TODAY'S WORD: ADD ON'S. Leslie,volunteer instructor, showed the women how to add beads to a scarf and gave us ideas by showing some of the different scarves she has made. Lucia, volunteer instructor, worked on socks with our outpatient client S. while other clients sat by and watched. A., another residential graduate, came and spoke to the clients about her gratitude for all the yarn that has been donated. Now that she is out and about as an outpatient and visiting Michaels, AC Moore, and various yarn shops, she has a new found appreciation of the cost of yarn and appreciation for what she has been given. C. another residential graduate showed the clients another handbag/backpack she had felted. S. talked to the clients about how her beautiful scarves can dress up very plain shirts and pants and how nice it is to receive compliments from strangers about how nice her clothes are (when it is really the scarves dressing things up). She also shared that she appreciates the connection with other people that her conversations about knitting provide. Maryanne, volunteer instructor, worked with a new client on a washcloth and she quickly graduated to wanted to work on a scarf over the weekend. Another client said she would be a "knitting buddy" to her and work with her over the weekend. Zelphia, volunteer instructor, showed the clients a scarf which I have taken a photo and added showing a triple dropped stitch giving a fringe look at the end of a scarf. I want to express my gratitude to the volunteers who come in each week and to everyone who has donated yarn to us! It never ceases to amaze me that we have twenty-five residential clients knitting and crocheting and that as they graduate to outpatient they can take this coping skill with them. It also is a wonderful addition to our group to have many of our outpatient clients joining us each week as well. Please note that one of our residential clients is about ready to felt a handbag she has knitted and I have included it in the photos above. Another client has been working on intarsia and I have included a photo of her work in progress as well.
