We will be beginning a knitting behind bars program at the womans's prision in Jessup.
Looking for volunteers and donation of #8 16 inch circular needles and new worsted weight yarn. The ball band must be on any donated yarn
Only these two items, please.
Please contact me
Lynnzwerling@verizon.net or 410 868 5129
And of course a small monetary donation would be appreciated. There is a donate button on the bottom of the website.
Unfortunately it isn't visible on mobile pbones. To donate you have to go to the full site.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
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
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Here is an email I'd like to share....
Our goal was always to assist others in building their win Knitting Behind Bars program. We have spoken to many who would like to start such a project and have heard of some very early pans for such a program in two Md prisons. After the article we got hundreds of calls and emails. Many from the UK and one from Folsom Prison in California.
It would be overly optimistic to imagine an improvement in the whole facility, but we have heard from Chippendale, the assistant warden of the entire pre release system that she is aware of a marked increase in the good behavior of our participants. Over 150 men have attended our program and any ave told us that this has been life altering. Several men with whom we continue to follow on the outside, confirm these benefits.
After all, the program is not really about the craft of knitting, but the benefits it brings. Goal orientation, pride in one's work, anger management, crossing perceived gender stereo types are just a few of these benefits.
Being in prison is like pushing a pause button. Nothing happens. There are only a few programs geared to rehabilitation and success is usually a huge personal motivation. Any incarcerated person would benefit from having a weekly opportunity to learn a new skill and interact with people in the community.
Good luck on your paper, Heather. My behind the walls knitters and I would love to see what you write.
My best,
Lynn
Sent from my iPad
On Apr 12, 2012, at 1:12 PM, Heather Gambrel wrote:
Hello!
I'm writing a research paper for my composition class on Knitting Behind Bars. I was just wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your program. First of all, have any other prisons adopted the program, or have plans to do so? Have you noticed a noticeable improvement in the overall atmosphere of the prison? Do you think that this program would only be appropriate for a certain type of prison, such as a minimum security prison, or would it also be beneficial to prisoners in maximum security prisons? Thank you for taking the time to read my email. I think the program sounds really fun and exciting, and I'm having a blast writing a paper on such a neat success story. =)
Thanks again!
Heather Gambrel
It would be overly optimistic to imagine an improvement in the whole facility, but we have heard from Chippendale, the assistant warden of the entire pre release system that she is aware of a marked increase in the good behavior of our participants. Over 150 men have attended our program and any ave told us that this has been life altering. Several men with whom we continue to follow on the outside, confirm these benefits.
After all, the program is not really about the craft of knitting, but the benefits it brings. Goal orientation, pride in one's work, anger management, crossing perceived gender stereo types are just a few of these benefits.
Being in prison is like pushing a pause button. Nothing happens. There are only a few programs geared to rehabilitation and success is usually a huge personal motivation. Any incarcerated person would benefit from having a weekly opportunity to learn a new skill and interact with people in the community.
Good luck on your paper, Heather. My behind the walls knitters and I would love to see what you write.
My best,
Lynn
Sent from my iPad
On Apr 12, 2012, at 1:12 PM, Heather Gambrel
Hello!
I'm writing a research paper for my composition class on Knitting Behind Bars. I was just wondering if I could ask you a few questions about your program. First of all, have any other prisons adopted the program, or have plans to do so? Have you noticed a noticeable improvement in the overall atmosphere of the prison? Do you think that this program would only be appropriate for a certain type of prison, such as a minimum security prison, or would it also be beneficial to prisoners in maximum security prisons? Thank you for taking the time to read my email. I think the program sounds really fun and exciting, and I'm having a blast writing a paper on such a neat success story. =)
Thanks again!
Heather Gambrel
Monday, January 23, 2012
Knitting Behind Bars Oatmeal Cookies by Sheila Rovelstad and Lynn Zwerling
This is the recipe for the cookies we took to Kojo. Notice that they are oatmeal cookies, but when you get to know them they have a surprise for you! There is no violence making these cookies! No beating of ingredience, just blending, stirring and folding in. Just like life should be!
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups regular rolled oats
1/4 cup each: golden raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, whirl butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds.
Add brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.
With mixer, stir in eggs and vanilla until combined. Stir in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining
flour by hand. Fold in oats, raisins, cherries, cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Drop dough by heaping, rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until edges are light brown and center appears set. Cool on cookie
sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack, cool completely. Enjoy! Makes 48 cookies.
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups regular rolled oats
1/4 cup each: golden raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, whirl butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds.
Add brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.
With mixer, stir in eggs and vanilla until combined. Stir in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining
flour by hand. Fold in oats, raisins, cherries, cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Drop dough by heaping, rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until edges are light brown and center appears set. Cool on cookie
sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire rack, cool completely. Enjoy! Makes 48 cookies.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
So many kniters want to donate yarn.....
We wish we could accept these donatons, but we can't. Storge space is limited, so we cannot accept yarn donations at this time.
You Can Help Knitting Behind Bars
You can purchase these items to help us fund Knitting Behind Bars.
"I Fought the Law And the Law Won" Sock Yarn. This is a hand-dyed sock yarn from Wüllenstudio by Sheila Rovelstad Designs.
To purchase, click HERE
Silver colored, handmade yarn ball bead, with Sterling Silver necklace. From Coppatina by Sheila Rovelstad Designs.
To purchase, click HERE
Copper, handmade yarn ball bead, with Sterling Silver necklace. From Coppatina by Sheila Rovelstad Designs.
To purchase, click HERE
Silver colored bead with Sterling Silver chain, very linmited quantity.
To purchase, click HERE
"I Fought the Law And the Law Won" Sock Yarn. This is a hand-dyed sock yarn from Wüllenstudio by Sheila Rovelstad Designs.
To purchase, click HERE
Silver colored, handmade yarn ball bead, with Sterling Silver necklace. From Coppatina by Sheila Rovelstad Designs.
To purchase, click HERE
Copper, handmade yarn ball bead, with Sterling Silver necklace. From Coppatina by Sheila Rovelstad Designs.
To purchase, click HERE
Silver colored bead with Sterling Silver chain, very linmited quantity.
To purchase, click HERE
Listen for Sheila on The Kojo Show Monday 1/23
Listen live at 12 a WAMU which is 88.5 FM or go to the website and listen there.
click here
click here
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Here's the link for the video by Bus 52
Cllick here for the video we from our presentation last week.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Press
From Facebook to Vogue Knitting to California, the Baltimore Sun article written by Jill Rosen began a whirlwind media blitz that will absolutely thrilli our knitters. A fan , Kathy, from Mercy Hospital, is making photo copies for all the guys. Calls from a nun, a couple of teachers, my sister of course, a cousin of mine who wants to make the project into a Broadway musical, all have been appreciated.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-11-21/features/bs-ae-knitting-behind-bars-20111111_1_assistant-warden-needles-wool#.TtWGB7GaVgI.mailto
Many knitters , who are notoriously the most generous people, have wanted to donate yarn. Wish we could say yes to all, but we have some very specific requirements. It must be Vanna's Choice, take that Deborah Norville, new complete skeins, and bright colors. The guys are partial to a manly black....ugh.
Our biggest restriction is space. We used to have a supply closet for on site storage, but lately have had to check all supplies in and out every week. So it's a matter of space and taking time away from our allotted 2 hours.
In addition we have received some cash donations, which are always appreciated, because we try to send each former offender a knitting care package, with the hope that he'll continue practicing the zen of knitting. I told Sheila, I'll handle the woo woo, and she'll handle the cash!
Thank you all for you support.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-11-21/features/bs-ae-knitting-behind-bars-20111111_1_assistant-warden-needles-wool#.TtWGB7GaVgI.mailto
Many knitters , who are notoriously the most generous people, have wanted to donate yarn. Wish we could say yes to all, but we have some very specific requirements. It must be Vanna's Choice, take that Deborah Norville, new complete skeins, and bright colors. The guys are partial to a manly black....ugh.
Our biggest restriction is space. We used to have a supply closet for on site storage, but lately have had to check all supplies in and out every week. So it's a matter of space and taking time away from our allotted 2 hours.
In addition we have received some cash donations, which are always appreciated, because we try to send each former offender a knitting care package, with the hope that he'll continue practicing the zen of knitting. I told Sheila, I'll handle the woo woo, and she'll handle the cash!
Thank you all for you support.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Sheila's new yarn - I Fought The Law And The Law Won
“I Fought the Law and the Law Won” is the latest color addition to the Wüllenstudio Sock line! The color entries were made by Twiceteller. The first skein is on its way to her!! The knitting men of the Jessup Pre-Release Unit chose her entry because if best described their lives: “grass green and sky blue with bars of black between them to symbolize what was taken away.” Many thanks to all of you who participated in the contest!!!
We will be selling this yarn on the Wüllenstudio Website. The profits from the sale of the yarn go to help support the Knitting Behind Bars Program. For those of you who live out of the the US and would like to purchase this yarn, please PM SheilaR here on Ravelry.
We would like to share with you the friendships we have made, the accomplishments of the men and their adventures through the process of returning to the outside world.
Jessup Pre-Release is a facility where the men may spend up to 3 years before they are released from their incarceration. It also houses men who are handicapped and serving longer sentences.
We have never asked these men what they did to put themselves behind the razor wire. They often tell us what they did when they are ready to trust us. We accept them as they are now, and help them establish friendships and the satisfaction of learning an awesome skill…….KNITTING!
We would like to share with you their personal triumphs and their life accomplishments. We hope you are as proud and astounded as we are. There is no prison reform in Maryland or much of the United States. Certainly not many programs that promote self-esteem, personal development or anger management. We also have begun to develop a mentoring program
Often the conversations we have with them are the same ones we find ourselves having with our other knitting friends in our various other knitting groups! Ooh! What yarn is that? What makes this fiber so soft? Can you teach me to pick up stitches after I drop them? Do you have a pattern for that scarf? How many beads do I put in this section? I just know I need to learn how to knit socks!
Through the generous contributions of the Knitters in Columbia, Maryland, we have contributed over 2,000 books to their once non-existant library, including a full law library! This is a on going venture.
We are self-funded. If you would like to help support our endeavor, you can visit our Etsy shop or our blog, Knitting Behind Bars, or PM me here on Ravelry!
We have been sponsoring this weekly group since November 2009. It is the highlight of our week! Please join us in our journey with the men of JPRU!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wish we still could bring a camera.
I'll try to describe tonight as best I can. The 20 male inmates came into our space, quickly and quietly. They gathered up their project bags, and just like knitters everywhere, they sat down and began knitting. The quiet and order belies the setting, after all this is jail and these men are all incarcerated.
Before our two hour session ended we looked over where four guys had gathered around one another in a circle. They were intently knitting and we marveled at their concentration. Now these guys are some of our roughest ones, most in need of some anger management therapy but there they all were quiet and polite, knitting and purling and happy as clams. I suspect there are more tattoos per square inch here than anywhere in the world! And best yet, as it was time to clean up and clear out, Speedy, was, like any knitter anywhere, pleading for "just one more row!"
Wish we were still allowed to bring in our camera.....
Before our two hour session ended we looked over where four guys had gathered around one another in a circle. They were intently knitting and we marveled at their concentration. Now these guys are some of our roughest ones, most in need of some anger management therapy but there they all were quiet and polite, knitting and purling and happy as clams. I suspect there are more tattoos per square inch here than anywhere in the world! And best yet, as it was time to clean up and clear out, Speedy, was, like any knitter anywhere, pleading for "just one more row!"
Wish we were still allowed to bring in our camera.....
Monday, August 9, 2010
Sheila has started a forum on www.ravelry.com
Knitting Behind Bars, a program developed by LynnZ to bring the zen of knitting to male inmates at the Jessup Pre-Release Unit (JPRU) in Jessup, Maryland.
group details
Join us as we knit with our Thursday evening Knitting Group, the men of Jessup Pre-Release Program in Jessup, Maryland.
We would like to share with you the friendships we have made, the accomplishments of the men and their adventures through the process of returning to the outside world.
Jessup Pre-Release is a facility where the men may spend up to 3 years before they are released from their incarceration. It also houses men who are handicapped and serving longer sentences.
We have never asked these men what they did to put themselves behind the razor wire. They often tell us what they did when they are ready to trust us. We accept them as they are now, and help them establish friendships and the satisfaction of learning an awesome skill…….KNITTING!
We would like to share with you their personal triumphs and their life accomplishments. We hope you are as proud and astounded as we are. There is no prison reform in Maryland or much of the United States. Certainly not many programs that promote self-esteem, personal development or anger management. We also have begun to develop a mentoring program
Often the conversations we have with them are the same ones we find ourselves having with our other knitting friends in our various other knitting groups! Ooh! What yarn is that? What makes this fiber so soft? Can you teach me to pick up stitches after I drop them? Do you have a pattern for that scarf? How many beads do I put in this section? I just know I need to learn how to knit socks!
Through the generous contributions of the Knitters in Columbia, Maryland, we have contributed over 2,000 books to their once non-existant library, including a full law library! This is a on going venture.
We are self-funded. If you would like to help support our endeavor, you can visit our Etsy shop or our blog, Knitting Behind Bars.
We have been sponsoring this weekly group since November 2009. It is the highlight of our week! Please join us in our journey with the men of JPRU!
group details
Join us as we knit with our Thursday evening Knitting Group, the men of Jessup Pre-Release Program in Jessup, Maryland.
We would like to share with you the friendships we have made, the accomplishments of the men and their adventures through the process of returning to the outside world.
Jessup Pre-Release is a facility where the men may spend up to 3 years before they are released from their incarceration. It also houses men who are handicapped and serving longer sentences.
We have never asked these men what they did to put themselves behind the razor wire. They often tell us what they did when they are ready to trust us. We accept them as they are now, and help them establish friendships and the satisfaction of learning an awesome skill…….KNITTING!
We would like to share with you their personal triumphs and their life accomplishments. We hope you are as proud and astounded as we are. There is no prison reform in Maryland or much of the United States. Certainly not many programs that promote self-esteem, personal development or anger management. We also have begun to develop a mentoring program
Often the conversations we have with them are the same ones we find ourselves having with our other knitting friends in our various other knitting groups! Ooh! What yarn is that? What makes this fiber so soft? Can you teach me to pick up stitches after I drop them? Do you have a pattern for that scarf? How many beads do I put in this section? I just know I need to learn how to knit socks!
Through the generous contributions of the Knitters in Columbia, Maryland, we have contributed over 2,000 books to their once non-existant library, including a full law library! This is a on going venture.
We are self-funded. If you would like to help support our endeavor, you can visit our Etsy shop or our blog, Knitting Behind Bars.
We have been sponsoring this weekly group since November 2009. It is the highlight of our week! Please join us in our journey with the men of JPRU!
Friday, July 30, 2010
KnittingBehindBars group now on ravelry
If you are a member of Ravelry, check out our new KnittingBehindBars group.
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