Ha! I've been invited...

to take part in a square exchange on Ravelry.

You always get this tingle when you're invited to do something. That tingle that says 'I'm special. People really like me.' That's your ego talking. In truth, I know that lots of stitchers on Ravelry have been invited to join this group but it will be a fun exercise (and get rid of some of this yarn stash).

The basic premise is that you make 11 (12, keep one for yourself) granny squares which are 12" on the side, you ship off 11 of them to the names of your group and all the people in that group will have enough squares to make a blankie, lap throw or what have you. I think this will be great, to see what other people are doing, what materials they are using and, as I said, use of some of the yarn stash that is hiding in the basement.


I just went through and repacked a bunch of that stuff. I keep thinking 'This has got to be getting smaller but I'm not seeing it. I think the main drawback is that 13 big plastic containers that are stuffed full of yarn. There are also ancillary cardboard boxes that are full of yarn and when I get rid of one of the cardboard boxes, it doesn't register as an accomplishment because the plastic containers are still there and still stuffed full of yarn.


And then, some people will donate yarn to me for my Project Linus blankets. A great, big ole Thank You to the people that do this, but where am I going to put it all? Guess I'll have to work faster.


I did get a couple of projects done for Project Linus from the last donation of yarn that I received. I had to go out and buy another skein of Hepplewhite white Lion Brand Homespun to finish the pattern on one. The things we do for charity.

Score!

I make blankets for Project Linus. I have made blankets for that charity for 4 or more years. As is people's wont, I have mentioned this in the course of conversations with different people and I was asked if I would take some yarn from one of the women I spoke to about this.

She had purchased the yarn for projects and now had decided that her interests lay in a different direction and she no longer wanted it her house, she preferred to have the space for other things.

After no hesitation at all, I said 'Yes, I'd be happy to take the yarn for Project Linus blankets.' I've had other people also donate yarn to me for charity work in the past.

Now I'll be honest and say that if I receive some yarn from someone for a charity that I think I can use in another project, I'll use it. Some people will be horrified to hear that items that were donated to me to use for charity, I decide to use for my personal items. But I'm OK with that. I donate lots of blankets to Project Linus every year. Way more blankets than I have ever been gifted yarn for, so that means that I'm using my yarn for the charity. Swapping out some of the donated yarn for the my yarn that I use, it works for me. And some of the stuff I receive goes right on to another charity depending upon the condition, quantity and type of yarn received.

Have a different opinion? That's what the Comment section is for.

A great big Thank You to Inger for donating this yarn to the charity effort. As you can see in the second photo, I've already started a blanket from the donation she gave me.