A lot of these kids are removed in an emergency situation - meaning, social workers come in (usually with police) & take the kids out to place them with a foster family. A lot of these foster families are given only a few hours notice that children are arriving, with minimal information. Because the removal process is so quick, the social workers are only able to pack very little.
We’ve already taken in a few foster kids in these emergency situations, and when we’ve taken in sets of siblings, they’ve frequently arrived with 1 bag of clothes between them.
Last year (2011) we’ve taken in a few small children, & the babies who’ve come to us didn’t even have baby blankets, just a few clothes. Luckily, I had a baby blanket or two already made, which was gifted to the child so (s)he can take it along with them to whichever future homes they wind up going to.
Future foster parents (who’ve taken in the kids after us), emergency relief social workers, & even the biological families to these children have really appreciated the handmade baby blankets. They’re convenient, machine washable, and easy to carry around. One doesn’t have to worry about these kids outgrowing them as they would standard clothing.
One thing that I didn’t realize until our first experiences with these foster kids is the sense of comfort they get from these blankets. Many of these babies have immediately clung to them, they’re like a hug. And it keeps them cozy and warm.
That being said, I would like to have a few available to donate to social workers at my local children’s aid, & a few other offices as well. (We’re currently in contact with 3 agencies for our adoption process.) My hope is to give them to specifically the emergency relief social workers so they can have them in their offices or in their cars, ready to give out to the babies when they’re not able to grab one from their homes, and drop off a blanket with the child to their new foster homes.
If anyone is willing to do a little stashbuster project and send a blanket my way, it would be greatly appreciated. I may be able to help with shipping, pending on how much I have in my paypal account. Keep in mind that I live in Canada, when it comes to postage costs.
My only requirements are:
- blankets must measure between a minimum of 36”x38”, maximum size 46”x46”
- they can be knitted or crocheted, or a combination of both
- minimum 25% natural fiber (cotton, wool, etc) so it’s breathable, but also minimum 25% acrylic so it keeps its shape
- machine washable
- not picky about design, but if you’re going to use lace, make sure that the lace pattern is minimal, and that the spaces aren’t huge. Basic yo’s (yarn overs) are ok.
- keep a ballband from each yarn used in your blanket. I’ll tag them accordingly when I receive them.
