Knit One, Save One "Brown Bag Luncheon"

On Monday afternoon, October 20th, HHCC members Grace, Elaine, Linda and Dee traveled to Westport, Connecticut. They joined staff members from the Save the Children foundation for a brown bag luncheon. Grace, Elaine, Linda and Dee had a great time teaching them how to crochet!

What is "Knit One, Save One?" Here is the official news release from the Craft Yarn Council of America:

Big Stars Make Little Caps to Help Newborn Babies


Knitters and crocheters nationwide are mobilizing to help save babies lives. And there are a list of prominent knitting and crocheting celebs who are doing their part as well, including Save the Children Artist Ambassador Gwyneth Paltrow, actresses Rebecca Romijn, Debra Messing, Lisa Edelstein, Vera Farmiga, Mischa Barton and Patricia Arquette.

The campaign is called Knit One Save One and it’s sponsored by Save the Children (STC), the global health organization, and Warm Up America (WUA), the industry charity that works with volunteer knitters and crocheters to provide afghans and clothing for people in need. (For all of you crocheters out there, our apologies for being left out of the name. Our friends at STC came up with the name before we were onboard, but this is definitely for crocheters as well as knitters.)

The campaign is bringing U.S. knitters and crocheters of all ages together to draw attention in Washington, D.C. to the nearly 4 million newborn deaths that occur each year in developing countries. Participants are asked to create one baby cap to keep a newborn warm during the first critical hours and days after birth, and to write a personal note to the President-elect asking him to lead the way in reducing newborn deaths globally.

The campaign that kicked off at the end of August will continue through December 31, 2008. Early next year, Save the Children will take the personal notes to the new President to Washington, D.C. The caps will be distributed to mothers and newborns through Save the Children’s community health facilities in Africa and Asia.

Hollywood’s biggest stars made little caps in all colors and wrote personal messages to the mom and baby on a tag attached to the cap. Gwyneth Paltrow knitted a raspberry-colored baby cap gathered at the top and finished with charcoal trim. Paltrow’s cap tag says: “As a mother of two children who mean everything to me, I share your joy. Love Gwyneth.”

All of the leading ladies’ baby caps and cap tag messages can be viewed at www.savethechildren.org/knitonesaveone. An interactive web game on this page lets fans match the caps to their favorite stars. To view a special video message from Lisa Edelstein, visit Save the Children’s nonprofit channel on YouTube at www.savethechildren.org/youtube.To download a Knit One, Save One action kit, which includes cap patterns, cap tag and more information about the program, go to www.savethechildren.org/knitonesaveone, or call 1-800-728-3843. Knitters and crocheters can also download patterns at the Warm Up America web site: www.WarmUpAmerica.org.

10/08

For more information or photos, please contact:
Mary Colucci
212-570-9883
917-570-9558
cmcommunic@aol.com

If you are on Ravelry, join the growing number of Crocheters and Knitters getting involved at the "Knit One, Save One" group!

Knit One, Save One Collections

The Caps to the Capital campaign from 2006/2007, sponsored by the Save the Children foundation, was a huge success having collected some 282,000 caps, helping to save many tiny lives.


This program is being reintroduced as "Knit One, Save One," part of Save the Children's Survive to 5 program.

On October 1st, at the monthly "Coffee, Crochet & Chat" morning session, held at the Borders bookstore located in Brookfield, CT, 18 caps were collected.



Additional collections will take place on:
Wednesday, November 5th, and
Wednesday, December 3rd
at the morning sessions of "Coffee, Crochet & Chat."

All caps collected by the HHCC will be hand-delivered to the Save the Children world headquarters before the December 31st deadline. Please note you do not need to be a HHCC member to donate hats!


For more inspiration, if you are a member of the Ravelry web site, please join us at our Knit One, Save One group.

HHCC Charity Drives

Members of the HHCC are encouraged to participate in the three main charity drives for the year:

Hats from the Heart Campaign: From January to April members are encouraged to crochet adult sized chemo caps for donation to the Danbury Hospital. The hats are needed for all seasons, and need to be made of the softest of fibers. This campaign is called Hats from the Heart as the first group donation is made around Valentine's Day.



Baby Preemie Sets: From May to August members are encouraged to crochet preemie baby sets that include a little cap and afghan. Afghans should measure 18" to 24" square and be made of acrylic. (Nylon will melt when the items are sterilized.) The caps should range in size from fitting an average orange to an average grapefruit. Donations are made to the Danbury Hospital in the early fall.

Salvation Army: From September to the last week of November, members are encouraged to crochet (or knit) hats, mittens and scarves in a variety of sizes and colors. The items are gathered at the meetings and then sorted/labeled one evening at the Borders bookstore (date to be announced) to make it easier for the volunteers of the Salvation Army. Sizes up to teen/adult for both male and females are needed. Donations of new, unused, unwrapped toys is also encouraged. At a determined date, members wanting to participate in the drop~off at Foster Street in Danbury are asked to wear a Santa Hat.


If you are not a member of the HHCC but would like to participate in any of the charity drives, please do! For more information, please contact us.

October: HHCC Anniversary Meeting

The Happily Hooked on Crocheting Club was founded in October of 2001. To celebrate the start of it's eighth year, Club members are celebrating with a masquerade party!

Participants are to wear a crocheted mask and are asked to bring a small dish of "finger food" to the October 12th meeting.

Prizes will be awarded for various categories including "Most Original." The Annies Attic pattern book, "Crochet Costume party Masks," is available to Club members for $1.00. Note supplies are limited! Books will be available at the October 1st "Coffee, Crochet & Chat" morning session (10AM - Noon) at Borders Bookstore located in Brookfield. Contact Dee for more information.

The Big E: HHCC makes 6th appearance

On Wednesday, September 17th, members of the HHCC traveled north, to West Springfield, Massachusetts, to promote the art of crochet at the Eastern States Exposition, America's ninth largest state fair. This was the 6th year the HHCC has participated in this event. Many thanks to Sarah, the coordinator of the New England State Building!

It was also the first time the HHCC was sponsored by a yarn company. FEZA yarns, new to America, provided yarn to HHCC members to crochet with for the day. Thank you FEZA!! Entry photos taken by HHCC member Chava.

Welcome Crocheters!

Welcome to the new Happily Hooked on Crocheting website/blog!

We used to have a traditional website that became difficult to maintain. With our new blog we'll be able to keep information about our group current, fresh.

If you are in the Danbury, Connecticut, area and would like to join us for a meeting sometime, please do! As our guest your first meeting is free. Should you decide to join us there are local dues. How much depends on you! Local dues are $18 a year, prorated. If you are a member of the Crochet Guild of America, then your local dues are only $9 a year, prorated!

Not ready to become a member but want to hang out online with other Connecticut Crocheters? Then we welcome you to join the yahoo group called "ConnecticutCrochet."