.....aaaaaand I'm back!

In my defence, I said 'after Christmas'. I did not say how long after Christmas...

Two things have prodded me into coming back. One was receiving a couple of comments from new readers (hello, maybe and checat!), and one was looking in my diary and realising that last weekend was my sixth blogiversary. I have many things to tell you... but I'll start with the hats.

My Quaker Meeting threw a party last year for women and children asylum seekers in Sunderland. I made them six hats - and 70 women and 30 children attended!

This year, starting in June, I started crocheting my stash oddments into hats and scarves for this year's party. My intention was to carry on until I had finished up all the odd balls, and stuff left from bigger projects. I knew we would need about 100 items, in various sizes, and I thought, if I was lucky, that I might get to about 20, perhaps 30.

I kept crocheting, and getting Richard, the Beamish Boy, to photograph each one and pile them up in a cupboard.

I finished the last odd ball on November 30. I had also been given some beautiful scarves and a whole range of knitted hats by two lovely friends, so I knew there would be a fair few items.

I got Richard to haul them all out and photograph them. It was the first time I'd seen all my work in one heap (with Merlin conveniently appearing, to give scale!):

It soon became obvious that I had done rather more than 20 or 30. In fact, once Richard had laid it all out meticulously, and we counted up, we discovered it was...98!

And this is what it looked like with my friends' scarves and hats added in – Richard almost had to stand on a chair for this one. I think it added up to 120 altogether:

My stash has gone from three large plastic crates (and a few bags) to one and a half crates!

Eight hats have gone off to the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture in Newcastle, and the rest was collected yesterday by two friends from Durham Meeting. They were amazed at the quantity, even though I'd warned them that it would be two heavy bags – they weigh around 18lb, well over a stone, in total.

When I explained to Judith how I'd made them, and how many I'd made, she made a brilliant comment: 'If you weren't a Quaker, I'd be inclined to think you couldn't be telling the truth...'

It's the truth, Judith. Even I'm staggered by it, and I'm the one who did it!

Well, that's it for this time. I hope to be blogging regularly - I certainly have plenty of news to tell you from this year. See you soon - I promise!