Calm the mind; make a doll

Time to return to what I love, and love to share!  Raggedy Anns have always been a favorite of mine...I made several cloth Raggedy's several years ago.  But my true love is crochet, and I found a wonderful pattern to use as a base for all of these Raggedy girls!  The pattern for the basic doll is freely available on Ravelry here:

Kelli Newcome's JJ Doll

JJ is about 8 to 9 inches tall, and Kelli has lots and LOTS of patterns for outfits for this doll.  She also has two other free basic doll patterns, Pookie and Petey.  Each one is incrementally larger than the next.  These dolls make up easy, as they are made in worsted weight yarn.   I turned them into Raggedy's by using button eyes (glossy, dark colored buttons work best), and Raggedy smiles.  If you are feeling adventurous, darken the area around the eye with a colored pencil dipped in water, then rubbed into the yarn with a clean cotton cloth:

That is what I did with this girl above.  You can find tons of Raggedy inspiration from Pinterest (of course!)

I also have a couple of patterns to share, that will fit Kelli's JJ doll.

JJ's Knit Sweater,  knit with worsted cotton yarn and size 4 needles.  The short sleeve version just needs straight needles.  If you want long sleeves, you'll need a set of dpn's.

And JJ's Crochet Undies,   Crocheted with worsted cotton and a size D hook.

A link to all of Kelli Newcome's patterns can be found here:

Kelli's Kreations

Make a doll, and make the world a bit better.

A Crisis of Conscience

This article from the New York Times impelled me to write to my Republican Senators and Democrat Congressman.  Read it, and please do the same:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/24/opinion/border-kids-immigration-help.html

This is my letter:

In Germany of the 1930's, atrocities were committed, and the people simply ignored them, or believed they did not occur. And it escalated to a final solution that murdered over six million Jews, Gypsyies, Homosexuals....and others. Reading about children held in deplorable conditions in detention centers...another name for a concentration camp... I see the seeds of another Nazi Germany rising on our own soil.  Will we have the fortitude to resist? Or will we passively go along and become the monsters we defeated 75 years ago?

I am so sick at heart at the total lack of compassion, empathy, and Christian outrage at what our country is doing.  I implore you to do whatever you can to alleviate this suffering, and return us to our moral values;  values that this administration has trampled in the dust.

You must look yourself in the eye and ask...would you leave any child in these conditions?

Beth Webber

Update:

In the light of feeling helpless and hopeless regarding this atrocity, here is a link to suggestions you can do to help relieve the suffering.  And as always, write to your representatives in Congress.

https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a21623492/children-separated-from-families-border-how-to-help/?fbclid=IwAR0bFbImKu0dGNoKKMAssmrPbXZbSJvOsifhjBorG_JRh8lJ8idSEy_s4RM