Wool donations for warming centers

Our local area has warming centers for the homeless that are invaluable during cold snaps like the one we just suffered. I am taking up a project for just this cause.

If anyone has any wool, alpaca, or other animal fiber yarn that they would be willing to donate I will use that yarn to knit donation items for the warming centers. It must be wool, wool blend, or animal fiber of some sort.

Cotton lowers the bodies natural temperature especially when wet and can cause hypothermia, whereas wool is a natural insulator helping the body maintain its natural temperature even when wet. Another good quality of wool is that it can be water proof. I have lanolin on hand and can waterproof every item before donating. This makes wool very superior for donation purposes as it can keep folk warm and dry even in the worst conditions.

Any weight, color or amount would help! Washable wool and super wash is fine. Sock yarns would be great even if just ball end scraps as I can work those into the  feet of 100% wool socks making them more durable. Any amount of wool yarn will help greatly! Mill ends, partial skeins, whatever you have on hand!

I will also happily accept raw locks of fiber, again must be animal fiber such as wool, alpaca, llama or other. I can use these raw locks to make thrummed items for donation such as thrummed mittens and partially thrummed hats. This will add extra warmth for folks.

My goal is to start collecting donations now and work on knitting items for the Egan Warming Centers and other charities year round. It would be great if no one had to be cold!

For more information on the Egan Warming Centers please visit their fb page at... https://www.facebook.com/EganWarmingCenters

Local tragedy fund raiser

This is the little boy of one of our local mamas. This is some one from our own little community that many of us know. Today he took a hard fall and ended up needing surgery to repair a massive brain bleed. Please help if you can. Any little bit will help. This is not a stranger, this is one of our own!

I will be donating a portion of all December pattern sales to this family. If you are able to contribute directly that is wonderful, and if you would like to give by buying a pattern that will contribute that is great too.

http://www.gofundme.com/5qjjm4 To donate directly.

And visit any of my pattern shops to give via purchase.
http://www.ravelry.com/stores/full-knitted-jacket

http://www.craftsy.com/user/346836/pattern-store

https://www.etsy.com/shop/FullKnittedJacket?ref=seller_info

Mittens for charity

I am knitting up some wool toddler mittens for charity. With sub freezing temperatures, ice and snow along with power outages and burning bans there are lots of little cold hands out there.

These Charity mittens will be knit using cuffs with the Brioche technique and the pattern will be available when done. Like all of my patterns a portion of the funds goes to buy yarn to knit items for charity.

Julenisse of Kindness

I saw this blog on Kindness elves, a spin off of Elf on a Shelf, who honestly creeps me out! http://theimaginationtree.com/2013/11/alternative-elf-on-shelf-tradition-kindness-elf.html

So today I picked up some beads to give these a try on my own, since I have no clue where to buy them. I figured Juletomten can leave a little Julenisse of kindness for little Bear. I am now trying to decide the best way to attach the beads. Maybe a little crocheted chain body inside? Like chains going to each leg and arm with beads for hands and feet, then back to a main body and up through the head and securing to a braid of hair? Then knit the clothes to go over?

My Grandmother used to make me the most amazing and beloved clothes pin dolls with little Bead heads when I was a child and I now wish I had paid better attention. This will be a bit of a learning experience for me but will update how it goes.

I think these little guys will fit in nicely to our current traditions and holiday activities. Today while visiting Sinterklaas at the mall we picked up an ornament to get some one a Secret Santa gift. We picked some one in a retirement home and got them a Knitting Loom pack. We are all very excited about this one since we are such a crafty family.

We also have been thinking of ways to be giving to our neighbors this season with thoughts of gifting the neighbors with St Lucia cakes and then maybe Julebukking and taking cookies about. If you think of any great ideas please leave your ideas in the comments.