Big Stand Downs on the Horizon

Published: August 21, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We would like to thank all of our crafters, donors, and staff for all of your unwavering support and hard work. We were able to support the Alaska Stand Down again this year because of all of you. We would also like to send a huge shout out to our awesome partners at the Alaska VA Healthcare System. Thank you for all that you do for our nation’s brave veterans and their dependents.

We still have several of our largest Stand Downs right around the corner and in quick succession! We need hundreds of items for these Stand Downs to meet the need. There is a Stand Down next month and we need more hats, scarves, gaiters, etc. to meet the needs of our underprivileged veterans and their dependents!

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 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).

Donations Needed for September Stand Down!

Published: August 14, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! This month’s Stand Down package to Alaska has left us needing your help! We’re going to need more hats, scarves, and gaiters to meet the demand for the next Stand Down in September. With just one month until then, time is of the essence and our underprivileged veterans and their dependents really need your support! If you need some inspiration on what pattern to use to craft your donation, here are some suggestions to get you knitting:

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)

Donations Needed for Upcoming August Stand Down

Published: July 31, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! August is right around the corner and the next Stand Down that we’re serving is merely weeks away! If you’d like to make donations for this and future Stand Down events that benefit our underprivileged military veterans, please send in your donations as soon as possible (or make arrangements to schedule a pickup if you are in the DFW area). The sooner we receive your donated garments, the sooner we can thoroughly process them for the upcoming shipments to these Stand Downs. We still need hats, scarves, mittens, and gaiters for these Stand Downs as they are in colder regions of the United States.

If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, gaiter 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).

The Veterans Need You!

Published: July 24, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We have multiple Stand Downs coming up in the next two months. If you’d like to make donations for these events, please send in your donations as soon as possible (or make arrangements to schedule a pickup if you are in the DFW area). The sooner we receive your donated garments, the sooner we can thoroughly process them for the upcoming shipments to these Stand Downs. We still need hats, scarves, mittens, and gaiters for these Stand Downs as they are in colder regions of the United States.

If you would like to donate a hat, scarf, gaiter 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).

Stand Down Countdown!

Published: July 17, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Assn. family! We have a Stand Down about a month away now and we are in need of hats, scarves, mittens, etc. If you need a pattern for a new project or some inspiration, you can see our previous posts with free patterns for knitters and crocheters.

If you would 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 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).

Stand Down Season is Approaching!

Published: July 10, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Stand Down season is quickly approaching, so please start sending in your crafted garments. We need time to inspect, catalogue, make corrections, weave in ends, label, and wet block each and every donation that we receive. Those garments will then be sent out to our Veteran Affairs partners for dissemination at Stand Downs nationwide.

If you would 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 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).

Cast On Q & A

Published: June 26, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! One question that our staff frequently get asked is how many stitches would need to be cast on for a scarf (garter, rib, etc.) that would meet T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s scarf dimension requirements (6 in. x 60 in. [15 cm. x 152 cm.]) Unfortunately there is no hard number, as something like this is heavily reliant on the individual crafter’s tension, their chosen knitting needles/crochet hook size, and the chosen pattern.

The most important part of the success of any handcrafted garment is the individual crafter. You might choose a pattern for a garment that you are absolutely in love with, put in the hours of hard work, use the same yarn and the same size needles/crochet hooks, etc. that the pattern calls for, but still end up not having a garment that is the correct size or feel (i.e. the weave is too loose, or it is so tight that it stands up on it’s own). This is largely due to variations in crafter tension and a failure to account for those variations in your project. The pattern is going to be the same for each crafter that uses it, but the results won’t necessarily be the same unless you know your tension BEFORE you start and account for that difference. The only way to do this is to make a gauge swatch using the same tools/materials/etc. that you will be using for your chosen handcrafted garment. That swatch is your guide to figure out whether or not you are knitting/crocheting to gauge or if you need to change your crafting tool size to obtain the requisite gauge.

So, to return to the original question of how many stitches are needed for a 6 in. x 60 in. (15 cm. x 152 cm.) scarf, let’s approach this bit by bit. Choose your yarn and look at the label. Most modern yarn labels have a recommended gauge using a certain needle/hook size and number of stitches. In the photo above, the Red Heart Camouflage yarn suggests that knitting a stockinette swatch that is 17 stitches across for 25 rows when using a Size 8 US needle results in a 4 in. x 4 in. swatch. Once you have made a stockinette swatch using those numbers with this yarn, you can now adjust as needed. If your swatch measures smaller than the recommendation, then go up a needle size. If your swatch is larger, go down a needle size. The same is true when crocheting.

In summation, there is no hard and fast answer to this question. There are multiple variables to take into account. In the case of using the yarn and stockinette swatch from our example, to find how many stitches are required for a width of 6 inches (which is the minimum width requirement for all scarves donated to T.H.R.I.V.E. Association), we would divide 17 by 4 to find out how many stitches are in each inch. Once we have that answer, we would then multiply that number by 6. In other words:

17 / 4 = 4.25

4.25 x 6 = 25.5

Thus, if you were knitting a stockinette scarf you would cast on about 25-26 stitches with size 8 US needles if your stockinette swatch was knit true to gauge. It is important to emphasize that the main variable is the crafter.

Note: Another variable that needs to be considered is the stitch that you choose to use for the scarf that you want to donate. For example, a rib scarf will need more stitches to be cast on as it will stretch. This is why a gauge swatch using your chosen materials, needle size/crochet hook size, and pattern will ultimately lead you to getting the best results.  

Juneteenth 2023

Published: June 19, 2023  ~   0

Happy Juneteenth, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Today we celebrate freedom and stand united with our BIPOC brothers and sisters.

Memorial Day 2023

Published: May 29, 2023  ~   0

Today we honor those brave service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for this great nation that we call our home. Let us never forget them and what they have done for us.

Here’s to All of Our Awesome Mothers!

Published: May 15, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We hope that you all had a very pleasant Mother’s Day and were able to spend some quality time with the mothers and/or mother figures in your life! 

T.H.R.I.V.E. Association supports all mothers, fathers, and children in the entire veteran family. Many of the female veterans that we serve have children in their care and we aim to ensure that not only do the veterans receive our gifts, their dependents do as well! With this being said, we are out of children’s (toddler to school age) sized garments. Many of the Stand Downs that we serve inform us ahead of time how many children that are under their care and we must ensure that we have enough stock of these age-appropriate garments on hand to meet the need. We thank all of our staff, donors, volunteers, and supporters for all of their hard work and continued enthusiastic dedication to the cause!