Tag Archives: charity

Mama Bear Check-In

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Oh boy, guys.

I’ve fallen, and I’ve fallen hard.

I have been completely neglecting my Christmas knitting and any design work I should be doing.  My yard is knee-high with dandilions and my sink is full of dirty dishes.  All I want to do is watch the Great British Bake Off and make teddy bears.

This pattern is so simple, knitting it is basically a practice of Zen meditation.  And, the bears are too stinking cute!

I finished my first bear in just under 24 hours (I told you I have a problem).  I couldn’t stop knitting!OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnd the second one joined the pile less than a week later.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI’ve got a bag half-full of Knit Picks Swish Worsted, leftover from a few projects.  It’s a lovely uber-soft merino wool that’s surprisingly hard-wearing (even if it pills a bit), so it’s perfect for kids toys.  I’m planning on knitting my way through all this yarn, then diving back into my stash to find more yarn to make more bears! OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI had planned on shooting for a goal of a half-dozen bears, but at this rate, I’ll have a whole pack (herd? gaggle?) before I know it!

(Also, did you notice-I haven’t stuffed my bears yet.  That’s because I don’t want to stop knitting them, even for the few minutes it would take to stuff one and sew it up.  I think I might have a problem.)

Has anyone else made progress on their bears?

Operation Mother Bear is Go!

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It’s here! It’s here!  My pattern showed up in the mail, and I’m dropping all my Christmas knitting to start on my first bear!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFor my $5 donation, I received a beautiful (and heartbreaking) pamphlet on the Mother Bear project (can a pamphlet be heartbreaking?), my very own copy of the knit-in-the-round pattern, and an adorable tag for me to sign and tie around my finished teddy’s wrist.

Upon examination, the pattern looks well-written and straightforward, and I’m raring to get started!

I dug through my stash, and found some nice heathered merino (leftover from designing my Human Beans) in lovely mahogany, evergreen and grassy green shades.  It’s super soft, and pretty strong-perfect for a stuffed animal.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAHave you gotten to start on your Mother Bears yet?  Did you order your pattern?  It’s not too late!

Mother Bears On the Needles!

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I can’t get the Mother Bear Project out of my head.  The stories of little kids with next to nothing positive in their lives just break my heart, and I can’t stop thinking about them.Mother_Bear_in_Liberia_1_medium2[1]So, I took the plunge and ordered my pattern!  The patterns are available for $5 (proceeds go to running the charity and helping with shipping and handling), and is mailed to your house via snail mail.

size

I’m itching to pull out my scrap yarn and get to work on a whole army of bears!

But here’s the thing- I’m only one person, so even if I do nothing but knit teddy bears from now until the end of time, I won’t be able to make that much of a difference.

You guys, however, are more than one person!

So, I propose that this year for the holidays, everyone who reads On the Needles knits a teddy bear or two!  We can make it into a big On the Needles knitalong!  I’ll post updates about my bears, and whoever wants to play along at home can send in pictures of their bears, and we can all share our projects!

What do you say?  Want to join in?  How many bears do you think we can make before New Year’s?  20? 50? 100?!

Mama Bear

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve already got Christmas on the brain.  I’ve been cranking through lots of projects… that I can’t talk about here because family members read my blog (lame!  Not really, but it does throw a cramp in my blogging this time of year).

But when I do a lot of targeted, purpose-driven, knitting sometimes I get a little burnt out.  I can start to feel like I’m “manufacturing” projects, not actually knitting.  Sometimes I want to just make something fun- like a stuffed animal.

And, you know, if it’s a stuffed animal for a good cause, that’s even better!

So, imagine my excitement when I found this amazing teddy bear-making project (or rather, re-found… I had read about it before, but totally forgot about it).283434_220092554695040_4064929_n[1]The Mother Bear Project  makes adorable, one-of-a-kind, hand-made teddy bears and then distributes them across Africa to children whose lives have been affected by HIV/AIDS.  Could you ask for a better cause?lesotho1[1]I went over to their website, and saw that they have patterns for the same bear, both knitted and crocheted, worked flat and in the round.  bear_about[1]The best part (other than that whole helping-children-in-need thing) is that the pattern is so simple, it just begs to be embellished.  Take a look on Ravelry to see everyone’s take on the basic Mother Bear.  There are bows and dresses, overalls and striped shirts,  and teddies of every color of the rainbow!Mother_Bear_in_Liberia_1_medium2[1]This project is just inspiring!

Have you ever taken part in a big group-knitting project like this?

Inspiration: Charity Knitting

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Congratulations!  You made it through Christmas!  You’re probably heading out to buy batteries for your kids’ Christmas presents and nursing a hangover from too many sugar cookies.

(Also, it’s my mom’s birthday!  Happy Birthday, Mom!)

But the day after ftsChristmas is not just a day for regretting that fifth cup of eggnog.  It’s Boxing Day!  We don’t really celebrate Boxing Day in America, but I learned about it when we lived in the UK as a kid.  Boxing Day is the day after Christmas, and was the day when the wealthy folks (think Lord and Lady Crawley) gave gifts to their servants and the other poor folks in their town.

Sure, it sounds patronizing when you put it that way, but it’s a good idea.  If Christmas is all about getting gifts, then Boxing Day is all about giving.

And, since you’ve all finished your Christmas knitting, you’ve got plenty of time for some Boxing Day charity knitting?

These beautiful (and simple) little hats would be perfect to drop off at a hospital for preemies (and their mothers).  Just be sure to check your local hospital’s regulations before you start knitting.

Preemie Hats for Charity by Carissa Browning

870859826_2e671d29fd_z[1]Up for something a little more challenging?  Think about contributing to the Mother Bear Project.  These darling little teddy bears are sent to kids around the world whose lives have been affected by HIV and AIDS.  (And the bear pattern is pretty cute, too.)

Mother Bear Project Teddy Bear by Amy Berman

Mother_Bear_in_Liberia_1_medium2[1]Maybe you want to do something a little different?  Think about knitting a prosthetic breast or two and dropping them off at your local hospital (or local knitting shop… my LYS is having a breast drive right now, which is pretty cool).  These prostheses are lighter and more comfortable on healing skin than the medical-grade ones, and don’t require complicated undergarments to stay in place.  And they can come in cashmere, which is pretty cool.

408379437_68c70c53f4_z[1]Do you do any charity knitting?  What groups do you give to?