The Mitten Experience/This project is now closed.

  Aloha my friends. I have much to share with you regarding the Mittens for Miyagi Japan Relief Project. In the beginning I truly did not know what to expect. I had a desire to help and a small idea on how to do so.  
That was about it...and so I began. 

    I bought 6 yards of fleece, elastic and thread and I began to sew. I had an idea to ask a dear friend who served a mission in Japan if she had any way of knowing where I might send these mittens. She did some calling for me and found an address in which the LDS Japan wards were sending their donations. Then somehow her email was forwarded to a couple missionary in Japan that replied to her saying that the children could really use some mittens. 

    With that I found even more of a purpose to sew. My friend was the first to donate more fabric. Then another friend wanted to donate fabric and sew her mittens. Then other friends and family members wanted to help and donated also. I was moved, touched and completely inspired to do the work. I would sit down and sew for 3 hours at a time. Sometimes into the late hours of the night. Mitten after mitten until each one was done. 9 complete days of sewing. 213 pairs I did sew and my dear friend Sister Harris sewed 32 pairs.

    It was not easy...I had never sewn so many of one item before. At times I thought my hands would give out, but I kept hearing one thought.... Service. If I could try to do this one small thing then my Heavenly Father would help me to accomplish this task. And he did. I truly felt my Heavenly Father help me through this task of service. 

    When I cut out the first yardage of mittens I was averaging 11 pairs a yard. Then as I cut the next yardage I got 12 pairs a yard. So, I figured that out of the next 4 yards I would get 48 pairs of mittens. I cut the fabric the same exact way and somehow I got 56 pairs of mittens. My thread and elastics would last through all of those mittens and even when I thought my needle had bent it was straight as a nail. Luckily, my husband,boys, and mom helped me to cut the elastics and stamp tags. These were little things that I had noticed during this project that helped me to go on. But, the most wonderful thing was when I was too tired to cut and sew, then at that moment I could feel the need of those children and see their little faces. It brightened my heart and kept me going.  In becoming an instrument in His hands we are serving others as well as our Heavenly Father.

    I truly felt my testimony grow through this small act of service. There is kind of a saying that goes around here in Hawaii. If can, can. If no can, no can. I have changed this saying for myself. If can, can. If no can, TRY HARDER. Through this effort I was able to send 245 pairs of mittens to Japan. I know of others who are sewing and sending many of their own pairs of mittens to Japan. Thank you...you inspire me. I was also helped in order to send this rather large box through FedEx. 
Thank you to those who helped with that!

  Upon leaving the FedEx building, an unknown man who had overheard the mailing transaction came up to my car and asked if I had family in Japan. He told me that he did and that some of his family and friends were still missing. There were tears in his eyes and all I could offer was a sorry and wish him the best. I said that I didn't have family in Japan and I saw that familiar puzzled look staring back at me as he asked then why would I do such a thing? All I could reply was that I had wanted to help and, like anyone else, if possible then I would be there serving. He thanked me and I in turn thanked my Father in Heaven for letting me be a part of His work. How awesome it is to know that we all have a Heavenly Father who loves us and knows our needs. He watches over us and guides others to help us in times of need.

    It's funny when you are making an effort to serve, everything seems to fall into place and the spirit of it touches others. Lighting a desire to do something more. I know there is good in everyone, a brotherly love that connects us. As we strive to help one another we will emulate the light of Christ. Mahalo to everyone who felt inspired to donate to those in Japan. My prayers and thoughts are with you.

~Christie

Mittens for Miyagi Update

This project is now closed.
Mahalo for helping with this Japan relief project!!!

I have been sewing and sewing and sewing! And I will be sewing tonight again. I know I can't sew enough for all of those that have been displaced because of this disaster and so I am very grateful for all of you who have decided to help. 

Thank you!

Mittens for Miyagi/This Project is now closed.

The horrific triple disasters that Japan has been enduring is more than unbelievable. Seeing the tsunami waves hit the country immediately broke my heart. I knew what it meant to see those waves and I feared for those in danger. Families broken apart in something quite unexpected and unimaginable.

As Hawaii went under a tsunami warning, we worried for what might be coming our way. In the night the sirens continually went off to alert the impending danger yet to hit our shores. While Hawaii suffered some damage from the tsunami, it was quite minimal to that of Japan's disaster.

My heart goes out to the people of Japan. How I wish I could be there in person to help in what ever way possible. And so, I am working on a project for those children now in need. It is still cold in Japan, with snow on their ground and no heat in their buildings where survivors are being housed. I know there has been an effort for sending blankets and aid. I personally cannot afford to send blankets and so my husband and I came up with the idea to send mittens for the children. Miyagi was the hardest hit prefecture and so I name this project Mittens for Miyagi.

  I found a simple pattern online here at  http://www.sewing.org/html/letsmittens.html. Although, I made a few modifications. The materials I used were fleece, elastic and thread. I skipped the biased tape and show how to sew on the elastic in this tutorial. There are three sizes.This is the large size sewn in the tutorial

For each mitten, cut 2 from the pinned pattern. This is material folded in half with wrong sides together.

Cut 4 inches of elastic

They should look like this. With the elastic sewn on the wrong side of the fabric.

Then pin right sides together. Make sure that the end of the mitten is even in length.

Sew a straight stitch with the outside of your footer on the edge of your fabric.

Be careful on the curves!

As you round the corner, continue to sew down two more inches.

Pick up the footer and rotate the fabric continuing to sew up to the edge and following around the curve with the footer on the outer edge.

Sew to the end of the mitten and make sure you back stitch in the beginning and the end of the mitten.

Now it's time to trim the seam. Be careful don't trim too much!

Trim in the thumb area.

The finished trim should look like this. 

Notice there is no hemming required for the finished fleece end of the mitten.

Turn it right side out and it should look like this! Now sew the other one.

And you have a pair.

And one for the boy.

 I plan to sew as many of these mittens
in small, medium, and large children sizes as I can.
I hope that others will feel inspired to do the same.
Let no kind thought go undone.
May small and simple things do good when intentions are heartfelt.

(My thank you's to my friend Kristin!!! :)