Anchorage Daily News

Summer is here, or so I've been told. The weather sure is more like sweater weather than swimsuit season, though maybe that's not such a bad thing.

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The cool of evening is the perfect time to bring out those knitting needles and crochet hooks and curl up with some special yarn. After all, Christmas isn't that far away. You probably have lots of gifts to make: hats for the family, gloves and mittens for everyone.

And there is still time to get a few things made for charity projects. You may have noticed over these past few months that I have mentioned the Stork Project.

The Knitters of the North guild is among several groups that have been working on it for several months. The first batch of beautiful baby layettes will be handed over to representatives from the Providence Family Medicine Center on July 12 at a Knitters of the North potluck.

These layettes will be added to many other baby items, such as diaper bags, diapers, toiletries, blankets and quilts. Each doctor at the Family Medicine Center will be able to see that a new mother and her little one get an entire layette to take home.

More than 100 new mothers already have become the happy recipients of some of these hand-knitted and hand-crocheted items, and there are more babies on the way.

This project is ongoing, so if you have missed out on this presentation, you can still contribute at this potluck or in the coming months by leaving your washed and labeled donations at the front desk of the Family Medicine Center, 1201 E. 36th Ave., or by e-mailing me for directions.

Older children in our communities will need warm clothing very soon as well. The HUGSS and Coats for Kids Project will start taking donations next month.

The Boys and Girls Clubs along with Catholic Social Services, the Anchorage School District, The Salvation Army and Lutheran Social Services are joining some of our community's largest civic and private sponsors to provide hats, mittens, gloves and school supplies to ensure that no child will go to school without warm clothing.

This is a wonderful opportunity for you to knit up mittens, crochet a few hats or make scarves to donate. Next time you wander through the aisles at the store, stop and pick up notebooks, crayons and pencils or paper.

I can assure you your efforts will make a big difference in the lives of those little boys and girls, and you'll get a smile out of it too.

Summer is a relaxing time -- and a hectic time. It's a break in routine, and it's the lull before the storm. One thing is for sure, it's always the perfect time to knit and crochet.

Happy summer stitching.

Catherine Hollingsworth, interior designer, artist and professional knitwear designer, has lived in Alaska for 18 years. She is interim president of the Alaska State Yarn Council and past president of Knitters of the North. To reach her, e-mail twosticks@adnmail.com.

Knitters of the North Guild

• MASTERS AND MENTORS: 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Kaladi Brothers, 6921 Brayton Drive.

• OPEN GUILD MEETING AND POTLUCK: Presentation of the Stork Project baby layettes, 1-3 p.m. July 12, Pioneer School House, lower level, Third and Eagle Street.

For more information call Janice Chulick at 561-3933 or visit yahoo.com/group/Knitters_North.

Coats for children

•HUGSS AND COATS FOR KIDS: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Aug. 7 and 1-7 p.m. Aug. 8, Mountain View Boys and Girls Clubs. For more information on how to donate, volunteer or receive services call 644-8477 (64-HUGSS).

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