Glasgow knitters create blankets for the city’s homeless, celebrating Glasgow’s 850th anniversary and fostering community spirit.
This effort connects to Glasgow’s 850th birthday. The Church of Scotland and Lodging House Mission teamed up and started “Glasgow Close Knit” together for this cause. Churches are knitting or crocheting 850 blankets.
The blankets will go to people using hostels citywide. Cambuslang Parish Church is involved. Their knitters made 444 squares since October, with both new and experienced knitters joining.
Lorna Morrison started their involvement after hearing about “Close Knit” at Lodging House Mission while delivering harvest gifts. Claire Herbert DCS told her about the project then. Morrison had completed a sponsored knit before for a children’s hospice, and young people showed interest in knitting locally.
Morrison invited people to join and shared patterns. Every week, she collected knitted squares. People from nearby churches also gave squares, and local knitting and craft groups helped too.
Morrison said these efforts build a real community. People feel valuable helping others, and they also use spare wool in helpful ways.
She also organized a knitting meet-up recently where people knitted, counted, and sorted the squares by color scheme. Then, they planned and sewed their first blanket.
Morrison was surprised about their square total, saying that having over 440 squares in February was great. More knitters plan to join the March meeting too, and they hope to create at least seven blankets then.
These blankets go to Claire for distribution to people in homeless housing. Morrison recalls a meeting with Claire and a young person started it all.
The project’s impact is more profound as new friendships started because of this activity. Young people want to help make a difference, and people feel like they can contribute to a good cause. People from outside the church are participating and feel valued.