I really don't know whether this is permissable, and not can't find the rules.

Thing is, I teach at a BIA boarding school. One of the teachers wanted to learn to knit. I'm no expert, but I can do that. And I started thinking the kids might like to learn, too. The dorm administrator has given the go-ahead. The kids could make warm scarves and so on (yes, it snows) for themselves and as gifts for family members or needy community members. (Many homes around here are without power, and still heat in the traditional way.)

Where do I go for needles and yarn? Preferable big fat needles for kids to learn on and get fast results. And cheap yarn. This is Navajo country, and around here many families make beautiful yarn that they use for rugs, so once the kids learn to knit they'll probably be able to use home grown wool.

There are plenty of organizations that send pre-knit pieces but I haven't found any that send materials. Does anyone know where I might check?

I mean, where do I go for DONATIONS of needles and yarn.

Check the internet for yarn manufacturers (Lion, Coats & Clark, etc), email customer service and explain whar you are doing. Most yarn companies have 'mill seconds' and hopefully will donate materials. Also try "freecycle.com" in the Arizona community (usually broken down by County). You have to join (no charge) but you can post your request.

Correction: Freecycle.org

Sorry

Hi rezweezil,

Well I teach at the opposite end of the native world than you. I am in native village in Alaska. I actually put out a request right here on this board and several wonderful folks sent me yarn and even needles. I agree no matter where I have been in the world the kids have all love to learn to knit.

I am a knitter and have always taught knitting to my classes. I have also started doing needle felting with my class and they love that. That may be a project to look at since you may have access to rovings from all the spinners in that area.

Also if you can get wooden dowels you can put them in the pencil sharpener and sharpen the points, sand them down cut them the length you want and have home needles.

Also look for Kids Knitting a book by Melanie Falick. This has great ideas/projects for kids! ANd tells you how to make needles.

I would be more than happy to send you some yarn. I have lots of acrylic that I have been giving away and would love to give it to kids who want to learn to knit. Just let me know where to send it.

Sorry I disappeared. I also do animal rescue and had some drama there.

Jaw, that would be wonderful. You can send it to Clover Williams, Shonto Preparatory School room 26, P.O. Box 7900, Shonto, AZ 86054.

The kids will be thrilled. In addition to knitting, this is also the season for string figures. They look like cats cradles, but each has a story attached and they can only be told in winter (cause they come from Spider Woman, and she sleeps in winter), so each kid is carrying around a small loop of yarn or string.

Knitski, my brother used to be a pilot in Aniak, and I considered the move--to Akiak, I think it was. Gotta be akin. I decided I couldn't give up the ferrets, though. What's your age group? I may have less freedom to do this stuff within the classroom because I have mid school English, but I thought I'd work with the dorm kids.

Hi Rezweezil,

I teach third. It is hard to fit considering everything we need to do as you are well aware.

I have found that once some of the kids do learn to knit they will like us just knit all the time and it is fine in my classroom. I would think it would be great in a dorm setting.

Here is a link to my classroom blog which needs to be updated but none the less it is an attempt to blog: http://blog.bssd.org/mu/skiunk/

We are on the Iditarod Dog Sled trail and south of Nome but on the coast.

rezweezil - I'll get some yarn ready to send to you. It may be a few days - we had an ice storm yesterday and I'm not ready to get out on the roads just yet. If I need to send it UPS I'll need a street address or would by USPS be better? I also need to find a good size box for it. But it will get there.

Not all the rez' places have street addresses. I expect rezweezil will get back to you on this.

rezweezil - the first box is on its way. As soon as I can find another box I'll get a second one on the way to you. Hope the kids have fun with the yarn.

Thanks very much! The kids will be looking forward to it. Some may actually need what they make--we have a little boy that we're all (staff) buying warm clothing for right now.

It's true about the street addresses, because the post office doesn't deliver around here. I do have a street address, but it's sort of silly--it's just a house number within the teacher housing, and then the school added a street name to make the teachers feel more "normalized" or something. But when mail or UPS stuff is addressed to my street address, they just hold it at the trading post, which is where the post office is anyway.

UPS and FedEx, etc.
Clover Williams
788 Sycamore Ave
Shonto, AZ 86054

post:
Clover Williams
Shonto Preparatory School room 26
PO Box 7900
Shonto, AZ 86054

Thanks again!

oops! UPS comes to the house of course.

Thanks so much for the yarn! I have a group of teachers wanting to learn now, too. I'm really not all that good, so it'll be the blind leading the blind. If school policy allows, I'll send pictures of the kids.

Rez,
Teach them what you do know. Then when they get better than you, have them teach you stuff. That's how it should be in my opinion! I used to teach bobbinlace making and loved it when my pupils got better than me. It means I gave them some good, basic skills and they expanded. One lady I taught is now going to Croatia on a scholarship to learn more Idrija lacemaking at the source. I'm pretty sure I mis-spelled the lace type, but you get the idea. So teach what you can and go from there.