…Knitters knit and designers’ brains bubble?

OK, so I’m a better knitter than poet.

Thanks to our very generous designers we have not one but two spooky new patterns for you magical knitters, just in time for Halloween. They are from Ann Kingstone, aka the Spinning maid, who has designed two sock patterns which are great for young wizards and witches and house elves.

Socks for LIttle Witches By Ann Kingstone

Socks for Little Wizards by Anne Kingstone

As always please don’t forget to make your donation to p/hop based on the number of hours of pleasure you think you will get from these patterns.

Now if only I could cast a spell to make my knitting needles work faster…

p/hop is now on twitter. You can follow us at msf_phop for all the latest p/hop news. Don’t worry if you’re not a tweeter, we’ll still have all the news and updates here on the p/hop blog.

PS. Here’s a clue as to what Pete, Natalie and I are up to at the moment…

It’s my second day at the MSF-UK headquarters in London as p/hop’s new co-ordinator. I’m sitting at my desk while someone is on the phone to the Congo. In the corner of the room there is a discrete copy of the Nobel Peace Prize which MSF won in 1999. I’m in awe of how knitting really can make a difference to people’s lives and feeling privileged that we can help in such a fun way.

Anyway, enough of my misty eyed ramblings. I’ve hit the ground running and am busy organising a press release for p/hops first birthday at the end of November. We will have more news on that and how you can help next week. I’m looking forward to getting to know you all better and seeing what projects both knitting and fund-raising you are up to. We welcome any ideas and suggestions. Please do get in touch either via the p/hop ravelry group, the comments section below or by email, p-hop@london.msf.org

I’m sending out a big thank you to my predecessor Louise for doing such a great job in p/hops first year. I’ve got a lot to live up to.

About me, I’ve been knitting with a vengance since my best friend had her first baby in 2005 when I made my first pullover, albeit a teeny tiny newborn pullover. Since then my stash has outgrown my flat and I like to dream we can solve all the world’s problems through knitting which again brings me back to p/hop. I’ve travelled and volunteered in developing countries and have seen first hand how just a small amount of cash can make a huge difference. I think p/hop is brilliant, combining a love of fibre arts with a passion to change lives in the often forgotten corners of the world.

I’m in the office one day a week where I’ll be nagging encouraging Pete to finish his scarf, meeting other members of the MSF team and pulling together fund-raising ideas.  There are also the tentative beginnings of an MSF knitting group…

Happy knitting, crocheting, spinning, weaving, felting, braiding and any other fibre art I may have neglected to mention.

Clare

PS. Pete really has thrown me in at the deep end and made me make a video. I now understand how actors feel when they can’t watch themselves back. Anyway, I hope you enjoy watching it.

So, I am sitting in the MSF UK HQ as usual. BUT, today there is a difference…

Behind me sits p/hop’s newest recruit. She will will be, at various times, a blogger, manager, inspirer, organiser, contact for all sorts of weird and wonderful queries and *gasp* a knitter. p/hop is a demanding mistress.

“Who is it?”, I hear you ask, your body atingle with expectation…

Well, says I, wait and see, for next week all shall be revealed…….