Using my addiction for good (edited)

(edited in italics because it occurred to me that I had accidentally left out my blog buddies who are still waiting for any sort of chance at bring home kiddo...so sorry for that oversight...I blame IF brain that takes years to clear)

First off, thanks for the kind words and excitement over my first creation. You all are so wonderful!! I've found that it is such a fun thing (fun now...never was fun before to me) to watch yarn go from just a ball to something basically wearable. 

And, so, I must admit....I'm totally addicted to knitting. And I am totally going to feed that addiction with the piles and piles of stashed yarn my mom and grandmother have accumulated (I'm just hoping they send it to me a little at a time, not boxes at a time). Realistically, though, there are only so many knitted items my family needs (what, not every dishes needs it's own knitted sleeve, and my uncle doesn't need a different scarf for each day of winter....darn). I plan to do a few personal projects (like another cowl attempt), and maybe even a couple of things for my et.sty store, but I'd like to also use this addiction for good. 

Since a ton of us (way, way too many) have lost embabies, early babies, too soon born babies, should have been okay babies, almost made it home but fell through kiddos, and still waiting for any sort of  kiddo during our own journeys, I've been trying to figure out how to help/bless others along this journey with this new found hobby of mine. While I thought about knitted u/s drapes, as those paper ones are just about worthless, I quickly decided that no one wants to get that comfortable on this journey to actually require a permanent woo-ha viewing cover-up. Therefore, here's what I've come up with, that is actually useful and appropriate--if anyone might be interested, I would love to knit a small blanket, in the colors of your choosing, and donate it in honor and memory of your kiddos who didn't get to come home with you or who aren't here yet even as a memory, along with a note should you want to include one to encourage, support, share anything that helped you and in general just love on whomever receives the blanket.

As far someone to accept these donations, right now I'm thinking of having the option of two different places--one for babies born sleeping and one for babies/kiddos awaiting adoption. For the babies born sleeping, I found an organization called Forever Warm. From their website, "Forever Warm was created to provide parents of stillborn children with a blanket that they can wrap their children in for pictures and/or burial.  Parents are also given the choice to keep the blanket as a personal keepsake to remember their child." Though my babies never made it far enough along to be born sleeping, I've read so many of your blogs who have had to endure and somehow survive such an experience so I like the idea of trying to help families going through this. I know some of you had your own blankets, but I'm guessing not everyone does and that to be able to take home or use for burial a non-hospital blanket would be a little more comforting in such a horrible situation. Thus, I love what this organization is doing, though unfortunately, they aren't nation wide yet. I'm still trying to find a way to get blankets to an international orphanage that could use them (I hope this is do-able), as I know adoption is a part of many IF blogger journeys both as sad outcomes and joyful endings, maybe even mine in the future (note: if any of you are involved with an orphanage overseas where your kiddo is currently staying and they could use blankets, let me know please). 

Color-wise, I know I have variegated pastel (pink, yellow, turquoise), white, cream, raspberry, variegated royal (raspberry, turquoise, golden yellow) coming to me, but trust me...whatever color you would want...my family has squirreled away somewhere hidden from the husbands and would happily send it my way!

To request a blanket, all you have to do is email me at ebc.adoption (at) gmail (dot) com with your color choices. I'll get my needles a knitting and email you a picture when it's done before I ship it off. You may also include a note if you'd like. And just to clarify--I will supply the yarn, the knitting and the shipping--all you have to do is request one!

So...that's my idea. Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Requests?