A month away from our next delivery!

We're so excited at Hats Off to Gaza-- still have a month left to knit for the underprivileged, needy, cold orphans of unstable, volatile, beseiged Gaza. So happy to have this extra time, which was only made possible due to the new delivery girl deciding to postpone her trip. It works out so much better for us hat-makers. I'm going to be including some small, friendly, woolly softies with my hats. I have four children and know the importance of toys. I don't have traumatized children but can only...

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Knitting Away!

We're so thrilled to be able to send more hats at the end of the year! This will be our third batch, and I know it will be our best yet. I have already ten hats ready to go, nine are pictured below along with a super-cuddly all-cotton security blankie buddy! The kitty-ear, and cream ribbed are from a girl who is a friend of mine. I knit test knit the keffiyeh hat for TikkunKnitter, and knit the baby blueberry one for my own baby, who I (wrongly) assumed was going to be a boy. The pink one I also...

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One More Delivery and Some Hope

Last month, one of our founding members (Shunra) managed to gather a few hats and hair scrunchies and send them to Gaza with a friend who is a member of Code Pink. We just heard that the hats and scrunchies have been delivered successfully to a childrens center.The deadline for this last batch was short because the opportunity was sudden. However, success is success! Thank you from the bottom of my heart Shunra and Kit:)While the last delivery was on short notice, we do have another upcoming opportunity...

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Teaching Others the Craft

Interestingly, I and a friend were approached a couple weeks ago to teach some kids & teenagers to knit and crochet. I say "interestingly" because I suggested this as one of the "youth activities" for our Center and was scoffed at ("Knitting? (laugh) These girls don't want to knit.") Of course, this quote was from the mouth of a 51 year old woman, not the girls themselves or even the Youth Coordinator. Little did she know... So, next month will be the first time I teach knitting to a group...

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Psychological Effects of Life in Gaza

I came across this blog post about a ten-part documentary on the psychological effects of life in Gaza, with an emphasis on the lives of the children. I feel its a long time coming, and am glad someone took the initiative to do this. They did an excellent, if disturbing in its reality, job. I was very moved after watching just the first part...

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The Green Hat

When a friend proposed the idea that we, as fiber artists, could use our skills to provide hats for Gazas children, I wasn't at all pessimistic. We could indeed knit or crochet those hats if we wanted. The question was, "Then what?" All other ideas my friends and I had come up with in the past had always been thwarted by this one question!My friend was much more certain than I. The hats would be delivered to the children they were made for. When I realized the possibility, which was to me, nothing...

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Story of a Hat

This is the first in a Series of "Hat Stories" that will be posted by us, with submissions from our hat makers/contributors, to express what the project meant, and still means to them, and to let them tell their story of why they felt the need to help with this.  The story below is from me, Beeba. Enjoy!  Although everyone must tire of hearing me say this by now, I must say it again: I am still warmed inside by the success of our first campaign. I loved seeing one of my hat contributions...

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Yes We Did!

Did you all notice the lovely slide show (look to the top right) that Beeba put together for the blog? I know its a work in progress but I want to thank you Beeba. Great idea and a wonderful end result!So ladies and gents......Yes We Did! It was a call to action that didn't Change the larger issues but even if only for one winter, our work, which was from the heart, changed the lives of 113 children, innocent victims of the ongoing Israeli blockade on Gaza.While we want to steer away from out right...

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Guest Post: An Update on the delivery..photos! Information!

I know you all have been waiting for a report on the hats being delivered, and I appreciate your patience as travelling through Rafah is at best difficult. The crossing is only open at certain times and these times are difficult to even know and can change at the drop of a hat, excuse the pun:)I am happy to report that the hats were delivered and were a great hit with the children. The hats were delivered to a group of children whom the majority were orphans, all of them were refugees who lost their...

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Mission Accomplished!!!!!!!!!!!

I just heard the news, more photos and information coming when our friend gets home again!!! These hats are just some that we sent.I quote my dear friend from her email to methe kids in the photos are orphans from the war, they went nuts over the hats and when the bag was oopened they attacked it............seriously they spent 45 minutes trading with each other and they all had to try each hat on, although some would not give up theirs too funny!!!Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding...

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Haiti

Please keep the people of Haiti in your prayers. The citizens of that country have been living in a horrific situation for years now and I have felt empathy to their plig...

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Gaza Children Drawings

Publish PostPlease also visit this site to read more about the exhibit and you can also visit Rod Cox's blog where he talks more about this very important work he does in Ga...

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Visitors!

I was just looking around here, making sure that all comments have been answered when I scrolled all the way down to the visitors map (at the very end of the page). It's heartening to see that we have visitors from all over the world visiting this blog! We are getting the message across and our members are spreading the word! Thank you all for that.I know many do not like to comment on blogs so I don't gauge our success by actual comments, but by actual hits. However, it would be nice to hear from...

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Viva Palestina Emergency Appeal.

Edited: Link (let me know if it works!)Please visit this link to see how you can help bring medical supplies safely into Gaza.I know that many are reading this and if you can't donate, you can still help by passing the appeal around. Than...

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