Crochet Savvy Magazine | Feb 2015 | Charity - Mini Issue

table of contents Letter from the Editor

............................... 4

Meet Our Staff

............................... 5

Crocheting for Charity

...............................10

COVER STORY: Nicole Harris - HGE Designs

...............................11

Feel Better Friends

.............................. 18

WEAR CROCHET Winter Fashion 2015

............................. 23

Sheryl Novick - Handmade for the Homeless

............................. 27

Pattern: Cranberry Cowl

............................ 35

All Around Warmth - Two North American Blanket Charities

............................ 37

STAFF LaTonya “Keturah Ariel” Malinconico Founder/Creative Director/ Blog & Social Director www.knitfabulous.org

Rhonda “TurquoizBlue” Davis Editor-in-Chief www.thisiscrochet.com

Julie-Sarah Desjardins French Editor & Translator/ Blogger www.accrochet.com

Aldonia Secession Staff Assistant/ Charity Director

Karen Thistle Copy Editor

Lamira Fields Feature Writer

Isabelle Barrette Assistant French Editor & Translator www.thewanderingspiderr.blogspot.ca

Crochet Savvy Magazine www.crochetsavvy.com

Facebook www.facebook.com/crochetsavvymagazine Twitter www.twitter.com/crochetsavvy Ravelry http://www.ravelry.com/groups/crochet-savvymagazine

letter from the EDITOR We are happy to officially announce the new staff changes for 2015. I finally get to retire in peace from my post as Editor-in-Chief knowing that the magazine is in great hands!!!!!

Congrats to the new Crochet Savvy Magazine Editor’s staff for 2015: NEW Editor-in-Chief, Turquoiz Blue; NEW Assistant Editors, Aldonia Secession and Karen Thistle; and French Editor Julie Desjardins.

You know, it’s hard starting up any company, brand, or anything for that matter, and for a while, it was me alone doing everything. Then I got two awesome ladies to help ease the burden, Akua and TurquoizBlue. Akua retired last year, but TurquoizBlue has been behind me all of this time. So, I am proud to announce that she will be stepping up as your new Editor-in-Chief of Crochet Savvy Magazine for 2015.

In addition to this, we now have two new English Assistant Editors — my ever-faithful Aldonia and Karen along with my lovely and savvy French Editor, Julie. Everyone please wish them a Happy New Year and blessings for the new Crochet Savvy! I personally have seen from this past year the growth and future potential of this magazine because of all of my staff, Lamira, Aisha, and Isabelle included. I am so pleased and blessed to have them and so happy to also step down and enjoy crafting while watching and helping them now in a different capacity.

I will now enjoy the fabulous title of “Creative Director” and continue to grow our brand on the business level. So, I suppose it’s not retiring in the sense of leaving everything alone, but I do get to enjoy it from the behind the scenes! And I really needed that after the death of my father and after my husband and I stepped up our duties at our local place of worship. Love you all, and remember to wish the staff blessings for the New Year! Keep supporting Crochet Savvy and supporting the new staff!

–Love, LaTonya Keturah Malinconico, Founder/Creative Director Crochet Savvy Magazine

meet our STAFF Keturah is a debut author and has been in the hiphop industry for more than 13 years. An advocate for charity and having joy through trials, she teaches through motivation and inspiration a message of hope and balance for people, especially stay-athome-moms, who feel that they are completely lost tending to children, husbands and house duties.

She currently has a BA in Liberal Arts and an MBA in Business Administration and is a graphics designer and networker. She loves to use her creativity through arts, music and crafting (crocheting, knitting & sewing) to encourage others. Keturah currently resides in Toronto, ON with her family. For more info about her and her designs check out: www.knitfabulous.org. ~~~~~ Rhonda Davis aka TurquoizBlue lives in Atlanta, GA, where she is a multimedia designer specializing in creating experiences with fiber and digital media.

She has been designing professionally since 2007, and her background includes degrees in Web Design and Visual Communications, along with a MFA in Digital Media Design.

TurquoizBlue’s mission is to help users to have meaningful encounters with design. She is an accomplished designer whose work has been featured in top fiber design magazines. She can be found on her blog at http://www.thisiscrochet.com, as well as most social media sites @TurquoizBlue.

Aldonia has always been creative. To escape life she would find something creative to keep her occupied.

Just last year she came across the world of fiber arts; and thought, crocheting looks like fun but refused to make your everyday blankets. With no one willing to teach a left handed person to crochet, she taught herself. After practicing and rewriting patterns she saw online she decided to write her own.

She is an active volunteer for the children’s festival and fundraiser of Cochise County and is crocheting winter hats for the teens. She is from Bridgeport, Connecticut and has two loving children.She is also a self taught Left-handed crocheter since 2012 and is the owner of Barnwell’s Delight in Arizona https://www.facebook.com/pages/Barnwells-Delight ~~~~~ Copyeditor Karen Thistle’s Aunt Blanche was the first person to show her the joy and beauty of crochet. During one extended visit, her aunt made a zig-zag afghan to keep Karen’s mom cozy and also a matching skirt, top, and hat created with the same yarn for Karen’s doll.

First lesson learned: crochet means love.

Even so, Karen became a knitter around 1999— blame it on a failure of nerve; at the time, she felt she needed the security of two needles. In 2011, however, she got tired of having to pass up perfectly lovely patterns just because they were crochet.

She grabbed a Boye hook, the book Crocheting For Dummies, 2nd Edition, and a ball of yarn, then started learning the craft in earnest. She’s loving it!

Mom now has a rectangular shawl to cuddle up in as well.

Lamira is born and raised in Washington, D.C, she began crocheting at the age of 14 and was blessed to have two aunts that taught her this beautiful craft. Lamira started out making granny squares and that quickly turned into blankets. Unfortunately, she stopped crocheting around the age of 17 but quickly began again when she became pregnant with her first son at the age of 22.

Now at the age of 46, Lamira loves crocheting and cannot see herself without a hook and yarn. She loves to crochet blankets, hats (infant, children, and adult), and scarves. Her craft goals are to learn “Crochet By Numbers” technique by Todd Paschall and the Tunisian stitch. You can find Lamira on Ravelry.com in several groups there!

~~~~~

I’m Julie... aka ACCROchet! I am also mom (& stepmom) to 2 teenagers, almost-wife to a fantastic man, and a communications professional. I live with my family & too many pets in the suburbs of Montreal. I’ve been an avid crocheter for over 10 years, and hope to make you an addict too!

ACCROchet. In French, ACCRO means addict. I am a crochet addict. And am I attempting to hide it?

Gawd no; quite the opposite! I publish my personal brand of crazy everywhere and for all to see! And I trust/hope you’ll join me.

10 years ago today (no matter when you read this, it’ll always be 10 years ago today) I picked up 2 knitting needles and some yarn my mom had laying around, and I decided to teach myself to knit. 22

minutes later, stressed and discouraged beyond belief I threw the needles across the room and wallowed in self-pity. But then… then I talked to an American friend who was crazy about crochet and she showed me that all I needed was one less tool! Crochet has evolved, has made itself over and is the current up-and-coming fiber star. It is modern and trendy. And so tragically misunderstood.

~~~~~

Hi! My name is Isabelle and I am the proud mother of two wonderful little ladies of 3 and 4 years old and the wife of an equally wonderful husband.

My family supports me by patiently letting me fill our apartment from top to bottom with various types of gorgeous yarn.

I learned knitting and crochet with books and YouTube about 8 years ago to satisfy an increasing desire for creation. I always have a hook and yarn in my bag juuuust in case I have a crochet emergency (you never know!). I crochet hats, scarves, slippers and mostly softies which I share on my blog L’araignée Gambadeuse at http://thewanderingspiderr.blogspot.ca/

crocheting for CHARITY

By Julie-Sarah Desjardins

You love to crochet. You crochet all day. You crochet for you, your home, your kids, your friends, your extended family, and so on. Crochet makes you feel good, and you want your crochet to make other people feel good too. Crocheting for charity is an awesome way to extend your talent for good, and double the warmth you feel when you complete a project.

There are so many opportunities to crochet for charity: newborn hats for hospitals; hats, scarves, or even blankets for women’s or homeless shelters.

You can go traditional by finding organized charities and asking them what they need, or you can go all out quirky such as the yarn bombings in which a scarf or a hat is left on a city statue with a note telling the reader to take the item if they need it. There are an infinite number of ways to donate your crochet!

Crocheting for charity doesn’t have to cost much, if anything at all. Dig into your stash! I’m sure there are balls there that have been hiding away far too long. Leftovers from another project are perfect for newborn hats or stash buster blankets. We all have a stash just waiting to be crocheted into an awesome item for someone who very much needs it, we just don’t always realize it.

cover story Nicole Harris

Raising Autism Awareness with Her Crochet Fashions

by Aldonia Secession

Nicole Harris is an enterprising crochet designer.

What began as a hobby has evolved into a business and a growing philanthropic mission for autism awareness.

Q: Congratulations on being selected as the winner of our Summer Video Contest.

How did you learn about Crochet Savvy magazine?

I was introduced to the magazine when I saw an article that featured another crochet artist I am familiar with.

Q. When did you learn to crochet and start as a designer?

I have been crocheting for about 8 years now.

If it can be made with yarn, I can crochet it. I have moved from apparel and accessories into crocheting portraits and artwork.

Q. Tell us more about HGE Designs.

We currently have a line that includes hats, scarves, mittens, shrugs, ponchos, halter-tops

and dresses. The dresses are custom designed and always have one or more special touch that keeps you styling in an “HGE” original. We also have a “do-it-yourself” series where we adjust existing patterns to fit our “curvy fluffy divas.”

Q. Why did you start your crochet line?

I started my crochet line when I realized I needed another source of income to support my son living with autism. I was already creating accessories, hats and dresses just for fun. It didn’t become a business until I realized it would help pay for his therapy and support our family.

fashion shows called Puzzling Disorder where we donated 100% of tickets sales to the Forbush Pre-school in Towson. We donated proceeds to their playground and donated iPads for the preschool classroom. Upon completing those shows we realized the non-profit status was important so that we could reach our full potential and truly help families living with Autism.

There are so many national foundations but we wanted to reach families and children on a more grass roots level. With future shows we hope to be able to donate iPads, camp or respite scholarships, vacations and meet any other needs these families may have.

Q. How does HGE Designs support charities?

HGE Designs is currently creating a non-profit specifically to raise awareness and help families and children living with autism. We have held

You can learn more about HGE Designs’ charitable contributions and crochet fashions by visiting the links below: www.hgedesigns.com http://hgedesigns.wix.com/ https://www.facebook.com/HGEDesignsFanPage https://www.pinterest.com/hgedesigns/ http://hgedesigns.tumblr.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3kFg5CZWaQ hgedesigns@hotmail.com

www.ThisIsCrochet.com

feel better FRIENDS Shanon Fouquet Crochets Dolls Filled with Love

by Lamira Fields Q: Shanon Fouquet, according to your website, in May of 2014, you were inspired to provide dolls to sick children after seeing a picture of a little girl name Berkley battling cancer. What was Berkley’s response after receiving her doll?

A: After I sent the doll to Berkley, I was on pins and needles for days waiting to hear back. I was both excited and nervous to hear what Berkeley and her family would have to say about her new friend since

they didn’t know me, and I hadn’t told them that I was making her a doll. I just sent it as a complete surprise and waited for their reaction. Then one day I got a message from Berkley’s aunt Corky, who runs Berkley’s support page (https://www. facebook.com/BerkeleysBattle). She said the doll was AMAZING, and [she] was so touched by the project and that Berkeley was the inspiration behind the whole thing. Soon after they posted a photo of Berk with her new FBF doll with their matching hats, and everyone who saw it just loved it.

Q: How long did it take you to create and produce the pattern for the dolls?

A: I worked on and off for about 2 months trying to get it just right. I had made dolls before so that part wasn’t hard, but I had never made a doll wig, so that I wanted to get perfect.

Q: How did you come up with the name Feel Better Friends?

A: Lots of thinking and asking fellow crocheters for suggestions. I was originally going to call them Warrior Dolls as Berkley is often times referred to as a Warrior, or Princess Warrior, but decided the term warrior might not be appropriate for all sick children who would need a doll. Eventually, I came up with Feel Better Dolls but it didn’t quite have the right ring to it yet. After asking for suggestions in a crochet Facebook group page Feel Better Friends was suggested and I thought it was perfect!

Q: Is the size of the doll based on the size and/or age of the child receiving the doll? If not, how is the size determined?

A: Well, it’s funny because since I mostly crochet amigurumi (dolls and toys) I don’t pay too much attention to gauge and final product size. When I created the pattern I did not create a gauge, which is what determines the final size of the item created.

At the time I didn’t think it was necessary to have one as I figured that the dolls would only vary in sizes by an inch or two...obviously I was wrong! lol We have FBF dolls that vary in size from anywhere between 10 inches tall to lifesize. In the future I plan to make some changes to the pattern, including adding a gauge to hopefully make it so that all of our dolls

are around 12 inches tall. Until then, the doll size is completely random, just depending on which volunteer makes the doll.

Q: According to your website you have over 200 volunteers; is there a pre-requisite for someone to become a volunteer?

A: Anyone who crochets is welcome to join our group as a volunteer. Some crafters like to join so they can make FBF dolls on their own for sick children they know in their area. But once they join if they would like to become an “official” doll maker they are required to create a sample FBF doll as a test to see if they are able to easily follow the pattern in a timely manner. This helps us be sure we have quality crafter who understands the pattern and can be sure to get a doll to a child in need within just a few weeks.

Q: You provide anyone the ability to fill out a form to request a Feel Better Friend for a child with any major health condition that is either serious in nature or somehow makes the child feel ‘different’ than other kids. Each doll request is determined on its own whether a doll can be created for that particular child.

Is there any reason a doll could not be created for a child?

A: The short answer is no, as long as the child has a major health condition that is serious in nature or somehow makes the child feel “different’ than other kids, then we will make a doll for him or her. The key word is that it needs to be “major”, so nothing like a cold and nothing that will be “fixed” such as a broken arm. Each doll request is evaluated and determined whether or not it meets our specifications, and if we can complete the request. Once determined, we let the family know either way.

Q: How long did it take your organization to grow from the first Feel Better Friend recipient, Berkley to having multiple recipients in different regions (Northeast, South, Midwest, West, and other countries)?

A: The first FBF doll was completed in May of 2014.

On May 29th, 2014, the Feel Better Friends project officially began with dozens of eager volunteers and only a handful of doll requests. Today, Dec 28th, almost 7 months exactly we have about 100 active volunteers with about 75 dolls currently in production and over 200 dolls completed and delivered. We have volunteers all across the US and in 13 countries with “official” branches in Canada and Holland. A LOT has happened in just 7 months! :)

Q: How many volunteers does it require to complete one doll?

A: Usually there is only one volunteer matched to each doll request. There have been a few times where one doll maker will help another with stitching eyes, or making a wig for another volunteer’s doll. But the majority of the time one volunteer makes one doll at a time.

Q: How many Feel Better Friends have been distributed to date?

A: We don’t have an official number as there are many volunteers who make dolls for sick children they might know personally or find locally, so they don’t always go through our system, but from our numbers we’ve distributed over 200 FBF dolls to children all across the US and around the world.

Q: What is your goal for Feel Better Friends for 2015?

A: I have so many I’m not sure where to start. lol One of our main goals right now is to find more volunteers. We currently have a waiting list on our doll requests since we are receiving more and more requests on a daily basis. We never want to keep a child waiting for their doll, so we prefer to not have a waiting list, and more volunteers would help fix this problem for sure. In the New Year we would like to start matching our doll requests with volunteers who live in the same region of the US. Our hope in doing this is to help save on shipping fees and reduce the number of days it takes for a doll to be delivered to a child. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the project, some of the FBF kids are terminal, so our goal is to get quality dolls made and delivered to the child as quickly as possible. Also, since we just recently became an official non-profit 501(c)3, our hopes are to find ways to help the organization with tax exempt doll making supplies and reduced

shipping fees, and eventually pay for all of our dolls delivered instead of leaving this as the volunteers responsibility. Other than that, we are always looking at ways to make the project run better and plan to continue to do so in the New Year.

Feel Better Friends are handmade dolls stuffed with love and well wishes, crafted by volunteers and donated to children battling cancer and other illnesses. The pattern is available on Facebook (Feel Better Friends Doll with Wig by Shanon Fouquet). http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/feel-better-friends-doll-with-wig https://www.facebook.com/FeelBetterFriends/info http://fbfdolls.org/ http://shanonigans.com/2014/05/29/feelbetterfriends/ https://www.facebook.com/BerkeleysBattle

wear CROCHET Winter 2015 Colorwork, textures and patterns dominate these Winter looks. Try Polyvore today; it’s a great website that lets you create sets of looks that you love! Special Thanks to all the folks out there who came up with the sets and collections we decided to feature! http://www.polyvore.com

d

e

f Winter Style

Sheryl Novick Handmade for the Homeless

by Lamira Fields

Q: How did the idea or concept to provide crochet and knitted items to the homeless evolve?

Q: I love the name D25 Day of Service. How did you come up with the name and the date December 25th as your day of distribution?

A: Back in 2007, at a D25 Planning Committee meeting (learn what D25 is in question #2), one of the volunteers, Miriam Miller Wolk, had the idea of knitting hats instead of just purchasing more warm winter items. She volunteered to knit hats, and using the “hat in two hours” pattern, which she could complete in 45 minutes, she did three a night until December 24th. She ended up making 100 hats and suggested that others might also want to knit (or crochet) hats and other warm winter items, and some meetings were organized at the [Washington DC Jewish Community Center]. She and I went to college together and had mutual friends, and we bonded at a charity craft project. When she ended up traveling a lot for her new job the following year, two volunteers, myself and Ilana Lampell, took over the project, and eventually, Handmade for the Homeless became an official part of the DCJCC and D25.

A: D25 is short for December 25th Day of Service. D25 began as a volunteer day at the DCJCC 28 years ago.

Christmas is a holiday that a majority of the country celebrates. While Jews generally don’t celebrate Christmas, we found it a great day to give back to the community through volunteering. Because it’s Christmas and we are working with vulnerable populations, we found it was nice to hand out gifts (this is where the hats and scarves come into play).

Though the D25 project was initiated for the Jewish Community, it has grown over the past 28 years to truly be a community project, drawing volunteers of all religions and backgrounds.

Throughout the year, the DCJCC’s Morris Cafritz Center for Community Service (MCCCS) runs volunteer projects. Handmade for the Homeless is one of our fabulous monthly projects. The past several years, the group has been able to make over 500 items per year for us to distribute. This year, about 1/5 of those items (maybe more) were made by volunteers not in the DC area. They read

about our project, made items at home, and mailed them to us. It’s very exciting to know that we really can have such an impact locally through support nationally.

Q: The pictures you have on your Facebook page show an overwhelming response for support of D25 Day of Service. How do you solicit volunteers? Also, do you have a permanent staff that crochet and knit specifically for D25?

A: As for the volunteers specifically for Handmade for the Homeless, the DCJCC advertises our meetings in their various newsletters and marketing materials, we have a Facebook page (https://www.facebook. com/DCJCCHandmadefortheHomeless), and a Ravelry page (http://www.ravelry.com/groups/ washington-dc-jcc-handmade-for-the-homeless),

we recruit friends who knit and crochet, and often people see us knitting and crocheting at the DCJCC and ask what we’re up to. We had some people send us items from as far away as Hawaii last year because they found us on Ravelry! Since we don’t have specific rules about sizes, colors etc., we’re very accessible.

We’ve had many friends tell us their mom knits or crochets and ask if they can send us handmade items. We also take yarn donations--Looped Yarn Works in Washington, DC has generously donated lots of yarn from their yarn drive, and people are constantly dropping off yarn they no longer want when they clean out their closets. People often purchase yarn they wish to use as well. We have also participated in Knit in Public Day (http://www. wwkipday.com/) and Good Deeds Day http://gdd. goodnet.org/

Handmade for the Homeless is a project of the DCJCC, but there is no dedicated staff. It is run by volunteers who coordinate with DCJCC staff. The volunteers who run Handmade for Homeless are also part of the D25 Planning Committee.

Q: As of December 12th your organization has collected more than 500 crochet and knitted items for the homeless. How far in advance do you start collecting items?

A: We collect items year round. We meet about once a month throughout the year to knit together, and more frequently as it gets colder (especially since some people only like to knit and crochet when it’s cold outside). People do not need to attend our meetings to contribute items--they can mail them or bring them in to the DCJCC at any time. Our Facebook page has all the details on where they can be sent as well as Frequently Asked Questions.

(See https://www.facebook.com/ DCJCCHandmadefortheHomeless under “About” and “Page Info” and “General Information.”) Any items that come in after all the gifts are already wrapped for D25 are used throughout the winter months as volunteers engage with the homeless community...or they are saved for the following year. We should keep it simple!

Q: Do you set a goal for the year? If so, how do you determine the number?

A: We’ve been doing this for about seven years now. The first few years, we hoped to collect 100 handmade warm winter items and as we built a following, we’ve increased the goal each year. We were shocked last year to receive more than 400 items, some from volunteers outside of DC as well, from as far away as Hawaii and this year we were thrilled to receive more than 500. We even had a

wonderful volunteer crochet more than 100 items, and she even included a spreadsheet detailing what she made!

We make thousands of toiletry sets every year that get distributed as part of D25, and if we could include a handmade warm winter item with every single one that would be fabulous! We appreciate every item we are given--whether a volunteer only makes one handmade warm winter itemor makes 100 of them.

Q: What is the process for the day of distribution?

A: Throughout the fall months, the DCJCC’s Community Service staff organizes volunteer projects for D25. As they work with each homeless shelter or senior center they request the number of residents and gifts needed. Throughout the month

of December, volunteers come in and help wrap the handmade items with toiletries and other gifts and mark them for where they will be distributed.

On D25 volunteers come to the DCJCC and pick up the gifts for the clients at their assigned site. Then they get the honor of delivering them and hopefully helping to bring cheer to everyone they meet.

Q: To date, how many items have been made and/or donated and given to those less fortunate?

A: We estimate that about 2000 items have been made and donated to those in need throughout the DC area. Since donations continue to come in after our official count, it’s hard to know the exact number. The first few years we were just an informal group gathering to knit and crochet occasionally, so we didn’t do an official count and set goals until a few years ago.

Q: What are your goals for DCJCC in 2015?

A: We’d love to see another 500 handmade warm winter items this year. As I said, if every toiletry kit (2000 each year are given out) could include a handmade warm winter item, that would be ideal, but we know that’s not realistic. We accept handmade hats, scarves, mittens/gloves, socks, ear warmers, and cowls--although we find homes for any other handmade items we are given too! Adult sizes are preferred in neutral colors/patterns, and the warmer, the better! http://washingtondcjcc.org/volunteer/days-ofservice/december-25th-day-of-service/aboutdecember-25th-day-of.html https://www.facebook.com/ DCJCCHandmadefortheHomeless

http://www.accrochet.com

cranberry crochet COWL

By Keturah Ariel

Beginner/Inter Level Materials: 1 Skein Chunky Yarn & A Huge Button Jumbo Hook (N/P) Size Gauge: None (Measure Your Neck Lol ... ) Abbreviations:

Tc-Treble/Triple Crochet,

Hdc- Half Double Crochet

INSTRUCTIONS Chain 34 stitches with loose tension. Then Chain 4 extra.

Row 1-2: wrap the yarn on the hook 2x and then hook the 5th chain from the end, creating a treble or triple crochet (TC).

Continue to TC for the rest of the row. Turn work, chain 4, wrap the yarn 2x and hook into the first stitch to TC. TC entire row.

Row 3-4: Slip stitch the entire row, turn work, slip stitch the entire row. (this creates the knitted like ef fect in the stitches on both sides, making the cowl reversible.)

Repeat Rows 1-4 for the rest of the project.

TIP: Make sure to pause at the end of the rows to count that you have 34 stitches in each row or the cowl will be uneven. If you find that you are shor t or have too many stitches, gradually increase or decrease at the beginnings or ends of the row. The pattern repeat is always 2 rows of TC and 2 rows of slip stitches.

Once you are finished crocheting your neck size (whatever is a comfy fit for you) take the two short ends, turn inside out and join the two ends. I choose to HDC to join the ends together to create a double seam in the front of my cowl that looks even and effortless.

But you can join them however you like. What makes this cowl special is that the join seam is at the front and shows how the pattern is mirrored on both sides. Grab a great button and stitch at the bottom of either side. Now you can fasten the cowl down through any of the TC stitches to turn it into a buttoned cowl. Or wear the button as decor. Enjoy! http://w w w.ravelr y.com/patterns/librar y/ cranberry-button-crochet-cowl

all around Warmth Two North American Blanket Charities

By Karen Thistle

Everybody needs a little comfort-crochet, something easy on the mind to keep the fingers working and hold worry at bay. Such work can also provide real warmth and comfort to folks in need.

was actually getting and found the 7x9 inch cardboard block a life-saver to measure with.

Don’t panic; they are aware that some blocks will be a little bigger or smaller depending on the maker.

The Warm Up America! Foundation, started in 1992, offers crocheters and knitters a chance to give back through their favorite crafts by making and donating 7x9 inch rectangles that can be sent singly or assembled into afghans that are then donated to needy people throughout America.

Warm Up America! accepts everything from unassembled blocks, to joined strips, to fully-assembled and single-pattern afghans.

If you wanted to, you could make it a local social event, with crocheting (and knitting) circles and joining parties (see http://warmupamerica.org/join.html for assembly instructions and tips). In addition, they encourage folks to find organizations and people in need within their own locales to donate to.

They offer free patterns to get you started, but you can crochet a block in any stitch you like as long as it meets the size requirement.

Beginners, fear not! Plain single-crochet is welcome. You might find their suggestion to cut out a cardboard template as useful as I did; I could not make recommended gauge even when I changed hook-size. Ultimately, I did some estimations based on the gauge I

Don’t like afghans or rumors of afghans?

You’ll be pleased to note that they will accept any crocheted or knitted item that provides warmth. If scarves, hats, or mittens are more your thing, then go for it!

By the way, Canada has a blanket charity of its own. The Blankets for Canada Society was established in 1998 and earned charity status in 1999, well before Warm Up Canada and Rechauffons le Canada! were introduced last year. Note that Blankets for Canada prefers 8x8 squares and, in addition to knit and crochet squares, strips, and fully assembled blankets, also accepts quilted blankets. They offer patterns, too.

For more details, including yarn requirements and submission information, see the websites listed at the end of this article. http://warmupamerica.org/ http://www.blankets4canada.ca/

Check us out at www.crochetsavvy.com for more trendy and fabulous crochet!

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