[Please note that in order to avoid customs duty complications, anyone
wishing to send more than a few hats in the same package should contact A
Package from Home in advance to make arrangements]

Hats for soldiers

A Package from Home

www.apackagefromhome.org
emess@netvision.net.il

Dear Friends,

I'd like to tell you about the power of a few women with knitting needles.

Last year, a small group of handcrafters in Gush Etzion wanted to do
something for soldiers. One of the women, Channah Koppel, had a son serving
in the paratroopers so she looked into it and discovered that they could
really use some warm, well-fitting hats. She developed a knitting pattern,
sent out some emails and the project took off. Since then, people from
around the world have been sending Channah hand knit hats for soldiers. Last
year, they outfitted an entire brigade serving in the Golan and on the
Hermon.

Now, Channah and her group have decided to team up with "A Package from
Home" to get hats to "chayalim bodedim" (lone soldiers without family in
Israel).

Just this past week, "A Package from Home" packaged 175 hats for soldiers
serving in Golani and tank units. When they came to pick up the packages and
saw the hats they were thrilled. The hats that soldiers currently receive
from the army of made of a synthetic fleece-type fabric that's nowhere near
as warm and snug. One of the soldiers asked me to make sure the packages he
gets all have hand knits hats.

The hats provide physical warmth and emotional support and we feel good
knowing that somewhere tonight, a soldier doing guard duty in the cold will
be wearing a warm hand knit hat, made with love.

The weather is getting colder time is of the essence. Our goal for the
coming winter is to get an additional 2000 hand knit hats to lone soldiers
serving in combat units. If you are a knitter or know someone who loves to
knit and wants to help keep our soldiers warm this winter, please see
attached pattern. All hats must be made to pattern in order to conform with
army regulations [please see details below]

The finished caps can be sent to me at 12/63 Keren Kayemet L'Israel Street,
Jerusalem, Israel 92428 or to Channah Koppel at POB 3081, Efrat, 90435,
Israel. They will be included in our winter packages which we will deliver
directly to our soldiers.

The cost of the wool is approximately 10 shekels in Israel and $ 4 in the
US. What a small price to pay for the comfort and warmth it will bring to
our soldiers as they guard our borders from our enemies.

For more information please contact us
Barbara Bloom Silverman
Founder of A Package from Home
www.apackagefromhome.org/
emess@netvision.net.il

Simple Soldier's Hat, Two Ways
There are two patterns here, one for a hat that can be knit flat on two
straight needles and one for a hat that can be knit in the round on a
circular needle and/or double pointed needles. The latter method is
recommended because it requires less sewing up at the end and tends to look
neater.

Yarn: You must use machine washable plain black worsted weight yarn - this
is in order to comply with both the soldiers' requests and army regulations.
Look for a yarn that is soft, warm and non-felting. Superwash wool is best,
acrylic or a wool/acrylic mix is okay. You'll probably need about 220 yds. /
200 m.
Gauge: 24 or 28 stitches = 4 inches/10 cm. in K2P2 rib stitch
Needles: Use whatever size needle you need to get gauge. The 4 mm - 5.5 mm
range is a good place to start. For circulars, use a small circumference,
12" to 16".

Pattern A: Knit on Two Straight Needles

Loosely cast on 98 stitches and work back and forth in K2 P2 rib as follows:

Round 1 (right side): K1, [K2, P2] until one stitch remains, K1
Round 2 (wrong side): P1, [K2, P2] until one stitch remains, P1

Repeat these 2 rounds until work measures 9.5 inches / 24 cm., ending with a
wrong side row.

Shape crown
Row 1: On right side, K1, [K2, P2tog], K1. 74 stitches remain.
Row 2: P1, [K1, P2], P1
Row 3: On right side, K1, [K2tog, P1], K1. 50 stitches remain.
Row 4: P1, [K1, P1], P1
Row 5: K1 [K2tog], K1. 26 stitches remain.
Row 6: Purl
Row 7: K1, [K2tog], K1. 14 stitches remain.
Row 8: Purl
Row 9: K1, [K2tog], K1. 8 stitches remain

Break yarn, leaving a 20-inch / 51 cm. length. With a tapestry needle,
thread the yarn through the remaining 8 stitches (pull tight) and then sew
up the back seam using mattress stitch, being careful to match up the rows.
For help with mattress stitch, see here:
www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring04/mattress.html or here:
http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/basic_techniques/misc.php
(scroll down to "Finishing" and then select "mattress stitch" for a short
video demo)
Weave in the ends and admire your work! Please wash & dry your hat before
mailing.

Pattern B: Knit first on a Circular Needle, and then on Double Pointeds
(Or, you can work the entire hat on double pointed needles, if you prefer)

Loosely cast on 96 stitches. Join work, place marker, and work in K2 P2 rib
until work measures 9.5 inches / 24 cm.

Shape crown
(Here you begin a series of decrease rounds. When you find the hat getting
too small to work on the circular needle, switch to double pointed needles.)

Round 1: K2, P2tog to end of round. 72 stitches remain.
Round 2: K2 P1
Round 3: K2tog, P1 to end of round. 48 stitches remain.
Round 4: K1, P1
Round 5: K2tog to end of round. 24 stitches remain.
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: K2tog to end of round. 12 stitches remain.
Round 8: Knit
Round 9: K2tog to end of round. 6 stitches remain.

Break yarn, leaving a 6-inch / 15 cm. length. With a tapestry needle, thread
the yarn through the remaining 6 stitches (pull tight). Weave in the ends
and admire your work! Please wash & dry your hat before mailing.

When your hat's done mail it to:

CHANNAH KOPPEL
POB 3081
EFRAT 90435
ISRAEL
Please include an email address so that I can let you know when it's
arrived. And be patient - it can take 2 or 3 weeks. Once your hat is here,
I'll affix a label that, loosely translated, reads: "Knit for you with love
and warmth. From The Connecting Thread" and make sure that it gets to a
soldier who can use and appreciate it.