Dropped off in Montreal

This is the shortest post ever. We dropped off the boxes at Cargo Zone in Montreal today, and they will be shipped tomorrow by Air Labrador to Labrador, then to Goose Bay and Natuashish respectively. Turns out we had 82 pounds, not the original 60 we had planned, and Air Labrador and the groovy Morris agreed to up our weight quota.

Here's a picture of me and The Boy weighing the shipment in Montreal, and a shot of the warehouse with the boxed items wayyy up high.

So we've still got Mongolia to work on - thanks for everything and keep on knitting!

Anita

Over the top!

Well, we are over the top! In so many ways... The stack of boxes to send to Labrador is taller than me, and we really had to sit on them to get them closed. We have exceeded the allowance from Air Labrador. But, when we told Morris, he came back with an offer to send it all for us. We love you, Morris! Here's what we're sending this time.

Would you believe...
48 hats!
30 sweaters!!
34 pairs of mittens!!!
26 blankets!!!!

And, we are excited that we had a dozen pairs of knitting needles and a box of lovely Washable Merino from Moda Dea, so that the community members in Labrador can knit for themselves!

Jeannine's Makin' Socks and May is the Hat Lady

Jeannine Turcotte and May Chow have got to be some of our power-knitters. May, we'll get pictures up of your stuff ASAP. Jeanine dropped off some beautiful sockies and a hat. The socks will go to Northern Labrador and keep some Innu feet warm at night. We hear that they are really looking forward to the shipment. We also received a couple of pairs of mittens from Ruth - Ruth, thank you, they are beautiful. Apparently, once they get shipped up north, they will be fitted with a caribou shell and will be worn during many of those cold morning walks to school.

By the way, I stopped by a little store called Knit Knackers on James street today. It is unbelievable! They've got bins of bits and pieces that I absolutely could not resist. We're talking Debbie Bliss and Rowan for $2.99 per ball. I went bananas.

Here's a sample

Some other good news: Amy and I have all the beautiful stuff you've sent us spread out on the floor in one of my rooms. We realized that I way underestimated what we've collected so far. We hven't done the formal tally yet, but we're thinking that between the items we've already shipped and the ones we've received so far, we must have hit the 300 mark. Shocking! Keep on knitting, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal, and we'll nail 500.

Toronto to Ottawa, the first leg

The boxes, bags and baskets of knitted and crochet things have arrived! Joyce brought them this afternoon, the first leg of the journey from Creativ to Labrador. Thanks again, Joyce! And Alice - I will return the rubbermaid bins, promise! I am really not sure how we would have made the train otherwise! It was hard enough to go to work monday morning after such a weekend, I can't imagine if we had missed that train!

So - what's next? Hmmm - finishing stitching and crocheting squares into blankets - a task that we were able to get a good start on at the show. We'll post an inventory and more photos before packaging the items and getting them to the waiting hands at Air Labrador, and on to the communities in time for Christmas distribution.

It is lovely to see the pieces again - I have great memories of Dani working full speed to help us get packed up and kindly encouraging us to make a plan and get to Union Station! The packing job was great, Dani! And Lori - anytime you want to pick up squares to stitch together, just call! There are lots!

I was showing my parents this evening, talking about the amazing kindness - one knitter with 20 hats and a hat&sweater set. A lovely fan and feather afghan. Sitting with and being inspired by the women from the Angel Hugs Network. Denise's beautiful mitred squares - no wonder she is Dr. Knit at the DKC! An old friend of my mother's is waiting for an appointment with an oncologist, so I packed up a bag of items for her to see - Wanietta's knitted contest square, Stephanie's square of crochet which she did at our booth (I have to say the yarn at the booth was far superior!), some hats and some of the lovely sweaters. So, even before they head to Labrador, the knitting will bring warmth!

On a separate note, good luck to Liz tomorrow at the Giller Awards!