Samara’s appeal has been running for several years now and some people from our church are registered collectors and have been taking clothing, blankets etc to Brighton to send to Iraq and Syria. Last year or the year before, I spent a long time sewing up squares that (mostly) other people had knitted, to make blankets. There were so many I had to give some to others to do and said I would never do it again! I have also previously used Nectar points and Boots points to get some of the things on the list.
This time I started knitting after Christmas with some wool a friend had given me and made squares (in autumn colours) and then bought a couple of extra and used some half balls of wool to make a blanket.
By the time that was finished and sewn up I was bored with squares and knitted a jumper from a pattern I have had for years. The neck was a pain, so I bought a pattern with an easier neckband and managed to complete another jumper before the deadline for collection.
Meanwhile, I was also collecting things to complete a “Dignity bag* which was described on the website. I ordered the bags and the shampoo bars from the sites suggested and printed off the sheet which explained in English and (I assume) Arabic what the shampoo bar was and how to use it.
The other items were obtained locally and mostly with Boots and Nectar points again.
I also printed and completed a “tick list” of the contents – again in both English and Arabic – to include for checking and to explain what was there. Everything was put in the bag.
Then it was just a matter of handing the knitting and the bag in at the right times and right places. Since the knitting went to a friend, I also got a cup of tea and a view of her garden when I took it!
Is this something worthwhile to do? I hope so and the knitting keeps me busy – providing something to do when listening to the radio.