Packing Assistants

Gwen would like you to know that no parcels are sent out until they've been personally inspected by her. In return all she would like is a tummy tickle!

Meg, on the other hand, just needs 40 more winks, and that this pillow is a rather nice place to have them!

In all seriousness, I have now delegated parcel packing to an assistant (aka my Mum). It was becoming quite a time consuming job, and that time was better spent with me doing jobs that only I can do. She mostly packs the parcels first thing in the morning, before the dogs get walked, so they come and help. 

They're confined to my bed, and keep the wrapped up parcels company, all the loose stuff stays well away from the fluff shedders! 

Little Hats

Regular readers will know that I'm a big supporter of p/hop, I've designed patterns for them, and manned their stall at festivals. Normally everything p/hop does is geared towards raising money, so that cash can be used where it's needed most, at the very moment it's needed. 

We may all like the idea of making something for charity, but often the expense of transporting the item offsets the good it does. MSF usually likes local communities to supply items like this, it helps support the local economy, but Dr Miroslav who runs a neonatal unit in Qetta, Pakistan made a specific request for hats.
He doesn't mind what they're made of, in fact warmth is the main concern, so wool is better than acrylic, and they want hats that will fit premature babies, up to 5 year olds. The very smallest of these hats really are tiny, they'd fit on an orange quite easily, they don't take much wool, or much time to knit. Mum and I went for bright and cheerful, hopefully they'll bring a bit of cheer to a patient and their family in an upsetting time.
If you think you could knit a few hats then you can see the original request on the p/hop blog here, the deadline for the first batch is the end of April, to see some pattern suggestions, and discussions about the project, take a look on the p/hop ravelry group.