Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Crocheting for a cause

In our latest issue of Newnan-Coweta Magazine, I write about how I as a crocheter hooked up, pun intended, with Project Linus, which provides handmade blankets of all sorts to needy children in local hospitals, the women and children's shelter, etc. Go here if you want to read that story and see my inspiration.

Last night around midnight, I finished my second blanket for Project Linus, a design I found in the May 2008 issue of Crochet! Magazine. A few comments: Yes, it's cute, but Noah's Ark makes for a bulky baby blanket, so I'm not sure I'll be making this particular design again. Also, I could have made five other blankets in the time it took to make all the pieces on this one. At one point last night I thought, "What's a nice girl like me doing sitting here crocheting all these turtle feet?" Still, it's a blanket, it counts, and the head of our Project Linus chapter says I get a badge after I make my fourth blanket. I have a number of simpler patterns ready to go.

But in the midst of my crocheting marathon over the weekend, I took a few minutes to try making a crochet pattern of my own. I had made so many different shapes and sizes of things for all of Noah's animals that suddenly, I realized it's not rocket science to make something in the shape of a giraffe's horn or a bird's wing. And so I crocheted ... a teapot! (I didn't stitch it to the blanket, by the way. This is just to make the color show up better.) This hot pink teapot is what I came up with, although I haven't quite perfected it yet. The spout is too high up on the pot, and about a stitch or two too long, I think, so a re-do is in order now that the ark has landed safely. I'm told that Project Linus actually needs more blankets for older children, and I think an afghan consisting of some simple teapots on solid color background squares might be nice for a young girl. And maybe I'll add a simple rose or other flower. Any crocheters or needleworkers reading today? I would really appreciate your constructive criticism about what I can do to make this teapot better. And hopefully, my next blanket won't take me so long to make!

6 comments:

  1. You're generosity & creativity are inspiring.

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  2. Wow! what a work of hands and heart! It might make a fabulous wall handing.

    The teapot is cute!

    Hugs,
    Denise

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  3. Hello Angela. Your blanket is lovely, as is your teapot! I enjoyed hearing about your crafting for a cause.

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  4. What a wonderful cause, Angela and your handiwork is beautiful. Not crocheting, but a tea friend up in Kennesaw sent me some information on her latest tea and knitting "cause" - it's called Knitting for Knockers and benefits breast cancer research/education! Is that a hoot or WHAT!

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  5. That is a wonderful blanket for a child and you did a great job on it. I was a member of the quilt guild "Jug Tavern Quilters" when I lived in Winder. Several members made baby quilts for this cause. About the name - we ladies weren't big drinkers; the town of Winder was originally called Jug Tavern.

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