I read in the Lion Brand blog that Afghans for Afghans is having a very quick drive for wool items for kids 7-14. Very quick in that everything has to be in San Francisco by 29 October to make it on the boat. After a very silly mitten indeed yesterday, I refined my technique in using my scrap basket, and am about one third of the way through a much more functional pair of mittens. They match perfectly, because I am knitting them at the same time from both ends of each ball of yarn.
I'll try to get a hat done before the deadline.