'Thoughtful Thursday' 3 Squares for Syrian Children

 Photo: Hussein Malla

There is a total of 184,977 Syrian refugees are currently taking shelter in 14 refugee camps in Turkey. The refugee exodus from Syria has soared to 5,000 a day, Syria's neighbor Jordan said that in February alone it had taken in more than 50,000 new arrivals. The humanitarian crisis is worsening day by day, leaving agencies struggling to provide help that’s desperately needed. Even if there was an immediate halt to the violence today, there will still be massive humanitarian needs that will need to be addressed for months and years to come. There is no quick fix, but we can help in a small way by helping to bring a little warmth and comfort to the children in these camps, and show that there are people around the world that do care.  

  

  How You Can Help:

Please consider making a square or three with your odds and ends. Any spare wool you have can be knitted or crocheted 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!

I realise the cost of sending items by post especially to Turkey can be costly which is why I dec launched this 3 square appeal. PLEASE spare a thought for the Children of the Syrian refugees and if you could knit or chrochet just 3 squares they would fit easily into an envelope and postage shouldn't be too great, or if you prefer to donate a small amount (3tl which is equivelent to 1pound sterling or 1.70 us dollar) then we'll buy the yarn and knit 3 squares for you.

It really will make a difference to a child's life!

We work with reputable, experienced relief agencies to securely transport and distribute our hand-knit and crocheted blankets.
You can also find us at:  https://www.facebook.com/LilyLoveInTheLanguageOfYarn

Help us make a difference today!

'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.
We now also have a  branch in Jordan, the address to send squares to Jordan is 
'LILY' C/O  A Mencke
P.O. Box  2842
Jubeiha
Jordan, 11941

And They're Off!!

Today we sent off another cosignment this time to a refugee camp in Antakya, Turkey. It's such a good feeling to be able to help the children keep warm.

Today we sent 4,480 hats, 2,010 pairs mittens & gloves, 1,600 pairs socks, 1,200 pairs baby booties, 1,856 scarves, 200 pairs girls tights, 600 pairs leg warmers, 200 ear muffs, and 612 blankets. We have also had 1,100 pairs shoes delivered to camp in Antakya.

 A big thank you to everyone who has donated, but we still need more, there are now 181,729 refugees in Turkey. Please continue to send in your knitted and crochet squares and every week we meet to sew them together to make blankets.

Refugees fleeing Syria urgently need our help. 

Help us make a difference today!

I realise the cost of sending items by post especially to Turkey can be costly. Therefore I've decided to launch this 3 square appeal. I am asking everyone  PLEASE spare a thought for the Children of the Syrian refugees and if you could knit or crochet just 3 squares they would fit easily into an envelope and postage shouldn't be too great.

Please if you could just knit or crochet 3 x 8inch squares, pop them in an envelope and send them to the address at the bottom of this page, we will sew them together to make blankets and a child with nothing will get a warm and colourful, cover for their bed!

'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.

Knit To Help Syrian Children

With increased violence and no end in sight, up to 5,000 more arrive every day, 80% of whom are women and children.

Many newly-arriving Syrian refugees are entirely dependent on humanitarian aid, some coming with only the clothes on their backs. Thousands of children have already suffered through months of terrifying conflict and displacement, and are now at serious risk of succumbing to the cold. 

The image (courtesy of facebook) shows a young boy, covered in a carpet, sleeping on the cold snow in an uncomfortable position.

Children are particularly vulnerable to disease associated with the cold, and are in urgent need of protection. cold temperatures combined with freezing rains and strong winds are posing huge challenges for refugees who are already living in extremely difficult conditions. Some families are staying in unfinished buildings or abandoned schools, where classrooms have been converted into one-room shelters now housing entire families, and some are now living in former barns – sheep sheds and chicken coops – in their desperate bid to find protection from the elements.

photo: Iva Zimova/People in Need

We at LILY- Love In the Language of Yarn are working hard to provide blankets and warm hats, socks, gloves etc., for the children, especially the youngest, who are most at risk of succumbing to the cold – but there isn’t enough! 

                                      We need your help!

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. It is a lot of fun and immensely satisfying knitting or crocheting squares to make blankets. It's a good way to use up scraps of wool and different effects can be achieved with colours and by using different stitches.

 A handmade blanket will bring comfort and warmth to Syrian people especially children who continue to suffer. A lovingly made blanket will send a message of concern and hope to these refugees. Your participation is important.!

Help us make a difference today!

Let's try and send them a little comfort and the knowledge that someone is thinking of them.

'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.
We now also have a  branch in Jordan, the address to send squares to Jordan is 
'LILY' C/O  A Mencke
P.O. Box  2842
Jubeiha
Jordan, 11941

Squares To Make Blankets For Syrian Refugees

Photo by Hamzeh Al-Binshi/Shaam News Network/Handout via Reuters.

As the civil war in Syria rages on, more than a quarter of a million Syrians have fled the country in the last eight weeks. Currently there are 763,000 Syrian refugees outside Syria, out of which 250,000 are in Jordan and 240,000 in Turkey, nearly 80 percent of the refugees are women and children, and of those refugees, one in every five Syrian refugee households is female-headed. The number of Syrians accommodated in  Turkish camps is now 170,000 and to date, around 2,700 babies were born in these camps. In addition, more than 70,000 Syrians are living in the cities in Turkey.

How You Can Help:

Please consider making a square or two with your odds and ends. Any spare wool you have can be knitted or crocheted 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  6 (USA)
A yarn sewing needle.
 Cast on 32 - 40 stitches ( depending on tension, 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.
You can also find us at:  https://www.facebook.com/LilyLoveInTheLanguageOfYarn

Refugees fleeing Syria urgently need our help. 

Help us make a difference today!

'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.
We now also have a  branch in Jordan, the address to send squares to Jordan is 
'LILY' C/O  A Mencke
P.O. Box  2842
Jubeiha
Jordan, 11941

Knit A Hat For Syrian Refugees

The weather is very cold and the Syrian Refugees would really benefit from a knitted hat. If you've a little time to spare and an odd ball of yarn please knit a hat and send to the address at the base of this post.

With size 4.5mm (US7) needles cast on 90 stitches.
Knit 4 rows in K1, P1, rib casting on 1 stıtch at the end of the last row - 91sts.
Row 5. Knit
Row 6. Purl
Continue in stocking stitch (1 row k, 1 row purl) until work measures 6 inches from begining.

Decreasing:
Row 1 (knit 11, k2tog) 7 times - 84sts
Row 2 and all wrongside rows purl.
Row 3 (k10,k2tog) 7 times -77sts
Row 5 (k9, k2tog) 7 times - 70sts
Row 7 (k8, k2tog) 7 times - 63sts
Row 9, (k7, k2tog) 7 times - 56sts
Row 11 ( k6, k2tog) 7 times - 49sts
Row 13 (k5, k2tog) 7 times - 42sts
Row 15 (k4, k2tog) 7 times - 35sts
Row 16 (P2tog, p3) 7 times - 28sts
Row 17 ( k2, k2tog) 7 times - 21sts
Row 18 (P2tog, p1) 7 times - 14sts
Row 19 (K2tog) 7 times - 7 sts
Row 20 (P2 tog) 3 times, P1 - 4 sts
Row 21 k4tog
Cast off.
Sew hat seam together using flat seam stitch.
Thank you to Anne Grffin for sharing this knitting pattern and knitting the hats in the photo.


Please Help If You Can!

'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.

We work with reputable, experienced relief agencies to securely transport and distribute our hand-knit and crocheted blankets, hats, gloves etc. 
You can also find us at:  https://www.facebook.com/LilyLoveInTheLanguageOfYarn

A Special Meeting To Help Syrians

Today I was lucky enough to be at a meeting hosted by the League of Arab States, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and The Humanitarian Forum, the meeting to coordinate aid delivery to the Syrian people was attended by representatives of Turkey’s IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Programme (WFP), Red Crescent and Red Cross organizations, various NGOs and Syrian representatives. Representatives of the organizing bodies and Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi delivered speeches at the opening session. Al-Arabi summarized the efforts of the Arab League, both within the organization and on the international arena, to resolve the ongoing crisis in Syria and ensure the safety of the people. The opening speeches were followed by presentations about the situation and needs of the affected people inside Syria and refugees in neighboring countries. İzzet Şahin, IHH International Affairs Coordinator, also made a presentation on the situation of Syrian refugees in Turkey. “Basic needs of refugees arriving in Turkey are met by the Red Crescent and IHH; however, the real problem is inside Syria borders. IHH is ready to deliver humanitarian assistance to the affected people in Syria through a humanitarian aid corridor.”

A number of workshops were held about delivering relief to the Syrian people, principles of relief aid, health and food aid.

A number of recommendations were issued to decision-making bodies and international NGOs. The meeting recommended:

Neighboring countries to facilitate the access and delivery of aid to affected people in Syria and outside.

Humanitarian agencies to attend to the psychological support of conflict victims.

Utilise all available opportunities to allow delivery of humanitarian relief.
Cooperate with Syria-based registered, transparent NGOs for delivering aid.
Promote collaboration between humanitarian agencies in the field and border areas.
Assess and address the need of people for food items in Syria.

Humanitarian stakeholders need to improve their coordination mechanisms and partnership with private sector, civil society organisations and government agencies.

Ensure safety of humanitarian workers wherever they are stationed.
Mobilise the role of League of Arab States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation as leading humanitarian coordination bodies in the region.

The total number of registered refugees and individuals awaiting registration is 671,262 as of 21 January. This includes 5,417 Syrian refugees registered in North Africa. The number registered in Turkey as of 22 January is 156,801 in 16 camps with another camp about to be built. "We will continue to have a policy of open door and we will never close our borders," pledged Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

  In tomorrows meeting I will be rasing my point, I hope people will be listening!

I'll let you know how I get on in tomorrows post.

Help Cold Syrian Children

Photo: REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra

As syria’s civil war continues unabated, thousands of children have fled across the border, terrified and desperate for safe refuge from the spiralling violence. These children have not found the protection and assistance they need – because winter is here and thousands remain without appropriate shelter. Winter has started its glacial spread across the region, but while the icy winds and driving rains pick up and temperatures begin to plummet, funding required to meet the needs of those most at risk is just not there.Thousands of children have already suffered through months of terrifying conflict and displacement, and are now at serious risk of succumbing to the cold. Children are particularly vulnerable to disease associated with the cold, and are in urgent need of protection as the bitter winter sets in.The plummeting temperatures and torrential rains could leave thousands of refugees facing serious health problems like hypothermia, frostbite and chest infections. This could prove deadly for the most vulnerable children – some of whom are already getting sick from the cold.

  So let's try and send them a little comfort and the knowledge that someone is thinking of them.

Help 'Lily' Love In the Language of Yarn Knit Squares to make blankets for these Syrian refugees especially the children. 

I realise the cost of sending items by post especially to Turkey can be costly. Therefore I am asking everyone PLEASE if you could knit or chrochet just 3 squares they would fit easily into an envelope and postage shouldn't be too great.  

Please if you could just knit or crochet 3 x 8inch squares, pop them in an envelope and send them to the address at the bottom of this page, we will sew them together to make blankets and a child with nothing will get a warm and colourful, cover for their bed!

Please Help If You Can!

'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.

We work with reputable, experienced relief agencies to securely transport and distribute our hand-knit and crocheted blankets. 
You can also find us at:  https://www.facebook.com/LilyLoveInTheLanguageOfYarn