ACK!!

September 18, 2023 

Ambushed by Chickens of Kindness!

(with apologies to Sandra Boynton)

This project got its start with a Facebook post in my local Buy Nothing group. Someone was looking for blanket yarn to crochet some chickens from a pattern she had purchased on Etsy. The photo she posted piqued my interest. Can you see why?

I mean, they are adorable! I thought to myself, "I don't know if I want to share the yarn I have. I'd rather make some myself." I asked her where she got the pattern and she shared the link. I downloaded it immediately and started crocheting chickens.

The next thing I knew, I was ordering more yarn and fiberfill online to pick up at my local craft store! The only problem was trying to figure out what I was going to do with my flock...

The inspiration for that came from my new friend Katie in Michigan, AKA Undercover Kindness Gnomes. I discovered her by accident on Twitter and started following her. She makes the cutest little needle felted gnomes and distributes them to friends and strangers to pass along as RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness). So I've decided to pass along my chickens to my friends. I'm giving each one a name and either mailing it or doing a porch drop delivery.

Coming up with the names has been fun! I thought that old-fashioned female names would be perfect, so I wrote down every one I could think of, then started going through my family tree on Ancestry and asking my friends for ideas. My list has nearly 50 names on it, so I'm planning to make a chicken for each name. The difficult part is trying to decide who to give them to. I'm working on that list now! 

I don't know that I'll keep this up past the original batch but for now, the crocheting is kind of addictive. They go pretty quickly! I've only been making them for a week but I've already got 24 finished. Would you like to see them? Here are a couple:

Shipping boxes are arriving tomorrow, so I'll be able to start mailing the chickens to my distant friends. Local friends may just find a chicken at their front door some day!

Thanks for reading this, and if I've sent you a chicken, I'd love to hear from you in the comments or on Facebook!

#ambushedbychickensofkindness

September 27, 2023

Chicken distribution has begun! The first four went into the mail today and I have a few that will be porch-dropped tomorrow. 

I'm planning to space it out over about 5 weeks, at least for this first batch (or is it flock?). There are some folks I've missed on my initial list of 50, so I've come up with another 50 names so I can add to my distribution list.

#ambushedbychickensofkindness

November 13, 2023

So I haven't posted here for awhile because I've been busy making and sending chickens! The basket is pretty full today, but I've got 16 headed out this week, so I'll make a dent in this.

Here are the latest statistics:

Chicken names - 171

Chickens completed - 138

Chickens distributed - 87

Chickens in process - 36 (yes, I have a basket of chicken "bodies"!)

Skeins of yarn used - 35 

Shipping boxes purchased - 50 (Thankful for ULINE and Pirateship!)

Gift bags purchased - 90 (There's a lot to be said about presentation!)

So if you do the math, you can see that there will be a couple of chickens that may remain nameless if I don't come up with something. I'm accepting suggestions but beware, they are probably already on my list! :)

I also have a basket of leftover yarn that I wasn't sure what to do with. Then I discovered that the vendor I purchased the original pattern from also has patterns for a nest and baby chicks.  Perfect for the leftovers! I think I'll save those until after Christmas!

A couple of weeks ago I created a private Facebook group for my chicken recipients. I'm inviting folks as I distribute the chickens. I'd love to see selfies and as I get closer to the end, I'll post "sister" groups of chickens based on yarn color.

I don't really want to talk about how I've gotten behind on my cards. I probably won't get caught up this week with rehearsals and concerts coming up, but maybe I can use Thanksgiving week for that (and maybe start on some Christmas as well...) Hope springs eternal!

#ambushedbychickensof kindness

December 3, 2023

It's time for another chicken update! 

I got to 197 chickens this week and had to make three more to get an even 200! All of them have names and I'm hoping to get them all distributed in the next two weeks. I don't want to have to worry about them over Christmas. 

So far, 145 of them have left my house for their forever homes. I took what I'm hoping was the last batch to the post office on Friday, so 12 chickens should be in mail boxes tomorrow or Tuesday. I can't wait to get "proof of life" reports! 😊

I took a picture of all of the finished chicks before I sent them out this week. Here's about 80...

I never would have been able to get all of them in one photograph.

I've got in-person training this week at my office so 15 will be heading there for my co-workers and I still have several for folks at my church.

#ambushedbychickensofkindness