Our First New York Yarn Exchange - 2/05

Meeting new volunteers and teaching!

It was a hot summer day in New York. After a hectic morning (which included traveling back and forth to the meeting location TWICE in one day) - the get together started. My closest friend came and we set up for the coming attendees. As people came, they joined in and lent a helping hand. There was yarn to be sorted, tables to be dressed, magazines to be laid out and applications to be filled in.

This time, trying to get more organized, I had made a volunteer form so that the volunteers could share their interests and state what they expected to get out of the group.

We have received the acceptance letter from Safe Horizons, one of the leading advocates for survivors of domestic violence in the country. This organization currently has 2 "transitional" facilities (6 month stays) and 6 emergency facilities (3 month stays). With this information I was able to share a concrete committment from an organization towards receiving these items on a consistent basis.

And it was a wonderful event - A total of six women attended and each agreed to create something wonderful. I held a class of creating a plaid fabric using crochet - and it went really well. We all sat around the central table and made multi-color swatches of our own design.

We were all relieved when the rain clouds finally brought relief to the heat and showers poured down outside.

sue rock originals No Matter What!!

For the next get together in June - what would be next? The yarn was overflowing and I began crocheting voraciously - oversized pullovers, reminiscent of the ski tops of Gidget's '60s. Shrugs combining colors, pinks and magentas. It was a real challenge to come to the yarn with a sense of the contemporary, both in color and in style. The first thing was to group all the yarns received in terms of color. Choosing the P hook to work with was best - using three yarns would "eat" the yarns stores and wonderful textured items could be created. You see, many of the acrylic yarns are in loud garish colors. Finding combinations that would not hurt someone's feelings ("so ........you actually think I should WEAR that.....hmmmmmm) was exciting! Pale yellow combinations with a splash of red became a child's throw which reminded me of Banana Now & Later candies. Infinate numbers of "super saver" balls of a strange puce/pink combined with a soft blue of lighter weight yarn created an almost three dimensional visual effect. With white fluffy cuffs and neckline - holiday entertaining comes to mind. Combinations of Greens, rather than being overly bright are warm and forest like.

I decided to do the next get together in the lobby of my building - offered it as a way for folks to actually get their hands into some yarn and start crafting. Imagine my shock and surprise that women actually came to my little corner of the world in Brooklyn and enjoyed visiting. The day was sweltering, so I loaded up a large basin with ice and cans of Snapple juices. As women came in they admired the items created and immediately dived into the yarns.

The orientation story is always one which bring people together. Posing the question - "Can a woman who has just had the courage to bring her kids to the shelter in her denim jacket and her flip flips ......can she have a bag?, can she have a sweater?" always gets heads nodding. "What about a pair of earrings?" one woman said, "I mean when she is going to court, they always say 'look presentable' - I make jewelry, what about a earring and necklace set"?

.......so I guess there is bound to be a jewelry component.......hmmmmmm

(now where is that huge jar of earring backs I had?........)

Sue