Hi Suki

I should have responded to your post yesterday but, sadly, it was not a good day for me, family-wise. We DO knit for charity, and we really do welcome all newbies. I'm so sorry that it didn't come across that way. I think I need to do a regular update post on here so that it's easier for newbies to find out what we do.

We started off a few years ago just making squares, and we found an organisation that would sew the squares together into blankets, then distribute them for us. We then found Loving Hands http://www.lovinghands.org.uk/ is a fantastic charity that collects all kinds of knitted, crocheted and sewn items, and sends them around the world to various charities. It's run by a hard-working tireless lady called Lou. She collects for overseas charities, premature babies here and abroad, charities for the elderly, for animals, and so on.

Then there's Preemies UK http://sites.google.com/site/preemiesuk/ that collects for premature baby units.

We have a Yahoo group http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Wooligan/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=1 on which we post photos of all the things we make (for charity and personal projects, too).

Here is a link to a post by one of us - Maytaurus who, sadly, has been unwell lately - in which she has listed loads of links to charities, free patterns and tutorials, and all sorts of other things which have really helped to keep us very busy on here http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=25685267&postcount=143

Some of us have more time than others, due to various work and family commitments, but there is no pressure to make a certain number of things - just one little hat for a premature baby will make a difference to a life, so every single item counts.

I really do hope you will join us. We love having newbies, and I promise you that you will receive the warmest of welcomes from everyone on here. I will send this post as a private message to you, too, just in case you don't come back to this thread. Please do join us.

KathyXX