afghans for Afghans is a fantastic organization that collects hand-made knitted and crocheted blankets and garments and delivers them to needy people in Afghanistan. They have a donation of wool yarn available for Denver-area knitters/crocheters to whip up into garments for youth ages 7-14. They need blankets, hats, mittens, socks, sweaters, and vests by October 4.

I live in DC, but I hope some of my fellow Craftsters in Denver will be able to take advantage of this opportunity. The info from afghans for Afghans is below. More information on the organization can be found at http://www.afghansforafghans.org/campaign.html.

If you don't live in Denver, you can always raid your stash for wool yarn and knit something to mail to the AFSC Collection center in San Francisco (info is on their website). Let's spread a little hope!

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Dear Knitters and Crocheters in the DENVER area,

Thanks to Kimberly with Warm Woolies ... we have a donation of *wool* yarn for you to use in time for our youth campaign.

We can't say thanks enough to Warm Woolies for this support of the afghans for Afghans project!

Just in time to help us reach our objectives for warming more Afghan girls and boys by winter.

And, thank you to our Denver-area volunteers who partake in this opportunity presented by Warm Woolies.

Yep, that's right. WOOL yarn at no cost to you -- as long as you can knit or crochet a blanket or garment (sweater, vest, hat, socks, or mittens) in time for our youth campaign.

Here's the plan ...

You need to pick up the yarn from Warm Woolies between 11:00 and 1:00 on Thursday, September 6, and return your finished item by Thursday, October 4.  Any hat, mittens, socks, sweater, vest, or blanket for youth (ages 7-14) qualify.

Warm Woolies is going to handle and pay for the shipping from Denver to our AFSC collection center in San Francisco. While our due date is Oct. 12, Warm Woolies needs your gifts by Oct. 4 to have sufficient time to pack up and send to us. They will even mail blankets or garments made with your own yarn. Pretty terrific, isn't it! A gift of shipping from Denver to San Francisco, thanks to Warm Woolies.

To participate, please email Kimberly directly at warmwoolies @ comcast.net.

Please note, this offer is only for Denver area volunteers. No exceptions. Please be sensitive to Kimberly's efforts and the need to follow her guidelines on pick up and drop off.

Feel free to share this email announcement with knit and crochet friends in the Denver area who are not on our list. Our email list is fairly limited, so getting the word out is most appreciated. Feel free to post this message on appropriate blogs or forums that may be read by knitters and crocheters in the Denver area. This is a limited-time offer. Warm Woolies is happy to do what they can to help Denver-area knitters and crocheters warm children in Afghanistan this winter.

To learn more about the Warm Woolies organization, please visit their website: http://www.warmwoolies.org/

The afghans for Afghans project thrives on volunteer initiatives. We are grateful to Kimberly and Warm Woolies for this generous offer!

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** Our Current Priorities **

For details on what is needed by when and mail addresses, please visit this information page --
http://www.afghansforafghans.org/campaign.html

Much appreciation,
Ann and colleagues at afghansforAfghans.o rg

[How do I affix the ribbon to the stick in a way that(1) is quick to do and(2) won't come flying off when waved vigorously?]

My sweetie and I are getting married in three weeks, and we have just started thinking about the "big exit". The meeting house where we are getting married has very picky neighbors, so we can't have guests scatter anything (birdseed, rose petals, etc.). We decided to make ribbon streamers on sticks for people to wave over us as we leave, but it occurred to me...

How do I affix the ribbon to the stick in a way that
(1) is quick to do and
(2) won't come flying off when waved vigorously?

Has anyone done this? Did you use glue? staples? wire? How fast was your method, and how durable was the result? I am counting on you, Craftster community!

Once I figure this (seemingly easy) project out, I will post pictures and a tute. I actually have tons of projects from the wedding to post, but making stuff has cut into my time on the interweb!

Here it is...my first sweater!
     
I substituted Rowan All Seasons Cotton because I found a bunch of the tan and rust on sale.  I had to buy the blue at retail (and we all now Rowan yarn isn't cheap), so when I ran low, I just added a rust stripe at the top of the sleeves.

The hood turns out sort of, um, POINTY, but overall this was a great first sweater pattern.