Helping Others Through My New Hobby

I've become a little obsessed with my new hobby.

I'm really enjoying crocheting and have been occupying my evening time with new projects. I've also spent a bunch on yarn (always on sale or with coupons, though!) and am trying to complete the projects I've started. Most of them are unfinished because I've run out of the yarn needed. So I start something else until I get back out to Michael's or Joann Fabrics. So it's not that I've lost interest in a project--I've just decided I'd rather be working on something new than not working on anything at all.

However, I've also determined that I can only give so many people in my life a scarf for Christmas (or a bag or a blanket), so I've been trying to think of another outlet. While looking online for free patterns today, I stumbled upon a listing of charities to send completed projects that will be donated to people in need. The resources run the gambit of needing blankets or hats for newborn babies to lap blankets for the elderly to scarves for the homeless, both locally and nationally. Ultimately, I imagine I'll create something for several of these organizations, but there was one that really caught my eye, mostly because I'm new to this and my skills are still limited. And because this charity is something I can donate a lot to in a short amount of time.

Miles of Smiles is a group associated with the 2011 Special Olympics Washington State Winter Games which will be held in March 2011. The goal is to create/collect 2,500 scarves in order to distribute one to each athlete at the games. I love this idea. Using many different patterns in the same color and brand of yarn, this is a fantastic idea to use my new creative outlet and help out a good cause.

This picture is from the Miles of Smiles blog tracking the progress of their effort. These are just some of the scarves donated by crocheters.

As a person used to volunteering on a regular basis (I was a Big Sister, served in my church growing up, helped out in the community for a long time), since moving to Massachusetts, I've been looking for some new way to do my part in making the world a little brighter. It's been a struggle with my work schedule and commute, but this is one way I can contribute. I can even do this on the train, so I should be able to make several scarves in a relatively short period of time.

I'll keep you updated on my progress and would love to learn of any deserving charities that I might be able to contribute to.