all day, yet cool, the day was really quite nice. Sitting only a half block off the harbor, it is a good day.

We invited those in to see our wares, (not for sale ) and how to make lace and even sit down and make some lace. Cross, Twist, Cross as we gave instructions to adults and children and we continue to make our snake bookmarks. It is truly wonderful when the visitor looks at the pillows with lots of bobbins on them and finds that it is only two pairs that it begins with. I had a set of twins, a three-some of little brothers, and a group of assorted kids accompanied by with their parents and grandparents.

Of course there were the questions of 'how much can you make' and 'how long' , it's the making of the lace, the process, that is the pleasure. Listening to the clinking of the bobbins as they move across the pillow and the lace unfold as each Cross, Twist, Pin is made is a special music to a lace makers' ears.
It was a great day for lace and a great day to teach lace.

If you are out an about - us Lace Makers will be staffing the Craft Building at the Big E. Yours truly will be there for the morning shift on the 23rd of September.