Finished 201st Afghan for HAP Charity

Now What?  I've finished the afghans for this marvelous charity and am at 'loose ends.'  Lots of yarn to use up but what to do with it?  I'll have to begin seeking another charity where I can put my crocheting skills to good works.  For now though I'll get these last nine to the coordinator so they can be washed and packaged for shipping.  It has been a rewarding project.  To think one person had an idea and managed to coordinate 1,500 volunteers across the United States resulting in over 10,200 afghans being given to our wounded warriors.  Indeed, one person with a good idea can make a big difference.  Now we just need to find other charities and make them known to people like me.

Here's a collage of the entire 201.  This picture of me shows me working on my first afghan, never expecting that I would put together 201.  

SUMMER ARRIVED AND IT IS HOT! HOT! HOT!

I'm not complaining, just stating a fact.  It has been hot and humid.  Of course, I've been in the cool house crocheting to finish afghan sets for the The Handmade Afghans to Thank Our Armed Force Project (HAP), which is ending this year.  As of last week, 10,187 afghans have been delivered to wounded soldiers.  The founder of the group had an idea that took off and is still going strong.  We're now in the home stretch but until the last afghan is mailed, we'll be working on finishing the sets.  Here's one of the latest afghans I put together.  Everyone is unique but some, like this one, are very pretty indeed.  I am just happy that I can put my hobby to such good use.  I'm already looking for another project to get involved in.

109 Afghans Put Together for HAP Charity

I can't believe it.  I've crocheted together 109 afghans for our wounded soldiers.  And, it's all because a very dedicated woman started an organization of volunteers to make 6x9 inch rectangles to go together and form an afghan.  Her organization has almost reached the 10,000 mark of giving these to soldiers in our military hospitals in the states as well as around the world.  Amazing!  You can learn more at her website:  HAP Afghans.  Here are just a few of the ones I've put together.  The first one shows me learning the technique. Amazing what can be accomplished by volunteers and a great idea. 

December Already

"Good Grief" as one of our favorite cartoon characters would say, I can't believe the year is almost over.  Where has it gone?  What have I done?  I feel like the white rabbit talking to Alice, I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date......but can't remember what it was.  Oh well, that means I can do it all over again.  Of course, we know that my date included crocheting.  I have been very busy.    I finished 85 afghans for the HAP Charity, made more than 20 shawls and cowls to give away, and made a couple of afghans to test new patterns.  I haven't been just sitting around but have been sitting around with a crochet hook in my hand.  In between Shaunti demanded her fair share and we played Frisbee.  I toss and she retrieves at least until she tires and then she just runs to the door and drops it.  I get the hint and open the door for her.  She has me trained.  We just came in from a Frisbee toss so now I must get back to my Excel spread sheet.  I'm finally organizing my CD collection and filing them in a nice spinner cabinet.  Who knows, maybe I'll even listen to some now that the holiday season is upon us.  Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.....sounds like a nice way to begin December.  I have high hopes for another blog entry before the holiday season begins, BUT in case I don't make it, I wish everyone a Happy Holiday!

Fall is in the Air--And About Time!

Today is a lovely fall-like day.  I just finished crocheting together six afghans for the HAP charity project, delivered them to the coordinator, and picked up six more.  Can't have idle hands.  So far I've put together 69 afghans and am striving to finish 100 before the project ends in May 2013.  Because of the time spent on the afghans, I have no new pictures to post and not much new material either.  I promised myself that I would add a new blog post at least every month so today is the day.  Here is a picture of one of the afghans so you can see what I've been doing.  It is a worthwhile effort since the afghans go to our wounded service people.  So far, the project has delivered almost 9,000.

See All Afghans Donated

Another Spring Like Day in November

Hard to believe that today is November 14th.  It is 70 degrees and sunny.  The leaves crunch under foot and it just doesn't feel like mid November.  Enjoy it while it's here...it could  snow a foot tomorrow.  Yes, it's been that kind of weather, changeable.  But, I have been steady in my crocheting and in knitting on my cousin's shrug.  I have completed a 2nd skein of yarn and another 4 inches of shrug....only 30 inches to go now.  I'll get it done soon.  I can only knit for so long before I wear out so in between time I made this lovely hat for the HAP group.  Check out their activities at their site.  Soon I'll have a cowl to go with the hat.  Both were made from Lion Brand yarns.  The orange is Jiffy's Rust and the other is Tweed's Woodlands.  The V-Stitch Beret and Cowl pattern was designed by Mara Callahan.  So, gotta go finish the cowl.  The model is unnamed at this time but she is happy to just be sitting wherever I place her.  Life is Good!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! BOO!!

Today seemed like an appropriate time to update my blog with a new look and a recently completed project.  I have been remiss about keeping current on here but hopefully you will excuse me.  I have been visiting family in Tulsa after over 18 years and it was great fun to see everyone after such a long time.  In my rental car I was happy to be able to get around just like always...as long as I stayed off the bypasses and took the numbered and named streets.  Everything was 10 minutes away from where I stayed even the Hard Rock Casino/Hotel where we went for dinner one night.  This was a new adventure since there were no casinos when I lived in Tulsa.  We played the slots and the video poker.  My cousin said she won which is good because I didn't.  I'm not a big gambler so I didn't lose much...$60.  But, just think of the yarn I could have bought?  Oh well, my closet is still full so maybe there will be more room for new yarn later.  In the meantime I'm making inroads in the stash and am slowly but surely using up my older yarn.  Only buying new for special projects.  I know, I know no new yarn but for some projects my old yarn just won't do.  Excuses!  Excuses!  Here's the latest Circle-Edged Wrap by Kim Guzman.  The pattern was published in Crochet! Magazine January 2011 issue.

FUN FUR PROJECT FOR CHARITY

What fun I'm having making all these things for a craft show later this year.  I discovered that the Lion Brand's Fun Fur is fun to work with as long as you use large hooks and a soft 2nd or 3rd strand of yarn.  I just made a hat and a scarf using  Lion Brand's Tweed in Marble and Fun Fur in Lava.  It was fast and looks like it will be something that will sell.  I'm thinking of getting some more fur to go with my Homespun.  Wouldn't candy apple red and red fur be a pretty combination?  I have lots of the candy apple red Homespun.  Just never sure what I would do with it...now I may have a project.  Today it is raining!  Pouring!  We don't need more rain but guess the rain gods aren't listening.  Anyway, it's a good day to sort out some yarn projects, take some pictures, and post my results on my Ravelry Page.  Here are the recent project pictures.  Now it's time to go back and work on the Doily Shawl by Doris Chan. 

HAP is What's Happening!

You might wonder what is HAP?  Well, it is an organization founded and managed by Deborah Starobin Armtrong to provide afghans to wounded soldiers.  She has signed up over 1,600 volunteers who crochet or knit 6x9 inch rectangles that are put together by volunteers into afghans.  Each afghan is made from 49 rectangles and then crocheted together.  So far, over 6,200 afghans have been sent to wounded soldiers at many different military hospitals.  Here is a sample of the work beginning with the rectangles, then the designed afghans pinned together into seven columns, and then the finished product.  I am just one of many volunteers participating in this marvelous activity.  So far I've put together 11 afghans and crocheted about 100 rectangles to be used in other afghans.  To see more, go to the web page Handmade Afghans to Thank Our Armed Forces Project (HAP)

The designed afghans come in bags of seven stacks numbered 1-7.  They are then crocheted together in order of 1st column to 7th column.

The is the almost finished afghan.  The outside edging is now being added.