Friday, July 10, 2009

The July Project :)

Hi everyone!

I just finished sending The Knit-A-Square Charity in South Africa the 9 Sun Squares that I showed you last week.

It is so much fun to open my yarn cabinet and pull out all the skeins to start each project. :)



My new favorite yarn to work with is the Hobby Lobby brand, I Love This Yarn!

When I first saw it I thought it was kind of a funny name for a brand, until I started working with it. I said to myself, "Wow! I love this yarn!" ~ and then started to laugh. OK, maybe the name works!

It is very affordable, soft, well made, has tons of colors. It comes in worsted and sport weights in acrylic, wool, cotton and some blends.

All of these projects are made from the worsted acrylic.


Life is so fun! As soon as I got home from sending the squares, I received the June Newsletter that featured the July Challenge asking for 255 baby blankets and 255 hats for abandoned newborn babies.

Here is the newsletter explaining that although they usually ask for just the squares, these blankets made from (12) 8 x 8 squares (approx 24 x 32 in when complete) are small enough for us to sew them together and send them complete.

It will save them alot of work as they are also still working in full swing to sew together the other hundreds of blankets that they make for older children and adults in the area too.

I hope to be able to complete 2 blankets and two matching hats for their cause. Here is the start of the first blanket. My plan is to crochet 3 strips of 4 blocks and then sew the strips together with a single crochet border.

Knit-A-Square's wish is to gift these blankets and hats to each baby for them to take them to their new homes to give them security and love throughout their whole lives.

What a beautiful keepsake for each little baby to always have.

I will keep you posted on my progress. Happily, I will have an opportuntiy to work on them this weekend since Melanie and I planned weeks ago to have a sister's craft weekend retreat to the high country.

Now that she has mastered the single crochet stitch making her first teddy bear, I am going to teach her double crochet stitches in the round making granny squares. She is going to sew her squares together to make her own baby blanket to send to South Africa too!

We are going to have so much fun and have lots of pictures to show you next week since it is also the weekend of the Steamboat Springs Hot Air Balloon Festival and Art Fair.
Please let me know if you join the challenge too. I would love to see your squares, blanket or hat!
Have a wonderful weekend!

15 comments:

Ritobear said...

Wow, I have to say that you are AWESOME for doing all you do for charity. Your karma must be just super shiny. I love your yarn stash, too!

Emmitt is lucky to have such a compassionate mommy!

Manon said...

Melissa, you are such a great person for doing all this. We should all take a little page from your book!

Have a great weekend!
xo

Kelly said...

Oh Melissa, I am so jealous of your craft retreat with your sister! That sounds like so much fun! Do I need to come keep Emmy company while you are away?? :)

Unknown said...

you are like a bee Melissa!!! busy busy busy!!! buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz


wonderful work!!!

Hugs
Diana

Kelley Carey MacDonald said...

You are amazing, Melissa! Where you live are there 48 hours in a day???

:) I hope you have a wonderful weekend. You have an award on my blog...

Anonymous said...

Oh wow! That is amazing, you are amazing!

JudyMackeyart said...

Melissa - you are wonderful! I love the Sunshine looking squares!!
You are my sunshine, lady!!
Judy

Mia said...

You are such an amazing person!! The people in your life are truly blessed to have you.
PeeSee: Mommy says your yarn stash looks like her bead stash only bigger =)
Have a great crafting weekend!!!

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Lovely squares. I love to crochet and am working on a sweet pink baby afghan that uses the triple crochet stitch and whips a very nice shell pattern.

Pugs and Kneedles said...

Those are beautiful and you are such a good person to devote so much of your time and talent to these charitable causes. Have a fabulous weekend getaway and give Emmitt a belly tickle from Casa de Pugs. Enjoy your weekend!

The WriggleButts said...

Wow! Best of luck with your project.. And I wish you were in my neighbourhood - I'd come knocking to learn crocheting, too! ;)

Hugs,
Ane

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Sometimes the best thing to khall something is what it is and/or does!

Khudos AGAIN fur all your good works!

Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra

GAIL said...

I absolutely love the blue and red blanket you are doing. I hope you and Melanie have a wonderful artsy weekend. (Poor Diane got sick so we have had to reschedule our journal class.) I keep voting for your adorable groovy dogs chair.

Tweedles -- that's me said...

Hi Melissa
I hope you and Melanie have a good time. It sounds like so much fun.
I love hot air balloons and fun happenings like that.
Your yarn for the new blankies is so pretty, You always choose the best colors and textures.
have a good time
love
tweedles

marianne said...

This looks like so much fun! i did this when I was 18! I just love the meditaative feeling about crocheting just like knitting!