Crafting for a Cause

Last month, I joined a group called Crafting for a Cause. The goal is to donate 3000 items to charity by the end of 2007. As of 5/30/07, 710 items have been donated.

I have a variety of items that I work on for charity. I have completed a number of chemo caps, but most recently I have been working on snuggle blankets for animal rescue charities. I had this 20+ year old acrylic yarn that at one point was going to be a cardigan for me. 1900 yards of bright, sunny yellow yarn. I still don't know what I was thinking when I bought that yarn. It must have been on sale.

The idea for these blankets came from the book Knitting For Peace. These are plain, garter stitch blankets that range in sizes from 11" x 11" to 28" x 28", and there are a total of 6 of them. When I was done, I had less than 5 yards of the lovely, yellow yarn. Yeah!

Here are the 6 blankets:



I have been considering knitting afghan squares for Warm Up America. I participated in their Caps to Capital campaign earlier this year and donated 10 baby caps. I have a bunch of leftover yarn from 25+ years of projects, so knitting afghan squares would be a good way to get rid of a laundry hamper full of remnants. We'll see. I have about three afghans planned for charity knitting too.

I'm just happy that I don't have to knit yellow, plastic yarn anymore!

Knitting For Peace Messenger Bag

This thing is huge! That black and white thing that is laying at the top of the bag is a standard CD. It took about 840 yards of yarn, and, quite frankly, I am scared to death to felt it. Not because I think it won't shrink, but that it won't shrink enough.

When I came across the pattern in the book Knitting For Peace, I thought "what a cool idea". The yarn is a 100% wool from Norway, called Gjestal Naturspunn No. 1. It is in a Hunter Green. In the book, there are labels that you can scan and print onto iron on transfer paper. I have the transfer paper and muslin. I am pretty much set to complete this, I just have to get over this felting hurdle.

I started it sometime around New Year's and finished it on 5/4/07. Let's just say this hasn't been a pressing project.

Keep your fingers crossed that I will see the final results I am hoping for.