8th Day of Sock Yarn

On the eighth day of sock yarn, Simply Sock Yarn gave to me... two skeins of Qing Fiber Super Soft Sock!

To have a chance at two skeins of this supple cashmere sock blend with new colors coming thru Customs as soon as today, simply answer the following question in the comments below:

Tell me about an organization or group that you like to donate to or spend time making things for. We all have different ways we show care and love to people, and perhaps what you do for others will inspire me and readers to take on another way to help those around us.

I donate time and money to the Community Harvest Foodbank of NE Indiana. My kids spend time at local food banks and I've been there with them as well. My mind just can't tolerate the idea that there are hungry children and I try to put in as much time and money as I can. It's never enough though. I don't ever feel like I've done enough.

This year my family and I also adopted a boy my sons' age to act as Secret Santa, and while I'm glad I did it and I will continue to do it, I feel sad. I think about all that I should be doing more of to help others and it never quite feels like enough. It just makes me feel small and selfish for having so much and giving so little. So I just keep adding my little bit of help to the problem and I hope that others add their little bit of help and eventually together we all make a big impact somewhere. I think that's something that knitters as a community relate to. Perhaps it's something about the thousands of tiny stitches it takes to make a garment.... we just keep tinking along until we see results, knowing that the cumulative effect over time will get us where we want. So maybe someday if we just keep giving and giving of ourselves we do impact someone or some people in a lasting way.

I want to share with you something particularly touching from Vicki who has been a supporter of the shop for many years. I have her permission to share this, and I've been waiting for a time when the most amount of people read the blog because it really is beautiful. When our lives seem hectic and our world seems divided, stories like this make me feel better about the humans that surround me. That strength and grace that can come from her hurt and pain is a lesson that Vicki can teach all of us.

Today should be my granddaughter, Éowyn's 7th birthday. She died 2018 from dipg, which is a form of brain cancer. She received excellent care at Children's Mercy Hospital.
We started a toy drive last year to honor her memory and collect toys and craft supplies for the hospital. I decided that I would knit bunnies to donate and I used Opal, Miss Babs, and Knitterly Things yarn along with Susan's pattern, Mini Sock Yarn Bunny.
Attached you will find pictures of the bunnies and the tag that I attached to each of them. I thought you might like to see what your yarn has created!
Vicki

Comments

[Deb Monnin]

I make prayer shawls for our church to give to those who need a hug and we give through the ELCA to disaster relief and world hunger relief. All of our donation goes to those who are in need

[Jan]

I’ve made mini-stockings and hats for Warmth for Warriors, serving active duty and veterans. I’ve made monsters and water bottle holders for TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors), serving the survivors of military killed in action or by suicide. I’ve made hugs (same as rectangular prayer shawls) for the organ donor group where my husband received a heart transplant (the hugs are given to donor families). I’ve made warm items for local charities. And I’m a volunteer with a group called Until I Get Home, providing blankets for babies born while their service member parent is deployed.

I believe all our small acts contribute to a great good for others. Thank you for highlighting everyone’s efforts.

[Donna]

The main organization I support is the Greater Chicago Food Depository. It’s kind of a food bank for food banks. Because it serves so many, it can buy in large quantities & save money. It also works with restaurants to salvage food they don’t use. I send them a fairly large monthly contribution. There are so many worthy causes out there but food is such a basic need. It really saddens me that such groups are needed. I’d love to do more but I can’t commit to a schedule because of my fibromyalgia. If anyone knows of a group in the Chicago area that could use hats, mittens or other similar items, please let me know.

[Renee Sawyer]

This year my knitting guild worked on several outreach projects. We knit Knitted Knockers which we give to the LYS and she distributes them for us. We also donated to a group called ChildHelp which is fairly local for kids that need extra care in a home before they are able to go to foster homes. We knit over 90 hats so the kids can have them in their Christmas stockings, we knit some lovies for the younger kids and lap blankets for the older kids, we donated used luggage so they have their own piece when they finally move into a foster home. We knit hats and gloves for our local bank employees where we hold our meeting, and we gave almost 20 hats where my brother is having chemo. I am proud of our local knitting guild!

[Stephanie]

I really like to donate funds to local food pantries. Food is one of those things I fell like people shouldn't have to go without.

[Megan]

What a lovely remembrance for Eowyn, and a special gift for the children who receive those little bunnies.

Being outdoors is very important to me, but in addition to supporting groups that work to create and preserve public outdoor places, I also work with groups trying to eliminate barriers keeping people from accessing these spaces. Transit to Trails is a major one— there’s so often no public transit to outdoor places especially in the suburbs of major cities, so people without cars can’t even get there.

[Amy (Waunaknit)]

I donate to St. Jude. Every year we have a penny war at work to donate to the local food pantry, along with a "fill the barrel" competition with another office.

[Natalie]

I just started donating to Doctors Without Borders- amazing group- making a difference

[Jody Laake]

I have knit hats and scarves for the homeless, chemo caps and hats for premature infants. I have also made socks for an orphanage and my daughter and I make blankets for our local animal shelter.

[Laurie]

I recently went through the Citizen's Law Enforcement Academy here in my little city and now am in the alumni association for same. I support the various law enforcement entities - police department, sheriff's office, DPS, DA's office - and we raise money to provide what city, country and state budgets can't, plus we provide extra eyes and ears to help cut down on crime in our area.

[ElizabethD]

No matter what we do, it never seems like enough. I'm with you -- I hope that my little bit added to everybody else's little bits will make a noticeable change. I do several things, but I'll just mention New Beginnings, an organization in Maine that works with homeless teenagers (two words I hate to see together). I knit hats, mittens, and socks -- all wool, of course -- and mail a box two or three times a year. I know each thing will make a difference to one person, and that's enough.

[Lynn]

I donate to Daily Bread Soup kitchen locally, as well as a spay and neuter group and equine rescue. All important! I have enjoyed reading all the comments. Kindness is such a good thing!

[julie]

I haven't knitted anything to give away but my extended family donates much of the money we would spend getting gifts for each other to an organization each year.

[Suzann Ellis]

I volunteer for Together in Voice, a Houston based choir for people in the memory loss community and their friends and family.

[yolanda]

I donate to The Nature Conservatory.

[Lauren]

I have given money to my local humane society. I have also made some chemo caps (just a few) that need homes. I have them tucked away until I find the appropriate place to donate.

[Lucy]

This year i crocheted many kids crown ear warmers as a fund raiser for a right to life group.

[Sarah D]

I sponsor a child through Compassion International. I started when I was in high school and have done so for almost 25 years now (has been several different children over the years!) I love their mission and their approach to helping families.

[Lisa M Barrett]

What Vicki and her family have been thru makes my heart hurt. There are so many important, needed and worthy causes that it's difficult to choose but my efforts for the last 10+ years have been for homeless cats aka ferals and strays.

When we adopted our first cat I became aware of the vast numbers that suffer because, at some point, humans have failed them. I donate regularly to Alley Cat Allies, I've fed colonies and engaged in TNR - trap, neuter & return, to help control the local population.

[Larissa]

The Y in our town. This year we made a financial contribution. Most years we donate our time. Our kids have gone through their swim team and got so much out of it, that we continue to support it.

[Wendy Chase]

I love Susan's bunny pattern and what a wonderful way for it to be used! I donate monthly to the humanitarian aid fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and also spend many hours serving in that organization. Every May our local group does a 'Mother's Day Purse' project, where we donate new or good handbags and fill them with toiletries for women in our local shelters and safe houses. We make Mother's day cards for the children in those places to give to their moms. Last weekend we made blankets and put together comfort sacks for our local fire and police departments to use when they respond to emergencies in our community. I try to help my friends and neighbors when I see a need but I too feel there is always more that can be done. It can be overwhelming but there are so many good people out there if we all pitch in what we can it makes a difference.

[Marianna]

I would say that about 90% of my knitting is for charity of some sort. My small way to give back

[Barbara Rude]

We adopt a senior at Christmas time to make sure the seniors in our area are taken care of. I would love to find a charity to knit for but so far I have not anything in my area.

[Lorraine Chan]

I volunteer at my local theatre and donate to Broadway Cares. They in turn support services for people suffering from HIV/AIDS and other illness, women's health and performing arts. Broadway: An American Musical talked about the history that drove the start of the non-profit and it's very inspiring.

[Jeanne]

One of the women in my knitting group collects all our knitted donations (hats, scarves, blankets, socks) and they go to several different charities in our community. This year we had over 75 articles to donate.

[Jen]

This really has made me think about the importance of giving back. I recently began knitting, but would love to start giving back through knitting in some way. Maybe 2020 will be a year I can focus more on that.

[Donna]

We “adopt “ an elderly person or two each year from our local Salvation Army. This year we did it in our own town through our council on aging. We also donate to a local organization called Gifts to Give, which helps local families in crisis but gives plenty of volunteer opportunities. Www.giftstogive.org
We give to our local veterans home . After the holidays I will be joining a knitting for charity group.

[Bonnie]

We make it a priority to support Heifer International throughout the year. We feel like it has a long-term positive impact.

[Carol]

Most years I send money to the local food bank. There's all kinds of needs out there, but food is number one in my mind.

[Terri W Brinegar]

What a beautiful way to honor a child's memory! We often adopt a family; my husband likes to focus on single mother's with children - since he grew up in that household himself. Next year we will start working with the Artemis Center in Dayton. They are a wonderful organization that works with women and children in abusive situations.

[Barb]

I donate to a local cat rescue group, two groups who rescue chimps from labs or other abusive situations, and Planned Parenthood, among others.

[Donna M Norris]

I have knitted a few chemo caps, and they get passed on to friends of friends. Recently bought yarn to make knitted knockers for breast cancer patients - its on my winter knitting project list. Other than knitting I donate and volunteer at Little River Wetland Project. Wonderful place to hike, and enjoy nature right in our own backyard in Fort Wayne Indiana.

[Penny]

We have supported a girls in a Quaker high school in Kenya where my husband and I have worked in the past. We also support our county humane society, dog are dumped in our country on a regular basis. We also support local food pantries.

[Beth]

Our guild member make knitted knockers and poppies for veterans. We also knit preemie hats. I’ve also made lap blankets for Santas for Seniors.

[Debra Cohen]

Vicki’s story is truly inspiring! I have made knit chemo caps for the local children’s hospital and also made quilts for Blankets for Linus. After reading Vicki’s story I am inspired to do even more...

[Beverly]

I give to St. Jude’s and a local group called Tenacious Grace that works with women in prison. Their goal is to have a house for the women to go to when they are released and get back on their feet.

[Dawn]

The label on the bunnies are cute!

We donate to a couple ALS Foundation and Jimmy Fund. Both wonderful organizations doing so much for the terrible diseases that exist.

[Marilyn]

I like making knitted knockers.

[Angelunaig]

The last few years, I have knitted hats (with cool factor) and assembled Christmas packages for specific children in the foster system, working through a couple of lawyers who recommend certain recipients so I know their needs. Before that, I knitted hats for chemo patients undergoing bone marrow transplants. My son had undergone a bone marrow transplant and we spent a lot of time in the blood unit while he received transfusions. There was a basket there where a well-meaning someone would leave hand knitted hats but they were invariably garish and scratchy acrylic. No self respecting man would be caught dead in them. So I decided to donate hats mainly for men knit in a cotton blend that would hold up to washing. Every time I left another hat, it was gone in 15 minutes. I want to go back to doing that. I lost my son but I still have tho hats I knit him during those awful months. Cash donations go to the Leukemia Society and animal rescue. And I feel I should be doing so much more. All the above stories are inspiring.

[Alyssa]

Our children's hospital gives hats, blankets and stuffed animals to children who have to spend time there. We've received a hand knit hat from there and I would love to return the favor sometime soon!

[Marilyn]

I play harp at a local hospice. it's very rewarding. This article tho on the bunny making is inspiring me to start knitting hats for the homeless this summer before Christmas knitting takes priority in the fall. Thank you the inspiration.

[Aimee]

We donate to a couple animal rescue groups.

[Christine]

I love buying books for various shelters and orgs in my area. I especially enjoy giving YA books, since those kids are often overlooked.

[Heather]

I have a small business and sell wool socks knit on my sock machine. For “SOCKtober” I donate a pair of socks for every pair of socks sold to a mission that works with street-involved youth.

[Susan Kennedy]

Among various other material donations to my local community, I knit blankets for Project Linus. I also knit hat and blankets for Wool-Aid and a group in Maine that distributes woolen items in the communities of northern Maine. Like you, I never feel that I am doing enough.

[staci]

We have donated to the local food pantry. When my kids were in elementary their school had a tree where they each chose a wish or two for families that needed help and we would do those. Now that I am thinking back on that, I need to find somewhere that we can start doing that again!

[Robin VanderRoest]

The Qing yarn sounds heavenly!

My husband and I set up automatic transfers to our local food bank, which continue throughout the year. I hope that no child is hungry..

The Seita Scholars are students at WMU who have aged out of the foster care system. Can you imagine being completely on your own, at age 18? Me neither! Our knitting guild provides knitted gifts for these students at a Christmas party, and I enjoy contributing a few hats.

[Jan Johnson]

This year our family bought Christmas gifts for a 3-year old foster child. I'm hoping that next year I can do more charity knitting.

[Lois Conway]

I like to make hats which our local fiber guild donates to local schools for children who do have a hat come the winter season here at Lake of the Ozarks

[Kara]

I love to support Teen Challenge - an inpatient chemical dependency program. They have an amazing success rate and the stories that clients share are inspiring.

[Rose Birchall]

I have knitted caps for cancer centers and homeless shelters

[Shannon]

I love knitting for Heavenly Angels in Need (H.A.I.N.) and our local level 3 & 4 NICUs. I have had 8 losses including a 2nd trimester stillborn and cherish the knit hat and blanket that was given to me the day he was born. I'm due in 7wks with my sweet little rainbow and this yarn would be so perfect especially with the cause behind it, thanks for this opportunity!!

[sprite]

I support the D.C. Library Foundation, which helps fund the summer reading prizes and supports the valuable work our branch libraries do in D.C.'s neighborhood communities.

[Wilma Stoy]

I knit hats for newborns at Duke. I also knit some warm items for meet me under the bridge.
Both help all stay warm and feel loved.

[Barbara]

I support a senior living center in my home state.

[Amanda]

Every year my knitting group makes hats - this year it was hats for kids and young adults living in shelters. You're right, it never feels like enough.

[Patsy Coats]

Sacred Shawl Society, a women’s shelter on Pine Ridge Reservation.

[Pat]

I donate time and money to The Breakfast at St. Andrews in Ann Arbor that serves a free breakfast 365 days of the year. We also donate to an organization that provides advocacy for detained people attempting to immigrate.

[Chris Goudeau]

I always give a donation every year to Heifer. During the year I knit hats and socks for premie babies at the local hospitals.

[Sue]

I’ve been knitting mittens for my husband’s school. It’s a Title I school and the children face many issues including food insecurity. I always make sure he has healthy snacks available for his kiddos. In addition, this year I took a break from knitting socks and switched to thick wool mittens which the school resource officer can provide to students. I’ve set a goal of making each pair different so the kids can have some choice.

[Susan Mercy]

I donate to the Polaris Project, which houses the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and also works at the forefront of combatting this horrendous crime.

[Katherine Schmitt]

This year, I knit and crocheted hats for the Christmas for Teens drive at my son's high school.

[jeanne]

I knit for the local rehab center...There are many folks there who have no families, and appreciate the handmade items

[Cindy]

I enjoy making baby/toddler hats for the little ones at my church.

[Robin Landwer]

I love reading all the replies. Knitters have such wonderful hearts. I currently work as a nutrition educator and do a lot of work with/at food pantries. I've also worked in the schools and see how food insecurity affects our youth. So, it inspires me to donate when and where I can to get these kiddos the healthy foods they need to grow and learn.

[Nancy]

We donate to the American Red Cross.