The Cold Knees Project
The Cold Knees Project is a fun name for my attempt to make a dent in my stash of yarn that I have collected over many years.
Being someone who was taught to crochet and knit from the age of 4 years, and enjoying these needlecraft activities ever after, it will not be surprising to fellow “yarn-aholics” that I now have quite a hoard of brightly coloured balls of wool - well, wool and many blends of wool and various other fibres.
On a drive to downsize my material possessions, I spent a day hauling out all these packages of yarn, sorting them, deciding what to give away, and what projects I could use them up on. Much of it was re-packed into sacks to go to the “To Russia With Love” project. A number of dedicated knitters use donated yarn to make warm clothing for children in Russian orphanages. This seemed a very worthy project, and so I lessened my stash considerably by making a donation in that direction. But what of the rest? Then an idea came to me…
The City Mission had mentioned in a newsletter how they work to keep the elderly living in their own homes for as long as possible, rather than having to go into residential care, but during the winter it gets increasingly hard for these folk to keep warm when the cost of electricity makes adequate heating unaffordable. I’m all for people being able to live in their own homes for as long as possible, if that is what they want to do. Perhaps those balls of yarn could be turned into afghans which might help to keep cold knees a little warmer in winter? And so my Cold Knees Project was born.
My friend Donna, who has recently learnt to crochet, is just discovering how addicting it is to collect yarn with all kinds of projects in mind. She is just a beginner when it comes to yarn - read her confession here - although from what I have heard, her house positively bulges with collections of other craft materials!
Another friend from Sleepy Cat Hollow is crocheting scarves to donate to the Kids Kottages, protective shelters where police or social workers bring children after they have been removed from their families. Most children at Kids Kottage are there because their families are suspected of severe abuse or neglect, but some children are placed because no one else is available to care for them during parental incarceration or hospitalization. As well as the scarves, and being a quilter too, she is also planning to make and donate quilts. Hmm, quilts are on my inventory list for the Cold Knees Project too. If only there were more hours in the day… I could certainly use them!
Yet another friend from Sewing Sunsets is hopelessly attached to her sewing machine and addicted to dressmaking. As well as publishing sewing tutorials, she has found a mission for herself in churning out clothes for children of needy families, and in making gifts to cheer others and help brighten their days.
There is a wellknown saying that goes “It is more blessed to give than receive.” Value cannot always be measured in monetary terms alone. A gift that has special meaning is often treasured beyond the monetary value of the item as appraised by some objective criterion. There is treasure in the gift, plus more accrued to it by the one receiving the gift, and even more again by the blessing received by the giver. The accumulation is treasure indeed.
A friend and I both learnt exactly that when I gave her one of my quilts. Seemingly tragic events in her life had provoked her to make a serious attempt to end it. The circumstances were intensely humiliating, and she was still struggling with shame and a clinical depression when the quilt arrived “out of the blue”. I learnt some time later how much that quilt meant to her, and was humbled to know that something I enjoyed making could help that much. She pulled through, often burying herself in that quilt for consolation, and turned the corner to be living a much more rewarding life achieving goals she had once believed were totally out of reach.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(Matthew 6:19-21)
The Christian worldview accepts that every action and every outcome must sooner or later be measured against an ultimate norm for its ultimate value. This kind of treasure is not stored in this temporal world but is weighed for good measure in the eternal one that continues beyond. Good deeds in themselves will not secure anyone’s salvation, and so it needs to be said that salvation is itself a gift ~ from God through our faith in Christ. But wherever you invest your treasure, there indeed will your heart be also.
What a wonderful project!! I hope it inspires others to seek out ways to ease the discomforts of the less fortunate. I will surely be looking for homes for my crocheted pieces in the future. Such beautiful work.
Comment by Donna — February 8, 2009 @ 8:35 amThank you, Donna.
That is the very reason I posted this entry, that it might hopefully inspire others to do something similar.
We all have skills and talents (gifts) which we can use to help others. Kept to oneself these become worthless, but used “to ease the discomforts of the less fortunate” they compound in worth and provide blessings for both recipient and giver as well. Generous sharing improves matters for all of us.
Comment by Judah — February 8, 2009 @ 8:42 amJudah, that is a wonderful project! I love the colors and designs of the afghans you have pictured here.
Thanks for the special mention, too.
The story of your friend being helped by the gift of your handmade quilt is inspiring. Sometimes, the simplest things can make a huge difference in someone’s life and give them hope again.
Thanks for a wonderful post.
Comment by toadusew — February 11, 2009 @ 1:45 amI wish I could knit or crochet, but all I can do is one forever ongoing chain that just gets longer and longer. When I was a kid, my Mom used to crochet but now she can’t remember how as she hasn’t done it in years- 20+. Now I could sew, (that friend at Sewing Sunsets is super helpful when I get stuck!) but I can’t afford to buy fabric right now.
One day I’ll be making a project a week and probably only half of it will be for me. I can;t wait to be getting enough business to be able to do that!
But I’m rambling. This is such a nice, warm, fuzzy post though.
I <3 warm and fuzzy!
Comment by boerbabe — February 12, 2009 @ 10:06 amG’day BB. Did you know that Donna could not crochet anything more than an everlasting chain until just a month or so ago? She has learnt, and got help from friends online when she got stuck. Now just check out her website and see what she can make! We all have to start at the beginning, and it is certainly possible to learn.
Mind you, I’d love to see our friend at Sewing Sunsets wield a crochet hook or pair of knitting needles. I think that would be very funny, don’t you?
Hey, I remember you helped me with a digital photo once, selecting and cutting one figure out of it before I learnt to use Photoshop. You also have some very handy skills.
G’day “friend at Sewing Sunsets” - yep, tell that to BB here: Sometimes, the simplest things can make a huge difference in someone’s life and give them hope again.
Comment by Judah — February 12, 2009 @ 1:18 pmhehe One day I’ll learn- just dunno when that will be.
I’m not saying I don’t have some handy skills, but I do need some more that are more generally useful. I can’t even saw a board in two without it going very, very crooked!
My cat snuggling with me is one of those simple things… she just comes and curls up and hasn’t a care in the world except to share some body heat and get her ears scritched. How happy she is and so uncomplicated makes me a little happier.
Comment by boerbabe — February 15, 2009 @ 6:46 pmOMG!! A Boerbabe sighting and I am 3 months late seeing it. I am glad to see she is well. Debra, I know you would do wonderful at knitting or crocheting. Look how beautiful your beaded pieces came out. I am loving crocheting. I only wish I had tried it sooner.
Judah, your afghans are amazing. No two are alike which will be helpful for the recipients. They will know at a glance which one is theirs.
Comment by Donna — May 16, 2009 @ 8:27 amYou’ll have to pop in more frequently, then, Donna!
Yep, BB calls in here at times, and she has linked to Judah’s Journal on her blog as well. I don’t think she has quite forgotten all her old aunties and grannies at eBay.
I guess you saw the Afghan Gallery on the “Judah’s Crafts” page, Donna. Eleven so far, and the number rising. I’m using up some of my yarn stash at last.
Comment by Judah — May 16, 2009 @ 10:59 amI have been here many times… looking around, admiring your craftsmanship… don’t know how I missed this. BTW, I like what you have done to the place.
Comment by Donna — May 16, 2009 @ 2:23 pmThankies, Donna!
Comment by Judah — May 16, 2009 @ 3:02 pmI think I’ve got the Crafts Page rewritten to my liking now. It will be much easier to add more quilts and afghans there as they come into being.
Hi Judah,
Comment by Svetlana — October 19, 2009 @ 10:07 amI first discovered Donna’s blog and then I linked yours.I think Donna’s blog is amazing
but when I saw yours I think it is amazing too.I know to sewing , I made macrame but
I know a little about crochet. I believe women who are not young [like me] they can
,if want to learn something new early day.I am right or no? Most of us at that age
do not want to learn something new .
Al the best
Svetlana from Belgrade Serbia Europe