2016 and the Big Bang!

Traditionally here in Edinburgh a spectacular firework display brings in the New Year with a bang. 

 We kept that tradition going at our first meeting of 2016 with this brilliant explosion of colour and craft! Hats, scarves, toys, blankets, gloves, slippers, jumpers - all crocheted, sewn and knitted while catching up with friends and family over the festive period. We're clearly all 'hooked' on crafting for charity! 

Perhaps our resolution for 2016 should be to keep reaching for the pins, not the pies?

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to one and all.  We hope 2016 brings you health and happiness. We've had a busy, exciting and rewarding year in 2015 and look forward to sharing another with you in the year ahead.
To celebrate the New Year we'd like to share some of the highlights of last year with you in our calendar for 2016 - the fundraising in aid of Mary's Meals, the fabric books, cuddly toys, play mats and blankets for Little Libraries to take to township creches in Cape Town, the ponchos, hats, cuddly toys, dresses, shorts and of course blankets for Lily - Love in the Language of Yarn to distribute to Syrian refugee families and the sensory items for adults with dementia in a local care home.

We hope you enjoy the glimpses of just a few of these items and memories in our 2016 calendar photos and that you find the year at a glance calendar helpful in organising your own year ahead..

A look back at 2015 has to include our sincere thanks to all of you who have helped us in what we do. To  DHL couriers and  D W Cases in Musselburgh we owe such a huge debt of gratitude because without your support we couldn't send our overseas parcels. Thank you  edinburghprinting.com for your brilliant editing and printing of our calendar.  Last, but not least, thank you Leo's Beanery for allowing us to take over your back room every Wednesday afternoon.

Thank you to our donors for supporting us in 2015 with your donations of fabric, yarn and haberdashery. Thank you to our social media followers for all your kind comments via our Facebook Page and email. They really do encourage us to keep going.  

Roll on 2016 with all the challenges and joys it will bring us. We are so grateful to you all for helping us to help others in need.  Please do get in touch with us at craftteaforcharity@btinternet.com if you are interested in joining us, donating materials or helping in 2016.  Find out more about what we do on Craft Tea for Charity

Autumn already!

The cold weather is creeping up and the need for warm hats, scarves, socks and gloves in this part of the world is here. Just as well autumn is also a time when staying in and crafting in the evenings is a welcoming thought.  Here is an extract from Lily (Love in the Language of Yarn) 's Facebook page.

'Last Wednesday I packed up:
900 blankets,
5,000 hats,
4,000 cardigans/sweaters,
3,000 pairs of gloves/mittens.
3,000 scarves,
2,000 pairs slippers/booties,
and 8,000 pairs socks.
An amazing amount!
I wanted to send these to the Kurdish Syrians that have recently fled the fighting in Kobane, Syria. Many of the 170,000 have not as yet even got a tent to live in. The nights are getting colder and it pains me to think of the conditions they are living in. 

  The figures show why they need every single blanket square they can get.  900 blankets is a lot but then try to imagine 170,000 people needing warmth - and that's just in this one district.

That is why we are so glad to have received two wonderful donations from friends and family of group members this month - the beautifully knitted stripey blanket squares and baby sweaters with matching hats (see the last two photos below).  Thank you for your kindness in helping families in real need.

What sort of craft things are needed for the charities we currently support?  Cosy clothes, hats, scarves, gloves, socks, soft toys, summer dresses and shorts and 20cm/8inch blanket squares.  Blanket squares are always needed. Here are some examples of items we have made to go in our October parcel to Lily (Love in the Language of Yarn)

Children's hats and hand puppets in jolly colours ...

 cosy joggers - so practical for boys and girls in the winter cold ...

some trendy baby and children's aviator hats with ear flaps to keep out cold winds ...

hats for adults too ...

a baby poncho made from just two simple rectangles - an easy project if you're looking for a change from squares ...

a practical and pretty wrap around baby dress in denim that will add warmth and glamour over a jumpsuit ...

and these beautiful donations of twelve baby sweaters with matching hats - cute, warm and just gorgeous ...

 as well as these beautifully knitted squares with super stripes.

 This is a case where every square and every item of clothing does help.  If you want to join us in Craft Tea for Charity, or just to pop in and say hello one week, contact us on craftteaforcharity@btinternet.com or use the contact form on the top right of this page.  We meet every Wednesday afternoon from 2.30 - 4.30pm in Leo's Beanery and would love to welcome you. Can't make Wednesdays but want to craft something?  We'd love to hear from you. You can join us on Facebook too Craft Tea for Charity

Happy crafting this month, everyone!

Going to the Fair!

The sun shone, the band played, the ducks raced and the people were out and about for a fantastic afternoon at Portobello Village Show on Sunday. Thank you to everyone who came to see our stall, to buy, to make a donation and to find out more about crafting for charity. Your support will help us do so much more.

The calm before the storm ...

A photo finish for the duck race taking place  in the stream behind our pitch!

...and the band played on!

Remember to send your completed design competition entries to us by Monday 15th September.  You could be our winner!

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Contact us using the form at the top right of this page or email us on craftteaforcharity@btinternet.com

If you would like to join us, or if you are a charity who would like to find out more about the items we make, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you.

Keeping our enthusiasm in check!

In the approach to the Scottish referendum later this month a tartan and tweed theme seems somewhat appopriate. A couple of upcycling projects from the group this week showed how we can use our cast offs to keep people not just warm but stylishly warm too.

A red rectangle of tartan that can be used as a bright neck warmer, a hat or a ski headband.

Use up a bit of tweed to make a few teddies and what have you got?  Why, the Tweddies, of course!  The Tweddies are off on an adventure later this month to meet some children in a Syrian refugee camp and some orphaned and vulnerable children in South Africa. (See our page of charities we support for more details)

And for anyone who was around in the 60's or who likes to indulge a passion for vintage, this fringed go-over for an older child or teenage girl has definite overtones of  a Mary Quant creation.  This was someone's discarded pashmina before becoming a really warm go-over that can be worn over trousers and a sweater in the cold months ahead in a Syrian refugee camp.

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Contact us using the form at the top right of this page.
Join us in person any Wednesday afternoon 2.30 - 4.30. (Use the form or email craftteaforcharity@btinternet.com to find out where we'll be)

AND ...  on Sunday 7th September 2014 visit our fundraising stall at Portobello Village Show, 2-5pm in Rosefield Park, Portobello .  We'll have lots of hand crafted goodies for sale to raise money for charity and lots of  helpful info on how you too can get started in crafting for charity. Hope to see you there!

A square squared

Summer is great for crochet commuting. At the bus stop, on the bus/train/tram, in the car (as a passenger only!). Often someone will watch for a bit, then say he/she cannot knit/crochet ... well only a wee bit, like a beginner's square or something. That's brilliant and all the skill you need to help someone in need. Plain or fancy, knit or crochet, every warm and comforting square is so, so useful and needed.
 

Your warm square joins other people's warm squares ...

as you can see from this photo of last week's sorting day at Knit a Square in South Africa.  Knit a Square receives squares knitted by people all over the world ...



 ... and local volunteers sew each square into a warm blanket that can bring comfort to a child or adult living in desperate circumstances. See more blankets KAS has made from donated squares in 2014 on KAS Blanket Room
 
Every square helps.  Follow us on Facebook.   Contact us using the form at the top right of this page. If you are in or near Edinburgh and want to join us or pop in to see us, a warm welcome awaits you.  If you are a local charity and think we can help you, we'd love to hear from you too.

A Festival of Craft!

It's Festival Time here in Edinburgh again.  The streets are alive with tourists, buskers and a wealth of shows and exhibitions to see and hear.  Our weekly get together turned into an exciting event in itself, with a riot of colour, ideas and  craft tips to show and share.

Ever had some rainbow or self-pattern yarn left at the end of a project?  Knit a doll for a child to love.  This glamorous girl is going to Knit a Square in South Africa  to help with their work with millions of orphaned and vulnerable children.

Hand Puppets in progress ... and hand puppets all ready to play. These have been knitted in pairs so they can double as gloves in cold weather.  Hand puppets are great as props for a child's imagination as well as being a friend to cuddle when feeling sad, lonely or afraid. Pattern link for knit and crochet version here.

Of course up here in Edinburgh we know people need hats and hand warmers in a rainbow of colour and shapes to keep heads and hands warm when the weather turns cold.

And there can never be too many squares. It takes 35 squares at 20cm or 8 inches each to make even a child sized blanket. A blanket can mean warmth, comfort, survival and perhaps hopefully even send a vulnerable person the message that someone cares. Squares are a great project for beginner and expert alike.

If you would like to join us at our weekly Wednesday afternoon get togethers, or are passing through Edinburgh and want to drop in, please use the contact form on the right.  All crafts welcome. We'd love to meet you.

Follow us on Facebook too.  We'd love to hear your comments and suggestions either here on the blog or on our Facebook page.

If you are a local charity and think we can help you through our craft, please contact us.  We'd love to hear from you.