Knits For Sanity

International Crafts Charity Week: August 1th-7th

August 1st-7th is International Charity Crafts Week. This week was
set aside by Bev of www.bevscountrycottage.com

"where crafters all over the world choose their favorite charity and they focus their efforts to making things that week for this charity."

For more details please see the website for this event.

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/charityweek.html

The Preemie Project will be focusing our efforts on bereavement items this week.  The volunteers and I are setting personal goals for the amount of items we plan to complete.  The bereavement items are so important and are often pushed aside too easily.

My personal goal for the week is three bereavements sets including a romper or gown, hat and booties.  I'm already behind on my goal for the week.  I've been trying to find a crocheted romper pattern that I can figure out.  The gown pattern tend to be much too feminine for boys.  I've asked for help with a romper pattern and will hopefully have some pogress to show soon.  I better or I will be so far behind.

If you would like to join The Preemie Project's efforts this week please see our website (by clicking on the link), or send me, Laura Aker, an email to thepreemieprojectATyahooDOTcom for more details.  There are a lot of other charities who could use your help.  Click on the following link to Bev's site and take your pick!

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/charity-links.html

Visit the following site to see what others will be doing this week:

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/charityweek-projects.html

Join the others and let Bev know what you're going to do for the week too.  Good luck!

NICU Charity Knit Along

  Things are starting to come along with my NICU charity project.  I posted my ideas on the Iowa Chicks Knitting website and received good feedback.  I now have 5 people who have expressed interest in knitting and donating baby booties and hats.  So I say think you to: Audrey, Kelly, Mush, Liz and Carrie.  I appreciate your support!

  For those of you who don't know, here are the details of my project:

  I am knitting baby booties and hats for donation to the Neonatal ICU at The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. I am knitting as many as I can but I NEED HELP!
  Many of these babies are very tiny and sick and many of them spend a long time in the hospital. For me it is really special to give the babies something snuggly and soft to wear during their recovery. Both patterns I'm using are really simple. Any knitter could complete these projects.
  For anyone interested, I am asking for a donation of baby booties, hats and yarn in any amount.You can spend as little or as much time that you have available on this project. I know that many of us are very busy so any donation no matter how small would be greatly appreciated.
  Please either post a comment or e-mail me if you're interested.

                 E-Mail: akerL@mail.medicine.uiowa.edu

That way I can e-mail you the patterns and give you my address.
Thanks to everyone for reading this! Happy Knitting!

  I have decided to create a separate blog for this project.  That way I can post updates and pictures.   Every volunteer is going to have an acknowledgement on this blog in the way of their names being listed as well as their contribution.  It's really important to me that everyone involved be recognized.

  I hope that I continue to get more and more people interested in volunteering.  If I do I want to add more items to donate to the NICUs such as baby afghans, sweaters, etc.  I would also like to add knitted teddy bears and dolls to be donated to both pediatric inpatient units and surgical pre-op areas.  With this I also want to branch out to more hospitals.  Another idea I have is to have people who want to donate to their own communities pledge a number of items to knit and donate.  Though I am getting a little ahead of myself on that one.

  Here is my bootie tally as of today:

             -Newborn Size= 13 Pairs

             -Preemie Size= 6 Pairs   

  I knitted one newborn size pair today and spent the rest of the day studying.  Now I am trying to adjust my newborn size hat pattern for preemies.  I will hopefully have it ready tomorrow!!

Warm Up America Swatches and Other Charity Knitting

  When my mom got home from work today she brought me a large box that came in the mail for me today.

Kelly, Knit Addict, from Iowa Chicks Knitting sent me swatches to put together in afghans for her Warm up America project.  Here is a look at all of the swatches:

This should make at least 2 full sized afghans.  I need to ask Kelly when she needs them back but if i have time I may knit some more swatches to add to this.  I am too tired tonight to organize them.  So, tomorrow I am going to organize them and start putting them into blankets. 

  My baby bootie tally as of tonight is:

      -NICU Newborn Size: 9 pairs

      -NICU Preemie Size: 8 pairs (I think)

-Like I've said I am going to donate these booties to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics NICU.  I am also going to try to knit hats to match.  This hospital is located in Iowa City, IA.  If I can get enough donations or get enough done myself, I am also going to donate to the NICU at Children's Mercy Hospital in Overland Park, Kansas.  My dad is a Nurse anesthetist there and is willing to take them there for me.  He commutes back and forth every week. 

If anyone would like to donate either baby yarn, booties or hats please contact me by e-mail at

akerL@mail.medicine.uiowa.edu 

Then I can give you my information and the patterns I am using.  Both pattern are really very simple.  I would really appreciate your help.  Many of these babies are very sick, and many spend a long time in the hospital.  It is really nice and comforting to give them something special to wear while they recover.

Your donations would be very appreciated!

  I caught Oilver taking a bath this morning as I got out of the shower.  He stayed just long enough for me to snap this picture:

He is a very clean kitty!  He takes a bath in this sink everyday. It has a constant slow drip which gets him all wet.  He is a little quirky.  He barely even fits in my sink.  He's a big kitty!  Gotta luv him.