Latest project - Comfort Bears

At the moment I'm practising my knitting skills. Even though I prefer to crochet, every now and then I get intrigued by the needles and knit something.

I was at a CWA Meeting the other week and one of the ladies there was knitting "comfort bears"

The pattern looked simple enough so I thought I'd give it a try.

As you can see from the two photos the bear is done in one piece and then sewn up around the edges to make the bear.

If you'd like to make one the pattern is:
Cast on 10 stitches
Knit 24 rows
- first leg completed, break yarn
Cast on 10 stitches
Knit 24 rows,
- second leg completed
Knit across all stitches
Knit 24 rows
- body completed
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the row for the arm - knit across
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row for the second arm - knit across
Knit 12 rows
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the row
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row
- arms completed
Knit 50 rows
- this does both sides of the head (front and back)
Then you work in reverse to complete the other side of the bear
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the row for the arm - knit across
Cast on 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row for the second arm - knit across
Knit 12 rows
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the row
Cast off 10 stitches at the beginning of the next row
- arms completed

Knit 24 rows
- body completed

**Knit across 10 stitches, knit 24 rows, cast off 10 stitches (first leg completed)

repeat ** for second leg

Then you just need to sew around the bear and diagonally across the tops to create ears and sew on a face.

Have fun and good luck, it is also a great way to use up scrap small balls of yarn.

500 - Five Hundred Matilda Poppies

In November 2017 I was scrolling through Facebook and saw a post talking about sending parcels over to Defence Personnel serving overseas for Christmas.  It suggested adding in a Matilda Poppy to acknowledge their service.

What the heck is a Matilda Poppy???? So I went looking further and found it to be a poppy that is orange in colour and acknowledges a veterans service.  The message being to "Respect Every Veterans Service", not just those lost to war or those from WWI and WWII but also those still serving today.  It is a way for us to say "Thank you".

I crocheted one and posted a photo of it and shared it with "Matilda Poppy", since then I've discovered that it is run by Andrea who is a veteran herself.

The more I read the more I was shocked that we have lost so many veterans to suicide.  Back then it was just over 300, so my goal was to make 300 Matilda Poppies, then if we lost another person I'd make another one so that no one was left behind.  ANZAC Day 2018 they were presented to the local RSL.

Fast forward to towards the end of 2019.  The number has sadly increased to be FIVE HUNDRED, so I made another 156 poppies.  Now there are 500 of them on their way to another RSL.  My hope is that they are acknowledged and those veterans we've lost are respected.  They may have died from their internal wounds but they still served our country and for that they should be treated with respect.

To all our veterans, I say thank you, to the mothers, fathers and families of Jesse Bird, David Finney and the other 498 I say thank you as well.  I acknowledge you and respect your service.

Thank you.

More information about Matilda Poppy can be found at www.matildapoppy.com