A Pro Tip for the First Stand Downs of 2024

Published: January 22, 2024  ~   0

Happy Monday dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We’ve got the first Stand Downs of 2024 right around the corner! We are hard at work collecting donations for these Stand Downs and also have our heads down crafting goods of our own at our HQ! If you are interested in crafting gifts for T.H.R.I.V.E. Association, please take the following to heart:

When you donate your handcrafted gifts to T.H.R.I.V.E. Association for us to disseminate at VA Stand Downs, the veterans and their dependents are ultimately the ones who chose what they will accept from our booth. Please understand that we are not trying to be persnickety or impose arbitrary rules. Over the years, we have witnessed numerous instances at Stand Downs where veterans would rather leave empty handed (in freezing temperatures no less) than accept garments that they deemed were undignified. This is always so heartbreaking! Therefore, it is essential to always keep the recipient of every handcrafted gift in mind.

As crafters, it is sometimes tempting to use flashy colored yarns/textiles, color work, and fancy stitches in our crafted goods. However, these qualities are by and large not desired by the community that we serve. These proud individuals tend to prefer darker colors and straight-to-the-point garments. We want to provide them with what they need. If you have your heart set on practicing your color work, then sports team colors are always a fan favorite. However, the vast majority want either straight camouflage or solid blacks, blues, greens, grays, dark reds, and royal purples. Happy crafting!

Plough Monday 2024

Published: January 8, 2024  ~   0

Happy Plough Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We hope that you all had a very joyous and restful holiday season! It’s a new year and we’re hitting the ground running. We’ve got lots of events and Stand Downs coming up, so please keep the donations coming. We’ll need hats, scarves, and lap blankets to meet the needs of the veterans and their dependents at these upcoming Stand Downs.

If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, lap blanket 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.

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 Holidays!

Published: December 25, 2023  ~   0

Happy holidays, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We wish you and your loved ones a joyous and festive holiday season! Our offices will be closed until January 8, 2024, but if you are having difficulties and need to talk to someone, please feel free to give us a call. See you next year!

Armed Forces Bowl 2023

Published: December 18, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We’ll have a booth in the Veterans’ Village at the Armed Forces Bowl this upcoming Saturday, December 23. The event is being held at the Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. We’ll be there from 11:30am-2:30pm, so come on by and say, “Hi!” We’re there to raise awareness and donations for our cause. Our much loved wristbands, stress footballs, and t-shirts make for great holiday gifts that are both tax deductible and support our mission to offer a hand up to our nation’s underprivileged military veterans and their dependents! See you there!

Last Call for Donations for Operation Care’s Stand Down

Published: December 11, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Our long-time community partner, Operation Care, is holding their annual Stand Down this Saturday, December 16! This is one of the biggest Stand Downs that we serve. If you would like to contribute your lovingly handcrafted gifts to the homeless veterans and their dependents for this event, please reach out to us ASAP. This is a last call for any donations of your lovingly handcrafted gifts that you would like to contribute to help those in need at this event. If you are in the DFW area and have crafted garments that you’d wish to donate, contact our office as soon as possible to schedule a pick up from our staff. Don’t worry, any donations that are received too late to be prepared in time for this event will still go to future Stand Down events benefiting our nation’s veterans and their dependents!

Brrrrrr, December is Here and the Need is Greater!

Published: December 4, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We’re now in December and our mission to offer a hand up to our underprivileged military veterans and their dependents continues! The need for more hats, scarves, mittens, gaiters, and lap blankets is even more pronounced during these colder times of the year. With your help, we can continue to provide the much needed warmth to our nation’s heroes while they are on their road to recovery.

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.

If you have donations, 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).

Crochet Patterns for Hats, Scarves, and Gaiters

Published: November 27, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We hope that you had a lovely holiday weekend with your families and loved ones. We should all be thankful for the support and care of those around us and we here at T.H.R.I.V.E. are sincerely thankful for the efforts of all of our staff, crafters, donors, and partners in helping us on our mission to enrich the lives of the underprivileged veterans and their dependents of our nation. We may be coming to the end of the year, but we must remain steadfast in our efforts to continue to provide a hand up to those whom have given so much for our country! With this in mind, we are in need of more hats, scarves, and gaiters. Here are some solid, go-to patterns for those that wish to crochet their donations!

If you’re interested in crafting a simple, elegant, and dependable crochet hat, Lion Brand’s Easy Crochet Hat is a perfect pattern for your next project.

Lion Brand Adult’s Easy Crochet Hat & Upcoming Stand Downs

Red Heart’s Wavy Ridge Super Scarf is easier to crochet than it initially appears, weaving up quickly and looking good in any yarn colors. If you need a scarf pattern that is sure to please our veterans and their dependents, the Wavy Ridge Super Scarf is a time-tested hit at all of the previous Stand Downs that we’ve served for years!

The Wavy Ridge Super Scarf

Gaiters are a great way to craft a warm garment that warms like a scarf, but uses much less material and weaves up faster than most other options. T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s own Worsted Weight Crochet Gaiter is a great gaiter pattern that is both solid and quick to complete. It folds in half as a double-layered neck warmer, or can be unfolded to cover the mouth and lower face for additional coverage and protection from the elements.

The Worsted Weight Crochet Gaiter

Knitting Patterns for Hats, Scarves, and Gaiters

Published: November 20, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! If you need some inspiration on what pattern to use if you’d like to knit a donation, here are some suggestions to get you crafting:

For a solid, veteran-approved hat, the Red Heart Ribbed Knit Beanie is a popular pattern:

Red Heart Ribbed Knit Beanie

If you’re interested in knitting a scarf, a Garter stitch scarf is a no-nonsense, dependable garment that is sure to be a hit. Many knitters tend to overlook the Garter stitch scarf as a pattern, most likely because it is every knitter’s very first project. But don’t discount just how quick, simple, and effective straight knitting can be! Just make sure to cast on as many stitches as it takes for your scarf to be at least 6 inches wide and ensure that your scarf ends up measuring at least 60 inches in length.

If you’d like to knit a gaiter, the Essential 1 x 1 Gaiter is a go-to pattern that is both functional and fashionable for our veterans and/or their dependents:

The Essential 1 x 1 Gaiter (Knit)

Thank You, Dallas Stand Down 2023!

Published: November 6, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Last Wednesday we took part in the Dallas Stand Down! As always, taking part in a Stand Down, particularly in our hometown is such a beautiful and moving experience. We were able to meet and give our lovingly handcrafted goods so many lovely veterans. 

Thank you to all of our amazing staff, volunteers, and crafters! We are so grateful for all that you do! We would like to give a huge shout out to The Finest Accessories for their beautifully crafted masks! They were very needed and everyone was able to get one!

Last Call for Dallas Stand Down Donations

Published: October 30, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! The Dallas Stand Down is happening this Wednesday, so there is only a little time left to donate! If you have any last donations for this event and you live in the DFW area, please contact us as soon as possible to schedule a pick up! Every single hat, scarf, gaiter, etc. makes a difference in the lives of the underprivileged veterans and their dependents that we serve.