Stiching for gifts and charity
Most of what I knit and/or crochet I give away. Last “winter” I mentioned to one of my SnB ladies that I only have two scarves and she gave me a look. I thought she didn’t believe me, but when I explained that I give most of what I make away she said she knew that and thought I was crazy for it. I then started to gather yarn for items to make for myself. These projects are supposed to keep me busy all through school because with the monthly tuition payment I don’t really have the money to buy more yarn. However, I’ve found it difficult to break free of the gift stitching habit which has lead to some headaches over internet yarn purchases (see below). The only other way I can fill my desire to knit for others, and not have to worry about the cost & quality of the yarn, and the washing instructions so much is to stitch for charity.
Try as I might, I haven’t been able to get anything completed for any of the organizations I wanted to help out, other than Knit for the Cure. The first year I made a scarf—crocheted, very odd looking—last year I made the cowl from one of the STC high gloss, full color knitting books that Tooraj gave me…the pattern called for cashmere, I used Simply Soft. It was a nice quick knit. I’ve also considered making neck coolers, but that involved more internet shopping PLUS finding fabric that was suitable, AND the time to make them. I also came across Project Linus, and was determined to bang out a blanket right quick…that was three years ago. I can’t finish afghans I want to give to my loved ones as gifts, what made me think I could do one to give away? Ugh. But now we’ve gotten a call to knit for soliders, and I thought I can do that. I can make a simple scarf, 1x1 rib, 7 inches across and a little more than three feet long. That’s three days of work and less than a skein of $2 Red Heart.
So, yesterday before the SnB I headed over to Joanns and ended up with $4 Essentials, and some size 9 Clover Bamboo needles and I was on my way. My scarf is dark thyme (sort of a rich deep olive drab) and only 6 inches across (why is it that when you bother with the gauge swatch the final product doesn’t match it?). I have knit a full foot of length so I’m a third of the way there and feeling pretty good about it. I really wanted to use that camouflage Red Heart, but alas Joanns didn’t have any in the bins.
I’m feeling pretty good about this. Perhaps I’ll get a photo taken of it before I hand it off to whoever is collecting them.
The only other thing I wonder about is soldiers who don’t have family here to send them care packages…I hear there are organizations out there who connect people here with them. I think I’d feel even better if I knew that someone who had no one was getting my help. I’m going to look into that.
Seraphim spent the night in the fridge at work last night so I still haven't done those last two rows and put in the lifeline...this evening I'll get to that.
Update on Needles!:
I found three different addresses, two phone numbers and two D/B/As....**sigh**
As far as I can tell at least two of the addresses is incorrect.
Neither of the phone numbers is valid. And hindsight being what it is, I checked the BBB and did find, like Mimi who hasn't been to Priscilla's lately, that they are not a member of the Charlotte, NC BBB AND have an unsatisfactory rating. I was kicking myself in the arse even more after all of this, then I spoke to Victoria--who is LOVING Utah, and even saw some black people there--and she gave me an UGH! when I told her about it. She said that she has ordered from them before and it took them forever to process her order. She said it's a small mom & pop store and only one person handles the orders. She said that every so often someone writes into the crochet webgroup that she's a member of to query whether or not any one has ordered from them before because they're having the same problem I am. SO, I've decided to just be patient and wait and see. As long as they don't charge my card I don't care how long it takes them. I've decided on this because I need what little sanity I've been clinging onto lately.
Try as I might, I haven’t been able to get anything completed for any of the organizations I wanted to help out, other than Knit for the Cure. The first year I made a scarf—crocheted, very odd looking—last year I made the cowl from one of the STC high gloss, full color knitting books that Tooraj gave me…the pattern called for cashmere, I used Simply Soft. It was a nice quick knit. I’ve also considered making neck coolers, but that involved more internet shopping PLUS finding fabric that was suitable, AND the time to make them. I also came across Project Linus, and was determined to bang out a blanket right quick…that was three years ago. I can’t finish afghans I want to give to my loved ones as gifts, what made me think I could do one to give away? Ugh. But now we’ve gotten a call to knit for soliders, and I thought I can do that. I can make a simple scarf, 1x1 rib, 7 inches across and a little more than three feet long. That’s three days of work and less than a skein of $2 Red Heart.
So, yesterday before the SnB I headed over to Joanns and ended up with $4 Essentials, and some size 9 Clover Bamboo needles and I was on my way. My scarf is dark thyme (sort of a rich deep olive drab) and only 6 inches across (why is it that when you bother with the gauge swatch the final product doesn’t match it?). I have knit a full foot of length so I’m a third of the way there and feeling pretty good about it. I really wanted to use that camouflage Red Heart, but alas Joanns didn’t have any in the bins.
I’m feeling pretty good about this. Perhaps I’ll get a photo taken of it before I hand it off to whoever is collecting them.
The only other thing I wonder about is soldiers who don’t have family here to send them care packages…I hear there are organizations out there who connect people here with them. I think I’d feel even better if I knew that someone who had no one was getting my help. I’m going to look into that.
Seraphim spent the night in the fridge at work last night so I still haven't done those last two rows and put in the lifeline...this evening I'll get to that.
Update on Needles!:
I found three different addresses, two phone numbers and two D/B/As....**sigh**
As far as I can tell at least two of the addresses is incorrect.
Neither of the phone numbers is valid. And hindsight being what it is, I checked the BBB and did find, like Mimi who hasn't been to Priscilla's lately, that they are not a member of the Charlotte, NC BBB AND have an unsatisfactory rating. I was kicking myself in the arse even more after all of this, then I spoke to Victoria--who is LOVING Utah, and even saw some black people there--and she gave me an UGH! when I told her about it. She said that she has ordered from them before and it took them forever to process her order. She said it's a small mom & pop store and only one person handles the orders. She said that every so often someone writes into the crochet webgroup that she's a member of to query whether or not any one has ordered from them before because they're having the same problem I am. SO, I've decided to just be patient and wait and see. As long as they don't charge my card I don't care how long it takes them. I've decided on this because I need what little sanity I've been clinging onto lately.
posted by tb at 1:10 PM
2 Comments:
sorry my Googling effort didn't pay off. I tried for you :-)
Thank you for the effort. I just want this to be done. I think I'll be following Dixie's lead and if they aren't well established or being raved about by another knitter I'm not ordering. Sorry small, unestablished business...better safe than sorry.
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