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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SOCKFORSOLDIERS/
A group where love is an action word and "Support Our Troops" means more than a yellow bumper sticker.
Founded by Kim Opperman bagelllady37@aol.com
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Socks for Soldiers Project at Carodan Farm
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What's It All About?
Requirements
for Knitted Items
Patterns
Knit-In at Carodan Farm
Free Classes
Care Packages
Order Yarn
Beanie/Washcloth Bands
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What's It All About? |
After reading about Socks For Soldiers, Inc for many months, we decided we wanted to take a bigger
part in it and make it easier for those who wanted to participate. This group
has been facilitating the making of socks for our men and women in Iraq, and
have expanded it to encompass other articles such as beanie hats and washcloths.
The object being to provide something handmade for our troops as a gift to show
we appreciate them. No matter what your political bent, they are our sons and
daughters in a foreign land who may or may not hear from family in the US and
whose spirits would be greatly lifted by receiving something from “home.” So,
here is what we propose to do. |
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| Beginning in July and continuing through to the end of September we will be
supplying yarn for the black socks at cost and if someone really can’t afford
the yarn but would like to knit the socks, we’ll supply the yarn free of charge.
We will supply the patterns, which you will be able to download from our website
free of charge. There are pretty specific requirements for the socks and other
articles, so please read the complete instructions before launching your own sock knitting, etc. |
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| Our SFS Project will also include a SFS Knit-In from August 18 – Aug 25. We will
kick off the SFS Knit-In with a free class on Saturday Aug. 18th in the Magic
Loop socks – two socks at one time so we can get those needles cranking. And
culminating the week-long Knit-In will be a free Soap Making class on August
25th. Because of the temps of 98-99 degrees predicted for our soap making day, we are postponing it to Sept. 15th. We are making soap because handmade soap is packaged in the washcloths! |
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| Because of the delay in receiving another shipment of the Regia Stretch black color, we are extending the due date for socks to be returned to us. All knitted items will be due back to Carodan Farm by November 30th at which
time we will ship it to the SFS group to be sent to the troops. |
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Requirements for Kntted Items: (the SFS has extensive experience with what
works and what doesn't, so please follow their guidelines which we are
explaining here) |
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Socks: the preferred yarn is Regia
Stretch in black. For the Big Black Socks (BBS), they should be knit with a
ribbed leg to guarantee fit for multiple leg shapes, and have a leg length of
12" from top of cuff to the beginning of the heel. These black socks can be
worn with uniforms and out in the field. If you cannot knit with black yarn,
you may use white and it will be dyed. If the BBS seem overwhelming to you,
you may knit "leisure" socks which can be knit in yarn of your choice color
but still must be superwash and no acrylic. Even better, as you are knitting the BBS, knit a pair of leisure socks concurrently to give you something to alternate with when you get tired of knitting black. All these items
must be able to be machine washed and dried on the HOT setting.
Sizes (shoe) listed in order of priority:
Men's 9-10
Men's 11-12
Women's 7-8
Women's 9-10
Men's 13 -15 |
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| Beanies: These are lightweight caps which should be knit in cotton, preferably in
military colors or desert colors. Please see pattern choices. |
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| Washcloths: Once again these need to be 100% cotton. Acrylic is not acceptable. Sorry, they just don't hold up under the
conditions there. These can be any color or pattern you want to make. Please see
pattern choices or choose your own. We will be wrapping them with homemade soaps
here at Carodan Farm before shipping them to the SFS group. |
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| Patterns
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| These patterns have been shared by
the folks at SFS and are their approved patterns, tried and tested. They
include Kim's notes also. You can download them in the PDF format. |
| Sock patterns:
Beanie pattern:
Washcloth patterns:
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Beanie/Washcloth Bands |
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After knitting your beanie or washcloth, please print out a label and attach it with all the information filled in.
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Knit-In at Carodan Farm |
| We will kick off our Knit-In for SFS
Project on Saturday, August 18th, with a free class in sock knitting. From
Monday August 20th - Saturday August 25th, come from 10-4 and join others in
knitting socks, beanies and washcloths for SFS. Bring a lunch and enjoy the
day. If you need help with your socks, etc. this is the time to come. On Saturday, August 25th we'll culminate the week by making soap to be
wrapped in the washcloths. We'll need people to help make the soap, others
to do the wrapping and others still knitting. |
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Free Classes
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Two Socks on the Magic Loop - Saturday,
August 18th - 10am-1pm
Learn how to knit two socks at one time with the 40" magic loop method.
Experience with the magic loop is recommended. Bring your own supplies or
purchase here. Materials: Addi Turbo Needle 40" length size 4 or 5, and DK
or WW yarn. Bring a lunch. |
Learn how to Make Soap - Saturday, August 25th - 10am-1pm Because of the temps of 98-99 degrees predicted for our soap making day, we are postponing it to Sept. 15th.
We will be making soap using the melt and pour method, adding fragrance and
color, cutting the soap and packaging. Soap making materials will be
provided. (Any donation to offset the cost of the soap supplies would be
appreciated.) Bring a lunch, your knitting for down time.
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| Care Packages
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We will be accepting items to be included
in the shipments from Socks for Soldiers. This would be a wonderful way for non-knitters to
take part in this project. Have your group gather items, deliver them to
Carodan Farm and we will ship it all to the folks at SFS to be delivered to
the soldiers along with the knitted goodies. And of course if you or
anyone wants to donate money to help cover the shipping costs that the SFS,
Inc incurs, we can pass that along also.
List
of items needed for care packages |
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| Order Yarn |
Order your black yarn at cost. This is the Regia Stretch. Please order 3 balls for the BBS. You can also order the other colors of Regia Stretch for Beanies and we are offering the Cable Cotton yarn which is 100% cotton at cost for wash cloths. Also, the Panda Cotton yarn which can be used single or double for beanies as well as Fixation Cotton multicolor yarn and Fixation Solid color yarns for beanies. When you order these yarns with a discount, you are committing yourself to making the socks or other articles and we will expect to receive these in return. Sorry to be so adamant about this, but just so we are clear. Also, if you want to make the socks and can't afford to buy the yarn, please contact us by phone and we will make arrangements for you to receive the yarn free of charge.
To order the yarn at cost, just enter SFS in the coupon box on the shopping cart page when you place your order and the discount will be taken off your yarn. |
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