Blessed

"You have been much blessed. You are being much blessed. Such stores of blessing are awaiting you in the months and years that lie ahead. Pass every blessing on." -- The Two Listeners in God Calling

So much yarny goodness arrived at my house last week that our dining room fairly GLOWED with all the love and blessings packed in those boxes and we did not need any fireworks on July 4th! I spent the July 4th holiday taking pictures of all of it so that you all could be inspired by what came in those boxes packed with love - and I'm going to have to do TWO posts to cover it all! So let's get started with post #1:

Up top you see Alex, grandnephew of Angel Michelle Males. Michelle and Alex came to visit us and hand-deliver yarny goodness. Alex is showing you his very best superhero/monster face -- very fierce! But he has a soft spot for yarn, I discovered, and he thinks all of you are totally awesome!

Michelle brought some totally awesome yarny goodness along - take a look:

Spa cloths for the challenge! And they are all different - each homeless woman we serve will have something unique. But there's one I particularly want you to see:

It's kind of hard to tell from my lousy photography, but there are small hearts knitted into this spa cloth. Michelle told me that the woman who created the pattern wanted to give her kids something to show that she would love them always when they went away to college. So she came up with this pattern of hearts - which Michelle made into a spa cloth. Isn't this lovely? I pray that the homeless woman who receives this feels all the love Michelle knitted into this cloth. Michelle -- thank you for caring so much for people you don't even know!

Next up is yarny goodness from Debbie Koubas -- Michelle's co-worker:

Debbie -- keep track of all the spa cloths you are making for the challenge! You are well on your way. Thank you so much!

I got a box of yarny goodness from Lisa and Shelly Heyden - new Angels who go to my church. More love was inside:

Hats for people of all ages! Lisa and Shelly, keep track of those baby hats for Angel Birgit Yacoub's challenge -- with your help, we can fill up a bathtub with baby hats for the newborns at Swedish Covenant Hospital!

Lisa and Shelly also made these great scarves - which will be great for the children served by Cornerstone Community Outreach. And they went powershopping -- just look at this:

Lots and lots and lots of pairs of "Magic Gloves" that will fit kids through adults! This are absolutely great for those we serve at the Good News Community Kitchen and Cornerstone Community Outreach. Thank you, Lisa and Shelly -- your generosity knows no bounds!

Chicago Angel Margie Chan also sent a box of love:

More baby hats for Birgit's challenge! In her note, Margie wrote: "Here are The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins (well, more like 2% of the hats....). Hats and spa cloths are great to do during my daily commute. If the CTA is running slow, I can finish a hat or cloth in a day!" Now THAT'S a positive attitude -- LOOK FORWARD to a delay on your commute so you can have more time to knit! Margie's reference to Bartholomew Cubbins cracked me up - as a kid, it was one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books! And I just love the baby hats with the little eyelet stitches knitted in -- thank you, Margie, for so faithfully making use of snatches of time to make things for all the people we serve. The newborns at Swedish Covenant Hospital will look so cute in these hats!

Angel Hazel Lindsay from Armitage's Army has been talking up the Crafty Angels on the Army's bulletin board, and the Army has been trying to think of things they could do for the people we serve for people who aren't "crafty." Well, look what Angel Carol Cranmer, fellow member of the Army, sent us from England --toys for the children served by Cornerstone:

A set of pins and balls for the famous English game of skittles!

Coloring books and brush pens in all colors of the rainbow.

Sweet little onsies for the babies of the teen moms served by Parenting ProGRESS.

And adorable soft stuffed animals for those teen moms' toddlers! Frank made me promise that I would give them away and not keep them for myself (I have a small collection of stuffed bears, and I fell in love with this one). The elephant's belly button just cracked me up for some reason, and Frank liked the leopard the best. I think he has a whimsical face.

In her note, Carol said: "I've sent this small offering in the hope that it may help out. I'm terrible at knitting (unless you wanted long scarves that began with 50 stitches and ended with 37!) so I've cheated and bought ready made clothing." She closed with: "Lots of love from this side of the pond." Lots of love, indeed -- for people she'll never even meet. Thank you, Angel Carol, for having a heart so big that it can reach clear across the Atlantic Ocean!!

Wouldn't you agree that all this yarny goodness made for a wonderful Independence Day? I agree with Alex, the Crafty Angels ARE totally awesome -- you are so generously sharing your blessings and passing them on to those who really need them!

Summer of Service

"Find out where you can render a service, then render it. The rest is up to the Lord." -- S.S. Kresge

Have you heard about President Obama's call to a "Summer of Service?" It hasn't been covered much in the media -- I guess because it is "good news" instead of "bad news!" President Obama's goal is to get all of us to become actively involved in service projects that help our community -- check out the video in which First Lady Michelle Obama tells us all about it here on the homepage of a new website, SERVE.GOV.

This website will let you type in your zip code or state, and find a listing of service opportunities in your area, along with detailed descriptions of them. How cool is that?!?!? I was so excited by the prospect that I set up a project listing for the Crafty Angels. You can check out it out here.

All of you Angels are well versed in service -- you do it every time you pick up your needles and hooks. Got any spare time when you aren't creating yarny goodness? I encourage to explore the service opportunities available to you in your community -- hey, you might be able to find people interested in becoming Crafty Angels!!!!

Angel Birgit Yacoub introduced me to a group of over 237 people who are interested in service -- the folks who are members of Crochet Corner, a Yahoo Group of people from all over the world who love to crochet. Founded in 2005 by Melissa, this group is for people who enjoy crocheting. As she says in her Yahoo Group homepage, "We are a friendly group who like to chat, share ideas, and help each other. Whether you crochet for profit, for charity, for gifts, or for pleasure; join and share your talent. We have crochet SWAPS/ Exchanges, Crochet-A-Longs (CAL), and free contests. "

Melissa also strongly encourages members to crochet for charity through her Group, and guess what!!!!! She has made the Crafty Angels a permanent charity for Crochet Corner! WHOO HOO!!! The Crafty Angels just grew by 237!!!! Welcome, members of Crochet Corner! We are so happy to have you helping us make yarny goodness for the families we serve all over the world!

Melissa and I have worked out that she will collect items Crochet Corner members make and then send them to us, so that we can distribute them to the families we serve. Thank you, Melissa and Crochet Corner members, for choosing us as a permanent charity. And thank YOU, Angel Birgit, for introducing me to Crochet Corner!

Are you a Crafty Angel crocheter who would like to join Crochet Corner? Check them out here, and join the fun! I did -- and it has been a blast getting to know everyone!

So are you up for a "Summer of Service" in addition to the "Year of Service" for the Angels that your normally do? I hope so -- what an impact you can make!

No Fools

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose." -- Jim Elliot

I've probably told you all before that my confirmation verse was James 2:14-18, so the quote up top really resonated with me. See, the theory is that you invest your time, talents, and treasure in things that have value for eternity, not just the here and now, because you cannot lose that investment -- you CAN take it with you! And with the economy the way it is right now, that's more true than ever before. Your 401k may tank, but you never lose the investment you make in good deeds and helping others.

The Crafty Angels are really good at that -- and those investments keep growing! Remember in the last post I talked about the ripple effects of your yarny goodness? Take a look at a bigger version of the photo up top:See that lovely little bit of yarny goodness on the head of tiny premie Mia Camila Veliz? The Crafty Angels made that! And if I'm not mistaken, it was made by one of the Happy Charity Klickers in Loogootee, IN. Let's analyze ripples here:

• tiny Mia wears a Crafty Angel cap and gets photographed being held by Swedish Covenant Hospital neonatal nurse Michelle Dusenbery, RN-BC, for an article in Advance for Nurses, a magazine serving RNs in greater Chicago and the metro areas of Wisconsin and Indiana.
• I get a phone call from Jonathan Lind, one of my friends from church who works at Swedish Covenant Hospital, wondering if the cap might be one made by the Crafty Angels.
• His wife, Jill, sends me an email with a little picture of the photo and I verify that yep, it's ours.
• Word spreads at Swedish Covenant Hospital.
• Jonathan brings over a copy of the magazine for me to see while I'm leading a Bible study at my house Monday evening, and everyone there oohhs and aaahhs over it.
• They tell their friends, who tell their friends.
• I bring the magazine to work and show everyone the photo -- the folks here ooohhh and aaahhh, and tell their friends and family.
• My husband tells all his friends and relatives, who spread the word.
• My husband starts telling his business colleagues - who then start asking about the Crafty Angels. They tell their wives.
• Word gets out at my church, and the story spreads.
• Word starts spreading at our denomination headquarters.
• I start getting calls.

See what I mean? That precious bit of yarny goodness triggers HUNDREDS of people talking about the Angels, what you are doing, and the importance of investing your time, talents, and treasure for eternity. The Angels are no fools, indeed!!!

And Armitage's Army members are no fools, either! Hazel Lindsay has sent two more boxes from Australia in response to an earlier post when an Angel sent in some children's books for me to give to the shelters at Christmas. The Army thought that was very cool, so look what they sent:

Toys for the children! My personal favorites were the Dora the Explorer soft dolls (I love Dora - and so did my nieces when they were little), and Frank's favorites are the Battleship games. In fact, I've had to hide them so Frank doesn't sneak one of them out of the box! Won't these look just great under a Christmas tree? Thank you, members of Armitage's Army, and especially Angel Hazel, for caring so much for children half a world away. I get goose bumps picturing the children squealing in delight when they open their gifts! You are all so generous!

So, the lesson for our post today (can you tell both of my parents were teachers?!?!): invest in eternity by sharing your time, talents, and treasures with those in need -- and the ripple effects of your investment will not only change your life, but the lives of many, many others. Angels, you truly are changing your community, country, and the world one stitch (and one love gift) at a time!

Seeds

"Anyone can count the seeds in an apple...but only God can count the apples in a seed." -- Author unknown

I came across the quote up top this week, and it caught my eye because I usually eat an apple with my sack lunch at work every day. While the quote is deceptively simple, there is quite a lot of meaning in it -- especially when you switch "Crafty Angels yarny goodness" for seeds. I can count the number of yarny goodness "seeds" that arrive in a box at church, on my doorstep - or at one of our get-togethers -- but only God knows how many lives he's going to change through each one of those "seeds."

The ripple effect of your yarny goodness is quite significant: you know it will touch the life of the person who receives it, but what about other people in that person's immediate family who see it; shelter/hospital/or agency personnel who see it received; friends or acquaintances of the recipient who see it after it is received; people visiting the blog who get an idea from seeing a picture of something you made and decide to do it themselves; the people who recieve that inspired person's yarny goodness; and on into infinity? I often imagine that when Angels go to heaven, they will see masses and masses of people whose lives have been touched by their yarny goodness -- and the size of that crowd will leave your breathless! Yep, you Angels are indeed more awesome than you can ever fathom!

Speaking of awesome Angels, wait till you see what I've got for you today! First up is Angel Iliana Stark from Chicago. She took our spa cloth challenge for the women we serve in homeless and domestic abuse shelters seriously:

Gorgeous spa cloths in all different patterns and lovely little bottles of shower gel and body lotion to go with them! Wonderful! Iliana is on track to win the spa cloth challenge -- so keep track, Iliana. You could win the prize! Thank you for taking your time not only to make the lovely cloths, but to go out and track down the "tiny bottles" to go with them!

I also received a big box from Angel Dianna Overall, head of the Happy Charity Klickers in Loogootee, IN. Those Klickers have been VERY busy:

Dianna said she is bound and determined to win one of the prizes in the spa cloth challenge. I'd say she is well on her way!

Lovely hats, including some for Birgit Yacoub's baby cap challenge - perfect for our families at Cornerstone Community Outreach!

"Uh oh......I suddenly have this terrific sense of impending doom......"

And look at these lovely baby blankets and GIANT scarf! The baby blankets will be perfect for the newborns we serve at Swedish Covenant Hospital, and the scarf will be perfect for one of the men we serve at Good News Community Kitchen. And yes, indeed, our fearless Supervisor Cowboy knew what was coming! I just couldn't resist taking the photo up top!! Thank you Klickers, for working so hard for people you'll never even meet. You all are just the greatest!!

I also received a big box of yarny goodness from Angel Hazel Lindsay in Australia, representing Armitage's Army. Just look at these lovelies:






Hazel knitted all the baby sweaters, and said in her note that she was really pleased with the blue lacy baby jacket -- it was a pattern she hadn't tried before AND she worked out the mitten pattern herself. I think she did a BEAUTIFUL job. I think we might just save the blue, white, and lavendar baby sweater sets for Good News Community Kitchen's fundraiser in October -- I'm sure there will be very heavy bidding in the silent auction for these beauties!
More caps in all sizes for Birgit's baby cap challenge! We are well on our way to filling up that giant Rubbermaid bin!

Hazel also made some spa cloths - she said they were "boring" but she chose simple patterns because she was going to quantity here. I don't think they are boring at all. Don't you think she is giving Angel Dianna Overall a run for her money?!?!

And there was more! Two scarves for the men's scarf challenge! Whoo hoo!! Thank you, Hazel for sending us so many lovely "seeds" from so far away. You have no idea how excited everyone gets in the church office when boxes arrive from Australia -- you cause quite a stir!

So many of you emailed in asking where they could find the pattern for Angel Julie Scigalski's crocheted shawl (photo in the post dated June 16, 2009) that I emailed her to find out where you could get it. Julie said she got the pattern from The Prayer Shawl Ministry book:

Julie said the pattern is on page 24, and is so simple that she memorized the whole pattern after making it only a couple of times. In the book, the shawl is shown in only one color, with a scalloped edge, and made in Homespun. But she said you can use any yarn, or combination of yarns, that would give you the same gauge as the pattern. In fact, the shawl she made is made of multiple strands of fine yarn held together.

So many "seeds" in this post -- and such a wide ripple they will have! Don't you just wonder how far and wide that ripple will go?!?!?

Artistry

"The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others." -- Vincent van Gogh

The Crafty Angels got together on Saturday, June 14, 2009 for an morning of "ooohhhing and aaahhhing," sharing skills, and talking about their crafts -- and while I listened to the conversations swirl around me, van Gogh's quote up top popped into my head. These Angels definitely love others -- and have combined their gifts and art to do that -- TRULY an artistic endeavor if there ever was one. Each of these women is a true artist, whether she thinks so or not, and a blessing from God. We had great fun, were truly inspired, and stimulated by the Fannie Mae chocolates that Debbie Kruesch brought!

Want to see who showed up? You know you do!

Angels Carol Flowers from Bollingbrook, IL and Angels Doris Ahlstedt and Cathy Jones, both from Chicago (left to right).

Angel Alma Wamsley from Chicago, Angel Lisa's mom Maria, Angel Lisa from Lake Forest, IL and Angels Sandy Rice and Peggy Kingsley, both from Chicago (left to right).

And last but certainly not least, Angel Debbie Kreusch from Chicago.

We also had received packages from Angels who couldn't attend, so we gladly openedthose bags and envelopes! Look what Angel Margie Chan from Chicago sent us:

A beautiful tam, perfect for the folks we serve at Cornerstone Coummunity Outreach's homeless shelters, and spa cloths for the spa cloth challenge (don't forget to keep track of how many you make for the contest!). I really liked this hat -- it was gorgeous. Thank you, Margie, for caring so much for the people we serve!

Late last week I had the opportunity to catch up with Angel Julie Scigalski and her lovely daughter Emma, when they stopped by the Central Conference office to drop off a BIG bag of yarny goodness for us. Just look at these lovelies:

Two truly beautiful prayer shawls - one knitted and one crocheted. These garnered many "oohhhs!" and "aaahhhs!" and will be perfect for those suffering a serious illness or loss.

Julie also made scarves for the scarf contest (prizes for the three people who make the most scarves for the men we serve at Cornerstone, the Good News Community Kitchen, the Red Scarf Project, and Afghans for Afghans) and spa cloths for that contest (prizes for the three people who make the most cloths for women we serve in Cornerstone's and WellSpring Center for Hope's shelters and the teen moms served by Parenting ProGRESS) . Julie is well on her way for a prize! Thank you, Julie, for caring about people you will never even meet -- and for sharing your beautiful handiwork with us! What a blessing you are!

Angel Carol Flowers was up next, and she has been busy!

LOTS of spa cloths and scarves for the challenges!

And one of her famous baby blankets - perfect for the newborns we serve at Swedish Covenant Hospital and Parenting ProGRESS. Thank you, Carol, for your willingness to help others in need - and so beautifully!

Angel Lisa has been busy, too:

Just look at all these gorgeous spa cloths -- 27 to be precise! Lisa has found making them to be a great stress reliever (and you've got to guess she's had a lot of stress!).
Lisa also made two lovely scarves, the one on the right was one she started for her Day of Service (remember that?).

Lisa also brought some more little bottles of bath gel and body lotions to get tucked inside the spa bags, very thoughtful! Thank you, Lisa, for always being willing to help out whenever you can, and for being one of the Crafty Angels' prayer warriors!

Angel Debbie Kreusch hadn't been able to be with us at our last get-together, so she had LOTS of things for us to see:

Debbie went on a shawl making frenzy! Just look at all these beauties! We all really liked the motif in the triangular shawl (shown first, and yes, my photography was bad so you can't really tell it was a triangle shawl). The gray and blue striped shawls were made with scrap yarn -- and they are breath-taking. But our MOST favorite was the one at the very last -- it's a circular shawl that Debbie crocheted. It is GORGEOUS! Had I made that, it would be very hard for me to give it up!

Debbie also likes to make blankets -- check out the first baby blanket -- which was made with scraps! The second baby blanket uses mitered squares -- very cool! Debbie did not like the yarn she used for this blanket -- "Baby Clouds." She found it hard to work with - as I did when I once made a baby blanket out of it. Isn't the third blanket great? It will make a wondeful comfort afghan for a man facing a loss or serious illness. And check out the last blanket -- it's made using a Q crochet hook with 3 strands of yarn held together. It is fantastically warm and thick (perfect for one of the seniors we serve at Cornerstone's Friendly Towers) -- and made completely out of single crochets done lengthwise.

Never one to throw something out, Debbie turned two leftover motifs from the blanket above into a scarf!

And now for what we all agreed were the highlights of our get-together:

Debbie's toys - which she so enjoys making! The first photo shows a group of 2 bunnies, a cat, and a bear made using a pattern from Knitpicks. However, Debbie adapted the pattern so she could knit them in the round -- so there would be fewer holes in them for tiny fingers to get into. These toys will be deeply loved by the kids in Cornerstone's Leland House or its shelters, and I can just imagine them getting dragged around for years. My personal favorites were the two sheep she made using a pattern by Alan Dart found in a back issue of Simply Knitting (there is a better photo of them up top). I LOVE their little cloven hooves! Dart always gives his toys such whimsical features, and these sheep are no exception. They are now our official mascots and are seated on the buffet in my dining room -- at least until they are given away or auctioned off at the fundraiser! I named the white one "Purl" and Peggy named the yellow one "Lovie!" Thank you, Debbie, for your creativity, dedication, and willingness to fearlessly try something new!

Angel Cathy Jones decided to start working on her contribution to the men's scarf challenge:

She used the crocheted scarf pattern from the Christmas at Sea Project - with wonderful results.

Cathy also wanted to make some comfort afghans for us, and adapted a granny square pattern to make the afghans you see here. She used yarn from our scrap bins (where I store partial skeins and leftover yarn Angels bring me after they complete a project) and created these beauties. I really like her eye for color - that is a gift I just do not have. Cathy, thank you for spending your precious free time making things for people in need. These scarves and blankets will be treasured - just like we treasure you!

Angel Doris Ahlstedt has been thinking about the babies we serve, and she was very busy as a result:

Four lovely baby blankets -- and lots of baby hats for Angel Birgit Yacoub's baby hat challenge -- she wants us to fill a 33 gallon tub with them this year! These put Doris into full competition for that challenge and its prizes! Thank you, Doris, for caring so much about the tiniest we serve -- what a blessing you are the them, and us!

Angel Sandy Rice has been working hard at perfecting her knitting skills, and now that tax season is over, she's had a bit more time to do just that:

Sandy also wanted to help out on the men's scarf challenge - and look at these two handsome scarves she made. The bottom scarf is the Seafarer's Scarf from the Christmas at Sea Project.

I've also been able to successfully get Sandy hooked on making spa cloths - look at the lovelies she brought! The lucky recipients will really treasure these! Sandy, thank you for taking up your needles even though your free time is rare -- and committing that precious time to making things for all the people in need that we serve. You are an Angel, indeed!

Angel Alma Wamsley has always made the best hats, and we were so happy to see that she is able to get back to her crochet hook:

Aren't these just great! They are really thick and warm, and will be greatly appreciated by the folks who receive them. Thank you, Alma, for continuing to be faithful in helping make things for the least of these. We are so glad that you are back!

After all this yarny magnificence, I'm almost embarassed to show you my spa cloths:

Here's a few from the batch -- and I will say that they are great stress reducers! I'd made over 20 -- it's been stressful around here!

WHEW!!!!! Can you believe all this amazing yarny goodness?!?!?! Aren't these Angels AWESOME?!?!?! We all felt so energized and inspired to see what everyone else had made -- so much so that we talked Carol Flowers into staying around after the get-together and giving several of us hands-on lessons so that we can improve our crocheting skills! Lisa, Sandy, and I were the beneficiaries of her tutelage -- and when we caught up with each other after church on Sunday in coffee hour, we found we ALL had devoted time on Saturday evening to making several spa cloths using the stitches she taught us!

Our next get-together will be on Saturday, August 15 -- so mark your calendars and come join us! I guarantee you will have an absolute blast!

The Happiness of Others

"An effort made for the happiness of others lifts us above ourselves." -- Lydia Maria Child

I've been worried about my Dad (he's going through another period of decline with Alzheimer's again) and found that the only thing that seems to help me deal with that, besides prayer, is knitting for the Crafty Angels. My stack of spa cloths is growing rapidly -- I can't seem to focus on anything more complicated than that right now. But at least I can focus on the Angels for a bit when I'm knitting. Then this quote showed up on my daily devotional calendar, and I thought that Lydia was exactly right! Doing something for someone else when we ourselves are worried, depressed, unhappy, or whatever brings us out of ourselves, restores our perspectives, helps us see the big picture, and gives us something pleasant to focus on!

And that quote came back to mind when I opened packages from three Angels late last week. They are going to make some people VERY happy! Want to see?

First up is new Angel Michelle Males, who works with my husband. She sent a second package of spa cloths for the women we serve in Cornerstone Community Outreach's homeless shelters home with Frank, and they are just gorgeous!

She has tried all different sorts of patterns, stitches, and needle sizes, and in her email she said she was loving trying different techniques and stitches. Michelle said she had knitted a while ago, and now is hooked again! Each of these spa clothes is different -- each is equally lovely! Thank you, Michelle -- you will be making many women very happy at a very difficult time in their lives!

Next up is Angel Cathy Falkenstein from Loomis, CA. She's been busy making people happy, too:

More gorgeous spa cloths for the women we serve -- and she said in her card that she has been getting Peaches and Creme yarn online directly from the company's website so that she can get the yarn in cones. She says: "The cones have lots of yardage" and when I checked the site, the cost per yard is less than if you buy the individual skeins. I really like this yarn myself, and I personally like it better than Sugar and Cream yarn. You can get the skeins of Peaches and Creme at Walmart, and sometimes (but not always) they have cones. The website has many more colors available than you'll find at Walmart, too.

Cathy also is contributing to Angel Birgit Yacoub's baby hat challenge:

These hats will be just perfect for the newborns at Swedish Covenant Hospital, don't you think? Our fearless Supervisor Cowboy liked them! Thank you, Cathy, for continuing to contribute to the happiness of others even during your very busy life! You are a blessing!

Angel Peggy Kingsley brought the third package to me at church on Sunday. A friend of hers, Maura Costa from here in Chicago, has encouraged HER friend from work to make things for us. Yunji Kim has just learned to knit - and is also learning to crochet. Look at what she made us:

"Uh, oh........BABY HATS! And Mom has that look in her eye........."

"I just KNEW she was going to do this.....it's like some obsession or something!!!"

But our fearless Supervisor Cowboy just looks so CUTE in the little hats! And Yunji's hats were so adorable that I couldn't help myself. Can't you just picture them on the newborns we serve? Yunji has done a wonderful job on them -- I can't believe these are among her first attempts at knitting -- I see a long future ahead of her for knitting for the Angels. Yunji, you are truly an angel to care so much for people you will never even meet. Please consider yourself officially a Crafty Angel!! Thank you so much!

Seeing the Angels' yarny goodness ALWAYS makes me feel better! And if it can make me feel better, just imagine how happy it can make all the people we serve. I call that a win-win situation! So, how many people are YOU making happy this week?

Even More

"My broken world needs you. Many a weary troubled heart needs you. Many a troubled heart will be gladdened by you, drawn near to Me by you." -- The Two Listeners, in "God Calling"

In my prayer time each day, I keep feeling that even more people than ever before need the yarny goodness that all of you create -- and the quote up top just clinched it for me the other day. The quote was in a daily devotional reading that Angel Lisa and I do together each day. I've been researching and talking with agencies and groups serving families in need, and today I have the great pleasure to announce that the Crafty Angels will begin serving two new groups of very special people!

Up first is WellSpring Center for Hope. WellSpring, started over 20 years ago, serves women who are victims of domestic violence and their children on the southeast side of Chicago -- providing shelter, help getting back on their feet, opportunities to learn new skills, and counseling for all. My denomination, the Evangelical Covenant Church, is actively involved in supporting this organization, as is my church. I know its director, Eloise Spencer, well through my work at the Central Conference. I have seen first-hand the effects of domestic violence on women and their children in my work as a social worker and know what a difficult time these families face. This is definitely a group worthy of our support!

Eloise shared a story with me this week: WellSpring used to have a woman who made baby blankets, hats, and scarves for the families WellSpring served -- but that stopped several years ago. In a staff meeting recently she shared that she really wished someone would want to provide that kind of yarny goodness again -- it made such an impact on the families who received those love gifts. But she had no idea how to find someone to do that. After the meeting, she went back to her desk and opened her email -- and there was MY email asking if the Crafty Angels could help!! So I think this union is definitely a God thing!

WellSpring needs baby blankets, baby hats, hats and scarves -- the same kind of lovely things you all are already making in washable yarns. And don't you think spa bags for the moms would be a good idea? We'll be distributing them to the families in November, so that they can become part of a Thanksgiving gift basket that WellSpring gives to each family they serve. How cool is that?!?!?

The SECOND new group we will be serving is Parenting ProGRESS. This group, started by one of our sister churches, Ravenswood Covenant Church, supports teen moms and their babies here on the north side of Chicago so that the moms can finish high school. The moms attend Amundsen or Lake View High School or are recent graduates. The children of the teen parents attend Ravenswood Community Child Care Center at a discounted rate. Ravenswood Community Child Care Center is a NAEYC accredited child care center located in the church building and serves children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. By providing child care for the children, the teen parents are able to focus on educational and vocational goals. Parenting Progress has a long history and a very high success rate.

The Parenting ProGRESS program provides weekly Life Skills classes for parents, and has partnered with MOPS International to provide quality curriculum-based support. Topics include but are not limited to: budgeting, resume writing, nutrition, basic cooking and reading to your children. Teen parents are always welcome to stop by after school to receive help with homework as well.

The Ravenswood Covenant volunteers who help run this program were absolutely thrilled when I contacted them to see if the Crafty Angels could help! They specifically need hats, scarves, and mittens to fit toddlers in sizes 2T to 4 T - and of course need baby blankets and baby hats. I'd also like us to provide warm hats and scarves for the teen moms -- so you can get as fun and creative as you want, as long as the yarn is easily washable! I can even see some spa bags heading out that way! I'll be delivering baby blankets and baby things to them throughout the year as needed, and the hats, scarves, and spa bags will be distributed in time for Christmas.

So are you up for the increased work load, Angels? I'm betting you all are, because you have hearts of gold that are big enough to care for even more people in need. And look what has come in to help that effort!

Angel Margie Chan from Chicago has made a commitment to send something each month to us, and look came this time -- a beautiful baby blanket that will be the first one in the stack for WellSpring!

I love the bright colors she chose, and I just know that the new mom will treasure it! Thank you, Margie, for making this commitment and following through on it - you are a blessing to us! Margie also wanted me to remind all of you that Worldwide Knit in Public Day will be 06/13 and 06/14 -- as well as 06/20 and 06/21. She plans to work on some Crafty Angel projects on those days, so that when she is asked what she is making, she can tell them about us! AWESOME!!! Thank you, Margie, for spreading the word!

Those additional spa bags I mentioned earlier got some help from Angel Alexis Leuth in Winter Springs, FL. Look what she picked up for us for a grand total of $25, which our fearless Supervisor Cowboy had to thoroughly check out:

"What do you mean you didn't hide any kitty treats in here?!??!?!?!?"

"These bath gels and lotions REALLY smell good, Mom!"

I can't believe that Alexis got all these wash cloths, and matching bath gels and body lotions, for only $25! Now that is POWERSHOPPING! Thank you, Alexis -- we can put these to use immediately!

And we have a new Angel! Amy Gawura from Chicago sent us some wonderful yarn, just perfect for those additional baby things we now need:

"Princess Cody, get ready! As soon as that little flash thingy goes off, these go on the floor! You get the one on the right and I'll get the one on the left while Mom freaks out. Then RUN!!!!"

And yes, our Supervisor Cowboy did exactly that as soon as the "little flash thingy" went off! I was able to safely retrieve the yarn before the two of them had it strung all over the living room, but Cowboy and Princess Cody were really moving fast!! Thank you, Amy, for helping keep our yarn bins full, and for caring for those in need -- your yarn will warm even more hearts this year!

If you are in the Chicago area and want to learn more about WellSpring and Parenting ProGRESS, join us at our next Crafty Angels get-together on Saturday, June 13 -- Knit in Public Day! We'll meet at 10:30 AM at my house at 6357 N. Leoti Ave. in Chicago -- and after we "oohhh! and aaahhh!" over all the yarny goodness you bring in, we'll dive into some special treats and troll the yarn bins for knitting and crocheting ideas. Everyone is welcome, so come on over!

Angels, you are all so completely awesome and special -- I think that even more every day when I pray for each one of you. As the quote up top says, many trouble hearts will be gladdened by you -- even more than ever before! What a blessing each of you are to our troubled world!

Moving Her Feet

"When you pray, move your feet." (or your hands!) -- African proverb

On Sunday after church, I had a chance to catch up with Angel Angie Lyke. Angie used to live here in Chicago, where she and her husband were attending North Park Theological Seminary. For the past nine months, they have been living in Sheboygan, WI, where Angie's husband Rob has been serving as a pastoral intern at Zion Covenant Church. While we were catching up, the African proverb up top came into my head because it so reminded me of Angie. The proverb really tells us that it's not enough many times to simply pray (although that is very important), you also need to DO. And Angie is a DO-er!

Angie has been crocheting since she was 8 years old, and I always so enjoy seeing the wonderful things she makes for the Crafty Angels. She kept that up while she has been in Sheboygan, and she has definitely been moving her feet -- and her hands! She brought along a GIANT box of yarny goodness for us, filled to the brim with creative surprises. Take a look:


Angel Angie wanted to use up scraps of yarn she had, and decided to try her first pieced afghan. She liked making the little squares - so much so that the afghan grew into a blanket that will cover a single bed! Just look at all those squares! I would NEVER have the patience to sew them all together, but Angie stuck with it and did a lovely job. One of our senior women at Cornerstone Community Outreach's Friendly Towers will just treasure this beautiful creation!

Angie wanted to try the popcorn stitch, and found this afghan pattern. You'd never know that it was her first attempt at making popcorn stitches, because every single one is even and perfect! One of our senior men at Friendly Towers will be VERY proud to put this on his bed!

After making those big blankets, she decided to work on some scarves for awhile -- and used that opportunity to try all sorts of different stitches and patterns. Each of these scarves is different -- and I just love some of the stitches she chose, especially the ones for the purple and blue varigated scarves in the upper right hand corner. My poor photography skills don't do these scarves justice. But Angie's work reminded me that scarves are a great way to try out new stitches and learn new techniques. They are small enough that you can easily rip something out if you need to do so, and if you decided mid-way through that you don't like a particular stitch, you still know that it won't take too long to finish the scarf. Spa cloths are great for learning new stitches for the same reasons. These scarves will be perfect for the women we serve at Cornerstone Community Outreach's homeless shelters.

Angie also likes to make baby blankets, and she tried a variety of stitch patterns for these -- and decided to make some in brighter colors, because she knew that some of the families we serve at Swedish Covenant Hospital like brighter colors for their babies, especially those from African, Indian, and Hispanic backgrounds. I like the borders that she put around the baby blankets -- by the time I finish a baby blanket, I'm tired of making it and rarely, if ever, take the time to work a separate border around it to finish it off. But Angie took the time, and I think it makes a big difference in her blankets. I think the new moms will treasure these!

Angie even got her mom into the act! Angie's mom made the blanket you see up top -- and had it nearly finished but gave up on it. She gave it to Angie to rip back so she could use the yarn. When Angie saw that it was nearly finished, she couldn't bear to rip it back, so she finished it. Her mom's only request was that it be given to someone at a homeless shelter who could really use it -- and Angie knew the Angels could take care of that! Her mom's handiwork is very fine, and I can see where Angie gets her crocheting talent!

Before she and Rob returned to Sheboygan on Sunday, Angie went down to our basement and refilled that big box chock full of yarn to make more yarny goodness for the Angels. She was really tickled because she could choose yarn she had never worked with before -- including some fancy yarn to make things for our fundraiser, cotton yarn to make spa cloths, and different kinds of yarns to make baby blankets. She's planning to move her feet a lot this summer!

Thank you, Angie and Angie's mom, for being willing to move your feet, and your hands, when you pray. Through your handiwork, you both will be such a blessing to all the people we serve. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Open Hands

"Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, 'Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.'" -- Deuteronomy 15:11

I've been thinking about the verse from Deuteronomy up top a lot lately. Many of Frank's and my extended family members and friends work for companies either undergoing layoffs or where there are rumors of layoffs - or they themselves have had to lay people off. My denomination's university and seminary announced layoffs, reorganizations, and restructuring of remaining jobs yesterday. Nearly every day I hear from pastors in our Conference who tell me about people among their congregations being laid off or under threat of layoffs. Much of my prayer time lately has been focused on asking God to help our family and friends and to give me wisdom and guidance on how to help these people in our community who are suffering now -- most through absolutely no fault of their own.

Many of the Bible verses I have been coming across in my daily devotionals have had to do with helping your neighbor in a time of need -- and God keeps bringing my thoughts back to the Crafty Angels. I've learned enough to know that when He does that, it's because He wants me to focus on YOU! All the Angels are in my prayers every day -- but even more so now with all this "hot mess," as my friend Debbie G. calls it, going on. Do you know how important YOU, and the work you are doing, are right now? YOU are vitally important to the work God needs done for those in need -- and that need just keeps growing, and will continue to grow. YOU were given your gifts, skills, and deep compassion for a time such as this by God -- and I will do everything I can to help you do that work!

I've been inspired this week by emails from YOU and boxes full of yarny goodness that arrived to lift my spirits during the "hot mess" -- signs that YOU have opened your hands to your neighbors in need. Want to see???

Angel Cathy Falkenstein in Loomis, CA is very busy this time of year on her farm, but she found time to work on our spa cloth challenge. Just look what she sent!

"These spa cloths are just awesome - and I like the scalloped border all around them!"

I agree with our fearless Supervisor Cowboy's assessment! And they are so cheerful - they will definitely brighten the day for the women in Cornerstone Community Outreach's homeless shelters! Thank you, Cathy, for your commitment to helping these women we serve -- and thank you for also talking up the scarf challenge! I can't wait to see the results of your handiwork!

The Happy Charity Klickers in Loogootee, IN have been very busy, too! Their leader, Angel Dianna Overall, sent us a BIG box of goodies:

More spa cloths for the challenge!

Just check out all these hats and scarves! They are for folks of all ages - and will work really well for the folks we serve at Cornerstone and the Good News Community Kitchen!

"This prayer shawl feels reeeeaaaallllyyyy good on my paws - it's so soft! Our seniors will really like it!"

Three beautiful baby blankets for the newborns we serve at Swedish Covenant Hospital - just perfect!

"These are quite interesting, Mom. This one would make a good blanket for a cat -- or a blankie for a toddler. And check out the hood on the white one!"

Check out this beautiful pair of peach wool socks that were made for Afghans for Afghanistan. They will keep a woman's feet toasty warm in the brutally cold Afghan winters. And the teens we serve at Cornerstone will really like the wristwarmers and treasure bag/purse - very hip!
Thank you, Klickers, for opening your hands to your neighbors in need -- all around the world. Your handiwork will touch many, many lives -- and make those lives warmer, happier and brighter!

Angel Alexis Lueth from Winter Springs, FL was thinking ahead -- as far ahead as our fundraiser in November. And she decided we needed some fancy yarn so that the Angels could make things that would sell well. Take a look at the goodies she sent:

A whole stash of glittery, fuzzy, soft yarn! In her note she said: "I've been doing some spring cleaning! Here are some 'special' yarns for the fall sale. I know some beautiful things will be forthcoming - I'm always amazed at what the Anges produce with their 'fantastic flying fingers!'" I am also always amazed at what the very creative Angels create! The Glitterati yarn in the lower right hand corner is just gorgeous - this photo doesn't do it justice. Thank you, Alexis, for sharing your stash with us -- and I think I hear a challenge to the Angels to see what they can come up with using this loveliness!!!

Keep your hands open, Angels - God has plans to use those open hands! You were definitely made for a time such as this and your handiwork is changing your community, country and the world. And please know that YOU are in my prayers every single day! Bless YOU!

Challenges and Prizes

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about." -- Charles Kingsley

If you've been following your Angel-mail, you will know that we have THREE challenges going on this summer/fall:

• one to see who can make the most spa cloths (we're looking for a total of 400 for our spa bags for women in Cornerstone Community Outreach's homeless shelters)
• one to see who can make the most baby hats (we want to fill at 33 gallon Rubbermaid bin for Swedish Covenant Hospital)
• and one to see who can make the most scarves for the men we serve at Good News Community Kitchen and Cornerstone Community Outreach's shelters

I sent everyone the details and requirements on Friday in an Angel-mail -- if you didn't get that email, please email me at clpokorny@aol.com.

The first prize for each of these challenges is a $50 gift certificate at KnitPicks' online store. I explained why I chose that particular online store in my email.

We now have prizes for the first runners up for each challenge!

Two copies of Death by Cashmere -- the first in a new knitting mystery series. It's a fun, light read -- you'll enjoy it!

And one copy of No Idle Hands: the social History of American Knitting. This is a fascinating tome to dip into -- I've really enjoyed it!

There may be (and probably will be) more prizes -- so get your hooks and needles going!!!! Are you up for the game?!?!?