Notice of a Yarn Crawl ...

Coming soon to the North Shore area.

Do you love to Knit? Crochet? Or just stash fiber? Plan a weekend trip!!

Check it out

I know it's been awhile since I've posted but I'm hoping some of the M.I.T. crowd stops by in Salem to say "Hi" and visit some of the best yarn shops in the area in March.

BTW, the picture in the Seed Stitch Fine Yarn store shows a scarf that was crocheted by me, the StitchingNut. I used Spud & Chloe Sweater Yarn ... so nice for the crocheter. But equally as nice for the knitter; which you may already know if you read my Blog.

See ya in March!!

Is the Cotton and Acrylic stash piling up?

Would you like to find a home for the extra cotton and acrylic taking up room in your stash, as well as help others at the same time?

Donate to a charitable organization that put's both cotton and acrylic yarns to good use. Yup, the evil acrylic is wanted and needed by the ladies at NH Services who knit items for needy children and residence of nursing homes that require machine washable items. They use the cotton for kemo hats ... the softer the better. If you have a lot, consider the tax deduction you could get also. The RSVP Volunteers (there are 60 total) ... love to knit ... love to crochet ... and love contributing to others. This is something they do all year long by the way.

I've recently received this note from the Volunteer Services Director, Dee Martin that I want to share with you.
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Emailed Oct 12, 2007 12:38 PM to Rhonda the Stitchingnut

Hi Rhonda,

We would like to share with you the wonderful support from various places in the country that have responded to our request for yarn because of your website. Yarn came from all over New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virginia and many many towns in Massachusetts.


Our volunteers, in turn, create beautiful knitted and crocheted items (such as hats, mittens, scarves, afghans) which are delivered to needy families, non-profit organizations, and nursing homes throughout the area.


Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Dee Martin
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Below are a few pictures of just a few of the lovely ladies doing the knitting & crocheting for others in need. In fact, The first picture is of Helyn Malay (93 years young) who had started a knitting group called "Yarn It All" to knit hats, mittens and scarves for low income area school children. The other pictures include what they've been knitting and crocheting that are ready to be distributed during the Holidays.

I think I would also like to give every one of them a big hug.

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE SERVICES, INC.

The Community Action Agency for Hillsborough County

Dee Martin, Volunteer Services Director

40 Pine Street, Manchester, NH 03103

Telephone: (603) 668-8010 ext 6022 Fax: (603) 645-6734

dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org www.snhs.org

Give a helping hand when you can ...

Subject: Pine Street Inn Knit-A-Thon November 4, 2007

This message is being forwarded to you on behalf of Farley Sullivan who is organizing the Pine Street Inn Knit-A-Thon taking place on November 4, 2007. Please direct all questions to Farley at fnsullivan@comcast.net

---------- Forwarded message ----------

The weather outside is starting to cool off and if that doesn't make you want to start knitting maybe the upcoming Pine Street Inn Knit-A-Thon will! Time is going so quickly and the November 4th Knit-A-Thon is a little over a month away.

So please, don't be a square.... KNIT ONE!!!!!

• STEP 1: Ladies (and gentlemen) start your needles! Start knitting your 9 inch by 9 inch squares. They can be ANY COLOR, ANY MATERIAL, ANY GAUGE, ANY PATTERN... And, you can feel free to knit as many or as few as you are able!!!!
• STEP 2: Go forth and multiply! If you can knit one, you can knit two.... And so on, and so on. Each blanket will take 35 squares. Even if you can only knit a few - they will help complete a blanket.
• STEP 3: Please follow the easy, step by step instructions and make your very own webpage at www.firstgiving.com/pinestreetinn.
• STEP 4: Estimate how many squares you can knit by November 4th. I estimated that I will make 50 - which is a lot... In fact, I am knitting while I type this email... really!
• STEP 5: Ask your friends and family to support your knitting efforts by pledging on a per square basis on your webpage. For example: $1.00 per square x 50 squares = $50.00. Or they can make the dollar donation of their choice. The donations you collect on your secure First Giving webpage will go to the Pine Street Inn's Supportive Housing Program.
• STEP 6: Join us on Sunday, November 4th from 10:00am to 5:00pm at the Women's Inn at Pine Street, 363 Albany Street, Boston (you can drop in any time during these hours). Bring your knitted 9 x 9 inch squares on November 4th and together we will assemble them into blankets. Check out http://www.pinestreetinn.org/knit-a-thon/ . If you cannot make the event, please knit anyway... Your squares can be collected by a fellow knitter or shipped to the event.

The Knit Garden

The Knit Garden
Originally uploaded by Stitchingnut

Knitted Plants on display at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn on 21 Front Street, Salem, MA. August 13 - September 30, 2007.

Join us on September 14th, 2007 for a reception and lecture by the Artist, Tatyana Yanishevsky at 6pm, $20. For tickets, call (978) 744-5557 or email info@seedstitchfineyarn.com.

Just click on the picture to view the rest on display ....

Helping others to Knit for charity!

I met up with Dee Martin this past Saturday. She's with the Southern New Hampshire Services, Inc. as their Volunteer Services Director. Dee and I go back about 15 years to the NH Lung Association. We worked together for a few years before I came down to M.I.T. We were also crochet buddies and good friends, so I couldn't ignore an appeal for help. Especially to help Senior volunteer knitters. Fortunately, the MIT SnB community, as well as Victoria at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn in Salem, MA couldn't resist either. I handed over a car trunk load of yarn and pattern books to Dee this Saturday in Portsmouth.

Thanks everyone for donating! RSVP will put it all to good use.

And remember; they knit & crochet for charity all year long and will appreciate your donations.

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE SERVICES, INC.

The Community Action Agency for Hillsborough County

Dee Martin, Volunteer Services Director

40 Pine Street, Manchester, NH 03103

Telephone: (603) 668-8010 ext 6022 Fax: (603) 645-6734

dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org www.snhs.org

The RSVP volunteers ...

In 2006, 84 RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) volunteers knitted over 3,000 goods such as hats, mittens, scarves, chemo hats, lap blankets and much more to be delivered to inner city schools, hospitals, nursing homes and the American Cancer Society. The total cash value was over $28,000, but the impact it made on the lives who needed help to stay warm was priceless.

Volunteers warm the hearts, hands and feet of many children and frail elders in the community. They are making a difference by knitting year round to keep up with the constant demand come the winter months.

Can you help these seniors change the world one stitch at a time?

They need skeins of yarn of all colors to keep the volunteer needles going. To donate yarn, please email dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org or call 1-800-322-1073 x 6022.

Calling all Knitters and Crocheters,

I just got a note from a friend in New Hampshire that works for the Southern New Hampshire Services and they need donations of yarn. Would you like to clean out some of the unwanted, don't know what you would make with, or have no time for Yarn? If you like to donate knitted or crocheted items to worthy causes, but haven't the time to do the work ... help the Seniors do it for you! Donate yarn! BTW, they like Acrylic the best due to easy & multiple washings.

SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE SERVICES, INC.

The Community Action Agency for Hillsborough County

Dee Martin, Volunteer Services Director

40 Pine Street, Manchester, NH 03103

Telephone: (603) 668-8010 ext 6022 Fax: (603) 645-6734

dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org www.snhs.org

Who knew a skein of yarn could change the world?

In 2006, 84 RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) volunteers knitted over 3,000 goods such as hats, mittens, scarves, chemo hats, lap blankets and much more to be delivered to inner city schools, hospitals, nursing homes and the American Cancer Society. The total cash value was over $28,000, but the impact it made on the lives who needed help to stay warm was priceless.

Volunteers warm the hearts, hands and feet of many children and frail elders in the community. They are making a difference by knitting year round to keep up with the constant demand come the winter months.

Can you help these seniors change the world one stitch at a time?

We need skeins of yarn of all colors to keep these volunteer needles going. To donate yarn, please email dmartin (at) snhs (dot) org or call 1-800-322-1073 x 6022.

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If you write or call ... just tell her that Rhonda the Stitchingnut sent you!

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I plan to get together with Dee in April if anyone at M.I.T. would like to send some yarn up with me I'll be happy to carry it along. I have some of my own to bring anyway. She also said that she could arrange to have it picked up. The ladies knit and crochet for charities all year, so donate as often as you can. Thanks for you help.

Cheers,

Rhonda

Real Men Knit

Something for the guys!