4TH Annual Afghans for NICU babies for Christmas - THANK YOU LETTER POST 319

[smith]

I am hoping to have a few to go in a week or so....trying to finish my current one up before I mail it out. They make the perfect lunch break project!

[badrhinogillett]

Thank you Susan!

[badrhinogillett]

!!!! Introducing, Ghan #200!!!!!

 

Look at what arrived this week in the mail from Michelle in MO. Don't have a Ville name, so not sure who exactly sent it.. but, Your RR is lovely - I particularly like the lacey center.

[jenniferelyse74]

WooHoo. #200 is very nice.

 

I got a box in the mail yesterday. It will be Friday - Monday before it arrives, it's got a long way to go.

[sluke00]

I have 5 or 6 ready to go. If you could just let me know where to send them, I'll get them in the mail as soon as I can. Thanks!

[badrhinogillett]

Thanks Sandy!!! I'll send you a PM Now!

[truckin Patty]

I will mail mine the next trip home. And #200 is beautiful!

[badrhinogillett]

Thank you Patty!

 

We've got another 6 or 8 weeks I think before delivery... it's going to be an exciting time to see the boxes come in and watch our tally go up!

[badrhinogillett]

Ta da!!!!

 

These THIRTEEN ghans from Jenniferelyse74 officially bring our total passed last years! These are ghans 201-213. They come in all shapes and sizes. The striped one at the bottom of the picture is folded in quarters - it's nice and big for the largest kid... there is a lovely filet heart in the yellow ghan and even 2 flannel ghans. Lovely lovely lovely!

[jenniferelyse74]

The blue/green striped one had been in WIP status for over 5 years. I started it when I was pregnant with my second child, who is now 5 1/2. I was glad to finish it up and send it out. I know it was an old one because it's done all in 'sc', from back in the day when that's all I knew. Fortunately I've learned some things since then and would think twice (at least) before doing a project that big all in sc. I do love the way the colors look together.

[jenniferelyse74]

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I'm glad we've made it past last years total. Woo Hoo.

[Lilly Flower]

Ta da!!!!

 

These THIRTEEN ghans from Jenniferelyse74 officially bring our total passed last years! These are ghans 201-213. They come in all shapes and sizes. The striped one at the bottom of the picture is folded in quarters - it's nice and big for the largest kid... there is a lovely filet heart in the yellow ghan and even 2 flannel ghans. Lovely lovely lovely!

 

Congratulations! That is wonderful!The afghans are all gorgeous!

 

I don't think I can get anything out this year since I am busier with school then I thought.

[ArmyMom451]

Hi Kathryn, I will be sending some blankets for your NICU. I am doing a drive for preemie hats for my NICU. Do I get your addy from an email or IM? I wish us both good luck and God bless the babies.

Carol

 

 

 

Welcome to the 2010 edition of me asking for your help once again. This is the fourth year that I'm coming to you to ask you to help me bring afghans to sick babies at Christmas time. You can see the 2009 posts here. From 2007 - 2009, you have helped me bring 357 afghans, and many hats and booties, to the hospital that saved my DS when he was born.

 

My son was born with an extremely rare disorder that could have killed him. We were given a miracle and today my son is perfectly healthy and thrives. I owe a debt to God and Oakland Children's Hospital that I can never repay.

 

Watching your child struggle to live is devastating. The thing that brought me hope in the darkest hours was knowing that there were people I had never met who were praying for my son- or who had made cards for us - the kindesses of people got me through.

 

My goal is to bring afghans, or booties, or hats, anything that you feel like making - to the NICU at Christmas time. Santa himself delivers gifts to the babies on Christmas and he has passed out your afghans in the past.

 

The NICU houses 40 babies at a time - from extreme preemie to children up to one year old. The hospital cares for children up to the age of 18. In 2009, we delivered 202 afghans - which is enough for 5 rotations of children in the NICU. My goal for 2010 is to bring 203 afghans. If we can bring more, so much the better - the more we bring, the more children we give hope to.

 

While I consider this a NICU drive, I'm happy to accept ANYTHING you would like to make for a child of ANY AGE. My mother goes with me on delivery day and she brings items for older kids. So, basically, I"m asking for your help to bring a gift to any child that might be at the hospital. If you are moved to make something for a teenager - great. If you are compelled to make something for an infant - great!

 

NICU ghans can be any size, and shape. The babies come in all sizes. Some are slightly larger than a barbie doll. Some - like my DS - are born full term and large. Some are a year old.

 

Afghans for preemies - some preemies don't make it home. Many do. For those that don't - as the sweet baby passes on, they are wrapped in an afghan while their parent's hold them. Then, the parents have something to keep that was once their child's. Therefore, making a preemie ghan on the slightly larger size can be beneficial - something that can wrap around the baby. However, the smaller ghans that can go on the child in the issolette are needed too.

 

I'm asking for any shape - any pattern - any yarn afghan that you want to make.

 

Edgerydoo? great! Knit? great! quilt? great! Amigurumi for an older child? great! booties? great! hats? great! slippers for big kids? great! (you get the idea)

 

You can send me anything at any time. Delivery will be the week after Thanksgiving - that gives the hospital time to organize before the holiday.

 

Thank you, once again, for your help in the past and for even taking the time to consider helping again. I have been blessed by your generosity and I am truly grateful for it.

[badrhinogillett]

Hi Kathryn, I will be sending some blankets for your NICU. I am doing a drive for preemie hats for my NICU. Do I get your addy from an email or IM? I wish us both good luck and God bless the babies.

Carol

 

Thank you Carol! I'll send you a PM with my address.

 

I'd wish us both luck, but we already have it! We have the wonderful and generous people here at the Ville - you'll be amazed at how the hats come rolling in!

[cshell]

The blue/green striped one had been in WIP status for over 5 years. I started it when I was pregnant with my second child, who is now 5 1/2. I was glad to finish it up and send it out. I know it was an old one because it's done all in 'sc', from back in the day when that's all I knew. Fortunately I've learned some things since then and would think twice (at least) before doing a project that big all in sc. I do love the way the colors look together.

 

 

Five years! That's really mediocre by some standards.

 

WTG on finishing thirteen Jennifer and congrats on going back to school. Sounds like you are super busy.

[cshell]

Kathryn,

 

If you get the chance can you post a "would love to have all blankets by" date?

 

And I hope you find out who sent in #200, it's a beauty.

 

Funny, I checked in and you were at 200 and then it jumped to 213! Are you getting excited?

[badrhinogillett]

Kathryn,

 

If you get the chance can you post a "would love to have all blankets by" date?

 

And I hope you find out who sent in #200, it's a beauty.

 

Funny, I checked in and you were at 200 and then it jumped to 213! Are you getting excited?

 

So far, nobody has owned up to #200- so I'm thinking it was a FGM as I have blankets listed on my wish list. I wish I knew too!

 

As far as a "need to have by date" - I deliver the week after Thanksgiving, so as long as I have them by Thanksgiving dinner - it will be good to go for this year. I haven't yet arranged a drop off date, but I have gone the same week every year thus far. Not sure yet if I'll go the Monday after Thanksgiving or the following Friday. I was just thinking this morning about how I have to email my contact at the hospital.

 

So... Thanksgiving would be the best last date to have it in my hands. That gives me enough time to make sure I have enough boxes to pack everything in.

[jenniferelyse74]

Five years! That's really mediocre by some standards.

 

I know. There are some out there that have WIPs that are ancient by that standard . I started seriously crocheting 9 years ago so that WIP was over half of my crochet life-span. Still not much compared to some but it adds a little perspective. It is nice to have it done. Now I'll have to start digging to see what is my current oldest WIP and see if I can get it done.

[Gardener]

I have a few afghans ready to send you, but my box isn't quite full yet. I'll make sure to get it out, well before Thanksgiving though.

[badrhinogillett]

Look how lovely these 6 ghans are! So soft... and how much work is it to change yarn every row! (I'm not that brave!) The ghan in the top right corner is folded in quarters - it's large enough for the largest child in the NICU - the others will be perfect for preemies to newborns

[badrhinogillett]

Here's a soft and warm ghan from IrishEyes. It's going to be perfect to wrap a baby up in ... it's very cuddly!

[jenniferelyse74]

:cheer 220 :cheer

 

Those are some very nice ghans ladies.

[badrhinogillett]

This has two new ghans in it for me. Aggie May's no holes RR that I got to test, and the diagonal box stitch. I had fun doing both!

[badrhinogillett]

Look at these! So many that I had to break it into two groups for photos! 21 wonderful ghans in all! Mostly large Granny squares - all done with a skill and tension that I aspire to have one day. Truly beautiful ghans all of them. Wonderful bright cheery colors - and sizes that will benefit any child in the NICU.

 

I also want to thank Terrijo for her patience in my posting the pics. I had a high fever this week - and I have a chronic lung problem so any cold hits me fairly hard- and I didn't want to open the box when I was sick.. .even though I know a virus can't live on the ghans for 2 months - I didn't want to take any chances with those tiny babies... So, I got this box several days ago and only was able to open it now. They are all wonderful!

[terrijo]

I'm glad I can help.