to help overseas troops

[indililu]

Hi everyone!

I have been supporting soldiers/airforce/marines etc. using www.anysoldier.com and as I was looking at the website today, wondering who to send my next package to, I thought, Maybe some of the people on crochetville would like to participate. I'm going to be crocheting a ton of afghans/blankets and granny-ghans to be sending them overseas. The people who get them will be the ones in most need. I.E: they dont have family to send them comfort (or necessary) items from home. Some of them don't even get mail!!

I am NOT advocating for the website, I'm not affiliated in any way. But I know alot of us love to donate our work to a better cause, and I think this would be a good one!!

I am willing to gather and assemble squares if people want to send them to me. or if you want to make and send yourself, just go to www.anysoldier.com and you can pick your own contact to send to.

I will also pay for postage to send it overthere, so if you get it to me, ill take care of the rest! And i'll definately let you know who i sent to.

I hope this makes sense, and sounds like something some of you would be interested in. you can PM me anytime. Im on at least 2x's a day!

Thanks in advance for your help!

~*Jess

[Tapanga]

I can make a square or two I think Might be just be plain no frills squares, but I would be happy to help. I think its a great idea. A lot of people loose sight of the fact that these men and women don't really want to be over there, they're just doing their jobs and they get forgotten in the day to day hustle.

Any colors or yarn type you need? And can you PM your mailing address?

Thanks!

[indililu]

It's probably better that yarn/pattern is on the plain side. Machine wash and dryable is a definate must because most of the time, they have a laundry service, so who knows how the 'ghans will be handled.

anyone who wants to help, just post and ill pm you my addy.

~*Jess

[buggaboosmommy]

Actually the laundry service is pretty good. My husband is currently deployed..they don't fold your laundry..but they do a pretty good job. I would suggest you not make the afghans very large..throw size. They are only allowed 19 items in each laundry bag and an afghan would take up a great deal of that space. And to be honest, it may end up as decoration on a wall if they have living quarters to be able to hang them. From what I have been told, it's very nice to wake up to something on the wall and makes you realize someone cares about you. (my husband has a small quilt I made and tons of photos on his little wall). So, enclose a few postcards for them to hang up as well!

Donna

[indililu]

Thank you for the info!!

I just want these men and women to know we're thinking of them. Actually, hanging it on the wall is a cute idea too. kind of softens the "cans" some of them live in that i read about... trailers and cement rooms can be so cold (literally and figuratively)

anyway, thanks!

~*Jess

[lizc]

well then, when i get home tonight i will have to really look into this!

 

thank s for the site

[yarnart]

Now, I realize this is going to sound incredibly ignorant...but does it get that cold there? I honestly do not know. My nephew was there for several months, but I don't talk to him much so I never asked.

Veronica

[buggaboosmommy]

A lot of people have that same question..does it get cold. At this current moment, no it is not cold. However, it does GET cold there! Both Iraq and Afghanistan experience extremely cold months..just like most of us do! The problem is, we can go inside our nice warm homes, sip hot chocolate and put on our favorite pair of fuzzy slippers!

Donna

[simonssez]

Anysoldier is a great program. I'd actually started up an org to send blankets to troops, as well as to babies born while their father was deployed in any way. It didn't fly sadly.

 

Your idea is a great one, I'll have to see if I can get some sent!

[Feywalker]

Both my husband and I got back from Kuwait in December, in fact he's going to Iraq in October. Couple of thoughts. It's a little different in each place. Like our laundry service had no limit, but it was all washed together in some seriously gross and dingy water. Part of the way through, we got washers. Several of my closest friends were were scattered across Iraq, each place was different in what they had, down to the living quarters. I think what you are doing is so very wonderful. I did want to offer one idea/story. One of the guys I knew got a care package and his favorite thing in there was a hat. It was just a basic black beenie hat done in sc. He wore it ever evening/night, even when it was hot. Just thought it was the coolest thing. In fact, that was the first time my husband asked me to crochet him something. It wasn't made to be warm, and he didn't know the lady who sent it. Just a thought.

 

Kassi

[indililu]

hats are a great idea too!

yes, it gets cold there, obviously not right now, but i think its a great idea to get them started early so I can send them once it does start to drop in temp.

thanks, everyone, for the info/ideas

PM me if you want to donate squares, any color/size as long as its mach. wash/dry. and hats/scarves too may be a fun idea to brighten their days!

~*Jess

[SDmom]

Both my husband and I got back from Kuwait in December, in fact he's going to Iraq in October. Couple of thoughts. It's a little different in each place. Like our laundry service had no limit, but it was all washed together in some seriously gross and dingy water. Part of the way through, we got washers. Several of my closest friends were were scattered across Iraq, each place was different in what they had, down to the living quarters. I think what you are doing is so very wonderful. I did want to offer one idea/story. One of the guys I knew got a care package and his favorite thing in there was a hat. It was just a basic black beenie hat done in sc. He wore it ever evening/night, even when it was hot. Just thought it was the coolest thing. In fact, that was the first time my husband asked me to crochet him something. It wasn't made to be warm, and he didn't know the lady who sent it. Just a thought.

 

Kassi

 

What about scarves?

[buggaboosmommy]

Scarves are good any time of year. Summer months, make them lightweight, breathable to be used to protect their face (nose, mouth, cheeks) from the wind/sand/dust. Obviously, winter months..a warmer scarf would be in order.

Donna

[mythunderbird]

thats a great idea for people to help, currently my goal is to have 40 helmet liners as these hats are called, i have 10 done now with the help of 2 special people who sent me 3 and 2 respectivley. anyone want to join me in making them for our wonderful troops. i am hoping to reach my goal by end of sept so they can be sent off for the fall and winter as it does take a little while to get there. thanks for thinking of our heros:manyheart

[Tapanga]

thats a great idea for people to help, currently my goal is to have 40 helmet liners as these hats are called, i have 10 done now with the help of 2 special people who sent me 3 and 2 respectivley. anyone want to join me in making them for our wonderful troops. i am hoping to reach my goal by end of sept so they can be sent off for the fall and winter as it does take a little while to get there. thanks for thinking of our heros:manyheart

 

Thunder, do you have a pattern for the helmet liners? I would like to help. I am trying to put together a simple square, but alas when I did the sc border, it got all wonky so I am trying to fix it.

[angelfire]

http://www.geocities.com/helmetliner/crochethelmetliner.pdf#search='crocheted%20helmet%20liner'

this is the pattern I used

[Tapanga]

can anyone post a pic of the complete helmet liner? I am one of those people that need to see something before I can understand a pattern.

[buggaboosmommy]

can anyone post a pic of the complete helmet liner? I am one of those people that need to see something before I can understand a pattern.

 

 

People make them all different. However, it's basically just a beanie type hat. Some people also make them where they have the face guard as well. Try www.bevscountrycottage.com and look under Armed Forces/USA patterns.

Here is the photo with the face guard

http://www.skeinlane.com/community/documents/crochetliner.pdf#search='helmet%20liner%2C%20crochet'

 

Donna

[silkymist]

Both my husband and I got back from Kuwait in December, in fact he's going to Iraq in October. Couple of thoughts. It's a little different in each place. Like our laundry service had no limit, but it was all washed together in some seriously gross and dingy water. Part of the way through, we got washers. Several of my closest friends were were scattered across Iraq, each place was different in what they had, down to the living quarters. I think what you are doing is so very wonderful. I did want to offer one idea/story. One of the guys I knew got a care package and his favorite thing in there was a hat. It was just a basic black beenie hat done in sc. He wore it ever evening/night, even when it was hot. Just thought it was the coolest thing. In fact, that was the first time my husband asked me to crochet him something. It wasn't made to be warm, and he didn't know the lady who sent it. Just a thought.

Kassi

 

I would guess this is similar to what you're talking about. Although I don't think homespun would be a good idea, maybe just a 4 ply.

 

http://www.roxycraft.com/hat_crochet.htm

http://barney.gonzaga.edu/~aburton/crochat.html

[silkymist]

Just found this skull cap in cotton...this would be nice too.

 

http://deneens.blogspot.com/2006/05/cotton-skull-cap-great-as-chemo-cap.html

 

Here's some other ones..

http://www.angelfire.com/wv/happyghan/twinstitch.html

http://members.aol.com/JSchlossma/wvstc.html

[mythunderbird]

hi, basicly any beenie type hat will work, is just a skull type like the kids wear. that would be awesome for more hats, right now have 12 and 3 more coming next week not counting what i am almost done with now. i can make 2 or 3 a day if i only devote to making them, i am so hoping to get to 40 this year, would so be awesome to help that many people. anyone else want to help? thanks to those of you who are helping me:manyheart :manyheart

[veghead]

I have been sending things to Kosovo/Serbia since my husband returned. It was a habit that I got into while he was stationed there from 03-04. I was sending items of clothing for the soldiers there, but later sent some stuffed toys. The soldiers often come in contact with civilians in need of some extra attention. Soldier handed out softies to the Roma (gypsy) children all over the countryside....what a beautiful response. Just a though to add to you list of things to send. It is very rewarding for soldiers to have positive community contact. Small amigurmi work well.

[moonspinners]

I have read somewhere on one of the websites that supports troops that it is highly recommended for safety reasons that we all use muted colors for these hats: navy, black, tan, brown. No bright colors and absolutely no white.

 

To avoid boredom, I'm going to alternate making dark hats for the troops with bright caps for the preemies [Caps To The Capitol].

[HollyzHobbyz]

A lot of people have that same question..does it get cold. At this current moment, no it is not cold. However, it does GET cold there! Both Iraq and Afghanistan experience extremely cold months..just like most of us do! The problem is, we can go inside our nice warm homes, sip hot chocolate and put on our favorite pair of fuzzy slippers!

 

Donna

 

 

My husband just returned from Afghanistan about six weeks ago. He was based in an area where the altitude is about five thousand feet. So yes...it does get cold. Also, in some of the camps, the tents have large air conditioning units. Well, they don't have a lot of control of the settings and it can get very cold. My husband was actually using an old comforter during one of his deployments.

[moonspinners]

I was wondering if fingerless gloves in dark colors for the troops would be a good idea. What do you all think? Anyone who knows anyone serving might ask if this is a good idea.