Memorial for my Mom

Sixteen little faces all waving good bye as they head out tomorrow on an adventure. One bear for each of Granny Ann's descendants. I will be including a letter and a picture of my mother with the box of bears.
Packed into their bags and ready to go all the way to Africa. Mom always believed that a little charity knitting or sewing was good for the soul. When I was first learning how to knit we made bandages for the leper hospital. We knit miles of garter stitch. That just about finished me in garter stitch for the rest of my life.
She encouraged me to take on at least one project a year. This one has taken me 3 months. With every bear I knit I have thought of her. How I wished she was here so I could show her how they were turning out. I know she would be overwhelmed to see this depiction of her offspring.
A co worker has a new baby daughter so I am more than ready to take on some stocking stitch in lavender. There is some royal blue mulberry & merino and some coral cotton waiting in the wings. Life and knitting goes on.
Mom sewing (on her 40 + year old Singer Sewing Machine) dresses for little girls who had no other chance to have anything "pretty."
My Mother taught by example.
















edit: This is the letter that went with the bears

...and THREE more knit

Three more bears left to reach the goal of 15 and then the stuffing begins. Julia is coming for a visit this weekend and we are going to sew up the "bear bags." Mom and I used to sew together when I was a little girl. I would be at the ironing board and she would be at the sewing machine.
I think I will have separation anxiety when it comes time to give these bears away. ...sigh
...and the hoard gathers

Three More

Still plugging away on the teddy front. I have another one half finished, that would be number 7. I am going to post the pictures in lots of three. This is instant gratification knitting. I can whip one up of an evening whilst watching the TV. At the moment they look like a pile of "Flat Stanleys." So far no two are the same. When all fifteen are knit I will still have the job of stuffing and embroidering faces AND then there are the little bags to make for each one. Lots to do yet. I am enjoying them. Mom would have loved the idea and that is what keeps me going.

Teddies for Tragedies

The news is full of heartache and terror in Haiti these days. When the immediate need of medical, food, water and shelter has been answered then the healing can begin.
If you are not aware of Teddies for Tragedies then please follow the link. It only takes an evening to knit one of these little bears.
I have been trying to find a knitting charity for this year. "A little charity knitting is good for the soul,"my mother used to say.
Previously I knit the Pneumonia Prevention Vests. The side bar link, under "Free Patterns," will take you to the pattern on this blog. This post receives the most hits on our blog and I hope many vests have been donated as a result.

Back to the Teddies. The web site link will take you to the pattern page. They are very simple to knit as they are primarily garter stitch. For the following bear I used 2 strands of 4 ply Shetland wool, left over from Michael's Heritage Vest and a 3.75mm Addi needle. The knitting needs to be dense so the stuffing won't show. The following is a pictorial representation of the written instructions.:


Knit two legs separately
Knit across the tops of both legs and continue for the top of the pants.
Change to the colours of your choice and knit the body.
Back to the teddy colour and in Stocking stitch knit the head (I knit 18 rows)
Now reverse the process and knit the "back."
Fold in half and Sew up the side seams of the head and pick up the sleeve stitches. Knit the arms.
Stitch across the "corners" of the head for the ears. these will not be stuffed.
Now, knit the other arm. sew up the seams leaving an opening for stuffing. The directions suggest leaving an opening at the inner leg. I find the outer leg seam easier to sew up after stuffing. Embroider the face and you are done.
I will post a picture of the finished guy as soon as I can get out to get some poly stuffing. Great ways to use up left over sock yarn!!
If you are in the London, St Thomas area of Ontario, the bears can be dropped off at Little Red Mitten.