Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Project Linus

As anyone who has read my blog knows, Penny and I have been very active with the local chapter of Project Linus.  Alice, the coordinator for SF/East Bay, is a wonderful lady.  She is always so calm and together.  Guess that comes from many years of being a nurse.
We went to our monthly meeting yesterday evening, with our large bag of goodies. Penny had four ghans made from squares and I had 5 fleece blankies with crocheted borders.  We also had 2 large granny squares from Mattie and a large ghan done by Anita.
Imagine our surprise when Alice told us that she and her husband are selling their house and moving down to San Jose to a retirement community.  They want to live closer to their kids and grand babies and are ready to give up the house they have lived in for 40 years!  Too big!  Too many stairs! 
The biggest shock was still to come!  She is giving up the Project Linus chapter.  This is a group of about a dozen ladies who show up every month with their quilts and afghans. There are several others who come from time to time when schedules permit.  Always willing to share what they know. And very proud that they have donated over 2700 quilts/ghans to children in our area in 3 or 4 years.  What in the world will happen to the group without Alice?
Well, we can't let the group die!  That would be just sinful!  Everyone is just sitting there stunned. No one knows what to do.  We don't want to lose the group or Project Linus.
Well, maybe you have guessed by now that Penny and I volunteered to take over the chapter.  Hope we have not bitten off more than we can chew.  We came home last nite with all the quilts and ghans in the back of my poor, dirty Volvo.  We are meeting with Alice next week to learn the ropes of where to go, what to take, and how to report what we are doing to headquarters.  Denise of Sisters and Stitches, the quilt shop where we have been meeting, says we can continue on there with same schedule we have been using.  Thank you, Denise.  All the ladies have said they will help in any way they can.
Kris, who lives in Oakland, says she can deliver to Children's Hospital.  My friend, Laurie, said, not to worry, she's here to help.  Thank you all! 
I know the next couple of months will be a little confused until we work out the kinks, but we can do this!

Monday, August 02, 2010

What I did on my Summer Vacation

July has not been quite as hectic as June, but I have still been pretty busy.
I started the Swellegant Elegance sweater designed by Peter Franzi.  Peter gifted me the yarn for my birthday in April and it finally came in.  Saucon Sock yarn by Kraemer Yarns.  It is fingering wt, 44% cotton, 43% acrylic, and 13% nylon.  The color is Loganberry, so kinda a purple color.  I know, not my usual earth tones, but I decided to try something a little different.  As of right now, the sweater only has 1/2 sleeve, assembly and ribbing left to do.  I plan to wear it to the next guild meeting on 8/21.
I have taken a couple of breaks from the sweater.  I learned 2 new dc stitches this month, so had to make a scarf in each stitch.  The first is the linked dc and the other was the herringbone dc.  I learned the linked while I was reviewing my first portfolio for the Masters Program and the herringbone dc was used in a border from Edie Eckman's book Around the Corner Crocheted Borders.  I will be teaching both of these stitches at the next guild meeting.  Come join us.
The scarves will be going to Dawn for her annual holiday packages for the troops.
I crocheted borders on 5 small fleece blankies for Project Linus, using Edie's book.  Some beautiful borders in there!
Our friend, Anne, brought a bag of crocheted flower motifs to Penny last week.  So I sat down and worked out how to turn them into squares.  Penny loves squares and makes several ghans a month for Project Linus.
And, speaking of Project Linus, Laurie and I went with Alice to San Francisco this month. KPMG was having their semi-annual meeting at the Palace Hotel (wow! is the only word that applies here).  Part of their meeting is a charity or community project in the city where they are meeting.  Vicky, from New York, is part of Project Linus in her area.  She and Debbie, from Dallas contacted Alice.  We went to help them put together tied fleece blankets.  They ordered the fabric, a nice weight and some really cool designs, to be paired with some bright colored solids.  Before we even got there, they had done all the cutting and had them ready to cut the strips on the sides and tie.  There were about 30 people cutting and tying for an hour and a half.
They completed 21 out of 35.  We brought 14 with us to be tied at the next PL meeting. Or maybe we will crochet borders on them.  When the meeting was over, we checked our push-pushes at the hotel and went to dinner.  We sure looked like a trio of bag ladies trying to get back to the BART station!  But I was surprised at how many people offered to help us carry the rolling carts down the stairs.  It was great fun, and I would be honored if Alice requested my help again.