Live By Example

I found this project called 1000 Stitches which is a great example of giving and is organized by Marny Elliot of Missouri. She is seeking 1,000 people to sew, knit or crochet a blanket for someone in need. Each craftier is asked to select a local person or charity to support like a homeless shelter, children's home, nursing home or someone that is sick.

Preemie Blanket for Lily

Make a blanket for the person you chose and wrap it as a gift with a note that provides a message of hope. Then let Marny know about your donation and the message you sent include the type of blanket you gave, who the person was and how you felt about giving them the gift and include a photograph if possible.

As a part of 1000 Stitches project, Marny will create a booklet of all the items given away for everyone who participates. She will also help people find an organization in their area that needs donations.

What I did:

I completed the project, a pink and blue striped preemie blanket for a tiny girl weighing 1.5 oz at 29 weeks on July 18, 2016. She is the little cousin to my grandson born a month later. I made the blanket big enough for baby Lili to be wrapped in for her homecoming. I've never seen baby Lili in person and it's hard to grasp just how tiny she is, but I will as she gets bigger and healthier. For now Miss Lili is quarantined from people and their germs. I enjoyed making many things for her and plan to do more as she grows.

My last post has links to charities and organizations that help with crochet items.

Charity is near and dear to my heart

Let's talk about something near and dear to my heart, giving to others, I am always happiest when I am giving to people in need. This year I am going to focus on hats for preemies, babies and school children.

Recently, my new grandson was born (2 months old) and to celebrate my little pumpkin, I am going to make newborn and preemie hats to give to the hospital where he was born. And, of course, schools always have children in need of hats and gloves; some lose them and others never had them in the first place, so I will be making hats galore.

Here are some charity pattern links and ideas for you to share if you are interested:

• All Free Crochet
• Redheart Charity Patterns
• Crochet Guild of America (CGOA) Patterns
• Giving Back: Ways to Knit and Crochet for Charity

Online Charitable Organizations

• Newborns in Need (NIN)
• Project Linus
• 1000 Stitches 

Crochet Newbies

A neighbor came by yesterday and picked up a baby deer diaper cover set, which happens to be the first one I've made of that type and it was time consuming but fun! She also got a blue hat and cocoon, and a "Mickey"-style crochet character hat. In addition, I gave her a Santa Claus baby hat for her soon-to-be grandson.

While we were talking crochet, she mentioned that her and a friend make basic baby blankets but that hers always turn out too large. Her friend said just chain 100 and that's all you need. There are several reasons it could happen including looser stitches than her friend, stitch count, type of yarn, etc. That is when I decided it was blog time! Time to share some crochet tips back and forth.

I have so many friends interested in crocheting and maybe some of my daily dealings with crochet might help in some way, so here's my page to discuss all things yarn. I'll post my projects, if I like them and sometimes I don't. I'll post charity work I do and lots of photos. Also, I'll post free patterns linked back to the designer if they are not my own and I'm a Pinterest nut...I can't get enough of that website, so I'll connect my page soon.

In the meantime, you all can go look at my Etsy page, "The Crochet Klothesline" and if you purchase from me 5 times you'll get a free crochet item worth $25 as a thank you! If you are ordering online you must remind me, because I don't have an online punch card system. Friends and family can get one of my punch card business cards and get it marked with each purchase of $25. 

If you are a very loyal customer of mine, then I'll have a super surprise down the road for you. For now, enjoy my blog, keep comments friendly and crochet on! If you are learning I'll add a page to get you started. I don't have any video tutorials of my own yet, but I know plenty of guys and gals who do.

Leave a comment, so I know you were here:

•  Introduce yourself. 
• How many years have you been crocheting?
• Are you new and if so what do you want to learn?
• What is your favorite type of patterns? (Made in an hour, afghans, baby outfits or fill in the blank.)
  
      
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  Thanks to Alysia & Company for photographing my work.