I've had an idea.

[velvetpage]

There are and have always been crafting organizations that donated their works to charities. Nineteenth-century church women's socials would make a quilt collectively and send it to the missions field on a regular basis. I know of at least two organizations that accept crocheted blankets for women's shelters.

I want to do something like that.

I'm thinking many knitters and crocheters have scrap yarn lying around. What if we each committed to making one granny square a week for the next year? The average twin-sized blanket would be about twenty-four squares - half a year's work for one person, a month or so for four people, etc.

So here's the idea. Each crocheter or knitter makes one square a week, measuring 4"x4". For me, that's about half an hour's work, probably. Each person who contributes four squares also contributes a bit of money - a buck or two - for the yarn that will be used to join them into a blanket. Then one person takes all twenty-four squares and crochets them together. We send them to hurricane victims. I'm considering starting with those being lodged in Jonesboro, Arkansas, with hillarygayle. I'm sure kathrynrose could also suggest a destination. Even better would be if people who are closer to the affected areas could find an organization that could take our donated squares and stitch them together down there.

Well? Whaddya think? Who's in?

Comments

[lousy-timing.livejournal.com]

I can't crochet, knit, or quilt, but if someone can and doesn't have supplies to quilt with right now, I have lots of fabric squares I would be willing to donate to the cause.

(In other words, I think it's a great idea.)

[purplkat.livejournal.com]

I can't commit to a square a week, as I make my christmas presents by hand and that tends to take up a lot of my 'crafting time', plus I'm making knitted kitties for a charity auction right now. However, if I come to a point where I don't have anything else sitting on the backburner and no money to buy yarn for projects for me, I'll go ahead and make up a square or two :)

[stress-kitten.livejournal.com]

It's a great idea. I wish I could commit to the time required, but with working 7 days a week and four correspondence courses, it isn't going to be likely that I'll get a square a week finished. However, whenever I do have a chance, I'll sit down and knit a square or two.

Maybe you can teach your kids at school how to knit?

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

There are a few organizations that do this.

Disney employees can be part of the 'blanketeers'. They actually give you incentives to donate time, for every x hours you volunteer, Disney matches it with x dollars to the charity of your choice (from a list tho I think).

Then there is Afghans for Afghans
http://www.afghansforafghans.org/ showing you the link so maybe it can give you organizational ideas?

Forgot who else.

I'm not crafty, tho. :(