UPDATE: I swear I'm not dead! (Formerly: Urgent Comfortghan Request)

[Captain Hook]

I'M REALLY NOT DEAD: I'm so sorry I haven't been able to talk to you all in so long! I feel terrible about it, but it was unavoidable. I had some serious problems with my laptop and have had a difficulty getting online. It's all smoothed out now, so I'll try to get on and talk when I can. I've been astoundingly busy. There are also almost-daily thunderstorms here and I won't keep my computer plugged in during most of the afternoon.

 

That said, I've got a whole bunch of packages awaiting me at home! I can't wait to see them all. I still won't be home for a while... my mother is determined to sell my grandfather's house so it won't sit empty for the rest of his life (he's in an assisted living home, now). I hope it won't be as time-consuming as it sounds.

 

Thank you so much to everyone who worked so hard and so fast on the squares. I'm sorry I didn't get to assemble them as quickly as I had hoped.

BAD NEWS AND SAD NEWS: When it rains, it pours. First, I want you all to know that I have a family emergency across the country. I'll be leaving California for Florida in the next couple of days, however, I'm having a friend collect my mail, so there will be some delay between your sending and my thanking. In case you're wondering, my grandfather is recovering from brain surgery, and can no longer live alone. I'm one of only three descendants, and my uncle can't leave his job, so my mother and I are going to go and help take care of his affairs and set him up in assisted living.

 

By the way, my laptop computer will be sojourning with me to Florida, so I'll still be able to talk to you all!

 

UPDATE NOTE: I said before that I was having my mail forwarded, however the USPS has changed it's forwarding policy, and for temporary forwarding, any parcel not sent first-class or priority will be sent back to the point of origin (which is the stupidest thing I've ever heard, but there you go). Goodness knows, I don't want any squares to be bounced back to people, so my next door neighbor will be collecting them. She's very reliable and has helped out before, so no worries! PLEASE DON'T DELAY SENDING YOUR PARCELS BECAUSE I AM AWAY! If they're all here when I get back, I will be able to join them immediately and get them out quickly.

 

On another miserable note, my Aunt Brucie, the one who taught me to crochet, didn't have as much time left as we thought, and passed away Sunday afternoon. I will still assemble her comfortghan, and will instead give it to her son and his family.

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IMPORTANT TO THOSE WHO INTEND TO SEND JOINING YARN: If you haven't yet sent your parcel, please don't send any scrap yarn for joining! I've been sent some by quite a lot of you all, and I think Renee might have sent me her entire stash of black and white, so I have plenty! Thank you to everyone who would have sent joining yarn with their squares!

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QUOTA FILLED: Well, unless something goes very wrong, the square quota has been filled! Thank you so much to everyone who volunteered squares. The first three packages came today, too, from DixieRedHead, ZingyZoid, and dr-mom and the Chain Gang, so it's been a good day for these comfortghans. Hugs to you all, you're the best!

 

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IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED: Thank you all so much! I've gotten lots of offers, and I appreciate every one with all my heart! I have a favor to ask many of you: if you know, can you please tell me the size, number and color(s) of the squares you'll be sending? If you can't, that's okay, but I'm trying to get a better estimate of how many squares to expect and to which comfortghan they will be assigned.

 

(The following lists were as of May 28th. If you have since told me number/size/color or volunteered squares, many thanks and this list doesn't apply to you!)

 

I have the number or estimated number of squares from: Barbara, Becks, Clara, Cordelia, Jackie, Laura, Melissa, Michelle, Mira, Stacy, Vicki, and the volunteer who requested anonymity.

 

I have the size of the squares from: Clara, Cordelia, Melissa, Pamela, Vicki, the anonymous volunteer, and Amber if she can send any.

 

I have known square colors from: Catherine.

 

If you have told me the size, number, or color of squares, and I didn't list it here, please forgive me! I've been shuffling gobs of private messages and I may have forgotten to write one down.

 

If you can't tell me anything for sure, please don't worry about it, but if you can I will really appreciate it.

 

Thank you all again, you're wonderful!

 

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The following is the original request, now void:

 

Please, please, I need your help and there isn't that much time. I could do with about nine comfortghans right about now (between this family and my own) but I'm going to request help with a more reasonable three.

 

I know a lot of you don't know me very well. I've been around a while, but not forever. But I've tried to be the best member I can be and Crochetville is the only crochet forum to which I belong, so if you guys don't help me, I can't possibley get this done.

 

The wonderful old friend of the family who taught me to crochet, my "Aunt" Brucie, and her brother, Mac, my mother's first husband, just got put into hospice care. Aunt Brucie's son called to tell my mother and me today. Mac, who is in his late fifties, went in yesterday. Aunt Brucie, who will turn sixty-five tomorrow, went in today.

 

Mac is epileptic and he's had increasingly serious emphysema, and now the emphysema has become terminal. Aunt Brucie has been battling cancer for years. The treatments for her most recent, brain cancer, have left her brain damaged and she might have as much as six months or a year.

 

I'd really like a comfortghan for Aunt Brucie, Mac, and their only sibling, who has battled cancer herself, my Aunt Dee Dee, who is understandably distraught. If I don't get many offers for help, though, Aunt Brucie's will have to be my priority.

 

I want to make one thing very clear: these are some of the best human beings on the face of the planet. Aunt Brucie and Aunt Dee Dee have called me their niece all my life. Niece cards, gifts (often hand-made) by the ton, and I was generally introduced as niece, often with no clarification on that status. I disowned my abusive father when I was thirteen, and his family have not spoken to me since. I have never known or been close to much of my mother's family, and have often been ill-treated there, as well. These people are my real family, and they've loved me more than most of my own blood relations. Aunt Dee Dee, although there was no chance I was going to accept, offered to help pay my college tuition. Aunt Brucie (with some input Aunt Dee Dee, who also crochets) gave me the greatest gift of my life... she interested me in and taught me to crochet. She's an incredible crochet talent and also knits, and has had her brilliant quilting in important shows. Mac has always been a little bit of an oddball, but he's a very nice person who doesn't deserve the medical hell he's been through over the years. I could go on and on about this family's troubles and merits, but I won't. Suffice it to say they've suffered incredible stresses and losses within my memory, and every member of the family whom I know is a wonderful person.

 

Okay, all that said, after putting some thought into it, here is what I am hoping for regarding the squares:

 

Requirements, all three:

-Please use acrylic or other synthetic yarn. It's what my squares will be and what I'll be using to join them. I'm going to wash once assembled, and natural yarns could shrink or warp unpredictabley and wool could full.

-Square size: twelve inches square (prefered) or six inches square (if that's all you have time or yarn for). I can join four six-inch squares to make twelve-inch squares.

 

Preferences:

-For all three, although any weight is fine, worsted will be the best. I am begging you, please don't use any delicate yarns that can't be machine washed, like eyelash yarns.

-Regarding color: Your scraps are great! I can use any color for one or another of the three. For Aunt Brucie, I'll use the most bright and vibrant spring and summer colors. Aunt Dee Dee will get the softer, feminine colors and pastels. Mac will get the masculine and muted colors.

-About style, feel free to do as you wish, or are capable. If you can and have time, it would be great if you could do something interesting with squares for the two women's afghans, since they're both expert crocheters and will really appreciate any special work you put into it - like tunisian or granny squares or your favorite pattern squares. If you're a beginner or don't have time, though, please don't let that stop you! I can use every square. Simplicity is all I ask for Mac's squares.

 

Also, if you have some lengths of scrap white or black worsted that you don't need, I can really use them. I'd like to join one with white and the other two with black, and I don't yet know how much I am going to need.

 

Please, please loosely (so they can easily be cut off) attach a tag with your name and Crochetville username to your squares with a scrap of yarn so I will be able to rememeber whose is whose. I'll include your names and states so the recipients will know who helped make their afghan. I'm trying to make these as quickly as humanly possible, and your tags will really help.

 

I'll do all the thank you's and let everyone know how the afghans go over. I also promise to pay it forward, and help with any comfortghans and similar from here on Crochetville (or elsewhere, but especially here) that I can.

 

Please private message me if you're willing to help with the comfortghans and I will send you my address as well as my profuse thanks.

 

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!

[Rachel]

Count me in on 6 12-inch squares. I have both muted and bright colors.

[Captain Hook]

Oh Rachel, Rachel, Rachel! Thank you! The very first offer. I don't know what else to say... thank you so much!

[Nay65]

I can send out some black & white yarn.

[Nashville Crocheter]

I'll make some. Don't know how many at least 2... probably more.

 

How soon do you want these?

 

Barbara

[CatsCradleCreations]

Count me in for 3 12" squares.

[Becks]

For a Harry Potter fan, I know I can help out!

Put me down for 4, ok?

Let me know where to send them!

[ellebee]

Hi - I can send you some squares. I'll let you know how many but it will be at least 4. How soon would you like them mailed? Laura

[Captain Hook]

You wonderful, wonderful people. I'm so happy, I don't even know what to say. I'm sorry I'm only now replying. I didn't sleep last night and found myself running around and on the phone all day yesterday because of this, and I finally collapsed in bed at 4:30 in the afternoon.

 

I will private message you guys here in a minute. Thank you all so much

 

About the deadline for making the squares: I hadn't actually considered that hard, except to think that I'd like them to be finished as soon as humanly possible. Let's say I'd really like to have all the squares I need by the end of June. I don't know how long Mac may have, and six months to a year was the optimistic estimate for Aunt Brucie, and her mental state is worsening. All I can say for sure is the sooner, the better.

[dixieredhead]

I'm sorry for your situation! I'll be glad to make you some and send. Just send me the address. I do have some leftover black so I'll roll it up for you as well.

*hugs*

Dixie:hook

[Layna]

 

Do you want more just let me know where to send them and I will make some

[jaclim]

Hi Maryann....so sorry to hear about your family. How many more do you need? I can make 3.

[mythunderbird]

oh maryanne, i am sorry to hear about your families troubles i can make 6 12 in squares. will do varies colors for you, will that be enough? if not let me know and i can try and make more, but am also doing some more comfortghans for others so i need to get those done too, but i can do 6 at least. please pm me with your addy adn i have to tell you something, you need to take a day for YOU, with all these people needing your help, you need a breather day too, how do iknow this? i am going through the same thing with 1 person. my wonderful mil. so take care and if ya need more or just want to talk, lt me know k:hug :hug :hug vicki

[Captain Hook]

Jackie: Well, they're decidedly growing but I can still use some more! Thank you so much, I'll private message you in a moment.

 

Vicki: Six is excellent! You're very sweet, and I do try to take some moments here and there. I'm sorry about your MIL, I know times like these aren't easy. Thank you very much, I will private message you momentarily.

[dr-mom]

The "gang" has some 4 inch squares made up and we will send you your way, just pm your address, you might need to put them together to make a 12 inch square

 

Pamela

[dixieredhead]

I'll be sending you out 3 --12" inchers tomorrow. I'm so glad I could help out!

[ZingyZoid]

I've got three squares going outin tomorrows mail. You should get them in acouple of days.

[Captain Hook]

Pamela: Wow, great, thank you so much! Four-inch will decidedly make for an interesting pattern. Those squares will look like little tic-tac-toe boards.

 

Dixie: Madam, you are the fast one! Thank you so so much!

[Captain Hook]

Ah! Stacy, you posted while I was thanking Dixie and Pamela. Thank you so so so much! That's wonderful! I guess this means the squares will be rolling in long before I imagined they would be! Thank you again.

[CrochetinClara]

I'm sorry to hear about your family, and will be praying for them as well as you. And I want to help too! Can you still use the help?

[Captain Hook]

Thank you very much, Clara; they will really appreciate that, as do I. By golly, can I still use help! I just had a major cancelation on squares because someone who made a very generous offer had a family member sadly pass away. I will private message you momentarily.

[cmr3877]

I'll make some on my trip to the International Horn Symposium (my day job as horn professor)! Baby blue and forest green!

 

Here are big hugs for you and your family

 

Catherine

[Captain Hook]

Catherine, thank you very much for the squares and the hugs! I will private message you momentarily.

[Nashville Crocheter]

I finished 2 squares for you yesterday. Working on a 3rd today.

[Captain Hook]

Barbara - excellent! Thank you so much!