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Boxing Day 2016 CAL (any charity items!)


babypoohsmom

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Hello!  

The Boxing Day CAL is a place for people who do any kind of charity handwork to hang out, share ideas, share encouragement and of course, share pictures!

 

You don't have to do massive charity work and it doesn't even have to be crochet.  

We have people that make hats, shawls, squares for afghans, doll clothes, baby clothes, bird nests, cat beds...you name it.  Please feel free to drop in any time and tell us what you are doing.  

 

We use the title "Boxing Day" because most of the stories of the origins of Boxing Day have to do with charitable giving.  Some say it started in the church - people were encouraged to bring in items that would be distributed to the poor.  Boxes were placed at the entrance of the church for the collection.  Others believe it is named so because the wealthy people who employed servants on Christmas Day gave them the next day off, and would often times give the servants boxes of food and wine left over from their Christmas dinners.  Boxing Day is Dec 26th and is a state holiday in many countries.  (Sadly, not in the US!)  And hey, it gives people something to Google if they want to know more!!

 

So please join us!  

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Happy Boxing Day!  (Can you wish that?)  After a family Christmas dinner, I spent the evening yesterday finishing up a prayer shawl for our local Hospice.  I didn't have much to go on it--just some joining, and the edge.  Now it's ready to deliver Monday!  I think I have a couple more to finish...somewhere...Christmas got in the way...  My crochet club makes prayer shawls for the Hospice, afghans for various Veterans' hospitals, and baby blankets for our local hospital, so we keep very busy working our little hooks and needles!

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Might as well start the year as we mean to go on :)

 

This is my first effort under the new regime.  It is a stroller set and was so much fun to make.  I love the colours of watermelons and the bands arrange themselves from nature.

 

the blankie is a bit ruffly, which I normally can't abide - but it drapes so beautifully that I'm not complaining.

 

the dress is a variation of the Sugar and Spice dress which has become a fave pattern as well.

 

post-4896-0-21426900-1451161234_thumb.jpgpost-4896-0-18513600-1451161236_thumb.jpgpost-4896-0-98674700-1451161237_thumb.jpg

 

there is no pattern for the hat or the blankie.

 

 

 

 

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Might as well start the year as we mean to go on :)

 

This is my first effort under the new regime.  It is a stroller set and was so much fun to make.  I love the colours of watermelons and the bands arrange themselves from nature.

 

the blankie is a bit ruffly, which I normally can't abide - but it drapes so beautifully that I'm not complaining.

 

the dress is a variation of the Sugar and Spice dress which has become a fave pattern as well.

 

 

attachicon.gifwater001.jpgattachicon.gifwater002.jpgattachicon.gifwater003.jpg

 

there is no pattern for the hat or the blankie.

Beautiful

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Welcome Colette and welcome back Darski and Bailey! As usual, everyone has been busy. Darski, that is a very cute little set. You must be keeping warm by thinking about summertime and watermelon! As I am now a student of your dolls, I have to ask what size is the little girl?

I also got started. I made a hat out of some lovely purple chunky yarn from a mill ends bag. It's very soft. If I knew what brand it was, I would seek it out. The bag came with two large skeins. I am trying to decide if I should make a matching scarf or more hats....

post-13802-0-57886700-1451194520_thumb.jpeg

I am trying to figure out how to take nice pictures in good light for my etsy site. I sell some hats and dish cloths to buy stuffing for cat beds. I also sell quilts now and then for vacation money! But my pictures are always rubbish! Today was a very clear, bright day, but I could not find a background that was not cluttered. I even tried a few pictures in the bathroom thinking that the tub would be a nice plain background, but it was TOO white!! So I will keep trying! Any ideas?

Oh, and you will see that I am thinking highly of myself this year and have added 2016 to my signature line. But I still can't figure out how to update it from my iPad. Maybe it's like emoji and just can't be done from a tablet. So....now I have to remember to get to the big computer to do an update = 1!!

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I contacted our local NICU about donating baby hats, so I hope to do some of that this year. We also do a mitten/hat/scarf tree every year at the library. One lady brought in two paper grocery bags of hat and mitten sets she'd made over the past year. I'd like to donate to that, too. I'll be small and local, but that's a good thing, too.

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Welcome Colette and welcome back Darski and Bailey! As usual, everyone has been busy. Darski, that is a very cute little set. You must be keeping warm by thinking about summertime and watermelon! As I am now a student of your dolls, I have to ask what size is the little girl?

..

attachicon.gifimage.jpeg

I am trying to figure out how to take nice pictures in good light for my etsy site. I sell some hats and dish cloths to buy stuffing for cat beds. I also sell quilts now and then for vacation money! But my pictures are always rubbish! Today was a very clear, bright day, but I could not find a background that was not cluttered. I even tried a few pictures in the bathroom thinking that the tub would be a nice plain background, but it was TOO white!! So I will keep trying! Any ideas?

Oh, and you will see that I am thinking highly of myself this year and have added 2016 to my signature line. But I still can't figure out how to update it from my iPad. Maybe it's like emoji and just can't be done from a tablet. So....now I have to remember to get to the big computer to do an update = 1!!

 

 

If you can hang a piece of fabric on a wall it makes a nice background.  Look for something noticeable but one that fades into the background (boo, hiss, pun :rofl) I also used to pick up bits and pieces of things to add to my pics.  Balloon weights add a nice touch for some pics

post-4896-0-88995500-1451211697_thumb.jpg

 

 

I'm not sure of the size of that doll as I only bought her because her head size was suitable for newborn hats.

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I contacted our local NICU about donating baby hats, so I hope to do some of that this year. We also do a mitten/hat/scarf tree every year at the library. One lady brought in two paper grocery bags of hat and mitten sets she'd made over the past year. I'd like to donate to that, too. I'll be small and local, but that's a good thing, too.

I love seeing communities get together on a project like that. It doesn't just benefit the charity but it draws the community closer as well.

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Hi Holly! The scarf/hat/mitten tree sounds like a fun idea. And I've always been amazed that there are so many preemie babies born these days. But it seems like people are always asking for them. Of course I'm sure they are quick and cute, so probably give you some instant gratification. Sadly, I actually made hats last year the size of a ping pong ball. A lady was collecting hats and blankets for people who had stillborns. They dress them for a photo for the parents. It was actually difficult to figure out how to make them that small.

 

Darski, I was oohing and aahing over the adorable St Patrick's Day outfit when I realized the I was supposed to be looking at the balloon weight!

 

Here is another hat from mill ends. There were 5 skeins in the bag, so I can make a scarf and probably another hat or two. Sometimes a scarf seems like such a big commitment! No wonder I can't make an afghan!! Anyway, here it is.... This yarn is brown with green specks. Not as soft as the darker brown I used about a week or so ago.

post-13802-0-14206000-1451245918_thumb.jpeg

Incidentally, I recently bought some wool dryer balls and they really do soften things up. I am a huge fan.

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I'm back in this year!  :yes   I didn't spend a lot of time here on the board last year, but I did manage to finish some afghans for Warm Up America during 2015.  I've been involved with Soldiers Angels: Operation Top Knot this past year also. 

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I failed dismally at this last year, but I'm giving it another try. I mostly make stuff for the local pregnancy resource center, but once in a while I branch out a bit. My goal is one item a month. Last year I finished only two things, both blankets. I started a knitted blanket as well, but didn't finish it

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I failed dismally at this last year, but I'm giving it another try. I mostly make stuff for the local pregnancy resource center, but once in a while I branch out a bit. My goal is one item a month. Last year I finished only two things, both blankets. I started a knitted blanket as well, but didn't finish it

Don't focus on the failures, it only takes away the energy from trying again.  You finished two and those were needed.  You get a fresh start this year and you do what you can. 

 

You needed to be other places last year and you did what needed to be done.  This year you will again go where called.  That may be charity, family, or friends, but it will all be where you are most needed.  I suspect if you reflect back there were times you were doing some very positive things instead of charity crocheting or knitting and that is where you were most needed.

 

Not to mention the fact you are a great cheerleader.  You encourage and inspire others when we post about our projects as well.  Don't discount the importance of that either.  Your posts are always very kind and generous. 

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I failed dismally at this last year, but I'm giving it another try. I mostly make stuff for the local pregnancy resource center, but once in a while I branch out a bit. My goal is one item a month. Last year I finished only two things, both blankets. I started a knitted blanket as well, but didn't finish it

 

 

It is my belief that every little bit helps.  You did something which is more than many people can say.  :ghug.  Do what can be done and enjoy the process.

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Thanks, Denise.

I deliberately set my goal low, 12 items in 12 months. That really gave me an easy out. They didn't need to be big items like blankets. They could have been small things, hats, booties, bibs, etc. However, I had a year long craft slump. I've been busily making Christmas gifts for the past five weeks though, so my craft mojo is back.

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A friend of mine gave me his sister's yarn stash when she passed, most of it fairly high quality off white acrylic.  My goal is to use as much of it up in my charity projects this year as possible to honor her memory.  Today I have a sweater that I've long thought should be made in this color, but I never buy off white.  I'm normally pick up white when I'm stocking my standard colors.

 

American Girl Sweater and Skirt

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A friend of mine gave me his sister's yarn stash when she passed, most of it fairly high quality off white acrylic.  My goal is to use as much of it up in my charity projects this year as possible to honor her memory.  Today I have a sweater that I've long thought should be made in this color, but I never buy off white.  I'm normally pick up white when I'm stocking my standard colors.

 

American Girl Sweater and Skirt

 

That is a sweet set.  I like to try the aran sweaters for my girls too.  and I like to make sets so the kids have lots of options for dressing. 

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A friend of mine gave me his sister's yarn stash when she passed, most of it fairly high quality off white acrylic.  My goal is to use as much of it up in my charity projects this year as possible to honor her memory.  Today I have a sweater that I've long thought should be made in this color, but I never buy off white.  I'm normally pick up white when I'm stocking my standard colors.

 

American Girl Sweater and Skirt

That's cute. Some little girl is going to be thrilled!

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I was out shopping with Mom today and we hit Michaels while they had some doll shoes on sale.  Seems this Michaels does not sell the dolls, but they do carry clothes and accessories.  I cleared out the shoes they had on clearance,  and used a 50% off coupon to get a pair of basic black no doll should be without.    I had looked online at the Springfield site the other day and noticed some of the Springfield shoes were on clearance, but the shipping was a bit expensive.  I wanted to see how the prices compared locally.  It was a good bet to wait.  I may try the Michaels closer to my house to see if they have some of the ones that were already sold out at this one.

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Bailey, you're right. That sweater does look perfect in off white. Looks like something s college girl in Maine would wear. Very classic.

 

And Gardener, I know what you mean about needing a goal. 12 sounds like a good choice. Baby booties are so cute but I never did get the hang of them or find a fail safe pattern. Maybe when you decide to make booties, you can work up your favorite pattern and share it.

 

As for me, I end up making hats simply for the instant gratification. Even a scarf seems like a huge project to me. I do quilt and making a quilt is a long process so I guess I use my crochet as the quick fix. I also do a lot of sewing for the sheler and I can do that in small bursts. I think we are of to an excellent start!

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I've made about 10 or 12 hats the last week or so.  Every time I sit down to watch the news, or just to rest (I'm getting old and can't do as much as I used to, I guess...) I pick up a hook and work on a hat.  So I've got about 25 or 30 hats ready to go to some Syrian refugees soon!  And I started another shawl for the Prayer Shawl Ministry yesterday, on a short trip (30 minutes to a small town 30 miles away with Hubby, to get a recall checked out on his van--just enough time to crochet a bit!).  

babypoohsmom, There's a really easy pattern for baby booties that I use all the time--I'll look it up tomorrow and send it to you.

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