From tiny acorns mighty oak trees grow.

That's a common enough saying and often proved true.

I found my acorn was when I was visiting several craft blogs and I spotted some posts about knitting tiny jumpers and beanie hats for African babies who are born into such poverty that they are sent home from hospital wrapped in newspaper. Hence their nickname "Fish and chip babies". I live in Spain, and already the weather is hotting up (it's expected to reach 29º tomorrow), so before long we will mostly be packing away our knitting needles and wools until next autumn, but I thought there might just be time to knit a couple of these jumpers first.

I wanted to share the idea with a few of my friends at my church and the sewing group I attend on Wednesday mornings, so I borrowed some photographs from Jo's blog, and downloaded the pattern from Dawn's blog, and made up a few leaflets to offer around. I am visiting UK in a week's time and thought I might get a nice little bundle of finished garments to take back with me for posting.

My 'oak tree' is what happened next. The project really seemed to catch people imagination. Several of my sewing group friends said they would get one made, as did some friends at church. One of my church friends was so taken with the idea that she posted about it on a local forum and several people up where she lives said they would knit. Then someone said their friend in Malaga (more than a three hour drive from here) would also make some, and she organised a 'knit-in' with her friends and got them all knitting too. 

Other knitters said friends and family in UK would also make some. Then one of our church members who shuttles between a home out here and a home in UK said she would get her church back in UK joining in. This was taken at our sewing group this mornings with the jumpers and hats we have made so far.

Two gentlemen from the forum, who regularly travel between Spain and UK have offered to transport parcels for delivering to cut our postage costs. We have found a business in each locality here, willing to act as a collecting point for finished jumpers, and a place where people can donate wool and needles.

My friend's husband has now set up our own website, Knit for Africa,  where the pattern can be downloaded, and there is information about collection points etc. We have decided to keep the project running until the end of the year - what happened to my fortnight deadline?!!!

Maybe by then our little oak tree will be wilting, but maybe it will have dropped a few more acorns that others will pick up and plant. Who knows.......

In the mean time, if we have helped just a few of these poor little tinies who are born into conditions no-one should have to endure, then it will have all been worth while.

Be encouraged my blogger friends. Keep posting. You never know what influence you may be having on those who happen to browse your site!