Afghans for Afghans: Wool Caps

Afghans for Afghans needs 400 wool caps for children in solid colors - blue, red, green, or yellow. Here are the details:

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Dear Knitters and Crocheters for Afghanistan,

** New Mini Campaign: 400 Hats for Kids! **

We have an unusual request that we think you will enjoy ...

Join us in making wool hats for the children participating in the Afghan Mobile Mini Circus for Children!

Since 2002, this nonprofit organization has been providing educational and informative entertainment for Afghan children. The performances and programs draw on the talents and potential of the Afghan people. More than half a million children and teachers in 16 provinces have benefited from performances, workshops, and teacher-trainings. The programs of the Afghan Mobile Mini Circus integrate educational messages and lessons about health, landmine safety, and peace. Workshops are conducted in schools and other institutions. They train teachers in applying creativity in the curriculum. The Afghan Mobile Mini Circus is an innovative approach to making the arts, play, joy, and learning a part of the lives of the people of war-torn Afghanistan. We wish the Afghan Mobile Mini Circus all the best in pursuing their beautiful mission.

And, we'd like to support them doing what we do best ... through our knitting
and crocheting!

Here's how we're planning to help ...

We have accepted the task of providing the Afghan Mobile Mini Circus with 400 wool hats, each hat to be made in ONE of their organizational colors --
bright primary blue or
bright primary red or
bright primary yellow or
bright green

Please knit or crochet each cap in one of these solid colors. (Not combinations of these colors.)

You can see these colors and learn more about the Afghan Mobile Mini Circus on their website:
http://www.afghanmmcc.org

As is our custom, please use wool or other animal fiber. Synthetics will *not* be sent to Afghanistan because synthetics do not insulate adequately in the harsh winter. There are no washing machines, and even hot water can be a luxury in Afghanistan. Our fiber memo is here for your review:
http://www.afghansforafghans.org/aboutfibers.html

Please use a favorite hat pattern or try something new. Think practically. A dense fabric is best. Please avoid lacy patterns. Hats need to be deep enough to cover ears. They need to fit comfortably over the forehead (sometimes a challenge for crocheters because of the lack of elasticity in crochet stitches).

Please make hats in sizes for kids from 4-18 years old. The older kids can wear a small or medium adult size.

Please find a local child to use as a test model. :-)

Remember, these kids do not have a lot of clothes or a lot of anything! The hat you make is going to get plenty of repeated wear.

Hats whip up quickly. Easy enough to pop one hat into an envelope to us. Please mark the outside of the envelope with "CIRCUS," which will make sorting a little more efficient for us.

Our general guidelines and mailing addresses are here for your reference:
http://www.afghansforafghans.org/blanket.html

** Due Dates **

The U.S. due date for these particular caps will likely be late February. (Canadians via elann.com). We'll send out another notice with specific dates as soon as we have a better sense of our transit timing. These hats are going to be transported overseas in the luggage of a traveling associate of the Afghan Mobile Mini Circus. We need to take advantage of this opportunity -- travelers willing to take extra baggage to Afghanistan don't cross our path every day! We can get several hundred hats in 2-3 duffle bags ... that's a lot of value (many more warmer heads!) in a small amount of space. Please feel free to send in your hats as soon as they are ready -- we like to stay on top of the sorting and packing rather than scramble at the last minute.

If you would like a confirmation that your package has arrived at our AFSCcollection center, please enclose a stamped self-addressed postcard or envelope, and we will return it to you. Or, please use the receipt confirmation services of whichever postal carrier you use. We send our thank you notes via email, so be sure to send us a quick email when you send in your package.

We're thrilled to have the chance to make a contribution to the good work of
this unusual organization.

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