Sincere apologies for leaving this blog silent for so long. The program has taken so much of our energy that this and our facebook page has been neglected. The news is that we have reached a five year milestone with our program and with that we have had easily four hundred behind bars knitters go through our weekly knitting group. So many men have been introduced to the zen of knitting. They have been instrumental in providing winter hats for the inner city kids in Baltimore MD through a program sponsored by Lovely Yarn in Baltimore. In addition to knitting hats for those kids many of our inmtes have made hats to send home to their own kids or wives or mothers or significant partners. It has truly been a genuine commuity building effort. Lately it seems that both Sheila and I have received emails and friend requests generated by the contunued buzz generated by Knitting Behind Bars We honetly don't know the source of these emails and requests, but we are indeed thankful. Many have asked to donate yarns and needles and much as we appreciate the offers, we cannot accept. The prison system has cleared some very specific supplies which we provide weekly. Red tape, at it finest. We do however accept and appreciate monetary donatiuons and there is a pay pal button at the top of this blog. We had been previusly allowed to share photos of our happy guys kniting away but that, did I mention red tape, has ended and so you dear blog reader will just have to believe me when I tell you that knitting immediately changes their mood, their body language and their demeanor. For fear of sounding like an evanglist, I must say the transformation is impressive Imagine the three of us, Sheila, Lea and me sitting in the midst of 22 content, happy inmate knitters,who are companionable just like any knitting group, sharing family stories, and yes, even recipes. Lea provides the comic releif weekly with some pretty lame jokes, Sheila is the go to for errors and I am the cheerleader with my five minute, you can do it, knitting lesson. We don't know who loves the project more, us or them. Our Thursday nights are precious to us and we plan our week around them. Knitting Behind Bars is alive and well and we thank all of our supporters