1)Innocent Smoothie HATS – knit or crochet. In memory of Maureen who always made so many each year

 

It’s time for The Big Knit! Fancy knitting some little hats and helping raise money for Age UK? It's fun, it's easy and it's for a great cause. Every time they sell a little bottle wearing a hat, they donate 25p to Age UK to help keep older people warm and well over winter. The colder months can be tough for a lot of people – as many as 25,000 older people's lives are at risk because of the cold. But we can help. Thanks to knitters like you, they've raised over £1.7m so far.

 

Patterns can be found here http://www.thebigknit.co.uk/knitting-patterns and also http://www.thebigknit.devonartist.co.uk/YourPatterns.html or you can make your own up!

 

Every hat is important, so even if you've only got time to knit one or two, they'd still massively appreciate it.

Please send in your hats in by 31st January 2017 and keep your eyes peeled for smoothies wearing little hats in stores later in the year.

Put all your hats in an envelope along with a note clearly stating:

- how many you've knitted

- the date

- your name and email and address

Then send them all through to:

The big knit 2016

innocent drinks

342 Ladbroke Grove

London

W10 5BU

If you've got any questions, tips or wool-related gossip, drop us a line at [email protected] or give us a call on 0207 993 3311.

Happy knitting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)Hats, scarves and mitts for Seafarers, Refugees, Operation Orphan and many other charities – knit or crochet

 

Seafarers often set out on new contracts not knowing where their ship will end up or travel through, and they may need to stock up on warm clothes to see them through some of the chillier parts of the globe.

The Mission to Seafarers are always grateful for gifts of warm knitted items which their chaplains can pass on to seafarers in need.

If you can supply balaclavas, scarves, gloves and hats in any colours, we would love to hear from you. You can have a look at some of their suggested knitting patterns here, http://www.missiontoseafarers.org/uploads/pdfs/support-us/Knitting%20Patterns%202014.pdf or you can design your own!

Please send your knitted items to LH HQ or:

The Mission to Seafarers

FREEPOST KE5265

London

EC4B 4EP

 

Simple Woollen Hat for Seafarers

Double knit or 4 ply wool Size 8 (4mm) Needles

2 oz of wool

Cast on 120 stitches.

Rib (2 plain 2 purl ) for 12 inches

Next Row – Knit 2 together to end of the row Purl next row.

Repeat these two rows once more.

Knit 1 row. Purl 1 row.

Pull thread through all stitches and sew up seam.

 

The Highland Support Refugees has asked for hats for children

from 0-14 years, any colour and any pattern.

These can be sent either to LH HQ or direct to

Jude Monson (THSR)

C/o AWS Ocean Energy

Findhorn House

Dochfour business centre

Dochgarroch

Inverness

IV3 8GY

 

A couple of sample patterns but you can use any pattern that you like!

 

Newborn hat

Cast on 64 stitches

RIBBING –

K2, p2 to end

Repeat this row till it measures 1.5”

Main part of hat

Knit next row

Purl next row

Repeat these two rows until the hat measures 4.5” altogether

Decreases

Round  1 *k6, knit two together* repeat from *to* to end of the row

Round 2 and each alternate row – Purl

Round 3 *k5, knit two together* repeat from *to* to end of the row

Round 5 *k4, knit two together* repeat from *to* to end of the row

Round 7 *k3, knit two together* repeat from *to* to end of the row

Round 9 *k2, knit two together* repeat from *to* to end of the row

Round 11 *k1, knit two together* repeat from *to* to end of the row

Round 13 *knit two together* repeat from *to* to end of the row

Cut yarn leaving about  6”, thread this through a darning needle and pass through the stitches on the knitting needle, pull tight, sew up the seams

 

Child’s simple Beanie Hat

Double knitting yarn No 8’s or 4mm needles No6 needles

Cast on 80 stitches using No 8.

Work in K1, P1 rib for two and a half inches or knit same in garter stitch if preferred.

Change to No 6 needles and work in stocking stitch (1st row knit and 2nd row is purl) until work measures 5 inches from commencement.

Shape Top.

Right side facing: 1 st row: * K8, K2 together. Repeat from* to end of row.

2 nd row: Purl

3 rd row: *K7, K2 together. Repeat from * to end of row.

4 th row: Purl

5 th row: *K6, K2 together.

Repeat from * to end of row.

Continue decreasing thus until 16 stitches remain.

Break off wool, thread through remaining stitches, draw up and fasten off securely.

To make up: Pin out and press on wrong side under a damp cloth.

Join seam. Press seam

 

3)Wiggly Bags for Children and Babies (sewn)

Wiggly (Hickman Line) Bags for children and teenagers in the UK. A Hickman line is an intravenous catheter/tube most often used for the administration of chemotherapy or other medications, as well as for the withdrawal of blood for analysis. These Wiggly Bags keep the tubes clean and safe.

 

HOW TO MAKE WIGGLY BAGS

tape/ribbon bags

*Get 2 bits of 10cm by 10 cm cut a little bigger to allow for sewing (i draw around a 10 by 10 template) then cut 4cm extra all the way around.

*fold over the tops to make them neat u can then sew them or just fold and when you sew up the sides it will hold it,

*sew ribbon or cotton tape to the back of the fabric (on the inside) they need to be ruffly 30cm by 30cm so the parent can tie them to the wright size i use 1 bit 60cm long and the parent can just

cut it on one side and sew it back down at the right size so the child hasn't got a knot

at the back of their neck or they can just cut it,

*then turn inside out and pin to help it stay still while sewing.

*sew the bottom and 2 sides together it doesn't matter if some are a little bigger

or smaller as long as they are ruffly 10cm long by 9cm

 

 

 

For draw string bags see http://www.madebyflorence.co.uk/pdf/wigglybagpattern.pdf

For Velcro bags please see http://www.mediafire.com/?3e27w67elq7r7c0 thank you

 

If you have a local hospital or hospice that you can contact to see if they would

like wiggly bags this would be brilliant or they can be sent in to LH HQ as usual

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)Teddies – Unfinished for Knit for Peace

TEDDIES CALM REFUGEE CHILDREN!

Children saved from drowning in the Mediterranean Sea are receiving knitted teddies. Once safely on board the children are labelled, fed, medically checked and given a knitted teddy. We have already sent lots of teddies but more are needed. THE TEDDIES NEED NO STUFFING - they are vacuum packed and stuffed in situ by volunteers (guaranteeing safe stuffing!).

 

Teddy Pattern

Double knitting, using two strands at a time, size four knitting needles.

Approximate size of teddy is 7 inches high.

You can vary the yarn and needle size, but please make sure the knitting is firm (to stop stuffing escaping through holes).

Teddy can be knitted in one colour, or change colours for jumper or head. Remember to match when knitting the back!

Knit as one piece in any stitch you like.

Legs: Cast on 8 stitches knit 16 rows.

Break off yarn (don’t cast off – save these stitches on the needle) make another leg.

Body: Knit across both legs (16 sts) and knit 15 more rows.

Arms: Cast on and knit 8 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

Knit 6 more rows.

Cast off 8 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows. (Change yarn here if you

want head a different colour.)

Head: knit 38 rows. (Change colour back if you changed for head)

Arms: Cast on and knit 8 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

Knit 6 more rows.

Cast off 8 stitches at the beginning of the next 2 rows.

Body: knit 16 rows Legs: knit 8 stitches (put the other 8 on a safety pin) turn and

knit another 15 rows, cast off.

Second leg: pick up the remaining 8 stitches and knit 16 rows for the second leg.

Cast off.

Stitch a smiley face. (No buttons or beads - choking hazard.)

Stitch across the corners the head to make the ears.

Fold in half and sew up, leaving space for it to be stuffed later on by volunteers.

 

 

 

These can be sent direct to Knit for Peace (address in the charities section) or to LH HQ

 

We hope we have given you an idea or two to keep the needles busy for the next 3 months