Category: Charity

Look What We All Did?

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I’ve spent the last few days trying to gather up everything we’ve collected in for the The Kyl Assylum in Belarus.  As you can imagine my office tends to resemble a very untidy wool shop at the best of times but there are times when the whole thing just gets out of hand.  Lately the problem has worsened as the sample balls of wool fight with my stash, the paperwork and the ever increasing number of carrier bags containing donations.  As if that wasn’t enough, my son shares the office so I can keep a watchful eye on his computer use and ‘spend some time’ with him whilst he battles aliens on his XBox 360.

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It was lovely to go through everything again, some of the items are so beautiful.  In total there were 30 Scarves and 24 hats to send to Kyl  via the Bureen Chernobyl Project.  In addition to the hats and scarves we also received a couple of boxes of toilitries to pass on and we had a good rummage and found a good few jumpers too.

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Some of the donations that came in have been more suitable for children so I have separated these out and will be forwarding them on to The Children’s Chernobyl Trust for them to pass on to needy boys and girls.  In addition to the 31 hats and 13 pairs of gloves we’ve had 13 baby and toddler cardigans donated too to pass on.

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Thoroughly, embracing the tidying up bug I also managed to go through the XBox king’s old clothes and sorted out everything that he’s grown out of to send off with The Children’s Chernobyl Trust items.

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Happily there’s now space to house all the knitted squares were hoping for.

Happy Knitting!

Here’s Another Idea For The Blanket Squares

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Some of you may recall we knitted 14″ blankets for the maternity hospital a couple of years ago now and the pattern many of us used was knit on the diagonal.

20cms/8" or there abouts
20cms/8″ or there about

The beauty of the pattern was that you started with 1 stitch and increased by 1 stitch on every row until you’d reached your desired size.  You then knit one row plain and begin decreasing 1 stitch every row until they’re all gone.

Easy peasy!

8inch/20cm Charity Blanket Square

 Materials

Any weight of yarn

Appropriate size needles for yarn

 Eg: Double knit yarn = 4mm,

      Aran weight = 5mm

      Chunky yarn = 6.5mm

      Super chunky weight = 10mm

     

Abbreviations

K – Knit

KFB – Knit into the front and the back of the next stitch

K2Tog – Knit the next 2 stitches together

Instructions

Cast on 1 stitch

1st Row – Knit into the front and the back of the stitch, (2 stitches).

2nd Row – K1, KFB, (3 Stitches)

3rd Row – K1, KFB, K to end, (4 Stitches).

You can see that by increasing in every second stitch a decorative border is produced.  Repeat row 3 until either of the sides is approximately 8”/20cm (please note you are working on the diagonal). 

Next work one row in knit without any increase.

To decrease K1, K2tog, K to end.

Repeat this decreasing 1 stitch on every row until only 2 stitches remain, K2Tog

Cast off final stitch and sew in ends.

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Needs blocking

Blanket Squares

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GMI logo jpegOK so I’ve got the knitting needles out and had a good rummage through my stash so I can give you a couple of ideas for 8″/20cm squares.

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A really unblocked stocking stitch square

Stocking Stitch Square

 

Using 6.5mm needles and standard chunky yarn cast on 25stitches loosely.  Working in stocking stitch (1 row plain, 1 row purl) knit until your piece of knitting is square ending with a wrong side row.

Cast off loosely.

Hint The best way to check this is to fold the bottom right corner over to the top left corner diagonally.  If the edges meet on the left side your piece is square.

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Moss stitch square

Moss Stitch Square

Using 6.5mm and standard chunky yarn cast on 24 stitches loosely.

1st Row: Knit 1, Purl 1 to end of row

2nd Row: Purl 1, Knit 1 to end of row.

Repeat these 2 rows until knitting is square (as above).  Mine took 44 rows.

If you’re making squares remember it’s easier to block slightly smaller ones to 8″ but we can’t make larger ones smaller.  Having said that we will use them.  You can also use 2 strands of double knit yarn held together to make a chunky yarn.

Happy Knitting!

Lap Blankets For Armenia

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As our collection of winter woolies for Chernobyl draws to an end we are happy to announce our next charity project.

GMI logo jpegGlobal Missions Ireland (Charity No: CHY13718) is a Cork based charity that undertakes in missions both at home and around the world. Locally they run feeding programs to reach the people in the City of Cork.

On foreign missions they work with the local church to reach out to the most vulnerable and marginalised in society. The charity’s main aim is to run mission trips, which provide people with an avenue to work abroad or help a community, which they feel, are in need.  They send people from the medical field, construction industry, teachers, housewives any sector that they find will help in the country that they are working in.

 
This year  Global Missions have got a team going to the ‘House of Hope’ retirement home in Vanadzor, Armenia. Here there are 80 men and women taken out of deplorable conditions to live in safety and comfort. It was set up to house the elderly community who had been living in derelict buildings and containers since the earthquakes in 1988.
 
The team will be running feeding programs, giving bread made in the ‘ House of Hope’ bread factory to those in the community that are in need. They will also visit with social workers other in the locality that are in need of help to try and rehabilitate and rehouse them into better conditions.
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These elderly people need our help as they have very little and Global Missions has specifically asked if we’d be interested in making lap blankets.  These will help to keep the residents that little bit warmer whilst at the same time giving them a gift of kindness they can cherish.
Calling all of you that knit and/or crochet for your help.  We’d also welcome those of you that sew or can be a little creative with felting old jumpers.
What we’re after?
  • As we’re making lap blankets these can be either the complete, finished article or 20cm/8″ squares which we will sew together to make blankets 100cm x 120cms/40″ by 48″
  • Squares can be made using any yarn however, please remember these blankets will need to be washable and warm.  Chunky yarn will knit up quicker and remember that you can always use more than one strand of yarn together.  Two strands of double knit worked together is the same as using a chunky yarn.
  • Squares can be in any pattern/design of your choosing and we have no colour preference.  knit, crochet or as I mentioned before sewn or felted it really doesn’t matter.  Take this opportunity to use up your leftovers.
  • Spread the word – we’d love to hand over as many blankets as possible.  Tell other knitting groups, schools & colleges, residential homes, church groups, etc.
  • The closing date for our collection is Saturday 3rd August.  It would helps us enormously if you are making squares if you could send them in sooner if possible to allow time to sew them up.  Even if it means giving them in in batches.

There are absolutely loads of lap blankets available on www.ravelry.com

There are also loads of patterns available for 20cm/8″ squares out there in cyberspace, just type ‘knit a square’ into your web browser.

The Knitter/Simply knitting Magazine ran a campaign for Refuge last year in which they asked for squares the same size to be donated.  You may well have a copy of the magazines neatly filed on a shelf.  Crocheting a square should be simple enough as you just stop when you’ve reached the right size.

I intend to pop up a few square patterns when I’ve knitted some examples but I wanted to get the collection underway.

Technically speaking if your tension is correct, casting on 28sts (loosley) with chunky yarn on 6.5mm needles will give you 20cms horizontally.  Knit in stocking stitch until square is 20cms vertically and cast off loosley.

Hint: I’m terrible for casting on/off too tight so I use a needle at least one size larger

If you want to have a closer look at what the charity does checkout their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Global-Missions-Ireland/119741718073281

Look at the Lovely Donations

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Edwina made this

As most of you are already aware we are constantly encouraging everyone to knit or crochet for charity.  At least once a week I hear the words ‘I use to knit all the time, but my kids/grandchildren won’t wear knitted jumpers anymore’.  Hopefully, this is becoming less the case as all things woolly have become quite fashionable of late and some of the coolest people are donning Aran jumpers or oversize sloppy hats, and there’s no denying the current trend for super chunky cowls.

So knitting is the rage once again but if you remain unconvinced perhaps you could be persuaded to pick up the needles or your hook again and get to work on creating some much needed winter woolies for our current charity – The Kyl Assylum in Belarus. If you want to know more have a read through my previous post here http://knitmidleton.com/2012/11/15/our-latest-charity-collection-is/

The lovely scarf above is a beautiful 4ply, yes I did say 4ply, number knitted by Edwina.

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Sinead’s Mum made these

This lovely trio of hats were knitted up by Sinead’s mum, they also dropped off a bar of soap to add to the toiletries collection to send out to Belarus too.

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In addition to the knitted items, Mary also grabbed a bargain batch of gloves and hats to include and whilst some of them are for children they will still be passed on to needy smallies via the charity.

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Teresa O’Flynn has sent in some more baby raglan jumpers and cardis.

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Lastly there’s these lovely hats that a lady dropped in to us to forward on.  Unfortunately, she didn’t leave her name so if anyone know who she is let me know and we can credit her beautiful work.

So if you’ve the time…….. all donations will be sent to worthy, reputable causes and will be very much appreciated by those in receipt of them.

Happy Knitting!

Our Latest Charity Collection Is………..

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OK, so I know we’ve already been busy knitting and crocheting for this charity however, the charity is involved with so many different projects (all as needy as the rest), that I feel sure I’m not asking too much of you all again.

This time we’re hoping to help the 500 residents that live on 5 floors of the Kyl asylum.  Many of the children that the charity work with in the orphanages out in Belarus end up going to Kyl asylum when they turn 18.  Conditions are hard with the total allowance for clothes and shoes per patient being €3 annually.  The Chernobyl Children’s trust have been working with another group The Bureen Chernobyl Project and have recently managed to collect in approximately 1000 pairs of secondhand shoes as the residents had been using cardboard on their feet whilst working out in the fields.

We’ve been asked for hats, scarves and mitts again and in addition maybe some socks and legwarmers, anything to help to try and keep out the cold.

Bureen Chernobyl Project

A lot of the links I put up for our previous collection will still be valid as are

Easy hat pattern

http://knitmidleton.com/2012/07/06/quick-chunky-hat-great-for-charity-knits/

Easy scarf pattern

http://knitmidleton.com/2012/06/02/easy-rib-scarf-for-chernobyl/

Previous blog post with links to more patterns

http://knitmidleton.com/2012/06/01/knitting-for-chernobyl-childrens-trust/
Our collection will run until the end of March when the next containers will be traveling to the area, so you’ve plenty of time to get cracking.  Items will be accepted in all colours of the rainbow, so break out the stash and use up your leftovers.  The residents are both male and female and all are over 18 although they will be slight for their ages.
We’ve also been asked to collect any unwanted needles and wool in for the residents some of whom love knitting.  If you can’t knit or crochet maybe you could be persuaded to drop off some personal hygiene products like soap, shampoo, etc. which we will also be collecting in (all new and unopened please, with as long a ‘use by’ date on)

A big thanks in advance for all of your help AGAIN.

Happy Knitting!

Time for a Little Feedback

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Having just sent off two rather large boxes full of knitted and crocheted garments for preemies it’s great to be able to come back to you all with a little feedback from one of our previous collections.

Our collection for the Chernobyl Children’s Trust earlier in the year for knitted hats, scarves and gloves was extremely successful thanks to the fine brigade of people that gave up their yarn, time and skills to ensure that we were able to hand over several black sacks full of winter woolies.

Deena at the charity has very kindly got back to me with a couple of photos of the children wearing some of the items.  The photos were taken earlier in the summer at the holiday camp the charity arrange for disabled children and their families to attend.

Vika modelling one of the knitted hats.

This is one of the little girls Vika modelling one of the knitted hats on a balmy summer’s day; however I’m sure she’ll be grateful of it now it’s much colder in Belarus.

Sveta and her mum Galina

Sveta and her mother Galina are in the picture above sporting their scarves, with a little help from Deena on the left.

I hope, like myself, you enjoy knowing the items crafted by all of us are actually going where they’re supposed to and that the right people are benefiting from our work.  The charity itself is wonderful and everyone involved are so generous of spirit, time and resources that I find them totally inspirational.  I know they are presently looking for more people to become host families, and if any of you are interested, or know someone who would be, please get in touch.

Our next collection (details to come) will be for another project The Chernobyl Children’s Trust is involved in too, so I hope we can rely on your continuing support.

Happy Knitting!

They’re Off!

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After months of knitting and crochet it’s now time to send off our teeny, tiny creations to the Irish Premature Babies Charity.

Didn’t we do well?

Our Preemie Collection

In addition to all of the items pictured there are still some to collect and add at the shop but for now our totals are as follows –

Hats & Bonnets = 228

Cardigans = 180

Blankets & Sleep Sacks = 140

Booties & Socks = 13 pairs

There is also a little Paxton sitting on the side here knitted by Dina, awaiting sleeves which will be completed by the end of the day (yes I’ll be doing it).

I’m so very proud of how many items we’ve managed to collect and want to extend a huge message of thanks to all of you that gave your time, your creativity and your yarn to make the delicate, little creations.  It’s great to see how much the collection has inspired so many of you and I know there have been a good few ‘retired’ knitters that have been persuaded to pick up their needles once again and knit for this charity.

I’d also like to say a big Thank You to the East Cork Journal for promoting our collection in their newspaper, the article really helped to highlight the charity.

I understand the charity are sending all of the donations to one warehouse, where they plan to sort through them and divide them up into hampers.  These will then be sent to the hospitals around the country.  The charity intend on having the parcels to the hospitals for World Premature Baby Day on November 17th.

A big thanks once again to all of you that helped with this collection and if you couldn’t do something this time, maybe we could persuade you to pick up you hook or needles for our next collection?  (more info to come very soon)

Happy Knitting!

We’re Stash Dash Ready, Are You?

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Hubby and I went over to the shop today to get everything ready for the Stash Dash, 5 hours later and this is what the shop looked like.

As you can see from the pictures everything else is covered up except for all the lovely sale yarn.

I’ve tried to be brutal and clear out a good few ranges and shades, some of them have been my favourites and the temptation to hang on to yarns I love was quite strong, but we need to make room for all the lovely wool that’s started to come in.

As you might expect this is our post summer (as in sun for those of you that have forgotten what it looks like) Stash Dash, so there are quite a few summery yarns included however, there’s also chunky, aran and super chunky.  For those lace weight knitters amongst you there’s some of the finer stuff and lets not forget to mention the 4ply.

Be sure to come prepared, pull out your patterns and books, search Ravelry and make your lists.  Don’t forget we’re now counting down to the ‘C’ word so if you haven’t started gift knitting yet get planning now.  I’ve already pulled out a few balls myself today to make the teachers Christmas Decorations and I was also considering stripey, fuzzy legwarmers for all the little people I know, so I could be rifling through a bit more yet.

If you haven’t booked your slot. or you can’t commit to a set time you can always wander down.  We’ll be taking 1 walk in per 20 minute slot so you can take your chances, otherwise send us a text or email and we’ll squeeze you in somewhere.

If possible bring a shopping bag or 2 to squeeze your purchases in to and as before I’ll be shaking the Chernobyl Children’s Trust collection box at you all to try and raise a little extra for the charity.

Hope to see as many of you as possible on Tuesday.

Happy Knitting!

 

 

 

 

It’s Back – The Big Knit That Is

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Yes, it’s that time of year again and as loathed as I am to encourage you to become distracted from knitting for the Irish Premature Baby Charity, the hats are quick and fun to make.  Best of all Innocent give 25c to Age Action for every behatted bottle sold.  The campaign also runs in the UK and the funds raised go to Age UK there.  To be fair the ones pictured above probably aren’t the quickest to make, as lovely as they are.  It’s the basic little ones I’m on about:-

Basic Innocent Smoothie Hat Pattern

4mm needles and double knit yarn

Cast on 28 stitches

Work 2 rows of 1×1 rib (knit 1 stitch, purl 1 stitch)

Work 12 rows of stocking stitch

To decrease

K2tog to end (14sts)

P2tog to end (7sts)

Cut yarn leaving approx 20 cm tail.

Using a blunt ended needle pass the yarn through the remaining stitches and sew the hat up.

Hopefully, your little hat will measure approximately 5 – 7 cms along the bottom and be at least 5cms high.

Add a little pompom to the top

Basic Little Hat

If you fancy it you can of course make some fancy ones and even try for Innocents ‘Hat of the Week’, which means a picture of your hat gets put on the website.

At the moment there isn’t a pattern available on the innocentdrinks.ie website but there are pattern ideas everywhere.

Age UK has these from last year – http://www.ageuk.org.uk/get-involved/raise-money/get-knitting-for-the-big-knit/big-knit-knitting-patterns/

A Ravelry search produces all these lovely little versions, knitted and crochet – http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#sort=best&query=innocent%20smoothie

Knit Today has a few animal versions – http://www.knit-today.com/pattern/innocent-smoothie-hats

Lottiotta on ravelry made 1 hat a day from October 15th 2009 for the 2010 Big Knit Campaign her blog http://365hats.wordpress.com/2009/10/15/well-hi-want-to-make-a-hat/  has some really nice little pattern ideas.  I like the Spirals Hat http://365hats.wordpress.com/tag/pattern/

The deadline for hats is 30th November this year and we’ll be aiming to send ours off about a fortnight before the deadline.

38 Hats to Start The Collection

These are ones that were dropped off a little late to us last year so we’ve already got 38.

The hats can be made in knit or crochet and absolutely any colours are acceptable – have some fun.

Happy Knitting!