Michelle sent me an update on the COVID Hearts! The administrator of Villa Forum sent her some pictures and I thought you might like to see them. Everyone involved thanks you for your contributions. Michelle feels very humbled … sometimes I forget how remarkably easy it is to make a difference in the world.
My first COVID project was this cloth-type-thing, Baker’s Twine. I don’t know why, but I thought that using a marled yarn would come out looking like holding two strands together, but it turns out it it doesn’t. Doesn’t matter, I made a pot holder or trivet or towel or something and it’s good and I’m happy!
The pattern, Baker’s Twine, had an interesting technique for making and inserting the loop, so that was entertaining. It’s knit on small needles, and I found I needed slippier needles and changed to a metal pair. The yarn was thicker than that used in the pattern and my project came out wider (one entire skein made the piece 12.5“/32cm long x 10.5”/26cm wide, and that was a 3.75mm/US5 needle). If you want a smaller potholder size you can omit one pattern repeat (12 sts). The pattern was not free, and I felt like it was a bit overpriced, but I tried something new and learned something new.
The yarn is new one around here, Borgo De’Pazzi Amore Cotton. It’s a blend of recycled cotton and poly fibres (apparently the synthetic content is in there to shore up the recycled cotton and make it yarnable, but it doesn’t feel or look like Tupperware) and you can feel the texture of the two strands spun together. It’s machine wash and dryable, so I figured it would make a good kitchen textile. Interestingly, while it doesn’t look thick, the ball-band suggests a 6.5mm/US10.5 to 8mm/US11 needle or hook. It’s also made in Italy, so first world/no slavery. One skein made a substantially sized piece of fabric. If you want to make a Potholder that looks like the one in the pattern’s photos (below) I’d use Cascade Ultra Pima (one skein of each colour).
Michelle picked up and distributed the fist batch of COVID hearts and it was an IMMENSE SUCCESS! She dropped them off at Villa Forum, a long term care home in Mississauga. The staff were profoundly touched and the nurses gave her an ovation of hand hearts. Your efforts were extremely well received!
Michelle is working on a second batch to take to another long term care home, and you can drop your contributions off at the store or mail them to us. You can read more about the COVID hearts HERE.
My client Michelle brought this initiative to my attention and we decided this is a great bandwagon we’d like to join …. people are knitting and crocheting little hearts for people hospitalized with COVID and their families. One of the most heartbreaking realities of the COVID pandemic is that hospitalized patients have to be isolated from their families and are dying alone. The premise of the heart production is you make little hearts in matching sets of two; one is given to the patient and the other goes to their family. The idea is to try and create a connection in a patient’s dying moments, and hopefully some much needed comfort for both parties.
If you would like to contribute your knitting and/or crochet skills and labour, I will provide a drop-off location at the store for your hearts and Michelle will come pick them up and distribute them to local hospitals.
Use any pattern for little hearts that you like, here are a few options:
Drop off your little hearts at Knit-O-Matic (1382 Bathurst St, Toronto). You can knock on the door Monday to Saturday 12 to 5 pm (I’ll put on my face-mask and you can pitch them at me) … or just leave them in our mailbox and I’ll figure it out.