Good morning, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! This week, we would like to continue our “Question and Answer” series. We have been getting some great questions from our amazing crafters and we would like to take a moment to try and answer some of them.
Have you ever wondered why two balls, hanks, skeins, etc. of yarn that are from the same company have the same color name on their yarn sleeve, but look like completely different colors? It is actually very common; you’re not seeing things. Believe us, we run into it all the time. The example photo shows the variance that occurs within the same brand’s colorway.
The reason has to do with the “dye lot” of the yarn. Most of the time, there is going to be some variance even within the same colors, especially from different dye lots! Generally, no two dye lots are ever the same. And, that’s okay. We are knowledgable crafters; we can account for that. If you are starting a project that requires more than one ball, hank, skein, etc., try to get all of the required yarn from the same dye lot number. Some yarns will not have a dye lot number and will simply state “no dye lot.” In this case, trust your eyes. They are really pretty reliable. If you need a reminder about where to find the dye lot number on the yarn label, please follow the link below to check out our blog on “Demystifying Yarn Labels” https://thrivevets.org/index.php/2021/10/18/demystifying-yarn-labels/.
Happy Saturday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! If you don’t do the whole needle-arts thing, you can still support our cause of helping our Nation’s underprivileged veterans and their dependents through making a monetary donation. Even the smallest donation is significant! Visit our web shop at https://thrivevets.square.site where you can make a monetary donation in return for gifts such as a silicone wristband or a stress football. If you found that you needed more green in your wardrobe this year, we have some awesome green wearables! There are also some amazingly beautiful, hand-crafted garments created by our talented and dedicated staff that are available as well. Any monetary support that you can provide will help us in covering the costs of materials, shipping, and overhead.
Another way that you can help T.H.R.I.V.E. Association is through Amazon Smile, where any purchases that you make through Amazon will automatically donate a small percentage to us with no additional cost to you. If you are an Amazon shopper, but haven’t yet signed up for Amazon’s Smile program, please go to https://smile.amazon.com and follow the sign-up process there. You can find and choose T.H.R.I.V.E. by searching for “thrive association” in the choose your own charitable organization search bar. We are listed as “Thrive” located in Dallas, TX with the description that starts with “In remembrance and appreciation of the sacrifice that our military veterans have made for their country…”
Happy Friday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! T.H.R.I.V.E. Association was able to gift our lovingly hand-crafted goods to our partners at the Alachua County Veterans Center Stand Down in Gainesville, Florida. We were able to provide 21 blankets, 100 hats, 18 slippers, and 120 masks to our veterans and their dependents. We would like to express our deepest thanks to our partners at the Alachua County Veterans Center as well as to all of our donors who made this possible.
Happy Friday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to our community partners at the North Texas Behavioral Health Authority for graciously providing the much needed Adult Mental Health First Aid training course. We are so grateful for having the opportunity to attend. We would also like to thank our instructor, Mr. Josh Munkeby, who was very knowledgable about the course material and willing to share his experience as well as best practices. As an Organization with lived experience in helping individuals experiencing mental health crises, we know first-hand that it is very difficult to know what to do when these delicate situations arise. They are sometimes terrifying and can catch anyone off guard. However, we strive to be better prepared so that we are more able to serve both our community and stakeholders.
Happy Saturday, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We have a large Stand Down right around the corner with our longtime partner VA in Alachua county, Florida! If you have any lovingly handcrafted goods that you would like to be included in this shipment of gifts to our Nation’s homeless military veterans and their dependents, please reach out to us to as soon as possible to arrange a pick up. We will be sending the goods out this upcoming week!
If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, blanket, 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 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).
Happy Friday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We’d like to thank you for all for your generous donations thus far! Please remember that there are still many Stand Downs coming up, so please keep sending in your hand crafted gifts so that we can continue to serve those who so admirably served our great nation.
We showcased a crochet slipper pattern a few weeks ago, but we haven’t forgotten about our knitters who also want to join in! As we said before, we get requests throughout the year from V.A.s for slippers/socks. They are most notably meant for veterans who suffer from nerve damage. Our Chief Officer can personally attest to the painful nature of this condition. There are many great and easy free patterns available compliments of our friends at Yarnspirations and Lion Brand. Today, we would like to share a wonderful free pattern, “Slippers for Him”, compliments of our friends at Yarnspirations. This is a great pattern for first-time slipper crafters, as it keeps the complexity to a minimum and also weaves up before you know it!
Pro Tip: Making a swatch before tackling any knitting project is always important in order to figure out your gauge, and these slippers are no different! ”Slippers for Him” fit snugly to the wearer’s feet, so you will need to ensure that you have the proper gauge to make sure that they are sized correctly.
Pro Tip: If you are unfamiliar with SSK (Slip, Slip, Knit) and M1 (Make 1), or haven’t used them in a while and need a refresher, these Youtube videos will help you get up to speed:
If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, blanket, 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 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).
Happy Friday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We have one of the bigger Stand Downs that we partner with coming up very soon; so please keep sending in your donations. This particular Stand Down is in a location that does get cold so your donations mean just that much more. Your lovingly hand crafted goods are deeply treasured and appreciated by those that receive them and even a lovingly handcrafted hat, scarf, etc. helps make a huge difference in the life of the veteran wearing it. Please also keep in mind that even though Spring and Summer are approaching, we still have lots of Stand Downs coming up, so we still need your support so that we can continue to serve those who so admirably served our great nation.
Recently, we received a request for a crochet blanket pattern from one of our dear friends and longtime donors, as we have been asking for these items. We do sometimes get requests throughout the year from V.A.s that we partner with for blankets- mostly wheelchair/lap blankets. There are many great and easy free patterns available compliments of our friends at Yarnspirations and Lion Brand. Today, we would like to share a wonderful free pattern, Red Heart Traditional Granny Throw, compliments of our friends at Yarnspirations. This is one of our favorite styles of blankets! It is really very simple, yet surprisingly popular among both crafters and our veteran community.
Pro Tip: Make sure to keep your tension consistent to ensure that all of your squares are the same size. Also, this make the joining process easier.
Pro Tip: You can substitute the requested colors in the pattern to colors of your choice if you would like. Please just make sure that the yarns that you choose for your substitutions are the same weight as those called for in the pattern.
If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, blanket, 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 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).
Happy Friday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Firstly, we would like to thank you for all for your generous donations thus far! Your lovingly hand crafted goods are deeply treasured and appreciated by those that receive them. We still have lots of Stand Downs coming up, so please keep sending in your hand crafted gifts so that we can continue to serve those who so admirably served our great nation.
In the past, we’ve gotten some questions from donors regarding slippers/socks. We do get several requests throughout the year from V.A.s that we partner with for these wonderful items. They are most notably meant for veterans who suffer from nerve damage. Our Chief Officer can personally attest to the painful nature of this condition. There are many great and easy free patterns available compliments of our friends at Yarnspirations and Lion Brand. Today, we would like to share a wonderful free pattern, Bernat’s Slipper Boots, compliments of our friends at Yarnspirations. This pattern weaves up surprisingly quickly and as the pattern suggests, is quite easy. This is a great pattern if it is your first time making crochet slippers.
Pro Tip: Make sure to keep your tension consistent for a comfortable texture and visually pleasing look!
If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, blanket, 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 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).
Happy Friday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Temperatures are below freezing in many of the areas that we send our lovingly handcrafted goods to this time of year. With that, please make sure that donated hats are long enough to cover the recipient’s ears and are preferably long enough to be folded up to create extra warmth. If you need inspiration and would like a pattern of one of our most popular hats, please visit https://thrivevets.org/index.php/2021/01/15/happy-national-hat-day/ to get a free pattern compliments of Yarnspirations. We have lots of Stand Downs coming up, so please keep sending in your donations so that we can continue to serve those who so admirably served this great nation! We’ve had a very special request for lap/twin size blankets and slippers (for those veterans who suffer from nerve damage) from one of our long-time Stand Down partners.
If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, blanket, 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 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).
Happy Friday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season and a very happy New Year. We are hitting the ground running in 2022. We have many Stand Downs coming up, several are located in very cold areas, so please keep sending in your donations so that we can continue to serve those who so admirably served this great nation! We’ve had a very special request for lap/twin size blankets and slippers (for those veterans who suffer from nerve damage) from one of our long-time Stand Down partners.
If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, blanket, 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 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).
