'Thoughtful Thursday' Help Knit Squares For Syrian Refugees

8 months ago I founded 'Lily' in memory of my granddaughter Lily Iris Gibson who was born sleeping. Because of photos like this I wanted to help these Syrian children refugees.

 I am just one person but with the help of our wonderful supporters sending knitted and crochet squares and blankets, and the help of family and friends in sewing the squares to make the blankets we have been able to send 3,257 blankets to the children living in these camps, many of them in tents. But this is just a drop in the ocean as thousands are fleeing Syria every day. 

At least 11,000 Syrian refugees have fled their country in single day, pouring into Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon with children and dozens of wounded. The new arrivals bring the number of refugees in Turkey to around 120,000. Most of the displaced people in the camps are children. All have fled the violence of Syria’s civil war. Many have seen violence themselves. Some have lost relatives, and most have trouble sleeping and panic when they hear loud noises or airplanes.
 We expect the situation to get worse when winter hits, lowering temperatures and sending rains that could turn the camps into a muddy bog.

So let's try and send them a little comfort and the knowledge that someone is thinking of them. Please keep the squares and blankets coming! 


Help 'Lily' Love In the Language of Yarn Knit Squares For Syrian refugees especially the children.

Please consider making a square or two with your odds and ends. 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 a child with nothing gets a warm and colourful, cover for their bed!

Knitting Instructions

FOR ONE 8"/20 cms SQUARE, you will need:
Yarn from a 100 gram (3.5 oz) ball of yarn or scraps of yarn 
 worsted weight , double knit or 8ply

Size 4mm needles  10 (USA)
A yarn sewing needle.
 Cast on 32 stitches (try to make your stitches neither too loose nor too tight to help ensure uniform squares)
 Row 1: knit
 Row 2: knit. These two rows form the 'garter' stitch knitting pattern for your square but you use any stitch you prefer, beascreative as you like. Continue knitting  until you have knitted a square
 To ensure you square is 8"/20cm either use a tape measure .

 Cast off
 Use your yarn sewing needle to sew in all the yarn ends using a darning method
VERY IMPORTANT 
Leave a one metre length of your yarn attached to your work after you have cast off. This will be used to join the squares together. but if you're changing colors work in your other tails.  DO NOT TIE AND CUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE KNOT, THAT IS GUARANTEED TO COME UNDONE.  Knot if you want, but leave a tail and work in your ends.


We work with reputable, experienced relief agencies to securely transport and distribute our hand-knit and crocheted blankets for this project we are working with  Humanitarian Relief Foundation. 
You can also find us at:  https://www.facebook.com/LilyLoveInTheLanguageOfYarn

Please Help If You Can!

Photos of refugees in this post are by getty images.

'Lily' is supported by businesses and individuals in Turkey, whether it be donations of yarn, Knitting and Crocheting or transportation of completed blankets 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.
Address - 'LILY' C/O Dianne Jones
                   Türkmen Mahlesi
                    Ünlü sokak No 10 D4
                    Kuşadası
                    Aydin
                    Turkey.

Photos of refugees in this post made available by Reuters.