Hats for Uganda

Growing up, there were always projects at various stages of completion around our house.  My mom usually had 2 or three 'big' things she was working on in her sewing room, like a dress for one of us (or herself if she should happen to find a few extra hours) or a quilt or even drapes.  In fact, looking back on it, my mom knew how to do everything!  Anyway, aside from the bigger projects she was working on, there was always some hand piecing, needlepoint, handmade ornaments or some knitting laying around to fill those spare moments in the car, waiting at dance or play practice or even while watching a movie.  One of the things that continually impresses me about my mother is her sheer desire to create things all of the time--even if she's tired, or has her grandchildren crawling on and around her, or is interrupted by something infinitely less fun than what she's working on--like making dinner.  I'm pretty sure I inherited my love of all things fiber from her.  She and my grandmother used to take my brother and I shopping when we were little and we rarely passed up a fabric or yarn shop.  In those days, Sofro fabrics was actually inside the mall--can you imagine if you could go shoe shopping and stop at your favorite quilt shop on the way out of the mall??  That's almost as good as looking at fabric on your laptop in your pajamas.  And both can spell trouble if you are not given to restrain yourself around fabric and yarn.  My brother and I would invariably groan on the way into the fabric store saying "you are going to be in here FOREVER!"  and my mother would just chuckle, knowing that even five minutes in a fabric store would seem like forever to us.  At some point, however, I started paying attention at these stores and even wandering around and touching all of the fabric--a habit I still have to this day.  And before I knew it, I had my own stash of yarn and fabric growing in my closet, which I had to move over to make room for my prom dress and collection of Nancy Drew books.  I also started a collection of baskets full of projects that fill my time when I am not piecing a quilt at my machine.  Thanks to my mom, one of those projects is now making a few little hats for orphans in Uganda.  One of the ladies in her knitting group has a friend who has a friend (you know how that is...) who visited St. Mary Kevin's orphanage last year and has plans to go again this Christmas.  Of course everyone is anxious to help in anyway they can and one of the things she knows the children like is hats!  Boys and girls both have to cut their hair short to avoid lice so they wear these hats.  My mother, of course, has already made a number of them.

For some of them, she used patterns she had laying around her studio.  But she designed the little orange and blue cutie herself....

In the midst of all of the preparations we have been doing for market, I am still going to find the time to knit a couple of these simple hats.  I am sure that I can handle a Christmas deadline (I am actually laughing as I write this because the truth is, I might not be able a Christmas deadline but I am certainly going to try)!