Thursday, September 28, 2006

Our First Two Donated Scarves



These two are from Karen. They are both crocheted from super soft yarn (sorry don't know the brand). The light green scarf was made using all double crochets. The darken green scarfwas made by alternating rows of single and double crochets.

Thanks Karen!

Monday, September 04, 2006

About The Love Scarf Project

The Love Scarf Project collects handmade scarves and caps to be distributed to men and women living with cancer at New York Presbyterian Hospital, City of Hope, and the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
"When my friend Robbie Seidman was being treated for leukemia at the City of Hope, he had visitors 24/7. But no one else in the ward did. Some patients almost never had visitors. So, it was particularly sad around the holidays. Many of the patients had come from very far away, and their families simply couldn't afford to come the long distance to visit them. When dealing with bone marrow transplants, particularly, and cancer treatments in general, the patients' body temperatures fluctuate a lot, and sometimes they get very, very cold. Can you imagine being almost inconsolably cold and lonely too? The Love Scarf Project was designed so that everyone would have something to make them feel warm and loved no matter what.”

-Bridget Fonger (Founder of the Love Scarf Project)

So, if you knit or crochet-- or you know someone that knits or crochets who would like to honor someone they have lost to cancer -- please have them raise their good needles (or hook) and joyously knit (or crochet)!

Guidelines for scarves
Guidelines for caps


If you are interested in joining this project, e-mail us at: lovescarfproject (at) gmail (dot) com

Guidelines for Scarves

1) Soft yarns are advisable: cotton, baby yarn, microfiber, silk and cashmere are good
choices.
2) If yarn used has any wool content, please attach a note.
3) Use your own crochet/knit pattern, your own creativity or browse the free pattern links on the sidebar
4) Adult sizes needed.

*Note from Carrie: After participating in The Love Scarf Project for 4 years, I was finally able to help deliver scarves to City of Hope last year. What I learned from the experience is that this project makes a difference because of the quality of scarves and caps, not necessarily the quantity. When it comes to deciding what scarf or cap to make, if you make something you would love to receive as a gift and wear all the time, that is the kind of scarf or cap that will bring tears to the patient's eyes.

**If you are participating the LA Love Scarf project, scarves must also be washed once finished and placed in ziploc bags to minimize the passing of germs & animal hair exposure as much as possible. If you are unable to wash and package your scarf/hat, please make sure we receive it in LA by February 7th so we can prepare it for delivery.

Guidelines for Caps

1) Use soft yarns: cotton, baby yarn, microfiber, silk and cashmere are good choices.
2) Thinner, seamless (crochet or knit in the round), non-lumpy caps make for better sleeping and increased
comfort on the recipients heads.
3) If yarn used has any wool content, please attach a note.
4) Most patients will prefer solid caps and hats as opposed to a shell stitch or a V-stitch or a granny-square with more open holes.
5) Use your own crochet/knit pattern or browse the free pattern links on the sidebar
6) Adult sizes needed.

**If you are participating the LA Love Scarf project, caps must also be washed once finished and placed in ziploc bags to minimize the passing of germs & animal hair exposure as much as possible.

Contact Us

If you are interested in joining this project, e-mail me at:

lovescarfproject (at) gmail (dot) com

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Join the Mailing List

If you would like to recieve e-mails regarding updates to this blog and the Love Scarf Project, please send an e-mail with the subject of ADD to:

lovescarfproject (at) gmail (dot) com



If you would like to unsubscribe to the mailing list please send an e-mail with the subject of REMOVE to:

lovescarfproject (at) gmail (dot) com

Friday, September 01, 2006

How to Start Your Own Love Scarf Project

1. Choose a Hospital. Find a hospital that has cancer patients who could use some love and warmth, i.e., any hospital!

2. Get Donations. Spread the word (email works great!) among your community that you are looking for soft scarves (or chemo caps, socks, etc. – see patterns on this site) to be delivered to cancer patients around Christmas. Tell them cancer patients particularly need help staying warm as their body temperatures fluctuate with their treatments. And, most cancer patients don’t have 24/7 visitors, so they can always use the reminder that they are loved.

3. Set Up Delivery. Call the hospital to set up a delivery date and time. Some hospitals allow you to deliver directly to the patients, which is particularly great for patients who don't have any holiday visitors. Others, in order to protect the patients’ compromised immune systems, will take the donations and have the nurses distribute the scarves. For this reason, it’s good to string or pin a card to the scarf to tell them it was made with love especially for them.

4. Delivery of Love! Spread the love and remind all the patients that even when their friends and family aren't with them, they are loved, loved, loved!



If you decide to start your own Love Scarf Project, please send us all the info and we will add it to this site for easy reference!