Knit for Peace

Knitting our way to love on Valentine's day!

2012-02-15T03:50:00.001-08:00

Once again the time to remember our loved ones has come around and here at Knit for Peace we went down to the University of East London to put some needles and yarn to the apt use of knitting some hearts.

Jack the Scarecrow sports a knitted heart

Knitting is a wonderful way to bring people together and is surprisingly versatile. There are patterns for almost anything, giving opportunity for endless crafting fun.

A lovely and simple pattern for a knitted heart, and a great way to try your hand at increasing and decreasing, can be found here.

Volunteer Knitting Group Leaders Needed!

2012-02-09T07:24:00.000-08:00

Knit for Peace has a wonderful opportunity to meet others and help out by sharing your craft skills!

We are looking for experienced, enthusiastic and outgoing knitters to join our team of volunteers to support existing charity knitting groups in schools, community groups and prisons. Volunteers may also start new knitting groups anywhere in the country.

Knitting at Kings College London

We are looking for experienced knitters who have the time and enthusiasm to support one or more existing Knit for Peace groups. You must also be patient, friendly and reliable, even when it takes someone a whole hour to complete their first stitch!

Being a knitting group leader will involve being responsible for one or more groups, regularly attending the groups, helping the participants improve their knitting skills, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere for new comers and liaising with whoever is responsible for the space which hosts the group.

If you are also proactive, you will even be able to set up new groups for Knit for Peace.

To come and help us by joining our team of volunteers, please email Gabriel@knitforpeace.org.uk telling him why you are suitable for, and interested in, the role and your availability.

For a chat about the role, call Gabriel 020 7794 9835.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Teddies For Kids Living With Cancer

2012-01-26T07:15:00.000-08:00

Teddies can mean the world to a child. Whether times are good or bad, the soft, cuddly and ever friendly animals hold steadfast in their firm and undemanding friendship.

That’s why we are supporting Cancer Recovery UK’s attempt to send out 2000 goody bags, with as many teddies as possible, to children living with cancer in 80 hospitals across the UK in time for Easter. With a recent mention in Let’s Get Crafting magazine, we’re sure that hundreds of teddies will bring about hundreds of smiles.

For a simple teddy pattern just go to our Charity Projects and Patterns page. Completed items can be sent directly to Cancer Recovery UK at:

Hannah Bellamy,

Cancer Recovery Foundation UK,

74A Station Road East,

Oxted, Surrey, RH8 0PG

Claire Trevethan of Cancer Recovery UK said:

'The toys really do make a huge difference to the Children and Young people whilst they are in hospital. When a child is affected by cancer their whole world and the world of the people around them is turned upside down, our gift bags help to put the smiles back on their faces and keep them positive. The Children love the knitted toys as they are soft to cuddle and nice to sleep with. Several play therapists have told us that children tend to regress a bit when they are sick and are often happiest with a cuddly toy – even the teens when they think no one is looking of course.'

Some of the children also has something to say:

“Thank you for my sister's bear she has been very brave this year but has not smiled much. Your gifts made her happy" Sister of Belle Manyyre age 5

A gift like this goes a long way.

“I like my teddy. Big children like presents too” Emily age 13

A New Year's wish for Peace

2012-01-03T04:58:00.000-08:00

All of us here at Knit for Peace would like to take this opportunity to wish our readers a happy and peaceful new year. We will be out and about with our needles and yarn, encouraging people from all walks of life to sit down and spend time with us making things and getting to know each other.

We are especially grateful to Jacqueline at the Needleprint blog for her heartfelt wish for peace which we all echo here and her kind mention of our work.

Knitted Charity Preemie hats needed for Stoke Mandeville Hospital!

2011-12-20T06:39:00.000-08:00

We have had a request from the staff at Stoke Mandeville Hospital Neonatal Unit for hats for premature babies.

Statistics have shown that a hat is very useful to a small baby in helping it regulate its temperature and can in some cases make a difference between being admitted to the unit and staying at home.

In order to comply with hospital control of infection policies the hats are offered as gifts to the parents as soon as the baby is admitted to the unit. This means that the family are responsible for washing and caring for the hats achieving two very important aims. Firstly, as the washing is not being mixed with other babies on the unit there is a reduced chance of cross infection. Secondly, and just as importantly, being able to do something for your baby, no matter how small, is very important for parents who aren’t able to cuddle or care for their babies while they are being treated and helps them bond as a family. Because the hats go home with the family, the unit needs a steady supply of over 500 hats a year.

Ribbed hats are preferred as they fit most sizes of head and most bright colours apart from yellow are very popular with families. Yellow can make babies look jaundiced and is best avoided.

Hats have already been donated. Special thanks go to the students of Kingston University and the women of HMP Drake Hall for their hard work but as you can see, we always need more.

Below is a pattern you could use, or you can have a look at one provided by the BBC.

Ribbed Baby Hat for Premature Babies

4 ply yarn, 3.75mm (size 10) needles.

(1x50g ball will make about 4 hats)

Cast on 68 stitches, work in K2, P2 rib for 48 rows.

Shape crown, (K2 together, K2) to end of row.

Next and alternate rows, purl.

(K2 together, K1) to end of row.

(K2 together) to end of row.

Break of yarn leaving about 14 inches of yarn to sew up hat. Thread yarn through stitches on needle and stitch up seam of hat. Do not press as this will flatten the ribbing and make it less easy for the hat to ‘mould’ to the babies’ head and stay on.

Charity News from Knit For Peace India

2011-12-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Our partners in India have been in touch to let us know where all the wonderful charity knitted garments you have made have ended up.

Top of the list is the Blind School in Delhi, where every pupil at has received a jumper to keep them warm during their classes. In the undeveloped rural areas of Rajasthan, 172 jumpers have also been distributed to children in the villages.

Knit for Peace Canada have also been working away with their needles and yarn to put together items for street children in Delhi. These children would otherwise be spending cold winter nights outdoors, or in unheated huts, without any warm clothes.

Thank you to all you generous knitters, whose time, yarn and skill will add a touch of warmth to those less fortunate than us across the world.

Movember Charity Knitting in Oxford!

2011-11-15T09:05:00.000-08:00

As part of Oxford Students’ Union Gender Equality Fair, Knit for Peace were invited down to get the world’s brightest knitting. As well as teaching some of the students to knit their first squares, one of the more advanced participants also managed to knit a moustache in aid of Movember!

More on Movember at http://uk.movember.com/

Charity Projects Bags For Sale!

2011-09-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

We have lovely hand-made project bags on sale to raise funds for our charity! All the way from India, these bags have been made from recycled silk saris, by women from a small self-help group. They have been beautifully made and are fully-lined to ensure needles do not poke through. The bags are also drawstring so that you can make sure your knitting stays safe!

The bags can also be used for different purposes – on my way home from Bank to Liverpool Street, one fellow commuter on the Underground spotted the bags on the top of my wicker basket and bought one off me for a present to give to his sister!

Each bag costs only £10.95 – with all the proceeds going towards Knit for Peace projects.

You can place an order for your bags over the phone by calling us on 02077949835. Alternatively, you can send a cheque, plus £2 for postage and packaging, made payable to “Charities Advisory Trust” at:

Knit for Peace
Radius Works
Back Lane
London NW3 1HL

Please include your name and details of where to send your bag(s).

Reclaiming the streets - Knitting for Peace on Hampstead High Street!

2011-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

We decided to reclaim the streets by Knitting for Peace on Hampstead High Street! Yesterday, we tweeted to our followers that we would be setting up a table and chairs outside in response to the London riots by giving a show of solidarity and peace by knitting items for charity with whoever wanted to join us! It was a great success with people from the local area of all different ages and abilities joining us to knit or even just to have a chat.

Annie learned how to finger knit:

We also had a young man who heard about us on Twitter and came to join us. It was his first time learning how to knit:

We even had the local policemen coming to join us:

All in all, it was a great success!

All is Peace and Quiet down on the Farm...

2011-06-14T05:06:00.000-07:00

Life is full of surprises at Knit for Peace Headquarters. Every post can bring something woolly and interesting whether it be carefully knitted baby and children's clothes from our dedicated groups of charity knitters or equally welcome donations of yarn and needles.

However, nothing could have prepared us for the wonderful surprise we received the other day. Chris Copson, one of our supporters and an extraordinarily talented knitter has made us an entire knitted farmyard!

We have the farm couple plus their cat and dog.

We have a small flock of sheep.

A farm building with sunflowers growing against it.

And a traditional farm house.

A young family,

and three shaggy ponies.

Half a dozen pigs,

Loads of chickens, complete with cockerel of course!

Two cows

and a small flock of ducks.

More buildings

The whole thing comes complete with a hooked rug which includes fields of grass and wheat, a pond and vegetable patch, bushes and flowers.

The attention to detail and the standard of craftsmanship in this is extraordinary and we are extremely grateful to Chris for being so generous to use her time and skills for charity. I'm sure that it will provide hours of pleasure. We've certainly enjoyed setting it up and arranging the animals as well as admiring them.

We have some exciting plans for this farmyard amongst other things which we will be telling you about before the end of the year so watch this space.

And of course, if you would like to knit a farmyard for charity it would be most enthusiastically received!

Knit for Peace coming to a festival near you this summer

2011-06-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

As you may know, we at Knit for Peace like to see people knitting anywhere and at any time. Part of our plan to make people aware of Knit for Peace and our charity work is to open up a Knit for Peace tent at a range of festivals throughout the summer.

Here you can just come and knit with us, learn or refresh your memory if it is a long time since you have knitted. All are welcome - men, women, children, young or old. You can help us add to our peace bunting which you can see in the photo is starting to adorn the front of our tent, buy a knitting kit or make a donation to support our work or find out how you can set up a Knit for Peace group in your local area. If you run a local charity or community group whose members might benefit from a knitting group just let us know and we will come along and help you get it off the ground.

The photos in this post come from our first festival of the season, Bearded Theory in the heart of the beautiful Derbyshire countryside where we were part of the Angel Gardens family entertainment area. We had a wonderful time, (despite the changeable weather) and had a lot of enthusiastic people enjoying knitting in the sun whenever it chose to shine.

We might be coming to a festival near you this summer. So far we are booked to come to:

30th June - 3rd July Blissfields in Hampshire
14th - 17th July Latitude in Southwold, Suffolk
23rd and 24th July Fibre East in Bedfordshire
29th - 31st July Magic Loungeabout in Yorkshire
26th - 28th August Festinho in Bedfordshire

Do come and see us, sit down and, if you're in the mood to help a charity, do a little Knitting for Peace with us.

A big thank you from Sierra Leone

2011-04-27T09:02:00.000-07:00

When knitters send us lovingly hand knitted clothes for children we always try to make sure that we pass them on to a charity where we are sure that they will reach the intended recipients and that they will do maximum good. Susie Jenner, one of our staff members recently went on a visit to Sierra Leone and took a bag full of knitted clothes with her. Susie learned first hand how important these gifts are - in more than one way.

This is Susie's report:

Sierra Leone, in West Africa, is one of the poorest countries in the world, after a decade of civil war. In 2009, the UN declared it the most dangerous place in the world to give birth, with 1 in 8 women dying in pregnancy and childbirth.

In March, we saw first-hand the challenges the doctors in hospitals across the country face in their attempts to keep more women alive.

One problem is that women in Sierra Leone traditionally give birth at home, so when complications arise, they can’t always reach the hospital in time. Dr Virginia George, at Lumley government hospital in Freetown, has realised that an incentive can help.

At her request, we delivered piles of knitted baby clothes, donated to charity through Knit for Peace. They were received with delight. Some were given out straight away to the new mothers at the hospital, and the rest were made into bundles to use to encourage other women to attend antenatal checkups.

The baby clothes had already been proven to work. Dr George showed us statistics for visits, which reduced significantly when they ran out of the bundles they were previously given.

On a return visit to Lumley Hospital a few days later, we were told about a woman who had given birth on the hospital steps the previous day. She had just heard about the baby clothes we’d brought, and came to collect her bundle!

As you can see, this hospital needs a constant supply of baby clothes to support the work of the dedicated staff and to encourage mothers to seek the help that s now available to them. We are always delighted to receive hand knitted items addressed to:

Jane Lithgow

Knit for Peace Project Manager

Charities Advisory Trust

Radius Works

Back Lane

London NW3 1HL

One final sobering note - the hospital asked us to let you know that contrary to what you might think, they need clothes to fit average sized newborns, the sad truth being that of course, low birth weight and premature babies are born, but their chances of survival are not good currently.

See you soon at Harrow on the Hill for charity knitting

2011-04-14T02:39:00.000-07:00

The Harrow on the Hill Knit for Peace group is meeting again next week to knit for charity. We'd love you to come and join us.

Knitting for Peace in Harrow-on-the-Hill

2011-03-25T10:22:00.000-07:00

It has been a rather special week for us here at Knit for Peace. We held the first Knit for Peace knitting group in Harrow on the Hill jointly with the charities Three Faiths Forum and the An-Nisa Society supported by St Michael's Church. We chose a very nice little cafe with big comfy sofas - perfect for knitting and chatting. I arrived early with plenty of spare yarn and needles and waited. No matter how much work you have done to publicise an event there is always a nervous few minutes before people started arriving.

I shouldn't have worried - one by one, more than a dozen knitters and people who wanted to learn, from a wide variety of backgrounds made their way down the stairs and started to knit. Some remembering skills that they thought they had forgotten...

Others sharing those skills, generation to generation...

Knitting can be very absorbing....

but there is always plenty of time to laugh and chat or to listen...

We talked about what a Knit for Peace group meant to us and decided that we would like to knit a charity blanket for a needy family as a gift from us as a group of women from diverse cultures.

Of course we also got a lot of enjoyment from talking about the things we have in common as well as the different customs and traditions that we have. We talked about weddings, cooking for festivals, about our families and communities. The time flew...

As did our needles. We decided that we would like to meet on a monthly basis so as soon as we have set a new date I will let everyone know. Thanks to all for getting Harrow-on-the-Hill Knit for Peace Group off to a flying start. I look forward to seeing you all and making more new friends next month.

My particular thanks go to Hadiya Maseih from Women ArTogether, Humera Khan from An-Nisa and the newsletter editor from St Michael's Church for supporting and publicising the event and to Suzanne
Hafezi Photography for allowing me to use her wonderful photos.

More news about our knitting holiday in India

2011-03-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who has come back to me with enquiries about our knitting holiday to India. I am starting to get excited about it myself. People have asked me for some more detailed information about the holiday so I am writing to give you some more information about:

· Getting to the Green Hotel and suggested dates

· The Green Hotel

· Food and accommodation

· Knitting activities

· Shopping and sightseeing opportunities.

We will create a programme balancing knitting and sightseeing opportunities giving our guests as much choice as we can.

Getting to the Green Hotel

The nearest international airport is Bengaluru International at Bangalore. Scheduled flights are offered by British Airways, Air France, Air India and a range of other international carriers.

We will arrange for visitors to be picked up and driven to the Green Hotel from Bangalore.

We are suggesting the following dates in September:

Friday 2nd September to Sunday 11th September

Friday 9th September to Sunday 18th September.

Extra days/ two week packages can be arranged on application.

The price of £895 per person (exclusive of flights and single room supplement) is applicable to either 8 day stay.

The Green Hotel

The Chittaranjan Palace, built for Mysore's princesses, has been lovingly restored as a small hotel. In extensive gardens, with formal lawns and shaded pergolas, and fringed by majestic trees, the hotel is an oasis of calm. It has been renovated and furnished using traditional Indian crafts. It offers comfortable surroundings, friendly staff, and a restful, creative atmosphere.

The Green Hotel has been set up as a model of sustainable tourism:

to preserve a historic building
to incorporate, wherever possible, energy saving and environmentally aware practices
to use Indian craft items in furnishing, equipment and restoration
to be a good employer, offering equal and fair opportunities
to train staff and develop their potential
to provide visitors with the opportunity to enjoy traditional hospitality rather than modern day uniformity.

All profits are distributed to charitable and environmental projects in India.

Guests have the use of the whole of the former palace, including drawing rooms, a well-chosen library, and beautiful verandas.

The gardens are large and provide peaceful relaxation. Because of the excellent weather in September we can spend most of the day in the garden, on the lawns.

We do not have air-conditioned rooms, TV or generators because of our environmentally friendly policies. However the hotel is very airy and well ventilated, all the rooms have fans, and the temperatures in Mysore make air conditioning unnecessary for this time of year. We offer spacious, soothing lawns and shady trees to recline under.

As part of this package, guests will be accommodated in Travellers Rooms. A single supplement of £100 is chargeable for single guests. These rooms are all with modern en-suite bathrooms.

Food

The hotel restaurant is open to non-residents. It offers a comprehensive range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Special diets can be catered for.

South and North Indian, European or Chinese meals can be taken in the garden, or on the veranda. Room service is available. Most guests choose to dine on the lawn, under the stars.

All food is prepared from fresh ingredients produced locally where appropriate.

The hotel is licensed and offers an eclectic range of Indian beers, and even Indian champagne. A favourite drink is fresh lime soda.

All food and drink, excluding alcoholic beverages is included in the price of your stay.

Knitterly activities

We are still in the process of planning all the knitting activities and will be announcing more over the coming weeks but just to whet your appetites, you may have seen on the Yarn Harlot’s blog that she was knitting wonderful, colourful and warm mittens straight from silk hankies. Our master dyer will help you create your own silk hankies using vegetable dying techniques then you will be supported, using an exclusively designed pattern in making some mitts or mittens of your own – a wonderful souvenir of your trip to keep you warm when you get back home.

We will also be doing a session for those who would like to join in the trend for sock knitting but haven’t yet taken the plunge. You will knit a sock for a small child through which you will learn all the techniques that you need to take advantage of the hundreds of patterns for socks that are available.

Always wanted to work with colour? Jane will show you some cunning techniques for adding colour to your knitting without holding two strands of yarn at once through slip stitch motifs then, for the brave will show you how to work double handed fair isle to make even the most complex colour work accessible.

Shopping and Sightseeing opportunities

We will arrange excursions to the following attractions for you. They are not compulsory – if you have settled into your chair under a tree with your knitting, we won’t disturb you! It is up to you to choose the mix of knitting, relaxing and sightseeing that suits you. Mysore Market The market is the most popular attraction among our guests and is the perfect place to while away an afternoon. The much-photographed piles of colours used for decorating idols, the banana halls, the wonderful array of vegetables and above all the flowers make it one of India's most attractive markets. You can buy jasmine marigolds by the pound and trays full of roses. The garland makers will string flowers while you wait. A real treat for the senses and a great opportunity to find inspiration for knitting projects to remind you of your trip. The Palace Built in 1912, the Palace is a triumph of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The finest ingredients such as Belgian stained glass, Minton tiles and cast iron from Glasgow combine to make this an extraordinary, lavishly carved building. Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery The gallery is attached to the Palace. It has a very interesting collection of everything the Maharajah collected on his travels - from armour to French porcelain. There are interesting Indian paintings, particularly the Tanjore pieces, and the collection of carved ivory and jade is of world importance. Chalmundi Hill and the Nandi There are 1000 steps to the top of the Chalmundi hill but it’s worth the climb to visit the 12th century temple at the top. Alternatively, get a taxi! The Nandi (statue of Shiva’s holy bull), which is half way up the hill, is the second largest in India. It was carved out of a single piece of granite in the 17th century. Venerated as a religious object, the bull is much garlanded with marigolds.
The Lalitha Mahal The Maharajah's summer palace built to house foreign guests, especially non-vegetarians, is now a hotel. A visit to Chalmundi Hill and the Nandi can be conveniently combined with a visit to the Lalitha Mahal. The road from the city centre to the Chalmundi Hill and Lalitha Mahal has many pretty old Mysorean buildings including the Police Band House, the Mysore Sports Club and the Turf Club . Srirangapatnam Not to be missed! This site includes the summer palace of Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore, who fought against British imperialism. The 18th century palace, with its wall paintings, and rich interiors set in formal gardens, is a real treat. While you are at Srirangapatnam take the opportunity to visit the Cauvery River. The Silk Factory Mysore is an important centre for silk spinning and weaving. The noise and hazards of working the machines bring alive history lessons about the Industrial Revolution, and make one appreciate the Factory Acts and Health and Safety legislation. Other than that, the silk factory has a great deal of charm and it is fascinating to see how the beautiful silk saris are made. The factory has a good shop selling silk by the metre (including furnishing fabrics). Saris are also available. Down the road there is a seconds shop. Look out for crepe de chine, and silk satin of unsurpassable quality, as well as the more usual silk chiffon and taffetas.
The Craft Museum at the University Mysore has a very extensive university campus - just near the Green Hotel. In the midst of it is an interesting collection of carvings, baskets and photographs, put together by the Ethnography Department. There are also puppets - you’ll even find one of Mahatma Gandhi's portable spinning wheels in a suitcase. The wooden boodai (wooden carved figures) are world famous and of supreme quality. The university also has a rare and wonderful collection of early scrolls and palm leaf books, and an exhibition of Mysore's authors. These are only the tip of the iceberg. If you show a great deal of enthusiasm, other collections will probably be opened up to you! Buying Fabrics Generally the state shops, such as Priyadarshini or Cauvery, offer the best value. The service and display can be off-putting or carry its own charm, depending on one's attitude. It has been said that for those employed in government jobs, the only task is to come to work, since they have virtual tenure. Occasionally one meets an enthusiast and that is both pleasurable and surprising. The lady at UP Handlooms is a treasure. Buying at state shops means the weavers and spinners have been paid the government wage. Cooptex is the Tamil Nadu Handloom Corporation. The Karnataka State shop has a very good selection of silk and cotton fabric by the metre, including raw silks in lustrous colours. The Haberdashery Shop in Deverarajah road is great for ribbons, braid and sequins.
We are also commissioning an exclusive range of knitting accessories such as needle cases and project bags, made locally from sari silk as well as locally made knitting needles and hand spun yarns. You will have the opportunity to view and buy these items at your leisure at the hotel. To make your reservation or make further enquiries please contact: Jane Lithgow Knit for Peace Project Manager Charities Advisory Trust Radius Works Back Lane London NW3 1HL knitforpeace@charitiesadvisorytrust.org.uk Telephone 020 7794 9835	>

Calling Harrow-on-the- Hill Knitters!

2011-03-08T02:56:00.000-08:00

We have some exciting news this week. Together with our partners at the Three Faiths Forum we are inviting knitters from all communities in the Harrow on the Hill area to come and join us at a knitting and coffee morning at the Doll's House on the Hill at 11.00am on Tuesday 22nd March. It would be lovely to see as many people as possible there.

This event is at the heart of what Knit for Peace is all about - taking the an opportunity for communities to get to know each other through a common interest in knitting.

Do come - there will be cake!

Volunteers needed! Knit for Peace at the Bearded Theory Festival

2011-03-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

It's chilly in the office today. The heating isn't working so I'm typing this feeling very glad of my fingerless mittens. I also find that nothing warms me up more on a chilly February day than planning for the summer. This means that I am especially delighted to let you know that we have been invited to Knit for Peace in the Angel Gardens at the Bearded Theory Festival which runs from 13th to 15th May at Keddleston Park in Derbyshire. Alongside tribal drummers, human jukeboxes and other arty and crafty people we will be teaching people to knit, making our own knitted bunting and asking people to tell us about their most peaceful experiences in a warm, friendly, knitterly environment.

Could you see yourself knitting in a spot like this? (The Iknit tent at Camp Bestival 2009)

We're looking for volunteers to come and help us over the three days, working in one of the Angel Gardens' yurts teaching knitting and finger knitting, creating loads of knitted 'Peace Bunting' which we hope to take to festivals and events throughout the summer, as well helping to run and look after the Angel Gardens and its crew. We can offer free entry to the festival, a warm and friendly crowd to work with, lots of activities and time to see some bands, (lineup details here )especially in the evening although every evening there is a camp fire and acoustic music in the Angel Gardens so you might find it the perfect place to knit and not want to leave. You will need your own tent and sleeping bag.

Contact me at knitforpeace@charitiesadvisorytrust.org.uk if you are interested.

We are hoping that we will be working with the Angel Garden at a number of other festivals this year so keep checking in and we hope to see you for some knitting fun in the sun.

The Ultimate Holiday - India with added knitting

2011-02-18T03:13:00.000-08:00

Come and knit and dye and spin, and learn how if necessary!

· At the award winning Green Hotel, Mysore

· Full – time Knitter in Residence for all your knitting help needs

· Learn vegetable dying from national award winning dyer

· India, in a comfortable, secure environment

· Ideal for the single traveller

· Share skills with local knitters

· Unique textile shopping opportunities

· A chance to visit projects helped by Knit for Peace

The Charities Advisory Trust will be running Knit for Peace Holidays through the month of September at its award winning Green Hotel in Mysore, linking two of its projects to offer unique holidays for people who want to do something creative and relaxing in an exotic location whilst directly benefitting the local community.

This holiday represents the latest thinking; offering a comfortable, relaxing, secure opportunity to discover India coupled with the chance to practice and learn a skill, which research indicates promotes good mental health and well being. Travellers will also be able to see at first hand the impact of the charity in the local community.

Supported by a full time Knitter in Residence, Jane Lithgow, an experienced hand knitting teacher and designer from the United Kingdom plus local craftspeople we intend to offer a range of activities from which the traveller can choose as intensive or gently paced experience as they wish. We have the privilege to be able to offer tuition in natural vegetable dyeing with a national award winning dyer, Dr Ishmail Khatri.

This holiday is suitable for single travellers as friendships are soon formed over knitting under a shady tree in the sunshine. There will also be opportunities to share skills with local knitters.

Shopping and sightseeing opportunities are included with the emphasis on local textiles such as sari silk and hand spun yarns bought directly from the craftsperson wherever possible.

Priced at £895 per nine day stay inclusive of full board, transfers, activities and trips, with the option of longer stays or perhaps as part of a longer visit to India, t excellent value for money. The hotel’s policy is to operate with the lowest possible environmental impact and actively seeks to recruit suitable candidates from the most vulnerable local communities. All profits from the Green Hotel are used for charitable purposes in India.

Contact

Jane Lithgow, Knit for Peace Project Manager

knitforpeace@charitiesadvisorytrust.org.uk

for more details.

A big thank you to our knitters!

2011-02-15T14:50:00.000-08:00

One of the happy things about this job is that if a nice soft, squishy parcel turns up at the office, it's usually for me. When I open them, a rainbow of knitted garments will tumble out, courtesy of church groups, groups of friends and industrious knitters who work at home and produce great quantities of carefully knitted clothes.

I am pleased to report that I was able to pack up a huge holdall for a colleague to take out to India just before Christmas. She tells me that they were gratefully received but we do have a special request from the community who tell us that they have a particular need for jumpers for children aged from eight to twelve.

I also need to say something about penguin jumpers. Some years ago there was an oil spill off the coast of Australia which affected the local penguin colonies. Rescuers found that to give the penguin the best chance of survival they needed to prevent them following their instincts and preening their feathers in an attempt to remove the oil. Penguins were dying from ingesting the oil before rescuers could get to them and clean them up. An ingenious rescuer (must have been a knitter!) discovered that by putting a cover on the penguin to prevent it preening gave rescuers enough time to clean the birds properly and greatly enhanced their chances of survival so the call went out internationally for knitters to support the rescue effort and create a stock for future use. The good news is that, thanks to the overwhelming response by knitters the penguin rescue groups now have enough jackets to meet their needs. We would be very grateful if you have been knitting penguin jackets or you know anyone who still is for you to let them know that we no longer need the jackets as I am still receiving bundles of new penguin jackets in the post.

We still need warm jumpers hats and scarves for children, especially older children.

You may be pleased to know that I am determined not to let any of this beautiful knitting go to waste and have been looking for alternative ways to use the Jackets. So far I have sent a box full to the Small Dog Rescue in Leeds as they are the right size to keep a small abandoned dog warm. I am also in discussion with organisers of childrens play events with the possibility of them being used in their arts and crafts activities. If you know of any organisation which could put them to good use please let me know.

We are currently working on a new campaign to keep local Knit for Peace Groups' needles busy so watch this space!

Knit for Peace appoints project manager

2010-12-14T06:54:00.000-08:00

The Charities Advisory Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of a Project Manager for its innovative Knit for Peace Project.

Knit for Peace was established in 2008 with the aim of bringing divided communities together through the shared activities of knitting and crochet. So far, groups have been set up in India, Pakistan, Rwanda and Nepal where women (and some men) can come together and bond over a shared activity with the added benefit of providing an income for women living in extreme poverty. Materials and payment are provided by the project for the women who knit warm clothing for distribution to those who need it. The Indian and Pakistani groups, as a gesture of friendship between their divided communities have knitted sweaters for those who need them in each other’s countries. In Rwanda, Hutu and Tutsi widows knit together.

With the support of the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation we have appointed Jane Lithgow as Project Manager to develop the full potential of this project, setting up groups in the United Kingdom and through fundraising and trading activities supporting the project’s ability to support overseas projects and achieve financial self sufficiency for the future.

We are lucky to have appointed Jane who is an accomplished knitter and knitting teacher and designer and knit blogger as well as an experienced manager in both the public and voluntary sectors.

Jane says ‘ This has to be a dream job, giving me the opportunity to share my love of knitting as a community activity with my experience of setting up and managing projects in the health and social care sectors. I believe that Knit for Peace has real potential for bringing people together in a creative , non threatening and supportive way, knitting together lives, one stitch at a time.'

The Story so far

2010-12-14T05:27:00.000-08:00

Knit for Peace is an initiative of the Charities Advisory Trust that encourages women (+men) from different, often historically hostile communities to come together informally to knit (or sew or crochet). With a shared common goal, differences in race, religion or caste are irrelevant, and individuals come together to knit peacefully.

For groups, in developing countries, members knit for income generation. The Charities Advisory Trust, largely through the Good Gifts Catalogue, pays the knitters for jumpers and warm clothing, which is distributed by local charities to those in need.

Knit for Peace, India
Brij Bhasin (left), the acknowledged guru of India handicraft, led the Indian Knit for Peace initiative, and through his enthusiasm, the project in India has developed. Firstly, he spread the idea of Knitting for Peace, and found partners to set up groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal. These groups proposed not only to knit for their own poor children, but also in a true gesture of peace, groups in Pakistan would knit for children in India, and the Indian groups for the children of Pakistan. In late 2008, there was also an exchange of jumpers between Afghanistani and Indian groups. Formal presentations and ceremonies took place in Delhi and Jaipur, India. The number of Knit for Peace groups has grown and there are now groups in India and in the Swat Valley, Pakistan.

At the Indo-Pakistan Peace Conference in Delhi, 2009, Knit for Peace was hailed as a very successful initiative.

Knit for Peace, Rwanda
In Marenge, Rwanda, Hutu and Tutsi widows are coming together to knit. Through the Good Gifts Catalogue, groups are provided with the materials to knit. As well as the obvious social benefits, this offers the women the opportunity to earn a small income.

Knit for Peace, UK
We hold occasional Knit for Peace days in the UK. For example to celebrate Knit in public day a Knit for Peace group got together at London Zoo in June 2009 to knit items for the children of Afghanistan.

It was a great day next to the gorilla enclosure, and we knitted lots of items to send to Afghanistan. We also reached out to new knitters and picked up some new tricks from others in the group.

We held a Knit for Peace group at the Courtauld Gallery in conjunction with the Omega workshop exhibition in August 2009.

In December 2008, we held a Knit for Peace event at the.gallery@oxo on London's South Bank. Individuals and groups of knitters send scarves, socks and other winter warmers for cold children in Afghanistan. The success of this initiative and the incredible support of many volunteer knitters clearly underline the potential benefits of this project.

To date we also have nascent or planned Knit for Peace groups in:

• Jerusalem: Arabs (from Israel and the West Bank) and Jewish Israelis
• Sarajevo

How do I get involved?
Please support Knit for Peace.

We need warm knitted jumpers, hats, scarves, blankets and baby clothes for the children of Afghanistan. We are also grateful for knitting wool and needles. Please send them to Knit For Peace, Radius Works, Back Lane, London, NW3 1HL.

If you'd like to sponsor a Knit for Peace group in a developing country or supply them with wool you can do so through the Good Gifts Catalogue Knit for Peace at Good Gifts

Anyone interested in setting up a Knit for Peace group or holding a Knit for Peace event should contact Jane Lithgow on 020 7794 9835 or e-mail knitforpeace@charitiesadvisorytrust.org.uk.