Knit One Save One, with Warm Up America!
Big Stars Make Little Caps to Help Newborn Babies
Knitters and crocheters nationwide are mobilizing to help save babies lives. And there are a list of prominent knitting and crocheting celebs who are doing their part as well, including Save the Children Artist Ambassador Gwyneth Paltrow, actresses Rebecca Romijn, Debra Messing, Lisa Edelstein, Vera Farmiga, Mischa Barton and Patricia Arquette.
The campaign is called Knit One Save One and it’s sponsored by Save the Children (STC), the global health organization, and Warm Up America (WUA), the industry charity that works with volunteer knitters and crocheters to provide afghans and clothing for people in need. (For all of you crocheters out there, our apologies for being left out of the name. Our friends at STC came up with the name before we were onboard, but this is definitely for crocheters as well as knitters.)
The campaign is bringing U.S. knitters and crocheters of all ages together to draw attention in Washington, D.C. to the nearly 4 million newborn deaths that occur each year in developing countries. Participants are asked to create one baby cap to keep a newborn warm during the first critical hours and days after birth, and to write a personal note to the President-elect asking him to lead the way in reducing newborn deaths globally.
The campaign that kicked off at the end of August will continue through December 31, 2008. Early next year, Save the Children will take the personal notes to the new President to Washington, D.C. The caps will be distributed to mothers and newborns through Save the Children’s community health facilities in Africa and Asia.
Hollywood’s biggest stars made little caps in all colors and wrote personal messages to the mom and baby on a tag attached to the cap. Gwyneth Paltrow knitted a raspberry-colored baby cap gathered at the top and finished with charcoal trim. Paltrow’s cap tag says: “As a mother of two children who mean everything to me, I share your joy. Love Gwyneth.”
All of the leading ladies’ baby caps and cap tag messages can be viewed at www.savethechildren.org/knitonesaveone. An interactive web game on this page lets fans match the caps to their favorite stars. To view a special video message from Lisa Edelstein, visit Save the Children’s nonprofit channel on YouTube at www.savethechildren.org/youtube. To download a Knit One, Save One action kit, which includes cap patterns, cap tag and more information about the program, go to www.savethechildren.org/knitonesaveone, or call 1-800-728-3843. Knitters and crocheters can also download patterns at the Warm Up America web site: www.WarmUpAmerica.org.
