2020 has been so incredibly difficult for so many families, and friends. Lovers and partners, and best friends. Daughters and sons, Moms and Dads, cousins, neighbours, and anyone whom we hold a place for in our hearts. The tragic turns this year has brought to so many, has left so many of us feeling broken, sad, angry, helpless, and in the darkest moments of this year, I have to chose hope.
(The photo in this update was taken by my husband on a walk through the woods, at Lake of Two Rivers, in Algonquin Park. When I need hope, when I need inspiration, I often find it in the woods. I keep this photo with me to remind me, that no matter how hard it gets, there are always 2 rivers to chose, and there are always bright lights somewhere if you search hard enough)
Today was a crushing milestone that Canada has reached. Today the number of souls lost reached 15122. A number I truly never anticipated we would reach. I was optimistic we would somehow never get here, I was certain we would flatten the curve, trying to maintain the “glass half full” theory.
These are so many Canadians, these are so many of our loved ones, that can’t be lost to a headline, or a scroll bar on a news network.
Clearly, our efforts as a knitting community is being called upon once again, and rally we must. As we now find ourselves with far fewer squares than we need to complete the project. We will have an exact count posted by mid January, but we are anticipating a need of at least 5000 additional squares. We know we have asked a lot, and it’s with a huge amount of appreciation and gratitude for your enduring work. We know that we can’t do this alone.
If you are doing some online shopping from home, maybe in lock down, (depending on what province you’re in) if you would kindly consider adding a skein of Berroco Vintage to your order and commit to making a square. They don’t take long, but will mean so much to a family. Many of your local yarn shops will have it, if not there are multiple options online.
If you belong to a knitting circle, or you have knitting friends, please share this with them. Encourage them to register as a knitter at www.covid19memorialblanket.ca
Also please follow us on our social media profiles. We are starting to gather information and share information. We are about to start compiling a list of agencies who require individual blankets, and we will start shipping those out next. Because we aren’t familiar with all the agencies in other provinces, we thought your input would be invaluable in this process. We invite you to connect with us on social media, and as a community, we can gather the info about agencies in local areas across Canada.
What has changed with the project since its inception?
The blanket has almost doubled in size, which means some additional engineering needs to be done, in order to display the blanket. (We will now need to add a backing, and insert tent like poles to sections for stability, so that is being worked on, and reconfigured to make this the most stable display possible, while maintaining it’s ability to travel throughout the country when the time is safe to do so.)
Look for us to be posting updates more regularly, (our province is currently in lockdown, so the team will be able to get so much work done, and get some of the backlog of squares catalogued). We’ve been pretty quiet, due to being small business owners, homeschool moms, and farmers who are lambing at the moment. Be assured we are working on this project everyday.
Thank you to all of you who have contributed this far, without you we’d be nowhere, and we appreciate your patience as this massive project is catalogued, curated, and assembled.
As we bring in 2021, as Canadian knitters, let us make sure all those we have lost, will not be forgotten. Their memories not be a random number, let’s be sure these families members will know that their loved one, is being remembered by those who loved them, and by Canada as a whole, and that we will continue to hold a place for these families in our hearts and thoughts.
If you are just learning about the project, please visit www.covid19memorialblanket.ca for pattern information, and all things…
Follow us on Facebook @Covid_19MemorialBlanket and Instagram @covid_19_memorial_blanket
Thanks for reading, and thank you for all you’ve done. Thank you for continuing to encourage us each day.
With Much Love & Gratitude
Heather
It is so disappointing that the virus continues to take lives! Thank you for persevering and continuing this project. I delivered three squares to the yarn shop where I bought the yarn and I will try to add to my contribution when I find more of the specified yarn.
Thank you for this update. My heart breaks thinking of the numbers of Canadians we have lost. As long as the Project needs volunteers I will continue to knit squares.
It is just so upsetting and frightening that the numbers are still rising. It is heart wrenching to lose so many loved ones. Hopefully the vaccine will be distributed in due course and the end will follow. I have been informed that you received my initial squares and I had ordered more vintage yarn just last week and it was delivered to my door step. I’ll getting right on making up the squares and sending them out again. Thank you for putting together this amazing project. All stay safe and let 2021 be a wonderful year.
I will be happy to make more of the squares needed. It is the least I can do.
Have you ever considered making Provincial/Territory blankets rather than a National one? Such a symbolic measure of the loss in each province/territory… the toll. Might not be so overwhelming & you can call on the relevant local knitters as required. Such devastating times. Hope will come with the passage of time ❤️
It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Kitchener ON. Children are sliding down the small hill in the Park shrieking with laughter while parents fondly keep track of their treasures at the bottom of the hill. Any other year this would be almost ho hum. This year, what and who is more precious than we could ever have imagined this time last year.
So many lives lost . So many seriously ill people that might never recover to pre- covid health.
Those of us lucky enough to be well are stepping up and adding our voices to those who grieve. Even one knitted square contributes to letting the world know that we share your pain and we hold you close to our hearts.
Thank you to the team for their inspirational idea many months ago. It helps to be able to help , even in this small way.