JUNE 2006
June 29, 2006--Thanks to Gaylord Herald Times on a follow-up article! Here's a link to it in case you all want to read it. Thank goodness the picture doesn't appear in the online version--A friend called me and said the article is great, but "your picture is quite honestly awful." Vanity in my fifties is almost non-existant especially when I can get the "PR" for Close Knit Hugs! Look at our numbers! We have 20 blankets ready to go and have used 2500 squares. What a great acheivement for all you "squares" out there! Have a great Fourth of July weekend!
June 26, 2006--Pennsylvania is on the map! We received a box of squares this morning from a knitter in York, Pennsylvania, the first capitol of the United States as well as home of a Harley Davidson plant, Pfaltzgraff pottery, the rock group LIVE and the actor Craig Sheffer. York has much to be proud of including the first knitter from Pennsylvania to contribute to our project. Also received a box of squares from a knitter in California--her fourth box, making her donation to us well over 5 blankets at 35 squares a blanket! Thanks one and all--the car is filling up! I had hoped to have twenty blankets; at this rate, we should have thirty or more!
June 22, 2006--New York is now on the map, and Kansas grows steadier with square donations! I had to share two letters I received yesterday in boxes of squares:"I am out of work on disability. . .I got to work right away. . .I am sending you 36 squares all different in hopes that you can make yet another afghan to give to someone who needs to re-build their life." And "We're sending along these squares and hope you can use them for your project. . . Brewster Place Knitting Club." I have said this before, but I will repeat it again: The letters Close Knit Hugs receives from knitters and crocheters keep us directed, focused and piecing. Thank you! Thank you! We turned on the air conditioning again last night so putting blankets together is a great deal more pleasant! The colors and variety make the project continually "new." As I put the squares into a blanket, I wonder as I hold each one what you were thinking as you made it and what good wishes you weaved into the square. Can you imagine what blessings thirty-five of these special squares will give a blanket recipient?
June 21, 2006--What a wonderful box arrived yesterday! A senior center in the Saginaw area sent me four complete blankets--Thanks so much. The back of our car is filling up for our August trip! It was over 90 degrees here last weekend, and thank goodness we had the air conditioning on. I was able to work on what else? Blankets! Keep the squares coming; I have over ten blankets pieced and ready to crochet together with a box of additional squares waiting for mates! Again thanks to the senior center--a terrific surprise!
June 12, 2006--Well, all you parents out there will understand when I say there are nothing like "newsy, non-catastrophic" phone calls from out-of-town children. One of my sons is in New Mexico, one is home for the summer from the University of Michigan, and one is in New Orleans. The son in New Mexico thrives on a peaceful life in the mountains: he has a lovely girlfriend, a dog he rescued and a good, steady job he loves; the youngest who is at home has a social life and summer job that keeps him away more than home, but by the occasional baskets of laundry that appear near the washer, I know he's around! The latter always seems to have an adventure or news to share that causes my hair stylist to color more gray hair the next time I head to the salon! At any rate, the first tropical storm of the hurricane season is heading towards the Gulf. I have predicted to many friends that about the time the son in New Orleans is on an off-shore drilling platform, there will be an evacuation due to tropical disturbances! Nevertheless, the blanket numbers are rising. Thanks to my contingent of avid knitters/crocheters in the Saginaw/Bay City area, two boxes arrived last week with lots of squares. Also I want to thank two friends who are putting blankets together for me. Their efforts will make our numbers rise faster. August is still our target; I welcome your email queries and comments. It's good to know you all check back to the website occasionally to see our progress--Notice the plural possessive pronoun--OUR. Because after all, CLOSE KNIT HUGS is a group effort. People still need our help, and hey, there's lots of states not represented on our map and many counties not represented on our Michigan map!
June 4, 2006--Lots of squares have arrived this past week; thank you so much. I just put up some new pictures of blankets under Finished Projects. The graduation present I was knitting is now finished, so I am back to putting blankets together for August.