Chicks Who Stitch for Charity

I've had the good fortune in the past few weeks to chat with some Incredible Chicks that stitch for charity. They don't do it for glory or recognition. Rather, it's the chance to share a little piece of themselves to bring joy and comfort into the lives of people they'll never meet.

• My cousin Margaret crochets chemo caps for adults, preemie caps for the tiniest babies and shoulder throws for elderly nursing home and long-term care patients. She happily whips together colorful caps and throws from her stash, thankful for her own return to good health.
• Alice Ann knits sweaters, afghans and lap robes for the volunteer center at St. Joseph's hospital in Syracuse, NY. She meets with the Center staff to find out what’s needed most and then goes into high production. Sweaters are her number one request—mainly for newborns and people down on their luck. When I asked her about the work involved in making baby sweaters, she modestly said, “Well it doesn’t take too long to make an infant sweater sleeve.”
• Beth Caulfield of Sheep Thrills Yarn Company in North Syracuse, NY recently started a Community Knitting Project for her customers and the community, inviting knitters to make scarves for area homeless shelters. Customers contribute yarn scraps which are available for free for all to use. Beth offers new yarn at a discount and a $5 pattern which is redeemable for a $5 coupon for the store when you turn in your completed scarf. Many customers donate the $5 back as Beth gives these proceeds to the shelters too. As of last week, the customers have made over 70 scarves!

So why do we do spend our time stitching and knitting for people we’ll never meet? Because it’s about creation and connection. We Chicks Who Have The Knack for creating handcrafts do it because we love the act of creation. Here’s one of my favorite quotes that sums it up the best from a fellow knitter, designer and author Annie Modesitt.

“We don’t knit to make things. There are cheaper, faster and easier ways to obtain a sweater than to knit it. We knit to make ourselves happy. We are in charge of getting the most joy out of our yarn and stitches.”

The connection and joy parts come from knowing that someone will appreciate the gift of love woven into each stitch. To Annie’s quote I add this thought.

Giving hand-stitched pieces is sharing what you love with someone who needs a little love themselves— scarves are hugs you get each time you wrap them around you. Afghans and crocheted caps are the comfort of knowing someone thinks you deserve to be covered with beauty and warmth.

Cheers to all you generous Chicks Who Stitch for others! Please share your comments about other Chicks Who Stitch for Charity and information on how more Chicks can contribute.


;-)
Vicky

Merry Christmas

Hello all you fabulous chicks who stitch! It's post-Christmas day and I bet you'll be glad to get back to your projects now that the big holiday rush is through...although New Year's Eve is a mere week away! I hope you all had a divine time with your family and friends, ate a meal that delighted your hearts (and to heck with your hips--there's always January 2 to start a new resolution to a healthier you...)

I'm working on a delightful little quilt adaptation in cross stitch with some specialty stitches for good measure and had the good fortune to have my sweet husband and very grown -up sons do the Christmas dinner clean-up so I could pick up the piece and find my zen as I watched Miracle on 34th Street for the second time this season. Can't think of anything that makes me happier than cinematherapy and needle and thread to settle into after a very busy day. We are movie purists--old black and whites suit us and heaven forbid we watch the colorized versions. Somehow the blue from Kris Kringle's tie migrates onto his lips and teeth in that version--which is just creepy and NOT how you want to think of Santa Claus.

As I work on the lone star quilt design, I had an inspiration for a small quilt design series done in cross stitch. There's a nifty little piece I've got tucked away also based on a quilt design with a color palette inspired from an Aurora geranium in my garden--lucsious pinks and greens--not pastels as I'm most definitely NOT a pastel person--rather, hot pinks, celadon and chartreuse stitched on black so the colors pop. How they arrive into your work basket remains to be seen--either as small charts or a series in one booklet...that's part of the joy of creating.

So fellow chicks--you vivacious, talented and sassy kindred spirits--from our family to yours, we wish you a very happy holiday season!