Helping the Homeless

Many of the people affected by flooding in the Brisbane area were already homeless and struggling to stay warm and dry during winter. Now that the weather is cooling for winter again they are in need of more help with bedding as well as beanies, scarves and fingerless gloves.
I've made QAYG blocks over the past few days and managed to get another quilt finished and it will be shown on my other blog. I also finished off a crocheted blanket as well as some hats and scarves and they will be on their way to help the homeless in Brisbane. I like to send the quilts and blankets in bags so they can easily be carried as well as kept clean.
I was disturbed to read in the Herald Sun yesterday:

"ON any given night in Victoria there are 6,400 young people aged between 12 and 25 with no place to call home.

According to the Council to Homeless Persons (CHP), many of them have been in and out of state foster care and almost half are not in school. many of the young homeless were escaping problems at home and some couch surfed with friends."

It is shocking that so many young adults are homeless and vulnerable on the streets so the ongoing need for quilts, crocheted blankets and warm garments like beanies, gloves and scarves will be much needed to bring comfort to this large group of people. Any donations will help not only those affected by the floods and earthquakes but also those who may be homeless through no fault of their own.

The quilt I made used up lots of odds and ends of scraps of fabric and I also used donated blocks which had been backed with fleece with the intention of practicing machine quilting or making cushion covers. I re-purpose these blocks as backings for the QAYG blocks and they make warm and sturdy quilts.

I've also been asked for my pattern for knitting beanies so I'm more than happy to share.

I made this pattern up as follows:

Using 8 ply and no. 10 needles for rib and no 8 for stocking stitch.
Cast on 120 stitches.
Knit in rib for 12 rows.
Change to larger needles and stocking stitch for 28 rows.
To decrease for the crown:
*Knit 10 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
*Knit 9 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row
Next row purl.
*Knit 8 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
*Knit 7 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
*Knit 6 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
*Knit 5 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
*Knit 4 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
*Knit 3 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
*Knit 2 stitches, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
*Knit 1 stitch, K2 together and repeat from *until end of row.
Next row purl.
Knit 2 together across row.
Draw leftover yarn through the stitches left and pull up and then stitch it in to finish it off.

Hope this makes sense.
It makes a good size for adults and I add stripes etc as I feel like it. They also like them in acrylic yarn too as they wash well when they don't have much access to hand washing facilities.

I also make them in smaller sizes with 100 stitches and knit 24 rows of stocking stitch before decreasing starting with knit 8 then knit 2 together and repeating. I often knit the rib as knit 2 purl 2 for this size and it's a good size for young children.

For older children I also knit a size with 110 stitches and knitting 26 rows of stocking stitch and decreasing the same but starting with knit 9, knit 2 together and repeating to the end of the row.

Let me know if it doesn't make sense.

I've spent today finishing off more quilts for Christchurch and will send another box off tomorrow. The pile for Qld and Vic is growing again too and I'll soon be sending another shipment off to those places.
Before all these disasters occured I had booked to attend the Australasian Quilting Convention and I'm off to Melbourne for a week starting next Weds so I'm getting as many quilts finished as possible before I take the break for the AQC.
Hope to see some of you there too.
Hugs Jan Mac