The Knit Before Christmas

If you’re shopping online, please consider using iGive. It’s a search engine and shopping site that donates money to SCI with every click. Some people have known about igive.com for years, and by using the site have earned funds for the Institute. Here’s how it works:

iGive is a free service which enables registered members to earn money for their favorite cause whenever they make an online purchase or search the Web. A portion of each purchase is donated to your cause. Plus, when you shop within 45 days of registering they’ll donate an extra $5.

After registering, point your browser to http://isearch.igive.com/ and use it instead of Google. Also, if you use aggregating shopping sites like NexTag, Shopping.com, PriceGrabber, or other price comparison services, check out igive.com. Popular retailers like JCPenney, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Gap, and Nordstrom list with igive.com. Simply by browsing, SCI benefits!

Use the link below, select SCI as your charity, register, and start surfing. You don’t even have to make any purchases, and iGive is a free service. Read more about iGive at http://www.igive.com

http://www.igive.com/welcome/

As I mentioned in my previous post, I participated in the Ravelympics, aka the fiber olympics on Ravelry. I decided to make my challenge be to design a new hat pattern for CAS that folks could use during Knit 4 Lent this year. I knew I wanted to make a pattern that was a little more challenging. We already have so many patterns for beginners.

I tried knit and purl patterns, I tried cables, I tried colorwork, but nothing really clicked. Finally I decided the best pattern would be one that coordinates with our Seafarer’s Scarf. I had my heart set on a folded brim, and from there the hat seemed to design itself. I will be publishing this pattern in our upcoming newsletter and should have the pdf up tomorrow, but for now, enjoy a picture. I took it myself, so please forgive the close up.

Two years ago CAS asked you to make knitting part of your Lenten discipline by knitting hats for the 4000 mariners SCI serves in the Gulf Region of the United States. Although we didn’t complete the 4000 hats in the 40 days of Lent, for two years now we have collected 4000 hats and distributed them on Christmas day. Thanks!

This year has been especially cold and those gifts have been more useful and more valued than ever. I’ve written a bit about the outpouring of gratitude for our gifts on our website. Please take a look.

For those of you who are participating this year, come and find us in the Christmas at Sea knitters group on Ravelry. Ravelry is a social networking site for knitters where you can find patterns, information about yarns and share pictures of your work. The Christmas at Sea group needs your participation! Although I love finding new folks to join needles with us, I’d love to have the participation of the many knitters that have been working along side this program for years. If you have any questions about how to join Ravelry, or how to find CAS once you are there, please send me a message. I’ll gladly walk you through it.

Also on Ravelry, Christmas at Sea is competing in the 2010 Ravelympics. Knit along with the Winter Olympics by challenging yourself to a knitting or crochet goal. Since it’s hat season here, I’ve challenged myself to write a new free pattern for CAS which will be published in our upcoming newsletter. Since we have so many great patterns for beginners, this pattern will be a bit more difficult.   I’ll be knitting that pattern throughout Lent and come Easter it will thoroughly tested and ready for publication.

What are your knitting goals this year? How do you challenge yourself?

If you’re participating in Knit 4 Lent this year, please label your items Knit4Lent and have them mailed by April 19.

happy New Year knitters and crocheters! As Christmas draws to a close I wanted to share the some of the thank you notes that that real mariners have sent along in honor of your work. These are only a few of the many notes we’ve received so far this year. Our upcoming Knit Before Christmas Newsletter will feature many more along with pictures and stories. Thanks from SCI for each and every stitch you’ve contributed to help CAS reach more than 16,000 mariners in 2009.

I just wanted to take the time to say thank you from the crew, we enjoyed the gifts, card and snacks that were sent to our boat. I will enclose a picture of the Christmas tree that the Cook & Deckcrew put together they had to be a little inventive. They used Popcorn, miniature candy bars, colored macaroni, candy canes and Aluminum foil star. Our package came out of Cincinnati area so would you pass on a heart felt thank you to the children that took the time to make the cards and to the volunteers that made up the scarves. I normally in the past when I could find out where the cards came from have taken the time to write back to the school & children to say thank you and that we (Dear River Person) really exist. As I said before Thanks Again God Bless…

Captain James W Evans II & Crew..

Message from the Wheelhouse

of the Mv Harllee Branch Jr

Please thank everyone for the Christmas care packages they were wonderful.The scarfs and things couldn’t have come at a better time.The weather has took a big turn to cold.Please pass on to the children that the cards sent everyone really enjoyed.them and are being kept as keepsake,.knowing someone takes the time to go to such work means a lot to us.Please Thank everyone involved in making Our time out here a little brighter. Peace and Love,God Bless All!

Mike Rouse and Crew Of The M/V Chip Lacy

P.S. I owe you a Dr.Pepper   Sincerely Mike

M/V CHIP LACY

Dear Seamen’s Church:

It is written that, “It is better to give than to receive.”  We of the Gale C thank you for your giving hearts and kind gifts. We appreciate all the time, talent, and energy that went into making Christmas on the river for us. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

May the Lord keep you always,

Crew of  the MV Gale C

I would love to give ALL the men, women, and children who worked so hard and long at making scarves, hats, cards, and gift boxes a BIG HUG and THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!!! Without people like you, Christmas would not be the same out here on the river! I have been working on the river for 13 years and every year I get a gift from you, and it has always brought a HUGE SMILE to my face!

Thank you very, very, very much! God bless and Merry Chrismas to you ALL!!!

Kevin Roberts

Piolt of the M/V Craig E. Philip

The crew of the Aubrey B. Harwell Jr. would like to thank the Seamen’s Church Institute for all the gifts that we received from them on Christmas. The deck crew would especially like to thank them for the scarves because they really help to keep us warm when we have to work outside. The snacks were great along with the puzzles that help to pass the time when we are off watch. Our hearts also go out to all the kids that took the time to make the cards for us for the holidays. It was really nice to get Christmas cards while on the river for Christmas. Thanks again from the crew of the Aubrey B. Harwell Jr. for the time and the dedication of all the people who have made a difference in our lives, we do appreciate it.  Captain Mark D. Hanlin, Pilot Kevin Baker, Engineer David Honey, 1^st Mate James Byrd, 2^nd Mate Brian Sims, Sr. leadman Buddy Hess, Leadman Virgil Waddle, Deckhand Joseph Sokolowski, Cook Ed Calvert

Each year the knitting group of St. Thomas Church in Mamaroneck, NY knits and collects gifts for mariners and blesses them before making their donation to SCI. Then they go one step further and send pictures.

I love opening my inbox and seeing the smiling faces of SCI’s knitting friends. If you bless your items before donating, or hold some sort of gathering or special collection day, please take a picture and share! Although many of you knit in groups already, there are also many knitters who knit alone and it feels great to see the faces of those who are knitting along with us.

I just saw a copy of Debbie Macomber’s newest publication Knit along with Debbie Macomber A Charity Guide for Knitters, and it’s great!

It’s short stories about 14 different charities including our very own Christmas at Sea. Then there are 18 patterns; each of which can be used for donations to several different volunteer projects. Each pattern page lists the groups that will accept items made from that pattern.

Leisure Arts interviewed me for this project and I’m really thrilled at the product they created.

Here it is on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Knit-Along-Debbie-Macomber-Knitters…

For most of us, good patterns are easy to come by because of Ravelry, but this would be a great gift for the knitter in your life who doesn’t use the internet. It would also be a great resource for a church groups who have members knitting for several different charities at once.

I’d love to hear what you think about it.

SCI’s President & Executive Director, the Rev. David Rider, visited Christ Church, Ridgewood, NJ on Sunday, September 27 to lead the adult forum, preach and receive nearly 400 knitted scarves, caps and vests for this year’s Christmas at Sea outreach to seafarers.

At the adult forum, Fr. Rider discussed Church missionary societies in the 1830s, including SCI’s origins on the docks of lower Manhattan.  He quickly fast-forwarded to today’s ministry of ship visiting and a hospitality center in Port Newark, along with SCI’s justice and advocacy work via its Center for Seafarers’ Rights (CSR).  Parishioners had many questions about the current upsurge in piracy hijackings, and Fr. Rider explained CSR’s initiative to promote guidelines for the medical and mental health evaluation of merchant mariners and their families during and after piracy events.  “On its best days,” Fr. Rider said, “the Church does everything to promote human freedom and dignity.  When that cannot happen, the Church works tirelessly to minimize human suffering and promote reconciliation.”

After Fr. Rider preached at the 10:15 service Christ Church’s rector, the Rev. S. Elizabeth Searle, thanked volunteers for their labors of love.  She blessed the colorful knitted gifts that beautifully surrounded the church’s pulpit, also asking God’s protection on all who would wear them in the cold months ahead.  Fr. Rider expressed appreciation, too, and promised parishioners that the gifts would quickly find their way into Christmas boxes bound for Port Newark.

This year, some 40 Christ Church knitters have created 670 knitted objects, about half of which were sent to SCI over the summer.  The knitters gather regularly on Saturdays, including parishioners and neighbors of all ages.  All agreed that knitting creates a wonderful sense of internal community while serving those beyond themselves.  Recently, the group did the math and estimated that 670 gifts represent more than 5 million stitches.  Talk about a labor of love!

Each year, 4000 SCI volunteers around the country knit and pack gifts for more 17,000 mariners in Port Newark and the inland river system.  This year, SCI will include gifts at its new International Maritime Center in Oakland CA, too.  If your church or community service group would like to join Christmas at Sea, contact Jeanette DeVita at this blog.

Hi everyone!

Most of our donations come in during late fall, but you can help our program a lot by shipping early and continuing to knit and collect through fall and early winter.
We published 2 new scarf patterns in our newsletter; take a peak–maybe you’ll be inspired to knit a few extra items this summer. These patterns are for colorful striped scarves made with leftover yarn. Perfect for all of those little leftover bits in the bottom of the knitting basket.
Right now our greatest demand is for hats and mariners scarves, but most important is that you enjoy what you are knitting–so pick a pattern you like and cast on!

Are you in our ravelry group? Visit: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/christmas-at-sea
Have a great day!

Many of you have asked how we can care for the victims of piracy. Aside from continuing to pray for all mariners and especially those at risk…what else can we as individuals really do?

SCI has crafted an open letter to governments, international organizations and the overall maritime industry requesting that attention be given to the victims of piracy and their families. SCI has been working for years to orevent and supress piracy and that work will continue, but this petition focuses attention on the real human lives that are affected by this violence.

Please read the whole story on our website and sign the petition here.

Each year our handknit gifts are distributed by chaplains working in Port Newark NJ, Port of Houston, and all along our inland waterways. They are so lucky to hear and see the reactions of the mariners who receive these gifts…don’t you think so? I’ve asked Chaplain Marge Lindstrom to share some of her 2008 stories with us…so we can feel a little bit of what it’s like to be there with them and to know what our gifts really mean to those who receive them.

Last January I finally caught up with one of the Horizon ships, an American ship that traveled between Puerto Rico and U.S…. It was the first week in January, and we were catching up with ships that we had missed earlier.  At any rate, I brought two and a half boxes of CAS to the gangway, and one of the deck hands helped bring the boxes up.  The Chief Officer was waiting for me at the top of the gangway, greeted me and said, “Seamen’s Church!  It is always a pleasure to welcome you  on board.  Are those Christmas presents for us?”  I said yes, and apologized for not getting them on board before Christmas.  The C/O smiled broadly, and said, “Oh, that doesn’t matter.  It means so much to the crew just to be remembered at this time of the year.”  Then he reminisced, “ I remember my first voyage as a cadet.  It was Christmas time, and I was really homesick.  I was miserable.  And then one of your chaplains came on board and delivered Christmas presents.  My C/O gave one to me, and I was just so grateful—no one else had given us anything, and I felt, well, cared for.  So thank you once again.  We have a cadet on board now who is also on his first voyage and is very homesick.  He is going to get the first present out of the box.”

Lots of SCI staff members lend a hand to make sure gifts get made and distributed. Take a gander at Deborah Blanchard, an attorney for the Center of Seafarers Rights as she protects one seafarer’s right to be warm.

Staff attorney Deb Blanchard knitting her first seafarer's scarf