Once again our wonderful knitting family has come through for our sailors. Sandra Berglund took over the effort last year and created a Hats for Sailors Ravelry group … the response has been wonderful. This year we’ve received 325 hats that were postmarked by Nov. 7, and more have come in since then. This is what they look like in boxes! There is a grand total today of 337 hats.
And this is what they look like when Sandra spread them out on her bed!
Cathryn Bothe of Signature Needle Arts generously offered a $25 gift certificate for one lucky knitter. Sandra used Random.org to determine the winner of the Signature Needle Arts gift certificate … #22. The lucky winner is Jackie Dudeck, JackiefromNY on Ravelry … although I believe she recently moved to Arizona. Jackie contributed 3 hats to the Hats for Sailors effort. Congratulations and thank you so much Jackie!
A little bonus … I went through my yarn stash last week so we could offer a few more prizes for the knitters … and this will include everyone who sent hats this year. Most of the yarn is Cascade 220 and will be suitable for knitting hats for the 2012 hat drive … or you can make something warm for yourself. We will announce those winners in a few days.
And now, the big news: Shanti has contacted Commanding Officers whose ships are currently deployed, telling them what we did last year and about the ongoing Hats for Sailors project. This year’s ship selection is the USS Ingraham (pronounced In-gra-ham), FFG-61, an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate currently on deployment in the Caribbean and Latin America. She has a crew of approximately 200 and is commanded by Commander Kristin Stengel. We are hoping to get the hats shipped off to them next week. Here's the USS Ingraham’s Facebook page. You can follow them during their deployment, just like you did the USS Decatur.
Shanti is looking for a small ship for the remaining 125 hats. As soon as we select one, we will announce that ship and get the hats in the mail. Can you believe it? We are able to outfit two ships this year with beautiful, warm, hand knit hats, sent with love from home!
Thank you everyone for your efforts. Sandra is all ready to start our 2012 project so stand-by … watch Ravelry’s Hats for Sailors group for more information.
Hi Shanti!
I only managed to make one hat this year. I'll start earlier next year.
So glad to see that you are doing well.
Jane
Posted by: Jane King | November 16, 2011 at 09:17 PM
Oooh...I see my hats! Thanks for posting the picture! Be sure to ask the commanders to send pictures to you of our sailors wearing our hats. I love to see them!
Posted by: Kate/Massachusetts | November 17, 2011 at 06:12 PM
The hats are just fantastic! and I can't believe they are laid out by color. So Cool! I'm glad we were able to help two ships this year, and I'll try to start early on next year's hats.
Posted by: jeanne | November 18, 2011 at 12:24 AM