Community Love

The first time I heard of a community blanket project it made me cry. I was a new member of Ravelry and read about a group where a long standing and popular member had been diagnosed with cancer. Each member of the group secretly knitted a square which someone patiently joined together, so a blanket filled with love could be sent to the sick friend. It really resonated with me at the time as I was starting to feel ill and the idea of such time and love, as well as the physical comfort it would bring, seemed overwhelming.

The first time I knitted in a similar project was in very sad circumstances. A member of an online community I belong to had lost her daughter at two days old. It later transpired that the home made blanket the little girl was wrapped in was lost somewhere between the NICU and Funeral Directors. Our friend was understandably very upset, so we knit another for her. So many people contributed that it ended up being pretty massive, and our friend, the Mama, said she used to enjoy wrapping herself in the blanket and thinking of all those people who cared about her and her little girl. I was very proud to be a part of that.




This weekend I was contributing to a blanket under much happier circumstances. I can't tell you too much as it's still secret and there's an outside chance the recipient will stumble across this page. Suffice to say, she's very much loved in our little group,and has just given birth to a perfect little girl after a very worrying pregnancy.




Here are my two squares. I can't wait to see the finished thing.

And if you're feeling a bit Monday-ish and blue today, remember there are people who think a lot of you, and they may not be the first ones that spring to mind.

With love, Claire xx