Thank you message from Iliff

The residents of Iliff Nursing and Rehab Center would like to thank you so much for the beautiful scarves you made in memory of Mary Read. It was very thoughtful of you to think of the residents, the scarves really brightened their day!!! One of the residents stated that when she wears the scarf, she will always think of Mary, even though she did not know her she was a beautiful person. On behalf of the residents I would like to thank you again for the donation of scarfs.

Emily Pollon, Director of Activities

[P.S. Emily also noted in her email to me that "The picture is only of a few residents. We did deliver the rest of the scarves to all the residents. Thank you again."]

Drop off has occured!

Meet Emily, the very gracious person at the Iliff Nursing and Rehabilitation Center who accepted our donations.
We had two boxes full of fuzzy goodness (nearly fifty items in total) which were all donated in Mary's name and will be given to elderly/pediatric patients.
If anyone else would like to organize a group drop off for people who haven't sent their items off yet (or are planning to knit more), please do post!
And thanks again.

Another sofa's worth of scarves...

Wow, everyone. This is a whole lot of scarves. Between this and the earlier set, this is going to be quite the drop off. Thank you all!

Message from Mary's father (!!!)

Mr. Read sent us the following message last night:

This is Mary's father Peter. Mary's stepmom Cathy and I would just like to thank all of you for the wonderful work you are doing in Mary's memory. She would be (we believe she is) pleased that you are putting so much time and effort into things of beauty for the service of others. Please know that we are watching your progress and it brings us much comfort to know that Mary is remembered in so many different ways by so many different people all over the world.

Warmest regards,

Peter Read

Lots of boxes coming in!

I will wait until a bit after this weekend for any late arrivals. Than another group shot, and off to the big drop off! :)

First mobius arrived yesterday...

And rumor has it that 12(!) more scarves will be in the mail today or tomorrow.
If you'd like to be part of the big drop off, now would be a good time to think about sending things out. :)

My first three

These will be sent to a local women's shelter. :)

Items sent to date (thank you all)!

Two more packages arrived today, group picture will be posted tonight

so everyone can see all the beautiful work (and make sure their packages arrived safely).

Potato Chip Scarf, Complete!

It took me a few days to finally post the pics, but the camo potato chip scarf is complete - and looks very funky, if I may add...

Oh-so-stylish Hello Kitty

Longer shot of the scarf

My first ten for Mary

These are going to a local women's shelter, and I am going to send along a note as well, indicating that they were made in honor of Mary Read.

Blocking Landscapes

I've since finished the scarf with the Lion Brand Landscapes yarn and am wondering if you can block it. It's 50% wool and 50% acrylic. I'm hoping I can to get a bit more length out of it.

Any thoughts?

Packages are starting to arrive at a fast clip!

Two in the last few days (and I've finished a glitzy fluffy shawl to add to the stack).
I'll be taking a group shot in the next day or so of the projects we have to date for the end-of-May drop off (so everyone can see their lovely work together).
Thanks.

Some Scarves Done

Whew, I've had these done for a couple of days but have been crazy busy. They are all eyelash scarves. The brown ones have Patons allure as a base, very soft. Will mail these out tommorow.

Siobhan

Potato Chip Scarf Coming Along, and a Take My Yarn! Please! Plea...

I attempted a funky diva scarf using this very fine eyelash yarn I had skeins of laying around plus a strand of crochet thread and almost put my head through a wall in frustration. Anyone want seven balls of Flutter eyelash yarn? Each ball is 75 yards, 20 grams, uses 3 mm needles. I also have two balls of grey fuzzy fur I got from the $1 rack at Target up for grabs - 12.4 grams, 65 yards, use with 8mm needles. Here are pics:





I'm on the second-to-last row of the potato chip scarf - which looks like a curled up ball o'crap, I'm sure, in this picture, but honestly looks like it's shaping up to be very cute.

My mom loved the feather & fan scarf I gave her and will wear it proudly in Mary's name. The potato chip scarf is going to my very funky friend Stacey, and I'll work up another for a few of the teachers in my son's school. I've also got yarn for my husband's grandmother, aunt and great-aunts to come.

Another scarf

Here's a scarf I finished yesterday, a companion to the other scarf.



Unfortunately, there's not much more to say than that. I might be taking a break from fuzzy scarves for a bit now, since I have a lot of other knitting to do, but these were really fun to make. And I love it when people come up to me while I knit and are like "fuzzy!!!" and pet the scarf.

Good news!

All kits are gone! The Knitting Guild of Central Maryland has taken all of the kits that weren't picked up today for their charity knitting projects, and have all of the info about Mary Read and the reason the kits were donated. :)
Thanks again to the kit donors! They were much appreciated.

See you tomorrow at Md S&W

2 PM near the entrance, under a tree.
Wait til you see the kits that arrived today!

For The Train Ride

Hello, my name is Sacha. I've got a bit of a late start, but I've made sure to get all of my college work done so I can work on my scarf on the train ride to Maryland Sheep and Wool.

I'm going to use Lion Brand Landscapes. Train rides are relaxing, I'm looking forward to it!



Yeah, I need to dust my desk.. :(

hello

Hi everyone! My name is Rachel, or the Knitter of Shiny Things. I'm a senior at UPenn, trying to finish up everything. I just submitted my thesis like 2 minutes ago!

In terms of fuzzy scarves, I have one FO already, and I'm working on another one, only blue instead of purple. But here's the FO:




So I guess I'll send them when both are done.

First package has arrived! End of May drop off planned!

Hi, all. Big thanks to sjanova, whose package was the very first to arrive (I know some people have been doing local-to-them drop offs, but this still feels like a milestone).
And, for anyone who's wondering, I'm planning on doing our big drop off at the end of May. After that, the blog will stay open, but drop offs will be local (unless someone else would like to volunteer to be the drop off point).
Thanks.

Going on the Needles

This one is going on the needles today. 1 skein Plymouth Encore / 2 Eskimo in dusk. I love the colors of this eyelash! Are we working on a timeline for one drop off?

WEEEEEE!!!

Anyone have a place I can send these to? Although I will probably knit at least 3 more before I mail them out.

7 scarves :)

Progress.

I'm halfway through my first scarf -- it's a fun fur stripe in seafoam/aqua/white. It's actually quite lovely. I'm happy to use up the eyelash yarn because I haven't used it since I first learned to knit.
I think I have enough for three more scarves (2 black, 1 red), and maybe more if I use some creative color combinations. I'll probably wait until they are finished and ship them together.
I have no intended recipients and think I may send them to the facility referenced in the post. Is one person collecting them and sending them in bulk or should I send them directly?
P.

Two-toned fluffy scarf

Hey everyone, here is my first scarf. It's a fairly basic pattern, but if anyone is interested you cand find the full details here. The Trendsetter yarn I chose is easily interchangeable with cheaper versions like Lion Brand Fancy Fur if you have that instead. I just happen to have some of this Trendsetter in my stash and it is really beautiful and soft.

First Scarf Down, More to Come

I've finished my first scarf! It's a DK weight yarn with a feather and fan pattern which will be going to my mom, whose favorite color is hunter green. Up next is either that potato chip scarf I blogged about a few days ago or a nice thick cable that I fell in love with a few days ago. I'll keep you posted!

We're promoting your cause

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to let you know that Crafting for a Cause has a myspace site ( http://www.myspace.com/11076660) with links to charities/groups we are supporting, and this Mary Read Memorial KAL is linked on there. We also have been talking you up in our livejournal community and to other communities.

We'll do the same for your new blogging community as well.

I also wanted to let everyone know about our own project, if that's okay...our project is called Crafting for Hokies. What we are doing is making orange and maroon squares (12x12) which will be sewn into blankets and donated to Warm Up America. Each blanket will have 32 squares. If you want to learn more about that, you can check out craftingforacause.blogspot.com.

Thank you for being such wonderful people!

I've gotten off to a slower start than I wanted to, but I'm halfway through my first scarf. I'm doing a feather and fan pattern in a DK weight hunter green yarn that I had left over from a wrap I made my mom. I'll post pics shortly.

I've also found the cutest potato chip scarf from KnitPicks (it's a free pattern, so I've hyperlinked if you want to check it out) that I'll start on next. I've got a whole bunch of recipients lined up, and I'll crank more out as I go. Thanks for giving me a reason to pull out all the great scarf patterns I've been hoarding!

yarn to donate

Well, it's just like the title says; I have some yarn I would like to donate. Comment if you would like all or some of it; I'll go by a first-come, first-serve basis.

What I have to offer:

• 2 skeins Moda Dea Fun Ever in blue heaven
• 2 skeins Bernat Bling Bling in brilliant blue
• 6 skeins of Lion Brand Fun Fir in red
• 2 skeins of Bernat Boa in peacock

I know it's not much, but I really want it to be used for a good cause. Thanks.

EDIT: All yarn has now been taken. Thanks again!

Another KAL you might want to check out:

http://knittingforvirginiatech.blogspot.com/

I have 4 Fun Fur scarves ready to send

No piccies yet - sorry - got a barrel of monkeys going on here between home & work, but also wanted to give MUCHO hugs to everyone who has jumped on board, especially Cindy.

Crocheters are welcome!

Just had the first question about whether crocheters are welcome... The answer is yes! Every type of fiber art is welcome.

Scarves & Kits

Here are some scarves & kits, I've got ready to mail tomorrow.

2 scarves, a newborn baby hat, and a note from sjanova

sjanova sent me pics of these great projects (which will be coming to the Iliff center in Virginia), along with this note:


The first two [scarves] are the black/white RH Light & Lofty with red yarn knitted in with it -- looks interesting. The third is the other RH Light & Lofty -- blues, purples, a bit of pink, a bit of beige -- with a navy yarn knitted in with it. I did both of them in a moss/seed st -- k2, p2 across and p2, k2 on the way back, so each row was different and the fluffy popped out on both sides and it's reversible. I used size 17 needles -- seemed to be about right for this. All acrylic, so machine wash and dry.

I was thinking that it's not really scarf season but then I realized that people healing and older people, healing and not, tend to be chilly, so they might appreciate a scarf for their shoulders.

The newborn baby hat is from the Save the Children newborn size baby hat using Caron Simply Soft Ombres Yarn - Baby Brights Ombre (I used sz 7 and 9 dpns since I think this is a slightly thin worsted). Again, an acrylic so machine wash and dry. If you discover that they don't have newborns there, I'll do something bigger when my eyes are a little better. Or make another one, if I have a chance.

Hello everyone!

Thank you so much for starting this community. I think it's a wonderful way to get to know and/or remember this wonderful young woman.

There are 2 communities you folks might want to be aware of as you craft these scarves together. 25thingsforcharity and craftingforacause have been working on making and donating items to charity. In the first community, the goal is for individuals to send 25 things to charity over the year. For the latter, the goal is just to tally what is donated as a community to see how many items get sent over the year. Since you will be donating a lot of these scarves anyway, you might want to sign up for those other communities and add your contribution to a growing pool.

Additionally, if any of you have yarn in the Hokie colors, crafting for a cause is working Crafting for Hokies. We are making Warm Up America squares in Hokie colors, and our resident sewer will sew them together for us...8 rows of 4 squares each for 24. If you want to participate in this project or learn more, check out craftingforacause.blogspot.com or http://community.livejournal.com/3000in2007/52309.html for all of the details.

I have been making scarves out of "fun fur" and eyelash yarn for a local women's shelter, and I will be most happy and honored to work on my next batch in honor of Mary Read.

Thanks again.

Tags...

Any thoughts about maybe making a tag that says it is donated in memory of Mary Read? Something that everyone can just print and put on their scarf?

Finished one - I will post pics when I have a couple knit up. YAY!

I've also posted info on this KAL on my personal blog, along with the logo linked to this blog. I'll be picking up my needles shortly and posting pictures by tomorrow or Sunday the latest. My husband's grandmother and aunt both live in the Catskill Mountains in upstate NY, and it gets really cold there; I'll have two scarves earmarked for them and I'll also knit some to send to any other charities that come up here. I was thinking of knitting some fun eyelash scarves and giving them out in my son's school; they are light and wouldn't be relegated to solely winter use. I'll take pictures of everything and post here as I can.

My scarf so far

It's actually more lavender/purple than the picture shows. I found the pattern in my pattern-a-day calendar. The lighter yarn is soft furry nylon. The darker yarn is merino/silk/cashmere.

It's good to have something concrete to do when there's no actual action you can take to fix a situation.

I have posted some information on this community in both my personal blog and in my crafting community blog - Crafting for a Cause. I have eyelash yarn to spare. Seriously. I am de-stashing and this gives me a reason to de-stash my eyelash yarn for a good cause.

I am in the middle of moving, so I would appreciate being able to send my scarves to someone to donate someplace special.

Thank you.

Update on recipient info and contact info

Ok, everyone.
First, I have added a link to my email address on this blog (under my profile--I've never set up a blog before, please bear with me while I work through the kinks!), for anyone who'd like to join.
I have also found what looks to be a really good recipient facility:
http://www.iliffnursingandrehabilitationcenter.com/index.php?G=20
Not only are they in Virginia, they have both elder care and a pediatrics unit (giving lots of options for many sizes and varieties of fluffy scarves).
I will be happy to collect scarves for anyone who does not have a predetermined recipient (like their grandparent or a favorite charity of your own). Please feel free to email me for my contact info if you'd like to send a scarf for donating but don't want to formally join the KAL. (Also, if anyone would like to send fluffy yarn for others to knit at Md Sheep and Wool, please feel free to contact me for that too.)
Thanks again.

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival Sit and Knit

On the first day of the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival (Saturday May 5th), at 2 PM (at the grassy area near the front entrance), a Sit and Knit will be held for people to come and knit fluffy memorial scarves together.

The purpose of this blog

This blog was created to honor the memory of Mary Read (and the other victims of the VA Tech massacre). Participants will in this KAL will knit up their fluffiest novelty yarn into a scarf for an elderly person. Recipients can be loved ones or charities (e.g., nursing homes), but the gift will be made in honor of Mary Read.

Profile of Mary Read (a knitter who was one victim of the VA Tech Massacre)

Mary Read

Hometown: Annandale, Va.

Age: 19 years old

Class: Freshman

Major: Undeclared

Location: Norris Hall

Related Links: Student, 19, with relatives here among the victims, (Rochester Democrat and Herald, April 17,2007)

Profile: Mary Read was a "fun-loving 19-year-old" who graduated from Fairfax's Annandale High School last spring, said her aunt, Karen Kuppinger of Rochester, N.Y.

Read had lived in Fairfax County since 1991, said Kuppinger, 42. Her dad, Peter, and stepmother, Cathy, are both retired military personnel who live in an older subdivision off Wakefield Chapel Road. Her mother, Yon Son, is a native Korean and U.S. citizen who lives in New Jersey, Kuppinger said.

At Annandale High, Read played lacrosse and clarinet in the concert band. She also performed in the band's color guard, her aunt said. She was an "excellent student" who had not decided on a major, Kuppinger said.

"Here's a story about what a sweet, family-oriented girl she is," Kuppinger said. "The last time I saw her -- a year ago Thanksgiving here at my house -- she kept disappearing while she was here. I finally said, 'Mary, what are you up to? Are you reading a good book or something?' She was knitting a beautiful scarf -- a multicolored fluffy scarf like the girls wear -- for her grandmother for Christmas. My mother still wears it. She did very thoughtful things like that always and was very close to her mother and father and brothers."

A large sign positioned outside the family's driveway yesterday read: "Mr. and Mrs. Read have gone to Blacksburg. They have small children at home and ask that they not be disturbed today."

Amir Abuelhawa, a former classmate of Mary's, said he recently spent the evening with her when she was back in Annandale during Tech's spring break. They watched the movie "V for Vendetta" and spent the evening catching up, "talking about everything -- school life and work," he recalled. They made plans to reconnect when she came home in a few months.

"We had the entire summer," Abuelhawa said. "Now I can't see her anymore."

--Profile from The Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/vatechshootings/victims/Mary_Read.html