The Dallas Stand Down is This Month

Published: October 19, 2026  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family. The Dallas VA is one of our longest standing partners and host one of the largest Stand Downs that we are proud to serve. Their Stand Down is taking place this month and we need you, our crafters and donors, to help us reach our goals and accomplish our mission. We need more hats, scarves, mittens, and cotton soap savers. Additionally we need more yarn. The Lion Brand Pound of Love in any of the darker colors are ideal as our staff at T.H.R.I.V.E. HQ can easily make 6 double-thick hats per skein. Please help us reach our goal to provide 400 hand crafted gifts for the veteran community who will be attending this Stand Down.

If you’d like to donate a hat, scarf, mittens, 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.

If you have donations within Baltimore or the DMV area, please contact us to schedule a pickup. If you reside outside of the Baltimore, MD or the DMV area and would like to make an in-kind donation, you can send your donations to us at:

Care of: Victoria Walker at T.H.R.I.V.E. Association
900 E Fayette St #1583
Baltimore, MD 21233

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Remember, even one lovingly handcrafted hat or scarf can make a huge difference in the life of an underprivileged veteran or their dependent(s).

Thank You, WV & KY! Next Stop: TX!

Published: October 12, 2026  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family. We had such a wonderful time serving the homeless military veteran communities at their respective Stand Downs in West Virginia and Kentucky. We still have the Dallas, TX Stand Down coming up this month. It’s one of the largest Stand Downs that we serve and, like West Virginia, is one of our longest partnerships. Please keep those hats, scarves, and mittens coming in; they really do make a huge impact on the morale and comfort of the veterans and their dependents who attend.

If you’d like to donate a hat, scarf, mittens, 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.

If you have donations within Baltimore or the DMV area, please contact us to schedule a pickup. If you reside outside of the Baltimore, MD or the DMV area and would like to make an in-kind donation, you can send your donations to us at:

Care of: Victoria Walker at T.H.R.I.V.E. Association
900 E Fayette St #1583
Baltimore, MD 21233

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Remember, even one lovingly handcrafted hat or scarf can make a huge difference in the life of an underprivileged veteran or their dependent(s).

Pro Tip: For the All-Important Cast On Row

Published: October 5, 2026  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Have you ever noticed that hats that you’ve made in the past have squeezed your head at the cast on row but fit perfectly well everywhere else? Likewise, have you made scarves or other garments where the cast on row puckers or is noticeably tighter than the rest of the garment? If you find yourself having tight cast ons, but knit/crochet true to gauge for the rest of the garment, this simple yet highly effective pro tip could be just the ticket!

For tight cast ons, try moving up a needle/crochet hook size for the cast on row. For example, if your chosen garment pattern calls for a size U.S. 8 knitting needle, try using a size U.S. 9 just for the cast on, and then change back to the requested size U.S. 8 knitting needle and continue knitting the rest of the garment. This highly effective technique is the simplest solution to tight cast ons. It keeps the cast on row looking neat and tidy while also providing some much-needed stretch to the garment.

Additional Pro Tip: You can use this same technique for the cast off row if you find that to be a tricky area, too.