Etiquette Hell

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The Cindy Project
From Cindy’s Heart to Your Hands

Spreading Warm Fuzzies in Cindy’s Memory

The Cindy Project has begun as a memorial to our beloved fellow E-hellion, OmniCindy who died April 30, 2006 after a long battle with cancer. She and her family lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. She had endured much including the loss of her home in Slidell, LA during Hurricane Katrina. Her courage, faith in God, kindness and positive attitude inspired many people.

Cindy Evans Davis, 48, of Slidell, died Sunday, April 30, 2006.

She is survived by her husband, Robert Davis; two sons, Keith Allen Davis and Paul Robert Davis; her mother, Sally Evans; one brother, Kendal Paul Evans; and two sisters, Patti Evans and Susan Lee.

She was a housewife and a member of Community Christian Church.

The project came about when I had a dream the morning after I learned of Cindy's passing. In the dream, she said she entered a room full of light and was now whole, well and wonderful. Then she told me, Oh, by the way. I want you to knit 400 scarves for the poor. Like the one you knitted me. I knitted a fluffy scarf for Cindy after she lost her home in Hurricane Katrina.

To me, it sounded like a mandate. Since I can't knit 400 scarves by myself, others have offered to help knit, crochet, buy yarn, etc. Thus The Cindy Project begins!

Here is the basic information:

The scarf I knitted for Cindy was approximately 5-6 inches wide and approximately 6 feet long. It was knitted with a worsted yarn combined with a furry yarn on size 15 needles.
But any scarf will do! Though I'd recommend the basic dimensions (it only takes about 10 stitches on a #15 needle, depending on your knitting tension), the scarf can be wider and even shorter (kids need scarves, too!).
Knitting or crocheting is fine, whichever you prefer. Previously made scarves are fine as well, as long as they are clean and in very good condition.
Any kind of yarn is fine to use. However, I do ask that if it is not machine-washable, please send me the washing instructions. I will separate the machine-washables from those are not.
If you cannot knit or crochet, you can make a scarf of fleece. Fleece does not ravel and is very wide, so not much would be needed for a scarf. Simply cut the scarf to the desired dimensions, and if you want to add fringe, just cut the ends. If you are really creative, you can then decorate the edges with yarn, using a blanket stitch.
For the time being, I will collect the scarves. Depending on the scope of the project, I may ask for other collection points down the road.
I have not yet determined how and to whom the scarves will be distributed (I have e-mailed another charity knitting organization for advice), but I know I want to keep the bulk of the scarves (at least the first 400) in the New Orleans area to benefit the homeless, abused women/children and cancer patients. As soon as that detail is finalized, I will post the information.
If you have any additional questions, or want my address, you can e-mail me through my profile or at scritzy@yahoo.com. I will get back to you as soon as possible.

The deadline of October 31 for the first 400 scarves ready for distribution. ALthought the official deadline is October 31st, Scritzy will still accept scarves and lap blankets as long as Trinity Neurological Rehab Center in Slidell, LA still has need for more.

Someone suggested putting a little tag on the scarves to indicate it was a Cindy Project scarf. I like that idea, and the above logo is the result.

Cindy was a special person, and I think she touched all our lives. Though I usually dislike the term, I think she was a lady of "warm fuzzies" — her courage and cheer made us all feel better. I think it's only fitting that we spread some "warm fuzzies" (in the form of scarves) in her honor.

Thanks again to everyone!

Scritzy

How-To web sites and web videos

http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/basic_techniques/

http://www.knittingatknoon.com/demos.html - this has video... very helpful...

http://www.knittersreview.com/ The forum on knitters review is really good for any knitting question you have.

http://gallery.gundo.com/chezdork/fringe How to fringe a scarf

http://www.fuzzygalore.biz/patterns/crochet_v.shtml - How to crochet a scarf

Knifty Knitter- A cool knitting loom for the knitting challenged! Project sheet.

Gallery of some completed scarves

http://gallery.gundo.com/chezdork/First-Cindy-Project-Scarf

http://gallery.gundo.com/chezdork/Cindy-Project-Cream

http://wrightbrain.net/scarf/ Fleece scarf with blanket stitch edging

Update from Scritzy:

Okay, all Cindy Project participants: So far (October 25th) I have received 228 scarves of all kinds! Fluffy, furry, chunky, funky, loud, quiet, lacy, fleecy — in all colors, sizes and yarns. Some are knitted, some crocheted, some loomed and some made of fleece. I have scarves from 15 different states, Canada and the UK.

Because I no longer had room in my office for all the scarves I'd received already, yesterday I took my five Rubbermaid storage bins and one cardboard box to the UPS store and sent 188 of those scarves to Trinity Neurological Rehab Center in Slidell, Louisiana. All the scarves (and one donated afghan) fit into two boxes (albiet one of those boxes was almost as tall as I am!). They should arrive on Monday. I called Anne Cundiff, my contact at Trinity, and let her know they were on the way, and she was absolutely thrilled!

I told her more were to come (I haven't yet tagged the fleece scarves and I received two more packages yesterday) and she said, "Bring them on! Our residents are already so cold, and it isn't even really cold here yet." So for those yet to send, keep on with the knitting and crocheting and looming and fleecing! Even though the "official" deadline is the 31st, I will still accept scarves as long as Trinity Neuro wants them. After that, if you want to continue making scarves in Cindy's name and donating them to a charity in your area, I will be glad to send you the tag template or some of the tags themselves.

I want to thank everyone who has donated, whether scarves, yarn, gift cards or postage from the bottom of my heart. When I was transferring scarves from the box and bins yesterday, there was a lot of curiosity as to what I was doing (as you can imagine — it's not every day someone walks into UPS and wants to pack up 188 scarves). When I answered people's questions, I got looks of astonishment and, "Wow, that is so cool!"

I thought you might want to see the fruits of your labors. In this picture, I am modeling some of the scarves. The sofa behind me is filled with the storage bins and some scarves have been draped over the top for effect.

Trinity is a convalescent home for those who have suffered strokes and other neurological problems. From talking to their activities director, I understand that their patients get really really cold, especially the older ones. (Whether it's from their medical conditions, their medications or just their age, I don't know.)

The scarves will be used to help warm the patients (and I hope, warm their hearts, too).

Cindy's church used to help out at Trinity Neuro, so there was a Cindy link there. :-)

I just received a call from Anne Cundiff at Trinity Neurological Rehab. The scarves arrived and she is raving! She says that the residents dove right in and are already wearing them (it's 70 degrees there but they are cold). And she said she told people not to take the tags off (until it's time to wash them, of course), because she wanted everyone to know the story behind the scarves.

Ms. Cundiff said that one little man was always freezing, so he received two scarves — one for his neck and one for his lap, so now he will be toasty warm.

She kept saying over and over: "The scarves are beautiful, just beautiful, and we have been so blessed."

So, Ehellions, thank you so much for all you have done (and continue to do — I got another package yesterday!) to honor Cindy. I am very emotional right now, thinking of Cindy and her deep love for all of us, and I'm so thankful that even though she is no longer with us, we are able to share that love with others.

I asked Ms. Cundiff if she would send some pictures of the resdidents wearing the scarves that I could post; she said she would. Oh, and she said that even some staff members asked to wear a scarf, so that building must be pretty dang cold! :D

FYI, I e-mailed her son Keith to let him know that the first batch of scarves had gone to Trinity.

Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have made a lot of people very happy today. I think Cindy would be pleased.

Page Last Updated May 15, 2007