Shoebox time again!

I have been saying all year that this year is flying past FASTER than ever. And now I KNOW I am right!

It's Shoebox Appeal time again.  Seems about three months since I was making items to put in my 2015 Shoebox. We have the service on 6th November when people bring their Shoeboxes to church and they are put at the front by the communion rail, creating a marvellous display of Christmas paper-wrapped shoeboxes. It is a wall of colour.

As usual I am filling my box with little gifts suitable for  2-4 years old girl.
I have made a patchwork tote bag, a little quilt for the teddy I bought and a knitted beanie.
Tomorrow I will go to the shops to buy the other items: toothbrush, soap, toothpaste, crayoning things, little gifts like a ball etc.  I love collecting them together and am always surprised how much can be fitted into a shoebox. There are strict rules about what the boxes can contain and after the service we have a team of ladies who go through each box, methodically checking that everything is "allowed". Next day they are taken to a local centre where they are all checked again by another team of people before they are loaded onto trucks to be despatched to various countries ready to be given to the children in time for Christmas.  It is a huge operation and everyone involved is a volunteer.

Sorry, somehow this photo has turned sideways and I don't know how to turn it around!

Off to read through the Shoebox list if "Allowed items".

My Shoebox is ready to go

I have everything ready for my Christmas Shoebox appeal. I have made a collection of items with a 2-4 years old girl in mind.  There are quite a lot of restrictions as to what can and cannot be included in the parcel so this is what's in mine:

 

It includes 3 homemade items.

All nice and colourful - very pink!  And I managed to get them all into the Shoebox.

It will be interesting to know how many Shoeboxes our Church collects on Sunday.  250 were gifted last year.

Last craft item finished!

On Wednesday evening I finished knitting the pink and lilac beanie I am putting into my Shoebox.

Here it is, bright and girly!

 

 

And here it is again, beside the knitted Shoulder bag:

 

 

 

I think it's fascinating how knitting two colours together gives you a completely new colour.

Look at the contrast between the beanie and the bag, yet the lilac and pink yarns are the same!

 

 I have now finished all the handmade items I intend to put in my Shoebox so it's almost ready to hand over at the special Church Service on 1st November. A few sweets to buy when I am in town tomorrow and then it's done.

And, no last minute rush!

 

Last night I completed hand sewing the binding on my Wonky Stars quilt.  I am going to try to photograph that today but it rather grey and overcast so we'll have to see.

With a bit of luck I'll write another post later today.