I am absolutely thrilled to finally be able to tell you about something I (and many others) have been working on for the last few months: Lion Brand Yarn Heroes! And YOU can be a part of it!
So what are Yarn Heroes? Yarn Heroes are those who show their “moral fiber” by using their knitting/crocheting powers to make a real difference in this world - through charitable giving! Lion Brand has put together an amazing group of 15 "yarn heroes" who are helping to spread the word and encourage others to give their time and talents.
Included in this group are several of my favorite bloggers and designers, as well as some I'm excited to get to know: Mama in a Stitch, Delia Creates, Make & Do Crew, B.HookedCrochet, All About Ami, Shit That I Knit, One Dog Woof, A Crocheted Simplicity, Two of Wands, Twinkie Chan, Little Red Window, Underground Crafter, Sewrella, and Glass Posse!
What an amazing group! I'm so honored and humbled to be included. What brought us all together is Lion Brand Yarn, and their commitment to charitable giving with this new Yarn Heroes campaign! It might seem a little silly, all of us in our "superhero" costumes, but we each have our own reasons for participating...
My own story dates back over 11 years ago, when my middle child was born. He was delivered by emergency c-section in early September, and looked to be a healthy 10+ lb baby boy! I was exhausted, but all seemed fine for a few hours until a team of nurses and doctors burst into our room and told us that our son's EKG showed a severe congenital heart defect and he had to go to the NICU immediately, and would be flown to the Children's Hospital at the University of Iowa as soon as they could get him on the helicopter.
The next week was a whirlwind of insanity, tears, and terror. Traveling in the back of an ambulance to re-join my baby, his emergency surgery at one day old, not being able to feed him for days on end, fearing for his life while we learned as much as we could take in about his condition, and then the fun of jaundice - you know, just to add a little color and excitement.
Today, I am so happy to say he's a delightful, clever, and hilarious 11 year old. His heart troubles aren't over, but his day to day life looks much like any other 5th grader's. We go to the cardiologist a couple times a year, and hope for the best - and that the next surgery will be as far in the future as possible. In fact, it's a little bit due to this ordeal that Moogly even exists - I was determined to find a way to be able to stay home with my children, so I could be here no matter what the future brings, and this site was the result of that decision.
There are a lot of memories I have of that time in the hospital with my child. How giant he was next to all the tiny babies in the NICU. The cries of the other children - and their parents. How kind and thoughtful the nurses were. And I have a few souvenirs as well - his helicopter wings, his blanket, and the handmade hat they gave him.
It's that handmade hat that inspired me to pick the University of Iowa's Children's Hospital as my charity of choice. With thousands of babies being born at U of I every year, they always have a need for baby hats - more than 1500 hats are needed each year! Each hat is given because of the kindness of volunteers and donors. You can find more info on what they need here, and click here for a free crochet pattern and a free knit pattern to make to donate, or you can make your own.
Yet another item they are in need of (if baby hats aren't your thing) are comfort shawls, or prayer shawls! You can click here for more info on this as well. If you have the opportunity to crochet for charity, I hope you will consider U of I Children's Hospital - or a hospital near you! Be sure to check your hospital's donation's requirements before you give, and always make sure all donations are smoke and pet free.
In addition to the patterns provided by the University of Iowa, I've designed three patterns with this charity (and your own charity picks!) in mind: the Stripey Baby Beanie, Double Trouble Baby Beanie, and the Super Speedy Preemie Hat!
So what's next? You pick a charity that speaks to you, and get crocheting and knitting! And be sure to click on all the links above for more info direct from Lion Brand on the Yarn Heroes, as well as all the other yarn heroes' blogs! We'll all be sharing our stories, as well as free patterns to inspire all of you! And keep visiting - over the next couple of weeks there are going to be a LOT of giveaways...
And don't forget to share your project photos too! Use the hashtag #YarnHeroes on social media so we can all follow along. And I suppose you might be needing some yarn - go to LionBrand.com to order yarn to crochet or knit for charity with, and use the code YARNHEROES2016 for $5 off for every purchase at or above $20 until December 15th! And watch this blog tomorrow for TWO new free crochet patterns you can crochet for charity, both using Lion Brand Vanna's Choice!
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LeeAnn Wright
I taught my daughter to crochet when she was 8 years old. We would make hats for the church to give to various charities, women's shelters, etc. She is now 22 and we have been "competing" for years on who can make more hats/washcloths with soaps for charity. I cannot begin to count the thousands of hats that have been donated over all those years. She runs circles around me now. All for a good cause.
Tamara Kelly
♥ That's fantastic LeeAnn! Thank you!
Jan Horn
LeeAnn--What kind of wash cloths with soap do you make? Would be interested in any info you can give me. Thanks, Jan
LeeAnn Wright
I wish I was clever enough to make soap from scratch. We usually try to make the washcloths out of a cotton yarn and include shampoo/soap etc that we have collected from various hotel stays or the dollar tree.
Barbara
Hi, Barbara here in Florida. I started knitting and donating baby hats to the local NICU hospital here in my home town when my youngest daughter miscarried. Her first baby boy my grandson. What a sad time for us all. Making the hats was healing for me. I am still making them 12 years later, and making booties to go with them. The babies need these items to help keep them warm. Preemies cant keep their body temperatures up these hats help them to do that. And helps them to thrive. Gods blessings to all.
Tamara Kelly
Hello Barbara! I'm sorry to hear about your loss. 🙁 ♥ I'm glad you've found a way to help others out of it.
Dianne Rigdon
Question - When making items like this for donation, is it acceptable to just wash them prior to delivery to remove pet dander, etc? I have wondered about this. This would be great portable project!
Also, have you worked up any preemie hat patterns using cotton yarn? Not the kitchen cotton, but the softer types? I am thinking specifically of Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Cotton" yarn. It is so soft and smooth and huggable while still very durable and washable.
Tamara Kelly
Hi Dianne! I'd be sure to use unscented detergent for sure, but you'd have to check with the location you are donating to, to find out their own rules - they can vary by location. I haven't used that cotton for these hats, but I would worry that it can't handle the same washing. You could try it though!
Dianne Rigdon
thx!
Jess | MakeAndDoCrew.com
Oh my goodness, Tamara, what a scary and inspiring story. Wow. I can't imagine the fear you faced in those first few weeks and months. It's awesome to think that your crocheting will provide a little comfort to a baby and family that might be in similar shoes.
Lindsay Mcwhirter
I just finished 110 Hats & 10 scarves for our hospital's nursery and WINGS (Women in Need Growing Stronger - second stage housing for abused women with children). Lots of my patterns are from you.
Tamara Kelly
♥ That's fantastic Lindsay! Thank you!!
Mare
Great Post! Crocheters and knitters have the biggest hearts. I also do my part to share the yarn love in my community. Your patterns, blog and videos are wonderful and a constant inspiration to me. I am a huge fan and I blame you partial for my yarn addiction. I love Lion Brand yarns. Their yarns hold up well to washing and still look and feel good years later.
Tamara Kelly
😀 Thank you so much for all you do Mare! And mwahahahahahaha! 😉
Elinor Greenberg
You and your son are very,very, lucky.
I have a story similar to yours. I had a baby boy by C section in Omaha Nebraska
in 1961. He was born with transposed heart vessels, but nothing could be done for
him as pediatric surgery was not invented yet.
He only lived three weeks.
Tamara Kelly
Oh Elinor. ♥ I am so sorry. I can only imagine.
Nadette
Tamara, I love your story! Mine is opposite, my youngest was emergency c-section 8 weeks early (placenta abruptus). He's 27 and fine, thankfully! But in the NICU he's a little bitty guy and the baby next to him is a 10 lb bruiser! I didn't understand. Like your son he also had problems, but you just don't think if they are big something could be wrong! I hope your son's heart problems will be out grown and over!
I only use Vanna's yarn, soft and washes/wears beautifully! I donate to project Linus! After your story I think I'll add hats/beanies to my donation list! Thank you for sharing your patterns and stories!
Tamara Kelly
Hi Nadette! I'm so glad your baby is all grown up and fine now! Yes, we felt somehow... guilty? Seeing our big guy next to all the tiny preemies. Thank you for all the charity crochet/knitting you do! I agree, Vanna's Choice is a perfect pick! ♥
Sylvia Dana
What you're doing is wonderful!
My twins were in nicu after surgeries at 3 and 5 weeks old respectively and they were premature. They are 30 years old and thank God very healthy.
I'm now knitting for our troops and I haven't seen any Yarn Heroes for the troops. They need hats and scarfs and I'm finishing my third hat.
Tamara Kelly
Hi Sylvia! Thank you!
I'm so glad your babies are healthy adults. ♥
And thank you for knitting for the troops! 😀 You're right, there are so many good causes, it's hard to keep up with them all!
sue
I recently joined a knitting/crocheting group that meets every Monday to craft items for a number of local charities. Hats, scarves, wheelchair blankets, baby things..... I love my new friends, and I love making things that are useful.
Tamara Kelly
😀 That sounds like a wonderful time Sue! Thank you for all your group does!
Kelly Porter
The U of I crochet hat pattern includes the following instruction:
"Sing crochet in each chain"
I suddenly imagined myself singing, "Crochet! Crochet" into each chain. I amuse myself often.
I do like the simplicity of that pattern though!
Tamara Kelly
Haha! Too funny! 😀