Oddball Knitting

Many have asked for specifics on the Oddball Knitting group, so here is more information than you probably want:
Oddball groups are currently active in the Northeast, Southeast, and West Coast/Central regions of the U.S.

The group owns the needles, and the needles are in continual rotation: the person, who knits the last section on a blanket, begins a new blanket and has the privilege of naming the blanket and/or determining color. Each knitter adds 4 inches to the blanket and there are six sections. Each section takes about 1.5 ounces of yarn. The first and last person knit a bit more to allow for the garter-stitch border. A coordinator keeps track of the knitters and the blankets and shares the mailing address with the person who is mailing the blanket. She is the only one with the master list.

The blankets can be mailed Priority, First Class, or Parcel Post. I usually send them First Class unless they are too heavy, and then I send them Priority.

Each knitter is allowed up to two weeks to complete their section but very few take that amount of time, which allows the blankets to circulate more rapidly.

The group has "lost" a few blankets, but rarely. (Sometimes a knitter will drop out of the group but still has the blanket in their possession.) It is disheartening to work on a blanket and have it fall off of the radar, but I suppose it can't be avoided.

Two sizes of blankets are knit (preemie and regular). The size is determined by the needles being used and the weight of the yarn. Most of the blankets are knit on size 8 needles, but sometimes one is done on a size 6 (preemie)

Once the 6 four-inch sections are finished, the blanket is sent to one of the "border patrol" crocheters. They add the border and send the blanket to the coordinator who stock-piles them for donation at a Children's Hospital. Currently, my group's blankets are being donated to a Seattle Children's Hospital.

If you are interested in joining, check out the regional groups on KnittingHelp.com or Ravelry. Both sites are used because some of the members of one site do not belong to the other. I can also help you connect with a regional coordinator.