February Newsletter 2022
Let’s Get Britain Knitting (and crocheting)
Knitting is good for mental and physical well-being and is a skill that, learnt when young, can last into old age. It used to be taught in schools, or by your granny, aunt or mother before you got to school! Throughout the year we want to give people the opportunity to learn to knit and crochet.
We want to use knitting to bring people together, after our long periods of isolation, and rebuild our communities.
We have lots of ideas and will be producing a new guide on how to set up a Knit for Peace group, which will incorporate people’s experiences and ideas. We’d welcome your suggestions.
Ask your neighbours if they’d like to join you or perhaps parents you meet at the school gate. Ask a local cafe if you can meet there once a week (most are keen to have regular customers). The local community centre might be a good meeting place or the local library.
Make a friendship blanket for the Queen’s Jubilee
As part of our campaign to Get Britain Knitting, we invite knitters to come together to make a Friendship Blanket. This is a knitted or crocheted version of a Friendship Quilt. At its simplest, each participant makes a square, of an agreed size, and these are put together at the end, usually with a rudimentary border.
It can be a simple blanket made interesting through the colour arrangements, or it may tell a story reflecting participants’ interests e.g. a boat for keen sailors, a cake for keen bakers, or for the really ambitious a map of their area.
Why blankets?
Because they are the most requested item we are asked for at Knit for Peace. The best sizes are large and medium (we generally have plenty of baby blankets):
Large – 80×90”/200x230cm or 70×90”/180x230cm
Medium – 60×70”/150x180cm or 50×70”/130x180cm
Some blankets are used as bed covers, but perhaps more often during the day to give extra warmth to a poorly heated home. In hospices and care homes, blankets are often used to add interest and brighten the rooms.
What to do with the blankets?
Once your blanket is completed, you could organise a raffle or an exhibition within your local community or you can send it to us for those in need.
To register your interest in taking part in this project, please email us at knitforpeace@charitiesadvisorytrust.org.uk or phone us on 020 7794 9835.
Valentine’s Day ideas
Why not sponsor a sack for Valentine’s Day to remember the person who taught you how to knit/crochet. This helps us cover the cost of shipping knitted items to people in need.
Buy a Knit for Peace Gift Pack, crammed with a varied selection of usual and unusual yarns, for a good friend or partner, or for yourself (we are told we have to love ourselves!).
Support a worthy cause with a Good Gift in the name of a loved one. There lots of suitable gifts for Valentine’s Day, or buy a Gift Voucher and give the gift of choosing!
And here’s a suggestion you might find helpful – Love Crafts have an enormous range of free patterns that you can download from their website.