eNewsletter
July 2012

Pillows for Olympians

As we all know the 2012 Olympic Games in London begins in the next few days. These games are not only very interesting and memorable for everyone watching, but they must be unforgettable for the athletes involved in these games.

This year a group of knitters and crocheters in the UK have decided to make it more personal for the participants of the Olympic Games and Paralympics. They call themselves Woolsack. They are working towards giving a welcome gift to all athletes who are participating in the games. The gift is a cushion made of British wool.

In July 2011, Woolsack became part of the Cultural Olympiad. The athletes were supposed to pick their pillows when they entered the Olympic village. This summer, they were informed that corporate sponsors of the Olympic Games have problems with this gift-giving process. Now, athletes have to contact Woolsack and request their pillows.

The project has excited a lot of people – from schoolchildren to avid knitters/crocheters. Many are participating in the project and lots of photos are posted online. They do not sell their pillows – the pillows are only for the athletes.

These cushions are supposed to be 16" (40 Cm) squares. The yarn is donated by yarn producers across the UK. There are free patterns available on their web site along with personal labels for cushions. During different fiber festivals they have stuffing events, while some people plan smaller events. This project has created a lot of excitement for new crafters, even school children are learning to knit and make pillows for Olympians. This is a nice gesture and a good cause to make people excited about knitting/crocheting.

To learn more about Woolsack project check out: http://www.woolsack.org.

Nazanin S. Fard

Needlecraft University