To honor the founding family of Ravelry, where Wool-Aid began, we have begun a special campaign to create items for children in sizes for infants through age 6. All of our focus items are included, just in smaller sizes! Items should be wool and warm, with good coverage, but no light colors and nothing frilly or lacy—sweaters, socks, hats, mittens, blankets, vests. All items should be knit or crocheted according to the standard Wool-Aid guidelines. “Shower gifts” received will be donated to two places, based on the need for the specific items received: Inuit Daycare Centers (via Warm Hands) that serve children from infant through age 6 (and which especially need hats and mittens); and Knit for Tibet, where there is a significant need for all types of items for babies and children.

Guidelines for Baby Shower Campaign

• Use the highest wool content possible (at least 80% wool/animal fiber) — 100% wool is even better.
• Use worsted weight yarn or heavier.
• All items should be crafted with an emphasis on coverage and warmth.
• Vests should close securely.
• Sweaters and vests should provide warmth from the neck down.
• Hats and mittens should protect against extreme cold.
• Socks should be densely knit and with good coverage for the leg as well as the foot.

Please send all finished items to

Wool-Aid
1381 Rocky Creek Court
Belleville, IL 62220

If you are able, a contribution to help share the cost of shipping expenses would be appreciated. See How to Donate to Wool-Aid for details.

Our campaign for the Warm Hands Network to help the Innu children in Northern Labrador has come to a successful close. We have sent 4 huge boxes weighing nearly 135 pounds — 61 baby blankets and 76 pairs of socks! All has now been received, and everything will be distributed through the clinic there:

Thanks to all who made it possible to send such warmth and love to the Innu children!

Wool-Aid is supporting Warm Hands’ fall campaign dedicated to baby blankets and socks.

Items are destined for the 400 children in the Innu community in Northern Labrador and will be delivered through the Warm Hands Network. These children live in a very isolated area and are often forgotten.

Within the community, items are distributed through The Next Generation Guardians – a group of Innu women in Northern Labrador working to help the next generation learn life skills and preserve and protect their Innu language and culture.

The Next Generation Guardians want to be able to give every new baby born in the year a blanket when they come into the clinic. This gets young moms into the clinic (a definite plus) and it sends some good kharma into the atmosphere when a teeny baby gets something they will have around them for the next few years. And, of course, because each of the children needs multiple pairs of socks, the need for socks is ongoing.

Our end date is August 31, 2010 for receipt of items at Wool-Aid, so that we can have our Wool-Aid contributions sorted, shipped, and received in Canada by the end of September.

GUIDELINES FOR SOCK KNITTERS for this campaign:

• Wool (at least 80% wool/animal fiber)
• Worsted weight or heavier yarn
• As a rule of thumb, the leg of the sock (cuff-to-bottom of foot) should be as long as the foot of the sock (heel-to-toe), up to a maximum of about 10 inches for the leg.
• Socks are needed for children of all ages, but tiny socks for newborns aren’t as useful because Innu babies tend to be larger at birth – more often 10 lbs. or more.
• There is a particular need for children 5-15 years old.
• Please tie socks of a pair together, with a bow at the top of the cuff, before sending.
• A sock pattern that incorporates all of these guidelines is Cozy Toes by Christiane Burkhard.

GUIDELINES FOR BABY BLANKETS for this campaign:

• Wool (at least 80% wool/animal fiber)
• Worsted weight or heavier yarn
• Baby blankets should measure about 40”×40” so that babies can be well wrapped. This is a guideline — something to guide us in providing a large enough blanket to wrap a 10-pound newborn in, knowing that this blanket will be needed to provide a good deal of warmth. They can be square or rectangular; they can be somewhat larger or a bit smaller.
• Please choose a pattern that creates a dense, warm blanket; a blanket that is lacy or airy will simply not be warm enough.
• Baby blankets can be either knitted or crocheted.

Suggested baby blanket patterns:

Mystery Baby Blanket by Christiane Burkhard

Granite Stitch Baby Blanket for Wool-Aid (crochet) by Debbie Cowherd

If you are able, a contribution to help share the cost of shipping expenses to Canada would be appreciated. See how to donate to Wool-Aid for details.