Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Let's Knit for the Needy

Right, so, I was telling you about the knitting in my life. I’ve been thinking of knitting over the last few months. I’d love to do some more but when I take on a project it can take me WEEKS, MONTHS and sometimes NEVER to finish it and really I should be concentrating on my novel. As I said, I am a rubbish knitter. I can knit straight lines but if I drop a stitch, I’ve got no idea how to pick it up again, and I have to holler for someone to come and rescue me. Usually there is no one around to don their SuperKnitter cape (made by someone else in the finest gossamer silk yarn and slender needles) to salvage my creation, so I have to pull it all off and start again. Yes, I really do; I did tell you I was dim.

So imagine my delight when lovely Angela, who works at BNH Hospital, told us the other day at a committee meeting, that they were organising a Knitting for the Needy project. The winter in 2008 was unseasonably cold and many people in the north of Thailand didn’t have warm enough clothes to deal with such extreme weather. The idea is that we knit 6 inch squares and donate them to BNH Hospital who will sew them together and distribute to those in need before the winter comes. They want simple garter stitch (knit rows only no clever clogs purling to be done) and they want straight lines… YAY ME. There’s even a team at the hospital who will teach you to knit if you don’t know how. (No I don't need to go!)

It’s a bit like 100 words a day: infinitely doable.

If you click on the poster you can check out the details for yourself.

It’s so perfect I’ve started already, and so has Daughter. Admittedly, we’re having a few technical difficulties working out how many stitches we need, using the wool and the needles available in my knitting bag to get the size right. I think, on reflection, that we’d better go out and buy the correct size needles.

I think six inch squares are the only size missing at the moment... but watch this space. We'll get the size right soon and then we'll be away....

11 comments:

Carol said...

Ooohhh I might do some too and post them out (or do you think that would take too long?)

I do like your orange ones....well done to you and daughter!!

C x

Jenny Beattie said...

Thanks hon. We've got some work to do on the sizing!

Chris Stovell said...

I daren't do it... it would be another reason to put off writing, but well done you - I liked your previous post too.

Marcie Steele said...

There's only one thing to say to that, JJ - get knitted, I mean knitting....

Good luck (and don't ask a man to measure six inches for you) x

Lane Mathias said...

Well done you! And I like the orange wool:-)

Susan said...

I love it - you and I are obviously of the same knitting school - that's why I loved knitting the "juggi Jerkins" in Delhi - although I always had two on the go at anyone time so I could be knitting one whilst the other one was waiting for a caped knitting crusader to come and "fix". Gave up on pearl after I realied I kept gaining stiches on the pearl rows - God only knows how!!!
Susan Mc

Jenny Beattie said...

Chris, I must only knit at night when I can't write anyway.

LPlate, Tee hee.

Lane, thank you. That was Daughter's square.

Hi Susan, what on earth are juggi Jerkins?

Jen said...

I need knitted knickers made from orange wool, I really do. I knitted an egg cosy once. I think I may have peaked too soon?

Jenny Beattie said...

Jen, well hon, I wouldn't suggest the orange wool we used here... they were so acrylic you'd get friction burns!

Unknown said...

Any know any update on this project? Heard it finished. Can't find in BNH page, it is error. Also wondering when the next activity?

Jenny Beattie said...

Hi M, The blankets have now been stiched together and last weekend they were taken up to the school. I think quite a lot of people are still knitting... with the assumption that lots of people still need blankets up north.