Delivery!

Hi all! This week I made a trip out to the Martha O'Bryan center to drop off all the knit goodies you guys have been sending in!! On the way there I stopped by the post office and there was a big box of beautiful knit and crochet items from Shirley S. in Colorado!  This included 9 hat and matching sock sets, 4 pairs of socks, 4 knit bears, 3 hat and matching sweater sets, 3 sets of froggie slippers (with the no-slip patch sewn on the botton--how cute is that!), and 3 sock hats!!

The total items donated:  71 hats from baby to adult, 8 scarves, 1 pair adult mittens, 1 pair child mittens, 8 washclothes, 6 bears, 1 snowman, 3 froggie slippers, 9 hat/sock sets, and 3 hat/sweater sets.

I sent 6 preemie hats to MamasHealth in California. They collect preemie hats and give them to local hospitals.

Last but not least, I sent 2 monsters to the Hope Garden and Bonnie J. She collects monsters for children at an abused women and children's shelter and gives a little cute monster to each of the kids at Christmas time.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work and your donations!! You are what makes Knits for Needs what it is! I will still continue to collect all year round, so keep sending me your items. I still have a lot of yarn if anyone needs any more. Also, I plan to donate some yarn to a local school that teaches their students to knit in home economics class.

Thanks again for all of your support. Keep up the good work!

Keep the yarn flying,
michelle

Exciting stuff....

Hi all! It has been a busy couple of weeks! I got several more donations--check them out!!

These cutie hats come from Reem F. in Georgia. Thank you so much, Reem!

These hats come from Tess R. in Wisconsin. Thanks so much--so warm and soft!

All these hats come from Marge and The Knitting Angels in Texas! Fantastic. Thank you so much!! 

All the kids at Martha O'Bryan are going to love all of these hats! Thank you so much all of you for your hard work and donations. You have no idea what impact you will make for those in need. I will be taking these and many more over there sometime in the next couple weeks. It is starting to get colder here in Tennessee. I'll keep you updated. 

Thanks once again to everyone that has donated so far this year. You are making a difference!

Keep the yarn flying, 

Michelle 

Craft Girls Talk

Hi all.

A few posts ago I talked about an author interviewing about Knits for Needs. Jennifer Forest has now published that book of interviews with Knits for Needs in it. Yahoo!!  You can get the book free this weekend (sorry I am posting this late) for your Kindle it ends midnight California, USA time.

Also, check her website out at http://jenniferforest.typepad.com/jennifer-forest/

Keep the yarn flying,

Michelle

Yarn Donation!!

Got another yarn donation!! 6 big skeins in fall colors:

... and a cowl from Sarah Kate F. in Tennessee. Thanks a lot, these will make some warm goodies for someone!

If anyone is interested in knitting up one or more of those balls of yarn, just email me at knitsforneeds@gmail.com and I'll send them right to you.

KYF,
michelle

Gala called Cornerstone Gala

Hi all. I recently blogged about the Northcrest Gala. It is called the Cornerstone Gala. The items will go live for auction online on October 25th, and whatever the price is online will be the starting bid at the Gala on November 10th, if no one bids at the Gala then it will sell for the online price at the end of the night. If you are interested in having your personal/business information on your item, please send a business card with it or a card with your contact information with it. I will also attach a little card that has Knits for Needs on it, too.

These are the benefactors of the NorthCrest foundation:



Facility Improvements – Currently, the Foundation is raising funds for a cancer education library that will be located within the new medical office building that will house oncology services.  The library will be stocked with pamphlets and books on all types of cancer, nutritional guidelines, social support materials, and other helpful information.  

• Equipment Purchases – The NorthCrest Foundation helped fund the purchase of state-of-the-art $1.2 million CardioCatheterization Lab equipment and the placement of AEDs in every school in Robertson and Cheatham Counties. The Foundation is currently underwriting an ImPACT testing system for all local high schools that evaluates possible concussions as a result of athletic participation.

• NorthCrest Hospice – provides end-of-life support for more than 120 individuals per year, equaling approximately 4800 days of service, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.

• Camp T.A.G. – a grief support camp for children who have lost a parent to death, deployment, divorce, incarceration, etc.  Camp T.A.G. has assisted over 700 children from our community.

• Martha’s Song – a program that provides financial support to Robertson County cancer patients.  Martha’s Song has assisted approximately 100 cancer patients with needs not covered by insurance with items such as compression sleeves, wigs and turbans, breast prostheses, medications, gas to treatments, bras, adult diapers, oxygen and nutritional drinks.

• Flu Shots/Diabetes Testing – Approximately 2,000 flu shots are provided in the rural communities of Robertson County each year at no charge, and A1C Diabetes Testing and Education offered at numerous community events.

Stayed tuned, as I get more information, I'll put it here!

Also, I wanted to clarify: my first trip to the Martha O'Bryan center will be mid-October. If you don't get your stuff to me by then, I'll just make another trip later or send your items somewhere else. All items, will go someone who needs it!!

KYF,
michelle

NorthCrest Gala

Hi all! I have exciting news! I have been approached about donating items for auction for the NorthCrest Gala. NorthCrest is a local community hospital near me. They have several programs that are free to their patients and the community one of which is CampTAG a grief camp for children who have lost a loved one.

They are having an auction and she says that hand made items usually sell very well, so wanted to see if we would be interested. I am still working on getting more information and will be blogging about it as I get it. So stay tuned in!!

This is what I know about it, they will be auctioning off these items to the highest bidder and the money goes to the NorthCrest Foundation. The auction will go live (online) on October 25th, ideally would like to have the items a couple weeks before to get them on and so people can start looking at what they want. The gala is not until November.

Let me know if any of you are interested in this. Of course if you have your own shops/sell your own stuff we can attach your card and information to it. It will also have donated to/by Knits for Needs and your information--however it is best to put both identifications on there. If you send things please let me know where you would like to donate them if you have a preference.

Any thoughts or ideas let me know! You can email me or respond here! Look forward to hearing from any of you!

Keep the yarn flying,
Michelle

P.S. Still collecting for the Martha O'Bryan center, it is usually cold around here by Halloween, so plan to donate these items to them, maybe mid-October! I'll try to tally a count soon. Anyone need yarn?

What I have been up to...

Hi all! So I started knitting mittens without a pattern. So this is my first pair without a pattern; I cast on 24 stitches the cuff is ribbed and on from there.

So, I naturally thought that if I cast on 16 stitches that I would get a glove that was about child size. This is what I ended up with, which I think is hilarious!

I guess they would fit an infant, but usually those little mitts don't have thumbs!

Also, I have a monster for Hope Gardens. My 5yo helped with the colors and design. She has good ideas.

Here are some little preemie hats, it is hard to see how big they are... the little pink one is about 1in wide and 2in high. They are knit ribbed, so they stretch a lot. I knit these from a pattern and sizing guidelines from Bev's Country cottage. I have a link to her website on the sidebar to the left (the first one) if anyone is interested in some guidance on how big a preemie head is. She also has sizes for each tiny preemie, little bit bigger preemie, infant, child, etc.

Some washclothes and hat, I'm crushing on mitered squares right now....

Hope this finds you all well and knitting/crocheting like crazy!!

KYF,
Michelle

Martha O'Bryan Center

Hi all. Just wanted to remind you all that I am still collecting for the Martha O'Bryan center in Nashville, TN. They serve about 4000 people a year and 1000 of them are children. It would be great to get little hats and mittens for all of there little heads and hands!! I know it's a tall order, but I think we can do it!!

And remember if you need yarn I have some, just email me your address to knitsforneeds@gmail.com.

Keep the yarn flying!!!

Michelle

interview follow up

The interview is done. Hope this gets Knits for Needs out there more so we can help more people with our knitting/crocheting!! Thanks to those who commented. I will let you know more later when I know.

The book Crafty Girls Talk should be published some time in September, the author Jennifer Forest tells me. You can follow her on twitter @Jen_forest. She has other published books, too--Jane Austen's Sewing Box, Jane Austen's Door  and Confessions of My Friends. 


Hope all is well and everyone's happily knitting away!

Michelle

interview

Hi all. I just wanted to update you on the goings on. Our item count is at 40 right now! Thank you so much for all the donations and time that you guys put in. I will for sure find homes for them, what we have now will go to the Martha O'Bryan Center here in Nashville. I do have a few preemie hats that I have knit up that I will find homes for.

I still have lots of yarn for anyone who needs some. If you would like to donate for us, but don't have a yarn stash or would like to knit of some of the yarn I have and send it back, please email me at knitsforneeds@gmail.com with your mailing address and name and I will get it out to you ASAP!

Also, I have been contacted by Jennifer F. about "putting together a book of interviews of crafty girls from around the world, exploring how people take their creativity and love of craft (be that knitting, crochet, scrapbooking, sewing etc)." I happily agreed to do this and hope the word will get out about what we are and what we do even more than it already is. I will keep you up to date about this process and try to get a link or something to the interview. If there is anything you think needs to be mentioned about KFN, let me know here or by email.

One of the questions was how it got started and that prompted me to reviews the last several years in detail and all I can say is WOW!! Way to go Meridith and all the fantastic knitters/crocheters out there!!! You guys are fantastic. 2009--634 items donated. 2010--1070 items donated and 2011--418 items. You all are truly amazing!!

A question on here for you gals/guys is, "what motivates your knitters?" Let me know by twitter @knitsforneeds or knitsforneeds@gmail.com or reply here. I'm excited to hear from you!

Keep the yarn flying,
Michelle