Knitting with Company

Help to make women aware of the symptoms of ovarian cancer while also helping to subsidize research into finding an early detection test for the disease.

To help make that happen, in conjunction with Skacel, we are very proud to introduce the “Egg-stra” Special Sock Kit. This sock pattern was designed by Rosemary “Chappy” Chapman, this time in honor of Susanne Skacel, a three-year survivor of ovarian cancer. The Teal color of Trekking in this kit is the official color designated to ovarian cancer, and has been specially dyed just for this cause. Every design aspect of this sock, from the cuff to the toe, is a reminder to us that ovarian cancer can be beaten if we, as women, unite.

All the proceeds from the sale of these kits will be donated to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research (marsharivkin.org).

We have heard from Citizen Sam that the armed forces will not take any kind of knitted hats, helmet liners or scarves in the future.

Please do not send us any more liners – we will not accept any more as we cannot send them on, so please, please, please do not send them.

After August 15th we will let you know how many liners (close to 1000) you have donated and we will be letting you know about other charities that we are supporting that you can knit for. For example, Prayer Shawls and Baby Blankets always seem to be in demand, so you can always have things to make. But stay tuned to emails and ‘like us’ on facebook.

By the way, did you know that we have plenty of charity yarn available in the store? Come in and ask for it – you can take whatever you need, and there’s no charge. We simply ask that you fill in a form to tell us about the charity knitting that you’re doing and when the project is complete you can send us some pictures so that the generous folks who donated the yarn know what good it did. Also if you have yarn for us to pass on, just drop it off here (whole skeins only, please – and must have the original yarn band).

July 3, 2010 by KATIE MORELL For Sun-Times Media

More than 70 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are patrolling with comfort, thanks to the efforts of one woman: Carol Rosene.

Earlier this year, the St. Charles resident became aware that helmet liners worn by servicemen and women are made of nylon and very uncomfortable, but that the government accepts wool liners made by citizens to replace the nylon pieces.

Carol Rosene, 72, of St. Charles, is passionate about helping servicemen and women in Afghanistan and Iraq, so she knits helmet liners for them to use in battle. She is the daughter of a World War II veteran, so she says she can relate to the families of those overseas.

read the full article …

July 3, 2010 by KATIE MORELL For Sun-Times Media

Good Afternoon Wool and Company Customers:

I am dropping you a quick note to let you know that we received your donation of 86 Helmetliners, 39 Neck Gators and 38 Stocking Caps on July 16, 2010. This brings your year to date total to 419 Helmetliners, 13 Scarves, 153 Neck Gators, 25 Cards, 1 Cardigan and 52 Stocking Caps.

We appreciate your generosity because without volunteers like you this wouldn’t be possible.

Thank you for supporting our troops.

Kandy Scribner
Administrative Coordinator
Citizen SAM

www.citizensam.org

Citizen Support for America’s Military is a 501 (c)3 charitable organization.

Want to learn more about how you are supporting our troops?

From the triblocal …

As the final curtain closed on Pheasant Run’s Mainstage on May 17, the Noble Fool Theatricals Performing Arts Academy’s Cinderella cast left the theater knowing they’d accomplished more than entertaining an audience. This cast of 6 to 8 year-olds turned their time in the spotlight into an opportunity to help other children.

The cast of Noble Fool Theatricals Performing Arts Academy’s spring musical not only spent six weeks rehearsing for two performances, they also collected donations of shoes, socks and shoelaces for the 10th annual Shoes for Orphan Souls shoe drive. The cast members set out donation bins at local businesses, schools and churches. Some of the girls asked their Girl Scout troops for donations. In addition, the cast invited the audience to donate these items at the performances.

So far, the cast has collected 130 pairs of shoes, 168 pairs of socks, 4 pairs of shoelaces and the donations haven’t all been counted yet.

There’s still time to donate … just bring your new shoes, socks and laces and drop them at the store.

If you want to see how valuable these shoes are check out this news release from Partners in Health.

Sandie Sensor came by and dropped off 83 hand-knits liners and gators that she and a group that she has organized have made.  We will be forwarding these on and making sure that they get to our troops wherever they are serving.  If you would like to read a little more about Sandie and the Glen Ellyn group check out this recent press article.

You are now well on the way to hitting the 500 mark for these hand-knits which we know are treasured by the recipients.  We’ll continue to collect and send, so feel free to come by and drop your finished items, or just come sit and knit one here.

I was moved some weeks ago when one of our elderly customers came in to drop one off and while we were chatting she said, “You know why I knit these?”,  I said “Tell me”, “Because it make two people warm” was her response.  I felt a lump in my throat.

If you’d like to get involved, you could contact Sandie and her Wooly Knitters.  They meet every Wednesday at the Caribou Coffee on Roosevelt Road in Glen Ellyn to honor our soldiers and foster a sisterhood of knitters. Send her a message here if you have questions or would like more information.

And this is our article that marked the start of our involvement.

We are supporting Noble Fool Theatricals presentation of Cinderella by NFT Academy Students at Pheasant Run, on Sunday, May 16th at 6:30 and and Monday, May 17th at 6:30. Admission is free, however, we would request that you consider giving the equivalent of a glas slipper by donating a new pair of shoes, socks or laces to Shoes for Orphan Souls.

Your gift will provide a pair of new shoes to a needy child overseas. Many of these children have never owned a new pair of shoes.

There is a drop box for donated shoes, socks and laces at Wool and Company. For every pair of new shoes donated you’ll be able to select two pattern books from our out-of-print collection (up to a $20 value).

Shoes for Orphan Souls, a ministry of Buckner International, has distributed more than 1.8 million pairs of new shoes to at-risk children in the United States and to orphans in 68 countries around the world. While the program has made a difference in many lives, there are still millions of children we can reach – all through a pair of shoes. Shoes for Orphan Souls is seeking donations of new shoes, socks and shoelaces from individuals, corporations, churches and civic groups.

50 Men Who Cook

This coming weekend 50 men will be demonstrating their culinary skills at 50 Men Who Cook, a delicious fundraiser event for Suicide Prevention Services and Neil will be one of them. Come join us at The Lincoln Inn Banquets, 1345 South Batavia Road (Route 31) in Batavia, Illinois on Saturday, February 27, 2010, from 6:00 – 9:00pm.

You get to sample countless individual tastings from each chef’s station and cast your vote for your favorite in each of several categories. In addition to the great food, there’ll be live music, a raffle and a cash bar.

Come Taste Mighty Mousse

Best of all your ticket will benefit Suicide Prevention Services – a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing and eliminating suicide and suicide attempts through education, advocacy, and collaboration. 50 Men Who Cook will raise funds that will be used to increase awareness and provide outreach about suicide.

Tickets are available at the door for $60. Everyone that shows Neil a knitting or crochet project in progress will receive a special gift from Wool and Company.

Thank you for your support of our appeal to Help Heal Haiti. We have closed our current fund raising and we just wanted to let you know that as a result of your generosity we were able to raise $13,066!

We have forwarded all this money to our partner Knitting Fever who will write a matching check to double the total to $26,132.

One month after the devastating earthquake, the emergency medical aid organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders continues to work diligently to respond to the needs of the Haitian people, and your contributions will help to fund that effort.

Dido Shawl and Scarf Pattern

If you missed our opportunity to donate to Doctors Without Borders and leverage the matching funds, you can still contribute and get some fabulous knitting patterns in exchange by visiting P/hop – a charity knitting project that raises funds for Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders. Incredibly generous designers donate their time and knitting patterns to p/hop, including the stunning Dido Shawl and Dido Scarf pattern pictured that has been generously designed and donated to p/hop by Åsa Tricosa.