Good Afternoon!
   I hope you all had a restful weekend! I spent some time today trying to get my camera recognized on my computer. Now I only have to get my picasa file connected to this.. lol  Its funny how one small problem begins many new ones.

   If this computer will co operate I'm going to share some of the projects I've worked on in the past. I hope that it helps inspire you to pick up your needles/hooks to begin a new project.

  A friend of mine just finished Red Hearts, waves afghan..Its really pretty. A ghan which is bigger has many uses as well as a lapghan.

The pattern used here is a climbing shells pattern. This is a baby blanket I made but would really work up well as a lapghan or a ghan..depending on the size you wish to make. 

This is a knitted blanket I made with left over skeins of yarn from other projects. Its warm and really nice to snuggle with when you need something cozy. The pattern for this is on Lionbrand's site. Its their diagonal stitch blanket. http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/L20088.html?noImages=

This is a free pattern.

This is a short blog today. I still need to work on getting things to upload. I wish each of you a blessed and peaceful day!

warm hugs, Leslee

What should I create?

  I have come across the thought of what to create so many times. And the more I do and contemplate what I should make and what I want to make , the more I realize that I just need to look closely at what the need is. Do I need to make something for donation somewhere or do I need to take the time to create something new that also pleases the creative spark in me?
  Just recently I had this happen. I chose to create a lap ghan. But this was not ordinary lap ghan. It is a lap ghan that can be used for warmth or be folded into a pillow. Most of us here are thinking, I can do that with any lap ghan. What about a lap ghan that when folded up it folds into a pillow top? I came across a pattern for this. It looked great but when I took a closer look, I had trouble following the pattern. Most crafters get frustrated because they can't read a pattern and it ends up in the basket for unfinished projects. I have had this problem before. So I thought, why not make a lap ghan as I'm used to making and create a pillow top to go on it?
  How about taking those unfinished projects and using them for lap ghans/pillows for a cancer patient? Or anyone that suffers from a disease that is debilitating. Even a senior would love these. 

  What I'm doing is making a lap ghan and then making the square top. I then will connect them so that when the ghan is folded into thirds and folded in half it will slide into the pillow top..it is easy to carry  and can be used as either a pillow or a lap ghan..it can keeps shoulders warm or supply a place to lay your head..I even like to just snuggle with one just for comfort.

  I'm going to post a link here to the one I tried working with.  It has instructions on how to assemble into a pillow and how to sew together pillow top and ghan. Its from a site called, Crochet Parfait.

 http://crochetparfait.blogspot.com/2013/01/pillowghan.html


It would be handy to download this pattern and then print. If you are anything like me, you forget little details that make something come together easier. 

I realized that I could use any stitch I desired. I'm using a half double crochet stitch for the blanket. I may use this pillow cover because its really nice..Regardless of what stitch I use, the pillow ghan will use up those projects I'm not going back to that sit and haunt me, or just scraps of leftover yarn. Be sure to use the same weight yarn when working with this.

I would love to know how you all do with this. As I said, it has many uses.

Leslee  

Good Morning, All!
  As I promised I would continue with how I got started crafting for charity which has become my ministry.
   Continuing on then, I crocheted for over a year in the group I had joined. I felt so happy. God had answered my prayer. What I didn't realize at that point things were about to change once more. The owners of the group I was in sort of had some sort of falling out. I was asked to moderate the group. Well, other then being a mother of ten children I had no other experience moderating, or so I thought. I had forgotten about when I worked in the college library as a Librarian Technician. I had student workers under me. It gave me some experience too. Then I also forgot I had a talent for working with materials I love. I love books! I love to read. When my children were in an elementary school in East Oakland, the librarian passed away and the district just had no money to send another librarian to that site..so there sat a library that needed to be dusted off., this of course is an understatement, it had boxes of books..books out of order, they were storing anything in that room. I simply one day heard that voice that is quiet and talks to us say, well you always wanted to work in a library, here's your chance..so I asked the principal if I could go in..clean it up and make it useable..working to keep it running..for free! I would even have it open and ready for the teachers to bring the kids in to check out books..and I would do all of the bulletin boards..I did this for over a year and a half..I loved it..but then had to quit to help my family then in crisis.  Looking back at all of this..I had way more experience then I first thought. So, I helped moderate the group I loved. But one day, I sort of had a surprising revelation.
  I realized that it would seem that almost everyone wants to help a helpless child. Preemie or newborn it didn't matter..But, what about the elderly? what about the homeless person? Did it really matter how or why they needed some help? By this time I could navigate myself around sweaters, blankets, hats and slippers..I was afraid the owner would be upset with me. I wanted to start another group. One that would address the needs of elderly, homeless, a cancer patient, anyone in need and not just babies. So, I quietly began to do the footwork of my new group. I kept it quiet. I worked the group up where only an owner could see what I was doing. Anyone on the outside would see just the front page..I was busy working behind the scenes to get things set up. Its an amazing amount of work. Then I  shared with my friends what I was doing and what was exciting me. Some even said they were interested and wanted to join the group. My fears of upsetting my owner in the group were not unfounded..she was indeed angry. She accused me of "fishing" to get members for my new group. I was hardly a threat to take down the one I moderated in. First, my new group really was concentrating on helping everyone else that was NOT a newborn. Then my health took another dive and I had open heart surgery. I backed slowly out of the newborn/preemie group because two groups was way more then I could handle. I had my group open for over a year and realized the title of the group only encompassed those who crochet. I was beginning to learn knitting and I already sewed..so did others in the group. I then changed the name of the group to honor all of the crafters. I also was realizing that I had another problem. I had crafters come in who expected me to be one of those groups that you can win things in.. I did not have that sort of group. They wanted to win things..not take a responsibility for keeping the group going. We all do this in conversation, in sharing a new pattern, a problem in our crafting, something new we found, the list goes on. Instead I was finding people who just wanted to be entertained, some wanted to just pop in and see what we were doing..That was definitely not working. I have a gift of gab so to speak, but even I need some responses and communication..It was not forth coming. I also realized that some of the problem is that there seems to be a "pat on the back" forth coming when we do something for a helpless infant/child..but not so for the other people in need. I also had on the back of my mind, where is God being given the glory for what is done? I had opened my group for anyone to talk about their faith, and asking for prayer..it was a place that feels good to be in.. I still have this group open as the handful of faithful want to stay in contact..Even I can see that the group really has no breathe left in it. Its so very sad.  Then one day recently my christian friend said to me, Leslee, you say you do not know what purpose He has for you in this life? uh, yeah. Sorta of surprised here as I didn't expect her to say this to me. It again was something I was thinking about and talking to God about. She said, ok tell me what talents do you have? You like to read? yes. You like to write? ..definitely! You craft. yes..what do you think would work here? How about taking your ministry to help others into a blog..Helping other crafters to create things to help people in their communities. wow! That's a really good idea! She said, you faithfully post scripture out on facebook to get His word out..yes, I do. The wheels inside my brain were beginning to move. I realized that by blogging I may be able to reach people in a way that had not occurred to me.

The problem finding people who really want to help others..to spread His love and compassion to people who really need is,  that I can't find a way to get the word out that people can make a difference in the life of those around them. I used to be able to go to yahoo and look up people whose hobbies are crocheting, knitting, sewing, crafting. Because they changed their format I'm without email addresses to find people. Facebook is a joke to get a message out more then a scripture or something that steals the news..It reminds me of an electronic ,Enquirer. The tabloid that I used to see in the grocery store. Not sure if its still in print. Many printed items are being replaced by electronic devices.

 I realized that there are crafting blogs online that might be interested in this ministry. It has very little glory or recognition to the crafter. The glory goes to our Creator who created us and gave us these gifts we call talents. 

 I intend to write things here about what I see available for patterns, what I craft myself, pattern links to other places, ideas that come to me and I hope others will share their passions for what they create. I hope to share my own charity work here too.

Remember, the people we help are helpless in many different ways. It can be a debilitating disease, life itself, or just plain getting old. There seem to be many who jump to the aid of people in a disaster. Praise God for this! What about those forgotten? What about the senior in a senior's home? They miss their families, the life they had, and just simple comforts like being warm, or something handmade which reminds them that they are loved. A pair of slippers or socks gives amazing warmth. Its kind of like someone tenderly washing your feet out of the love that they have for you. Someone homeless may be in this situation because of the way life has been lived..their choices that they made..regardless, of whether it was by choice or not, I felt who am I to say this person should or should not receive the love and attention they need? I am not to judge their life..I am able by His good grace to help. I extend my hand to all. Women, Men, teens, and children. If you want to make something to keep someone warm or give comfort please by all means do so. Our communities have many forgotten people. Consider it like helping in a soup kitchen. I was amazed at all the people now who want to work in a soup kitchen. They get seen helping. We who craft do not. And its not important to be seen and noticed. He sees all.

Having shared all this, please feel free to comment. Feel free to share your lives, your passions for helping others..and please above all else..donate your time/gifts to extend His hand in love and compassion to your communities.

The Beginning

I would like to begin here by letting everyone know the purpose of this new blog. I began quite a few years ago to craft to help babies in need. I'm a mother of ten children and a grandmother to many more. I love life and I love my family. Most of all, I love God. He is the one who created me and in that creation gifted me with the ability to crochet and to knit. I also sew.
  After a major crisis in my own life with my family, going back to college to get my A.A. degree in Liberal Arts, working as a Librarian technician, having transferred to a state college to complete a B.A. and go on for my teaching credential ; my body just gave out on me. I was in my late forties and I felt helpless. I had just spent eight days in a hospital. My family still depended on me to keep things going. I could not stand alone, I could not walk without the aid of a walker and I was on way too many medications. I knew I was not going to finish up my college work in that condition. I also knew that I needed to move and change the environment I was in. So I contacted one of my older sons and he and his wife helped me move my things and my youngest daughter up into Northern California near him. I remember in prayer before actually moving..I asked God, where am I going to move? Is there a place still for me? My frame of mind then was that I was useless. One day I was sort of daydreaming..resting my mind and I saw me rocking in my rocker in a white room with beautiful forest green carpet. It was peaceful and I knew I belonged there. Dream over I had to find a place to live through my son/wife. I could not go look at places to live.Then I got a phone call from my daughter in law. "Mom! We found your little house!," I was surprised to say the least.. Ok, my criteria was two bedrooms, living room, bathroom, and a kitchen..I did not want an apartment. I wanted a little house or cottage. To make it harder I needed a place to have two indoor kitties and I could not have more then one or two stairs..a ramp would have been perfect. My daughter in law said..Its exactly what you want..its the right rent and after talking with the landlord I was able to rent this..Not long after came our moving day.
 On moving day.I had to depend on my family to pack and move me and my youngest daughter. I had to lay almost flat traveling to my new home. When we arrived, with help I got out of the car and was helped inside so I could see my new home. I was amused that the ceiling in the kitchen was so low..it was like a little hobbit house..I kept thinking in the back of my mind, its His humor in this..After everything was moved in and I could relax I kept thinking wow! This was all TOO easy..Getting a place in California at the rent I needed, and with the particulars I had is NOT that easy..In fact, sometimes its nearly impossible. On the back of my mind I was thinking..this is nice but NOW what? Two weeks after I moved, I was able to walk slowly around the little house without the walker. I was able to wean myself off strong medications that made my mind slow and foggy..And then one afternoon I was sitting in my rocker and that daydream came back to me.. I was actually sitting in that very same rocker in my living room with white walls and....forest green carpet..Now if you have ever rented before..you know that is REALLY uncommon. I was astounded..only He knew my prayer and knew what I was thinking..and that daydream..oh my! 
 Then not even a month later I was talking to one of my son's still living in the area where I had just moved from. I teasingly said to him, " You should pack up your computer and bring it up here to I can communicate with you down there." I could hear how astonished his voice was..he said, "mom how did you know?" I said "what?" He said, I'm bringing it to you this weekend! wow! I didn't know.. I had although just asked God, "What use am I now?" I can't work..I can barely get a meal and walking is just really hard for me."  Right after my son brought up the computer and set it up, I got online for the first time. Two ladies found me and contacted through my yahoo email and asked me if I could crochet or knit..I had done a little of both but did not feel qualified to do anything...They invited me into a group that did charity crafting. It was sooo sudden, I was blown away.!  I started to make things for newborns and preemies..They taught me online and on the phone. The group members were like sisters I had never met..they encouraged me, and helped me learn. 
This was the beginning of how I came to craft for those in need. Let me tell you, if you ask Him something in prayer..He DOES answer! He usually did so in so many surprising ways.. Sometimes I would be talking to one of my new friends and in something they said to me, was the answer to what I asked Him in prayer. 

This has been a long beginning story, but I believe its important to have some background information to understand where I'm coming from. During that crisis in the beginning of this blog I had lived in East Oakland, California for 18 yrs. I learned what a ghetto was. I had moved into Berkeley and lived there 6 yrs coming out of my family crisis..I learned a lot of life's lessons in all of this..but God was about to show me soo much more. 
Tomorrow, I will tell you how I started an online crafting group of my own.. I would like to share with you my journey, my ministry, my love of crocheting and knitting, my family, patterns, and just life in general. I would love to have feedback and I would love it if you also shared your love and compassion to help others in need. 

Love in Christ, Leslee