It’s [tag]Manic Monday[/tag], in more ways than one around here. Mo at It’s A Blog Eat Blog World gives us a word prompt each week, and those of us who participate use that to inspire a post. The word for today is “kit.” This weekend, I’ve been working on some afghan “kits” for [tag]Share A Square[/tag], but you’ll have to scroll down for that (I hope you will, because I need help now!). My first thought when I read the word, was the site that dominates the [tag]Denton, TX [/tag]skyline.
My little town is the home of the [tag]Morrison Milling Company[/tag] (now owned by C.H. Guenther & Son) which brings you Corn Kits and frozen Jimmy Dean Sausages. Exciting, isn’t it? Well, ok, maybe it’s not. But, if you need cornbread in a hurry, [tag]Corn Kits[/tag] will do (although it doesn’t taste as good as the cornbread Mamaw made). As for the frozen sausages? You can skip them, they aren’t a thrill. Eat the cardboard box around them; that’s almost as tasty.
The building itself isn’t all that lovely, but years ago the neon signs worked, and at night it was fun to see them blinking red letters. The letters kept “dying,” so sometimes the sign read with strange words. I guess the company that now owns them decided that the expense of repairing the sign wasn’t worth the effort.
The kits that are obsessing me right now are for afghans for Share A Square. I’m tearing my hair out. If you are unfamiliar with the project, I’m working with folks all over the country and the world to put together 140 [tag]afghans[/tag] for children with [tag]cancer [/tag]at [tag]Camp Sanguinity[/tag]. Each afghan has 48 crocheted or knitted squares sent by different volunteers.
Folks send me a 6 inch afghan square with a name tag in the center.
Volunteers put a rim of black Red Heart yarn around the edge.
I put them in stacks according to who made them, so that when it’s time to put together an afghan I pull a square from 48 different stacks.
Then we work to stitch those into afghans to give the children next summer.
Here’s the snag I have hit:
I have several people who want to put together afghans, but
Although we have received more than half of the squares we need to make 140 afghans, many people have sent large batches. Other folks were only able to send a few squares. I appreciate ALL of the squares, even if you can only send one! Right now, I desperately need squares from about 30 different people, so I can put together more afghan kits (if you have already sent more than 70 squares, don’t panic!).
My goal is to have 70 afghans made (or in the process of being made) by the end of November. No one wants to spend December crocheting afghans. I want us all to enjoy the holiday season.
That means, that I’ve got to get this done ASAP. I need your help!
Right now, 33 afghans are either finished or in the works. That means that I need to package up 37 more kits. I only have enough squares to finish 5 kits (with 5 more kits that have 30 squares or so).
- Tell people about the program and ask them to crochet a few squares. Some of you have already mentioned it in a post, but reminders never hurt. I’d appreciate it.
- If you can crochet or knit, please send me four or five squares as soon as you can.
- If you have been crocheting for the program, please, DON’T hoard the squares. I’d much rather you send me squares in a small steady stream (like Rick does) than have you send me 140 squares two months from now. Only one of your squares goes on each afghan.
If you can help in any way, please do. Next summer, there are going to be some smiling faces at Camp Sanguinity Cancer Camp. I know you want to be a part of it.
Y’all have a Happy Monday!
[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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I LOVE cornbread except for one thing: The memory of my mother and her sisters would crumble it into big glasses of buttermilk. Let’s face it, you either LOVE buttermilk or you think it is the slimiest most disgusting thing crawling up the side of a glass. Guess where I stood on the argument.
We just crumbled into regular milk. I can drink buttermilk, but it’s not my favorite thang in the whole world. I love your description
~skt
Mmmmm. Cornbread.
Cornbread cook in a cast iron skillet until it’s golden brown and served slathered with butter or as a side for chili. Sweet corn muffins with butter and grape jelly. My mother used to make cracklin bread – cornbread with the parts that wouldn’t dissolve when lard is rendered down (she was from Alabama). And, as Jamie said, cornbread in milk.
The only cornbread kit I like is the sweet mix that comes in a blue and white box. I can’t remember the brand name, but it tastes good.
I sent another batch of squares off today. I work in senior citizen apartment buildings. I’ll talk to some of my tenants about crotcheting some squares.
I don’t really like any cornbread from a kit, but it will do in a pinch. You are so right that a cast iron skillet is the only way to cook cornbread (it even helps the taste of “kit cornbread”). I haven’t had cracklin’ bread in forever!
I so appreciate the squares you send! I hope some of the tenants will want to crochet. If I could get tons of people to just send one square it would make a difference. That variety is what I need!~skt
I’ve heard of Jimmy Dean sausage, but not the corn bread mix. I just don’t do corn bread. If it’s good okay, but out here in California you don’t find good very often. Have a great MM.
California cuisine is much different than Southern style cooking. DON’T go looking for Jimmy Dean sausage. It’s just not worth the bother! You take care:wink:~skt
I put up a reminder at my place for you!
http://vixensden.wordpress.com/2007/09/24/sas-sos/
I saw that, and I appreciate you more than you know! You are one of my best advertisers!
You ought to be in marketing~skt
My family loves Jimmy Dean sausage. We don’t have the corn kits though. we have jiffy corn muffin mix.
I would love to do those squares. I haven’t crocheted anything in a couple of years.
Hey, Lisa. Jiffy mix has a little more widespread marketing than Corn-Kits, so I’m not surprised that you know it instead. You need to get you some “real” sausage! You won’t ever eat Jimmy Dean’s brand again. As for crocheting…this is a good cause, and if you have the hankering to “hook” we could sure use your help! Even a square or two would help us get some variety. We need 48 different contributors for each afghan!~skt
I, too, have heard of Jimmy Dean sausage (and eat a lot of it!)
but never heard of Corn Kits! We have Jiffy Mix here in Michigan – because Jiffy is headquartered here.
I love cornbread! But I think the cornbread in the milk (yes, my great-grandmother did it in buttermilk) is not the way I prefer it!
Wish I could help with the squares – I think your project is amazing – I am just yarn craft challenged. Best of luck to you with your project!
I’m with you on cornbread preference! My Papaw always put it on the plate and loaded it down with butter and sorghum. Sorghum is a little strong for me, but syrup is good! I wish you weren’t yarn craft challenged! But, I appreciate that you have helped spread the word about it. We ARE going to get it done…but I’m a Nervous Nellie about it right now!
~skt
Ok, if not other reason than fear of an empty frying pan over the head (held by a frustrated SAS organizer), I put an email out to Donna for more squares, and now that my house is almost completely empty of all furniture and many belongings… I will take time from painting the kitchen cabinets to get them mailed to you with my few…. and that yarn I just tripped over in the otherwise empty rooms. And on our trip South, I will leave fliers at craft stores, and senior centers I locate … all the way you know where… IF you remind me in two weeks to make them… OK, I just made myself put it in my calendar. If I make them now they will get lost in the sea of papers I am shredding or packing….
Sweet Friend, you have been more than good to the SAS program! I would never hit you over the head with a frying pan
You have more on your plate than you can finish right now. I know you must be so excited. I’m sending all good thoughts and wishes you way~skt
Wow! You’ve done a great job with the afgans! Wonderful…
I’ve never heard of Corn Kits before-maybe I’m lucky?
Happy MM…
Hey girl! I’m finally getting back to the semi normal life here, so I will try and send you some squares soon…I can put the black rim on them also, is it just a single or double crochet around? I will be able to crochet in November and December, so no worries!
We will have to meet up soon….I am looking forward to it!
I’m looking forward to getting to meet YOU, too! I hope your life IS getting back to normal. A move can be so disruptive! Once you get all settled in, I may ask you if you would consider putting a whole afghan together! I can show you how. Do you think it’s a possibility??~skt
Wow, I wish I could remember how to crochet! I really admire what you are doing.
Happy MM!
Thank you, Mary. I wish you could remember how to crochet, too!
~skt
Sausage IS exciting to this Louisiana born boy. Second only to bacon (smoked) on the meat flavor scale in my book.
My blood may be as thick as Karo syrup but my meals have FLAVOR!
I love me some good cornbread. I love cornbread with my chili, and also my chicken and dumplin’s.
JAM, sausage is exciting, but not Jimmy Dean’s! Some Boudin sausage sure sounds good! Mamaw’s cornbread is good stuff, but unfortunately nothing from a kit measure up.:wink:~skt
how wonderful! I love the nostalgia of the Corn-Kits, and the afghan squares are beautiful and inspirational. I look forward to hearing more about both
Well, Marci, you will definitely hear more about the afghans over the next year
We have some hard work ahead of us.~skt
I love cornbread, slathered in butter, with a big pile of pinto beans on top. Mmm, and I gotta have the pepper sauce too.
I’m sad to hear the Morrison’s sign doesn’t work anymore. Every time I pass by, I remember “Corn-Kits…Pan-Kits…Bis-Kits”. I just loved that goofy sign.
My kinda meal! Add a baked sweet potato on the side, and I’ve died and gone to Heaven. Yeah, that poor Morrison’s sign is sad, but at least they haven’t taken it down.~skt
You’re half way there!
We are doing well, Rosemarie. But, unfortunately we are far from halfway there
Although we have half of the squares needed to make 140 afghans, we don’t have enough variety to make half that number.~skt
I am sooo excited to read this! I am very new to crochet~I am just on my second dishcloth. I would LOVE to do a square~does it hafta be a granny square? I know I’m lame with only ONE right now, but I’m so new that it takes me a while. Would you please e-mail me with exactly what you need? *THANK YOU!* sooo much! How NEAT! (((((HUGS))))) sandi
I am so excited about this that I have shared about it on my blog and also at my favorite crochet message board, Crochetville! (((((HUGS))))) sandi
I saw that you did, Sandi! Thank you so much, there are a lot of people coming to look at the post because of you. I look forward to your participation. You’ve got a big heart!~skt
I saw Sandi’s post on Crochetville. Let me know where to send squares, what size etc.
Sheryl
Hey, Sheryl. Thanks for your interest! The squares are 6 inches. I have all the info on the FAQ page. It’s not very easy to find…guess I should do something about that. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated! ~skt