Tuesday 20 June 2017

Crocheted Balls For A Cause: We Need Your Help!

There's good reason I'm making a blog post again after a long time and this is about asking for your help for a great cause. Of course, it involves crochet.

I was asked by Ms. Bane Agbon of Kids for Peace Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Cotabato City that conducts camps to promote peace and empower the youth, to help provide 48 crocheted balls which will be used in activities for their Emergency Pedagogy (an approach for psychosocial support) sessions for the young survivors of the assaults in Marawi and Lanao del Sur. 
These crocheted balls will not be given as toys but will be used as tools for age-appropriate body movement/games to help the survivors regain balance, rhythm, focus, let go, and be present in the moment. Crocheted balls are preferred for these activities because they are warmer to the touch (compared to plastic balls). 

So, how can you help? We need you to help us crochet these balls! 

We need 8 sets of 6 same-colored crocheted balls (total of 48) by July 5, 2017! 

It is important that we get sets of 6 same-colored balls. So if you plan to crochet them, it would be best if you crochet all 6 from the same colored yarn. You can ask friends to help them crochet with you. Colors should also be bright (no dull colors please) in plain colors only.

The pattern of the crocheted ball is taken from "The Ideal Crochet Sphere" pattern by Ms Premise-Conclusion.

I made very minor revisions to the pattern and laid it out specifically for this project.

Please download the free pattern HERE.

Suggested materials are already shown in the downloadable pattern. For the yarn, I am not requiring any specific brand, as long as the yarn is Medium (4) Worsted Weight and can provide a good shape/form (like yarn used for Amigurumi). In case you are wondering though, I have already used Red Heart Super Saver and Dapper Dreamer Combed Cotton to crochet a few balls.
Materials: Medium (4) Worsted Weight Yarn, 4.00 mm Crochet Hook, and Fiberfill
The size of the crocheted ball more or less fits a child's hand. When stuffing the ball with fiberfill, please make sure that the ball is not too hard (or soft). It should be squishy enough (but not too soft that the shape does not hold).

We have 2 drop off locations for the balls:

(Open Wed-Sun, 10AM-6PM)
Unit 306 Emerald Place
604 Shaw Blvd., Brgy. Kapitolyo
Pasig City

(Open Tue-Sat, 1PM-8PM)
Unit 302 Pasay Road Condominium 
(Pamana-Languages Building)
926 Antonio Arnaiz Ave. (Pasay Road)
Makati City

Deadline for drop off is on July 5, 2017 (Wed).

20 comments:

  1. Im interested in this project but does not have the skill, can somebody teach me? Skill lang po, will buy my own materials. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! There are several free YouTube tutorials for basic crochet. You can start practicing single crochets because the pattern requires single crochet stitches :)

      Delete
    2. If you are anywhere near Marikina I can teach you

      Delete
  2. I am much interested in this project pero ang layo ko naman. Dami pa naman akong fiber fill sa bahay. I wish I could help, but I will keep on praying that those who are available to help can really help. God bless you Trey for trying to help.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Madel! There's an outpouring of help!

      Delete
  3. What size? The pdf pattern has many to choose from.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! We provided our version of the 16-round sphere in the link above :) Here it is: http://bit.ly/CrochetedBall_EPS

      Delete
  4. I would love to contribute but I'm in Dubai. I'll make sure to visit the stores pag-uwi ko sa December.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I have fiberfill to spare if anyone's interested.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi, I would love to contribute at least 1 set, but is there a drop off point in Cotabato city? Or Davao city?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi! I can send you an email of the address in Cotabato City :) Kindly send us an email to: gantsilyoguru@gmail.com so we can reply. Thanks!

      Delete
  7. Hi, Trey, this is wonderful for you to support this initiative! I share the same work with Bane when the need arises. If it would be possible for you and your volunteers, it would be good if the finished balls would have some weight. This would be perfect when tossing it around from arms length to several feet in distance.

    We can do this with sand, tiny pebbles, beans or even dried corn kernels (feeds). You can enclose it in a balloon sack before it is wrapped with the fiberfill. With Bane's advice, 50gms would be good.

    With everyone's help, we can do more for our brothers and sisters down south.

    I wish you great blessings in all your endeavors!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tet! Oh! I wish we were informed about this earlier. Thank you for letting us know. I send some sample to Bane this weekend seeking her approval before I posted this call to make because I also wanted to make sure the balls are ok. A good number though have already made their crocheted balls with fiberfill. We can make an announcement for those who are still gonna make some to use the fillings you suggested.

      Delete
  8. hi would love to make these ...can you share where to buy fiberfill? I live in Antipolo but can go to anyplace in Metro Manila.

    ReplyDelete
  9. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Count me in, Trey! I am happy to help.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hello! We have one set for you! Will drop off this Saturday :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi! Sent several balls today via xend. Mostly by teachers of Waldorf School of Batangas and one set by yours truly.

    ReplyDelete
  13. This is a very tremendous article. You keep making progress in this way. Please visit my website.

    Satta number
    Satta Bajar

    ReplyDelete