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To live and enjoy every day to its fullest, use my gifts to help others, I travel to wherever passion finds me.

What Will She Paint?

So many friends I met here...!

Friday, January 22, 2010

BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE


A package is about to be mailed with these and other hats to a Northern state in the USA for people who need it. I started this in Oct. 

Americans are one of the most giving people on the globe. It it was only for that reason, I am glad that I have learned about this life style. In Holland the government has largely taken over the task of taking care of people. That meant that I really had not grown up with what it was to give to others in need

 the 76 stitch Hat from Interweave Knits  - you can see I had some practice if you saw my first! I like this striped pattern the best. (the first hat of this year you can see  in the post of 10/12/09 titled "Warming up for Winter").

 For several years several people gave food, clothes and toys when I was going to grad school here. I knew that the people who gave it, were not by any means well to do, but they noticed I needed things, and gave it to our family from the heart. That changed my view of giving drastically.

The wine red Bourbon Hat became my own design.
The original pattern was a Peruvian hat I saw in Vogue knitting that looked kinda like a Santa Claus hat. After the first design, I knew I didn't want to go through 5 other designs that the pattern showed! So, I went over to the seed stitch (one knit one Purl, and the next row one Purl, one Knit for the detailed oriented people:)  ).

Also, I became impatient because it took forever to come to the part where one decreases the stitches. So I ended my frustration and shortened the hat by designing my own top/crown.

Grey hat seen from the side
This is what often happens. My creativity  tends to go one step further than the original instructions, I keep on re-creating. With the gray hat, I kept the fist design and repeated it,
and made a similar crown, ending with a little what-u-me-call-it.

Looks somewhat like an Alaskan Igloo, don't you think? 
Each hat is of a different size, yarn and color, so no two hats are the same
(didn't you hate it if someone else had the same clothes on as you?)
People without a house are not different from us. They have the same needs and desires. They just have less dollars available.
This is a cables hat (same as you see in the side bar)
knitted on straight needles. The other hats were all made with a round needle. When finished the sides are sewn together. By the way, the only hat I kept to the instructions.

I decided not to "block" the hats, so the form will "melt" to the wearer's head, and humidity in the air at night will cause it to felt the yarn somewhat in a natural way.
The good thing about giving is that it does not need to be an obligation or chore, but is a joyful pastime, because you can share what you have or learned.


20 comments:

The Muse said...

in all that you have said here...you have encompassed mankind's greatest gift to one another..the gift of caring.

although i know you do not do what you do, for accolades...i applaud you...and pay humble homage..and moreover, thank you sincerely, for being part of the world, that strives to make it a better place.

and i ever so love the doo dads at the top of the hats :)

Clytie said...

I don't think I could say it any better than Muse. I applaud you ... your humility as well as your spirit of generosity. It is far easier to give $$ than to give from the heart, which is what you do.

God bless you today and every day!

Angie Muresan said...

Those hats are adorable! And I love how committed you are to helping the less fortunate in your community, Jeannette.
By the way, yes, I am interested in that painting. I will contact you through email.
Have a lovely weekend!

Unknown said...

How do we say it? We pay it forward. It is a necessary part of living!

Jeannette StG said...

Muse,
I'm speechless, perplexed that you think so much of this! It has taken me a few hours to think on what to say, because I am sure in most people there is some altruistic side. Please also look at the comment to Clytie (below).
Yes, I like the doo dads also:)

Clytie,
Thank you for blessing me!
There are two views I've come to embrace in which giving becomes a normality. One is : we are all born with a purpose.
Two: we don't live for ourselves.

When my kids were little, I didn't have the time to do this, because my time was invested in them, but now I do have a lot more time!


Angie,
the beginning of the these hats came a few years ago when my son was living in N. China and was very cold. He also had met an orphan who had no legs, so I knitted a hat for both of them. Then I thought that it would be a little selfish to only think of my son.....
Okie dokie (about emailing me about the painting).

Joey,
I am sure you have a big forwarded account!! And I know you do the things you do, because you care:)

Rudee said...

In Michigan, where unemployment has been the longest lasting and where everyone knows someone who is jobless, we've come to accept that we're all just one pink slip away from disaster. Giving becomes all that more important.

Thanks for doing what you do. Your beautiful hats are going to mean a lot to someone who can't afford even such a simple luxury.

My favorite is your Alaskan Igloo hat. I love the crown and the thingamajiggie on top!

Zuzana said...

Beautiful hats, you are very talented. And a lovely sentiment too...
xo
Zuzana

Janelle Goodwin said...

I'm amazed at your hats. Not only do they provide warmth, but they're works of art, truly beautiful!

S said...

Hi Jeannette! I love your hats - they're a bit like beanies. They must have taken long to knit but well done for supporting charity!

Jeannette StG said...

Renee,
Sorry to hear that - haven't kept up with stats, so I didn't know that it was this bad in Michigan!
If you read my reply to Angie, you know why I started this hat thing.
Yeah, I think the igloo hat is my fav too:)

Zuzanna,
Don't know how it is in Denmark, but in Holland (in my time) we had knitting and crocheting as part on the curriculum once a week (for girls -the boys had woodworking) between 2nd and 5th grade. So, to me it's like reading and writing.Please read my reply to Angie and you understand why:)

Janelle,
good to hear from you again! Thank you, I can't give away ugly hats -I just can't!:) Maybe you understand that as an artist.
BTW love your new profile pic!

Sreddy,
Yes, they are close to beanies -I chose patterns that fit closely around the head and cover the ears. Read my reply to Angie's comment to know why I started this.

DeniseinVA said...

Your knitted hats are delightful Jeannette, and knowing they are for a good cause makes them even more special.

Eki said...

Bless you and all those who are willing to give to the needy. They are beautiful hats, Jeannette.

Unknown said...

Yep, paying it forward is what everyone should be doing in their life; you've obviously discovered this Jeannette, you're a good soul.

Jeannette StG said...

Denise, Eki and Jane,

Sorry for not responding to you individually, but I have been "under the weather" the weekend which has effected my brain -it's kind of fuzzy:)

Thank you dear bloggie friends!
When someone has been good to you in a time of need, it is not hard to follow in the same foot steps!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Jeannette: Those are cute hats but you don't need them in California.

Jeannette StG said...

Tom,
that's why I send them to the poor in the North!
Although last week temp. here were dipping to the 45 degr. at night:)

Rosie said...

Your hats are lovely and you put so much of yourself and your ideas into each one to make it individual - I'm sure the recipients will treasure their special, warm hats:)

Dick said...

That's a very kind thing to do, in the NL things might be a bit better but it's no longer as it used to be.
For sure the government doesn't give me a hat, hahaha

Jeannette StG said...

Rosie,
Thank you! You have followed my train of thought perfectly:)

Jeannette StG said...

Dick,
The Dutch government may not hand out hats, but they have more resources to help people financially than here, but
I have heard that many more in Holl. right now are in financial trouble.
But here in the USA a large amount of (most often lower middle class) people go from pay check to paycheck, so when there's no income for two months, they may be out on the street (that's how fast it can go).