knitting for Afghans

Sometime this summer, perhaps on Mason-Dixon Knitting, I discovered Afghans for Afghans. This is a charitable organization that sends hand knitted items to Afghans in need, initiating drives every few months. The fall drive, which ends on October 15, is for orphaned children aged 7-14. Along with sweaters and blankets, they are collecting mittens, hats and socks.

My cousin, who is in the Army reserves, has just completed a year as a nurse in a hospital in eastern Afghanistan. As I write she is on her way home. She kept a rather detailed blog about what it was like for her there, including descriptions (and sometimes photographs) of her patients. I was surprised to learn that they treat a number of local Afghans in the US military hospital, most recently a group of children who had discovered a land mine, gathered around it and then touched it.

In any case, my cousin's sacrifices, and her descriptions of life there, inspired me to join this drive for Afghan children. Knitting a pair of mittens is piddly compared to a whole year of work and separation from one's family, but it's better than me just sitting on my ass and doing nothing, which is what I was doing, especially when I have so much yarn and it only takes a few hours to whip up a child's hat.

Joining me in my knitting drive were my mother and three women from my knitting group: Victoria, Marci and Yona. Here is what I collected, in no particulary order:

A pair of mittens I made (clearly I ran out of blue yarn...)


a hat my mom made


mittens by Yona


another hat by my mom


a hat I made (and can't seem to find. Hopefully it will turn up before I have to mail this)


mittens by Marci
(she made a second pair, but I think she's going to mail them directly to Afghans for Afghans)


two hats from Victoria




and another pair of mittens from me


It's not a huge collection, but I'm happy that I have as much as I do. Hopefully there will be a few extra warm heads and hands in Afghanistan this winter!