Knitting for charity

is more organised than it used to be. There are two organisations here that I follow. One is actually called "Knit4Charities" and the other is AKWAK. Both groups have small armies of knitters who produce all sorts of items for use by others. The work they produce is often beautiful. The effort that goes in is all too often largely unappreciated but they continue to knit.

And then there are individual people who don't want to belong to a group or simply can't belong to a group of that nature. These include elderly people, both male as well as female, and some much younger people.

Yesterday I stopped at a "senior citizens' home" and picked up a small garment that was exquisitely well made. At the request of the woman who made it I left more yarn. Her husband was sitting in the sun knitting simple blanket squares that are put together for the nursing home in the same complex. He was an engineer in his working life and his squares are very square and very even. His wife's little garment was going to a young mother who has been through a very tough pregnancy - the last part of it in hospital. The baby arrived several days ago and, although very small, seems to be healthy.  I handed the item over to the new father with the words, "It can be washed in the machine."

And then I went on to the house of someone I know quite well. A.... is the mother of C....  a student who had major heart surgery at the end of last year. C... also has other medical issues and, for a time, it was "touch and go" as to whether he would even survive. His recovery is going to be a long, slow process. He is one of a group of younger knitters I started working with when they were still in the primary school. There are just four of them left out seven now and they have a very close friendship with each other.  They all knit for charity too. 

It was for that reason I was getting together with A.... We checked and packed three boxes that will go to various places, according to what the items are and where they are needed. There were bright coloured "trauma teddies", toddler size cardigans and jumpers, socks, several scarves and mittens. In all those things are new skills these young people have managed to learn in the past year. 

They did not waste the Covid19 lock down although, given their range of serious medical conditions, it has lasted far longer for them and is going to require constant vigilance for a long time to come. They made use of it - and use of me. 

    "Don't you ever get tired of all their questions?" A.... asked me. She looks very tired. Worry over C.... has been so great recently.

I shook my head. I am not tired of working with those four young people. I don't mind collecting items from the very elderly and passing them on. These are people who are still thinking about others and trying to do something to help. They make me aware that I don't do nearly enough and that they do so much more. 

I stood in the doorway of C...'s bedroom. He is still largely confined to bed. He was knitting and listening to an "open learning" lecture of some sort. He paused both activities and asked, "Hi Cat, you okay?" 

That question tells me so much.