I love doing these things. We’ve all heard that women tend to be nurturers, and crafting is “women’s work”. But we’re taking that attitude and making it our own, making a difference, even if it’s in small ways - like knitting squares for a blanket to soothe a sick child.

I can’t volunteer to work directly with the children, or be anywhere near sick or homeless animals. I don’t have the strength for that- it hurts my heart too much. But I can knit and make useful things fairly quickly so this is one way I can help.

I have a new knitting goal (like I don’t have enough) - I’m going to try to knit at least one charitable item a month. It might be one square for a project like grace, a hat for dulaan, a crate blanket for the local animal shelter, or a scarf for the snb’s latest project (I LOVE how we’re working together on projects like this). I’ve been very lucky in my life and this is one small way I can help.

So here are some squares I’m mailing out today for Grace’s friend, Justin.

I knit eleven squares in the last week or so. Lots of different yarns used there - kitchen cotton, sock yarn leftover from my jays (doiuble stranded), some handspun from sandstone ranch, cotton leftover from my old ballet tee, the turquoise is some cotton I’d bought at a discount shop and experimented with immersion dyeing, and there are several using some nice Rowan yarn from my mom’s friend at the Assistance League which completes an interesting circle of giving.

So those are all done blocking and are going out in the mail today with some nice yarn donated to the prize pool. Along with a nice package of goodies for my secret pal 7 angel gal. She’s going to love it.

I’m feeling smug and busy today.