coopers flock

Monday, March 2, 2009





my new creative adventure begins, NOW.

shortly after cooper died, i stumbled upon tollipop and her most brilliant way of using her creativity to process the grief of her beloved mother. She began the 100 dresses project as a challenge to herself to make 100 different dresses, brilliant right? and even more brilliant, she challenged her loyal readers to make 100 somethings, it didnt matter what, just that they were making something. i decided that this would be a good way to help me use my creativity to process my own loss.

we called cooper birdy and as a result birds are every where in my world these days. i decided to make 100 birds to put on a tree at his memorial service in may, but i had to figure out a way to knit these birds. i contacted a fellow blogger for a little help with a knit bird pattern. she directed me to a free pattern online, that i then reworked into my own. i then got to thinking about what in the heck was i going to do with 100 knit birds, and how could i turn this into something bigger than my own need to work through my grief. how could i help other cardiac children? could i make this project part of coopers legacy?

enter cooper's flock. the hospital here in rochester performs apporimately 270 heart surgeries a year and i want every child to get a bird the day of surgery. these birds will be a symbol of hope and comfort, a symbol of my precious cooper watching over these families and their children, both through the surgery and the recovery process. i want these families to know that there is someone out there thinking of them, who has been in their shoes, and knows their hopes and fears. the children will be able to hang the birds in their beds while they are in the hospital. it does my heart good to think of hundreds of little cooper birds watching over sick children.

i know that you will want to get involved. so here is how you can become part of coopers flock. if you knit, you can knit birds. and if you dont knit, but know how to sew, there is a bird pattern in this book that you can use. i will post the knit pattern on the blog. all birds need to be knit or sewn out of cotton. i am using blue sky alpacas dyed cotton and would like all the knit birds to be made out of this yarn. you can get at least 3 birds out of one skein of yarn. they have been so wonderful as to donate yarn to the cause. when you are finished with your birds, email me and i will send you the mailing address. if you are a blogger feel free to take the coopers flock button for your blog. spread the love.

it is my hope that there are hundreds of coopers flock out there. i know that they will bring great comfort to many children and their families.

so i hope you will join me on this creative adventure and become part of coopers flock.

6 comments:

  1. Lucinda! You are on to something absolutely beautiful and inspired. What an amazing gift to the families. I can't wait to knit my first bird. You've done a wonderful job with your blog, and the title is spot on. I hope to see you soon, and until then, I'll be reading. Thank you for sharing this will all of us. love-love, Liz

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  2. I would love to knit some birds for such a wonderful cause. If you could please email me the pattern I will go and find some blue sky alpaca cotton and get to work right away.

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  3. I was just reading through your blog, wishing I could knit more than a scarf!
    I'm going to trying sewing one though!

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  4. Here through LFCA . . . so, so sorry for the loss of your beautiful boy.

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  5. okay, so this is how i originally found your lovely blog. was visiting Pink Sky and followed the link . . . one thing leads to another . . . and before you know it i'm thinking "i want to make a cooper bird~!~" i don't know how to knit but was wondering if any sewn bird will work or if i really need to stick to the pattern offered in the sugessted book?

    :)
    libbyQ

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