Busy Angels are Happy Angels

And the Angels have been VERY busy since our September meeting!  On October 20th, we participated for the first time in the craft fair at Edgebrook Covenant Church's annual Fall Fast.  We had three tables of your beautiful hand-crafted items for sale and were able to raise approximately $350.  All money raised by the sale of Crafty Angels' items is used to offset our expenses - things like replenishing our supply of yarn, shipping charges, supplies for meetings, etc.  Here are some photos of the lovely things that were on display that day...

 Special thanks to Jeannine Patt for her expertise in product display.  I don't know what we would have done without her!  Fall Fest was lots of fun!  Besides the craft fair, there was a petting zoo for the kids, a wonderful bake sale, scarecrow building, a giant leaf pile with miniature Tooties Rolls hidden beneath all that leafy goodness for the kids to find, a "Make Your Own" caramel apple table, and food and beverages for sale.  Best of all, we had a great turn out of neighbors at this event.

On November 17th, with 22 Angels in attendance, we had our most important meeting of the year where we assembled spa bags for distribution to Cornerstone Community Outreach, Leland House, and the new moms at Swedish Covenant Hospital.  We had enough "fixin's" to assemble 627 spa bags at the meeting.  Here are the ladies hard at work...

The spa bag production line - those Angels know how to get it done!!

We could have assembled more bags, but we ran out of spa cloths.  No problem!  Look what arrived at my house the very next week...

Thank you, Carol Flowers, for sending just enough extras to reach 650!

AND, look what arrived at church one week later...

Thank you, Carol Stephan, for sending these extra spa cloths that will get us over 650!



Gotta love those Carols!  I've also been working on some extra spa cloths.  Sandy and I will continue to assemble spa bags until pick up/delivery time rolls around (early December).  We'll see what the final number is, but I can tell you it will be at least 675!

At our November meeting, we also assembled sets of dark hats and scarves to be delivered to the folks served by A Just Harvest.  We put together 200 adult-size sets and had left overs.  150 of these sets will be taken to A Just Harvest when Edgebrook Covenant serves there on December 1st and the rest will be stored for distribution next year.  We also put together about 20 youth-size sets for the kids who come to A Just Harvest for a meal.  Here are the Angels hard at work assembling these sets...


 

Thanks to Doris Ahlstedt (hiding behind the bin), Joyce Dattalo, Peggy Kingsley, and Penny Sawczak for your hard work!

Of course, we never get tired of opening all of the boxes of yarny awesomeness that we receive from all over the country and looking at what each of the Angels in attendance brings with them.  So, let the show begin!

First up, Sylvia Frey from Rock Falls, Illinois...


We don't get many mittens, so these were great!  Also especially loved the ear flap hat.



Karen Egolf-Simon, from Wheeling, Illinois, provided this lovely assortment of goodness...

Such a cute kid's sweater, LOVED the cabling on the hat and scarf set, and you know the spa cloths were put to good use!





Alexis Lueth, an Angel from Winter Springs, Florida, sent us this...

 

The moms and babies at Swedish Covenant Hospital are blessed by you, Alexis!





Edgebrook Covenanter, Lisa Kowar, worked up the following goodies...

There's a Chicago Bears fan out there who's going to love this scarf and headband set in just the right colors!  And, Lisa, thanks for always thinking of the folks at A Just Harvest.



Barb Swanstrom is a member here at Edgebrook Covenant and, honestly, one of the sweetest women I have ever known.  She brought these GORGEOUS items that had been worked up by her aunt and cousin to our Wednesday morning Bible study as a donation to Crafty Angels.  She said she's had these set aside to give as gifts when we have baby showers at church, but that the Angels always provide hand-made gifts for these, so she decided to just donate them to the Angels for distribution!  Thank you, Barb!  And thanks to your aunt and cousin for their AMAZING stitching!

The baby afghan is made with a beautiful Catherine's Wheel stitch and look at that gorgeous hat and sweater set!  Also included here was a lovely maroon shawl.


Janeece Lewis from Adel, GA sent us these gifts of love...

The little things at bottom center that look like little pocketbooks are actually pocketbook slippers!  When you slip them on your foot, they conform to the shape and wah! lah!  It works...I tried it!
 

Ann Mazzitelli, who is a member of a small knitting group down in Port Richey, FL, is a new contributor to Crafty Angels.  Here's what came in her first box of goodness...

Thanks, Ann!  We look forward to seeing more of your group's wonderful stuff!





Cheryl Kerr, of Lee's Summit, MO, sent along all of this yarny goodness...

Love the variety of stitches that Cheryl uses in her creations.  Thanks for your lovely contributions, Cheryl!



Our Angels in Loogootee, IN, Dianna Overall and The Klickers, sent in all of this awesomeness...



First shipment...
and



 



Second shipment...



In addition to all of those lovely spa cloths mentioned above, Carol Stephan also sent us this...

Aren't these sets adorable?



Here were my contributions for this go-round.  I've had fun playing around with baby booties - something I've never made before, but will certainly be making more of!

Jeannine Patt never disappoints with her beautiful creations.  Here is her latest...

We have always ooh'ed and aah'ed over Jeannine's gorgeous spa cloths.  Here she has them in a smaller size to use as coasters (wonderful for our holiday sale) and just look at that beautiful baby set!

Thank you, Heather Groh, for your love gifts!

All of these spa cloths helped us meet and exceed our goal this year. 

Lori Nienke brought these love gifts...

Thanks, Lori! 

Our high schooler, Evelyn Stowe, worked up these goodies...

We love her ear-flap hats and isn't the little "bear" hat with the ears adorable? 

Doris Ahlstedt brought more of her spectacular baby hats...

Look at the beautiful variety of stitches Doris uses in her hats! 

Carol Flowers, by herself, is a prolific stitcher (as proven by all of those extra spa cloths she sent after our last meeting), but this time her daughter - Debi Heseltine - and her granddaughter - Kelsa (who is 9 1/2) - also contributed to this bounty of yarny goodness.  Debi and Kelsa made some beautiful baby hats.

Thanks, Carol, Debi and Kelsa!

Here are Penny Sawczak's latest creations...

The folks at Cornerstone Community Outreach and North Park Friendship Center will be blessed by all of this. 

Yungi Kim was able to join us again and brought these spa cloths and scarves...

Thanks, Yunji! 

Pam Gantzer brought a couple more of her awesome knit hats.

Aren't these adorable? 

Joyce Dattalo drove in all the way from Oswego again to be with us and brought this gorgeous goodness with her...

 

Look at these lovely hat and scarf sets! 

We always look forward to the unveiling of Maureen Martin's creations because she does amazing work!  We especially go gaga over her baby sweaters...

We are in awe of your talent, Maureen!

And then there's Mary Grotz!  Prolific stitcher extraordinaire and queen of baby items!

And she stepped up to the spa cloth challenge this time as well!  Thanks so much, Mary!

Marya Preston, from Wheaton, IL, tells me she doesn't get to Crafty Angels meetings very often so we were delighted to have her join us for this one!  And, boy, did she come bearing gifts!!

This photo doesn't even capture all of Marya's yarny goodness.  Check out the gorgeous ruffled scarves made with the new Sashay yarn.  Such a wonderful variety of love gifts!  Thanks, Marya!

Peggy Kingsley's friend, Jo S., worked up this loveliness...

Thanks, Jo, for your contributions and thanks, Peggy, for being an encouragement to your friend Jo!

 I was able to find Phyllis Snodgrass's favorite Red Heart blended yarn on sale in recent months and here is the end result...

Love these colors and your perfect stitching!

We received this shipment of goodies from Beth Fox of Salem, VA after our meeting, but this yarny goodness will be included with what we distribute this year.

I especially loved the yarn used in this middle scarf.  Gorgeous!
 

Thanks for bearing with me through this extremely long update, but I just had to share all of the Angel goodness we've been witness to in recent months.  Next up is the distribution, this coming Saturday - December 1st, of the hat and scarf sets to A Just Harvest in East Rogers Park here in the city.  The very next day, December 2nd, is our Crafty Angel holiday sale which will take place following church services at Edgebrook Covenant (6355 N. Spokane Ave. in Chicago).  I'll try to post pictures after the sale and will report on how we did.  After the sale, all remaining items will be added back into the stockpile of goodness and distributed to the ministries we support just in time for the holiday season.  This is my favorite part of being involved in Crafty Angels - to actually distribute the many gifts of love you each have worked on so diligently throughout the year.  The recipients are blessed more than you will ever know by the care you show them and the love and prayers you stitch in to every item you make.

"Love is the overflow of joy in God's grace which gladly meets the needs of others."

 

The above quote was used by our Pastor Greg Mesimore in one of his recent sermons.  When I heard it, I immediately thought of all of you Angels out there who ARE gladly meeting the needs of others.  Thanks for all you do and God bless you this holiday season!  Our next meeting will be held on Saturday, January 19th, 10:30 a.m. in the chapel at Edgebrook Covenant.