Happy New Year to you all!

2008 is here for those on the east coast, but here in California we have just over another hour and a half! I'm excited about where we can take Stitching for the Seasons in 2008, and I'd like some suggestions from all of you on how to get more members. So, put on your thinking caps and don't be shy, no idea is a bad one!

I did finally finish my scarf for the December 15th deadline, though I'll be honest I've had such a difficult December, I was late! I know, shame on me. My health seems to have taken the brunt of the stress due to the loss of my dear father-in-law, and since the 13th I've gone from one symptom to another with hardly a day of feeling really well. I'm really not looking for sympathy here, just trying to tell you that there is a reason for my being late.

I ended up dumping the Candy Cane stripe scarf in favor of one called snow on ice made from a discontinued yarn called Minou by Pingouin in white, and because of the thick/thin texture and a kind of shiny thread running through the thin portion it looks like snow on top of ice.

Sadly, only now as I took photos of it I discovered one ball of the yarn is discolored and really shows in the photos, which means it will show in daylight too. I'll launder it and see if it washes out, it may just be dusty (I hope). Otherwise I'll either pull out the discolored portion and reknit it, or knit another as I have more of the yarn. In this next picture you can see the color difference. Well it's not the end of the world, only a bit of time wasted! No doubt we've all had worse disappointments.

So, I'll move on and start thinking about the next scarf I'll make after I repair this one!

Scarves and absence

Hello all,

Several scarves have arrived recently, but to be honest this has all had to take a back seat because my father-in-law has been very ill. Yesterday, he passed away. I will make sure the p.o. box gets checked, but that is the extent of what I can commit to at this time, as it's a very difficult time for our family who is all very close. He was the head and heart of our family and it's going to be an extremely difficult adjustment.

Hugs,
Shelly

I just sent my scarf, too.

I mailed my scarf this past week, so it should arrive shortly.

Our weather has cooled down here somewhat, but we're so lucky not to have snow and ice. For us 60 degrees is cold.

Wishing everyone a happy holiday season!

Rena

It is all up to the post office now!

The scarves were washed and dried. They were tagged with the type of yarn and washing instructions. I even noted that they were knitted with a dog in the house. And the tag has my name and a seasonal note. And I packaged them up and took them to the post office. It is all up to the post office now. Travel in peace scarves! Happy First night of Chanukah for those of us who celebrate.
Marcie

Mailing Address

First my apologies, due to ill family members I've not been on much.

The mailing address is;

Scarves From The Heart
P.O. Box 78104
Stockton, CA 95267-1404

I'll try to add it to our information that is in the sidebar.

Shelly

I've finished my winter scarf!

I've finished my winter scarf and I'm ready to mail it. I guess someone will need to send me the new mailing address. I was going to take a picture and post it, but I think I'll let it be a surprise. I'll just say it's very colorful!

It has finally gotten cooler here in Yuma - just in the past few days, actually - and I'm happy with that. I need a little change of seasons, even if it's just to the 70's.

I hope everyone has had a lovely Thanksgiving.

Best Wishes, Rena

It's too quiet here . . .

With the holidays just around the corner and the first one less than a week away I expect you are all busy with preparations.

I've finally settled on the look for my winter scarf. Several ideas didn't pan out because of my lack of expertise, especially in changing colors. I'm not particularly happy with my increase side, but here's the start of it;

I should be working on a baby dress for charity, but tonight when I looked for this already started project, I couldn't find it. Ummmm, too many project bags? Shhhh, don't let hubby hear that. I've since bought a book with a pattern for a baby dress that I like much better, so maybe I'll just start fresh as I already have some yarn I can use for it.

If you're inclined toward prayer, please say a prayer for my Father-in-law and Mother-in-law. DFIL, Eino, was hospitalized on Wednesday afternoon with an intestinal blockage caused by his intestines twisting. They've been pumping his stomach and it seems to have helped some. Tomorrow they're planning to give him some type of contrast med and then do an x-ray to see if the problem is likely to resolve itself once the intestine is empty or if surgery will be necessary. On top of this he also has a bacterial pneumonia. They are keeping him comfortable with morphine because of the extreme pain from the blockage, and treating the pneumonia with both antibiotics and oxygen.

DMIL, Evelyn, suffered a broken hip on 10/14 as well as yet another stroke, she seems to have the strokes rather frequently even though they aren't severe. Hip replacement surgery was performed on the 17th after blood thinners had cleared her system enough to make it safe to operate. Healing has been particularly slow and she suffered an infection, and the re-opening of the wound about a week or two after surgery. When we visited on Thursday we discovered her wound was open once again and she was rushed to her surgeon for treatment. He suggested taking her back into surgery but the family has decided to use that as a last resort because at the age of 89 this surgery was extremely difficult on her. So treatment at this point is that the wound has been packed and will be kept clean and dry. She also suffers advanced dementia which seems to be exacerbated by all these changes.

Your prayers will be greatly appreciated.

Shelly

Hello all,
Tis a good time for knitting warm items here in MA! We had quite a big storm this last weekend (just barely a hurricane) and it caused a lot of damage. Had hail on the drive home yesterday and ice on the mailbox this morning which makes it a great time to knit a scarf. I finished one this weekend with a great Patons boucle I found (very soft).

We're Back from Southern California

These trips are always way too short! We went to So. CA to meet up with my youngest daughter who recently moved to N. Central PA from Austin, TX. We had a great visit with her and even managed to talk her into going to Disneyland with us one day. She had never been to Disney's California Adventure park and she had a good time there. We got drenched on the River Rapids ride, but the weather was warm and we dried quickly.

Finally I've been able to upload a picture of Jeanne's winter scarf. These colors aren't accurate, it's much prettier in real life.

I've got the concept of my scarf figured out after trying a couple of things which didn't turn out to my liking. I've decided to do a stockinette stitch scarf and change the colors so that they make diagonal stripes. I finished the baby snowsuit I was working on so a lot of the pressure I put on myself is now off, even though I still have several UFOs. I'll likely start the scarf in the next day or two.

Please feel free to invite other stitchers to join "Stitchers for the Seasons". We'd love to have a larger group to knit and crochet for SFTH.

Shelly

Hello...

I'm new to blogging. Just want to say hello. I'm Rena and I live in Yuma, AZ. I like to knit and crochet, and just committed to making 4 scarves per year for this project. I love the idea!

Winter Scarf!

There all sorts of knitting projects looming for me (there are 2 babies due next weekend for people who will be getting sweaters) so I decided to make a winter scarf quickly. I found a great buy on Lion Boucle and thought these colors were holidayish. I did a simple 2 x 2 rib (since I wanted to knit in the movies!) and I like the way it turned out.

The woman who teaches with me is having a birthday in a week and a half and I wanted to knit her some dish cloths - not something I've ever done before, but something that should make her chuckle - we've gone "green" in our preschool classroom, trying not to waste paper products, and she said that she has done so much at home, but can't quite give up on her paper towels. Ergo, dish cloths.

I have a sweater for me that I would dearly like to get done (moss stitch so I can't do it in the movies) and a friend who is waiting for a new kippah or two to be crocheted (why did I ever admit that I can make them!)

Winter scarf

I all ready started my scarf. I'm doing it in a short row pattern in shades of blue. I think it will be nice for either a man or woman. I'm also knitting some jelly bean dolls for my granddaughter. I made one of these for her a few weeks ago and she never seemed interested in it. Now that I've started my scarf, she wants a jelly bean in every color that I have. LOL Luckily that don't take long to make, so I can work on both projects. As long as she sees progress, she is happy. LOL (Do you think I'm spoiling her. LOL)

Hugs
Sandy

A shared message

Today I received an email from Jim Linderman who was in charge of the We Can Weekend which we just provided scarves for. At the camping weekend he shared my story of dealing with my daughter and my sister having cancer and the beginnings of Scarves From The Heart, and then they passed out scarves to each and every cancer survivor present - ladies you are some of those people who made this possible so take a bow! Back to the subject, the message from Jim was an email Jim passed on from one of the campers, and I'd like to share it with you . . .

Dear Jim,

Cathi, Levi, Darian, Louis and I just want to say thank you for a wonderful weekend. We came back feeling tired but spiritually renewed. There were so many great things that it is hard to choose just one but we all agreed it was the meeting where the scarfs were handed out. It was such a warm and safe feeling among so many new friends that felt as we had known each other for ages. Cancer can take so much away from us. It is so nice to know that there are so many hidden and beautiful gifts to be found during the journey. Our love to all the people that make this event possible. We can't wait for next year and as much as we want to go we pray for your desk to overflow with applications so many more may experience the healing and love found among friends who know and care.

Smiles and Hugs,
Diane L.

It feels good to know that this little bit we all do is appreciated and means so much to the people who are fighting this "monster".

Jeanne is far too modest, and I don't mean to embarrass her, but I just want you all to know who she is. Jeanne is the Associate Director of Scarves From The Heart, and we live in the same town. We met at a local stitching group and even though neither of us are active in the group on a regular basis these days we've stayed in touch. When I learned that if SFTH is to get the 501(c) non-profit status we are required to have at least two officers. I knew I didn't want the second person to be a family member because I didn't want there to ever be any reason to question the honesty of what we do. So I thought about several people as candidates, and Jeanne is someone I have a lot of respect for, I like her, she's easy to get along with, and we both have a similar philosophy regarding knitting for charities. So it just seemed that she was the right person, and when I asked her if she would consider being the associate director for SFTH she didn't hesitate.

Yesterday Jeanne came over so we could do some computer things and brought with her a scarf which has become the first "Winter" scarf! I tried, unsuccessfully to upload a picture of it. It's really pretty, she made it from sock yarn, and made it in a tube. Pictures later.

I've decided what my winter scarf will look like, though it isn't started yet. It will be knit on the diagonal and will be reminiscent of a candy cane. It will be a fairly simple stitch, something that won't curl, but will be equally appropriate for a man or woman.

Has anyone else decided what they will make?

Hi Gals

Nice to read your intros - Hello! My name is Jan (Janet) I live in MA 5 minutes from where I was born and in the other direction 5 minutes from where I grew up. I am 51 and married for 24 years. Never was able to bear children, so alas no grandkids. I have a 1 year old dog named Ayla (yes after the Clan of the Cave Bear). I am an artist who spent most of my life as a technical writer. Fortunately about 10 years ago I was jobless due to the co. moving to FL. I decided to start my own business (stained glass/Art glass, fusing, etc.). Then I discovered oil painting and I paint like crazy and am a multi-media artist who loves creating ATCs (Artist Trading Cards). I LOVE to knit. Like glass and paint - yarn makes me drool - all those colors!!! We just scrape by because DH agreed that accepting an unpaid position with American Baptist Women's Ministries as Mission & Service Coordinator was a good thing to do. My three year term is up July 2008 - then we'll see... Hope I didn't put anyone to sleep (blah, blah, blah). :-) Jan

Getting acquainted.

Hi Ladies! I'm Jeanne, living in Northern California. Knitting is my passion, and it's also my favorite form of meditation. Does 50 years of experience make me something more than a novice? Five things about me: amateur archivist, do charity knitting, enjoy my feline room-mates (3), can't believe I've been retired for over six years, have great friends who have become my family. Thank you for inviting me to join you!

Hi All:

I'm Sandy and I'm so glad to be part of this group. We are all knitting for a good cause. Now, I have to come up with 5 things about me. LOL

I'm 65 years old, married for almost 44 years. I have 2 married daughters and 4 grandchildren, they range in age for 8 to 14. One of my daughters lives right across the street and the other one lives 4 blocks away. To keep control of when the grands come over, we use a flag system. If the flag is out, they can come over, no flag, they stay home. Of course, lots of times I get a phone call with a young voice asking, when are you going to put the flag out? LOL
I also am a care-giver for my 87 year old mother. She lives by herself with my support. She doesn't drive anymore, so that means I take her where ever she needs or wants to go. She fell in March and broke her hip, as a result she doesn't walk very good, but she tries.

I started knitting when I was very young. I remember knitting a sweater when I was in high school, so I must have started knitting before then, but what age I was, is lost in time. I've knitted on and off most of the time since then. But in the last few years when I saw all the beautiful yarns that are out now, I really got back into it . I don't do very complex patterns anymore.
Now, I enjoy the soothing almost hypnotic easy patterns. I'm very much into short row knitting at the present time. It fascinates me, when I use variegated yarns. I love doing scarfs which is how I got into this group. I saw a post on another board and decided to send Shelly some of my scarfs. And here I am LOL

Is that 5 things about me? Oh, I love to read, (almost forgot that one) I could live in the library. Lock me in the library and feed me with a tube, I'd be in heaven LOL

It's so nice to be part of this group and I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Hugs
Sandy

Introducing Marcie

Shelly is the "Mom" of this group, and I am, by default, the administrator of the blog. So it is a good thing I looked at Shelly's profile, to realize I actually had to write mine (otherwise it said I was an accountant from Afghanistan!)

Unlike Shelly, I've been knitting most of my life. My mom tried to teach me when I was about 9 but when I was 11 I came home from sleepaway camp with a slipper on a pencil and enough yarn to finish it, and I've been knitting ever since. At 56, that means I've been knitting for more years than I want to figure out (remember, I'm not an accountant!) I knitted through my college classes before anyone knew what ADHD was, and what to do to make sitting through classes bearable. I may not be able to wear those sweaters anymore, but I still have them as a fond memory.

My daughters are 25 and 28 - one in graduate school in the pursuit of joint Masters Degrees in Jewish Communal Service and Jewish Education, and the other working as a producer for a private company. Husband is a lawyer. When our younger daughter was studying in Israel she adopted a puppy, flew him back to NY and then drove him cross country to live with her in LA while she continued school. Among other things, he figured out how to get out of the apartment, so he was evicted and flew back to NY to live with us, which he did for a year. Now he and his "mommy" live with us, as dd has moved back to study in NY.

Knitting scarves has always been one of my least favorite things, but when Shelly posted on a list about needing scarves by a certain date it struck a chord for me. Too many people close to me have been affected by cancer and she offered me some small way of helping others. That's why I am in this group. Some scarves will be a means of de-stashing, some will be the result of an incredible bargain (there would have been a photo here, but the batteries have died) and some will be yarns that rounded out an order from Knitpicks (why pay postage?) Living in the NY area, I also have access to some of the most incredible yarn stores, so these scarves give me an excuse to shop for yarn, the only thing I like to shop for.

Have I already told you 5 things about me?

By way of introduction . . .

Hi Ladies (and gents if any join us)

I'm Shelly, a wife, mother, and grandmother living in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. I'm also the founder of "Scarves From The Heart", our parent organization. I won't go into that here because you can read about why I began SFTH on the home website.

In addition to knitting and crocheting I love to read, Debbie Macomber books at the moment. I'm fairly new to knitting as I began in March 2005, but as my friend who taught me says I'm an adventurous knitter and seldom knit a pattern exactly as written. She also says she unleashed a monster, because after about 50 years of crocheting I had always kept only a few skeins of yarn on hand, but once I learned to knit, well, I just kind of went crazy buying yarn and tote bags and needles and . . . get the picture? Fortunately it all resides in my computer room and visits the area around my easy chair so it stays fairly well corralled.

We have seven children, 3 sons and 4 daughters, in our blended family of his and hers, and we just welcomed our eighth grandchild, an adorable healthy little girl, into the world. We have 3 grandsons and 5 granddaughters. Our family is scattered throughout 4 of the western states, save for one daughter who just moved to North-Central PA for her work. We have two cats, Max (a little girl that we thought was a boy when we picked the name) and SweetPea, that I love to spoil.

As my hubby says, I've never met a stranger and I love to talk, so before I talk your ear off I'll close by starting a game of "5 things about me".

1) I have a stong faith in God, but don't consider myself religious.

2) I'm often more of an idea person than one who carries things through.

3) If I could change one thing about myself in an instant it would be to lose weight.

4) The one thing in life I'm most thankful for today is my extended family (hubby's family).

5) One thing in life I'd find hardest to give up would be sweets (the one thing I should definitely give up).

If you've read this far, I hope you'll follow suit and introduce yourself so that we can get to know one another a bit. Please share only what you feel comfortable sharing.

Currently there are no guidelines here, nothing we can't talk about . . . so we'll build the guidelines as they become necessary. The one thing I ask is that you not post anything here that would hurt or embarrass another member or be a copyright infringement.

Who's next?

Welcome to "Stitching For The Seasons"

We're an off-shoot of Scarves From The Heart. In a way we are the heart and soul of the group as we have each agreed to knit and/or crochet scarves on an on-going basis.

Each member of Stitching For the Seasons has commited to make a minimum of one scarf each "season", or every three months. That's not a lot to ask, and everyone is welcome to make as many as they want, there are no limits.

Our goal is to get a balance of feminine and gender neutral colors and designs each season. To achieve this perhaps each member can post their ideas of what they would like to, or what they are making.

Season 1:

Holiday Scarves: Bright cheery scarves in colors to banish the winter blues made to keep the recipients warm. When we think of holiday colors it doesn't mean just red and green, but any bright color that makes one think of the holidays of Chanukka, Christmas, Kwanza, Junkanoo, Las Posadas, New Years, Chinese New Years, Valentines Day and more.

Warmth can be accomplished by using bulky yarns, larger sizes, desnser fabrics as well wools and other natural fibers, so use your imaginations and have fun with it!

Winter scarves should arrive at our new mailing address no later than December 15, 2007. Because of Christmas packages, that may mean mailing as early as December 1 if you don't want to pay for priority shipping.

Mailing address:

Scarves From The Heart
P.O. Box 78104
Stockton, CA 95267-1404