I Was Knit Together In My Mother's Womb

Okay, Okay!  Here we go. Merry Christmas!  What made it Christmas in my  heart this year? We were thrown off-kilter from the normal events of the holidays with traveling, some loved ones not here and others here that we don't normally see. Contemplating the past several days, I know that with everything runny smoothly, or everything running amuck, Christmas is what Christmas is...and I am eternally grateful for it.

Probably one of the most significant events of this year was the opportunity to give where so much was needed. To give on behalf of each of you that made the decision to bestow warm hands on children that you have never met.

Last Wednesday, my husband and I, and a team of people from our children's ministry went to Prince of Peace, where I finally met Pastor Angel and had the opportunity to spend the evening with the hundreds of children that his ministry serves. What he had expressed was true...these were children that were already living a life that many of us as adults have never experienced. Many without functioning parents, many, on that Wednesday night, would eat their only meal of the day. For most, the gift we gave would be their only gift. Yet, there, at Prince of Peace Church, located on the West Side of Buffalo, surrounded block by block with gangs, Pastor Angel, and his ministry provide one of the only beacons of hope and stability these children will ever know.  Week after week, they watch as God provides food, clothing, and love abounding at Prince of Peace. Where there is a need, it seems to be met. As I looked into the faces of these precious children that night, and saw them light up and engage with Pastor Angel, I knew that  the 400+ pairs of mittens we all provided would be used.

   

 

I guess the other most amazing thing to me, was your generosity and willingness to provide. Some of you gave your first ever knit mittens!

 

From all parts of the country, from coast to coast, from Canada, too, you sent mittens.

  302 Pairs of Mittens!

So thank you, thank you!

Katie, Heather, Sue, Jo, Emily, Mary, Michelle, Mary-Ann, Michelle, Lauren, Dani, Amanda, Beth, Shanti, Ann, Lu, Elise, Cece, Thistle Cove Farm, Martha, Patti, Elizabeth, Vicki, Margaret, Dolma, Paula, Denise, Mo, Debra, Kim, Norma, Marisol, Amanda, J. Jones, Teyani, Laurie,  Ms. Ngo, the Frankenfeld's, and E. A. Durand, Mar, Maria, Faith and Mom...and Forest Park School in Woodhaven New York (who sent 114 Pairs of Mittens!) and others, whose names I do not have. 

You were all a part of making a child's heart and hands warmer this Christmas!

Of the total 778 pairs of mittens I collected, the rest went to Urban Christian Ministries of Buffalo, Freedom Village, and Cornerstone Residence for Women and Children, also in Buffalo.

Just a quick update...

  Knitting with wire. And beads.

 

Unknitting Josphine sleeves..

I never liked that ribbed sleeve. 

That's about all I have accomplished this week. JR and I have both been sick since Christmas, had a house full of grandsons..

  and we have eaten way too many cookies.

I did receive a lovely SP9 gift from a secret someone.

  Thank you for the beautiful hand dyed sock yarn, stitch markers and the Spring Knit Scene magazine. A very nice package...GRACIAS!!!!!

I do hope you all have had a healthy, happy and safe holiday week.

I wonder how many people realized that I was knitting frantically under my desk today? Last night, I started the cutest little dog sweater, and I finished it off today, to give to Donna in the Chapel Bookstore...for her little dog named Casey. I wanted to surprise them for Christmas. She promises to take a picture of Casey in the sweater, which is red, with minty green ribbing and two minty green pom poms on the back. It looks a little Grinch-ish. You'll have to trust me that it was adorable!  I frantically knit, because I wanted to start the new year with a clean knitting slate. Sort of.

So I'm home until January 2nd. What will I ever do with myself? I have three potential sweaters to start. and one to finish. That excites me. And tonight, I may cast on for the Tracey Ullman felted slippers. Just for fun.

Upon arrival home tonight, there was a package all the way from Bainbridge Island, Washington! From the inspirational Salena, the Apron Thrift Girl, whose blog I have enjoyed for the past few months. Poor Salena has had to deal with the recent storms and power outages in the Northwest, yet she made felt! Her first attempt at making felt from a knitted garment, and then reconstructing it into:

Mittens!

A Stocking!

The fabric that she created is just lovely, and soft as anything. I'm sure the original sweater must have been beautiful, as well.  So, thank you Salena, for this thoughtful Christmas gift, which also included a little tin of bath salts and some candy for good measure!

Earlier this week, we delivered mittens to Pastor Angel, and spent Wednesday evening with about 300 children. As soon as I sort through and edit photos, I will post about that evening, which was one of the most incredible opportunities I have ever had....because of all of you, who donated mittens. I can't wait to tell you all about it this weekend!

While buzzing around blogs today, sensing and relating to that usual frantic pace that always happens the week before Christmas, I was thinking.

If we knit all the gifts or not...

Finish all the gifts or not...

Go to the mall or not...

Bake one more batch of cookies or not...

Embellish one more package or not...

Get stressed out or not...

Christmas is going to happen.

If you think you can't do one more thing before Christmas, think again! In less than a week, you can do these quick presents.

Some knitted and sewn gifts for office co-workers to be given at a party tonight...

   

Left to Right. *Face cloths, knit with Blue Sky Alpaca's Organic Cotton. Well, these aren't knit, they are single crochet square with a shell stitch border around them. The softest, puffiest and most lovely face cloths ever. I included two bars of oatmeal soap and an ivory-toned Christmas pin.

* Knitted Mary Jane slippers, knit with Joann Sensations wool/cotton yarn, held two strands together. I wanted to keep them, but instead, I added a frosty and fluffy snowman ornament and a winter charm necklace.

* Knitted Mary Jane slippers, knit with Debbie Bliss chunky Merino, and embellished with a crochet flower and pearl bead. Since Sharon loves chocolate, I included a little chocolate cookbook, a big fat chocolate bar and a Chococat mousepad.

* Soft and drapey velveteen scarf. My daughter has one that her friend bought in England. I've always loved it and it occurred to me that I could make it. I bought two different colors of a lightweight velvet fabric, cut two long rectangles and sewed them together. With the fabric discount, I was able to make this scarf for $1.46!  Patti also gets a very sparkly belt and snowflake earrings.

It occurs to me that when we have the ability to create things with our own hands, people really love that. I guess we take it for granted that we can do these things, and it's always a surprise to me to hear the exclamations of  delight when a hand-made gift is given.

The tree has been in the stand since Saturday, and we started to decorate it last night. I think it will take me all week.

  First on the tree,

  The Shiny Brites!  'Cause it's just not a Christmas tree in my house without the Shiny Brites...old and new. I have loads of them, and two years ago, I found that Christopher Radko does a vintage collection. Go check out the link...it's a walk down memory lane! They are really great, because they have that Shiny Brite look, but they're  repros, and fit in just fine with all of the old ones.

What are sugar plums?  I don't ever remember having visions of sugar plums dancing in my head. I don't think I've ever seen one. But I can tell you this. While I haven't  eaten any sugar plums in the past week, I have eaten cake, a great variety of Christmas cookies, candy canes, fudge, gingerbread lattes and  ice cream pie. But no sugar plums.

Now I have visions of carrot sticks and Kashi in my head....after Christmas.

MITTEN UPDATE *** MITTEN UPDATE *** MITTEN UPDATE ***

From Knitting Bloggers ....  292  pairs !

From other collection resources...  362 pairs !

That makes  654 pairs of mittens for Heart to Hands!

I have delivered 400 pairs of mittens to Pastor Angel, and we will be  helping to distribute them, along with other Christmas gifts on Wednesday. I look forward to giving a full report next week. Thank you again for your generosity and gifts of warm hands.

Can I share some of my favorite Christmas spots at home this year?

 

This cupboard is in my kitchen. There is something about the simplicity of that old cupboard with those tiny little old red mittens that appeals to me. I've had two pair of antique baby mittens for years. I must have found them when I used to search for vintage textiles to use for my dolls, many years ago.

Wee baby hands were warmed in these mittens.

   

This is another favorite little vignette...

Before I was a knitter, I was a painter, and of all the things I painted, this Santa plate is probably in the top two. He looks like Santa should look. In front of him is a sweet little German paper mache' candy holder, which was in a box full of Christmas that I won at the auction a few months ago.

It amazes me that in the busyness and bustle of this time of year, we still find time to make that one last something for someone. I am scrambling to do some gifts for my office-mates.  Cute little Mary Jane slippers!

  I made it last night! And, of course, I had to add a touch of extra charm with the crocheted flower.

   Cute, cute, cute. In the time that I stood in line at a local department store during my lunch break yesterday, and then had to finally leave my items  because I had to go back to work, I could have knit the second one. But I'll do it later today.

I finally finished the square for Comforting Jenn...and I'll send that off to Cathy  today.

Jon J and Augie visited this past weekend, and we made snow globes, a la Martha Stewart.  After an investment of approximately $39.27 for Assorted Condiments That I'll Never Use (but the jars were cute), a Giant Pack O Glitter (of which I used one tiny little tube), a Huge Bottle of Glycerin ( because we needed one drop  per jar) and Assorted Trims and Fancy things,  we made some pretty darn cute snow globes!

Today is our staff Christmas luncheon at Carrabba's....a gift from our ministry to each of us.  Then, I get to come home for the rest of the day, to knit and sew.

But The sweetest gift of all from our Senior Pastor?   We get the whole week between Christmas and New Year's Day....PAID rest and respite from work.  Isn't that the best?

See my first wild sock?

   With all this colorwork, I decided to join the Stranded Knit Along.  I love colorwork. I love this sock. In fact, it's so cool, that my daughter Meghan, stylish fashion wonder, actually told me that she covets these socks...if they were in a store, she'd buy them... if she had the yarn, she'd knit them...if they were hers, she'd wear them.  Chalk one up for Mom on the Cool Project List!

  Having started the second sock, and these being a pretty quick knit ( other than the fact I had to frog all the way back to the start of the increases in the pink and green check area because the sock was too big for my calf), I look forward to wearing them on Christmas morning...or perhaps Meghan will be wearing them on Christmas morning.

The decorating is nearly complete.

Of course, the Nativity, with all the angels...

  and Baby Jesus, who, every December, is hidden away behind the manger...

Just waiting.      waiting for Christmas morning, year after year.  ( which is usually how most of us keep Baby Jesus...hidden away behind the scenes until Christmas day. But He always appears that morning, with that same big smile on His face...like He's excited to see us.)

But, who else is at the Nativity this year?

Why, it's Saint Joseph!  He came in the mail this weekend...from our real estate agent. Complete with instructions on using him to sell our house, which included saying some prayers and burying him in the front yard. "It REALLY WORKS!!!" the box stated.

So I placed him in the manger, St. Joseph and his little saw, and reminded both Baby Jesus and St. Joseph that we were thankful to live in such a nice house, and if it happens we sell our house, that would be a good thing. and if it happened we didn't sell our house, that would be okay, too. It seemed like a somewhat less ridiculous thing to do than to bury him in the yard. I figured there could be no better duo for getting our house sold than St. Joseph and  Jesus, right?

Actually, we put St. Joseph, the Saint of Real Estate, back in the box where he came from.

MITTEN UPDATE **** MITTEN UPDATE **** MITTEN UPDATE****

You amazing people. You kind and considerate, wonderful,  amazing people.

From my other mitten boxes... 219 pairs of mittens!

From my blogging friends .... 253 pairs of mittens!!!

Mittens must be mailed this week!  Thank you again for your support!

Just in case you didn't get this very important Berrocco update, and you STILL have that certain very special someone that needs a very special knitted gift...

So, quick! Run on out and get your 1400 yards of yarn and be sure to include instructions to the recipient as to how to get to the bathroom in a hurry when you have your feet in the locked position.