Taggies

Knitting sewing and crafting for charity, this was the title of a thread that I read on a forum. They were looking for places to donate to charity, several suggestions came and one that interested me was called something like Angels of the forgotten. It is a group who looks after mainly women and kids who through abuse or whatever have left their homes for a safe place. Often these people leave with nothing so the group try to give them basics hence the charity.

One of my things for 2015 (dont really want to call it a resolution as I know what has happened to those in the past!)is to do more for charity and as this place is close to where we used to live, I have decided to get a box of goodies together to send.Mostly it will be things that I have knitted sewn or crafted.

On their website there is a list with pictures of things that they require and one is "taggies" for want of a better name. They put these on bags that they give out to kids to keep their own things in. I already had a heap of squares that I had cut to match a set of matching squares as a soft toy for kids, the cutting out was fine but the there was lots of sewing and I did make two sets of twenty four before I gave it away to make something easier and quicker. That meant that I still had a pile of these squares. Put two together with a loop of ribbon and sew a fancy button on and its almost done. This morning I got out my hot glue gun and dotted glue on the ribbons and the insides of material to hold together and then there are taggies! Very simple and a pile off my sewing table.

Some of the ribbon used were some hanger straps that I have cut off tops that shops use to hang clothes on hangers, can usually get two loops from one shoulder strap, waste not want not! Glad that I found a use for them

I knew that I had a few beanies from my winter knitting so started the box with those OMG there were thirty Beanies! add a few pairs of pants that I had made which some how missed being delivered to the salvos and the box is already half full.

The last week or so i have been knitting small teddies, less weight and heat to knit while watching tennis, should have a dozen or so of those by the end of the month. The plan is to sent the box at the end of the month. This town/small city does get cold so beanies and scarves will be needed.

Beanies

In my spare time and while watching TV, I like to knit, then I don't feel as though I am wasting time by sitting in front of the TV.

I also like to see a finished product or object, reasonably soonish, patience is not one of my qualities. Knitting beanies fits many of my requirements, they are easy, I know the pattern, I get to knit, I can finish one in a short time, doesn't take much to sew up (not one of my fav bits!) and lastly I am doing something for less fortunate, so a definite win/win for me.

I have a stack of wool, at last count, it fills a laundry basket, some I have bought and some was from my mum's stash Mum was also a great knitter and crocheter but she would make blankets. Knitted squares to be made into blankets or she would crochet a whole blanket. Not my thing and my squares never seem to look like squares. The other day I was in an op shop looking for some vintage velvet for a project that I have in mind (just another one!) and there were two quite large bundles of wool, I bought them, just cant let a bargain like that pass by. There was around twenty balls altogether for $8, all new still with the bands on, retail would have cost easily $40-$50.I won't run out of wool for awhile, that's for sure.

I use up the small pieces by adding stripes and also to make them a bit different. There is a group that meet for knit and natter at the local libraries around and they knit for "Knitting for Brisbane's Needy, " I have donated items to them before and the above lot will go there too but I have missed this months meet so I'll keep knitting and will have more to add. so far I have knitted sixteen and hope to have doubled that by their next meeting.

I was on the train yesterday and knitting when a lady came and sat next to me (some people opt to sit elsewhere rather than next to some-one who is knitting!)and she remarked that you don't often see people knitting or reading a book on the trains these days, she then got out a book. Most people were on their phones! either checking emails, reading or listening to music.