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/

Thanksgiving Wish

Many of us are rushing around with the last of the preparation of festivities of this great holiday. 

For me it's not only the cooking, cleaning, it's the frenzy that will happen the day after as we rush to the next holiday.  Each year I wonder, is it the deadline, is it the change of the weather or what is it?  You fill in the blank.

I wish everyone to take a moment, spend some time with your lace, your fiber, your craft.  Not the item you are making for the gift to Aunt Tilly; spend time on your gift to you - your craft. 

Take time to k2p2 another row, find the special yarn, CTCTT a few bobbins, ds with the tatting shuttle, even just browse a book of ideas for some inspirations for projects to come.

However you spend your holiday - may you have Health, Joy and Peace.

Photo courtsey of Mystik Productions @flicker

Stitches East 2010

What an event!  If you don't know of it, it is a long week-end conference sponsored by the The Knitting Universe.  It's about knitting and lots and lots of yarn!  I did feel a bit left out being a crocheter, though the yarn made up for it.

Lori and I had made a date to go to the event quite a time ago.  It's been so difficult to get together, family issues, and other items and before long, time has flew by. 

We met at the Convention center at about 10am and began the feast.  Talk about stimulus overload and all the great yarns you can't imagine. 

The yarn was amazing - hand spun skeins, amazing work from the big mills, lots of different types, alpaca, wools, silks and even some man-made fibers. The colors, hand dyed, oh my goodness, I think I'm still drueling over them.

While walking about, you get to meet many of the designers.  It was interesting to meet several and discuss with them for a moment or two about their journey to becoming a designer. 

I found a few new yarn shops - hmmmm.  I know I made a promise to finish what I have in process.  I did pick up a book on needle lace and some tatting needles and finally a magnifying lense that I can attach to my pillow when I work.

All in all it was a great event and a great day with Lori.  We finished it up with  burger from Max Burgers in West Hartford.    Thanks Lori for a fun day. 

PS Looking forward to Stitches East 2011 - it will be held at the Hartford Convention Center once again.

Squares, Squares and more Squares

Hi All,

The squares are coming in!  This picture is from S.A. at a volunteer's home on October 13th!

I wrote to the organization cheering them on.  This is such a great effort.   See their letter below.  I'm so inspired that I will be continuing to collect squares past the November date that I first thought.  

 This past weekend I made two squares with left-over Lion Brand Homespun.  It worked up beautiful and really quickly.

Keep up the good work - call me for any questions

Thank again!


Hi Patty

Thank you so much for your email, I love your email address!


What a wonderful job you are doing of spreading the word. 250 squares and 100 people getting involved will help innumerably.

You are welcome to the photos Patty. Thank you again for all your hard work.

Warm regards
Kalai McDonald - Administrator

To support us please consider a small recurring fee of US$3.oo per month, please go to http://allfororphans.com/
Click here to view:
Every day is Nelson Mandela day with knit-a-square
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2010/07/19/2958318.htm
Please join our forum for help with anything you need and to be a part of a wonderful commmunity http://forum.knit-a-square.com/
Here are links to the facebook and twitter pages:
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=51404036679&ref=ts
Twitter: http://twitter.com/knitasquare

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.

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!

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.

Ravelry

Ravelry - is a comunnity of knitters and crocheters.

My goodness - this is very much a place I am looking for. It's community - places to share information, record and share progress about your projects, get corrections on others, all in all it is pretty cool.

If you are interested - take a look - you'll need to sign up with an account - it's free and why not.