We Are The World

Hey everyone! Well, it's obviously been awhile, no? I have no reason, no excuses-I just didn't feel like writing anything here. Nothing especially interesting going on in my knitting world and nothing especially otherwise that I really felt like writing. Lots of things swirling around in my head and heart, just nothing I feel like talking much about. Weird how that can be, isn't it? Anyway, that has changed and now I will start blabbering!! Warning: If you do not care about little children, might as well quit reading now :). I have been finding out lots and lots about something that I'd love to share with all of you. I have mentioned some things about helping out some kiddos in Ethiopia with some knitting supplies and the invite is still open for anyone interested. I will be sending a bunch of supplies to a nice lady named Sharon who goes yearly to Layla House and AHOPE (a home for kids who are AIDS/HIV positive, a huge crisis in Africa) in Ethiopia to bring supplies, encouragement and love to the kids at Layla and AHOPE. She has adopted several children from there herself and continues to be involved with them. One of the things I will be putting together to send over are market bag kits to be knit out of....plastic bags! I figure most of you knitters have heard of taking plastic bags, cutting them into strips for "yarn", and making them into bags like these and these and these. So I asked her if that was something they could/would use and even if it could be something the girls could use to sell to make some income and she responded with an enthusiastic "yes!" She also said that plastic bags are very rare in Ethiopia-ack! Can you imagine?! The bane of the American environment!! Our trash, literally, can be these kids' treasure, literally. If you want to be a part of making plastic bag "yarn" (each knit bag requires 20-30 plastic bags) or want to send any other yarn or supplies, let me know (comment or email) and I will get with you about it. I need to send it by the 1st of March. And if that is not your cup of tea, here's another way to help the babies in Africa who need some warmth-a wonderful lady name Mary (she has also adopted children from Ethiopia, 4 of her TEN KIDS!! yowza! She's awesome!) is having a "blanket party" on her blog, Owlhaven, on February 1st. Now, before you go all "I cannot knit any blankets" or "I don't knit for charity" or "I am squared OUT"-WAIT!!! THERE IS NO KNITTING INVOLVED!! You can read all about it here and here, but the short version is that there are babies over there who have nothing, whose sweet mamas literally have not enough money to find even a rag in which to wrap their newborn, something I cannot fathom, as I look at my stack of 10 unused baby blankets hanging out in the closet of Thing 3, let alone the 4 in her crib. So on February 1st, she will have a paypal link on which you can "purchase" a blanket for a baby in Ethiopia (Or 50 blankets! Or 500 blankets!!!) They will be buying them over there with the money collected so that 1. they can give the money to the local villages' economy and 2. so they can get more for their money b/c they will be less expensive there and 3. they do not have to haul 85 suitcases of blankies around the world. I can assure you this woman and this project are legit-nothing sketchy here, just kids in SERIOUS need. Let's wrap those babies, folks!!

So, thus ends my Bono-esque soap box post. I hope you will really consider helping out. In knitting news, I DID finish that sweater with the icky yarn and guess what? I still hate that yarn. Icko.

I'm All Out of Love

Does anyone else HATE this yarn???? I am knitting a sweater I was commissioned to knit and the "commissioner" gave me this yarn with which to construct the sweater. I DO NOT LIKE THIS YARN ONE BIT. It is scratchy and rough and weird and splitty and have I mentioned I do not like it??? I was really surprised because it seems like it is a favorite of so many and comes in a brilliant array of colors. But for me? Not so much with the love. Oh well, at least it is a toddler sweater so it will not have to be used for long.

In other yarnyish news, if anyone has any yarn or knitting supplies they no longer need and want to send to some needy folks, go here and check it out! These awesome folks take stuff to orphans in Ethiopia each year and this year one of the things they are taking is yarn for knitting and crocheting. She told me the kids will knit with anything and that they wear hats when it is 78 degrees out! I think they have a different perspective on cold than myself :). But they do not need full or brand new skeins and it thrills me to no end to think that my random leftover oddballs could bring joy to a sweet child halfway across the world!! I know we all have 8 million balls of half-used stuff lying around doing nothing-let's get it to some kids who have no internet, no Ravelry, no Mosaic-and honestly, very little of anything else, including basic food and clean water.

Off to go mutter unkind things to my scratchy yarn.....