Jane in NC Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 The Seaman's Church Institute has provided mariners with a Christmas package containing handknitted items since the Spanish American War. The Christmas at Sea program offers free patterns, many of which are perfect for beginning knitters. You can read more about the program and download the patterns here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Closeacademy Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Thanks for posting this. I got a nice pattern and an idea for a possible 4-H service project.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 2, 2010 Share Posted October 2, 2010 Wow! Thank you for the link! My kids have been bugging me about learning to knit. Part of my concern is my having to fix things and part is having projects lay around. If I know they will be going somewhere, that helps half my problems LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 And they even have a pattern for us crocheters :hurray: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 I would like to make a personal plea for support for this program. Two of my three sons are in college to become merchant mariners. We have found that this profession requires external support in a way that many other professions do not. Even as students, they are often far from home in difficult circumstances. They take on great responsibilities at a young age. They receive training for their job, but there is little training in how to handle this difficult lifestyle. We have personally seen how important a kind word and a helping hand is when you are far from home, especially during the holidays. We had a boy from the Eastern Europe with us last Christmas. His sister sent us profuse thanks via Skype. There will be Christmases in the future when my children are on the other side of the world and I hope they, too, will have someone who is making Christmas Christmas for them, and that I will be able to send them my thanks. This is a very isolating profession. It is hard to maintain relationships when you have to keep leaving. Keeping up contact can be expensive, also, and beyond the means of seamen. Over time, one can lose friends and family and wind up adrift. We have an old family friend to whom this happened. Organizations like this help prevent that. The time and effort that you put into making something cozy for them to wear will be appreciated, I'm sure. They will know that someone thought of them during the knitting, and someone cares about them, and it will warm their hearts as well as their heads. -Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilly Posted October 3, 2010 Share Posted October 3, 2010 Thanks for posting this. My daughter is so excited about making a project for this. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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