Friday, August 2, 2013

The Fruits of Lemonade Needlework

Another blogging challenge completed - thank you to my new followers and my new readers and those to comment - your visits are always appreciated.

Old friends, you are just as cherished.

I'm pleased to pass along this status update from my friend, who knits and crochets while her spouse undergoes treatment for an illness. I've blogged about her several times over the last couple of years, have posted pictures of her Brooklyn garden but have never quite thanked her for her loyal readership.  So, she has now informed her friends:

I brought the fruits of my knit/crochet project to the pediatric oncology department today. Grand total was 2 baby blankets 7 hat scarf sets, 2 plain hats, and 9 infant/toddler hats. The nurses were so excited and happy. Some good came out of some bad. I hope some children like the things I made while waiting.
I'm so pleased I am going to rerun my original post from July 5, so everyone can read her inspirational story.  As one of my other friends from childhood said "cancer and children should never be in the same sentence."  In fact, I know someone whose grandson is battling pediatric leukemia right now.  I think what my friend has done is so beautiful and I hope you will send encouragement to her and her husband in the comments.  My original post follows:

"The spouse of my friend in Brooklyn has to spend a lot of time in doctor's offices to be treated for a medical condition.   My friend normally comes with  him and waits for him while he has his treatment - sometimes waiting an hour (or even more).

Out of boredom, she started to do her needlework while waiting.

She does beautiful crocheting and knitting work - and, recently, has been working on projects for pediatric oncology patients.

I crochet but I do not knit, and I wanted to show off her work because I know quality work when I see it.  I think the work, and the cause, is fantastic. 


A crocheted blanket and some knit hats.
Another crocheted blanket.
And finally, some hats and scarves.

Aren't these beautiful?  (Lately, she has had some yarn donated to her but I suspect enough of these projects were done using her own money.) We have the cliche "lemons out of lemonade" - this is about as lemony as you can get.

I've done a handful of crocheting for charity but never anything like this."

So again: Thank you, dear friend, for allowing me to prove how awesome you are.


12 comments:

  1. Beautiful work...how awesome of you to share.

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    1. Thank you, but I am only the messenger. The awesomeness is all hers.

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  2. What a wonderful gift she has made of her time and talents. She has obviously spent many hours waiting outside treatment room doors. For that I am saddened but hopeful that the happiness of her gift balances that.

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    1. Thank you for your good thoughts. It is always good to make something good out of something bad, and my friend has certainly succeeded.

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  3. Alana,

    This is beautiful, thank you for sharing! My friend started her chemotherapy treatments yesterday, and she is so anxious and scared - which is understandable, of course. I love the idea of crocheting to keep your mind and hands busy, and to share beauty and love with others.

    Blessings,
    Laurie

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    1. Thank you, and thank you for sharing this about your friend. I will be thinking of her. I hope your friend gets the support she needs - and she is an excellent crocheter. (I've been crocheting for over 40 years so I should know:) ) I'm honored to have been able to share this beauty with my readers.

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  4. They are beautiful work! Your friend is doing something very worthy with her time :)

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    1. I agree. Now my friend can know her work has even (virtually) reached New Zealand. Thanks for visiting!

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  5. How wonderful that your friend uses her time to create useful, beautifully created items for others. We should all take her example to heart.

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    1. I agree, Francene and my friend will be pleased to know her work has (virtually) reached the United Kingdom. Thanks!

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  6. What selfless gifts for her to give! Beautiful work, especially the first one. Does she have an Etsy shop?

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    1. She does not, and at this point in her life (I spoke to her about this back in July) she has decided against it. I agree she does excellent work.

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