Saturday, December 15, 2012

Maine Mitten Project Donations Are Arriving!


Happy Holidays to you all! 

I'm finally getting around to an update with some pictures of work that has been donated and names of our contributors so far. I'm sorry to report that our newest donations have not been photographed yet and won't be for a while. The volunteer who is receiving the items being mailed in is unable to get photos to us just yet but as soon as I have them I will get them posted. In the mean time, here are a bunch of items turned in over the last several months that I do have pics for :-)

Thanks to:
Roberta McClellan - Conway, NH
Jan Winsor - Gorham, Me
Kathy Cooper - Conway, NH
Sharon Silver - Cumberland Me
Ellen Hedglin - Limington, Me

Great job everyone! Keep them coming in........



These were made from a re-cycled sweater! It was a really BIG sweater :-)


Ellen Hedglin - Limington, Me

Kathy Cooper - Conway, NH

Roberta Mc Lellan - Conway, NH

Jan Winsor - Gorham, Me

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Maine Mitten Project News & Updates

With the fair gone by and the holidays coming up, I haven't found time to post until now. The good news is that we have received some nice support!


  1. There now is a Maine Mitten Project group on Ravelry.com. Please join us and share your work or patterns. We'd love to have you with us!
  2. Beth, one of our Ravelry group members, contacted me offering to spread the word around the state of Maine! She is a sales rep for Blank Textiles ( a quilt fabric company) and Totes by Sandy and travels to quilt shops,  and fabric shops throughout the state. Many also sell yarn and fiber supplies. As she travels the state for her work, she has offered to leave posters and pattern flyers with shop owners to help spread the word about our efforts. That will be a terrific help! Thanks so much Beth!
  3. Kathy Cooper, Master Knitter and Dyer has connected us with a wonderful yarn shop in N Conway, NH called Close Knit Sisters. The owners of Close Knit Zoe and Cheryl are happily supporting our effort by having Maine Mitten Project information flyers available for their customers in an effort to help get the word out!If you live in the area drop in to see their lovely shop. 
       Close knit is also a drop spot/ collection point for any finished     
     items you may have for the project and visit them for some great yarns!

   They are at:

 1976 White Mountain Highway (The Red Barn Outlet)North Conway, NH 
603-356-3777                              

Open Monday - Saturday 10:00am to 6:00pm Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm


Watch their class schedule for Mitten Project workshops upcoming after the first of the year. As soon as we know about them we will post them here as well!

Reminder: 
Heart of Biddeford at 205 Main St (near city hall), Biddeford, is also a supporting location. They have flyers/patterns, and are a drop location for any finished work. HOB supported the Maine Reef Project with great success and are very happy to have them on board for our 2012/2013 project. Thank you HOB!
HOB is a non profit org that supports art in the Biddeford area.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Great Response to the Maine Mitten Project!

The Maine Mitten Project was launched at the Fryeburg Fair's Fiber Center during fair week to a very enthusiastic crowd. Many pattern flyers were handed out that offer free patterns and information about the project and about mailing to us for distribution. Additionally, Robin Hansen spent a few hours with us knitting and did a book signing of her popular mitten books.
I am traveling for another few weeks but as soon as I get back to my desk at home, I will post some photos of donated pieces and some great sweater felted items that have already been received.

More to come so see you again soon!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

The Maine Mitten Project to Recycle Unusable Sweaters from Biddeford Goodwill Store

Woolen sweaters that are not usable because of holes or stains are perfect candidates for re-purposing into felted warm and wooly hats, mittens and scarfs.

We are so fortunate and appreciative that Amy Webster of the the Biddeford store  #241 Goodwill Industries of Northern New England has graciously agreed to collect sweaters for us that are destined for their dumpster because of holes or stains, but perfect for our project.

What a fantastic Win/Win!

Our timing apparently is perfect as winter donations come in to them and I look forward to making good use of something that was destined for land fill.

Thanks to Amy & Biddeford #241 Goodwill store for helping us help keep Maine's homeless warm!



Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Your Old Wool Sweaters Wanted!


Bring your old wool sweaters in to the Fiber Center during the fair and someone from the Maine Mitten Project will turn them into Mittens, Hats and Scarfs for Maine's Homeless! 

Sweaters made of wool or other natural animal fibers including, cashmere, mohair, angora, wool and alpaca.

We'll felt them and stitch them together to re-purpose and recycle these unwanted items into useful and warm stuff for Maine's homeless.

Any size and some holes are Ok :-) As long as we can salvage  a piece large enough to cut out a pattern piece, it will be useful!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Author Of Maine Mitten Folklore and Pattern Books Robin Hansen To Demonstrate Knitting At Fryeburg Fair


The Fiber Center at Fryeburg Fair is pleased to have Maine author, knitter and folklorist Robin Hansen appearing to demonstrate mitten knitting using patterns included in her many books on Wednesday October 3rd from 11am to 4pm. Hansen is participating in support of The Maine Mitten Project, a new Fiber Center community project to benefit Maine’s Homeless children, families, and adults. The Maine Mitten Project intends to link community with the Traditional Fiber Arts for a good cause. Hand made mittens hats and scarves created by anyone wishing to participate will be collected throughout the next year and donated to Maine’s homeless shelters. At this time Preble Street in Portland and York County Shelter in Alfred and Shaw House in Bangor have been named as recipients but others are being approached to participate.
Hansen with degrees in Folklore and Folk Life will have copies of her fifth mitten book released last November titled Ultimate Mittens: 28 Classic Patterns to keep You Warm.


                                                            

Saturday, August 25, 2012

The Fiber Center Organizing The Community to Create for Maine's Homeless


Homelessness always conjures up the images of adult men with substance abuse and mental illness issues. However true that may be, homelessness around the Nation as well as Maine’s, also includes veterans and families; women with children often leaving abusive situations or those in the lower socio economic sectors who may have lost their job in these difficult economic times. Let’s also not omit the sad reality of youths that have no place to call home for a variety of reasons. The troubled, runaways, sometimes unwanted young, trying to escape abuse and troubling situations or those simply finding themselves alone and in need of help, comprise a category of homelessness that is hard to even imagine.


 In the 2010 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, youths under the age of 18 represented 21.8% of the Nations homeless while persons in families represented 35.2% of the Nations homeless.

The Maine Mitten Project is a community effort being presented by The Fiber Center at Fryeburg Fair to help keep Maine’s homeless children and adults a little warmer and to let them know someone cares about them. 

Anyone who knits, crochets, felts or wants to learn how, can make mittens, hats or scarves for children and adults to donate for a great cause. The hand-mades will be collected throughout the year and exhibited at the Fiber Center during fair week in 2013. At the end of the 2013 exhibit, items will be delivered to Homeless Shelters for distribution to Mainer’s most in need. 

The greatest numbers of homeless people are from urban areas so we are approaching shelters in Maine’s largest population areas to be the recipients of our handmade donations.  So far we have partnered with Preble Street in Portland for Cumberland County, and The York County Shelter in Alfred, for Southern Maine areas. As we identify other organizations we will be posting them to this site.

Flyers with free patterns will be available at the Fiber Center during Fryeburg fair week from Sunday September 30th  - Saturday October 6th from 9am to 9pm and Sunday October 7th from 9am -6pm. Free knitting classes are also being offered Sunday September 30th  - Thursday October 3rd from 7:30 – 9pm. Bring a skein of worsted weight yarn and size 8 knitting needles.

 The Fiber Center is dedicated to educating and exposing the public to the Traditional Fiber Arts through demonstrations and exhibits at the fair each year. In an effort to bring the Traditional Arts and the community closer together and to expand fiber education beyond fair week, we have begun organizing an annual community fiber art project. These projects not only bring attention to the Traditional Arts by involving the community in a group effort, they also encourage people to learn a new craft by offering workshops and classes throughout the year at local libraries, schools and local art venues. Best of all, this new project will help keep Maine's homeless a little warmer!

It is our hope that you will be inspired to create for this project whether it's because you love the Traditional Arts, want to learn them, or are a kind soul who wants to help those in need.

We look forward to your kind support.....