Advanced Studies S13: Order Missions, Part 2

Today we're continuing our Break Month celebration of every Badger who completed a mission for the Order of the Phoenix. We have some really impressive work to show off today!

jen2291 spun her Time-Turner to go undercover at a concert. To blend in with the Muggles, she wore this shawl and carried some reusable totes:

Our fabulous HoH JMN was another undercover operative. She wore this Color Affection shawl for her work for the Order:

Finally, Lady Dragonsinger crocheted an amazing 400 granny squares for the Linus Connection as part of her charitable work for the Advance Guard:

We certainly have some talented and generous students in Hufflepuff! Great job, Order operatives!

We'll keep showing you all of the beautiful projects that the Badgers completed for the Order of the Phoenix throughout August. Huzzah Hufflepuff!

Charities are the name of the game!

First, straight from the Quiddy Page:

Training Film #2:  HQ15Heat               

Heat Therapy

May 15 - May 29

For this Training Film, choose and craft the following:

• Make as few as 1 and as many as 5 hats for charity
• Make as few as 1 and as many as 5 blanket squares for charity
• Make any combination of 1-5 hats or blanket squares for charity

Students may make up to 5 items (hats or blanket squares) worth 15 points each, a maximum of 75 points will be awarded. Items must be for charity. The charity must be listed in the header for points to be awarded.

Size Guidelines for Charity items: Your finished hats/squares must meet the requirements of the charity you plan to send them to. This will be done on the honor system.

For example: If you say your squares are going to Knit-a-square, we know that they want 8 x 8” squares, but you turn in 2 x 2 squares, we’re going to call foul.

For Charity Squares: we know that some charities ask that you leave long tails for joining. However, per House Cup Standards, projects must have ends woven in. If you are sending to a charity that asks for long tails left on, we require that you hide these ends while photographing. If you do not, we will ask you to change your photo. If you don’t change your photo, we won’t count them.

Now, if you need charities for your donations, check out our Quidditch Pitch.  As of this Post going to press here are the charities fellow 'Puffs have suggested:

BrighteyesJessy: blanket squares for Orphans.  Mail your blanket squares to her!

Larcyarn: Chemo Caps for the Ravelry Group "Star City Chapeaus"  Mail your caps to Larcyarn.  PM for her address

You can also check these January blog posts for more charities: Charity Crafting, Part 2 and Charity Crafting, Part 1

***Also, application for our Quidditch Speed Sprint team will be up, soon!  

Watch the Hufflepuff Quidditch Pitch for your chance to show off your speediness!***

Charity Crafting - Part 2

More charities looking for your donation (just like we're looking for those Quidditch bonus points!)
 
"Are You Warm Enough?"
Ravelry Group: "Are You Warm Enough?"
Items Accepted: Black or White Sweaters, vests, or cardigans sizes small to extra-large for children grades 5-8
"Are You Warm Enough?" Provides uniform sweaters to students at Carmen Arace Middle School in Bloomfield, CT. The schools has the highest percentage of foster children in the state and over 70% of students are on free or reduced lunch. They have a uniform policy requiring a black or white sweater, vest, or cardigan in colder months and the donated handmade clothing is given to the discipline office who deals with uniform policy. If a student does not have a sweater and it is determined they can't afford one a sweater is given to the student at no cost to them.

Hearts for Warmth
Ravelry Group: Hearts for Warmth
Blog: Hearts for Warmth
Items accepted: Varies by current campaigns but accepts many different items.
Hearts for Warmth works to bring hope and help through knitted and crocheted items. They work with different organizations and churches to aid this mission. They have different campaigns that can be found n their Ravelry page. Currently they have campaigns for hats to go to children in Lesotho and an orphanage in Pinetown and for baby items in South Africa.

Knit Your Bit
Ravelry Group: Knit Your Bit
Website: Knit Your Bit
Items Accepted: Scarves
Knit Your Bit was created by the National WWII Museum in New Orleans to provide scarves to veterans in Veteran's Centers and Hospitals around to the US. They have plenty of patterns on their website but accept other scarves as well.

Hat Box Foundation
Website: Hat Box Foundation
Items Accepted: Hats
The Hat Box Foundation provides handmade hats to cancer patients and others in need. All donated hats are individually packaged in small hat boxes when delivered. As they serve many climates all types of yarn are accepted.

Blanket Squares for Orphan Homes
Ravelry Thread: Blanket Squares for Orphan Homes
Items Accepted: 8"x8" blanket squares
Our own Hufflepuff brighteyesjessy is collecting blanket squares for several orphan homes in India (and one in Africa). Each home has many little girls rescued from orphanages and put in group homes with a widowed woman of the community to serve as their mother. The thread linked above includes pictures of the girls brighteyesjessy is currently sponsoring. PM her for mailing instructions.

Snuggles Project
Ravelry Group: Snuggles Project
Website: Snuggles Project
Items Accepted: Crocheted, knit, sewn, or quilted blankets
The Snuggles Project provides snuggles to shelter animals by giving them blankets to cuddle with while they wait for their forever home. The website lists guidelines for different sizes for animals as well as shelters who accept snuggles for their animals. Snuggles can be mailed to these shelters or you can find one in your area to drop them off.

Project Linus
Ravelry Group: Project Linus
Website:  Project Linus
Items Accepted: Blankets
Project Linus provides blankets to children who are ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need. Chapters are localized and you can check the website for drop off points in your area.

Wool-Aid
Ravelry Group: Wool-Aid
Website: Wool-Aid
Items Accepted: Socks, sweaters, vests, mittens, hats, and blankets for children (greatest need is ages 8-16) made of yarn that is at least 80% wool
Wool-Aid sends wool, handmade items to children in a variety of countries including Tibet, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, and Canada to name a few. In 2013 their goals are item-based instead of country or campaign based so they can help out as many children as possible. Be sure to read their guidelines for clothing and blankets.

If you are looking for more charities you can also try the Charity Knitting group on Ravelry where people can post a need for handmade items. Different groups are looking for different items so whatever you like to make you can find someone in need who would love one!

Happy (Charity) Crafting!

Charity Crafting - Part 1

This term any Quidditch item donated to charity will receive bonus points. It's a great way to craft for those in need and earn some extra points for Hufflepuff. To help you find places to send these items the Huffleblog staff has done some research and complied a list of some favorite charities of our fellow housemates. The response was overwhelming so this is the first installment of charity knitting groups. Look for more coming next week!

Knitters for Newtown
Website: Knitters for Newtown
Ravelry Group: Knitters for Newtown
Items Accepted: 8"x8" Blanket Squares
Sharon of Three Irish Girls began this charity after the Newtown, CT shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school. Their goal is to give handmade blankets to the mothers (and other family members if enough squares are collected) of the victims. They hope for these blankets to be sent around Mother's Day. They have a contact who will make sure the blankets get to the correct families and don't languish in a warehouse somewhere. The squares need to be 8"x8" and be delivered to Three Irish Girls by March 31st so they can be assembled in time.
Sharon has also released two exclusive colorways and 20% of the sales price is being donated to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. They have already donated their goal of $10,000 but the colorways and direct donation options are still on the website so money is still being collected.
 
Bundles of Joy
Ravelry Group: Bundles of Joy
Items Accepted: Baby items including blankets, sweaters, hats, outfits, socks, snug sacks, mittens, and more
Co-founded by msoyster, a Hufflepuff! This charity benefits the OB ward at the Pine Ridge Indian Health Services Hospital in South Dakota. Most babies born at the hospital live in severe poverty and without handmade and store bought items donated would go home in only a diaper. Donations for the OB Ward are taken year round and they also do other collections for different age groups at the Pine Ridge Reservation

Mittens for Akkol
Ravelry Group: Mittens for Akkol
Items Accepted: Socks, vests, sweaters, mittens, scarves, and hats knit in 75% or greater wool or animal fiber for children ages 3 to 16 (especially items size 8 to adult are needed for the older children)
Mittens for Akkol was originally founded to knit mittens for children in the orphanage in Akkol, Kazakhstan and has since expanded into other items. In Akkol snow begins to fall in August and melts in April. Temperatures in the midwinter can reach -40 degrees farenheit. Because of this items must be extremely warm and made with at least 75% animal fibers. Mittens for Akkol also puts together coordinating knit sets for graduates of the orphanage and includes personal notes to the graduates encouraging them in life after the orphanage.

afghans for Afghans
Website: afghans for Afghans
Ravelry Group: Fans of afghans for Afghans
Items Accepted: Blankets (complete, not squares), sweaters, vests, hats, mittens and socks in adult and child sizes. Please use animal fibers.
afghans for Afghans brings comfort and warmth to the adults and children of Afghanistan who suffer from war, oppression, poverty, and sickness. They run many campaigns throughout the year which can be found on their website and their Ravelry group.

Knit-a-Square
Website: Knit-a-Square
Ravelry Group: Knit-a-Square
Items Accepted: 8"x8" blanket squares are the main focus but they also accept hats, sweaters, toys, and more.
Knit-a-Square uses blanket squares to construct blankets for AIDS orphans in South Africa. There are 1.4 million orphans in South Africa and many lost parents to the AIDS epidemic. These blankets bring children warmth and comfort as do many other hand knit items.

600 Monsters Strong
Ravelry Group: 600 Monsters Strong
Items Accepted: Handmade stuffed toys. Please read pattern guidelines on the Ravelry group first
600 Monsters Strong began with the desire to knit or crochet a stuffed animal for each child affected by the Sandy Hook Elementary Shooting and now strives to bring monster friends to any child affected by gun violence and other traumatic events.

Handmade Especially for You
Website: Handmade Especially for You
Ravelry Group: Handmade Especially for You
Items Accepted: Scarves and yarn to make scarves
Handmade Especially For You provides hand made scarves to women who have escaped abuse. Many of the women who receive these scarves have never received a gift, not to mention a hand made one. When they arrive at shelters often all they have is the clothes on their backs and their children. These scarves are often very comforting, and celebrate the women entering a new stage of their lives.

Mother Bear Project
Website: Mother Bear Project
Ravelry Group: Mother Bear Project
Items Accepted: Hand-knit and crocheted bears but you must use one of their patterns
The Mother Bear Project provides handmade bears to children in Africa, primarily ones who have been affected by the AIDS epidemic. You must use a pattern from the Mother Bear Project which are available for $3 on their website or in the Knitting for Peace book. Pictures of children receiving their bears are posted in the website.

There are many other knitting/crochet charities out there. Feel free to keep sending them to baxgirl by PM on Ravelry for the next charity post! Also, don't forget your local charities. Contact maternity wards regarding donations of baby items, shelters regarding warm clothing and accessories, animal shelters regarding pet toys, or anything else you can think of!