Thank You A Million Times!

Wow!!!! Is all I can think when I think about how generous and caring everyone is.  I can not thank you enough to all that donated (you all know who you are!) in the past few days to Sweet Savannah Knits. I have been smiling ear to ear for days just thinking about how happy Savannah must be and how blessed we are. I have the most wonderful people in my life! These donations are going to help TREMENDOUSLY with what I'm doing!  I will be able to make tons of hats, booties, diapers and other things for the NICU and angel babies and their families. I also want to give a HUGE thanks to everyone who has checked out my website and read Savannah's story.  I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous posting such a personal story with so many people but I am so glad I did. I have felt so good after posting it which I take as a sign that Savannah is happy I did. Savannah's story is sad but it is true.  Her story is something that is not talked about and is very hush hush. Most people are very uncomfortable talking about a baby dying but it happens all the time. I want to use her story and her short life to spread awareness and to show people how they can help!  So again, thank you to everyone. It has made me so happy to see a positive response to my website!

Here is my first purchase I made today with some of the donation money! I bought a yard of each color fabric. I loved these patterns and thought they would be perfect for the diapers as they can be for boys or girls!  I'm excited to really get going on the diapers because I found a hospital that would love to have them. I currently attend a support group through SHARE at Edward Hospital in Naperville. The group is ran by a few of the labor and delivery nurses so I brought a couple tiny diapers and they loved them and said they would love to have them! So once I get enough made I plan to donate them to Edward Hospital and The Preemie Project. If anyone is wants to come over and help make diapers let me know! We can have an assembly line- tracing, cutting, sewing, ironing, sewing... haha! It would be fun! 

 

I'm not sure if I explained exactly what Teeny Tears is but this is what is on their website:

 

   "Approximately 26,000 children are stillborn in the United States every year, about 1 in 160 births. A significant number of these angels are preemie or micropreemie infants. Many of these angels are far too small for even the very smallest commercial diapers.

Teeny Tears is a service organization that provides tiny flannel diapers at no charge to hospitals and bereavement support organizations for families that have suffered the loss of a preemie or micropreemie child through stillbirth or NICU loss. " (www.teenytears.blogspot.com)

 

Here are some of the diapers I have completed. I've mastered the sewing machine (well for making these anyway) and I'm comfortable enough that I'm now making ones I'll actually donate!

 

 

 

And Scott has caught me in the action!! This is my usual knitting spot with my comfy clothes and zebra print blanket haha.  My Dad will be proud when he sees this picture as I'm wearing a Packers sweatshirt. Go Pack Go!!! = ) And there is my pile of fabric that is growing and waiting to be turned into diapers!

 

Of course one of my blogs would not be complete with out a knitting update.  Here is what I have completed so far for the Spring/Easter Preemie Project (www.thepreemieproject.com) donation. There are 2 new ones from my last entry, a flower one and a little yellow lop eared bunny one.  Can't wait to getting knitting with my new ball of yarn provided by all of YOU!

 

 

Today I was browsing around a website called Still Standing Online Magazine. It is an online magazine for people who have lost a child. I came across an article at http://stillstandingmag.com/2012/09/the-moments-you-live-for-after-losing-a-child/.  As I read this article I couldn't believe how true this is and how this is exactly what has happened to me. Ever since Savannah passed I haven't fully recognized myself either (and its not necessarily a bad thing).  I am a completely different person with different passions. I was actually never really passionate about anything until she came into my life. Come to think of it I never completely understood what being passionate about something really meant.  I sure understand what it means now! I am so passionate about those tiny babies in the hospital that I feel like I would do anything for them. Nothing else really matters to me. What matters is my family, my friends and of course the tiny babies. The moments I live for now are the ways I can honor my daughter. I do everything for her. I know she is always looking down on me from Heaven and I want to make her proud. 

 

Well thats it for my blog today.  I know I've already said it a million times but its because I REALLY mean it. Thank you for donating and for browsing my website. It means so much.

 

Write ya later! 

 

 

 

Hop Hop Hop

Is it spring yet??? OK, so we are nowhere near spring or Easter but I've  already caught spring fever! Not only am I ready for warm weather (winter can end after the holidays as far as I'm concerned) but the preemies will need Easter hats in March. The Preemie Project  (www.thepreemieproject.com) does an Easter/Spring donation so I've already started on my hats. To much time on my hands you ask? Maybe or I'm just super excited to work with pastel colors (love soft pastel colors). I also love bunnies!  It just brings me so much joy to knit up these cute little hats and imagine how cute the babies will look.  I also dream about how cute Savannah would look in them. Oh how I wish I could make things for her. I miss her so much.   Here is the start of my spring preemie hats! You can find the patters to these hats at http://fiberflux.blogspot.com/2012/03/baby-in-bloom-by-jennifer-dickerson.html . She has many cute preemie patterns.  

 

I've also been practicing on the new sewing machine and I think I'm getting a little better. Here is my most recent tiny diapers. I think they look much better then the one in my previous post. I actually followed the pattern on these and I'm pretty pleased with myself! Whatcha think??  I had Teeny Tears email me the little cards that you put with the diapers when you donate them. Can't wait to make tons! If you know how to sew and want to use it for good please check out Teeny Tears! You can find their button to the right of my blog. 

 

 

 

 

I just started reading the book Knocked up, Knocked down and I really like it.

 

 

The author of this book spoke at a Walk To Remember I went to back in October. Her speech was amazing and I could relate to so much of what she said. It was great to hear that a lot of my thoughts and feelings after losing Savannah are normal and others have felt that way too which is very comforting for someone going through the loss of a baby. What I've definitely learned in the past, almost, year is that I am not alone in this.  If you have lost a baby I would recommend reading this book!  Speaking of (past, ALMOST, year) it's hard to believe Savannah's 1st birthday is coming up. It's only a little over a month away.  This past year has gone by soooo fast but at the same time it feels like a lifetime ago that she was born. So much has happened  and I've gone through so many different emotions. I feel that I have come a long way since last year but it's definitely still hard at times.

 

Well that's it for today. I hope you are all doing well! XOXO

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of Breaking News!

Howdy,

So today is an exciting day as my website, www.sweetsavannahknits.com, is now LIVE! I finally launched it so people can view it, not just me haha.  So please check it out and let me know what you think. I'll still be adding more knitting things as I go and you can follow along on here, my blog, as I learn to knit different things. I'm hopefully going to try a baby sweater soon. Stay tuned!

Another breaking news over in the Dussman household is that I bought my very own, teeny tiny sewing machine! For all that know me well probably never thought the day would come that a sewing machine would be great excitement for me.  But its only great excitement because I'm going to be making THESE with it:

 

This is a teeny tiny itsy bitsy diaper for babies of 18 to 25 weeks gestation. There is this wonderful organization called Teeny Tears (teenytears.blogspot.com/) and they make these cute little diapers and donate them to the hospitals.  How cute would Savannah have looked in one of these??? Just adorable! Of course this one is a little messy and not very good because I'm still learning how to sew.  But thanks to my wonderful Grandma she is helping me along and before I know it I will be a professional (just like her!)l! It may be awhile before I'm able to make anything I'll actually give to the hospital but I'm working on it.  Anything and everything for the tiny babies!

 

And here is my teeny tiny sewing machine:

 

 

On the knitting front I am still working on the pink and white striped blanket shown in the previous post. Don't get all worried now I'll be sure to post a picture when its done = ) . I also completed a cute little white hat with a pink flower for my friend Anna's baby shower!

 

 

A couple days ago I was over at my Grandma's house, to learn how to sew, and she gave me the cutest little picture book:

 

 

My Grandma's cousin wrote this book in memory of her granddaughter that passed away at the age of 2 1/2 years and sent a copy to my grandma.  My Grandma thought I would like to have it and gave it to me.  This book is amazing!  It really touched my heart. It's about a little angel that God sends to Earth (the little baby with cancer- an angel in disguise) to teach the chosen ones to bring comfort to children and their parents.

 

 

 

I truly believe that my Savannah was an angel in disguise too. That she was sent from God to me to show me the way, and how I can help other babies. I know I can never cure a disease or save the world but even simple things can make a difference. Putting smiles on the Mom's and Dad's faces when they see their baby looking all cute with hats and booties is huge. Not to mention keeping those little heads and toes warm!!  With out Savannah, I would have never been shown that I can help babies and their families.  How blessed am I for God to have chosen the most beautiful "angel in disguise" to be sent to me??  Beautiful book!

And lastly, on the breaking news list, is that The Preemie Project (www.thepreemieproject.com) is now talking on their website about their Spring/Easter hat and booties donation!!! Yaaa! I can't wait to get knitting little bunny hats and tons of pastel colored hats and booties!  The Christmas donation this year was so fun for me.  I donated 8 hat and bootie sets and one of them actually got posted on the preemie project facebook page. There she was, a little preemie, with her double pom pom, red and white striped hat that I made in memory of Savannah! Oh how cute she looked!  Her mommy and daddy will cherish those pictures forever and I had a little part in it. I just love it!

 

Well that wraps it up for the breaking news over here! Write you later!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome

Hi there and welcome to my blog! I decided to start a blog to show case my new projects and to write about my sweet little girl, Savannah Rae.  If you have not already done so please check out Sweet Savannah Knits website to read my story and Savannah's story. You can also see my other knits and my free hats for preemies program! Since the death of my daughter I decided to stop working and stay home to fully heal. In doing so I discovered knitting! Knitting has become a way that I can help babies like Savannah, spread her story and, of course, keep me busy. It has helped me heal tremendously.  I knit in memory of Savannah and anyone who receives any of my items have "Been Touched By An Angel."

 
So what is going on currently you ask?? Well yesterday I received my Sweet Savannah Knits cards. This is now the official logo and I'm happy to have a way to start spreading the word on my site. I love how they turned out!

 

I have also been very busy knitting away for all of my friend's babies that are coming soon. I feel like everyone is expecting a baby. Which is good for me because I now have lots of babies to knit cute things for.  I feel blessed to be able to knit for them and then one day it will be time to knit for my own bundle of joy.  In the mean time I hope my friends are OK with receiving lots of cute stuff!   For the last couple days I have been making a baby girl blanket.

 

 

 

 

Another project I have been working on are some cute items for my friend Anna's baby shower in February. She is also having a little girl so I have had been having a ton of fun with girly colors! I can't wait to give them to her. One recent completion is this little hat with a bow.

 

 

 

 

  

 

Another purpose of this blog is to write about how Savannah keeps touching me very day.  Back in August Scott and I released 6 balloons in honor of Savannah's 6 month birthday. On each balloon we attached a letter stating whoever finds this balloon has been touched by an angel. We also included our email address so they can send us a message. Well a couple weeks ago we received this message from a family in Missouri!! We could not believe it as we never thought anyone would actually find one.  I feel so happy that a family so far away, one we will probably never meet, now knows about our daughter.  She has blessed their family!  For the past couple weeks Scott and I have been emailing back and forth with them. Their kind words are so comforting and I'm so happy Savannah's balloon found them!  Savannah is absolutely amazing.

 

Well thanks again for stopping by. I'll keep updating and I hope you keep reading!  xoxo