Red Heart Comfy Cocoon and Cap

Published: January 30, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Sometimes we have expectant mothers at Stand Downs and/or some of the veterans that we serve already have infants in their care. It is part of T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s mission to provide not just for the veteran that needs our warm, hand-crafted goods, but also for their dependents. That being said, we have an upcoming Stand Down that will need goods for infants. During one of our last in-person knitting groups, we got a few requests from our wonderful crafters for a knit pattern for a baby bunting. 

Today we’re reposting one of our favorite baby patterns compliments of Yarnspirations. It is the “Red Heart Comfy Cocoon and Cap”. To get your free copy of the pattern please follow the link below and click the “Download Free Pattern” button on the right side of the screen. 

https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-comfy-cocoon-cap/RHK0238-018236M.html

This is a very simple, easy-to-follow pattern that works up very quickly and produces an absolutely lovely set for baby. When we first knitted this beautiful baby cocoon and cap, the project felt like it finished as soon as we started! As an added bonus, because the majority of this pattern is a one row repeat, it is perfect for “relaxation knitting.”

Pro Tips: 

  1. As we have said before, the long tail cast on is an amazing cast on in any knitter’s arsenal. However, as we really need this garment to have a lot of stretch at the cast on edge for the baby to be able to move comfortably, and we need the parent/guardian to be able to get the infant in and out with ease. We found that using a combination of the long tail cast on for the knit stitches and the reverse long tail cast on for the purl stitches provides the best results. This combination cast on is very stretchy and almost (if not fully) invisible, which gives the garment a very professional look overall. 
  2. Always swatch! We cannot emphasize the importance of this step enough. Gauge is very important- especially here. If you are a tight knitter, consider moving up a needle size. If you are a loose knitter, move down a needle size. Remember, don’t change yourself, change your tools to obtain gauge.

Disclaimer: T.H.R.I.V.E. Association is not endorsed by the Walt Disney company. The Disney toys and comforter in the photograph were borrowed from our Chief Officer’s little ones. 

Call for Lap Blankets & Slippers

Published: January 23, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We hope that you are all settling into this exciting new year. We are super jazzed to be back in the office and hard at work serving our awesome community. As so many of you have been asking, we wanted to bring you an update about the upcoming events. One of our long-time community partners, Alachua County, Florida is hosting their annual Stand Down in just a little over a month!

For this particular Stand Down, apart from our usual call for hats, scarves, mittens, etc. we desperately need lap blankets and slippers. Happy crafting!

MLK Day

Published: January 16, 2023  ~   0

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family!

Back in the Saddle for 2023!

Published: January 9, 2023  ~   0

Happy Plough Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We hope that you all had a joyous holiday season. We here at T.H.R.I.V.E. HQ are back from our holiday vacations and ready for action! We have Stand Downs on the horizon so please stay tuned for updates!

If you’d like to donate a hat, scarf, face mask, or other handcrafted garment to our cause, please remember that the dear veterans and their dependents prefer dark colors, e.g. blue, black, green, grey, and all-time favorite, camouflage. If you would like to knit, crochet, or sew a garment in a brighter color, red or deep purple are always popular bright colors. We cannot emphasize this important point enough: please do not use sparkly or overly decorative yarns and fabrics. While they have their place, they are simply inappropriate for the veterans and their dependents (including children because of potential choking hazards). 

If you are not a crafter, but would like to help, there are still many ways to support our cause! Please consider donating materials and/or making a monetary donation to help us cover the costs of materials, shipping, and overhead. Please remember you can support our cause by shopping on AmazonSmile. See the “Shop for Our Cause” blog post for additional information.

If you need yarn, or other supplies, please contact us through email at thriveassociation@thrivevets.org or by phone at (469) 427-9654. Please be aware that any communications are recorded. If you have donations and cannot make it to one of our in-person knitting groups, we are still continuing our policy of curbside pickup. Please contact us to schedule a pickup if you are in the DFW area. If you reside outside the DFW area and would like to make an in-kind donation, please contact us to make arrangements. Remember, even one lovingly handcrafted hat or scarf can make a huge difference in the life of an underprivileged veteran or their dependent(s).