THINGS TO MAIL OFF IN SEPTEMBER!

Spring and summer represent the time that my friends and I knit like crazy to prepare for September mail-off of boxes of both knitted items and goodies for soldiers we find on anysoldier.com  The rules are the same: always use WOOL; always use CAMO COLORS - olive green, light brown or black - and knit balaklavas (helmet liners and connected neck warmers ) OR separate them and knit the neck warmers and the wool helmet liners (caps).  We follow a pattern we found several years ago at MICHAEL'S CRAFTS; however, here are the simple instructions if you wish to just separate the two. 
   NECK WARMERS:  cast on 96 stitches and use either a round needle or four needles knitting with the fifth.  Just go around and around, KNIT TWO, PURL TWO until the neck warmer measures 9 inches. 
   CAP OR HELMET LINER:  Once again, cast on 96 stitches.  Use round needle (#9 or #10) or four double point needles, knitting with the fifth.  KNIT 2 PURL 2 for THREE INCHES and then just go around and around in the garter stitch until the cap measures 4 inches.  Then you may start to decrease beginning with knit 6 decrease 1 on the 7th stitch all the way around.  ON THE NEXT ROW, DO NOT DECREASE; JUST KNIT.  Then on the following row, decrease on the 6th stitch all the way around.  Always do one solid knit row with no decreasing in-between the decrease rows.  When you get to the last stitches, decrease two at a time, leaving no more than 9 stitches.  At that point, pull the yarn through the remaining stitches and weave or darn it on the wrong side. 

WHY SEPTEMBER?  It takes at least a month for the boxes to arrive.  Afghanistan and Iraq are blisteringly hot in the summer and spring months; freezing cold in the winters.  So, the neck warmers and helmet liners are needed in the winters.
  
WHAT HAVE THE SOLDIERS REQUESTED LATELY?  The always need baby wipes because showers are not always available.  They want HOT SAUCE, DRIED FRUIT, BEEF JERKY, PEANUT BUTTER, INSTANT COFFEE, RAMEN, SOUPS THAT ONLY REQUIRE BOILING WATER; NON SCENTED HAND CREAM FOR THE COLD; CHAPSTICK; INSTANT HOT CHOCOLATE.  The dried fruit is important because they don't get a lot of fresh fruit in any season.  Soldiers and Marines are also asking for school supplies to hand out to the local children: pencils, pens, paper, colored pencils, little school pencil sharpeners, etc.

Let's not forget 'our' kids!  They are so appreciative.  If you cannot send boxes of goodies, the knitted items are always appreciated.  Also, the military personnel are so grateful for even cards, notes and caring drawings from children who have them in their prayers.  There is always something we can do.  REMEMBER TOO:  THERE IS A DISCOUNT AT THE POST OFFICE FOR ANYTHING WITH AN APO ADDRESS!

Let's knit!

Sincerely,

General Mama and the Wool Warriors