A Tip for Tidy Edges

Published: May 1, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday/May Day, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We’ve noticed that some of the donated scarves that we have received have uneven edges due to accidental increases. But have no fear, we’ve got a very simple and effective tip that will give any knit scarf that you apply it to some wonderfully clean edges!

To accomplish this, simply add two additional stitches to whatever scarf pattern you are using. These two additional stitches are your “edge stitches” and are NOT part of the pattern; they are simply there to give you clean edges. So if your chosen pattern instructs you to cast on 30 stitches, you would cast on 32. At the beginning of every round, you slip the first stitch purl-wise instead of working it and then continue working in pattern as instructed. When you get to the last stitch of the row, knit the last stitch. It is important to note that the first of the two edge stitches (the one at the beginning of the row), is always slipped purl-wise and the second edge stitch (at the end of the row) is always knit. That’s it, no more uneven edges! Sometimes some of the simplest techniques net you the most consistent results! Happy crafting!

Rest In Peace

Published: April 24, 2023  ~   0

Dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family, it is with heavy hearts that we share with you this somber news. We are sad to report the passing of David Gillespie, a founding member and colleague of T.H.R.I.V.E. Association.

Rest in Peace

Thomas David Gillespie, Jr.

1969-2023

Colors

Published: April 10, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We have been getting a number of  questions recently about acceptable colors for donated garments. We know that it is Spring and our wonderful volunteers and donors are really excited to break out their lovely Springtime colored yarns, fabrics, etc. Trust us, we love bright colors too! 

However, we here at T.H.R.I.V.E. Association are all about the veteran community that we serve. As beautiful as bright colors and pastels are, we have to keep the recipients’ preferences in mind. Through the years that we have been in operation, we have found that the veterans and their dependents prefer darker colors of blue, black, green, grey, and camouflage. If you are feeling particularly bold, both red or royal purple have also been very popular.

Next week, we will be introducing a new crocheted gaiter pattern, pictured above, created by the our awesome team! If you are a knitter, we also have the same pattern in knit coming at you in the following weeks! So, stay tuned! 

Have Crafting, Will Travel

Published: March 27, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! It’s time to restock! After serving the veterans and their dependents at the Alachua county Stand Down in Gainesville, FL, we’re fresh out of hats, scarves, etc.! While we are thrilled by this (as it means that we met our goal), we now need to start building up our inventory of lovingly hand-crafted goods for the next Stand Downs.

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).

Big Shout Out to The Finest Accessories, Inc.

Published: March 20, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We would like to thank The Finest Accessories, Inc.(Parent company of France Luxe and L. Erickson) for their very generous donation of 2,134 beautifully crafted face masks. We are still sending out hundreds of our handcrafted face masks to each Stand Down that we serve, so this donation is much needed and very appreciated! We are so grateful!

We Did It!

Published: March 13, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We all did it! We were able to gift our lovingly hand-crafted items to the underprivileged veterans and their dependents at the Alachua County Veterans Center in Gainesville, Florida this past week. We couldn’t have done it without all of the support and hard work from our donors, crafters, and staff! We’re sending out a heartfelt thanks to all of you who helped to make this happen, as well as to our partners at the Alachua County Veterans Center! Thank you!

In Light of Recent Weather

Published: February 6, 2023  ~   0

Happy Monday, dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! Many of us have been dealing with inclement weather as of late and trying to stay safe and warm. We all know what it is like to be cold, but imagine being outside in the elements without the protection afforded to you by a warm hat or scarf! Imagining ourselves in that very situation – a situation that our underprivileged veterans and their dependents find themselves in daily, has caused us here at T.H.R.I.V.E. Association to redouble our efforts for this upcoming Stand Down and every other Stand Down into the future. Please join us in donating one of your lovingly hand-crafted goods that are desperately needed and deeply treasured more than we can ever imagine.

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!

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).