Together Again

It was wonderful to be back together again on September 20th after taking the summer off.  It's always great to spend time with other "Angels", get caught up, and view the bounty of goodness that always awaits us.  If my count is correct, we had fourteen in attendance and were happy to be joined by one of our newest Angels, Nina Rubich, from Elk Grove Village.  Welcome, Nina!  We also received shipments of love gifts from some first-time contributors...Debi Buerger from Wauconda, IL (cousin of Helen Watson), Amy Trendler from Muncie, IN, and Bonnie Banks from Michigan City, IN.  We're delighted that you found us and are deeply grateful for the beautiful items you stitched with love for the various charities we support.

I'm always so excited to share the pictures of all of the amazing stuff we receive from all of you.  It's fun to see you're latest projects and it touches me in the deepest way knowing the time and love that goes into every item!

So...let's get right to it!

Debi Buerger's specialty most certainly is baby blankets.  Just look at these beauties!  Gorgeous work, Debi, and welcome to Crafty Angels!

 

Oh, Helen Watson, when did you sleep?  We were standing around gaping at all this wonderful stuff and then I realized there was yet another box from you we hadn't even opened yet (all of the things in the photo below).  All I can say is "Whew!"  You are incredible and, I know from talking with you, how much love and prayer is poured into each and every one of these things.  So many will be blessed this holiday by your big heart and generosity!

 

The "other" Helen Watson love gifts

Look at these lovelies from Nina Rubich...shawls, afghans, and baby hats.  Thanks, Nina!  It was great to have you with us in person for this meeting!

Carol Flowers came bearing (as always) loads of yarny goodness...her beautiful spa cloths, chemo caps, and baby hats.  You are the best, Carol!

Penny Sawczak has pretty much faithfully attended nearly every Crafty Angel meeting that I can remember.  She always arrives early, helps with opening boxes and setting up for photos, not to mention the loads of hand-stitched love she brings with her.  Thank you, Penny, for your faithful support of our ministry!!

Looks like Phyllis Snodgrass was also busy over the summer.  Her beautiful scarves are going to keep many necks warm this winter season.  You are a blessing to us and many others, Phyllis!



Sandy Rice and I have the titles of co-leaders of Crafty Angels, but our sweet friend, Jeannine Patt, is very much a part of our team.  She does a lot of "behind the scenes" work for Crafty Angels and, on top of that, is hugely talented.  Just look at the latest installment of her perfectly stitched yarny goodness.  We can't thank you enough, Jeannine, for all you do!



Marya Preston of Wheaton, IL sent us some of her beautiful baby afghans.  The newborns at Swedish Covenant Hospital and/or the babies at The Women's Center will be toasty warm thanks to your thoughtfulness.

 

Amy Trendler of Muncie, IN, one of our new Angels, sent this soft and snuggly baby afghan.  Thanks, Amy!  I love these soft pastel colors.

WOW!  Nancy Byron and friends have been very, very, busy!!  Those litte tiny vests???  Oh my gosh!  Heartfelt thanks to Nancy and whoever else contributed to this amazing bounty.

Carol Stephan's baby afghans are always adorable and she also sent some scarves that will help keep some folks at either Cornerstone Community Outreach or North Park Friendship Center warm this winter.  Thanks, Carol, for your on-going support of Crafty Angels!

The beautiful handiwork of Maureen Martin.  I aspire to someday knit half as well as Maureen.  That hat at the front on the right is a self-patterning yarn and the third one back is a self-striping yarn.  Isn't that amazing??

My stash with, again, a little bit for all our various ministries.  The striped hat is my first completed knitting project - and done on circular needles which I LOVE!



Joyce Dattalo came loaded with spa cloths, baby afghans, and lots of chemo caps for Swedish Covenant Hospital.  Looks like there are some youth-size hats in there as well.  Thanks, Joyce, for always making that long trek in from Oswego to personally deliver all of your gifts of love!

Angel Lynette Ackman recently moved out of state, but not before stopping by and dropping off all of this wonderful yarny goodness.  Lynette, your afghans are just fabulous, not to mention your hats, mittens, cowls, etc.  Best wishes to you, my friend!  We'll miss having you with us!

Cindy Weinzierl has been one busy lady, too!  Look at the sweet mom/daughter hats she knitted.  Cindy, we are blessed to have you and Becky Rosacker joining us at our meetings!

Faith Yao stopped by my house and dropped off these beauties.  As with everything Faith makes, perfectly, beautifully stitched with gorgeous yarns.  Thanks for all you do, Faith!

So, when I got ready to FINALLY update the blog and was looking through the pictures from our meeting, it dawned on me that I didn't have a picture of anything from the Indiana Klickers.  I ran back to church, checked a different location, and there was the box I knew they had sent!  So many wonderful things!  We love that you partner with us, Klickers!  Great work!  Wonderful hearts!

Also following our September meeting, we received a shipment from new Angel, Bonnie Banks, from Michigan City, IN.  So happy that you found us, Bonnie.  I especially loved that multi-colored baby afghan...it's like a little fiesta in yarn.  Absolutely beautiful colors and a wonderful assortment of stitches worked into it.

 

Last, but certainly not least, here's all the great stuff that we received from Angel Cheryl Kerr who hales from Lee's Summit, MO.  There was a little bit of something here for just about every one of the charities we support.  The socks, slippers, and those little baby booties were amazing and the baby afghans with the matching hats adorable!

That's it!  That's a lot, isn't it?!  It always blows me away when I sit down and look through the pictures of all the wonderful, beautifully stitched items you send our way.  We know that every single thing is going to make someone's life a bit warmer and richer.  I love thinking about how many people are blessed through your selfless amazing creativity.  You truly are angels in every sense of the word!

Our next meeting - the BIG one - will be on Saturday, November 15th, 10:30 a.m. in Fellowship Hall at Edgebrook Covenant Church, 6355 N. Spokane Ave., in Chicago.  We will be putting together the spa bags that go to the new moms at Swedish Covenant Hospital and to the women in the various shelters at Cornerstone Community Outreach.  We will also, hopefully, be packing up hat and scarf sets to take with us on December 6th to A Just Harvest (the community kitchen our church supports in East Rogers Park).  We have to have about 120 sets to take with us or we can't take any.  At this point, we need quite a few more sets to make that number so, if you're willing, please focus on these.  As is our tradition, a luncheon will be served at this meeting as a "thank you" for all of your hard work and contributions.  It's a wonderful time to just sit down and visit with one another so we really hope we will see you there if you're in the area.

We will, once again, be holding our Crafty Angels holiday sale after our church services on December 7th.  All of the items that you have sent us/brought us throughout the year will be blessed as part of our service that morning.  If you'd like to check out the sale, stop in!  It will be starting at about 11 a.m. and refreshments will be available.  Happy stitching!