Ramblings from a local yarn store

By Craig Carruthers and Gerard Allt

Knitting to Share and Care

Gerard Allt talks about his love of knitting for others

Most of my knitting has always been for other people. I love that about knitting; for me the sense of accomplishment and of achievement is heightened by giving my hand-knit to a friend or family member. The connection that this offers is also very important to me as I appreciate contact with other people, as it is energising.

For a long time, making cards - cutting up pictures and sticking them on paper or spray painting bits of card - was enough but when I learned how to knit all that changed!

My first projects were lots of clothes for friends who were pregnant or had just had a baby. I loved to do it. Most of the friends I knitted for did not live in the same city as me and it took me a couple of years to realise that I knitted for them because of that reason. I made a pair of mittens with huge pompoms for one friend, because I was worried about her driving to work at early hours of the winter mornings. I made a neck scarf for my sister because she complained of the draft at her desk in work. I made a blanket for every baby in the family and I struggled with a kimono for my god daughter. There was lots more but I didn't have a single knitting thing that I kept for myself for over two years.

I'm not completely sure that some of my first efforts were completely welcome but they were all given and received with love and not a single person told me that it didn't fit or it was the wrong colour, or anything like that. I wouldn't have cared anyway; I felt connected to them and part of their life. This was especially important to me for the people who were having babies. I went home to Liverpool quite often and I loved meeting the new kids and seeing them in the knitting I had given them.

Iris, my god daughter, had a bright red hat and scarf - which was an incredible achievement for a new knitter, I now realise, as the yarn was lighter than double knit and the needles were 3.25 mm and it took an age to knit. It would not take as long now but I was so proud of it. She looked gorgeous and as it was stocking stitch the edge rolled which meant she could wear it for ages as she grew. She did have it for a couple of years, I think. Until it was slung from the pram somewhere in Majorca.

My favourite gift was inspired by Iris' obsession with boobies - a knitted breast was whipped up in the car journey home and she was speechless. That is until it went down the front of her jumper!

I do have, more recently, things that I have knitted for myself but my stash still largely consists of yarn bought to make a shawl for my mum or a sweater for my sister, however, it is increasingly obvious that knitting for people you don't know is just as important.

My interest in knitting for other people progressed and when I was working for WaterAid I was desperate to combine my hobby with my profession. It didn't take long before we launched Knit A River. We asked supporters to knit blue squares that we could sew together as a knitted river - a unique petition that we could use to raise awareness of the misery caused by the lack of access to safe water in developing countries.

We received over 100,000 squares from all over the world.

Knitters are wonderful people. Generally speaking, they are caring, giving, passionate, intelligent people and I love spending most of my time with them. I love craft and I love the way knitting can bring people together. It has always been important to have as many charity projects as possible at our annual I Knit Day event, such as Jenny Chant who is incredibly inspiring and proves to us all that one person can be an incredible force.

Other charity knits this year included Alison Murray with her knitted Ginger Bread House which raised money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Knit One, Save One for Save The Children, Ingrid Wagners Big Knit Campaign for Breakthrough Breast cancer, Oxfam's Knitted petition, knitonthenet's own knitted poppy and many others.

I Knit London are also currently working with The Wallace and Gromit Foundation to make the world's biggest tea cosy!

All of these projects, and others, where a major influence in my writing a book about using our skills and generosity to continue to help other people. Whether you want to say thank you, show someone you care or just help someone who needs it there are a million things you can knit.

Knits to Share and Care is out at the beginning of December but you can pre-order it from www.iknit.org.uk. There are 25 projects to knit that include a childs toy, premature baby clothes, lace shawls, hats and scarfs, gloves and socks.

There is also lots of information that will help guide you to the charities or appeals that desperately need your knitted donations.

Gerard Allt and Craig Carruthers run I Knit London, club shop and sanctuary, 106 Lower Marsh, SE1 7AB
visit the website at www.iknitlondon.com or read the I knit blog.