Thank You Staff Members!

Published: June 29, 2026  ~   0

Happy Monday dear T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family! We want to thank the members of our dedicated staff who spent their weekend crafting for our partner V.A. in Anchorage, Alaska. Their hard work and dedication to T.H.R.I.V.E. Association’s mission is second to none. A heartfelt thanks to all of you! We are so grateful for all that you do!

As we said in our post last week, our goal is to take at least 150 hats and scarves, and 20 blankets to the Anchorage V.A. These gifts are always deeply treasured by the veterans and their dependents. We have heard both from the veterans themselves and also from VA staff and other Community partners that our lovingly handcrafted gifts really do encourage the veterans and make them feel appreciated and loved. Our gifts are more than the sum of the parts; what makes them special is that they are handmade by the T.H.R.I.V.E. Association family of crafters with love and appreciation.

If you don’t craft, but want to help, please make a tax-deductible monetary donation to help cover the travel costs. Alternatively, if you would like to make an in-kind gift, we need Lion Brand Pound of Love yarn. Just one of these one-pound balls of yarn can easily make up to six warm double thick hats!  

Patons Cozy Striped Kerchief

Published: March 23, 2017  ~   0

This week we’re switching gears again and sharing a wonderful knit pattern – Patons Cozy Striped Kerchief. This weeks’ featured project is a really fun piece with a lot of texture, versatility, and yes, our favorite- color! Plus, it is super warm and is really going to make a fantastic gift for our underprivileged military veterans this Winter. Just follow the link to get your copy of the free pattern:

Patons Cozy Striped Kerchief pattern

We know that you’re all excited to try this, but first we’d like to offer a word of caution: we recommend that you do not cut the yarn. As you can see from the pictures below, this pattern changes colors often and if you are one of those knitters that likes to cut rather than carry, that is going to be a lot of ends to weave in. If you need a how-to or a refresher course on how to carry the yarn between color changes, just follow the link below to see Ms. Staci over at Very Pink Knits demonstrate this wonderful technique.

Very Pink Knits carrying colors technique demonstration video

Also, the pattern calls for an M1 (Make 1) on Rows 3, 5, and each subsequent row that asks for you to repeat Row 5. However, this can be a little tricky since there is no specificity in the pattern as to which direction the M1 should be. But have no fear, we’ve done the work for you!

For Row 3: (Knit 2. M1R (Make 1 Right)) twice. Place marker. Knit 1. Place Marker. These markers indicate the center stitch. (M1L (Make 1 Left), K2). There will be 13 stitches after this row.

For Row 5 and each subsequent row that asks for you to repeat Row 5: Knit 2. M1R. Knit to center stitch. M1R. Knit center stitch. M1L. Knit to last 2 stitches, M1L, Knit 2.

Again, here is a video tutorial from our friends over at Very Pink Knits on how to do these specific increases.

Very Pink Knits Make 1 (M1) knitting help video

We have a goal this year of reaching 400 handmade items to distribute. Please keep sending in your completed, wet-blocked goods so that they can be counted. Remember, we’re going to be handing out some awesome prizes this year to our most productive volunteers.

If you live in the Metroplex and would like to come to one of our events, but don’t have a ride, please let us know. We may be able to provide you with a day pass for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART).