Alice's Embrace

My first lap blanket

I am currently knitting my first project for Alice's Embrace.

My dear knitting friend, Diane Lewis has created Alice's Embrace in honor of her mother, Alice Figueira and her battle with Alzheimer's Disease.  

 Diane and Danielle

I met Diane years ago while taking classes at my favorite local yarn store, Knitique, A Yarn Boutique in Elk Grove, CA.  Diane is such a lovely lady and is always thinking of others.  It was around the knitting  table at Knitique that Diane shared her mother's struggle with Alzheimer's Disease to me and her Knitique friends. 

Throughout her mother's journey with Alzheimer's Disease, Diane learned first hand how comforting a lap blanket or prayer shawl can be in helping ease anxiety in those suffering from this disease.  Knowing Diane (the way I do) she would knit every person suffering from Alzheimer's a lap blanket or prayer shawl if she could!  Since that is an impossible feat she followed her heart and created Alice's Embrace.  Now fellow knitters and crocheters can join Diane and donate hand-made lap blankets and prayer shawls that will bring comfort to many who are suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

Diane has partnered Alice's Embrace with the Eskaton Foundation of Northern California to provide their memory care residents with the donated lap blankets and prayer shawls.  You can visit the Alice's Embrace How to Help page for information and details on how you can help create and donate your items.  

 Ted's Lap Blanket

As for the patterns for Alice's Embrace...
they are wonderful and come in an array of skill levels.  It's no wonder they are so fabulous since Diane enlisted the help of Danielle Bowen, the owner of Knitique to help create the patterns.  

Danielle is the knitting teacher who has helped me become the knitter I am today.  I am not a bit surprised that Danielle wanted to help Diane with Alice's Embrace.  She is always so supportive of great causes. She was instrumental in helping me with my own Louisa Harding Macmillan Cancer Support fund raising event that she hosted for me at Knitique back in 2012.   I could have never raised so much money for Macmillan Cancer Support without the Knitique venue, her personal support and her generous customers.  I am honored and proud to call both women my friend.

Alice Figueira

 Please visit the Alice's Embrace website to read more about Diane and Alice. 

You can also view the Alice's Embrace patterns and completed projects on the Alice's Embrace pattern page on Ravelry. 

I am dedicating my first project for Alice's Embrace in memory of my own beloved grandmother, who recently  passed away, just two months ago.  Like Alice, she also had Alzheimer's Disease.


(Photo Credit of Alice Figueira, Alice's Embrace.)