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Each quarter, the Minnesota Knitters' Guild encourages members to knit for a special charity or community service. Our second- and third-quarter projects for 2007 both involve the Ships Project. This national organization was founded by Florida knitter Ellen Harpin (who was named XRX Stitches’ “Knitter of the Year” in 2005) shortly after the 9/11 attacks. From the pair of knit slippers that Harpin sent to an "Any Sailor" respondent aboard the U.S.S. Bataan have grown thousands of handmade hats and slippers sent to soldiers, sailors, airmen (and -women) and marines deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. A list of tested patterns is on the Ships Project Web site.

For the second quarter of 2007, we concentrated on knitting slippers and hats, with items collected at the June MKG monthly meeting. For the third quarter, we are knitting 7-by-7-inch squares (in machine-washable yarns, please) for an afghan, which the Ships Project folks will sew together (yeah!). Knitters should choose either an earth-tones color theme or red, white, and blue. The squares will be collected at our October MKG monthly meeting.

Here are a few links to free patterns and more information about the Ships Project

http://www.theshipsproject.com/Home.htm
an article about Ellen Harpin's award
http://www.theshipsproject.com/ItemGuidelines.htm
http://www.theshipsproject.com/Patterns.htm
http://smariek.blogspot.com/2006/10/cap-karma-hat.html
http://www.knitlist.com/97gift/desertboots.htm