The Canadian Jewish News recently profiled my Hats for Soldiers project:Just want to remind you all that this is the time to get knitting for winter, so please let anyone know who might be interested.
This year's goal: 5000 hats.
thanks for your ongoing support, shana tova,
Channah Koppel
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
The Fabulous Five from Florida
Thanks so much, EP, for sharing this wonderful picture of happy hat knitters! You ladies are terrific and your efforts are greatly appreciated. Keep 'em coming!
...And any other hat knitters out there who went to send in their photos are invited to do so. I'll be happy to put them up on the blog.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Crochet Away
Today I want to share with you a quote, a photo and...a new pattern!
This, from a kind knitter in California:
This photo is from a Givati brigade called Retem that spent their winter in Har Dov and then the Golan Heights, wearing your hats:
It came with a note that said, "Thank you for the wonderful hats. They keep us warm night & day." Just so you should know, we've given out about 3500 hats so far this year and are still going strong.
And, last but not least, a member of the Jerusalem Knit 'n Nosh group who would modestly prefer to be known only by her initials -- ESW -- was intrigued by the challenge of creating a crochet pattern that would mimic the texture and stretchiness of the knit hats. She came up with a terrific pattern (and hat) that's been approved by the army and I'm delighted to be able to share it with you. Please check out the all-new crochet pattern here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/29835818
I'll post a link to it in the side bar, as well. Please spread the news to all your crocheting friends.
And, as always, my thanks to all you knitters for your warmth and dedication -- keep 'em coming!
Love,
Channah
p.s. I'll be appearing soon on the One Hundred Hats blog, would be happy to get your feedback on my interview there.
This, from a kind knitter in California:
"I just want you to know what a blessing this has been to me, on many different levels: a connection to Eretz Israel, the landscape of my heart; a way to serve the brave men and women who defend her; and the comforting meditation of knitting something so simple and humble, yet so important."Thank you, T.M.!
This photo is from a Givati brigade called Retem that spent their winter in Har Dov and then the Golan Heights, wearing your hats:
It came with a note that said, "Thank you for the wonderful hats. They keep us warm night & day." Just so you should know, we've given out about 3500 hats so far this year and are still going strong.
And, last but not least, a member of the Jerusalem Knit 'n Nosh group who would modestly prefer to be known only by her initials -- ESW -- was intrigued by the challenge of creating a crochet pattern that would mimic the texture and stretchiness of the knit hats. She came up with a terrific pattern (and hat) that's been approved by the army and I'm delighted to be able to share it with you. Please check out the all-new crochet pattern here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/29835818
I'll post a link to it in the side bar, as well. Please spread the news to all your crocheting friends.
And, as always, my thanks to all you knitters for your warmth and dedication -- keep 'em coming!
Love,
Channah
p.s. I'll be appearing soon on the One Hundred Hats blog, would be happy to get your feedback on my interview there.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
An Important Reminder
Sorry I haven't written so long. Just to keep you updated: over 2000 handmade hats have been presented to soldiers this winter -- so far. We hope to give out lots more, so keep 'em coming. Photos coming soon.
Please please PLEASE remember that if you are mailing hats, any package described as having a value of over $50 U.S. will be picked up by Israeli customs and yours truly will have to pay at least that amount (often more) from my own pocket to free the package from customs. There's no big organization here to cover costs, it's just me and my checkbook. No, the customs people don't care that it's a charitable cause. Trust me, I've spent time in their offices pleading my case.
Also, on your end, there's no need to use any "special delivery" type of mail of service -- plain old regular mail, in envelopes or *small* boxes is best (big boxes also seem to arouse the curiosity of the customs officials). It seems to me, from the mail I get, that envelopes are the cheapest way to go -- so that's fine, choose the cheapest option and don't worry, the mail really does get here eventually. Please don't forget to include an email address if you want me to notify you that I've received your package.
Thanks so much everyone! Knit on!
Please please PLEASE remember that if you are mailing hats, any package described as having a value of over $50 U.S. will be picked up by Israeli customs and yours truly will have to pay at least that amount (often more) from my own pocket to free the package from customs. There's no big organization here to cover costs, it's just me and my checkbook. No, the customs people don't care that it's a charitable cause. Trust me, I've spent time in their offices pleading my case.
Also, on your end, there's no need to use any "special delivery" type of mail of service -- plain old regular mail, in envelopes or *small* boxes is best (big boxes also seem to arouse the curiosity of the customs officials). It seems to me, from the mail I get, that envelopes are the cheapest way to go -- so that's fine, choose the cheapest option and don't worry, the mail really does get here eventually. Please don't forget to include an email address if you want me to notify you that I've received your package.
Thanks so much everyone! Knit on!
Monday, March 16, 2009
men in hats
What you see here is some soldiers from the elite Maglan unit wearing...your hats, of course! And they asked me to thank you, too.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
in the news
Check out this nice article about Chicks with Sticks in Long Island:
http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c41_a14970/News/Short_Takes.html
Groups of hat knitters are springing up all over the place. Some women in Leeds, England put together, on their own initiative, a wonderful Sunday morning knit-in. Here's a description that may inspire you to get together a group, too:
The coffee morning was a great success and we raised enough money to send you lots and lots of hats. In fact another parcel is about to be posted. What was lovely was the fact that we had over 20 of the knitters with us, the oldest a 90-year-old who brought 10 hats with her. We had a big blow up board of your letters and pictures of the soldiers wearing the hats. Some photos will follow. Every one who came wanted to DO SOMETHING and if they could not knit they wanted to buy wool or pay postage. Some had sons or grandsons in the army. There were a number of ladies who hadn’t knitted for years and there are now plans afoot to form a knitting circle. Look what you have started!!!
Even the famous Webs has a group! (And check out their wonderful Valley Yarns line. This stuff makes great hats.)
Also noteworthy: The knitters of Canada continue to be prolific and needles are clicking all across New Jersey, too. I'm especially touched by the packages that come all the way from Australia and New Zealand and wish I could do something about the high postage costs from there. Suggestions are welcome.
A special shout-out goes to all the schools who've taken up the cause, teaching kids to knit (yay! next generation!) and sending charmingly sweet drawings and letters for the soldiers.
You're all wonderful -- thank you!
p.s. Despite some recent wintery weather, Israel continues to suffer from a very serious water shortage. See my "poster boy" there in the snow? His parents own an organic farm in the Golan. They have a huge mango grove and only enough water now to keep the trees alive, but they don't think they'll be able to harvest this summer. I'm not sure how they'll manage. So, if you are one to pray, this'd be a good time to pray for lots of rain to fall here over the next month.
http://www.thejewishweek.com/
Groups of hat knitters are springing up all over the place. Some women in Leeds, England put together, on their own initiative, a wonderful Sunday morning knit-in. Here's a description that may inspire you to get together a group, too:
The coffee morning was a great success and we raised enough money to send you lots and lots of hats. In fact another parcel is about to be posted. What was lovely was the fact that we had over 20 of the knitters with us, the oldest a 90-year-old who brought 10 hats with her. We had a big blow up board of your letters and pictures of the soldiers wearing the hats. Some photos will follow. Every one who came wanted to DO SOMETHING and if they could not knit they wanted to buy wool or pay postage. Some had sons or grandsons in the army. There were a number of ladies who hadn’t knitted for years and there are now plans afoot to form a knitting circle. Look what you have started!!!
Even the famous Webs has a group! (And check out their wonderful Valley Yarns line. This stuff makes great hats.)
Also noteworthy: The knitters of Canada continue to be prolific and needles are clicking all across New Jersey, too. I'm especially touched by the packages that come all the way from Australia and New Zealand and wish I could do something about the high postage costs from there. Suggestions are welcome.
A special shout-out goes to all the schools who've taken up the cause, teaching kids to knit (yay! next generation!) and sending charmingly sweet drawings and letters for the soldiers.
You're all wonderful -- thank you!
p.s. Despite some recent wintery weather, Israel continues to suffer from a very serious water shortage. See my "poster boy" there in the snow? His parents own an organic farm in the Golan. They have a huge mango grove and only enough water now to keep the trees alive, but they don't think they'll be able to harvest this summer. I'm not sure how they'll manage. So, if you are one to pray, this'd be a good time to pray for lots of rain to fall here over the next month.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Hats Galore!
So what's up with the hats for soldiers, you ask?
That's me, with a few days' worth of mail. This project has become huge, thanks to all you wonderful people from around the world who've taken the time to knit a hat for an Israeli soldier. Just to give you an idea of the scale, I now have my own shelf in the post office. I come in every few days with one of those enormous mail sacks, which the people in the post office have permanently loaned to me, go directly to the back room and they help me load all the packages into the mail sack.
Opening them up at home on the dining room table is a big treat -- my kids love to see the postmarks from all around the world. Nowadays, we're getting between 100 and 200 hats a week. Power to the knitters!
In the last few weeks, a lot of hats went to soldiers serving in Aza (=Gaza). Here's an elite Golani unit, just out of Aza, wearing the work of your hands.
It's hard for me to describe how appreciated the hats are. The fact that someone sat down and with his/her own hands made something that a week later a soldier can put on his head ...Well. That's not only head-warming, it's also heart-warming.
Some Q & A:
How many hats have you gotten altogether?
I've personally received and distributed almost 2000. In addition, some hats were mailed directly to Barbara Silverman of "A Package from Home" so it's hard for me to keep track of the total number of hats that have come in -- she's definitely gotten several hundred by now.
A *humongous* thank you goes to my mother-in-law who sews the labels into each and every hat I get.
Do you still want more hats?
Yes! This is an ongoing project, not connected to the war in Aza, that enables people from around the world to show their appreciation for the difficult work that Israeli soldiers do. Even in the summer, even in the desert -- if you're doing guard duty in the middle of the night, baby it's cold out! The soldiers wear the hats year round, and we collect them year round. So keep 'em coming!
Why is this pattern the way it is?
This hat has several advantages:
1. It's not hard to make.
2. It conforms to army regulations.
3. Because of the ribbing, it stretches to fit a wide variety of head sizes.
4. It fits better than the hat that soldiers are given by the army and -- this is a biggie -- it can be worn under a helmet. The army issue hat does not. A lot of soldiers, especially those serving in cold areas, have expressed their gratitude for this.
Can I include a note for a soldier?
Yes, we are happy to include your letters with the hats.
And...please don't forget to include your email address (not snail mail address) every time you send me a hat, so that I can let you know it has arrived.
Thank you again so much, and be in touch. I love hearing from you all,
Channah
That's me, with a few days' worth of mail. This project has become huge, thanks to all you wonderful people from around the world who've taken the time to knit a hat for an Israeli soldier. Just to give you an idea of the scale, I now have my own shelf in the post office. I come in every few days with one of those enormous mail sacks, which the people in the post office have permanently loaned to me, go directly to the back room and they help me load all the packages into the mail sack.
Opening them up at home on the dining room table is a big treat -- my kids love to see the postmarks from all around the world. Nowadays, we're getting between 100 and 200 hats a week. Power to the knitters!
In the last few weeks, a lot of hats went to soldiers serving in Aza (=Gaza). Here's an elite Golani unit, just out of Aza, wearing the work of your hands.
It's hard for me to describe how appreciated the hats are. The fact that someone sat down and with his/her own hands made something that a week later a soldier can put on his head ...Well. That's not only head-warming, it's also heart-warming.
Some Q & A:
How many hats have you gotten altogether?
I've personally received and distributed almost 2000. In addition, some hats were mailed directly to Barbara Silverman of "A Package from Home" so it's hard for me to keep track of the total number of hats that have come in -- she's definitely gotten several hundred by now.
A *humongous* thank you goes to my mother-in-law who sews the labels into each and every hat I get.
Do you still want more hats?
Yes! This is an ongoing project, not connected to the war in Aza, that enables people from around the world to show their appreciation for the difficult work that Israeli soldiers do. Even in the summer, even in the desert -- if you're doing guard duty in the middle of the night, baby it's cold out! The soldiers wear the hats year round, and we collect them year round. So keep 'em coming!
Why is this pattern the way it is?
This hat has several advantages:
1. It's not hard to make.
2. It conforms to army regulations.
3. Because of the ribbing, it stretches to fit a wide variety of head sizes.
4. It fits better than the hat that soldiers are given by the army and -- this is a biggie -- it can be worn under a helmet. The army issue hat does not. A lot of soldiers, especially those serving in cold areas, have expressed their gratitude for this.
Can I include a note for a soldier?
Yes, we are happy to include your letters with the hats.
And...please don't forget to include your email address (not snail mail address) every time you send me a hat, so that I can let you know it has arrived.
Thank you again so much, and be in touch. I love hearing from you all,
Channah
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