Project #23: Alabama, Fingerless Mitts for teens

Now begins the month of fingerless mitts. This project will run from 9/15 to 10/15 and will benefit the Salvation Army Christmas Program in Florence, Alabama.

This program needs 200 fingerless mitts for teen girls, ages 13 to 18, to put into their Christmas packages. It can be any type of yarn and can be knitted or crocheted.

Here is the address for mailing this month:
T. Coats
845 County Road 57
Florence AL 35633

Happy creating!

Project #22: Maryland - Helping Kids at Hopkins

(photo property of MiniLaura)

kittyville pattern available free on Ravelry
Not a Ravelry member? Get the pattern here.

August 15 through September 15
Time to turn our heads to the dark of night in the first bite of ensuing winter. The fun of crafting hats for this eve of dressing to ward off ghouls and goblins is upon us…

From Helping Kids at Hopkins Ravelry Group: “Sept/Oct- Halloween Hats are back!!!! This popular and very fun hat collection for the kids on the oncology floor is a fun tradition that is in it’s forth year. Anyone can make a chemo cap, but can you make one for Halloween? Check out our shared projects section to see the great hats from 2008, 2009, & 2010 and spark your creativity for 2011.”

If you are not a member of Ravelry and cannot visit the Helping Kids at Hopkins forum thread for inspiration, you can visit...well, what are you waiting for? It's free to join, and they have the best selection of free patterns that I have found ANYWHERE! (You can try knitpicks.com, lionbrand.com, and knittingpatterncentral.com, but you will have to dig.)

Items should be mailed to:
Helping Kids at Hopkins
PO Box 105
Hanover, MD 21076

As always, don’t forget to attach a tag that says "from Sharing Our Gifts" when sending your items. Thank you again for joining in on our projects.

Happy creating!

Project #21: Missouri, Joplin - Emerson Elementary

Please excuse my lack of posting the projects here on the blog in recent months. I have been so busy that I have just focused on getting them posted on Ravelry. I will update again soon.

We have decided to assist Emerson Elementary in Joplin, Missouri this month. Project runs from July 15 to August 15.

Our coordinator/collector/distributor is mcahill on Ravelry. She is a group administrator of the Tornado Recovery group.

As for items, we can make any warm items for elementary aged children: hats, scarves, mittens…

As was suggested, it would be GREAT if we could each attach a little card about or geographic location (and maybe a little factual information about that location) to our items with the Sharing Our Gifts tag. In this way, we will send a little warmth and a little geography lesson at the same time.

This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.

Please remember to put Sharing Our Gifts tag on items when sending.

Have fun! Happy creating…

Project #17: Wisconsin, Hebron House of Hospitality

(Hebron House)

Beginning on March 15, we move onward to the state of Wisconsin, and to making a variety of items for Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc. in Waukesha. There are two shelter houses in Waukesha that are run by Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc.; these are the Hebron House at 812 N East Ave, Waukesha, WI and the Siena House at 1519 Summit Ave, Waukesha, WI. Hebron can serve 40 families at one time, and Siena can serve 37 at one time. I am told they are always full, and always in need of donations.

This project was suggested by AuntieTrixKnits26 on Ravelry, and she will be acting as our coordinator and mail recipient.

One of the wonderful things about Hebron House is that they have a very good website which includes a wish list. We can make anything we like from the wish list, which includes:
Hats, scarves, cowls, mittens, socks, slippers, washcloths, lapghans, and many more items.

Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc. shares their mission statement and philosophy on their website:
“The mission of Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc. is to provide emergency housing and related services to people in transition with the basic needs of shelter, food and personal support.” …“Hebron House of Hospitality, Inc. is operated always with the purpose to provide housing and food to any person of any faith, nationality, sex, age or disability. We strive to provide this service in a non-judgmental atmosphere.”

DEADLINE:
Deadline to have these items received by the project coordinator is April 15, so please allow appropriate mail time. She will be delivering to the facility just after April 15.

As stated above, our volunteer coordinator for this project is AuntieTrixKnits26. Donations can be mailed to:

This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.

Please let me know if there are any questions, or if I have left out any vital information for this project. Thank you again for your participation!

Project #16: Ohio, Touching Little Lives

This project begins February 15 and goes to March 15. We will be making infant items for Touching Little Lives (TLL). Read to the bottom for mailing instructions...

This month, we will be making items for tiny new humans in need. Here is some information about the mission of Touching Little Lives:

"It's a simple fact that many of Ohio's newborns lack the basic necessities to assist them in developing and sustaining good health. A warm blanket and clothing are vital to a newborn to retain body heat. These simple items can make the difference in an infant's ability to ward off other illnesses which could develop, necessitating return hospital stays that could have been prevented and adding to the already high cost. Our mission is to 'touch the little lives' of needy premature and newborn infants in Ohio, to do all that we can to give them, free of any charge, the necessities that every newborn needs. Our volunteers hand make **quilts, blankets, caps, booties, gowns, undershirts, afghans, bibs, sleepers**, and other articles."

This project allows for a good deal of variety in what we choose to make, and I will leave it up to each of you to make what you like from the list above. Additionally, TLL uses surgery dolls to help children transition from surgical procedure through recovery with an item of security. They say:

"Our surgery dolls are used by doctors and nurses to draw on and graphically explain to a young child about their pending surgery. This helps the child understand what he or she is about to undergo. This doll is then given to the child, something to hold on to during the stressful hospital stay and something to take with when they are finally able to return home. We make stuffed animals and these are provided to various area agencies and emergency rooms. Having something soft to cling to during a time of stress can do much to ease the trauma of a young child."

TLL offers photo examples of the items they need, as well as providing patterns for sewing, knitting and crochet of the items. They give sizing information as well as needle and yarn suggestions.

Soft cotton and soft acrylics are best for this project. Let me know if you have questions.

Our Fearless Volunteer Collector/Delivery person for this project is [knitsforpits]. Your items can be mailed to:
This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.

Project #15: Maine, Nest Maine

Project 15 runs from January 15, 2011 to February 15, 2011.

Nest Maine is a grassroots effort to help people in need with hats, mittens, scarves, cowls, and other warm knitted items. From the blog, here is the information for and mission of Nest Maine:

“Nest seeks to connect knitters and other fiber enthusiasts with people in need of warm clothing for winter. In 2008 we distributed our first round of new donated hats, mittens, fingerless mitts, cowls and scarves in the Ft. Kent, Maine, area.”

Wool is happily accepted, as the winters are C O L D in Maine, but other fibers are alright as well, since some are allergic to wool.

Where to mail?
This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.

Make sure to include “From Sharing Our Gifts,” your name, and information about fiber care and content in the package and/or on the items you send.

SUPER ULTRA IMPORTANT FOR OUR TALLY: please make a post here when you send, and state what and how many. This way, we can keep track of our contributions.

Thank you to our Ravelry group member, threadsgal, for suggesting this project. The founder and contact for Nest Maine is beetgreen on Ravelry.

Happy creating!

Project #14: Hawaii, Ka Punawai Ola

Runs 11/15 to 12/15/2010

Ka Punawai Ola is a nursing care facility that opened in 2000, and houses 118 patients. Here is some information about them:

“Ka Punawai Ola offers subacute care for patients who need specialized medical services, including medical rehabilitation, IV therapy, and respiratory therapy. Respite care is provided for individuals who need assistance while their primary caregiver is on vacation or temporarily unable to provide in-home care. The Alzheimer’s special care unit has been designed to offer a comfortable and secure environment suitable for the care of residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia disorders.”

The patients are often cold, even indoors, so we have been asked to send hats, lapghans, and shawls so they will have a little something to keep warm when they are going about their daily activities.

Our contact on this project is hularac on Ravelry, and we are not posting an address on the blog, but please contact me by email if you wish to participate and need an address for mailing your donation.

This project begins 11/15/10 and goes to 12/15/10. Our items will be there in time to spread a little Christmas cheer!

What are we making?
Hats, Lapghans, shawls

Of what fiber?
Acrylic or cotton are best for this project; the softer, the better!

As always, thank you all for your participation and support of these projects! Happy knitting/crocheting!
This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.

Project #10: Colorado - Urban Peak, Colorado Springs

Can you believe it is time for #10 already??!! I want to say a big thank you to all who have participated in projects up to this point. Some of you have been with me from the very beginning, and we are nearing our one year mark! We have gained participants each and every month, though we have also lost a few along the way. All are welcome, and all are appreciated. I could not have donated the nearly 500 items we have donated without you all!

Now, on to Colorado…

This month, from July 15 to August 15, we are knitting for a homeless youth shelter called Urban Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This project was suggested by kae1crafts on Ravelry, and she will be the volunteer collector and delivery person for this one. Thanks, Kae! Here is a little about the charity:

Urban Peak services for homeless and runaway youth include:

* Overnight shelter
* Daily services including food, clothing, hygiene products, laundry and showers
* Intensive case management
* An onsite medical clinic
* Street outreach
* Job skills assessment, training and placement programs
* GED classes
* Educational counseling and planning
* Scholarship and Financial Aid opportunities
* A Mentorship program
* Assistance in obtaining ID and birth certificates
* Transportation assistance
* Educational and Recreational groups
* Referrals for psychiatric counseling services
* Referrals for drug/alcohol counseling and treatment
* Family Counseling and reunification services
* Housing options and referrals

What we are making:

Hats, gloves, and scarves for youth ages 15 to 21. Colors and patterns are your choice, but do remember the age group when making your choices.

As always, these can be knitted, crocheted, or sewn, and they must be handmade. If you do not knit, crochet, or sew, you can still be involved by purchasing a handmade item from one of the wonderful sellers on Etsy or Artfire. Or, ask a friend to make the item and you provide shipping - then you both get to participate!

DEADLINE:
Deadline to have these items received by the project coordinator is August 15, so please allow appropriate mail time.

As stated above, our volunteer coordinator for this project is kae1crafts for the collection, tally, and delivery. The mailing address for this is:

This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.

Please let me know if there are any questions, or if I have left out any vital information for this project. Thank you again for your participation!

Project #9: Idaho - Northwest Children's Home

Ready, Set, GO!
On to Idaho! This month, BlueRaven has suggested that we send our items to Northwest Children’s Home, Inc. in Lewiston. The Home has been helping orphaned, abandoned and abused children since 1908.

The home has undergone many changes over the last 100 years, and has even endured through location changes, changes in child protection laws, and expansion efforts.

“Today, as Northwest Children’s Home looks forward to its second century, it has come a long way from its original mission as an orphanage and home finder for abandoned children. The change from custodial care to treatment programs that had its genesis in the 1930s has resulted in a constant evolution in how the children’s home operates.”

What we are making for THIS PROJECT:
hats
scarves
mittens/gloves
or if you wish, socks and/or slippers

As always, these can be knitted, crocheted, or sewn, and they must be handmade. If you do not knit, crochet, or sew, you can still be involved by purchasing a handmade item from one of the wonderful sellers on Etsy or Artfire. Or, ask a friend to make the item and you provide shipping - then you both get to participate!

DEADLINE:
Deadline to have these items received by the project coordinator is July 15, so please allow appropriate mail time.

As stated above, our volunteer coordinator for this project is BlueRaven for the collection and tally, and knitsforpits will be doing the delivery. The mailing address for this will be announced in the next few days, so stay tuned!

Please let me know if there are any questions, or if I have left out any vital information for this project. Thank you again for your participation!

This project has finished. If you would like to send an item, please email me for the mailing address.