Wanted: knitting activists to demonstrate some purling power
17 March 2008
Knitting is all the rage at the moment. You just have to do a little searching around on the Web to find all sorts of compulsive knitters, knitting clubs, trendy knitters, knitters who are into blogging, and knitting parents. There are even some self-styled guerrilla knitters (the campaigning type, not knitting primates).
There's a whole army of knitters out there, and if you're one of them Oxfam needs you!
We're searching for knitters to turn their knitting needles into lethal poverty fighting needles.
Staff in our Leeds office have just started a new campaign to create a giant baby blanket, with each square knitted representing a mother who did not survive pregnancy or childbirth to be able to care for her baby, because she couldn't access the medical care she needed.
We're aiming to get 250,000 squares by September, which is the number of mothers who could have been saved in that time if decent healthcare had been available.
We need knitters to make 9 inch squares for the giant blanket, which will be handed into the Government as a sort of 'patchwork against poverty petition', to demand a world where everyone has access to free basic healthcare.
Stay tuned to Oxfam's website, as more details will follow as the campaign 'unravels' in the coming weeks.
Or if you really can't wait that long and want to get started now, head on over to the Stitch and Bitch website for more details, or email Sarah Blakemore (sblakemore@oxfam.org.uk) in our Leeds office to find out more.
And just in case you were wondering, after the giant blanket has been handed in, it will be dismantled and sold in Oxfam shops and at festivals. All money raised will go towards Oxfam's work to fight poverty, such as urgently needed midwife training in Yemen.
Comments
A great idea and one that will be very enjoyable to fulfill. I presume we will get feed back on the results and how the smaller blankets will be distributed?
Mollie | March 28, 2008 1:33 PM
I'm told that Oxfam used to give out simple knitting patterns in different sizes for children's sweaters which then would be distributed overseas where needed. I'll knit boring old squares for blankets if that's what's wanted but I'd far rather knit warm woollen sweaters for cold kids.
Laura McBrien | March 28, 2008 10:25 AM
Happy to knitt and help:-))) Can't wait to start.
sasha | March 27, 2008 11:25 PM
I'm in! Lovely idea. Any stich preference or wieght preference?
Lizzy | March 27, 2008 10:29 PM
finally kntting for a reason! I'm in, where do I send it to once its done?
Nicky | March 27, 2008 2:33 PM
Live near Leeds. Would be willing both to knit for the project ( started already!) and help with turning the mega blanket into smaller, useful ones. I presume that's the ultimate purpose?
Kaye | March 27, 2008 9:53 AM
I'm in!! Does it have to be plain stocking stitch or a 9 inch square using s pattern of one's choice?
Tanya Bartley | March 26, 2008 9:53 PM
i work with children in a health club doing art and craft projects at weekends. am teaching them to knit and would love to help. Do you have any literature or posters to get them motivated to help, and to get their families involved.. thank you
Patricia Harris | March 26, 2008 9:04 PM
I THINK IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO HAVE JUST MADE LOTS OF KNITTED BLANKETS AND JUST SHOWN THEM IN A PILE......THEN RE DISTRIBUTED THEM AFTERWARDS
Janet | March 26, 2008 8:16 PM
Great to see so many responses to this article. The blankets definitely will not be thrown away afterwards! We don't send blankets overseas anymore because it is much cheaper to source them in the country where they are needed but the finished blanket will be made into smaller blankets to be sold to raise funds for our projects.
For example, in Yemen, Oxfam has a programme training midwives and health workers because less that 25% of people have access to basic health services and women cannot afford maternal health care.
sarah | March 26, 2008 6:45 PM
Wow! It's incredible to see so much enthusiam for the project!
We wouldn't dream of wasting the giant blanket. After it's been handed in it will be split into smaller blankets which will then be sold in Oxfam shops and at festivals, with proceeds going toward Oxfam's work in poor countries. Looking back, I probably should have said this in the blog in the first place so you didn't all have to ask!
I've updated it now though to hopefully make things a bit clearer.
Richard, Oxfam GB
Richard | March 26, 2008 6:25 PM
Good idea... but I shall wait for your response to Mel., Gwen, Sarah, Jayne, Alice, Frances and Sal , who are questioning the wisdom of collecting all those squares somewhere in Leeds (???) What will they be used for afterwards?
I assume that their existence can be certified by some reliable authority [ J. P. ?} to impress "Government".
Hope the idea can be suitably modified so more people [ and I ] can start knitting with a clear conscience. best wises
Anne-Marie | March 26, 2008 4:25 PM
What a great idea! I do hope the squares will be put to good use after they have made their point though.
Ann | March 26, 2008 11:51 AM
I agree that unless the blanket is used for some purpose it is a pointless exercise.
Sue | March 26, 2008 10:23 AM
I'll tell the members of our knitting group in my tiny welsh village. We've already sent hundreds and hundreds of hand-knitted garments to HIVAIDS kids in Africa. I'm sure they'll join in PROVIDED we are assured that the end result is turned into blankets for the needy!!!!!!
Jennny | March 26, 2008 9:17 AM
I am willing to help assemble the completed squares into normal blankets for distribution afterwards as well as making a square for the campaign.
Mai | March 25, 2008 10:24 PM
I'll knit some squares...but I want to knit for real blankets too....
Lucy Sobrero | March 25, 2008 8:56 PM
Excellent idea, will get friends and family involved aswell!!! If people pull together it's got to make a difference and an impact on hopefully the people who can really make change happen!
Julie Power | March 25, 2008 3:15 PM
think this is a great idea but what will it be used for in the end?? hope they can be made in to lots of 'normal' blankets to help the mums the campaign will help
Sal | March 25, 2008 2:13 PM
Sounds like a good opportunity to get the practice to begin knitting again! I want to learn about crochet, so shall try and get a square done that way, hopefully with a group of others to keep our spirits up!
Faith Kenrick | March 25, 2008 11:38 AM
Sounds like a good opportunity to get the practice to begin knitting again! I want to learn about crochet, so shall try and get a square done that way, hopefully with a group of others to keep our spirits up!
Faith Kenrick | March 25, 2008 11:38 AM
Great idea! Even better if afterwards the blanket will be divided back into normal sized blankets and put to practical use too.
Frances | March 24, 2008 7:15 PM
I would to love can to help them!
natercia p souza | March 24, 2008 1:21 PM
I think you'll find that most knitters already spend a great deal of time knitting for others. Better to knit for people who need warm clothes and blankets than for ridiculous publicity stunts that will be ignored by everyone but the organisers.
Alice | March 23, 2008 3:20 PM
i shall be knitting the squares but what happens once the blanket has serrved its purpose????? it should be used to help someone practically.
jayne mcintosh | March 23, 2008 1:36 PM
I'd rather the squares were made into blankets that could be used, rather than a 'sort-of' anti-poverty demonstration.
Don't you think the squares would be more useful going to the children/relatives of the mothers that died?
Sareth | March 23, 2008 1:23 PM
A great idea! I will definitely take part in this and I will post a link to this page from my own blog karenscuriositycorner.blogspot.com
Karen Hands | March 23, 2008 9:39 AM
Will you continue to collect knitted squares so that actual blankets are given to the mothers/babies/old people in the third world?
Gwen | March 23, 2008 9:02 AM
Great idea - count me in! Don't forget to trawl your Oxfam shops for donated balls of wool or old woolly jumpers - recycle and campaign at the same time - how perfect is that! Wouldn't it be a good idea to get Oxfam shops to accept squares for posting - with postal charges now assigned on bulk the cost of posting might put some people off.
Diane | March 22, 2008 7:27 PM
As a Bereavement Support Midwife, I am all in favour of highlighting the loss of life due to pregnancy, but I can't believe Oxfam is going to give away 250,000 knitted squares which could provide warmth to babies or pregnant women throughout the world. The Government representative won't recycle this blanket, but will probably throw it away. It should be made as a gesture, then unpicked and resewn to make smaller blankets for the Third World.
Mel | March 22, 2008 5:26 PM
Fantastic idea guys, cannot wait to get started. There are too many bored mothers in hospital waiting rooms who think about others in a similar situation but don't know how to help. Nice one.
Mandi | March 22, 2008 7:59 AM
I've started mine already and at the rate I knit I should have it made by september!
Emma | March 20, 2008 7:33 PM
El ser humano siempre en primero lugar.
Sea elle quien for.
Antonio da Silva Ortega | March 18, 2008 1:22 PM