The Red Scarf Project

Last night I cast on a scarf for the Red Scarf Project. I heard about it a few weeks ago when I spoke to a great group of knitters at Cornell College in Mt Vernon, Iowa. It's their 2011 service project.

The Red Scarf Project is part of the Foster Care for Sucess Project which helps young adults who have aged out of Foster Care. They offer all types of support ranging including mentoring, academic coaching, internships. To cheer students on in what can often be trying times, they send care packages and "volunteers across the country knit and crochet red scarves, which are traditionally included in the FCS Valentine’s Day Care Package along with chocolate, cookies and handmade cards. The Red Scarf Fund was started by knitter Norma Miller as an emergency fund to help students pay for urgent expenses such as medical bills, transportation or housing."

The submission period for the next Red Scarf initiative is set for September 1, 2011 through December 15, 2011

Send scarves to:
FCS
The Red Scarf Project
21351 Gentry Drive
Suite 130
Sterling, VA 20166

Notes: I will be knitting the Victory Scarf pattern from my book, A Knitter's Home Companion.

Check out the Red Scarf Project's pattern suggestions. Consider adding an encouraging note and a gift card.

Turkey, Corn and Thankfulness

The turkey that graced our table yesterday came from Perry Bender’s farm in Kalona, Iowa. On Tuesday, my oldest daughter Meera, home from Philadelphia for the week, and I traveled down an almost gravel road to pick it up. On the way, we stopped to visit our friend and Iowa’s Poet Laureate, Mary Swander. She’s how we know where to get the best Thanksgiving turkeys.

It was grey and rainy on Tuesday. Chilly, too. Over hot tea and good conversation, I kept thinking back to other times and other conversations shared in Mary's kitchen. Once, before my youngest daughter was born, and when my older two children were still young, we spent a late summer afternoon at Mary’s. After a while my kids were restless and hungry, so she boiled a huge pot of water. And into it went ears of sweet corn, picked that very morning from a nearby field. Soon they were served with butter and sprinkled with salt. And soon, too, we headed down the road to get another dozen. The Amish farmer took us to his field, the way I imagined he had done with Mary earlier that day, and there, in the tall greenness, he asked the kids to choose their corn. They chose quickly, knowing that back in Mary’s kitchen the water in the huge pot was still hot.

Gratefulness.  Turkeys, friends, and late summer sweet corn.

Notes:

Check out Mary Swander’s poetry and non-fiction.

Vera Williams and the Happy Little Teapot

Meeting author/illustrator Vera B. Williams at a children’s book conference several years ago helped me discover a new joy in my work. Vera was leading the morning workshops for illustrators. She had developed some exercises for us to do, constructive plans for our time together. But once she began to talk about her books and her life —and Vera is a champion talker—most of us there quickly decided what we really wanted. We really wanted Vera to tell us stories about how a creative life is lived. With joy. And that she did.

The drawings and sketches I made during that conference, and later at home in my studio, took heart from the Vera’s artistic freedom and openness. Something inside me changed, doors appeared and were opened. Windows filled with light. Drawing playfully, I tapped into a different type of imagery. Like the happy little teapot. And when I approach new challenges on my drawing table, it helps me to think back to those mornings with Vera Wiliams and the legacy of her life and work.

Notes:

For more info on Vera Williams and a complete book list : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vera_Williams

You can met Vera Williams on YouTube and be inspired, too.

Vera B. Williams talks about editing and illustrating.

 

Vera Williams and the Happy Little Teapot

Doll Sweaters

 

A Norwegian one with snowflakes was knit for Molly, an American Girl Doll. The matching hat had a large pom pom on top. Rosebuds --silk, of course-- were sewn on the neck band of the white cardigan I made for Baby Sarah. My daughter’s dolls were kept warm by my needles.

A few years ago my friend, puppeteer and doll maker Monica Leo, gave me a doll she had made. I named her My Monica and she sits on the table by knitting chair. Since my children are now grown up and no longer live at home,  many days she’s youngest in our house.  Barefoot, wearing corduroy overalls and a thin cotton shirt, I often worried about her being chilled. I had always planned on knitting My Monica some sturdy socks and a wool sweater. This September, I did. First a pair of slipper socks. And then, after many failed attempts, she received a sweater. A red and blue marled cardigan. Three buttons on the top.

Doll sweaters. Amazingly satisfying to knit one for the doll in your life.

Notes:

Pattern I used http://waldorfmama.typepad.com/waldorfmama_dollsweater.pdf

Monica Leo Puppeeter and dollmaker

Florence Parry Heide

We met at an SCBWI conference in Racine, Wisconsin. Her daughter Roxie introduced her to me. After our our lovely chat, we became pen pals. For almost two decades, we exchanged books, letters, and cards. Letters from Kenosha were always on Florence's signature blue stationary decorated with a border of simple figure drawings --in red. She always used words like happy, joyous, or cheers. Usually, she tucked poem inside. We both hoped we would meet again. But we never did. I will miss my pen pal, Florence. And we will all miss looking forward to her new books.

I caught a glimpse of time last night
as time was passing by --
So quick! So bright! so beautiful
Stay! I cried.
The echo came: goodbye.
Florence Parry Heide December 2001