When I was in the second grade, I had my tonsils out. Shortly after I came out of the anesthesia, a nurse came to my bedside and handed me a pale blue octopus made of a cardboard ball and some yarn.
I was actually confused by the whole thing. Why was I getting this awesome octopus? It wasn’t my birthday. It wasn’t Christmas. I wasn’t sure I could accept it.
The nurse assured me that I could, that the toy had been made for me by a stranger who knew that I was going to be having surgery that day and who thought I might use some cheering up. And cheer me it did! I carried that octopus around for quite a long time, until it was tattered.
Maybe that’s why I have such a fondness for homemade gifts. I think there’s good energy in making things by hand. And that’s why, this autumn, I’m heading up an event in conjunction with my church that will send handmade hats to needy newborns at an inner-city hospital here in New Jersey. I have a personal goal of donating 50 hats!
Would you like to stitch along with us?
Whether you knit or crochet, I invite and encourage you to join in.
In The Wishing Thread, the Van Ripper sisters stuff their hand-knits with magic spells and good energy. Here’s an opportunity to make a little magic of your own!
Just knit or crochet any hat that is newborn size using your favorite pattern. If you don’t have a favorite pattern, contact me via the contact form on my website and I will send you my suggestions for very easy patterns that are fit for beginners. These hats take no more than an hour to complete once you have a general idea of what you’re doing.
Just be sure that the yarn that you use is acrylic (the most common and inexpensive type of yarn), and the circumference should be approximately 14 inches.
If you like, you can donate your hat to a charity of your choosing. Or, you are welcome to send your complete hat to me at the address below, and I will donate it on your behalf.
Lisa Van Allen
PO Box 101
Rutherford NJ 07070
I will stop collecting on Dec 31, 2013. So please send your hats before that date. Thanks!
Please feel free to share this with any knitters or crocheters that you know. And thank you in advance for joining me!
Stay in touch with me on my Facebook page and share pictures of the baby hats that you crochet by posting them on my timeline!
One of the things I like to do when I knit for babies is meditate on their healthy arrival and pray for all the joys and heartaches news parents will experience.
When I attach my “fiber” and “size” tags, I always tell them….
“EVERY stitch holds a prayer.”
Looking forward to assisting in your vision:-)
I read your post and wished I’d wrtiten it
Já myslÃm, že ta jejà dospÄ›lost bude dána tÃm, že tak miluje vÄ›du, ale hlavnÄ› tÃm, že Kathy Reichs je pÅ™ece jenom už troÅ¡ku starÅ¡Ã. Ale i tak se pÅ™ibližnÄ› do toho vÄ›ku trefila
Lisa,
I would love to help but I am afraid I don’t know how to knit, crochet yes but only in a straight stitch. I never learned to make clothing on afghans, if you would like some baby size afghans I would love to help. Best Wishes Sharon
Krys Glavin – if you see this, please resend your request? I think there was a typo in your email address. Thanks!!
Sylvia – You are a woman after my own heart! Same here! Sometimes, a handmade gift is just a tangible expression of an inner wish. :-)
Sharon – Don’t be afraid! The pattern is so so so easy. It’s actually easier (and faster) than doing an afghan. I’ve done both–trust me. You’ll be happy about the hats!
Perhaps you might want to simply take a look at the hat pattern and then decide?