Sunday, July 17, 2005

knitting for Tibetans

    I don't have all the details worked out yet, but I am going to mention it now, since I just updated my blog to add the header text you see above.     Plans are in place and proceeding well for a trip to Tibet immediately following 2006 spring semester's end. We will mainly be in Lhasa, but also visiting Shigaste and Gyantse. This will be part of USM's International Studies program, as was the trip to Jamaica last May.     In fact, something concerning that trip is at the heart of this project. The students in one class were asked to bring a suitcase of items to donate to the social services organizations they were to visit. I only learned about after arriving from my two roommates, who were in that class. I regretted that I'd not had an opportunity to contribute.     So when the Tibet trip was announced, a knitting project seemed to be a natural idea. The sponsoring professor gave his approval, and I began to search for information and recipients. Over the next ten months, I plan to occasionally include some of that information, about Tibet, its people, its problems, here on this blog, and provide links to more of it that may be followed up by those interested.     For now, here are the basics -- subject to modification -- :     1)     wool items, or at the very least high wool content blends.     2)     sized for primary-aged schoolchildren,     3)     Tibetans seem to love bright colors (please avoid red-white-blue combinations), red, yellow & orange especially     4)     no novelty yarns     5)     no fringe on scarves There is also care being provided for elderly and I am looking into whether shawl-type items would be well-received.     Please pass this information widely as you are able and desire -- I have a very large suitcase for this project! As soon as I have confirmed exactly to whom these items will be delivered, I will post about it. I have names of several schools and orphanges and am making contact with representatives.     For today, however, I need to concentrate on finishing the reading for my two classes that end in two weeks! Yay! And, then, it's break-time for this kitty. LC

2 comments:

Rissa said...

I have patterns for kids up to three...but I can probably look around and find more. LOL

Anonymous said...

I'm gathering a collection of links to free patterns, too. Will post them soon. I keep coming back to this same woman named Collette, in Boulder, CO. I hope she emails me back quickly with some guidance.