Knit-a-thon for National Day of Volunteering

We are getting very excited about this Friday, 30th September. Normally we host our regular knitting and stitching group on Friday mornings but this Friday is extra special.

Friday the 30th September is National Day of Volunteering in Ireland and to show our support we are hosting a knit-a-thon.

Volunteer Ireland say "The aim of the National Day of Volunteering is to encourage everyone in Ireland to give volunteering a try, so that everyone can learn that - even if it’s only for a minute, an hour, or a day - volunteering can make a big difference and be a lot of fun! Read more under our ’Get Informed’, ’Get Involved,’ and ’Get Organised’ buttoms to learn more about the National Day of Volunteering and how you can get involved! ". 

We thought that taking part in this event would show our support for the wonderful volunteers in Ireland, promote a local charity (Bee for Battens) and bring all the lovely knitters and crocheters in Kerry together. 

You can read lots more about the knit-a-thon here but basically these events are going to be held all over Ireland on Friday and we are going to collectively try and break the Guinness World Record of the most people knitting simultaneously which currently stands at 1147. Easy right?

You can knit whatever you like on the day but we are also asking people to donate a piece knitted or in crochet (Any size or item) to donate for sale to raise funds for the local charity Bee for Battens. The donated garments will be put for sale in the shop between now and Christmas and all proceeds donated to the charity, 


So all you have to do is turn up with your yarn and needles on Friday September 30th between 10am and 1pm at the shop and get knitting and crocheting, have a cuppa and meet other stitchers. 


We look forward to seeing you then.

Handmade Brooches

Hi all, just thought I would share the first few brooches I have made for the Bee for Battens Campaign.

Felt Die Cut Brooches

Foam Die Cut Brooches

Crochet Flower Brooches

Still loads more to do but thought these might give people some inspiration to make their own and send them to us for the campaign. If you can even make one it could make a difference!

Thanks

Cathy x

Patterns for Bee for Battens

Hi all,

Below is a list of link to free patterns for the Bee for Battens "B is for Brooch, Bee is for Battens" project.

Also if you come across any other suitable patterns please leave the link in the comments section and I will add them in.

We welcome all handmade flowers from across the crafts.

Bumble Bee Crochet Patterns

http://www.coatsandclark.com/NR/rdonlyres/7525B518-229A-47D3-84D2-7424FD995730/100991/WR1729.pdf

http://web.archive.org/web/20071013231235/http://hometown.aol.com/wahnoma/BumbleBeePursePouch.html

http://skamama.blogspot.com/2006/06/picot-flower.html

http://mycrochetstuff.blogspot.com/2008/05/little-flowers-with-leaves-free-crochet.html

http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/faq-search.cgi?store=/stores/eyarn&faqKey=492&language=

http://renjet.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/pretty-little-flowers-all-in-a-row/


Knitted Flower Patterns for Brooch
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/homegarden/homemaking/crafts/articles/0,,695942_710695,00.html

http://www.knitonthenet.com/issue6/patterns/flowerpower/

http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTpetals.html

I will add more but these are just a few to get you started. By the way I highly recommend you signup to Ravelry which has an amazing database of free flower patterns perfect for the brooches and we have our own group on there too so pop by and say hello!

Thanks for your support and I look forward to seeing your creations for the Bee for Battens campaign

Cathy

B is for Brooches, Bee is for Battens

Hi all,

If any of you watched the Late Late show last Friday evening you may have saw Tony and Mary Heffernan talking about their two beautiful children who are diagnosed with Battens Disease. This is a heart wrencing story and I urge you visit the interview if you have not already seen it here on RTE Player. Please note the interview is towards the end of the programme.

The Heffernan family actually live in the same village as me in Kerry and their two beautiful children are of similar ages to my own and I am amazed by their strength and devotion as parents. Their children are the only two diagnosed people in the South of Ireland with Battens Disease and they have formed a strong friendship with a family up North Alan and Shauna Bates, mother of 9 year old Rhiannon who is also battling Battens.

To understand the struggle these families are facing dealing with Battens, I took this excerpt from the website

"Over time, affected children suffer mental impairment, worsening seizures, and progressive loss of sight and motor skills. Children become totally disabled and eventually die.

Batten disease is not contagious nor, at this time, preventable. To date it has always been fatal."

I put my thinking cap on for what I and we can do as creative people to help raise awareness and support for the Heffernan family and other families who are dealing with Battens and came up with the idea

"B is for Brooches, Bee is for Battens".

First of all I will explain that the symbol of a Bee is used as the emblem on their website and logo http://www.beeforbattens.org/ and I got thinking of Bees and flowers....

What I am asking people to do is knit, crochet or handmake a flower (papercrafters can die cut felt etc.) and send them to me. I will add pins to the flowers and sell them as brooches in the shop and online. I will add a tag to the brooch with the Battens web address on one side and "Handmade by..." on the other.All proceeds will go to the Saoirse foundation to help raise awareness and create support. Its important to note that I have been in contact with The Heffernans and they were very supportive of this idea.

Also on Good Friday (Friday 2nd March) I will host a very special edition of our regular knitting group which will be dedicate to making the flowers for the brooches. The yarn will be supplies so all you need are your skills and support!

So what can you do?

1. Make and send a flower to me (or more if you have the time)

2. Come to the knitting group in the shop next Friday and make some more (10am to 12pm)

3. Spread the word and link to this article and more importantly the Bee for Battens website http://www.beeforbattens.org/

Please post your flowers to The Crafty Alley Shop, 6B Scotts Street, Killarney, Co. Kerry.

Thanks guys

Cathy x

B is for Brooch, Bee is for Battens

Hi all,

If any of you watched the Late Late show last Friday evening you may have saw Tony and Mary Heffernan talking about their two beautiful children who are diagnosed with Battens Disease. This is a heart wrencing story and I urge you visit the interview here on RTE Player. Please note the interview is towards the end of the programme.

The Heffernan family actually live in the same village as me in Kerry and their two beautiful children are of similar ages to my own and I am amazed by their strength and devotion as parents. Their children are the only two diagnosed people in the South of Ireland with Battens Disease and they have formed a strong friendship with a family up North Alan and Shauna Bates, mother of 9 year old Rhiannon who is also battling Battens.

To understand the struggle these families are facing dealing with Battens, I took this excerpt from the website

"Over time, affected children suffer mental impairment, worsening seizures, and progressive loss of sight and motor skills. Children become totally disabled and eventually die.

Batten disease is not contagious nor, at this time, preventable. To date it has always been fatal."

I put my thinking cap on for what I and we can do as creative people to help raise awareness and support for the Heffernan family and other families who are dealing with Battens and came up with the idea

"B is for Brooches, Bee is for Battens".

First of all I will explain that the symbol of a Bee is used as the emblem on their website and logo http://www.beeforbattens.org/ and I got thinking of Bees and flowers....

What I am asking people to do is knit, crochet or handmake a flower (papercrafters can die cut felt etc.) and send them to me. I will add pins to the flowers and sell them as brooches in the shop and online. I will add a tag to the brooch with the Battens web address on one side and "Handmade by..." on the other.All proceeds will go to the Saoirse foundation to help raise awareness and create support. Its important to note that I have been in contact with The Heffernans and they were very supportive of this idea.

Also on Good Friday (Friday 2nd APRIL) I will host a very special edition of our regular knitting group which will be dedicate to making the flowers for the brooches. The yarn will be supplies so all you need are your skills and support!

So what can you do?

1. Make and send a flower to me (or more if you have the time)
2. Come to the knitting group in the shop next Friday and make some more (10am to 12pm)
3. Spread the word and link to this article and more importantly the Bee for Battens website http://www.beeforbattens.org/

Please post your flowers to The Crafty Alley Shop, 6B Scotts Street, Killarney, Co. Kerry.

Thanks guys

Cathy x