hand puppets

littlelou1975 · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 312 Location: Fife

I dont know if anyones already seen this or if its already been suggested but it looked like a quick easy knit that could bring a lot of joy to wee faces. Laughing

http://www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/occ/knitting_for_occ.asp

Maybe it could be a future challenge..no stuffing involved..hooray

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caroline · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 87

great idea lou perfect for christmas boxes

Lou · Site Admin Joined: 13 Nov 2007 Posts: 1060 Location: Fife

Puppets are good Louise! We are planning to get involved in Blythswoods Shoebox appeal and maybe their buckets of love campaign as well (details will follow soon). I have been in touch with them to find out all we need to know about both of these very good appeals. I feel it is important that we don't spread ourselves too thinly so the fact that Blythswood already has a shoebox appeal and they are one of our charities it would seem bad to give shoeboxes to Samaritans Purse and miss Blythswood Out. (Also I have a good arrangement with Blythswood to collect all we have so there is no extra postage costs etc). What do you think girls? Maybe I am being daft but I don't want us to get involved in too many projects to the point that our existing ones have to do without.

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sue · Site Admin Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 101

Am with you on this one Lou, we give to Blytheswood so I think we should give to their shoe boxes as well

Babycham · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 126 Location: Suffolk

This sounds like a good idea, as we already send to Blythswood. Does the showbox appeal run all year, or is it a christmas thing like Samaritans Purse? As it would make a good autumn challenge to help fill the shoeboxes.

Teresa

Gladcat · Joined: 12 Apr 2008 Posts: 89 Location: Norfolk

I would agree with the too many irons on the fire theme - I'm already starting too many projects!!! Lets concentrate on a few things at a time or my entire house will be over run with half-finished items!!!

Molly Lawton · Joined: 30 Mar 2008 Posts: 323 Location: Hampshire

I know I haven't been with the group very long but thought I would say something on the subject. Hope you don't mind.

I think it is very difficult as you get appeals every day from deserving charities and it is impossible to help everyone. You seem to have such a good relationship with Blythswood and it would be a shame to jeopardize it. You are doing such a great job and helping a lot of people.

Molly

Smile

ClaireA · Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 2:16 pm Post subject:

We take part in the shoebox appeal in our Church so I will make some to put in my boxes (no postage involved as the Red Cross collect).

Whilst I know that we can't spread ourselves too thinly - all charities mentioned will mean something to someone and with this thread and the one on the Save the Children hats I am worried that people will be afraid to mention other charities for fear of the response.

Lou does a great job of keeping the challenges interesting and spreading out out knitted items across the country (and the world with Baby Pack and Burundi bears).

Though we definitely can't support all of the charities all of the time it would be nice to give different ones a turn. Shoe boxes are different as I think they ask for filled boxes rather than bits to add to boxes (though your local red cross centre would probably be grateful for a few knitted hand puppets to add to boxes).

Will we be taking part in the Innocent/Age Concern campaign later in the year?

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ClaireA

Lorraine · Joined: 18 Feb 2008 Posts: 357 Location: East Sussex

This is always difficult as Claire says. Different causes do have a variety of emphasis for everyone and can depend on how/whether it touched you personally. I think Little Lou's hand puppets are a great idea and could make a good challenge item - perhaps we could do like the sailor hat challenge and distribute them according to how many we actually got in - Blythswood being the 1st port of call. I am happy to go with the flow...... although some of you may prefer me not to make any if you saw my "alien" doll creations!

littlelou1975 · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 312 Location: Fife

My fiance and I are filling boxes for Blythswood this year. We aim to have at least 12 filled and have been buying items like basics toothpaste,toothbrushes,razors etc with our usual shop. I am putting a knitted item in each box and have already knitted 5 hats and a scarf so i am hoping to add a few hand puppets. Laughing

Im sure they would add items to already filled boxes or simply send a knitted hand puppet package to be distributed amongst the children.

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Charlie · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 338 Location: Germany

How about having a charity rotating in the challenges. Then we don't need to leave out any that we have got already. Just an idea I had earlier this afternoon.

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Ilona

Lou · Site Admin Joined: 13 Nov 2007 Posts: 1060 Location: Fife

Isn't it lovely to see such a healthy debate going on in here! So far my feeling has been to concentrate on our main charities but if we get appeals from members for different ones we are always happy to include them (as Ilona said in our challenges - like the Sailor Hats and Paul O Grady's appeal) this way we can do our bit for different things as well and it gives you girls something different to focus on for a while!

Don't any of you ever be shy to let us know your feelings or suggestions - we are a group not just individuals and want everyone to feel happy and comfortable that we are doing what we can for as many people as possible:0)

Yes the shoebox appeal does involve filling shoeboxes but they are also happy to take individual items to top up shoeboxes they get in or to pack from scratch. Postage costs would be difficult if you were all posting boxes filled with items to me here at headquarters (although I wouldn't have any postage costs to get them on to Blythswood as they collect from the supermarket car park 5 minutes away from my house once a month!).

I have asked them for their literature re the shoebox appeal and we will take it from there for the next challenge I think :0)

Any other suggestions etc let us have them! :0)

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Liverbird · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 132 Location: Liverpoooooool!

My mum is the area coordinator where she lives in Wales for Operation Christmas Child with the Samaritans purse and she knits throughout the year for 'her charity' and I knit for Loving Hands. There's no bad feelings because the local schools and library and churches etc all over Britain donate to the shoebox appeal for Samaritans purse and I'm guessing that Blytheswood don't have such nationwide recognition.

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The Mersey branch of Loving Hands!

Nita · Joined: 25 Apr 2008 Posts: 235 Location: Isle of Lewis

I think we should be careful of taking on too many things. While it's nice for everyone to feel their special charity is supported and that we have a variety of things to do, it could be spreading ourselves a bit thin so to speak. Also the things we support regularly will come to rely on us. Maybe we could just make a few things for the national appeals? because these tend to get lots of publicity and therefor tend to get public support. It's a difficult issue.

littlelou1975 · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 312 Location: Fife

I also found this pattern via Ravelry for a toy elephant. there is no good pic on the link alas but it looks a very easy knit for all as it is garter stitch and knitted in one apart fro the ears. Laughing

http://www.angelfire.com/art2/oasisguild/news2_5.html#pattern

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