I Have an Idea to Run Past You....

I get these ideas sometimes. Occasionally they're not too bad, often they're crap. For instance, putting expensive plants in the deer buffet cleverly disguised as a bed by my driveway--crap. Making a scrub top that resembles nothing so much as a disco ball--definite crap. Attempting to make a sugar free cake sweetened with fruit juice--well, let's just say it smelled like vomit and leave it at that, shall we?

Today, though, I have a wonderful idea. It has to do with knitting (a good sign) and a bunch of scared families, and half a dozen men trapped at least half a mile under the earth possibly dead, possibly alive, certainly in a terrible situation. I'm talking, of course, about the miners in Utah who have been trapped now for over a week and a half after a collapse blocked their escape. At this point, it's possible that the collapse itself killed them, and it's possible that they're still alive, and everything in between is also quite possible. For some reason, this story haunts me and moves me and tugs at me and won't let me sleep. It's like a little mouse pulling on my sleeve, and I find myself pouring over the internet every day, looking for stories, a glimmer of hope, something. Instead, I find things like the story about the children of one of the miners sleeping on the floor in the school gym every single day since the cave-in, because he doesn't want to sleep in comfort if his father can't. My heart spasms with that one. Or the pictures of the town with handmade signs up all over the place, offering the families support and comfort.

I racked my brains, people, I really did. And I finally got this idea: what if, just--you know--what if a whole bunch of knitters (I know a few of those) were interested in knitting 10 inch squares in any pattern, in any worsted weight wool? And what if, having done this thing, these knitters were to send them to me to stitch together into warm, loving blankets made by caring strangers for people in pain and fear? And what if these blankets were mailed off to Utah, and maybe offered a smidge of comfort to any one of those suffering people? I honestly think the world would be a fraction better in that moment....which is probably why the mouse is tugging even harder at my sleeve and whispering "yes! yes! Do it!!!"

What do you guys think? I'd need a fair few squares. There's only six families, but I'm wanting biggish blankets--how comforting is it to snuggle in a lap robe? I was thinking 6 squares by 5--so 30 squares per blanket for a grand total of 180 squares. I'd make a bunch, too, of course. Oh, and I hope to convince the knitters to add notes pinned to their squares--just words of support and care, nothing fancy. Names only if you want to.

Anyone game? Please let me know. I don't know why this is so important to me....but I've learned to just listen and then go along for the ride in these situations. The mouse is usually right.