Once again, I have too much to tell you. Do y’all wish I could shut up? [tag]This Eclectic Life’s This Blog Blows My Dress Up Contest[/tag] is officially closed to new entries. All of the entries will be sent to Jennymcb for judging and the winner will be announced on the 18th.
Some of you may have noticed this logo on my sidebar, or on other sites around the internet. I hope you see it much more often. The [tag]Share A Square[/tag] project is an attempt to unite people all over the continent and the world to help make afghans (blankets) for children with [tag]cancer[/tag] at [tag]Camp Sanguinity[/tag]. Click on the logo to visit the original post about it.
I’m adding links to that site to people who have mentioned the project. Some folks who don’t crochet are helping spread the word, too. If you aren’t on the list, make a comment and tell me. I’m happy to share some link love with you.
In fact, Janet at Life in Westcliffe, has added a Share A Square blogroll to her sidebar! I’ll be doing that, as soon as I can figure out how to add another blogroll box to my sidebar (I am technologically challenged! Suggestions are welcome.). If you are participating, you might want to do that, too. It’s an added dimension to our altruism. The more people we tell, the more opportunities we give for people to share their hearts and their talents.
Many people from all over the world have been offering to help. Teamouse (Saskatchewan, Canada), Jennymcb (New England), Jenny-up-the-hill (I don’t know her location), Marcia (Washington)and Comedy Plus (California) all tell me they have been hard at work crocheting squares over the weekend. Stacy (Taiwan) says she will make this a summer project. Imaginif (Australia) tells me she will send some squares! People say that they are working on big boxes of squares (tell me before you send, because I’ll privately give you my home address!!). But, I need 39 squares from different parts of the world sent to me this week! If you do send one immediately (remember our slow postal service) you can have one of your squares on THE FIRST Share a Square Afghan!
THE FIRST SHARE A SQUARE DAY
Last week when I performed at The Colony Public Library, I mentioned the project to my librarian friend Jean Snyder. I’ve worked for Jean for more years than I want to mention, and knew her to have a big heart, so I proposed making the 1st Share a Square Afghan at her library. Jean got a big grin on her face and called in Joan Sveinsson, the library director.
That woman is a powerhouse! Joan got on the phone, and before my forty-five minute performance was over had arranged for a meeting with her staff ( Jean, Cary Herzig and Megan Charters) and a local community leader. We sat down at the conference table, and before we were done had a Share A Square Day planned!
On July 19th, the community will be invited to The Colony Public Library to Share A Square! The library will be asking for donations of yarn and crochet hooks for those folks who want to drop in and crochet a square for an afghan. The library will create cards with the city logo for people to sign and attach to the square they make. There will be local publicity, arranged by the library, and perhaps even food donated by local restaurants!
The best part, is that THE FIRST afghan will be pieced together by a local crochet club: THE HAPPY HOOKERS! Don’t you just love it?
Now, I want that afghan to have squares from all over the place. So, I need you to drop one square in the mail, with a card attached to it that states your name (web address?) and your location. One square from each of the first 39 people who send me a package will be included on this. And, I will link to everyone’s website.
Is that cool, or what?
[If you want to organize a Share A Square Day in your community, let me know. I will either ask folks to send a square directly to you, or mail you a selection that have been sent to me.]
My Blogging Buddies are probably thinking I’m a snob right now, because I haven’t been visiting around much lately. I miss visiting, but I hope they will forgive me. I’m up to my eyeballs right now. Yesterday, I wouldn’t even let myself get on the computer :shock: until I had totally finished 10 crocheted squares. I had already crocheted four of them, but had neglected to tuck in the ends. Finishing touches are always the boring part of a project for me. But, I made myself do it.
My Spousal Unit even took the logo from my site and designed cards to put in the center of each square, with my name, web address, and “Denton, TX USA” typed on them. If you are participating, consider making your own logo into a card for your good wishes.
Don’t y’all love to get things in the mail? I do. But, most often it’s nothing exciting, just bills. Last week, I got a package from my friend Mrs. Teamouse at TeaTime Ramblings. She had held a drawing at her site for knitted tea towels made by her own hands, and for once I got lucky. The mail from Saskatchewan, Canada to Texas is darn slow, so it took many days for it to arrive, but what a delightful treat it was. You can see the lovely knitted squares towels she made, but Sweet Tea (my name for her) tucked in three bars of Bernard Callebaut chocolate and some jelly that is out of this world. I think she intended for me to share that candy, however, I am evil. I confess that I hid in the closet and ate it all myself! It was a wonderful, and thank you Sweet Tea.
Because Teamouse is experienced with knitting and crochet (and has taught people to crochet before), I’ve asked her to be the “Official Crochet Coach” for the Share A Square project. If you have any questions about how to make the squares, I’m betting she can give you an answer, so hop on over to pay her a visit.
[EDITOR'S NOTE: The Share A Square project has ended, and the afghans were delivered on July 7th, 2008. Although we will not continue that project, an exciting NEW endeavor, called the Good Medicine Project is in progress for summer camp 2009. We hope you will join us.]
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I think it’s wonderful how fast your Share a Square Day came about!! Neat! I need to make a tag today and then I’ll send a square tomorrow…btw, I’m in Upper East TN!
I’ll go add that! You are my Tennessee connection, Jenny. I’ll be watching the mailbox. Yes, it came about quickly because it’s an idea that people can get behind. I think that the opportunity to give something tangible (a little piece of yourself) motivates people much more quickly than asking for money
~skt
if only i could hug you shelly, you’re always up to something. and it’s always good! God bless
~skt
Well, I’d hug you right back, Sophiagurl
Well I’ve been busy trying to make my first square. Not very good at crocheting. I just can’t seem to get it to look right. My mother has made these and maybe I can get a little help from her while in Denver this coming week.
Had a busy day in the mountains yesterday and my muscles are screaming at me today.
Jen shared a great site to help those of us that know not what we are doing and I’ll be spending the better part of the day trying to get it right.
Glad this is going so well for you kiddo. Not many of my readers have jumped in to Share a Square. Sorry!
See if I can find some knitters here when I return from Denver later this week.
They will come aboard, Janet. Give ‘em time, and let this gain some momentum. I think there will be so many people who want to help that it will extend far beyond Camp Sanguinity. Figure out those crochet stitches. Once you get the first couple of squares done, it’s easy. I appreciate your support, Girlfriend!~skt
Hi Shelly
You definitely didn’t need to share that chocolate! I’m so glad you enjoyed that and your jelly!
I’ve been working away too on my squares – I have done six and by the time I put them in the mail this afternoon(I pwomise)! I hope to have another 4 made. I even went out and got some new yarn – hehehehe!
I’ll be posting a pic of my squares with my card on them later on!!! I am having so much fun!
Yes, get those in the mail! Maybe a small package will get here more quickly than a box does. You are a delight, my friend.~skt
It IS fun, isn’t it! I’m having a blast trying to keep five cats from turning my house into a spider web of yarn! Three of them are hog-tied in the living room right now
PS, too late on the chocolate
~skt
Oh my, I’m not sure I will ever be able to do this after looking at your squares. Oh my…I am not crafty here. I still plan on going to the fabric shop today, but I don’t think I will be able to make the squares exactly 6″ by 6″, and how did you do the trim around each square? I think I am in over my head here. Yikes!
You can do it, don’t get panicky!~skt
I’m not sure if my entries got to you, since I am new to all of this “linking” and url and html stuff.
Thanks so much for all you do!
Thanks for stopping by KristiK. Sorry about all the mixup with e-mail. It’s great until it doesn’t work!~skt
This project is really making me wish I knew how to crochet… I did send the link to a crocheting friend of mine though. I’m so pleased it’s all coming together so magnificently.
Thanks for your help, Robin! And it is going to come together. Too many people want it to do so!~skt
I’ve posted a plea on my blog for Share a Square!! I have a ton of yarn here, pretty yarn too! I crocheted scarves all winter! Now I’ll learn that granny square if it kills me!!
Thank you Rose, but don’t let it kill you!!!~skt
Once my life returns to normal after Monday, I’ll get something up about the squares. It is a wonderful project. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
Thank you, Jamie. I have you on the blogroll. Send an image if you’d like and I”ll add it.~skt
Found my bag of yarn, was looking on the floor of the closet and thought that maybe I had donated it to a school…then when I woke up this morning, realized that I need to look up in the shelves….woo hoo, found it! Now I am off to crochet and if this left handed blonde can learn from a website to crochet right handed, anyone can do it!
A leftie…A blonde! Oh, my. What are we going to do with you
~skt
Shelly, this is melting my heart. It’s really beautiful.
Thanks, SusieJ. ~skt