Yesterday I was in Birmingham, celebrating the end of the 60 Million Trebles Project. Although all the folks involved are likely to carry on clicking and hooking for charity, this project has come to an end.
The aim was to make a world record breaking blanket, with each stitch representing one displaced person in the world. At the time the project started, 13 months ago, the figure was 60 million people; by the end of 2016, this figure had risen to 65 million.
Earlier this year, Ellen Roche, who started the project, realised that if we were going to go for the world record, the blankets would not be out to the charities for many extra months. And so everyone agreed that we’d give up on this idea (sad though we all were, because it would have been great publicity) and just get the blankets done and distributed.
So, the big question yesterday was had we reached the target of sixty million trebles (stitches)? And the answer was…
we completed 7940 blankets,
using the equivalent of 27,083 balls of double knitting yarn,
totalling 271kg of yarn
equivalent to 8125km of yarn (enough to go from London to Beijing)
with an average of 7951 trebles per blanket, making…
67,707,940 trebles
So a big thank-you to everyone who donated yarn or squares to the blankets I made, and especially to Sandra, Wild Daffodil for the autumnal squares – the blanket that contained these received an honourable mention as one of Ellen’s favourite blankets.
Many of the blankets have gone to Hand in Hand for Syria, others to St Mungos, Help for the Homeless and Let’s Feed Brum. I’m very proud to have been involved, plus I’ve made lots of new friends – what a result.
The Snail of Happiness 
Wild Daffodil
/ September 17, 2017Oh Jan!!!! That is FANTASTIC news – thank YOU for helping me to be a tiny part of this most wonderful project. I am delighted to know that the blanket you created got a special mention amongst so many – WELL DONE. How wonderful to know they will bring comfort to many. Crochet and the amazing community it creates will help to save the world – I’m sure of it!!!!!!! ❤ x 60m
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 17, 2017I was so excited when I heard how much the blanket had been appreciated… it will be travelling to Syria later this month, I think.
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Wild Daffodil
/ September 17, 2017Big ❤
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nanacathy2
/ September 17, 2017This is super news. Well done to you and Daffy.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 17, 2017what a team we are!
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katechiconi
/ September 17, 2017Bravo! I see it was a varktastic occasion, and that cake certainly looks yummy, I bet there wasn’t a crumb left, if I know anything about yarny ladies.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 17, 2017The last few pieces of cake (there were just a few) were collected to share with some friends and family. I think there was some left over because there was so much other food – chips, baked potatoes, rice, mushroom stroganoff, chicken, sandwiches, wraps, scones, cupcakes, biscuits, cheese and crackers… enough for lots of us to take supplies to eat on the way home (which I certainly did). I think there were over 50 vaarks present (lots had been sold to raise funds for the charities) and they did make people smile.
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Annie
/ September 17, 2017Well done!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 17, 2017I’m not madly making bird roosts for my etsy shop as I’ve nearly sold out and I’ve been neglecting stock creation!
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coppicelearner
/ September 17, 2017Great news! Well done to all who took part.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 17, 2017It was lovely to celebrate with some of the other participants… another get-together with lovely people I met online.
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Nice Piece of Work
/ September 17, 2017TOTALLY BRILLIANT !!! ❤
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 17, 2017I can’t believe the commitment – make you realise how many kind and generous people there are in the world.
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craftyboutiquebytam
/ September 17, 2017oh wow.. How exciting that is awesome!!!! Congrats!!!! =)
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 17, 2017we are all very happy… a project that involve being kind and making friends is a real winner!
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craftyboutiquebytam
/ September 17, 2017I completely agree..!!! -) very nice!!
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thecontentedcrafter
/ September 17, 2017Totally wonderful!! Congratulations to you and all your friends, it’s like sending out a giant hug around the globe! I recently met an older man, a refugee from Syria who has very little English. He walks the street with his morning coffee, looking I guess for that outdoor community he has known all his life. We stumble through a few words each time we meet, but my heart breaks for him! The video ‘isn’t available for me to view’ unfortunately.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 17, 2017I hadn’t realised that the video had sneaked in – it was of the announcement of the number for those who couldn’t attend the event, but I’ve removed the link as it doesn’t seem to work properly.
Gosh, I hope your Syrian refugee finds a community. I can’t imagine being displaced like that.
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thecontentedcrafter
/ September 18, 2017I think it is unimaginable – which is why what you are involved with is so very important.
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Born To Organize
/ September 20, 2017Pauline, you are no doubt a gift to that man in the same way these blankets warm other hearts and minds.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 20, 2017so true
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katythenightowl
/ September 17, 2017How wonderful that you beat the total! Congratulations to you all for your wonderful work 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 18, 2017I think the fact that the participants also formed friendships was a valuable outcome of the project. Quite a number of the ladies had health issues, and the online chatter and local meet-ups seemed to help many people trough difficult times whilst also creating all those amazing blankets.
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katythenightowl
/ September 21, 2017Yes, that’s one thing I would have loved to join in for, if my health had permitted it, but I’m just so glad that it all went so well for everyone concerned 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 22, 2017On-line groups can be so valuable for those with health issues who find it difficult to get out and about,, and I know that for lots of the ladies, it took their minds of their own problems.
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tialys
/ September 18, 2017It’s so great to see people coming together in a common cause and, if you can be crafty at the same time, all the better. I didn’t realise that basket of wool was a cake until I zoomed in – so clever.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 18, 2017Yes, that cake is amazing, isn’t it?
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quietwatercraft
/ September 18, 2017That’s amazing! Well done 😀
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 18, 2017so many people contributed, it has been a great project to be involved in.
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KerryCan
/ September 18, 2017Amazing–what a wonderful glow you must have!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 18, 2017We do. And it was especially lovely to end with an event where some of us could meet up, since almost everything, apart from little local gatherings, had been done online throughout the project.
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davidprosser
/ September 18, 2017Well done Jan. A very worthy cause.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 18, 2017I’m very fond of making for charity, and it really was good fun too.
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Born To Organize
/ September 20, 2017This is extraordinary. Thanks for calling my attention to this project and for making a difference in the world with your love and kindness.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 20, 2017There are so many lovely projects going on, and this one has been a real joy to be involved in.
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Born To Organize
/ September 27, 2017🙂
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Emma
/ September 22, 2017That is completely amazing!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ September 22, 2017It’s surprising hat can be achieved when we put our mind to it.
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