General Chat

Not sure I'm allowed to do this..but it's not charity in the sense of asking for money...and it's for a REALLY good cause so I hope it's ok..*fingers crossed*...found this on FB earlier and thought of those crafters on here who might be able to oblige....sadly I just CAN'T knit .....

Battersea is asking crafters across the country to help its most sensitive dogs, by knitting them a special security blanket.

The blankets are for Battersea’s dogs, who stay with foster carers for short periods of time if they are stressed by kennel life, or are recovering from an illness or operation. Battersea is hoping to have enough blankets to put one in every doggy bag, which also include food, bedding and toys, and are given to foster carers when they look after a dog. When the dog is rehomed, they can then take their blanket to their new home.

The blanket has been designed by Lauren O’Farrell, who knits under the name 'Deadly Knitshade', and designs patterns on her website, www.whodunnknit.com. Lauren is also the founder of the Stitch London craft community.

She explains: “Most people had a special toy or blanket when they were young which they loved to bits. The plan is to make blankets which Battersea’s foster dogs can love just as much. It will be a woolly treat to put in their doggy bags, and they can take their blanket to their new home, so it will smell really familiar and be a handmade friend in a new place.”

The free pattern can be downloaded at www.battersea.org.uk/blanket

Surely you can knit a blanket Muffy even I can do that I just cant follow a pattern.

I can't !!! Ridiculous isn't it !!! I can cross stitch, use a sewing machine and allsorts but i'm afraid knitting and me are a no no.

My mother begged me to stop asking her to teach me in the end and taught me some recipes in the kitchen instead...I drove her berserk....kept losing count and concentration for some reason lol x

Muffy, please leave this on the board. I will have a look at it tomorrow. Off for a quiet night.

Julia in Derbyshire

When my daughter wanted to learn to knit when she was about 6....I could show her how to knit but got me mum to cast on for her, I can cast off :-D

Thank you Julia x <3

Awww that's a lovely idea. I'll have a look Muffy, thanks for bringing this to our attention.


I was watching the local news earlier, and reports are saying that many dog charities are really struggling now, as the economy bites deeper into people's pockets and they are abandoning their animals. One woman who runs a rescue centre was saying it's disgusting that people are doing this, that their pets are just something that can be got rid of...whereas she'd starve herself first. I quite agree. I imagine places like Battersea and all other rescue centres are under a huge amount of pressure, both in terms of space and finance...and of course the practical things like these blankets.

Don't forget some local dog rescue centres want blankets all the time, they can be old ones that are no longer used at home if you cut them up and hem the edges ( I can't knit well lol). and sometimes are better than knitted ones because the dog won't catch it's claws in them.

Stick it on here, strange how some threads just don't take off :-S

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards.page/board/general_chat/thread/1293656

I'll have a look at it Muffy :-D

I took some of the girls old baby blankets to a lady who rescues ...she does the same....gives them all their own personal security blanket when they leave her for their new homes.

It's a lovely idea.

I left an old jumper of mine with Harper for a couple of days before we collected her....so that my scent would be familiar to her and it'd also smell of her *home* too for when she came to us.

She still uses it to this day ...it's SO worthwhile x

Aaaaaa sorry didn't realise it was a duplicate.

I probably didn't answer the thread because I don't crochet or knit.

:-(

***sighs*** i really MUST read on further than the titles before I comment further pmsl...multi tasking at the mo so not being very thorough DOH x

Island, the difference is probably in the thread title... :-) I saw your thread but didn't bother to look at it...sorrryyyy :-0

Anyway it's a worthy cause so the more who bring our attention to it the better :-D

Not a problem Muffy, I'm just touting for a bit more interest LOL

My fellas late aunt used to knit for Battersea dogs home. I could do with using up some of my odd balls so I'll have a g.o

Thanks all....glad I posted it now !!! <3 <3 <3

its a lovely idea, i wish i could knit, i can kinda, make loops lol

Ive got some steel wool if anyone wants me to make them a kettle......

I'll get my coat.

our local Cat Rescue have a box in a Sainsburys store near us asking for balls of wool to make blankets for the cats, so I think quite a few animal charities are feeling the pinch just now.

Teresa, it isn't my thread! But thanks for not bothering to look anyway LOL :-D

Island, is it me (not feeling to well this evening) but isn't the other thread to do with the olympic athletes rather than for the dogs?

Personally (and it isn't a competition) If I could knit, I'd prefer the dog's cause :)

SRS, unless I've given the wrong link no it isn't.

I'd prefer the dogs cause too, the Olympics are getting too much free labour.

Edit, no it isn't the olympic one. It's just a thread for anyone who knits or crochets rather like the bird thread and the craft thread etc but it seems no one is interested. Never mind, I'll stick to pm.s