hillside_lk150_hat challenge

Hillside LK150 Club “500 Hats Challenge”

"500 Hats Challenge"

A BIG heartfelt “Thank you!” goes out to the Presidents of InterKnit,  TechKnitters and their members, along with the members of the Hillside LK 150 Machine Knitting Club who came out on Saturday, February 24, 2024, to take part in the “500 Hats Challenge” organized by Valoria Simpson, President of the Hillside LK150 Club.  While we didn’t reach the goal, we did pretty darn good with a final total was 296 hats!

The hats were picked up by Valoria’s friend who happens to be the Mayor of Hillside and donated to St. Edmunds Catholic Church in Oak Park, Illinois who distribute them to several local shelters in need. 

All in all, the event was a great success!

Barb hails from the Chicago area and is an avid machine knitter and belongs to several local and nationwide machine knitting clubs

Donations to Wool-Aid

by Barb Palmer

Wool-Aid works with organizations worldwide to provide warm woolen clothing and blankets for children who live in the coldest climates and have the least access to resources such as Ukraine, Pakistan, Lebanon, northern India and on both sides of our southern border. Wool-Aid has a very active group on Ravelry.com working to support each other as we use our skills to help these children by sharing yarn, patterns, and motivational support. There is a very high standard of crafting among the members and a mindset to provide our best work for these deserving children. Items must be a minimum of 80% wool because it is warmer, self-extinguishes if caught in a fire, has water-resistant qualities and is very long wearing. Synthetics, because of their flammability, are not accepted, even as a trim or decoration.

My experience in sewing and knitting led me to focus on making sweaters and vests. The quantity of a particular yarn will dictate whether it will be a scarf, hat, or mittens. I have made sweaters and vests to fit sizes from infant to size 40. The challenge I give myself is to try and combine smaller bits of yarn into an attractive and wearable sweater or vest. I feel this is a very worthy group for me to share my time and skills with.

Donations to Hephzibah

Member Jean Powell, originally from British Guyana and subsequently moved to Trinidad where she married and ran a business with her husband, now hails from Oak Park, Illinois loves to machine knit for children using her garter carriage. When her projects come off the machine, she uses duplicate stitch to embroider lovely design elements on the garments that add a very special touch! She spends her time throughout the year knitting sweaters, dresses, beanies, scarves and mittens and then, when the Holidays roll around, she holds an open house to display all her wears to friends and neighbors alike. Along with Valoria Simpson, they have donated 26 sweaters to Hephzibah Childrens Association, one of Oak Park’s oldest social service agencies.

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