Support Our Military Charity Project for October - November

Support Our Military
For the months of October and November, Tempe Yarn & Fiber’s charity knitting will focus on knitting and crocheting items for military troops and their families. If you would like to participate, you can make something that will go to a local military family at Luke Air Force Base or something that will go to troops serving overseas, or both.

If you are interested in supporting the military locally, we have contacted Luke Air Force Base and they have let us know that their Child Development Center could use hand-made items. The following things would benefit the children there: Blankets, Sweaters, Booties, Infant Mittens (for anti-scratch purposes), Hats, and Knitted Toys. If you would like to use a pattern of your own choosing, please feel free to do so. If you don’t have a favorite pattern already, be sure to check with TYF for patterns and pattern recommendations.

If you would rather support the armed forces that are overseas and on the ground, we will be knitting items for Citizen S.A.M. (Support America’s Military)--Serving our Armed Forces community locally and globally. Citizen S.A.M. is a 501c3 organization that is a non-partisan, non-political organization that does not support any political candidate nor endorses any religious organization.

Citizen S.A.M. website, they provide free patterns for Helmetliners (known as “Wooly Pulleys” by our Armed Forces), Knitted Neck Gators, andScarves for Troops. Citizen S.A.M collects these items from knitters and crocheters across the U.S. and then forwards them to the troops overseas.

Only black, charcoal, brown, tan, or gray are allowed by our armed forces for troops on the ground, and items knitted for them must be made from soft, worsted 100% wool yarn that will knit to gauge, such as Cascade 220 or equivalent. According to Citizen S.A.M., “Acrylic and acrylic blends pose a fire/melting hazard and do not have the same insulating properties as wool. Please include the yarn label to your finished item before sending on to us.” TYF has a selection of Cascade 220 and 220 Superwash yarns in military colors, and we will be happy to help you select the yarn to use for your project.

Veteran’s Day is November 11th, so this charity knitalong is an especially timely way to honor those who currently serve our country. Collection of items will take place November 30th – December 5th.

If you would rather not participate in the current monthly project, keep in mind that TYF’s ongoing store charity, Ronald McDonald House, takes any of the following knitted and/or crocheted items year round and TYF is a drop off point for them:wash cloths, dishcloths, lap blankets, baby blankets, toys, preemie hats, infant socks, slippers (all sizes), children’s hats & scarves.