Knitting Galore: 'Thoughful Thursday' Knit for 'LILY'

The charity featured today on Thoughful Thursday is very close to my heart. I have set up 'Lily'-Love In the Language of Yarn in memory of my grand-daughter Lily Iris Gibson born sleeping 18th July 2010.
Our Mission is To bring love and a smile to all children in need around the world. We provide hand knit and crocheted items for children, mainly orphans but any child in need. We are a new organisation and have three areas where we need your Help.

Plea 1.

Knit a Square For Syria.

Please consider making a square or two with your odds and ends. It's a great way to bust your stash. The squares will be joined to form blankets and given to IHH- Humanitarian Relief Foundation to be taken to Syrian refugees in Turkey. Turkey has seven camps housing more than 29,500 Syrians the highest number taking shelter in Turkey at one time since the start of the uprising some 15 months ago. 'Lily' - Love In the Language of Yarn has been asked to help provide blankets especially for the many children refugees. In the short time we have been established we have made a staggering 347 blankets - enough to give one to each child in just one of the camps in Turkey near the Syrian border. A gift of a handmade blanket will bring comfort and warmth to Syrian people especially children who continue to suffer from oppression and war. Your lovingly made gift will send a message of concern and hope to these refugees. Your participation is important.! Any spare wool you have can be knitted into eight inch squares and then we'll stitch them all together into a blanket. No waste and someone gets a warm and colourful, cover for their bed!

Plea 2.

For our second assignment we have teamed up with several non profit organisations in Turkey helping to raise awareness of premature births, and have been asked to help provide knitted garments for several neonatal intensive care units in Aydin, Izmir and Bodrum.
Premature birth occurs in between 8 % to 10% of all pregnancies. Because they are born too early, preemies weigh much less than full-term babies. They may have health problems because their organs did not have enough time to develop. Preemies need special medical care in a neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU. They stay there until their organ systems can work on their own. Premature babies are amazing – they can grow and thrive despite huge obstacles, and catch up to full-term babies in both size and development. Please Help us to knit for premature babies.

Plea 3.
We work alongside the Humanitarian Relief Foundation and at this time they have 2175 orphans in their care here in Turkey, and 25,000 across 35 countries. Children who are deprived of the care of their parents due to wars, natural disasters, poverty or health problems.In September 2012 I will be visiting an orphanage in Kayseri, Turkey with a group of volunteers. The orphange is home to 115 children at the moment. I hope to take with me a parcel for each child. I am busy knitting a 'Lily' Bear for each child. Knitters and Crocheters I need your help! Age groups are 3-6yrs, 7-10yrs and 12-14yrs. Boys and Girls. Hat, scarf, glove sets for each child.

It is the children who are affected most by the troubles in regions hit by conflicts, hunger and wars.

Please Help If You Can!

You can also find us at: https://www.facebook.com/LilyLoveInTheLanguageOfYarn where I will be adding more knitting and crochet patterns, links to patterns and information updated daily.

'Lily' is supported by businesses and individuals in Turkey, whether it be donations of yarn, Knitting and Crocheting or transportation of completed blankets and garments to receiving agencies.

'Lily' has no paid employees. All the good work is done on a strictly volunteer basis.

'Lily' wishes to thank all those private individuals and businesses which support us. Without you, there would be no 'Lily' - Love In the Language of Yarn. We work hard for the day when we are no longer needed to help keep Children warm.

Dianne Jones - Founder of 'Lily'- Love In the Language of Yarn.