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Helping Veterans Blanket Project


BPitard

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We are looking for :hook to help with our ongoing project. We make blankets for Veterans. We are looking for squares in a particular pattern (which can be found here: http://knits4charity.blogspot.com/). More information on the project can be found on the blog with the pattern or in our Facebook group at http://www.Facebook.com/HelpingVeterans2011

 

 

 

Beth Pitard

Project Coordinator

Facebook.com/HelpingVeterans2011

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You can use any machine washable acrylic. Just check your gauge. :) Example: Caron One Pound tends to make a bigger square so you would need a smaller hook. Make sure your finished squares are about 6-6 1/2" square.

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First of all let me say, I think what you are doing is wonderful!

I have crocheted many lapghans for our local vets. I will gladly do some squares and send them to you! However, I do have a few questions about the pattern.

Rnd 1: Chain 4, 3 DC’s,Chain 2, *3 DC’s Chain 2*,3 DC, Ch 2, 2 dc, join to loop of Chain 4 with slip stitch (starting chain always counts as a DC).

**Where is says join to loop of chain 4...where exactly do you join? Is it in the top of the 4th stitch of chain?

 

 

Rnd 2-5: Slip stitch into corner, chain 4. 2 DC’s in corner, 1 DC in each DC, 2 DC, CH 2, 2 DC in corners. Repeat until you get back to starting chain, do 1 DC then join to loop of Chain 4 with slip stitch. (you will increase each round by 4 stitches per side).

 

*****Where it says do 1DC then join to loop of chain 4 where do you do the 1 DC?

 

Thank you so much again for what you are doing and for your patience in explaining.:cheer

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I'm sorry I write such confusing patterns :) I am sure you will get it once you make the first one though.

 

For Round 1, I just loop the chain itself. The slip stitch places itself in the right place.

 

For Round 2-5, Do the 1 DC in the space before the Chain 4 just before doing the slip stitch.

 

Can someone help me explain this better?

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I am understanding this pattern finally lol all but one last thing.

If I am understanding it correctly at the end of row 1 I slip stitch into the loop made my the chain 4. Then to start the next row and all proceeding rows I start with one more slip stitch? In other words there are two slip stitches together. The slip stitch that you are ending a row with and a slip stitch to begin the next row??

Thank you sooooo much!

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I also think you are a great person for taking this project on. I love the pattern! If you would pm me your address I will be ready to send soon. I have some made but like the pattern so may make a few more before sending.

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Thank you so much for posting the pattern for squares using more then one color. Can you possibly post one for squares using the same color? The start of each round would be different I am assuming. Also I have 5 squares done using the old pattern and will be making more so when you get time if you could pm me your address? I will try to have a bunch made before I ship to you :) Keep up the great work!!

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Do you have information about your distribution once the afghans are put together? Where and how do you distribute the blankets? Which veterans are receiving blankets and how many have you given out? Have you gotten any press when you do give the blankets to veterans? I would like to know more about your Charity. How long have you been doing this? Are you working with another Veteran Support group? Do you coordinate with any of the VFW's or AmVets? Trying to choose which one to work for next. The last time I sent squares, I got an online thank you but never saw my squares put into an afghan or saw the result of afghans being given out. I know you might not be able to show them all, just wanted to see some of the end results. I did see your blog had some finished afghans but I did not see anything about veterans actually receiving them. Thanks! This is such a great group to support -- we owe our Veterans so much! (Not saying that just cause I am one either :) )

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Hi Debra

First, let me thank you for serving our country. Its people like you that I do this for. Thank you. Now, to answer your question in the briefest of ways, mine is a very small unregistered charity. Right now I have 6-10 ladies who send me squares regularly and I assemble them into blankets. (Yes, its is just me doing the assembly - and it takes me 2-3 weeks per blanket). We are just now completing our first large project (7 blankets for one family of a Veteran in need) and will continue making blankets and decide where they go as we make them - most likely Vet. Hospitals and Shelters in my area (Massachusetts. No press, no media coverage. I have no record of you ever sending me squares - if you did, and I did not thank you, I apologize. I take pictures of every single shipment of squares I receive and I post them to the Facebook group - which is why I encourage people to join there. I also post at least 2 pictures of the finished blankets there. Because I have to ship the blankets, I do not have pictures of the Veterans receiving them so I don't have any to share. It is my hope that someday I will receive some that I can share but, like I said, this is a very new project - someday just hasn't come yet :)

 

I hope this answers your questions.

 

Beth

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Hi Debra

First, let me thank you for serving our country. Its people like you that I do this for. Thank you. Now, to answer your question in the briefest of ways, mine is a very small unregistered charity. Right now I have 6-10 ladies who send me squares regularly and I assemble them into blankets. (Yes, its is just me doing the assembly - and it takes me 2-3 weeks per blanket). We are just now completing our first large project (7 blankets for one family of a Veteran in need) and will continue making blankets and decide where they go as we make them - most likely Vet. Hospitals and Shelters in my area (Massachusetts. No press, no media coverage. I have no record of you ever sending me squares - if you did, and I did not thank you, I apologize. I take pictures of every single shipment of squares I receive and I post them to the Facebook group - which is why I encourage people to join there. I also post at least 2 pictures of the finished blankets there. Because I have to ship the blankets, I do not have pictures of the Veterans receiving them so I don't have any to share. It is my hope that someday I will receive some that I can share but, like I said, this is a very new project - someday just hasn't come yet :)

 

I hope this answers your questions.

 

Beth

 

You sent 7 blankets all to one family -- wow -- I bet they were amazed at your generosity! How do you get the names of Veterans in need? Was this just a family you knew?

 

I think you might have misunderstood my post, I did not say I sent squares to you and I DID say I received a "thank you." The last time I sent some to a Crochetville member for a veteran (the squares were requested in red, white, and blue) but to tell the truth, I can't remember who it was now. But as I mentioned, I did get a "thank you" but never saw any end result like a pic of finished afghans or something about the veteran actually receiving the blankets.

 

I want to help, especially when the "cause" includes needy veterans but I guess I just want to know I am contributing to veterans who truly have a need because I know so many do! I have been thinking most of the homeless vets lately. So many who laid their lives on the line, then maybe suffered set backs physically, emotionally or just economically and now find themselves without a home. That breaks my heart. I don't want to take anything away from what you might be doing. I hope you understand what I'm saying. I applaud you for doing this for veterans.

 

Since you don't really have any idea where you are sending the next afghans you put together, you might want to liaison with one or more of the Veterans groups that can help establish who is truly in need of your efforts. If there is a Veterans Health Clinic or Hospital in your area, they will have an area coordinator who may be able to help put you in touch with the veterans who need the most. They usually will not give you the names right up front. They have to have permission (privacy issues). But most VA health clinics and hospitals will have a coordinator that puts people who donate in touch with the right recipients.

 

You might also want to work through Soldier's Angels -- they have several teams that would love to receive your afghans! For instance: The VA Crochet & Craft Team makes and sends lapghans (blankets), hats, scarves, trach/stoma bibs, catheter bag covers, ditty bags, wheelchair/walker totes and slipper socks to VA medical facilities around the country. http://soldiersangels.org/crochet-craft.html

 

Another Team is Blankets of Gratitude: They make crocheted, knitted, or loomed blankets for hospitalized Veterans http://soldiersangels.org/blankets-of-gratitude.html

 

And... Blankets of Hope for those veterans who are wounded. There are other initiatives that are organized too. It would be a way to ensure the efforts are really getting to the ones in need.

 

Hope that cleared up what I meant. And I only suggest the groups that are already organized because you said that you have only given out one batch of afghans -- all to the same family and do not have a firm plan about where the next ones are going. I wish you well, wherever you wind up sending your afghans.

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I don't have time to post now, but my post this morning was far to vague. the 7 blankets is a result of my being a part of Soldiers Angels. Normally I do donate to a local Veterans Shelter or military hospital - Ido have a plan.

 

sorry, have to get back to work.

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By Monday I will have a boxful for you. Can you use Red Heart Coffee, which is a very dark brown. I have 3 skeins I could send. Please pm me your address, I will ship on Monday.

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