CHESED HATS

Most of you will know me from my day job but very few of you will know I am an avid knitter/crochet fiend, art lover, quiz fanatic, whisky drinking, gin imbibing wife and mother of one who is rather partial to cheese and chocolate - but not at the same time.
When I am not wielding a hook or two sticks, I can be found in the kitchen working on new recipes for the Jewish Chronicle, working hard as a volunteer for Campaign Against Antisemitism, or messing about on Facebook when I should be ironing!
I 'tried' to learn to knit as a schoolgirl but it was woeful, a left hander being taught by a very severe right handed teacher.  The scarf was more holes than knit and I rather gave up on it.
While pregnant with my son, there was no gin to be drunk so I decided that it was time to pick up my needles and try again...the rest is history...
Since October 7th I have, like many of you, felt the need to do something concrete to help Israel and her people.
Up until this time, my charity knitting has been squares for children orphaned by AIDS in South Africa, traffic light preemie hats for a NICU and tiny orange preemie hats for Mitzvah Day,  until a post popped up on my Facebook page.
It was a call for black knitted beanies for the IDF with a 'recipe' created by Channah Koppel.  The post disappeared, so like the trained investigative journalist/nosey parker (another of my many careers), I went looking on the net.
Channah is no longer heading up her project but there are plenty of knitters in Israel who are continuing. A lightbulb moment occured and  I felt this was just the sort of initiative I was looking to set up here in the UK.
There are many people who have already donated funds for yarn and we are slowly gaining more knitters.  As many knitters want to donate yarn too, the residual funds will be used to purchase yarn here and have it sent to Israel as there is a shortage. 
This mitzvah of creating a 'hug in a hat' is an act of loving kindness that we can pass on to the brave men and women who strive to protect our "family" - Klal Yisroel.
Please join me by donating a little (or a lot), knitting one or two hats or learning a new skill.  I will post yarn websites for supplies and links for knitting tutorials so that you can create something beautiful and useful.